Williamsburg Chassidim Sick of Being ‘Photographed Like Animals In a Zoo" By Tourists

I really have to laugh, reading this article in the post....

Chassidim living in Chutz Le'aaretz are amazed and upset that goyim find their way of life fascinating and bizarre ......

Chassidim look like they just walked out of a movie set, filmed in the 1700's ...

and are baffled that people out of the community find them to be interesting! ....

They don't want to stared at like monkeys in the zoo! ..

Did you guys ever stop to think why people don't go to the Zoo to see cats and dogs??
They go to see monkeys .....you know why? Because it's a rarity ....
Monkeys usually don't roam the streets ......

So yes.... I'm not comparing Chassidim to monkeys Chas Ve'Shalom, but you guys are a rare entity even in Jewish circles...and people will pay and spend a day to see living things that are rare .....

And you know what ...???

Move the hell out of there and live amongst the six and a half million Jews living in Israel who don't care if you dress as if it's Purim all year round ....!!!! 

Brooklyn’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish residents are fed up with tourists who swarm their insular neighborhoods by the busload — all to gawk at their clothing and customs.

“People snap pictures of you like you’re on some sort of display — like you’re in a zoo,” said Chaim, 42, who lives in Williamsburg’s Satmar community and asked that his last name be withheld. 

“We are people, not animals to be photographed.”

Sightseeing groups venture into Williamsburg and Crown Heights several times a week, some via tour-bus companies InterviajesNY, Tour America and Civitatis. The three offer so-called “contrast” tours of various cultural communities in Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn and The Bronx — with one touting the “numerous memorials to gang members who were killed in shootouts” in that borough.

The tours — which cost from $40 to $70 — have been going on for years, but locals say that this summer the throngs, and the tensions they cause, have reached a new high.

Zera Shimshon - Shoftim

Zera Shimshon - Shoftim 

(שום תשים עליך מלך( זי ' טו )

You shall certainly appoint a king over yourself (17:15) 

The Zera Shimshon expounds on the reign of Shaul HaMelech and the eventual collapse of his rule when his kingship was taken away from him. 

The Gemara asks (Yoma 22b), why indeed, did the sovereignty of Shaul not last? 

The Gemara answers, because it had no flaw. 

The Gemara explains that whenever a leader is chosen to head the Jewish people, he must have some sort of family or lineage flaw (the wording of the Gemara is - he must have a 'box of vermin' hanging behind him) so that in the event that he becomes full of himself, he can easily be reminded to 'look back'. 

Rashi explains, that since there existed no such flaw in Shaul’s lineage, Hashem knew that the subsequent generations would become haughty over the Jewish people. Therefore, He chose Dovid HaMelech instead who had something in his lineage to be humbled with. 

The Gemara brings another reason why Shaul was punished and lost the kingship. 

It was because he pardoned those who belittled his honor as the passuk says (Shmuel I 10:26), 

“But evil people said, 

‘How can this person save us?!’ They ridiculed him and did not bring him a tribute, and he remained mute”. 

The Zera Shimshon suggests that the two reasons given by the Gemara as to why Shaul HaMelech's kingship did not last do not disagree with each other. 

Rather, both reasons are in fact part of the greater cause that brought Shaul to lose his power. 

The primary reason that Shaul was punished was because he pardoned those he should have punished. 

However, had he had some sort of flaw in his lineage, he could have justified doing so by saying that in standing up for the honor of the kingship he would have only brought it greater shame because people would have pointed out his flawed lineage. 

Now that Shaul had no 'box of vermin' to fear thrown back at him, he should have stood up for his honor. Being that he did not, he was punished and the reins of power were taken away from him. 

The Zera Shimshon understands Shaul’s not having a flaw in his lineage as a plus for Shaul which he should have used to his benefit – this is different than Rashi’s understanding of the Gemara quoted above. 

The Zera Shimshon is still bothered by this Gemara since at first glance, Shaul seems to have done the right thing by not standing up for his honor. 

The Zera Shimshon validates this by the fact that from the pessukim it can been seen that there were those that did not yet accept Shaul as the king. 

