Monday, December 18, 2017

Mother And 3 Children from the Azan Family Killed In House Fire in Flatbush.....Menorah????

The Azan Family on their way to Israel!

Please say Tehillim for Shilat bas Aliza (16) who is critical, Daniel ben Aliza (15) who is critical, Avraham ben Aliza (13) stable, and Yosef ben Ahuva Masuda – the father who is critical.

The mother, 40, was dead on the second floor of the single-family home. Nearby were her 3-year-old daughter, 7-year-old son and 11-year-old son.
In all, nine people were in the house — the couple, their six children and a cousin.
Sources identified the four dead as Aliza Azan and her children Moshe, Yitzchak and Hanriet.
Yosi Azan, his 16 year old daughter Shilat and his 15 year old son Daniel are all in critical condition at Staten Island Hospital. 
Witnesses said that the two children jumped from the roof as fire ripped through the three story home. A younger brother and a cousin who was visiting with the family have both been released after being treated at an area hospital.
The Azan children were students at Yeshiva Ateret Torah, the same school attended by the Sasson children who died in a winter fire nearly three years ago.
The fire is believed to have been started by an unattended menorah but fire marshals could not confirm the source of the blaze at this time.



Mr. Yossi Azan who needs "rachmim"










Tragedy struck the Flatbush community early Monday morning, when a mother and three children — ages 11, 7 and 3 — died in fast-moving house fire R”L.
The Azan family is from the Jewish Syrian Community!
FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro says the woman and children were killed around 2:30 a.m. Monday at 1945 East 14th.
The commissioner says the children’s father and two teenagers are in critical condition.
He says firefighters arrived about 2 minutes after getting the call from a neighbor and the fire was already “consuming” all three floors of the building.
Nigro says the fire was accidental but the cause has not yet been pinpointed.
Chessed Shel Emes is on scene to ensure Kavod Hames.

64 comments:

Anonymous said...

Smoke detectors. Have working smoke detectors. Working smoke detectors save lives.

AishKodesh said...

As one of the people commenting on this story on YWN pointed out, a fire starting at around 2:30 AM is very unlikely to have been from a Menorah... Although it probably started before then, we can't make assumptions.

The most important thing is yes, to be very careful with our Menorahs, but also that we Daven for these people and that Hashem sends them complete Refuos and Yeshuos very very swiftly. May He do so.

Steven said...

You can be as careful as you like with menorahs, but you must have smoke alarms. $10 each, you need the or four

AishKodesh said...

Baruch Hashem (and bli ayin hara), in my home we have them.

Anonymous said...

That will not help with your mental illness

Abe said...

The menorah started the fire.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nypost.com/2017/12/18/two-dead-six-injured-in-massive-brooklyn-fire/amp/

Abe said...

AishKodesh 6:45 PM,

You think your expressed banishment of Ayin Hora will help? Is the Ayin Hora listening? If your formulation works, let me know. That Ayin Hora has been especially mean to me lately.

Abe said...

Anonymous 13:49 PM,

Intoning “Bli Ayin Hora” by itself will not exorcise the Ayin Hora. You must also say 3 Hail Marys and 2 Our Fathers Who Art In Heaven.

Anonymous said...

Intoning “Bli Ayin Hora” by itself will not exorcise the Ayin Hora

How do you know that for a fact? Science?

Chafraud-Depravitch said...

“Bli Ayin Hora”

Primitive superstition.

Though I believe in thoughts manifesting reality, this kind of fear has no place in practical life.

I recall a specialist in mystical 'woo-woo' once claimed to "put a curse" on me. My response was 'F your curse.' I have free will and choose not to believe in BS.

OTOH, in my more foolish, gullible, and ignorant BT beginnings, I actually did entertain the possibility of this nonsense. It's so embarrassing. Just regrettable. It's right up there with: if you do (or do not) do so and so... God will respond with [fill in the blank].
Religion can be a wonderful way to lose touch with reality.

As I look back on those stupid BT days, I still can't decide if God punished me for getting involved with Chabad, or if getting involved with Chabad was the punishment.
Perhaps I don't need God's forgiveness for anything, but rather just to forgive myself for being a sucker to religious salesmen.

