Re'eh Anochi Nosein Lifneichem", see that I have given before you (Re'eh 11:26). All the meforshim ask, why does the pasuk start in the singular and end in the plural? The Kotzker Rebbe answers as follows. The pasuk refers to two experiences of the Torah. "Nosein", the giving of the Torah and "Re'eh", the seeing and understanding.
When it comes to the giving of the Torah, it was given to everyone in Am Yisroel together. It belongs to all of us and we are all responsible to learn it. However when it comes to the actual learning, each person is an individual. Each person must plumb the depths with all the talents bestowed on him. He cannot satisfy himself with a level of knowledge of the average man. "V'Sein CHelkeinu B'Sorasecha", each person has his own cheilek that he is responsible for.
In this vain quipped the legendary Rav Shalom Schwadron, the beauty of our Torah is that both a five year old child and an eighty year old man study the same holy words. The sad part is that they learn it with the same initial understanding. Similarly Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky would say, we must advance past our shallow vision of the stories of Parshios as our Rebbe taught us in Cheider.
http://www.revach.net/avodah/olam-hatorah/Parshas-Re039eh-Kotzker-Rebbe-Rav-Sholom-Schwadron-amp-Rav-Yaakov-Kaminetzky-A-Torah-for-All-But-a-Torah-for-One/5139
24 Aug 2011
23 Aug 2011
Fins and scales
Sept. 11, 1941:
In Arlington, Virginia, the U.S. Department of Defense starts construction on its new headquarters, the Pentagon.
On the same day, a new immigrant to the U.S., Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, later known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, writes in his private journal concerning two traits that make a moral and productive human being: “fins” and “scales.”
A few days later, the German army captures Kiev, capital of the Ukraine, and massacres 100,000 people in a ravine named Babi Yar.
Read full article: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137607/jewish/Fins-and-Scales.htm
In Arlington, Virginia, the U.S. Department of Defense starts construction on its new headquarters, the Pentagon.
On the same day, a new immigrant to the U.S., Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, later known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, writes in his private journal concerning two traits that make a moral and productive human being: “fins” and “scales.”
A few days later, the German army captures Kiev, capital of the Ukraine, and massacres 100,000 people in a ravine named Babi Yar.
Read full article: http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137607/jewish/Fins-and-Scales.htm
22 Aug 2011
Scrubbed, biased and incorrect articles
Sometime one sees news articles and one is incensed with the incorrect information being reported or the bias which is blatant in the article. Well, today, one individual achieved results after calling to cancel his subscription to a newspaper.
IsraelMatzav posted about a headline in the JPost titled Israel, Hamas attempt truce after 3 days of mutual attacks. Upset with the word, "mutual," the blog author's wife called up the newspaper to cancel her subscription. If you check out the JPost article now, the word "mutual" has been scrubbed from the headline.
But sites which linked to the post still have the word "mutual" in the headline.
Unfortunately, I cannot use the threat of cancelling my subscription to the following website which reported false information, according to elderofziyon.blogspot.com.
He writes about WAFA, the official PA news agency.
But this symbol of the "moderate" Palestinian Authority has no compunctions with lying about recent history either.Sunday was the anniversary of the attempted firebombing of the Al Aqsa Mosque by a deranged Austrialian Christian named Denis Michael Rohan.Yet WAFA, in its article about the anniversary, says that Rohan was Jewish. Three times.
The WAFA article was written in Arabic, but if you submit it to a Google translation, you will see that "Israeli authorities continued to work hard in order to Judaize Arab Jerusalem, and always try to hide the image of the Dome of the Rock which is the symbol of Arab Jerusalem to the world..."
One comment posted stated that Al Jazeera also identified Mr. Rohan as Jewish, only to change the religion in a later version of a published article.
In 1969, for example, Denis Michael Rohan, an Australian Christian who set fire to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem,
An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Denis Michael Rohan as Jewish.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/07/2011723135619293955.html
But, those who copied the article onto their sites did not bother to update the correct version.
In 1969, for example, an Australian Jew who set fire to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
http://muslimvillage.com/2011/07/24/norway-islam-and-the-threat-of-the-west/
Finally, we have an article discussing the delay of the flotilla report which reports that both sides are blaming the other country for the delay. It is interesting to see if other articles are just blaming Turkey or Israel for the delay.