Regarding another king, Rechavam, who also found himself in the same situation, not having the approval of the entire populace, the elders counseled him (Melachim I 12:7),

 "If today you become a servant to these people and serve them, respond kindly to them and speak kind words to them, they will be your servants all the days." 

If so, why wasn't Shaul's position of not defending his honor, at a time when he was not yet accepted by everyone, not the right course of action? 

The Zera Shimshon explains that although in the case of Rechavam, the right choice was to start with a softer stand, that was because he was chosen by the Jewish people and he still had to earn their true respect and acceptance.

 Shaul on the other hand, was chosen by Hashem and the Jewish people did not have a choice or say in the matter. 

Therefore, Shaul's failure to stand up for his honor as king was in reality a failure to stand up for the honor of Hashem. It was for this that he was punished. 

 The Zera Shimshon points out that interestingly, Shaul HaMelech's punishment was midda keneged midda, measure for measure. His sin was that he had misplaced mercy on the wicked people and did not stand up to them to defend his honor as king. And he lost his right to be king when he showed too much mercy to the wicked people of Amalek and did not wipe them out entirely. 

 In honor of the Zera Shimshon's 240th Yortzeit, we have published a Sefer, 'Zera Shimshon on the Torah' (almost 400 pages).

Available at Lulu.com by the title above.

The 'Zera Shimshon on the Torah' is a collection of the weekly Divrei Torah that were translated into English over the last few years.

Summaries of the lessons learned from his words are found after most of the Divrei Torah.

This Sefer includes a unprecedented, beautiful biography on the Zera Shimshon as well as a small historical sketch of Torah in Italy. This biography will undoubtedly give the reader a greater appreciation for the Zera Shimshon's Divrei Torah, once they learn more about him.

IDF Celebrates Siyum Ha"shas

Some Yeshivos Will Not Allow Their Students to go to the Siyum Hashass!

I recently heard that some Roshei Yeshivos will not allow their students to attend the Siyum Hashaas! 

These are the same Roshei Yeshivos that do not give two hoots where their precious Bochrim hang out during Bain Hazmanim...

Let's face it, we are living in a new generation, where bochrim  put in an average of 15 hours a day sitting in Yeshivah ...

A brand  new phenomena introduced to Jews recently, unheard of in the past 2,400 years...

This brand new idea is being pushed by Rebbetzins that head girl Seminaries in Israel and the USA, brainwashing naive wild eyed girls that they should support their husbands for life or at least 10 years ... so they can keep their husbands in business .... 

and give "Kovod Ha'Torah! 

Yes, there were Bochrim that never left the Bais Midrash and became Gedoilei Hador! Absolutely!!!

But what happened with the others??

They worked and had no spare time to be distracted!

How many Bochrim were learning all day, Pre-WW2??

How many Bochrim were learning at one time in the largest Yeshivah in Europe pre-WW2??

Ok ...DIN .... What are you getting at??

Spit it out already .... I have to visit other sites ... Your'e not the only guy with a site ...

Ok .. true .. 

Ok Ok 

The Bochrum today ...... yes the guys with the fancy glasses .....

the guys with the pleated pants, fancy colored socks and now with the 1" brims...

are bored to death ......

There I said it! 

So once in 7 and half years, Askanim  organize a Siyum Ha'shass .... with full attendance of the Gedoilei Yisrael ....

 Giving Bochrim a chance to connect in a major forum with Jews that have completed the entire Shas .... a major accomplishment 

and giving them a once in a lifetime opportunity to hear Divrei Bracha and words of inspiration of members of the Meotzei Gedoilei Yisrael ...

and the Roshei Yeshivos won't allow them to attend???

Helllllllllloooowwwwww!

Knock knock .....is anyone home???

The bochrim  are bored to tears ....... give them a break....

and what is the break that are we asking for? 

 Allowing them to go to a gathering, celebrating the completion of the entire Shas??

In Israel the bochrim have many outlets...... 