Anyway, smoke detectors in the physical world beat the primitive superstition of "Ayin Hora" any day.

Tonight we'll place our collection of menorahs in the window, snap our annual family photo with them, watch them for a few minutes while eating some doughnuts, and declare "enough of this rabbinical fire hazard nonsense".

That poor Flatbush family. I hope they find the strength to recover and live on in whatever manner is possible after such a horrible tragedy.

Abe said...

Anonymous 3:35 PM,

How do you know that by itself it won’t? Say a few Hail Marys just to be sure. And if that doesn’t work, you can always throw some salt over your left shoulder as a substitute.

AishKodesh said...

Abe (and C_D too), I say it for a couple of reasons: #1, We are told that we (often) should not only thank Hashem for things but also pray for the future. #2, It is a tradition that I have been taught, and I would rather not begin questioning. The Yetzer Hara almost always tries to make us question any and every thing in our Yiddishkeit. Plus, better to not take a chance.

Anyway, do I believe that Hashem has the power to stop any Ayin Haras? Of course.

Everyone, may Hashem help you and your families to internalize the Chanukah Licht and the Aish Kodesh of the Menorah.

Anonymous said...

Abe we're dealing with a schizophrenia dude here
I wish him a K9Hora
Let him learn the dog dance

Anonymous said...

The Jewish version is "
Our Father's farts are heaven"
Followed by his fame
K9Hora let's do a dog dance in honor of the Holy ones

Abe said...

AishKofesh 8:54PM ,

Who was that told you that you must pray for the future. What the he’ll does that mean? If you don’t pray for the future, you’ll get stuck in the past?
What if the future portends that you’re going to be hit by truck. Want to pray for that?
For you the yetzer hara is the least of your problems. You need access to more Valium. Lots and lots more.

Anonymous said...

Sadly, there are times when us vulnerable people have to respect and obey the laws of physics eg. thermodynamics, combustion, etc way above the narrative lores and beliefs of devout rabbis/sages.

Meme

AishKodesh said...

No no, Abe. Vus I mean is that you should ALSO pray that good things will continue to happen in the future. Thus, thank Hashem that something good happened, and (okay, maybe you can say, instead of bli ayin hara) may He continue to send good things.

Anonymous said...

aish, why you respond to people who believe in monkey ancestors, human global warming, Hillary and despise the words of the Torah? Can't you see they have personal issues and think they're so enlightened and have no interests in beliefs and mesorah. They're so closed minded as to believe everybody else is too. / abe aka anonymous, what does combustion and thermodynamics have to do with anything/

Anonymous said...

Neil deGrasse Tyson — "The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it."

Anonymous said...

Moshe Rabbeinu and Neviim -"The great thing about Torah is that it's true whether or not you believe in it."

AishKodesh said...

12:03 PM, The truth is that they all deserve to be responded to.

12:34 PM, Me -- "The good thing about Hashem is that He's true whether or not you believe in Him."

Anonymous said...


{{Tonight we'll place our collection of menorahs in the window, snap our annual family photo with them, watch them for a few minutes while eating some doughnuts, and declare "enough of this rabbinical fire hazard nonsense".}}
poor depravich, poor depravitch so empty and lost, striking out like a spoiled brat at anyone and anything..

Anonymous said...

Father Aish will not be coming down your chimney.
You Apikores. Happy Holidays

Anonymous said...

Apikorsim Shkootzem
Don't make fun of my almighty leader teacher and mentor
Aish

Anonymous said...

You idiot you follow that gay litvak

Abe said...

AishKodesh 11:13 AM ,

Are you saying that God’s beneficence is contingent on your prayer that he treat you kindly.? That he might not treat you favorably if you didn’t pray? What happens if you hadn’t prayed for a week and suddenly began to pray. Will he change his mind and treat you more favorably after you resume prayer?

AishKodesh said...

Well, sometimes Hashem wants us to pray for things, and then He will give them. Other times not. Although we are certainly not questioning that His Beneficience is absolutely just awesome.

Anonymous said...

{{{Are you saying that God’s beneficence is contingent on your prayer that he treat you kindly.? That he might not treat you favorably if you didn’t pray? What happens if you hadn’t prayed for a week and suddenly began to pray. Will he change his mind and treat you more favorably after you resume prayer?}}}}

Abe, why don't you put your mix of questions into the science lab thermos, shake well and see what comes out. maybe spontaneous combustion or thermo hydraulics or a mutant genie that grants wishes. Why you asking AishKodesh? Send it to the lab and see what happens.

