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Great review of Sefiros
2008-05-02 08:24:00
And some criticism.From Rabbi Yitzchok Adlerstein on CrosscurrentsIt is very exciting to have such a wonderful review.I would also like to take the chance to respond to his critism of the book. He writes:I hope I am not being picky by pointing out one area that I would have treated differently. The book refers to sefiros, in part, as ?a mystical revelation of G-d?s ?character??.They show us different aspects of G-d?s personality as we perceive Him in the world.? It quite properly encloses the word ?character? in quotes (although not the word ?personality?), and goes on to caution that we can never use any ?physical terms because He is completely beyond human comprehension. Words like ?kindness? or ?strict justice? are meaningless when applied to an eternal, unchanging Creator.? It tells the reader that sefiros are ?not descriptions of G-d Himself, but are themselves part of His creation.?I?m not sure how to understand that last sentence. Many will take it to mean, I believe, that se...
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Where's the bananas?
2008-04-15 07:33:00
CNN are reporting on the Israeli safari park that has gone kosher for Pesach. It is really just an excuse to show orangutans eating matzah. (If you can't see the video you can watch it here)Now that you mention it I think I've been to a couple of seders like this before.I suppose the Orangs don't have to worry about the custom of not eating matzah for 30 days before Pesach!What I'm waiting for is the follow up clip of them drinking the four cups of wine and singing Ma Nishtana. That would be worth watching!This blog is from Rabbi Sedley. You can see more divrei Torah, halacha and shiurim at my new website RabbiSedley.com.

Sefiros Review anyone?
2008-04-02 12:09:00
Sometimes it is hard to find the time and energy to blog. The past month has been taken up with several different projects (including learning how to make video shiurim and post them on the web - www.hashkafacircle.com and create and publish a kollel journal available from lulu.com.But the biggest project, which has occupied most of my resources has been publishing the book on Sefiros that I blogged about in my previous post. If I say so myself, it is a really excellent book, combining kabbalah (in small doses) with chasidus, self-help and mussar. There is an explanation of each midah (of the sefiros - chesed, gevurah, tiferes, netzach, hod, yesod and malchus), as well as the sub-midos which are combinations of two midos. There are daily exercises for spiritual refinement in the three areas of bein adam lamakom, bein adam lechaveiro and bein adam leatzmo. And we even have a quote from Sherlock Holmes to explain chesed.Right now we are looking for people to review and publicize the b...
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New Book! Sefiros
2008-04-02 11:11:00
Exciting News! Rabbi Haber and I are very proud to announce that our new book "Sefiros; Spiritual Refinement Through Counting the Omer" is at the printer and will be released next week! Given our general obsession with finding new tools for spiritual enhancement, the counting of the Omer between Pesach and Shavuos was a natural fertile territory. Even at its simplest historical level, during these 49 days the People of Israel needed to transform their mentality from slavery to freedom. They had to stop being ordinary and start being kingly. They had only a short time to get ready to become a light to the nation and a moral example to all. These forty nine days became the key to what it means to be a Jew.We can take advantage of this dynamic energy every year. The Kabbalists helped by teaching us how during each one of the forty-nine days we receive a specific energy through one of the sub-categories of the Sefiros.Rabbi Haber and I discussed, expounded, argued and analyzed every sef...
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May we merit to turn sadness into happiness
2008-03-07 14:41:00
I know that everyone says this, but I feel that I have been so busy for the past few weeks, that I haven't had time for anything extra. I keep meaning to blog, composing blogs in my head, but never committing them to cyberspace.I have learned a lot of new skills. I have had to typeset and publish the journal for my afternoon kollel (The Hashkafa Circle). It is available through Lulu (in case you were wondering).I have created (or am in the process of creating) a website for the aforementioned kollel, which will primarily host video shiurim from Rabbi Meir Triebitz. You can see what I've done so far (but there is a lot more coming, both in terms of design and content-wise) at www.hashkafacircle.com. And it is amazing how much time I have spend doing the little that you see there now (including videoing, transfering, converting, uploading etc. etc. etc.)I have been working with Rabbi Haber on a book about Sefiras HaOmer (and the spiritual journey of Midas HaYom) which obviously has ...
