19 Dec SPEAK YOUR VUES WITH THE VUES MASTER

CLARITY
Dear Vues Master
I think by now, most of the civilized world has figured it
out. They see clearly who the forces of evil are and who
the creators of light are. But to those who don’t have that
clarity yet, I created you a nice guide with some questions
to ask yourself if you care at all about your integrity… –
Which side would Hitler side with if he was alive? The side
that wants Jews to live in peace in their homeland or the
side that wants to murder Jews wherever they are? – Which
side holds peaceful marches where they sing, daven, and
hope for their innocent hostages to be freed and which side
yells death chants? – Which side is willing to accept the
other living peacefully with them side by side and which
side doesn’t believe the other side has a right to exist? –
Which side has a Declaration of Independence that states
clearly that the country is democratic and which side has
a charter (that’s available online it you wanna read it)
calling for genocide of all infidels? – Which side belongs
to a religion that has been radicalized to commit the vast
majority of global terror and which side davens for peace
several times a day? – Which side has been caught with their
pants down (sorry, couldn’t help the pun) countless times
with their lies and which side consistently tells the truth,
even when inconvenient? – Which side was dancing with a
Torah scroll when they were viciously attacked, murdered,
and raped and which side did the attacking and proudly
live streamed it? – Which side states clearly that they want
world domination and which side has absolutely no interest
in convincing the world that they are right? – Which side
drops pamphlets and sends SMS to minimize civilian death
and which side uses civilian deaths on both sides as a PR
tool? – Which side has introduced the world to endless
innovation and which side only invented terror tunnels? –
Which side has deep sadness from the terror inflicted upon
them and which side is only angry that they weren’t able to
kill more innocent people? This war, unlike other wars or
conflicts, doesn’t have two equal sides. There is no equal
sign. There aren’t two legitimate teams here. There is one
side that does everything humanly possible to minimize
civilian deaths on both sides and there is another side that
does everything humanly possible to maximize civilian
deaths on both sides. If you’re a moral person, you can’t sit
this one out. Choose wisely because history doesn’t forget.
Stand with Israel as it fights the forces of evil before they
make it to your doorstep. There is only one moral side here,
one side that values life above all, one side that wants to live
in peace, one side that cries over every innocent life that’s

lost; the Israel side. Israel will win this war, with or without
your support. Israel doesn’t need you. You need Israel.
Hillel Fuld
Vues Master’s Note: It’s even clearer now! Mi Kamcha
Yisrael!

POSTERS
Dear Vues Master:
This was a letter that someone sent Yeshiva World that
I wanted Jewish Vues readers to see as well. I am sure
many of you will read this and initially go berserk, but this
letter might cause others to wait a minute and think twice.
I hope what I’m saying will resonate with you. Since the
horrific Hamas attack on Simchas Torah, many have taken
upon themselves things to do to help Israel. Some have
strengthened their yiddishkeit, others have found a way to
assist Israel through donations, and many – such as myself
– have done both. But here in Brooklyn, some people
found their own way to “help” which has been anything
but helpful. For the past number of weeks, signs of the
hostages and art depicting the Israeli flag have been put
up in heavily Jewish neighborhoods. From what I’m told,
it’s the work of two women (mainly one) who have made
amplifying the plight of the hostages and Israel’s right to
survival their sole mission. I don’t have a problem with
the concept of being pro-Israel or of trying to increase the
general public’s awareness and empathy for the hostages
and their poor families. But the way it is being done has not
only been unhelpful, it is actually bringing danger closer to
Jewish people. As noted before, the signs have been put up
in heavily Jewish areas. So, what happens? Pro-Palestinian
individuals come and take them down, or paint over them
with Palestinian flags and messages. The pro-Israel signs
are put back up, and the pro-Palestinian people return. It
has become an endless back-and-forth cycle that doesn’t
do anything for anyone, and is only increasing tension and
setting the stage for an awful brawl – or worse – to occur,
smack in middle of Jewish neighborhoods. And it’s already
happened. There have been fist fights, attacks, assaults, and
more. I get that you want to have these signs up, but does it
have to be outside Landau’s Shul? Is there a single mispalel
that isn’t aware of what’s going on? Are you actually
accomplishing anything with that sign? But the worst is
that a Yeshiva on Avenue N and Coney Island Avenue has
allegedly given this woman permission (which is a topic for
another letter, and they should be held accountable for it) to
plaster their property under construction with the posters.
Who exactly are you trying to persuade – 8-year-old Rivky