Abe said...

Anonymous 6:44 PM,

If you know of a science lab capable of conjuring genies, let me know. But until you locate one I’ll rely on the frazzled logic of AishKodesh to bring me closer to the incomprehensible argumentation in favor of his true belief. But I’m stil trying to figure out what that belief is. So does God change his mind? The science lab can’t answer that question. But neither can yours, whatever that non-science lab might be.

Chafraud-Depravitch said...

Anonymous A-hole @at 3:54 PM

"{{Tonight we'll place our collection of menorahs in the window, snap our annual family photo with them, watch them for a few minutes while eating some doughnuts, and declare "enough of this rabbinical fire hazard nonsense".}}
poor depravich, poor depravitch so empty and lost, striking out like a spoiled brat at anyone and anything.."

Shortly after taking the above mentioned photos, one of the candles (the shamash from a poorly designed chanukiah) fell onto our couch. Fortunately it went out upon falling, with only a glow on the extinguished wick. My oldest child was there to see it fall and dealt with it immediately while bringing it to our attention. Indeed I made a comment about a "rabbinical fire hazzard" and we removed them all from the main front window, moving one (my own) to another less prominent window but in a far safer position.

How happy you would have been to see another (my) dead Jewish family.
And how happy I am to point out what a frum POS you are. Thank you for the opportunity.

Chafraud-Depravitch said...

Anonymous at 3:54 PM,

"poor depravich, poor depravitch so empty and lost, striking out like a spoiled brat at anyone and anything.."

Here's another 'near miss' fantasy for you:

A year and a half ago, Pesach, we were doing bedikat chametz. My youngest child accidentally backed into the candle I was holding and her hair began to burn (quickly).

I threw the primitive ritual objects, candle and feather foolishness, down (on a glass tabletop IIRC) and promptly extinguished her against myself.
She was scared and shaken up, but not injured. And for that, and other close calls, I have great gratitude to God.

"Daddy, daddy, you saved my life" she cried. I'll never forget it. "Daddy, daddy, you saved my life."

But what nachat it would be for you (piece of garbage) if the young yeshiva girl, my daughter, would be scarred for life. Better to not criticize primitive and unsafe rituals. And you could celebrate the misfortune of the 'empty and lost.' Too bad you missed out, eh? You and your ilk are a sickness. And that's one stupid ritual I'll be glad to dump (or do with a - God forbid - a flashlight).

Anonymous said...

from Abe%% But neither can yours.

We who have faith don't need proofs, but proof comes to us anyway every day in miraculous ways.

Chafraud%%,
then don't sit in a car , kills thousands a year, planes, pants belts which strangled thousands,don't use knives, etc. You're arguing without intelligence because you're consumed by hate which destroys logic
%%.And how happy I am to point out what a frum POS you are. Thank you for the opportunity.%% you didn't point out anything except how bitter you are, what a waste of an opportunity.

%%%How happy you would have been to see another (my) dead Jewish family.%%% , Projection ( science), and a sick, vile one at that.

Anonymous said...

so it's not just Chabad he hates but Chanuka, Purim, Pesach, Succoth, Torah rituals which he calls primitive, and so o. now it all came out.

Anonymous said...

A cult is a cult is a cult.

AishKodesh said...

@Abe, "So does G-d change His Mind?" you asked. Good question. Please give specific scenarios to your question.

Chafraud-Depravitch said...

10:13 AM,

"not just Chabad he hates"

Really, it's not the entirety of Chabad, but the sick, criminal aspects of the organization that hides much of its true nature to con customers. I was very involved with them (and very naive) at one time. I was very generous whenever possible and cared for them very much. They cared about using us as efficiently as they could. We wanted a frum Jewish life and community. They wanted useful idiots.

"Chanuka, Purim, Pesach, Succoth, Torah"

You're a useful idiot. I can love Chanukah without loving the rabbinicaly instructed fire hazard.