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20th Adar Yarzheit of the Bach
2008-02-26 13:03:00
I went to NY for a wedding last weekend. I was in the States for a total of 3 days, but it has taken me more than a week to recover from the jet lag and the cold I picked up on the plane.There are so many things I wanted to blog about, but I will never get them all done, so let's start with something simple - a Yarzheit of one of the Gedolim.Today (20th Adar) is the Yarzheit of the Bach , R' Yoel Sirkes. Anyone who has learned the Tur will know that the Bach is the bit that everyone skips, because they are too keen to learn the Beis Yosef. And most of the important things will be quoted by the Taz (who was the son-in-law of the Bach) so you can catch them when you get to the Shulchan Aruch. But that is not really fair to him is it?His notes on the Talmud are much more widely used - everyone looks at the Bach when they see that he emends the text of the Talmud. Usually he is fixing a 'mistake' in the text, occasionally adding his own commentary. Look for the Hagahot HaBach somewhe...

How heavy were the Ten Commandments?
2008-02-09 22:34:00
I know it isn't relevant until Ki Tissa, which we won't read for another two weeks. (Or it was relevant to the daf from 3 weeks ago), but I was just wondering...How heavy were the two tablets that Moshe brought down from Mount Sinai? I mean in weight, not in importance.The Talmud (Nedarim 38a) tells us:R. Johanan said: The Holy One, blessed be He, causes His Divine Presence to rest only upon him who is strong, wealthy, wise and meek; and all these [qualifications] are deduced from Moses. Strong, for it is written, And he spread abroad the tent over the tabernacle; and a Master said, Moses our teacher spread it; and it is also written, Ten cubits shall be the length of the board. Yet perhaps it was long and thin? ? But [it is derived] from this verse: And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and broke them. Now, it was taught: The tablss [sic, tables] were six [handbreadths] in length, six in breadth, and three in thickness.There are different opinions as the ...
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3rd Adar Yarzheit of the Aderes
2008-02-09 20:26:00
On Shabbos it was the Yarzheit of the Aderes, Rabbi Eliyahu David Rabinowitz Teomim (his initials spell Aderes). I wanted to copy and paste the wikipedia article on him to my blog, but there wasn't an article on him. So I wrote it (mostly lifted from www.jewishencyclopedia.com). He is one of the few Rabbis who wrote an autobiography (which is out of print now, and I can't even remember what it is called) so I was amazed at how little information there was about him. He was the father in law of Rav Kook, so I would have expected there to be a lot more information about him.Please add any more biographical information you may have on him both the wikipedia article and to the comments of this blog.Thank you and Shavua Tov.Here is the wikipedia article:Rabbi Eliyahu David Rabinowitz Teomim (1845-1905) was known by his initials as the Aderes (Aderet). He was one of the greatest European Rabbis of the nineteenth century. He is also famous as the father-in-law of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Koo...

Temple rebuilt
2008-02-08 10:26:00
This Shabbat is the 3rd of Adar which is the anniversary of the completion of the construction of the Second Temple . The book of Ezra tells us that on this date they finished rebuilding the Temple which had been destroyed more than 70 years earlier. Even though this Second Beis Hamikdash did not compare at all with the first Beis Hamikdash (the ten daily miracles mentioned in Pirkei Avos no longer existed in the time of the Second Temple), Judaism once again had a focus and the sacrifices were once again offered on the altar.15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.16 And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.17 And they offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according...

UK to accept Sharia law?
2008-02-07 15:45:00
The BBC is reporting today on an interview with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams.For those of you who don't know, Her Majesty the Queen is the head of the Anglican Church (Church of England) but the Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the church. (I suppose equivalent to the position of Chief Rabbi, only with a bigger flock).Although he has no legal authority or power, his views certainly reflect the values of the church and may influence governmental policy.Dr Williams thinks that the only way to accomodate the large Muslim population in Britian is to give them legal independence and the option of going to a Sharia court instead of a British court.I suppose in theory this is similar to having a Beis Din, and perhaps the Muslims also have a prohibition in using secular courts. At present in Britian a Beis Din can act as an arbitrator in a civil dispute (as can anyone accepted by the two parties) although they don't have any judicia...