The United Nations on Monday again delayed the release of a report on Israel’s raid on a Turkish-led aid flotilla to Gaza because the two sides had not agreed on the document, a UN spokesman said.
..“The demand to postpone came from Israel, like the previous demands,” Selcuk Unal, Turkish foreign ministry spokesman told Turkey’s Anatolia news agency.
In Jerusalem, an Israeli official told AFP that “the Turkish side asked for the delay.”
http://www.lhrtimes.com/turkey-israel-wrangle-over-gaza-flotilla-report.html
IsraelMatzav posted about a headline in the JPost titled Israel, Hamas attempt truce after 3 days of mutual attacks. Upset with the word, "mutual," the blog author's wife called up the newspaper to cancel her subscription. If you check out the JPost article now, the word "mutual" has been scrubbed from the headline.
But sites which linked to the post still have the word "mutual" in the headline.
Unfortunately, I cannot use the threat of cancelling my subscription to the following website which reported false information, according to elderofziyon.blogspot.com.
He writes about WAFA, the official PA news agency.
But this symbol of the "moderate" Palestinian Authority has no compunctions with lying about recent history either.Sunday was the anniversary of the attempted firebombing of the Al Aqsa Mosque by a deranged Austrialian Christian named Denis Michael Rohan.Yet WAFA, in its article about the anniversary, says that Rohan was Jewish. Three times.
The WAFA article was written in Arabic, but if you submit it to a Google translation, you will see that "Israeli authorities continued to work hard in order to Judaize Arab Jerusalem, and always try to hide the image of the Dome of the Rock which is the symbol of Arab Jerusalem to the world..."
One comment posted stated that Al Jazeera also identified Mr. Rohan as Jewish, only to change the religion in a later version of a published article.
In 1969, for example, Denis Michael Rohan, an Australian Christian who set fire to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem,
An earlier version of this article incorrectly identified Denis Michael Rohan as Jewish.
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/07/2011723135619293955.html
But, those who copied the article onto their sites did not bother to update the correct version.
In 1969, for example, an Australian Jew who set fire to Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem...
http://muslimvillage.com/2011/07/24/norway-islam-and-the-threat-of-the-west/
Finally, we have an article discussing the delay of the flotilla report which reports that both sides are blaming the other country for the delay. It is interesting to see if other articles are just blaming Turkey or Israel for the delay.
The United Nations on Monday again delayed the release of a report on Israel’s raid on a Turkish-led aid flotilla to Gaza because the two sides had not agreed on the document, a UN spokesman said.
..“The demand to postpone came from Israel, like the previous demands,” Selcuk Unal, Turkish foreign ministry spokesman told Turkey’s Anatolia news agency.
In Jerusalem, an Israeli official told AFP that “the Turkish side asked for the delay.”
http://www.lhrtimes.com/turkey-israel-wrangle-over-gaza-flotilla-report.html
Baruch Hashem, great
When something bad happens, we are supposed to say, "gam zu letovah" -everything is for the best. If we miss a plane, we are upset but, if the plane crashes, we thank G-d that we missed the plane. I was reminded of "gam zu letovah" when I read the following story in the Jerusalem Post titled Heart attack saves man from rocket attack.
The heart attack Meir Dimri suffered on Tuesday saved his life on Saturday night when a rocket hit the garage near his small Beersheba home.
The projectile lodged in the pavement between his home and a neighbor’s.
It destroyed a small makeshift garage, shattered the windows in both houses, left pock marks on the walls and killed his dog Ze’ev.
But it did not harm Dimri or his wife who that night was with him in the hospital, where he was recovering from his heart attack.
The other week, I listened to a lecture by Rabbi Wallerstein and his words have made a deep impression on me. At the 38'50'' mark, he speaks about our cell phone use and our complete disregard for others, while we are on the phone, including mothers who don't attend to their babies because they are too busy texting. He speaks about not giving enough time to family members while they are alive while we think they will live forever. He talks about our lack of enthusiasm. He relates a conversation with a rabbi in Israel.
There's a rav in Eretz Yisrael - everytime he asks me - "nu Wallerstein, how's it going?"... I always say, "Baruch Hashem." He says, nu, how's it going?
"Baruch Hashem."
"Baruch Hashem good or Baruch Hashem bad?"