I can love Purim (and Simchas Torah too), without loving the vomiting shliach and dangerous alcoholism that is so much a part of the Chabad my family has experienced. My children never needed to hear a Chabad rabbi dropping F-bombs, nor see him being held up as he vomited (such holiness, ha ha).

I don't recall saying anything about Sukkot, but it may be our favorite holiday here. But you're welcome to believe anything you like (you are just another anonymous useful idiot after all).

And I've said very positive things about the good values Torah can inspire. My children have Orthodox Jewish educations. But I don't delude myself into believing that merely having Torah observance makes a person good. A person has to want to be good, and then implement Torah thereafter. A thief who keeps "kosher" is still a piece of dreck thief.

I don't take everything on blind faith nor validate everything that dribbles out of a rabbi's mouth. Apparently, you do.
You subscribe to a Judaism that doesn't allow critical thought. I don't.

"so o. now it all came out."

And you're a drama queen. Get over it. Not everyone opts to be sheeple like you.

AishKodesh said...

@C_D, Someone who truly keeps the Torah will truly be a good person. Someone who, C"V, only keeps most of the Torah won't necessarily be.

My friend, please tell me in what way a person who kept the WHOLE Torah could be bad.

Abe said...

Anonymous 7:29 AM


“We who have faith don't need proofs, but proof comes to us anyway every day in miraculous ways.”

Yes, I know. Faith is the deep nourishing root of every religion. That is the great thing that all religions have in common. You have a lot more in common with Christianity than you might think , unless your faith is not blind. But you pulled me away from the question I originally posed. Can your prayer change God’s mind?
If you can’t answer it, that’s OK. Great Gedolim have pondered that question. But I think that your intellect, as expressed here is vastly greater than theirs. So the truth rests on your shoulders. Let’s have it.

Abe said...

AishKodesh 11:35 AM,

During Rosh Hashana you pray: Uteshuva Utefilla Utzedaka Ma’avirrin et roa hagezeira.

So if you were destined to be hit by a truck the following year, is there sufficient entreaties like in the prayer above, that might cause Got to mitigate your fate?

AishKodesh said...

Abe said... "During Rosh Hashana you pray: Uteshuva Utefilla Utzedaka Ma’avirrin et roa hagezeira.

So if you were destined to be hit by a truck the following year, is there sufficient entreaties like in the prayer above, that might cause G-d to mitigate your fate?"

Good example: Let's start with the first thing -- u'Teshuva: A person might, Chas V'Shalom, sometimes fall and do some bad things. And for that we of course deserve some kind of punishment. So a bad Decree might, C"V and R"L be written up against us. But with Teshuva (including turning away from our transgressions, feeling regret over them, asking for forgiveness for them, and turning to better ways) the bad things we did can be forgiven, and thus, the bad Decree against us torn up.

U'Tefillah: This is really the thing we have been discussing, and there are different answers to be given here. #1, Sometimes Hashem wants to hear our prayers. And so when we pray that whatever it may be go away, etc. He takes it away. He has mercy on us.
#2, Prayer can also be like our way of showing we care about something. The fact that we actually care that something bad, R"L is going on, (this mostly applies to when it has to do with others) which can be shown through prayer for whoever it is, could perhaps be enough to nullify a Decree.
#3, Prayer is also a manifestaion of the fact that we recognize that whatever might be happening comes from Hashem -- once we have that, then perhaps there is no need for the "bad" thing anymore. (Which sometimes things happen just to teach us something, etc. and once we have realized that and learned our lesson, then it has no tachlis anymore).

Truth is, the overall answer I think to your question is that Hashem doesn't really "change His Mind", as it were. But there are certain things that can cause Him to sort of alter things a bit. One thing's certain though: Whatever happens from Him, it is for the best.

Kol Tuv, and I hope this clears things up a bit. If not, feel free to continue asking questions and B'Ezras Hashem I will try to give you good answers.

Anonymous said...

good answer from Aishkodesh, but to add, and answer Abe, G-D doesn't change his mind but has options, myriads of options to make or unmake something from happening based either on His will, or how people act.
The gedolim who talk about this , all knew this, but they write about it because it's on people's minds and they each give their interpretation, and are willing o discuss this for people who're interested to learn,, like Maimonides who wrote the Guide for this reason, the rage then was philosophy and was writing about it. But none of them believe that G-D changes his mind. It only looks that way to us .We have little in common with Christianity except to say that many of their dogmas come from us rather than the other way around.