as she enters and exits school, hoping that a
pro-Palestinian person doesn’t go berserk
from the signs when she’s there? Well, that’s
what has now happened. On Sunday morning,
an entire wall of hostage photos was ripped
down, and a huge wall of graffiti with “Free
Palestine” was painted. So guess what
happened on Sunday night? This incredible
Tzadeikis, on her mission to save the world,
showed up at the location and spray painted
over the Palestinian graffiti with pro-Israel
graffiti. What do you think will happen next?
Exactly! Pro-Palestinian graffiti will now be
placed on TOP of that, and this cycle will never
end. If you own a property under construction
in Flatbush and you see this woman defacing
your property on a quiet residential street,
embrace her! Give her permission to hang
as many posters as you want. When you then
have “FREE PALESTINE” written all over
your property, don’t worry. Just call her and
her cans of spray-paint back, and she will
gladly deface your property even more. OR –
if you see her hanging signs on your property
and you actually care about stopping potential
violence in our neighborhood and preventing
hateful graffiti on your property, STOP HER.
And if she doesn’t listen, call the Police and
have her arrested. I have personally verified
with MULTIPLE home owners that they
never gave anyone permission to do this (for
example on Avenue N and East 24 Street). A
message to this incredible woman who has
been busy 24 hours a day in the War Cabinet
and in meetings with the Mossad Director
Qatar rescuing our hostages: If you think that
this is your hishtadlus, please go to Israel,
sign up for the IDF, and help them rescue the
hostages. In the meantime, stop bringing a
wrecking ball to our streets. And if you think
I am wrong about even one word, maybe it’s
high time to speak to a level headed person
(Askanim/community activists) who has been
working on our community relations with our
neighbors for the past 50 years. An outraged
local resident of Flatbush (Who actually has
an Israeli flag proudly hanging on my home!)
LH
Vues Master’s Note: I am not sure what to say
to this guy!

NEW LAW
Dear Vues Master:
NYS Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law
a new bill sponsored by Senator Jessica Ramos
and Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein, which
will require state correctional facilities to
provide kosher and halal food options at
vending machines and commissary areas.
Until now, food options for purchase
at vending machines and commissary
areas often did not include selections for
incarcerated individuals who require special
religious dietary restrictions. This new bill
will amend the current law to include options
which would satisfy the dietary needs of such
individuals at prices comparable to other
similar food items. “I believe that recognizing

an incarcerated person’s humanity is a key
factor in their rehabilitation,” said Senator
Jessica Ramos. “Denying Jewish people in
prison access to kosher foods is an added
and targeted punishment, one that Governor
Hochul is helping to correct by signing my
bill with Assemblymember Eichenstein.
I’d like to thank our local rabbis and faith
leaders for their vocal and continued support
of these efforts as we turn our attention to
ensuring the same access is extended to public
schools.” “The State of New York is obligated
to respect the religious dietary rights of its
residents, even those who are incarcerated,”
said Assemblyman Simcha Eichenstein.
“These individuals will now be able to benefit
from food purchased at visiting area vending
machines or at the prison commissary. I thank
Senator Ramos for sponsoring this important
legislation in the Senate and Governor Hochul
for signing it into law. Now, the religious
rights of incarcerated individuals in our state’s
prison system will be properly recognized.”
“It’s incredible that this important legislation
was signed into law on Chanukah, which
celebrates religious liberty, a fundamental
right upon which the United States is
founded,” said Rabbi Moshe Margaretten,
President of Tzedek Association. “Thank you
Assemblyman Eichenstein and Senator Ramos
for remembering the forgotten population,
correcting an issue with this bill that frankly
should have already been a policy.”
ST
Vues Master’s Note: Now lets work on getting
all Yidden out of jail!

