27 Sep SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER

KAPAROS WITH CHICKENS
Dear Vues Master
This past Thursday I went with my family to do
Kaporos in the pouring rain. My family always enjoys
this mitzvah. There was a lady there yelling at us how
we can’t do what we are doing to a chicken. Everything
was being done in a kavodicka way. I really dont
understand how frum people could be vegetarians.
If one reads our tefillot everything revolves around
karbonos.When moshiach comes, and it should come
very soon, when we have the third Beis Hamikdash,
what do people think we are going to be doing it all
the time? We are going to be shechting animals &
bringing karbonos to Hashem. What are Peta people &
vegetarians going to say then? Hashem created these
animals so we can eat them.
HK
Vues Master’s Note: We NEED Moshiach now!

DOING TASHLICH AFTER ROSH
HASHANAH
Dear Vues Master
For some reason every year I do tashlich on Chol
Hamoed. I don’t remember the last time I did tashlich
on Rosh Hashana. I always do kaparos on time & go
to the mikvah on time. Why did chazal give us until
Hoshana Raba to do tashlich? If they just told us we
had to do it on Rosh Hashana I would have done it
then.
KP
Vues Master’s Note: Zerizim Makdimin L’mitzvos!!

AL CHET BY AI
Dear Vues Master:
For the sin we have committed by Allowing addiction
to social media to control our lives.
For the sin we have committed by Broadcasting
personal conflicts publicly.
For the sin we have committed by Cyberbullying and
harassment.
For the sin we have committed by Disseminating fake
news and misinformation.

For the sin we have committed by Excessive self-
promotion and narcissism.

For the sin we have committed by Fostering online
hate and hostility.
For the sin we have committed by Giving in to the
allure of clickbait.
For the sin we have committed by Harboring envy and
jealousy from comparison.
For the sin we have committed by Ignoring privacy
and sharing sensitive information.
For the sin we have committed by Joining in online
echo chambers.
For the sin we have committed by Keeping a constant,
unhealthy online presence.
For the sin we have committed by Liking, sharing, or
endorsing harmful content.
For the sin we have committed by Misrepresenting
ourselves online.
For the sin we have committed by Neglecting real-life
relationships for virtual ones.
For the sin we have committed by Over-sharing
personal details.
For the sin we have committed by Posting hurtful or
offensive comments.
For the sin we have committed by Quoting out of
context or cherry-picking information.
For the sin we have committed by Retaliating against
online criticism with hostility.
For the sin we have committed by Spreading rumors
and gossip.
For the sin we have committed by Trolling and
provoking others intentionally.
For the sin we have committed by Using social media
as a platform for bragging.
For the sin we have committed by Violating copyright
and intellectual property rights.
For the sin we have committed by Wasting excessive
time on social media.
For the sin we have committed by Xenophobic or
prejudiced remarks online.
For the sin we have committed by Yielding to the
pressure of seeking validation.
For the sin we have committed by Zealously defending
one’s online persona, even at the cost of authenticity.
CBT
Vues Master’s Note: Oy! What is this world coming to?

TO BE HAPPY
Dear Vues Master:
No other Mitzvah do we say מצטער is
פטור except for the mitzvah of sukkah.
Harav Hagaon R. Shlomo Miller Shlita
said the reason for this is, since it is
שמחתינו זמן the Torah didn’t want us to
be מצטער during our
זמן שמחתינו ואני הקטן הוספתי
מצטער פטור מן הסוכה
The סוכה פטור מן המצטער also and
Yom Tov of Sukkos makes us פטור from
צער. This coming סוכות will be pain-free
of צער & צרות the All .פטור מן המצטער
ישראל כלל will end abruptly. The
כהרף עין arrive אי“ה will ישועות ורפואות
and we will all have a true
זמן שמחתינו אמן כן יהי רצון
MF
Vues Master’s Note: I was so happy to
read this letter!