Abe said...

AisKodesh 5:07PM ,

“Truth is, the overall answer I think to your question is that Hashem doesn't really "change His Mind", as it were. But there are certain things that can cause Him to sort of alter things a bit. One thing's certain though: Whatever happens from Him, it is for the best. “ Kol Tuv and I hope this clears things up a bit”
On the contrary, it clears nothing up.
Oh now I understand. He doesnt change his mind. He just alters it ... just a little bit. Are you aware that alter is a synonym for change?
How does that work? If God knows the future then he knows that if you will beseech him to change or alter it just a little , he just might do so. But that all depends if “Sometimes he wants to hear our prayers or not.”

So does God change his mind? That all depends on how you define change. Maybe alter doesn’t also mean change? Or maybe you need a bit more instruction in the English language. But it doesn’t matter because God might not be listening anyway.
So is prayer useful? Might be. I just need to figure out when God is listening and make sure I scream and beat my chest loud enough to make him hear me.

Abe said...

AishKodesh 1:44 PM,

Do you know anyone presently or in our history that kept the WHOLE Torah and therefore couldn’t be bad. Even Moshe Rabbeinu didn’t comply with that characterization. So does that mean that you need to keep the whole Torah to be sufficiently good? And if you don’t, can you be good without keeping the Torah?

AishKodesh said...

@Abe 6:47 PM, That question has come into my mind as well. And I tell you, #1, G-d is always listening. We don't believe like Muslims here. And #2, Since Hashem knows the future and makes the future, then He can also change it a bit to conform to our prayers etc. and make it still for the best.

Still, it is a complicated subject and I would like to get some other input, namely from my Rebbeim.

@Abe 7:03 PM, Well at least TRIES to keep the entire Torah. Moshe Rabbeinu certainly did that. And I doubt we would have molesters if these people were TRYING to keep the entire Torah...

Chafraud-Depravitch said...

Abe,

The question of keeping the WHOLE Torah seemed somewhat loaded to me, so I kind of passed on it. Though I don't doubt Aish'e intent was sincere.

Fact is, the Chumash can't stand on its own. So we depend on an oral law (supposedly) passed down uncontaminated.
Thereafter, we depend on commentaries, interpretations, and opinions of so-called authorities. Thee is no uniform Judaism, no absolute "right way."

To expect observance of the "Torah mitzvot" to make a person good is backward thinking.
A person has to approach it with an intention to be and do good. Without that, it leaves the Torah a pretty useless document.

This was one of mt biggest letdowns. I took it at face value that the most observant people would be the best. I found out the hard way that it was just my fantasy, not reality. There was a lot of show but not a lot of substance.

I have secular neighbors who are far kinder, considerate, loving, sensitive, and all around better people than some of the black-hatted self-righteous "frum" Jews I know.

And, to be even-handed here, I know a lot of very observant Jews who effectively use the guidance of Torah to enhance and magnify their inherent goodness.

Anonymous said...

Abe, it's because they weren't taught middos properly and that's a shame because right away in yeshivot they start with abstract law. A famous saying by our rabbis is that Torah can help a Jew to develop, mellow and get rid of bad middos, but at the same time it's a fire. A fire that can potentially do damage if not handles properly, nor learned properly, and what you write is the result and I don't disagree because of my own experiences as a frum person.

AishKodesh said...

C_D, If someone truly kept the Torah, tell me please how they could be a bad person? You see, sometimes the seemingly "most-observant" people, unfortunately are not most-observant... (Only sometimes).

AishKodesh said...

I also believe that if someone looked a bit deeper, they would see that the Torah DOES teach us Middos, which are SO important in life.

Anonymous said...

so if you put on tfillin, use a dreidel on your head instead , kill chickens by poison, etc. MOST oral laws were handed down alongside the Torah which doesn't give explicit details . In many cases, the laws were forgotten so disputes arose, in many other cases the law was ambiguous to allow learned talmidei chacham to interpret, and if there is disagreement, that is also part of the Torah as G-D wanted it to be, and that TOO can be correct, though we rule useually with the majority. The only thing we can agree is on the current chumras, otherwise please understand that much more of the Torah was handed to Moses than just 10 commandmenst. Torah explicitly state that we shall be guided by the rabbis ;lekol asher yorucho" They make up stuff on their own, the whole Talmud isabout one questioning the other on how he or they came upp with any given law or drash.