A SPECIAL CHASUNA
Dear Vues Master
Chaim and Hinda Heckelman run a catering
business. They were invited to cater a
wedding of a Jewish couple from abroad,
but because of the war the couple and their
relatives had decided, in the end, to hold
their wedding on their home turf. But here’s
where the story gets interesting: “We were
sure the event had been canceled,” Hinda
related. “But then at the last minute the
couple surprised us and announced that they
did not want to cancel. To the contrary, they
wanted to increase the number of portions
originally ordered to include women affected
by the war. And so the event was held last
week at the International Convention Center
in Jerusalem. The women invited numbered
550, some of them single mothers, some of
them displaced from their homes and living
in hotels, some of them arriving in buses
from Sderot, Ofakim, Netivot, and small
communities near the Gaza periphery. In
addition to the guests’ enjoyment of a lavish
wedding feast, they were honored with a
special entertainment program and lots of
love and caring from the newly married
couple and their entourage.” Mazal tov to
the couple who wish to remain anonymous.
Your home, from the very beginning,
is being built on extraordinary loving

kindness. (This is a story that Sivan Rahav
Meir wrote about last week.)
Vues Master’s Note: Mi Kamacha Yisrael

ANOTHER CRAZY MIRACLE
Dear Vues Master
Numerous miracles have been told about the
heroic soldiers fighting in Gaza. Every day,
thousands of soldiers endanger themselves
in the most difficult urban warfare, with
the terrorists having the advantage both of
surprise and of knowing the geography of the
area, as well as having a significant presence
underground where they can suddenly emerge
and attack. The soldiers must be vigilant at all
times, moving slowly and warily and using
aerial and surveillance assistance to locate the
explosive devices, booby traps and terrorists
lurking in their path. Over 100 soldiers have
already paid with their lives and hundreds
more have been badly injured. On one recent
occasion, a Hamas terrorist peeped out of a
tunnel and saw a significant army encampment
there. The terrorist photographed the soldiers,
returned to the tunnel and prepared to assault
them. In the meantime the soldiers had
received intelligence information that there
was a tunnel right under their feet. They were
told to move their encampment and to keep
watch on the previous place where they had
been. They also left the tents and items to
conceal the fact that they had moved out. In
the middle of the night a terrorist emerged
from the tunnel. The soldiers shot him and
suddenly there was a huge explosion. The
terrorist had intended to blow up the entire
compound! Fortunately nobody was hurt in
the miraculous event.
YR
Vues Master’s Note: Wow! What a great story!

DARKNESS
Dear Vues Master
My name is Limor Zusman. 23 years ago,
when I was 6, my parents were on the third
floor of the Versailles Wedding Hall in
Jerusalem when it collapsed and they fell to
their death along with 21 others. I woke up the
next morning all alone in the world. When I
hear about Avigail Idan, the girl who lost both
parents and was just released from captivity, I
am familiar with the darkness that envelopes
her. I remember people sitting shiva and
crying. I walked outside and no one noticed.
I went into the yard, pointed at three stars in
the sky, and announced: ‘Mother, father, and
Hashem are watching over me together.’ At
that same moment, I gathered otherworldly
strength to cling to life. Over the years, I
learned the pasuk in tehillim: ‘For my mother
and father have forsaken me, but the Lord
gathers me in.’ I learned about the strength
of widows and widowers, and of orphans.
They have special protection. I don’t want
to promise empty promises: What happened
never goes away. I am the same 6-year-old
girl waiting for her parents to return from the
wedding. I am still the 12-year-old girl alone

at her Bat Mitzvah ceremony when all my
friends stood with their mothers and fathers.
To everyone who cares about the children who
have lost their parents, I say: Be with them in
their pain. Give to them, hug them, and ask
nothing from them. Be sensitive and cautious.
Give them time. And most important of all:
Do not pity them! Leave your pity outside.
Enlighten them about the strength within
them. Don’t focus on their scars but on their
resilience. Don’t make them dependent on the
kindness of others for the rest of their lives.
Focus on their courage instead. Today I am
married, a mother, and studying to work as a
family guidance counselor (perhaps because I
lost my family). It’s possible to choose life.
All night long, I could not sleep and wrote
this for myself, for the grieving families, for
everyone, and especially for one little girl.
May you be blessed, Avigail, in your return
to us.”