DREAM
Dear Vues Master:
I dreamt that I went to Heaven and
an angel was showing me around. We
walked side-by-side inside a large
workroom filled with angels. My angel
guide stopped in front of the first section
and said,”This is the Receiving Section”.
Here, all petitions to Hashem said in
prayer are received. I looked around in
this area, and it was terribly busy with so
many angels sorting out petitions written
on voluminous paper sheets and scraps
from people all over the world. Then we
moved on down a long corridor until we
reached the second section. The angel
then said to me, “This is the Packaging
and Delivery Section. Here, the graces
and blessings the people asked for are
processed and delivered to the living
persons who asked for them.” I noticed
again how busy it was there. There
were many angels working hard at that
station, since so many blessings had been
requested and were being packaged for
delivery to Earth. Finally at the farthest
end of the long corridor we stopped at
the door of a very small station. To my
great surprise, only one angel was seated
there, idly doing nothing. “This is the
Acknowledgement Section, “ my angel
friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed
embarrassed.” How is it that there is no
work going on here? ‘ I asked. “So sad,”
the angel sighed. “After people receive
the brachos that they asked for, very few
send back acknowledgments” “How does
one acknowledge Hashem’s brachos? “
I asked. “Simple,” the angel answered.

Just say, “Thank you, Hashem. “ “What
blessings should they acknowledge?” I
asked. “If you have food in the refrigerator,
clothes on your back, a roof overhead and
a place to sleep you are richer than 75%
of this world. If you have money in the
bank, in your wallet, and spare change
in a dish, you are among the top 8% of
the world’s wealthiest. “ “And if you
received this on your own computer, you
are part of the 1% in the world who has
that opportunity.” “If you woke up this
morning with more health than illness.
You are more blessed than the many who
will not even survive this day.” “If you
have never experienced the fear in battle,
the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony
of torture, or the pangs of starvation. You
are ahead of 700 million people in the
world.” “If you can attend a shul without
the fear of harassment, arrest, torture
or death you are envied by, and more
blessed than, three billion people in the
world.” “If your parents are still alive and
still married, you are very rare.” “If you
can hold your head up and smile, you are
not the norm, you’re unique to all those in
doubt and despair.” Ok, what now? How
can I start? If you can read this message,
you just received a double blessing in
that someone was thinking of you as very
special and you are more blessed than
over two billion people in the world who
cannot read at all. Have a good day, count
your blessings, and if you care to, pass
this along to remind everyone else how
blessed we all are ATTN: Acknowledge
Dept. “Thank you Hashem, for giving
me the ability to share this message and
for giving me so many wonderful people
with whom to share it.” If you have read
this far, and are thankful for all that you
have been blessed with, how can you
not send it on???? I thank Hashem for
everything, especially all my family and
friends!!!!!!!!!!!!
RBS
Vues Master’s Note: Oh! Thank you
so much for this letter! I am hereby
acknowledging this letter!

YOM KIPPUR WAR
Dear Vues Master:
Fifty years ago, there was the Yom
Kippur war. This week there have
been many programs on TV telling the
story of that war. Fifty years from now,
they’ll be telling stories of the 2023 Yom
Kippur war. This was a different kind of
war. It wasn’t a fight against the hostile
countries that surround Israel. THIS

might have been sadder. “How is that
possible you might ask”. Well … this
war was Jews against Jews! In a country
that prides itself on freedom of religion
for ALL people, (Christian, Muslim,
Druze) we witnessed the antisemitism of
Jews against Jews. It is unfathomable to
me how non observant Jews take to the
streets to protest the religious freedom of
observant Jews. On the holiest day of the
year they disrupted prayer. I wonder how
many of them have ancestors that lived
through or died during the Holocaust.
If they do, they must be turning in their
graves. The state of Israel is a Jewish
state. It is our homeland promised to us
by G-D. We suffered enough at the hands
of oppressors throughout history. We are
not a western state (which I believe is
what those who do not adhere to religious
practice want our country to be). If they
are so in love with the western way of life,
they should leave! Let them see what it’s
like to live in the diaspora. Let them get a
dose of their own medicine. They’ll come
crawling back on all fours. After Kol
Nidre I came home and perused through
a book of explanations of the davening
we say on Yom Kippur. As I read, I kept
thinking about the incitement and hatred
that has gripped the country. I wondered
if any of the haters davened. I wondered
how they can beat their chests as they
read the Al Chet (for the sins that were
committed during this year). The words
to this tefillah would be meaningless to
them. They can’t possibly reconcile their
actions over these past months that led up
to this most awe filled day. I think I felt sad
for myself that on this day, my thoughts
were tainted. I wanted to rid myself of
the sins that I might have committed this
year (especially the ill feelings I have for
those who are destroying our country). I
wanted to feel at peace; instead I remain
disappointed in myself for having such
dark thoughts. I didn’t get to cleanse my
soul and already have my first sins to ask
forgiveness for next Yom Kippur.
K S K
Vues Master’s Note: As Bob Grant used
to say it is sick and getting sicker out
there!