Cause there's a halacha that you have to make a beracha on the good and the bad.... When you say Baruch Hashem, it could be something bad, it could be something good. He says, that's not the answer. Baruch Hashem is very nice, but Baruch Hashem what?
So, now I say "Baruch Hashem, amazing."
This week, I've made a conscious effort to answer, "Baruch Hashem, great," when someone asks me how I'm doing.
The heart attack Meir Dimri suffered on Tuesday saved his life on Saturday night when a rocket hit the garage near his small Beersheba home.
The projectile lodged in the pavement between his home and a neighbor’s.
It destroyed a small makeshift garage, shattered the windows in both houses, left pock marks on the walls and killed his dog Ze’ev.
But it did not harm Dimri or his wife who that night was with him in the hospital, where he was recovering from his heart attack.
The other week, I listened to a lecture by Rabbi Wallerstein and his words have made a deep impression on me. At the 38'50'' mark, he speaks about our cell phone use and our complete disregard for others, while we are on the phone, including mothers who don't attend to their babies because they are too busy texting. He speaks about not giving enough time to family members while they are alive while we think they will live forever. He talks about our lack of enthusiasm. He relates a conversation with a rabbi in Israel.
There's a rav in Eretz Yisrael - everytime he asks me - "nu Wallerstein, how's it going?"... I always say, "Baruch Hashem." He says, nu, how's it going?
"Baruch Hashem."
"Baruch Hashem good or Baruch Hashem bad?"
Cause there's a halacha that you have to make a beracha on the good and the bad.... When you say Baruch Hashem, it could be something bad, it could be something good. He says, that's not the answer. Baruch Hashem is very nice, but Baruch Hashem what?
So, now I say "Baruch Hashem, amazing."
This week, I've made a conscious effort to answer, "Baruch Hashem, great," when someone asks me how I'm doing.
16 Aug 2011
Car accidents - venishmartem lenafshotechem
An Israeli site reported about an accident involving an overturned vehicle. If you look at the pictures, one can only be amazed that nothing serious happened to those traveling in the car. Emergency services said their lives were saved because the people in the car had worn seat belts.
Unfortunately, an accident in New Square did not have a happy ending, as it resulted in the death of a two-year-old girl.
Her cousin, also the same age, was killed in the same area a number of months ago.
http://www.lohud.com/article/20110815/NEWS03/108150357/1019
Let's make sure we fasten our seat belts when entering a car and hold on to toddlers when walking down the street.
And here's an article about protecting your health.
Doing just 15 minutes of moderate exercise a day may add three years to your life, a large study in Taiwan has found.
Read full article: http://news.yahoo.com/15-minutes-exercise-day-extend-life-three-years-234343836.html
Unfortunately, an accident in New Square did not have a happy ending, as it resulted in the death of a two-year-old girl.
Her cousin, also the same age, was killed in the same area a number of months ago.
http://www.lohud.com/article/20110815/NEWS03/108150357/1019
Let's make sure we fasten our seat belts when entering a car and hold on to toddlers when walking down the street.
And here's an article about protecting your health.
Doing just 15 minutes of moderate exercise a day may add three years to your life, a large study in Taiwan has found.
Read full article: http://news.yahoo.com/15-minutes-exercise-day-extend-life-three-years-234343836.html
15 Aug 2011
Loving the convert
This week's parsha contains the words regarding loving the convert. The following is a devar Torah from Rabbi Dr. Raymond Apple about the subject.
Recent conversion controversies in Israel have caused great distress amongst large numbers of people whose acceptance of and into Judaism has been blithely brushed aside – without apology or courtesy – apparently because certain rabbis have decided that certain other rabbis don’t know what they are talking about. I can’t help but contrast the furore with a moment at an Australian rabbinic conference where a certain rabbi asked why we didn’t keep in regular touch with converts and make sure they were maintaining their religious observance. A veteran halachist whose rulings were widely respected objected strongly to the suggestion. “When a person becomes Jewish,” he said, “they are part of the community and we have no right to spy on them” – though his exact words were, “We don’t bodek anyone’s tzitzis, we don’t check anyone’s fringes”.