GRUESOME
Dear Vues Master:
A father took his son to buy a new suit. He
told the salesman that he wants a suit that’s
wrinkle free and won’t shrink when cleaned.
The salesman picked out a suit and swore on
his life that it’s wrinkle free and won’t shrink
even if cleaned three times a day. The father
paid for the suit and they went on their way.
Two weeks later, the father returned with
his son, who was wearing the new suit. The
salesman looked at the boy and saw that the
sleeves extended just below his elbows and
the pants made it midway between his knees
and his ankles. With a big smile, he said to the
father: “Wow! It’s amazing how much your
son has grown in just two weeks.”
DW
Vues Master’s Note: This joke never grows
old!

WOMEN TZNIUS
Dear Vues Master:
I recently attended some concerts to benefit
organizations in Israel. The concerts were
beautiful, inspiring and well attended;
however, I noticed a disturbing phenomenon.
Many girls and women in the audience did not
realize that GIRLS OVER 12 YEARS OLD
MAY NOT SING AND DANCE IN PUBLIC.
Women and girls: You are an integral part
of Am Yisroel. Please come and enjoy, but
singing and dancing should be done at home
or exclusively in the presence of other women
and girls. In the merit of being stringent in
these Halachos, may we all have Yeshuos
together with our brothers and sisters in Israel
and worldwide.
Sincerely, NM
Vues Master’s Note: Maybe men should
refrain from going to these places!

CHANUKAH IN THE DAF
Dear Vues Master:
To refine, clarify, and correct what I wrote
about Chanukah and the Daf (Baba Kama

30) and indirectly the reference(s) in the
Mishna (Daf and Chanukah, JV Dec. 6, at
p. 115), Chanukah is indeed not the subject
of a mesechta in the Gemara (like Purim
is) or even a Perek in the Mishna — though
it is mentioned in the Mishna in passing at
least 3 times, most notably the Mishna in
Baba Kama daf 62, referring to what is also
mentioned in the Gemara in Baba Kama
daf 30) — the reference to a passing camel
that is passing by quite intentionally but that
in so doing brushes against a lit Chanukah
menorah quite unintentionally! (Also see
Mishna in Megilla 3:4 and 3:6, which may
be defined as more than passing references.)
Of further relevant interest, It has been noted
that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi did not treat
Chanukah as he treated Purim because of
the Chashmonoim having assumed the dual
roles of priesthood (kohanim) and royalty
(malchus) and Rabbi Yehuda was particularly
sensitive to this unprecedented consolidation
of power as a descendant of shevet Yehuda
and the line of the royal King David. (See
Sefer Tamei Minhagim Inyonay Chanukah,
Simon 847). [To the editor: The balance is
not as important as what precedes it, and can
easily be deleted.] I hope we can rightfully
presume it was nothing personal, although
the personal lineage may have strengthened
his feelings on the subject! Another theory
that has been advanced is that at the time
of the Chanukah miraculous events, the
masechtos as unique entities might have
already been established, and Rabbi Yehuda
HaNasi did not deem it appropriate to add an
additional one.
RAR
Vues Master’s Note: Thanks for sharing.

JEW HATERS
Dear Vues Master
These are all phrases that when uttered, you
can be fairly certain you’re talking to a Jew
hater:
– “I don’t hate Jews, but…”
– “Many of my friends are Jewish, but…”
– “Where is the proof? Show me the proof of
October 7th.”
– “Israel is committing genocide.”
– “You really believe 6 million Jews were
killed by the Nazis?”
– “After what the Nazis did to the Jews, how
could you…?”
– “I know many Jews who aren’t zionists.”
– “Hamas is not a terrorist organization.”
– “Resistance, even armed resistance against
Israel is fair game:”
– “Israel has killed <Insert ridiculously
inflated numbers as provided by Hamas>
children in Gaza.”
– “Israel is an apartheid state.”
– “Israel occupies Gaza.”
– “Israel is a colonialist state.”
– “Give them a state and they’ll stop attacking
you.”
– “Why do you think Jews have been kicked
out of all those countries?”