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Lion of Zion for Gaza
2008-02-04 04:47:00
Of course it is Israel's fault! By closing off the Gaza strip they completely prevented essential humanitarian supplies such as a lion cub and a monkey from entering the Strip!I hope that this is what they are referring to when the Shin Bet tells us that Hamas now has advanced weapons that they smuggled in from Egypt. (Why couldn't the Egyptians have also checked some of those big pointy boxes with the missiles in them - they could have been confiscated at the check point too!From www.stuff.comWhile thousands of Palestinians flooded into Egypt to stock up on food, fuel and other staples after Islamist militants breached the border, one man bought a lion cub and a monkey to smuggle back home.The man managed to reach Cairo and buy the animals despite a heavy security cordon, but police caught him at a checkpoint as he tried to sneak them back into Gaza in a small truck carrying furniture, security officials told Reuters on Saturday.They said the man, whom they did not identify, conf...
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What shidduch crisis
2008-02-03 10:19:00
The Orthodox world is having a shiddush crisis at the moment. There are far more women looking to get married than men, and the men are not interested (for the most part) in women who are too bright. So any woman with a career and an education finds it doubly difficult. In addition, the expectation in many circles now is that the man will continue learning in Kollel for several years while the wife will work, give birth and raise the children, keep the house clean and cook all the meals, all on her own. Surprisingly there are many women who seem to manage these impossible tasks.Recently I've been asked to advise a few people on shidduchim - what they should be looking for, who they should be looking for and where they should be looking. I now know several people who have met and got married through internet sites such as JDate and Saw You at Sinai, so I don't want to be too negative about them. On the other hand, they force people to put themselves into categories and definitions ...
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The Day the Music Died
2008-02-03 10:06:00
I know I usually focus more on Yarzheits of Rabbis and Jewish people, but I couldn't overlook the fact that today is the anniversary of the deaths of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. Who knows how the face of popular music would have been changed had they not died so early in their careers (perhaps we could have avoided the entire 80s and 90s syntho-pop!)The other tragedy from this event was of course the Don McLean song "American Pie" which is not particularly awful in and of itself, but I think after Madonna's cover version it is safer if nobody ever listens to the song again (you can never be too careful with these things). Of course that may lead everyone to listen to the song Vincent, inspired by the death of Vincent Van Gogh and his painting "Starry Night". This may lead to a greater appreciation of nineteenth century art. (lyrics to this song are at the end of the blog, curtesy of risa.co.ukStary Night by Vincent Van GoghSo, probably not appropriate to say '...
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Generate more blog traffic
2008-02-02 21:09:00
Everyone wants more traffic to their blog. What is the point of writing if the entire world isn't reading?There are many different sites where you can submit your blog and will hopefully get a lot of hits in return.One of these sites that I've just discovered is Buzzfuse. It is different than the others, because you begin with showing your latest blog entry to your friends. Once they recommend it, it goes global. This way you can generate interest for your latest post, song, picture or anything else.You simply post a small piece of code at the end of the blog you want to promote, invite your friends, and wait for the hits.Have a look at this post to see how it works (look at the link on the bottom of the page).Good luck.This blog is from Rabbi Sedley. You can see more divrei Torah, halacha and shiurim at my new website RabbiSedley.com.
More About: Blog Traffic , Traffic , Blog

Never too late to say sorry - to the Beatles
2008-01-28 10:05:00
I still haven't finished writing all the thank you cards for wedding presents (we just celebrated our 15th anniversary). I feel that by now it is too late - especially as some of those who sent gifts are no longer in the land of the living. (If I'm being honest, I think I probably still owe a couple of thank you cards from Bar Mitzvah presents as well - but that was 25 years ago, and I don't think the pens still work any more).So it is refreshing to see that the State of Israel has finally taken the time to catch up on some correspondence that was put aside at the time. The foreign ministry had some time on its hands, so they decided to check on 'matters outstanding'. And they discovered that they owe an apology to none other than the Fab Four! Yes, the Beatles are finally having the record set straight (no pun intended). 43 years after they were banned from performing in Israel for having long hair and being a bad influence on the youth, the Foreign Ministry will make amends a...
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Anthrax Guitarist becomes frum?
2008-01-22 14:56:00
You all seemed interested in reading about the Lubavitcher Rebbe's past. On a similar, but completely different theme, I wanted to look today at someone else's present (i.e. future from back when).Last month my good friend Rabbi Burton spent a week trying to figure out whether Kevin DuBrow was Jewish or not.Someone had mentioned to me that one of the guitarists from Anthrax had become frum. I decided it was time to investigate.Meet Anthrax and their two most famous guitarists: Scott Ian and Dan Spitz (both born Jewish - Ian's real surname is Rosenfeld)Scott Ian is still just plain old Scott Ian. I had high hopes for Dan Spitz though. He gave up playing guitar and went to Switzerland to become a watch maker. Perhaps he became Ba'al Teshuva at the same time? Imagine the payos he would have!But alas, I haven't seen him (or his tatoos) at my local mikva, for a very simple reason. He did get a haircut and become religious, just not our religion. He became a 'Messianic Jew' (i.e. C...