STUDENT SAYING MECHILA
FOR CHEATING
Dear Vues Master
Someone I know just posted this online &
I thought your readers would appreciate
it. Many students cheat, but most don’t
take the time to send an email apologizing

for it, especially after so many years.
This email reminds me that there are so
many dumb things that I did many years
ago that I haven’t bothered to apologize
or do teshuva for. I’m committing to
pay this email forward by reaching out
to apologize to at least one person that I
wronged many years ago. Professor S, I
hope this email finds you and your family
all doing well. I am a former student of
yours from years ago, and while preferably
remaining anonymous, wanted to reach
out with a long overdue ask. Many years
ago for reasons still unbeknownst to me
I cheated on an exam in your class. To
this day, thinking about it fills me in sheer
embarrassment and regret. I genuinely
have no idea what was going through my
mind at the time, and there is zero excuse
for that behavior – although the way we
treated you and many teachers in general
was pretty inexcusable. I have thought
about sending this email many times,
and always failed to. But now as I have
children of my own and my goal is to
raise decent and respectful kids, my own
shortcomings often pop into my head.
This ranks high among them. So for that
mistake, I wanted to reach out and ask
mechilah. Gmar chatimah tova
Former Student GH
Vues Master’s Note: I thought cheaters
never prosper?

SINGING DURING
DUCHANING
Dear Vues Master
This past Rosh Hashana the entire shul
sang the tune along with the Kohanim
when they were duchaning. Is that
allowed? I feel like it takes away from the
Kohanims job.
DH
Vues Master’s Note: I think that’s nice. It
doesn’t sound good when all the kohanim
are singing different tunes.

SLEEPING ON ROSH
HASHANA
Dear Vues Master
Is it true that you’re not supposed to sleep
on Rosh Hashana afternoon because you
will have a sleepy year? I like getting a
nap on Rosh Hashana afternoon because
it gives me energy to daven better. People
in my family were giving me a hard time
when I took a nap.
MK
Vues Master’s Note: Rav Shlomo Zalman
Auerbach says that if you need a nap to
daven better, then do it. But (in a footnote)

it says that he encouraged young people
not to nap and that he personally didn’t
nap until he was 40.

CHESED
Dear Vues Master:
I love this time of year. Everyone is busy
doing mitzvos & chesed. The streets are
busy selling everything for yom tov.I
wish that we all can be this way all year
long!
KP
Vues Master’s Note: In my neighborhood
it is like this every week L’Kovod
Shabbos! It’s all the way you look at it!

CHAYALIM
Dear Vues Master:
On one of the Israeli army bases, they
organized a Rosh Hashanah party for
the soldiers. At the party, they made a
raffle. There were 300 soldiers, and each
put 50 shekel into the raffle, totaling
15,000 shekalim. A donor from the
USA matched the amount collected,
making the total raffle prize 30,000
shekalim. Everyone could feel the
excitement in the room as the soldiers
wrote their names on the cards to put
into the raffle box. The winning ticket
would receive the entire sum. One of
the soldiers was debating what to write
on his card. Although he would have
liked to win, one of the soldiers in the
battalion was recently seriously injured
in an operational activity and was going
through a difficult time. So he decided
that even though the chances of winning
was slim, he wrote the wounded soldier’s
name instead of his own. Finally, the
moment of truth arrived. A commander
shuffled through the box of cards and
pulled out one name. The soldier
silently prayed that the winner would
be the wounded soldier. Finally, the
commander announced the name of the
winner, and a miracle happened! The
winner was the injured soldier. Applause
broke out in the room, the wounded
soldier had tears in his eyes, and was led
in his wheelchair to the stage to receive
the prize money. At the end of the party,
the soldier who had written the wounded
soldier’s name on the card was cleaning
up the hall. He went to empty the box
of name cards, and to his surprise, he
noticed that the name of the wounded
soldier was written on a card. He read
another card, and again the name of
the injured soldier appeared. One after
the other, the soldiers had written the

wounded soldier’s name on most of the
cards. Mi KeAmcha Yisrael!
IN
Vues Master’s Note: The story is
inspiring if it really happened!