Like blocking traffic for hours ..... burning down trees in Bet Shemesh, hanging Frum IDF Soldiers in effigy, screaming Shabbos Shabbos and throwing rocks on Shabbos at cars ..... etc etc....

But in the USA .... why not give the kids a break where they can witness the joy of hundreds of thousands of Jews around the world celebrating Torah???

Could it be that the Roshei Yeshiva weren't invited to sit on the thousand seat Rabbinical VIP dais??

We are living in a generation that has multiple distractions..... 

thousands of frum boys and girls from great families are leaving their heritage ... some are overdosing on drugs ....

Instead of encouraging the boys to join in the Emesidikeh Kavod Hatorah ...

We prohibit them from going?????

I don't get it!! 

Reb Shlomo Carlebach Was Never Kicked Out Of BMG ......

In an interview conducted with the president of Lakewood’s BMG, Rabbi Aharon Kotler, a myth and legend that has been well-entrenched in the chareidi world about famous Jewish composer and singer, Shlomo Carlebach Z”L being expelled from the Lakewood Yeshiva, was shattered. 

After the supposed expulsion, Shlomo Carlebach is said to have then immediately composed the song, “Lulaei Torascha” while sitting on the steps outside the yeshiva. 

Kotler, who is named after his grandfather, HaGaon HaRav Aharon Kotler ZT”L, who founded the Yeshiva, stressed that in fact “Shlomo Carlebach was never kicked out of Lakewood. Rav Aharon loved him. He was, as we all know, exceptionally musically inclined… I can imagine that at some point in his life, his musical interests and drive exceeded his desire to learn in yeshiva.”

In the interview, Rabbi Kotler reveals the special connection that existed between his grandfather and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, and also explains the difference in norms between the yeshiva world in the United States and the yeshiva world in Israel. 

“He played guitar in my parents’ Sheva Brochos. They made a kumzitz. They closed the lights in the room, he sat on the floor. I do not know how studious he was. I was not there back then… 

Also, one of the important things to remember is that Lakewood is not a life system. Neither is kollel a life system for everybody, and certainly in Rav Aharon’s days, people were in yeshiva for a number of years and then they eventually left. That was the norm. 

So, I have never checked the enrollment records of Shlomo Carlebach, whether he stayed longer than the norm or shorter than the norm, but he certainly was not kicked out of Lakewood.”

The interview with Rabbi Kotler was conducted by Rabbi Benjamin Goldschmidt, assistant Rabbi of Park East Synagogue in Manhattan and as a part of the “Kikar Global” a project of Kikar Shabbos News.

You think you have it bad? Rabbi Marries Off His 10th Daughter

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gurevitch proudly stood for a group photo with his 10 sons-in-law after marrying off his youngest daughter last week.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gurevitch, Director of Yeshivas Tomchei Tmimim in Brunoy, France, celebrated the marriage of his youngest daughter last week.

Before Shabbos Sheva Brachos, it was a good opportunity to stand for a group photo with his 10 sons in law.

From left to right:

Rabbi Eliyahu Chaikin – Bridgetown, Barbados

Rabbi Avrohom Mann – Brooklyn, NY

Rabbi Hershy Drukman – S. Maur, France

Rabbi Yisroel Noach Lipskier – Queens, NY

Rabbi Levi Notik – Chicago, Illinois

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gurevitch – Brunoy, France

Rabbi Shmuel Nemenov – Villeurbanne, France

Rabbi Shmuel Marazow – New York

Rabbi Mendel Jacobson – New York

Rabbi Shmuel Raskin – Holon, Israel

Rabbi Chaim Greisman – Stockholm, Sweden

Rabbi Kook's Greatness: for his Yahrzeit on 3 Elul by Rav Shmuel Knopfler z"l

Only rarely is the world privileged to see a man of such greatness as the icon of religious Zionism, 

HaRav Avraham Yitzchak HaCohen Kook.