The rule in the Torah is Va-ahavtem et ha-ger, “You shall love the ger” (Deut. 10:19). The original meaning of ger is “stranger” and in that sense it is basic to Jewish ethics that we love the alien, the foreigner, the outsider. In rabbinic Hebrew, ger means a convert, and many of our greatest assets have been people who came into Judaism through conversion. Having had some contact in Israel with classes that prepare people for conversion there is no doubt in my mind but that in most cases the convert gains from Judaism and Judaism gains from the convert. We are told to respect and love the convert because they have – often with considerable spiritual and moral courage – chosen to throw in their lot with the Jewish people (Num. R. 8:2). It seems to me that rabbinical decisors are duty bound to find the words to apologise to thousands of converts and assure them that they have indeed come under the wings of the Sh’chinah and are welcome in Judaism.
http://www.oztorah.com/2009/08/loving-the-convert-ekev/
So, let's make a special effort this week (and every week) to love the convert. Do we know someone in the neighborhood who is a ger tzedek and might not have an invitation for a Shabbos meal? Many have no family to turn to so let's make a conscious decision to welcome them into our family. Just as we wouldn't let a family member eat a Shabbos meal alone, we shouldn't let the opportunity go by to invite a ger into our household.
Recent conversion controversies in Israel have caused great distress amongst large numbers of people whose acceptance of and into Judaism has been blithely brushed aside – without apology or courtesy – apparently because certain rabbis have decided that certain other rabbis don’t know what they are talking about. I can’t help but contrast the furore with a moment at an Australian rabbinic conference where a certain rabbi asked why we didn’t keep in regular touch with converts and make sure they were maintaining their religious observance. A veteran halachist whose rulings were widely respected objected strongly to the suggestion. “When a person becomes Jewish,” he said, “they are part of the community and we have no right to spy on them” – though his exact words were, “We don’t bodek anyone’s tzitzis, we don’t check anyone’s fringes”.
The rule in the Torah is Va-ahavtem et ha-ger, “You shall love the ger” (Deut. 10:19). The original meaning of ger is “stranger” and in that sense it is basic to Jewish ethics that we love the alien, the foreigner, the outsider. In rabbinic Hebrew, ger means a convert, and many of our greatest assets have been people who came into Judaism through conversion. Having had some contact in Israel with classes that prepare people for conversion there is no doubt in my mind but that in most cases the convert gains from Judaism and Judaism gains from the convert. We are told to respect and love the convert because they have – often with considerable spiritual and moral courage – chosen to throw in their lot with the Jewish people (Num. R. 8:2). It seems to me that rabbinical decisors are duty bound to find the words to apologise to thousands of converts and assure them that they have indeed come under the wings of the Sh’chinah and are welcome in Judaism.
http://www.oztorah.com/2009/08/loving-the-convert-ekev/
So, let's make a special effort this week (and every week) to love the convert. Do we know someone in the neighborhood who is a ger tzedek and might not have an invitation for a Shabbos meal? Many have no family to turn to so let's make a conscious decision to welcome them into our family. Just as we wouldn't let a family member eat a Shabbos meal alone, we shouldn't let the opportunity go by to invite a ger into our household.
The 2012 candidates
Alan Keyes discusses Rick Perry's recent prayer rally in an article titled Is Rick Perry the answer to GOP's prayers?
Yet justice is, or ought to be, the primary concern of a political leader. It is, as President James Madison said, the end or aim of both government and civil society. Anyone sincerely committed to restoring the principles and integrity of America's republic would never omit to remind people of faith that America is founded on the acknowledgement of the fact that the Creator of heaven and earth and all humanity is therefore the source and rule for all that is just.
There is no doubt that boldly reminding people of this fact must these days surely incur the wrath of the forces bent on driving God from His rightful place as the Sovereign of the sovereign people of the United States. But that is the difference between leaders who trust in and serve God in their pursuit of political goals, and those who simply seek to call on his Divine power (and the votes of the faithful) to serve their own political ends (as did the rulers of old when they called on ancient pagan gods to buttress their authority.)
In an article titled Perry's Problematic Pals, Pamela Geller writes, "Rick Perry must not be the Republican nominee. Rick Perry must not be President. Have we not had enough of this systemic sedition?"
Meanwhile, Air Force Staff Sergeant Refusing Orders Until Obama's Eligibility Dealt With.
IsraelMatzav writes, "The more I see of Allen West, the more I like him."
I agree. Run, Allen, run.