AishKodesh said...

@1:00 PM, I don't quite agree with your 'the whole Talmud isabout one questioning the other on how he or they came upp with any given law or drash.' It isn't true. The Talmud is great Tzaddikim debating what is the rule of the Torah She'Baal Peh or Torah She'Bichsav.

Aside from that, we can agree on much more than just chumras. Pumfakert, that is the thing we seem to disagree on most...

Anyway, the Torah is perfect. About our whole discussion with Middos, everyone should see the first Bartenura on Mishnah Avos.

Anonymous said...

aish,
I agree with you, you didn't understand what I meant. I meant that the Talmud each questions the other either about proof of the opinion or question about their logic how they cam up with it. IOw , they're harping on the fact that opinions even from tzadikim have to circle back to the Torah for proof, not disagreeing with you

Anonymous said...

"Pumfakert"
The words are "punkt farkert"
another girsa? You fool
A nut case trying to speak Yiddish

Anonymous said...

"Pumfakert"
The words are "punkt farkert"
another girsa? You fool
A nut case trying to speak Yiddish

AishKodesh said...

Oh, ok. Sorry about that, @6:09 AM.

@1:09 and 1:43 PM, No offense but maybe it's you who are messing up with Yiddish. Pumfakert is how most people say it, I believe. And that's how I learned it from my father, shlit"a, who grew up around the adults of the old generation.

Anonymous said...

I was raised with Yiddish speaking parents from whom I learned Ivrit as well.
You are so wrong buddy

AishKodesh said...

8:12 PM, My father also speaks fluent Yiddish, my friend. And aside from that, I am sure on this one. Ask almost anyone. But why cant't there be eilu vi'eilu? Especially with languages. Many say things differently! No need to fight.

Dusiznies said...

Who cares if Aish speaks Yiddish or not ... "at this point what difference does it make?'
Our אבות didn't speak a word Yiddish ....
Rashi and all the בעלי תוספות didn't speak one word yiddish ...

but Aish ,,,, just for the record it is Punktfarkert .....
The word Punkt is German (yes ... indeed the language of the ones who murdered 6 million Jews) and means exactly ....like "Punktlich" which means exactly on time ..

Anonymous said...

How many millions did the British kill in York and other places over the centuries you speak english? speak Ivrit unless your a satmar muslim

Anonymous said...

Dus iz neias is an antisemite who cannot tolerate Ivrit

Abe said...

AishKodesh 8:12 PM,

If that’s the way your father pronounced it, then his Yiddish was as tzerdreit as yours. Or your hearing should have been more profoundly tested at birth.

AishKodesh said...

Abe, that is how many, many pronounce it. There isn't one way to speak languages, you know. Especially Yiddish. People from different areas might speak a different one. I think we speak more a Galicianer Yiddiish.

Anonymous said...

You're such a FERD
Pronounce it which ever you want to

Anonymous said...

Abe
דער בחור אש איז צודרייט

Chafraud-Depravitch said...

I believe Yiddish is just as susceptible to dialect differences as other languages. I recall my grandmother using Yiddish words that were notably different from Yiddish I encountered as a BT. The shtetl, as much as it is romanticized, was really a disgusting place; filthy, stinky, poor, and largely illiterate. Yiddish, being a hybrid language concocted from pieces of others was bound to have differences varying from which location it was used.

Today, Yiddish is likely more uniform since it is really just a preservation effort by a few hanger-ons, namely a few Jewish cult sects with origins in Europe. It really has no great importance in Judaism that I can see except for nostalgia. It has no practical use in in the current modern world. Among some Jews it serves little more than an exclusive 'clubhouse" language. It's not pleasant sounding, and contrary to what some claim, it has no 'inherent purity' (lacking curses).

Why all the fuss over a basically dead, useless language?
It's greatest beauty (and only lasting value) may be the way it's injected a few words and phrases into modern language. Beyond that, it offers the world, and Jews in particular, nothing.