– “Israel is behind <insert any tragic event in
history>.”
– “The zionists control the media.”
– “Zionism is racism.”
– “Even your own people admit… <Insert
link to some Haaretz article depicting Israel
as the aggressor>.”
“I cover the Middle East for The NY Times/
Sky News/BBC/Al Jazeera.” I am sure there
are more, and some of the above could
potentially be said by someone who doesn’t
hate Jews, but when you hear any of the
above phrases, 9/10 times, you’re dealing
with an antisemite.
Hillel Fuld

CELEBRATING SHABBOS SAVES
3 LIVES
Dear Vues Master
There’s an unbelievable, incredible story of
chesed and miracles that I just have to share
with everyone. About a year ago, there was a
family with a husband, wife and two children
stuck on the side of the road in Israel. The
guy’s name is Yaakov. He was stuck for about
an hour waiting for gas and finally somebody
stopped him and asked him what he needed.
Yaakov says, “I ran out of gasoline. I’ve been
waiting here and no one wants to stop for
me.” The guy that stops for him is a religious
guy wearing a kippah. The guy says, “there’s
another exit like 10 minutes down, I’m
going to go to the other exit, go to the gas
station and I’ll bring you a bucket of gas. Just
wait here for me.” Yaakov says, “thanks so
much.” The guy’s name was Yehuda. Yehuda
goes to the gas station, comes back in 10-15
minutes with a bucket of gasoline, pumps it
in his car and Yaakov is so happy. Yaakov
says, “how much do I owe you for the gas?”
Yehuda says, “what? It’s almost Shabbat. It’s
Friday afternoon. It’s right before Shabbat
and this is my mitzvah before Shabbat. There
is no way I’m selling it.” Yaakov says “what
do you mean? I want to pay you for the gas.”
Yehuda says “no, no I wanted to do this good
deed. It’s my mitzvah. I’m not selling the
mitzvah.” So, Yaakov turns to him and says,
“come, come behind my car for a second. He
takes him behind his car and there’s a bumper
sticker on the back of his car. It’s an Israeli
bumper sticker that says, “Dros Kol Dos,”
which basically, for lack of better terms,
“trample every religious person.” It’s like
an anti-religious bumper sticker that some
people unfortunately use. Yaakov says, “until
now, I was anti anti-religious myself. I’m not
a charedi, I’m a chiloni, I’m a non-religious,
secular person and this is the thought that I
had about religious people and you’re the
only person that stopped for me on the side of
the road, a religious, Shomer Shabbat Jew. I
appreciated it and in your zechut, I’m taking
this bumper sticker off my car” and Yaakov
rips it off. Yehuda is happy. He says, “okay,
great.” They exchange phone numbers and
Yehuda says, “let’s be in touch.” Prior to the
next Shabbat, before Shabbat, Yehuda calls