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Lubavitcher Rebbe as a real person
2008-01-20 11:51:00
I spent a large part of Shabbos reading a very interesting book. I know I'm several years behind the times with this one (because the controversy has already been and gone, and the book is now selling on Amazon for $650!), but if you can get hold of it, I highly recommend "Larger than Life: The Life and Times of the Lubavicher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Vol. 2." by Rabbi Shaul Shimon Deutsch.If nothing else, it is worth it for this priceless picture of the Rebbe from his days in Berlin:Doesn't look quite so much like the Messiah in this one does he!(since my scanner isn't working at the moment I actually took this scan from mentalblog. I also found an interesting site with pictures of Gedolim when they were younger)The book is a biography of the Rebbe from his days in Riga through his years in Berlin. It describes his wedding in great detail - including the thefts that took place while the chuppa was taking place. I must also remember not to make any comments about l...
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10th Shevat - Yarzheit of the Rashash
2008-01-17 05:13:00
Today is the Yarzheit of the Rashash, R' Sar Shalom Sharabi. According to many he is to the writings of the Arizal what Rashi is to the Gemara. In other words, it is impossible to fully understand the kabbalah of the Ari without the Rashash.There are many stories of his brilliance and his novel approaches to kabbalah which solved problems which had the best of the generations stumped. According to one well known kabbalist in Jerusalem, he understands the Etz Chaim better than R' Chaim Vital (who actually wrote it, and heard the shiurim from the Ari himself).There is also a tradition that any prayer said at the graveside of the Rashash will not go unanswered. He is buried on Har HaZeitim, so I imagine it will be packed there today.May His Soul be Bound in the Bonds of Eternal LifeThis is part of the entry of what wikipedia has to say about him:Sar Shalom Sharabi (Hebrew: שר שלום מזרחי דידיע שרעבי), also known as the Rashash, the Shemesh or Ribbi Shalom Mizraḥ...

Ascari
2008-01-16 07:43:00
If you have a spare few hundred thousand pounds to spare you may want to consider one of these two cars to add to your collection (it would look nice sitting next to the Roller in the garage).They say that it is a German engine, Dutch billionaire and Italian name, but they forget to mention that these cars have a New Zealand mechanic - my brother in law. Go Don!Not only that, but as usual, Top Gear is fun. They have a way of making cars interesting! (comparing the Diahatsu with the Ascari is priceless).So even if you are not in the market for a new car that can't actually fit you and the groceries inside, and you don't feel the need to be able to drive at over 200 mph (since the speed limit is 50 mph), you may still enjoy these clips.Oh, and if you don't like videos, here is the wikipedia entry for Ascari:Ascari Cars is a sports car manufacturer based in Banbury, United Kingdom. The company was named after Alberto Ascari (1918 - 1955) who was the first double world Formula 1 cham...

Getting Osama
2008-01-16 05:16:00
I don't know your views on the Republican candidates, especially after the latest primary. Since I am only a New Zealander I am not entitled to an opinion.On the other hand, as a Kiwi I rightfully take pride in this op ed piece from stuff (the best site for New Zealand news). Enjoy:I'll get Osama bin Laden, said John McCain, candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, "if I have to go to the gates of hell". The crowd roared with delight.Now, I'm as moved by biblical imagery and wild promises as the next man, but I couldn't help feeling a little sorry for McCain. He may get the Republican nomination, but I'm afraid he won't get Osama.You see, I've already got him. I probably should have mentioned it before, but a few months ago, I got so fed up with the whole bin Laden carry-on that I simply went and killed the devil incarnate myself. It was fairly straightforward.I packed the essentials – a Bible, the crucifix fashioned for me by blind Fabricius of Smyrna, my trus...