ANTI SEMITISM
Dear Vues Master:
How many ways are there to excuse
antisemitism? Quite a few, it seems.
The CEO of Adidas, the German-based
apparel company, says that rapper
Kanye West “didn’t mean it” when he
went on those antisemitic rants last fall.
Among other things, West threatened
to “go death con 3 [sic] on Jewish
people,” ranted about “Jewish Zionists”
controlling the media, and declared there
were “good things about Hitler.” “I
don’t think he’s a bad person, it just
came across that way,” Adidas head
Bjorn Gulden claims. But at least Gulden
is candid about his motive for excusing
West’s bigotry: “That meant we lost that
business, one of the most successful
collabs in the history…very sad.” A
few days later, on the other side of the
ocean, police said that the thug who
smashed up the Hillel at the University
of Pennsylvania was “experiencing
a crisis.” In other words, according
to the police, it wasn’t antisemitism,
even though the attacker was ranting
and raving about Jews as he rampaged
through the Hillel center. Whether
or not the assault in Pennsylvania was
connected to the upcoming anti-Israel
conference on campus, or the proximity
of the Jewish holidays, will eventually
be determined. But this much is already
clear: the attacker knowingly singled out

a Jewish target, and was screaming anti-
Jewish slurs as he damaged a Jewish

organization’s property. That sounds like
something more than a random moment
of personal “crisis.” Since celebrity

antisemites have more fans than lesser-
known bigots, they tend to enjoy more

protection from excuse-makers. After
Mel Gibson’s first public antisemitic
tirade, in 2006, actress Jodie Foster
told USA Today: “Is he an anti-Semite?
Absolutely not.” Then why did Gibson
make antisemitic comments? “It’s
no secret that he has always fought a
terrible battle with alcoholism,” she
declared. Foster did not comment
when, a few years later, an apparently

sober Gibson referred to Jews as “oven-
dodgers.” Congresswoman Ilhan

Omar tried to excuse her own 2019

comment about Jews and money (“all
about the Benjamins”) by claiming,
“I wasn’t aware of the fact that there
are tropes about Jews and money.”
Omar’s political allies used several
different excuses in response to her
statement that Americans Jews use
their “political influence…to push
for allegiance to a foreign country.”

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-
Cortez said Omar was merely being

“insensitive” (as opposed to bigoted).
Senator Bernie Sanders insisted that
Omar’s remarks constituted “legitimate
criticism of the right-wing, Netanyahu
government in Israel,” although Omar
had been referring to American Jews,
not the Israeli government or its policies.
From time to time, a historian can
be found among the excuse-makers.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt
repeatedly made antisemitic comments
not because he was antisemitic, but
just as a way of “breaking the ice”
with foreign dignitaries, according to
Richard Breitman, in his 2013 book
FDR and the Jews (coauthored with
Allan Lichtman). During a meeting
with the Soviet foreign minister in
1942, President Roosevelt agreed with
a complaint by a White House aide
about the large number of “distinctly
unsympathetic Jews” and “kikes” in
the American Communist party. And in
a conversation with Josef Stalin during
the 1945 Yalta conference, Roosevelt
joked about “giving” America’s six
million Jews to the king of Saudi Arabia.
FDR merely “was using anti-Semitism
as an ice-breaker” on these occasions,
Breitman wrote. The problem,
however, is that an “ice-breaker” is, by
definition, something that is done at the
beginning of a conversation, in order to
facilitate a more open discussion. But the
transcripts of Roosevelt’s conversations
reveal that the remarks about “kikes”

took place at the very end of an hours-
long dinner meeting; and the “joke” to

Stalin was made on the next-to-last day
of the week-long Yalta conference—in
other words, long after the “ice” was
broken. Why do some people make
excuses for antisemites? Reasons vary.
Sometimes business interests are at
stake. Sometimes the goal is to advance a
political agenda or protect the reputation
of a public figure whom one admires. But
whatever the motive, making excuses
for antisemitism is wrong—because it
undermines the fight against bigotry and

encourages antisemites to believe they
can get away with it.
RM
Vues Master’s Note: How sad and How
True!