Yet justice is, or ought to be, the primary concern of a political leader. It is, as President James Madison said, the end or aim of both government and civil society. Anyone sincerely committed to restoring the principles and integrity of America's republic would never omit to remind people of faith that America is founded on the acknowledgement of the fact that the Creator of heaven and earth and all humanity is therefore the source and rule for all that is just.
There is no doubt that boldly reminding people of this fact must these days surely incur the wrath of the forces bent on driving God from His rightful place as the Sovereign of the sovereign people of the United States. But that is the difference between leaders who trust in and serve God in their pursuit of political goals, and those who simply seek to call on his Divine power (and the votes of the faithful) to serve their own political ends (as did the rulers of old when they called on ancient pagan gods to buttress their authority.)
In an article titled Perry's Problematic Pals, Pamela Geller writes, "Rick Perry must not be the Republican nominee. Rick Perry must not be President. Have we not had enough of this systemic sedition?"
Meanwhile, Air Force Staff Sergeant Refusing Orders Until Obama's Eligibility Dealt With.
IsraelMatzav writes, "The more I see of Allen West, the more I like him."
I agree. Run, Allen, run.
14 Aug 2011
Choose wisely
The last Mishnah in Masechet Taanit says, "There were no holidays so joyous for the Jewish People as the Fifteenth of Av and Yom HaKippurim, for on those days, daughters of Yerushalayim would go out dressed in borrowed white clothing (so that they would all look the same).
The King's daughters would borrow from those of the High Priest. Daughters of the High Priest would borrow from the Assistant High Priest's daughters; daughters of the Assistant would borrow from the daughters of the Priest designated to lead the People in times of War, the Kohen Anointed for War's daughters would borrow from the daughters of the Ordinary Priest. And the daughters of the rest of the Jewish People would borrow from each other, so as not to embarrass those who didn't have."
"And the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards located on the outskirts of the city. And everyone who didn't have a wife would go there."...
..."And what would they say?"
"Young man, lift up your eyes and choose wisely. Don't look only at physical beauty - look rather at the family - 'For charm is false, and beauty is vanity. A G-d - fearing woman is the one to be praised...' ("Mishlei"/Proverbs 31:30)"
Read full article: http://www.ou.org/chagim/roshchodesh/av/tubav.htm
This morning Ynet published an article titled Marriage proposal gone wrong: Ring falls off cliff.
Yes, it's sad that the ring might be lost forever, but, the article didn't say whether the bride accepted. If she did, then it certainly wasn't a marriage proposal gone wrong but a cause of great rejoicing.
Nowadays, the shidduch problem is recognized as a large scale one. So, on Tu B'Av and all through the year, let's do our bit to alleviate the problem. Let's think of a shidduch and make a suitable suggestion to a single friend.
And parents, make sure to ask the right questions.
Hamodia conducted an interview with Devorah Goldstein, who became famous after the book titled The Bamboo Cradle was published.
When asked about shidduchim, Ms. Goldstein said the following.
"And when we look into prospective mechutanim, we won't ask if they use paper or plastic dishes. We will ask: Are they parents who go to pick up their children when they need a ride? Are they the kind of parents who avoid machlokes? Do they have a happy Shabbos seudah? There are the things that really matter."
May we merit to dance at many simchos this year.
The King's daughters would borrow from those of the High Priest. Daughters of the High Priest would borrow from the Assistant High Priest's daughters; daughters of the Assistant would borrow from the daughters of the Priest designated to lead the People in times of War, the Kohen Anointed for War's daughters would borrow from the daughters of the Ordinary Priest. And the daughters of the rest of the Jewish People would borrow from each other, so as not to embarrass those who didn't have."
"And the daughters of Jerusalem would go out and dance in the vineyards located on the outskirts of the city. And everyone who didn't have a wife would go there."...
..."And what would they say?"
"Young man, lift up your eyes and choose wisely. Don't look only at physical beauty - look rather at the family - 'For charm is false, and beauty is vanity. A G-d - fearing woman is the one to be praised...' ("Mishlei"/Proverbs 31:30)"
Read full article: http://www.ou.org/chagim/roshchodesh/av/tubav.htm
This morning Ynet published an article titled Marriage proposal gone wrong: Ring falls off cliff.
Yes, it's sad that the ring might be lost forever, but, the article didn't say whether the bride accepted. If she did, then it certainly wasn't a marriage proposal gone wrong but a cause of great rejoicing.