In Memoriam

by Rabbi Shmuel Knopfler z"l
Written last year ....2018 

HaRav Kook ... His Personality

There have been scores of Torah giants in recent generations, but the stature of none compares to that of Rabbi Avraham Isaac HaCohen Kook, zt”l (1865 -1935). His genius was astounding - there was no field of Torah study that he had not mastered. His recall was astonishing – great scholars related that no matter what Torah subject they
discussed with him it would appear as if he had just recently learned the issue in depth.

Not only was he versed, sharp, and innovative in the arenas of Talmud and Halakha, he was at home in all areas of Jewish thought: Bible, Midrash, philosophy, and mysticism. On top of all this, he was unmatched in piety and righteousness, and his entire existence was dedicated to the service of the Creator.

Rabbi Kook was a mighty figure who fought for truth and was willing to put himself on the line for the sake of Torah justice.

It is not uncommon for extreme brilliance to result in strange
character traits, but Rabbi Kook was friendly and pleasant, so much so that all who knew him were captivated by his warm character. He was intellectual and emotional, sharp and poetic. He possessed a rich inner life, while at the same time was very active spiritually and publicly on behalf of the Torah, the nation, and the land.

That all of these talents could reside together harmoniously in one soul is itself remarkable.

The Respect of His Contemporaries

Rav Kook with Rabbi Sonnenfeld 

Three Year Old Mordechai Yavets Z”L, Killed by Car in Far Rockaway

Mordechai Yavets Z”L,  was struck and killed by a vehicle on Monday morning. He was 3-years-old.

Mordechai was struck by a vehicle on Virginia Street just after 11:00AM. 

Hatzolah paramedics rushed him to Long Island Jewish Medical center, where doctors did everything they could to stabilize him. Unfortunately, he was Niftar around an hour later.

Mordechai is the son of Yehuda and Yehudis Yavets.

The Achiezer Organization is working with authorities to ensure proper Kavod Hames is given.

Harav Hatzaddik Avraham Yitzchok Hakohein Kook z"l by DIN

I will repost an article I posted August 24, 2014 about the great Tazaddik Hador, R' Avraham Yitzchok Kook z"l
on the Yurzeit Gimmel Elul!

I would like to preface the post with the following observation:

How is it that the Chassidishe & Litvishe World took a Tzaddik, a Gaon Oilim, a deep Torah thinker and made him into a villian...... a "sheigatz.?"

How did editors and publishers take out his haskamois from their republished Seforim???

There is a joke amongst the frum heimishe world but so true!

"What is the difference between a Lubavitcher Chasid and a Satmarer Chasid?"

The difference is:

By a Lubavitcher... every "sheigatz" is a Yid...
By a Satmarer .... every Yid is a "sheigatz"

How True ...but now its the Litvisher World as well....

I want to ask my readers that attended Yeshivois and learned Shas and Poiskim a question.

Think about this?

If a Bochur, lets call him "Reuvein"  in a Bais Medrish  asks or questions a halacha in the Rambam .... and no one can answer his question ...and it now seems that the specific Halacha in the Rambam is totally obliterated by Reuvein.....

What do you think will the Rosh Yeshivah say? What will his Chavrusah say? What will his parents say?

They will say :
"Wow! What a great question? What an Illuei? What a Genius?" "Yeh ....Let's get him a great girl that will support him the rest of his life!"

Will they call him an apikoras and a heretic?

Would they call Rebbe Akiva Eiger who wrote the "Gilyan Ha'Shas" and who asked and sometimes never answered the questions that he asked on Toisfois, an apikoras? 

Was he indeed an apikoras?

Let's go back in time...
How about Toisfois questions on Rashi where Toisfois will then come up with a total different understanding of a talmudic discussion.... and say that Rashi wasn't correct ...

Were the Baalei Toisfois apikorsim?

How about the Ramban who specifically wrote his sefer on Chumash to argue with Rashi's understanding of the parsha ... and then gives a totally different novel idea on the script of the Torah ...
Was the Ramban an apikoras??

The Orach Chayim Hakodash frequently eviscerates a Rishon's understanding of a pasuk and then totally twists the pasuk to fit his own understanding ....
was the Orach Chayim Hakodosh an apikoras?