NZ Grandmother jumps further
2008-01-03 17:18:00
I just love these stories of people who live long and active lives and make the most of every moment. It is even better when they are New Zealanders - yet again NZ holds the record!I know that when a person gets to their final day of reckoning the first question they will be asked won't be 'do you hold any athletics records'. But when I feel tired or achy it helps me to remember that someone more than twice my age can still get up on a cold morning and go for a run, jump, hurdle and some "pop-ups in the pit" (whatever they may be).Proud to be a kiwi!From stuff.co.nzShirley Peterson, 79, did not set out to break a world athletics record - it just happened.Two weeks ago today, the Christchurch grandmother of three set out from Halswell by bus for an inter-club athletics meeting at Queen Elizabeth II Park.More than an hour later, she arrived at the park, where it was "blowing a gale", feeling "sore in the back and stiff in the legs".At just her second meeting of the year, Peterson w...
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Blood on their hands?
2007-12-31 08:26:00
I always thought that Ynet was a leftist website. At least that doesn't prevent them laughing at the craziness of the current political situation in Israel.This could have come straight from Israel Satire Laboratories! Blood on whose hands?Avi Rath describes imaginary government session on release of Palestinian murderersPublished: 12.31.07, 00:07 / Israel OpinionPrime minister: My government colleagues, I asked to hold this urgent session regarding the question of goodwill gestures. Two days have passed since we made the last gesture to our Palestinian friends. I certainly believe that if we are not quick to undertake additional gestures, the moderate factions on the other side would find it difficult to convince their people of the need for peaceful coexistence. I ask that the next list of prisoners to be released be prepared. Respondent A: Mr. prime minister. The next list includes terrorists with blood on their hands! Prime minister: I want to clarify this issue of ?blood on...
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Puff's not about drugs
2007-12-27 20:27:00
Apparently Puff the Magic Dragon is nothing to do with marijuana. According to Peter Yarrow who wrote the song, it is really about rites of passage, and Jackie Paper becoming Bar Mitzvah.Here is part of the the article from the Jerusalem PostSt. Louis - Peter Yarrow wants to make something clear: "Puff the Magic Dragon" is not a song about marijuana. And he should know. Yarrow co-wrote the nostalgic ballad as a student at Cornell University before teaming up with Noel Paul Stookey and Mary Travers to turn it into one of Peter, Paul and Mary's most beloved hits.[Peter Yarrow. ]Peter Yarrow.Photo: CourtesyIt is, Yarrow insists, about the lost innocence of childhood. In the song, Puff the Magic Dragon and little Jackie Paper frolic in the autumn mist of a land called Honah Lee until one gray night Jackie Paper doesn't come. While dragons live forever, the lyrics tell us, not so little boys.So Yarrow informs his audience at a performance this summer that despite the connections others...
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Kosher electricity
2007-12-24 04:48:00
I wrote last week about the kosher internet, and decided that that it was part of a chareidi conspiracy.The one obvious flaw in this kosher plan, is that according to many poskim, the electricity in Israel is not kosher and may not be used. So you will have to have a wind up clockwork computer in order to run your kosher internet.Or at least UNTIL NOW! The Israeli Electric Company (IE) have decided to set up kosher electricity for residents of certain (religious) neighbourhoods.Having been to see how they make electricity, and having heard the Jewish guy inside the control room show us (I went with a kollel that I was learning in) tell us exactly which button he pushes every Shabbat at the time the Shabbat clocks all switch on the air conditioning (to turn on an extra turbine), I have been bothered for years about using electricity. The lenient opinion says that since hospitals and sick people need electricity, everyone else can also use it (because of pikuach nefesh). This is equiv...
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'Kosher internet'
2007-12-19 09:40:00
YNet is reporting on a new Haredi initiative to approve internet use. Obviously the approval is very limited, and only for essential business use. And only through an approved internet company with an approved filter.The rest of the world has had filters on their internet for a very long time. A discerning person has control over what they or their family are exposed to on the web.My hunch is that it won't take long for the posters to go up offering exclusive 'kosher' internet access. This will obviously have some kind of label so that it is clear to everyone in the world who is using the 'approved' version and who isn't. After a few weeks Haredi magazines and newspapers will ban advertisements from anyone not using the approved 'kosher' internet.And at the end of it will be a small 'committee' - working for the good of the community, who will be making lots of money out of this.Then others will come out with their own versions of the kosher internet. Then the original gr...