Nowadays, the shidduch problem is recognized as a large scale one. So, on Tu B'Av and all through the year, let's do our bit to alleviate the problem. Let's think of a shidduch and make a suitable suggestion to a single friend.
And parents, make sure to ask the right questions.
Hamodia conducted an interview with Devorah Goldstein, who became famous after the book titled The Bamboo Cradle was published.
When asked about shidduchim, Ms. Goldstein said the following.
"And when we look into prospective mechutanim, we won't ask if they use paper or plastic dishes. We will ask: Are they parents who go to pick up their children when they need a ride? Are they the kind of parents who avoid machlokes? Do they have a happy Shabbos seudah? There are the things that really matter."
May we merit to dance at many simchos this year.
Ashes to urns?
Sybil Sage has a whimsical article about the serious topic of death, discussing cremation as a serious alternative to traditional burial. She writes, "Cremation is also substantially cheaper."
She does inform the reader that, "The practice is prohibited by traditional Jewish law.... Some Conservative and Reform Jews, however, are now choosing to be cremated." So, if some Reform Jews eat pork products, does that make it kosher?
This week's parsha is all about following in the ways of G-d and the consequences of not heeding His commandments.
Perek 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul;
The verse doesn't say "what doth the LORD require of thee, to walk in the ways of some Conservative and Reform Jews."
Ms. Sage ends her article by plugging her website where people can order personalized urns. Since she writes that, "cremation is also substantially cheaper," I'm sure one can find much cheaper urns made in China.
Finally, who gets the urn? Does one child display it in his/her living room for the winter months while another gets it for summer? Or, do the children fight because none of them want a continuous reminder of their dead parents in his/her living room?
A teenager posted a comment at the end of Ms. Sage's article,
I sit here literally wretching as I read this article, and I'm feeling myself begin to cry. Ignoring the fact that Jewish law prohibits cremation - if you decide you want your last action in this world to be an aveirah, your choice - how can you want to go the same way 6 million went?
...It's a sad day when a 16-year-old needs to give adults mussar.
Rabbi Avi Shafran writes an excellent article about the issue of cremation. And, before making such a momentous decision, I urge you to contact an Orthodox rabbi such as Rabbi Shafran.
Speaking about burials, the rabbi in the video below explains what they have to do with tomorrow's holiday.
She does inform the reader that, "The practice is prohibited by traditional Jewish law.... Some Conservative and Reform Jews, however, are now choosing to be cremated." So, if some Reform Jews eat pork products, does that make it kosher?
This week's parsha is all about following in the ways of G-d and the consequences of not heeding His commandments.
Perek 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all His ways, and to love Him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul;
The verse doesn't say "what doth the LORD require of thee, to walk in the ways of some Conservative and Reform Jews."
Ms. Sage ends her article by plugging her website where people can order personalized urns. Since she writes that, "cremation is also substantially cheaper," I'm sure one can find much cheaper urns made in China.
Finally, who gets the urn? Does one child display it in his/her living room for the winter months while another gets it for summer? Or, do the children fight because none of them want a continuous reminder of their dead parents in his/her living room?
A teenager posted a comment at the end of Ms. Sage's article,
I sit here literally wretching as I read this article, and I'm feeling myself begin to cry. Ignoring the fact that Jewish law prohibits cremation - if you decide you want your last action in this world to be an aveirah, your choice - how can you want to go the same way 6 million went?
...It's a sad day when a 16-year-old needs to give adults mussar.
Rabbi Avi Shafran writes an excellent article about the issue of cremation. And, before making such a momentous decision, I urge you to contact an Orthodox rabbi such as Rabbi Shafran.
Speaking about burials, the rabbi in the video below explains what they have to do with tomorrow's holiday.
13 Aug 2011
Agree or disagree
For those of you who missed it, the HuffingtonPost has an article titled The Seven Most Powerful Teachings in Judaism by Rabbi Chaim Miller. It's up to you to agree or disagree.
And here's an op-ed by Abraham Foxman titled Op-Ed: Shout down the Sharia myth makers. Again, it's up to you to agree or disagree.
And here's an op-ed by Abraham Foxman titled Op-Ed: Shout down the Sharia myth makers. Again, it's up to you to agree or disagree.
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