Yaakov again. Yehdau says, “hi, how are you
doing?” and then he says to him, “Listen,
Yaakov, I felt it’s right before Shabbat I
wanted to share a story with you, a Shabbat
story for you to tell your kids.” Yaakov says
okay, stories are nice, no problem. This
goes on for a while. Finally, one phone
conversation that they’re having Yaakov asks
Yehuda, “tell me something, how do you do
it? How do you do Shabbat? How do you
disconnect from everything? How do you
not go to the mall, to the parks? How do you
not drive? How do you not use your phone?”
Yehuda says to him, “buddy, I can’t tell you, I
would have to show you. I would love to have
you over for Shabbat one time. Where do you
live?” Yaakov says, “I live in Kibutz Be’eri,
in the south.” Yehuda says, “well I live in
Bnei Brak. I don’t know where that Kibutz is,
but you’re more than welcome to come to my
house for a Shabbat in Bnei Brak. I’ll have
food and board for you and your family, no
charge, just come and enjoy.” Yaakov says,
“okay, I don’t mind, let me ask my wife.”
As Yaakov’s going to ask his wife, Yehuda
goes, asks his Rav, Rav Chayim Zayid and
tells him that he has this opportunity. There’s
a Jew that’s never experienced Shabbat
and he wants to invite him for Shabbat and
Yehuda continues that he just doesn’t know
which Shabbat would be best because the
next Shabbat coming up is Rosh Hashanah
and the next week, is Yom Kippur. Rosh
Hashanah and Yom Kippur are very, very
hard. Everyone’s praying in shul the whole
day, he says I don’t think that’s an experience
for a first timer. So, Rav Chayim tells him,
“How about Simchat Torah? It’s Shabbat
and it’s Simchas Torah. Everyone’s dancing
with the Sifrei Torah, there’s candy, there’s
sweets. The family will love it.” Yehuda says
“no can do. I can’t invite them for Simchat
Torah because on Simchat Torah, every year,
my whole family goes to my father who lives
alone in Sderot, in the South.” Rav Chayim
turns to him and says, “oh, this is a perfect
opportunity. This year, have your father
come to you in Bnei Brak, have this family
come to you in Bnei Brak also, you’ll have an
entire three family thing for Shabbat. They’ll
see how you have respect for your father
as a religious person. They’ll see Shabbat,
they’ll see the Simcha of the Chag, it’ll be
beautiful.” Yehuda says, “you know what?
Not a bad idea.” He calls Yaakov and invites
him over for Shabbat Simchat Torah 5784,
this year. Yaakov’s whole family comes to
their home in Bnei Brak and Yehuda brings
his father from Sderot. Yaakov’s home in
Kibbutz Be’eri was attacked. Not only that,
Yehuda’s father, who lived in Sderot, their
home was attacked, which was right near
one of the army posts that was attacked as
well. Now imagine, if Yehuda had gone to his
father in Sderot, G-d knows what would have
happened to them and if Yaakov was home in
Kibbutz Be’eri, G-d knows what would have
happened to them. Three families literally

were saved in the zechut of the mitzvah of
chesed from the bottom of a person’s heart,
that just wanted to do something good for
another person without judging them about
wearing a kippah, not wearing a kippah.
Three families were saved in the zechut of
Shabbat, for deciding, you know what? I
want to experience Shabbat the real way, one
time. Through chesed and Shabbat, through
love and achdut, three families were saved.
May we only see miracles like this and
salvations for all of Am Yisrael.
IRT
Vues Master’s Note: Wow! Wow! Wow!

CANDLES BURNING
Dear Vues Master:
Top Polish leaders celebrated Chanukah
in parliament lastThursday, joined by
members of the Jewish community. The
celebration serves as a show of solidarity
after far-right lawmaker Grzegorz Braun
made international headlines for putting out
the parliamentary menorah’s candles with a
fire extinguisher. “This is the true face of
Poland,” Rabbi Michael Schudrich said. “We
are all together.” Grzegorz was asked why
he extinguished the fire. He replied, “i don’t
know what the big deal was. The candles
were already burning for over a half hour.”
DF
Vues Master’s Note: Sounds like a Polish
joke to me.

TRUE LOVE
Dear Vues Master:
The love of a father is for his children. The
love of his children is for their children.”
(more love to your children than to your
parents) We find in this week’s parsha that
Yehudah was pleading to Yosef to allow
Binyomin to return to his father otherwise
his father (Yakov) would die. Why not plead
about the suffering of Binyomin’s ten sons?
The Kotzker Rebbe answers “From here
we see parents are in more pain when their
children are suffering than the pain children
have when their parents are suffering”. The
Zohar in Parshas Vayechi writes,” Yaakov
bentched his grandchildren before bentching
his own children because one loves his
grandchildren more than his children.”
MF
Vues Master’s Note: Now what about my
great grandchildren? May I live to see them!