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Mei Shiloach - Yarzheit 7th Tevet
2007-12-17 07:00:00
Today (8th Tevet) is the beginning of the three days of darkness. Look at my torahlab.org blog (the story so far) for more details.Yesterday was the yarzheit of the Izhbitzer Rebbe, R' Mordechai Yosef Leiner. He was a Chasidic Rebbe and a radical thinker, taking the classical views of Chasidut (based on the Baal HaTanya) to extremes. He basically held that the world did not exist, and therefore there was no evil in the world, no suffering and no free choice.Although he only wrote one book, his two students, his son, the Beis Yaakov, and his protege, R' Tzadok of Lublin, took his ideas and elaborated on them.Here is the wikipedia entry on the Izbicer (Ishbitzer?)Rabbi Mordechai Yosef Leiner of Izbica (Yiddish: ????????, ??????? Izhbitse, Izbitse) (1804-1854) was a Hasidic thinker and founder of the Izhbitzer dyansty of Hasidic Judaism. A student of the Rebbe Reb Simcha Bunim of Peshischa (Polish: Przysucha and Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk (Polish: Kock). He originally settled in ...

Erev Shabbos viewing
2007-12-14 13:29:00
This doesn't really have anything at all to do with Judaism or Parshat Vayigash, but I was just reminiscing (again) about old TV shows. I was wondering whether there were any 'Vision On' clips on YouTube.While looking for that I found this clip. Blue Peter is a long running British children's TV show (famous for using 'sticky back plastic' because they weren't allowed to mention the brand name 'sellotape'). I didn't grow up with Blue Peter, because they didn't show it in NZ, so I really wasn't expecting this to happen. This is one of the funniest clips I have seen for a while. Enjoy:Oh, and by the way, here is Vision On, but this clip doesn't really do it justice.Shabbat ShalomThis blog is from Rabbi Sedley. You can see more divrei Torah, halacha and shiurim at my new website RabbiSedley.com.
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Graphic Chanukah images
2007-12-12 06:37:00
I saw this picture posted on hashkafa.com. It shows a chanukah crime scene, with a sufganiya (jelly donut) brutally attacked and murdered.However, without wishing to justify violent crime, I would like to suggest that it may have been self-defence. I only ate one of them, and this is what they did to me!(Picture courtesy of my almost 7 year old son Moshe Pesach)Wishing you a very happy 'Zos Chanukah '. No more candles, no more sufganiyot. Now we can get on with winter and enjoying being miserable.This blog is from Rabbi Sedley. You can see more divrei Torah, halacha and shiurim at my new website RabbiSedley.com.
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Demons and rationalism
2007-12-10 07:33:00
Someone asked me last week about how to view a machlokes in hashkafic reality. For example, there is a disgreement about whether reincarnation is true or not (or more specifically, whether it is an acceptable Jewish belief or not). R' Saadiah Gaon, and others, are explicit that there is no reincarnation. The AriZal, the Ramchal and others describe in detail how reincarnation works.Are we to understand that one opinion is wrong and the other right? (and if so, how does that relate to our understanding of tradition from Sinai?) Is it possible that they are both right? Or is it possible to say that one was right in his time and place, and the other is correct in his time and place (whatever that means)?For example, someone one Hashkafa.com said: I have heard that since the Rambam said they don't exist, there are no demons. Someone else replied: Bunk, as far as I know.This requires clarification.Rambam (Hilchos Avoda Zara chapter 11 halacha 16) writes:All these matters [i.e. necroman...
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Yiddish words - a reply
2007-12-08 18:53:00
Gzuckier posted a comment on Digg to my Top 10 Words that Sound Yiddish (But Aren't) with a link to a great article.Some poor geezer got his knickers in a twist over the use of the word Kaffufle in an article, which led to an anti-Israel/ antisemitic diatribe.What does "Israelization of American culture" mean? Since when do they speak Yiddish in Israel? (Of course 'Israelization' is not in the dictionary, but is synonymous with Judeification. Classic antisemitism!)Anyway, the last laugh was left for the editor (see below).Thank you for that wonderful comment. Here is the article from Concord Monitor A language kafufflePeter Davis, LaconiaLetter to the editor For the MonitorNovember 14. 2007 12:45AM What is a "kafuffle"? It's not in the dictionary. Is it just another proofreading error? Or is it a further example of your acquiescence to the Israelization of American culture by attempting to pass obscure Yiddish words into the mainstream of the American language?It's bad enough ...