I could go on and on .... you get my drift....

Then why is someone who argues with the Satmar Shitah or proves the VaYoel Moshe wrong an apikoras????

Since Matan Torah when there was any difference of opinion amongst the Rabbis ... did anyone ever call the opposing view an "apikores!"

But here they took a Gaon Oilim, cursed him and made him into a pariah .....a sheigatz and an apikoras, all because his derech wasn't like theirs ....

This was the basic reason of the destruction of second Bais Ha'Mikdash ...... the gemarrah states that the masses were basically frum, talmeidei chachamim, but they hated each other .... they hated the guy that dressed differently, that wore a Kippah Serugah, that were a blue string in the tzizis, that dared wear a colored shirt ...
that's why Hashem had the Bais Hamikdash burned down and had us dispersed amongst the nations to learn that in Chutz Le'aaretz the goyim will consider the guy wearing "vaaseh zokin" or gold stripe "bekeshe" the same Jew as the Jew that shaves and wears a polo shirt .... to the goyim we are all Jews! 

Now see my post
Press "read more" below

One Has to Laugh at the Satmar 1967 Prediction that in "20 Years there will no longer be Torah in Israel" 160,000 Bochrim and Kollel Guys Start the Elull Zmar

R' Yoel Teitelbaum, founder of the Satmar Chassidus, predicted in 1956 and again in 1967 that there will be "No Torah institutions in the State of Israel in 20 years."

These statements are brought down in a pamphlet called 

'שמעו דבר ה'  

which is basically a written typed transcript of a CD that comes attached to the pamphlet .....
These are "toirelach" that the late Satmar Rebbe made to dissuade his holocaust survivor chassidim from abandoning the Satmar ship!

The truth is that no one in the entire world could predict this great phenomenon ......
160,000.00 Bochrim and Kollelim learning Torah in the State of Israel ...... that's not counting 8,000 bochrim starting Yeshiva Gedoilei ...
Also not included in the 160,000 count..... are the 470,000 talmidim in the state Chareidie schools.........
All the above are supported by the Zionist State of Israel .....

The 5780 school year began in Israel on Sunday, September 1, 2019, corresponding to 1 Elul. 2.35 million students returned to state kindergartens, elementary, junior high and high schools in Israel religious and secular public school systems. The Elul zman began as well, as this year, the Hebrew and Gregorian dates coincided.

Tens of thousands of bnei torah have returned to the beis medrash, seen around Eretz Yisrael pulling their suitcases and hat boxes as bein hazmanim comes to an end.

160,000 avreichim and bochrim are reporting for duty, returning to yeshivos and kollels to strengthen Am Yisrael with their limud torah. 8,000 talmidim will enter Yeshiva Gedola, and the mesechtos being studied in the Elul zman include Kiddushim, Gittin, Baba Metzia and Makos in the general seder divided between Chevron and Ponevezh.

A sign appearing in Brisk on Sunday morning is a call for tefilos and limud for a refuah shleima for HaGaon Rav Meshulam Dovid Halevy ben Alta Hendel bsoch cholei am yisrael.

Of the total number of students in the state system, 168,000 little ones entered first grade, and 200,000 teaching staff will be undertaking the responsibility to educate the nation’s young. Israel’s newly-appointed Minister of Education, Rabbi Rafi Peretz, announced this school year will emphasize mutual responsibility and the strengthening of values.

There are 470,000 talmidim in the state chareidi kindergartens and schools, of which 35,000 entered first grade on Sunday. This system has 32,000 teaching staff.

Ohelei Yitzchak Yosef Lubavitch, the Chabad educational network in Israel, also began on Sunday, opening its 86 schools, of which there are four new one for this 5780 school year. In the Chabad network, there are 458 kindergartens (including 18 new ones), 114 first grades and 35,800 students in total.

The Ministry of Education has opened its information line to the public, 1-800-222-003.

The students will have their first day off on September 17th, elections for the 22nd Knesset. Then following days off will be for the Tishrei Yomim Tovim.