Hotel California

An article strongly criticizing the trend of going to a hotel for Pessach upset Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz. His main objections were calling the trend ‘the greatest threat to Yiddishkeit’ and rebuking too harshly. He pointed out that there are scores of other grave problems afflicting our communities, and it would be far more beneficial to concentrate on those problems.

It seems to me that Rabbi Horowitz forgets a fundamental principle. I'm sure there are millionss of legitimate reasons to go to a hotel for Passover. Maybe it is true that declaring going to hotels as the ‘greatest threat to Yiddishkeit’ is exaggerated. But maybe we should not take this statement so literally after all. Maybe that fire and brimstone thundering rabbi meant to say, in a broader perspective, that letting modern western culture – a euphemism for unbridled materialism and hedonism – to become part of Yiddishkeit, is indeed an existential threat.

When a kid goes on drugs or off the derech, when a child is abused, it is a tragedy. Not only a personal tragedy of that individual and his family, but a tragedy of all Clal Yisroel. Nevertheless, it doesn’t endanger Judaism.

The Torah warns us, numerous times and in no uncertain terms, that when we start sinking in gashmius, we forget G-g, we rebel, and all hell breaks loose. When every kind of lust and desire is available in a glossy, fancy, Glatt Kosher Veyosher package, rubber-stamped by several corrupt narcissist “rabbis” who buy new Cadillacs yearly, do shidduchim exclusively with rich businessmen, and no one says a word, than Yiddishkeit itself is sick, from head to toe and down to the marrow.

Rabbi Horowitz accuses the author of being too harsh, instead of using soft, fatherly rebuke. Rabbi Horowitz is absolutely right – fatherly, gentle rebuke is indeed necessary. But since it has been missing in the past thirty years, it’s high time someone finally slams his fist on the table and calls a spade a spade, a fat slob a fat slob and a fresser a fresser. How can we go on whining about at-risk kids while we are the ones putting them at risk? We learn about mesirus nefesh, self sacrifice, yet all our kids see is lip-service Daf Yomi and Micha/Maariv –if at all-, in sharp contrast to the true burning love for fancy-shmancy houses, cars, designer clothing and gourmet restaurants.

Too many children are practically raised by Mexican cleaning ladies, barely see their parents, their fathers and mothers never sit down with them to learn some gmora, to do homework, to talk a bit, to read a book, even to play a board game. Then they go to a lavish Hotel for Pessach, – not Tu Bishvat, Chanucah or summer break, but on our Chag HaCheirus!- that’s a tragedy and a serious threat to Yiddishkeit. When our glossy kosher frum magazines boast nauseating adverts for these fressathon hotels side by side with divrei mussar, our kids sense the circus and mockery full and well. The tatte drowns in the schmorg, the in-house lecturer is all smiles amid the miniskirted chassidishe mames, and a week later the kid starts learning Pirkei Oves פת במלח תאכל, מים במשורה תשתה ועל הארץ תישן. Yeah right! Do we really expect little Moishi to take this charade seriously? We oughtta be real surprised when he tries pot, or when he switches mommy’s Cosmopolitan for Playboy, I guess.

Had those in-house lecturers more self esteem than a $2 prostitute, they’d turn down all invitations to such hotels. They could explain, on a gentle, fatherly tone, that if someone is absolutely constrained to spend Pessach in a hotel, it is his responsibility to prepare for the seder and holiday to the best of his ability, but such vacations are anathematic to Yiddishkeit, especially on Pessach.
Housing, clothing and food can all be explained away and justified with klotz teirutzim – but vacation in a spa is pleasure and sloth for the sole purpose of pleasure and sloth. That’s מבזה את המועדות deluxe. Something tells me that when Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Tarfon were reminded that the time for קריאת שמע has come, they weren’t at the Moulin Rouge in Las Vegas. And something tells me also that no one in a hotel would ever be caught telling Yetzias Mitzrayim at daybreak…

© Joseph Izrael 2008

Master Of Puppets

“אוי לו לדור ששופט את שופטיו”

As I was driving home one evening, my daughter asked from the back seat: “Tatty, what’s this building?” – “This is a government building”, I answered.
-The ‘Government’ lives here?
-No, sweetheart, the government doesn’t live anywhere. People who work for the government come to work here.
-So where does the government live?
-Zisseleh, the government doesn’t live anywhere. It’s not a person; it’s a group of people.
-The government is not a person? So what is it? A puppet?
This got me laughing so hard I nearly drove into the opposite lane. I guess governments and puppets go so well together it’s the first thing that comes to the mind of a six years old who never heard the term “puppet government”.

On one hand one could argue that despite the lack of the slightest legal authority, and in the face of much criticism and animosity from several directions, our rabbis, leaders, do a tremendous job. If not for our steadfast faith in the Creator and his human emissaries, this feat would be impossible. Sure, some will dismiss this as mere cultish adherence and pure fanaticism. Nothing can be farther from the truth. No cultish leader can be harshly criticized by his constituents and retain that same constituency, especially in an environment where everyone is free to leave at will. Many actually leave their enclave – to join another one, more suitable for them.

But on the other hand, it can be argued that compared to what can –and should- be accomplished, we are not exactly the shining stars we’d like to believe we are. Not only because we are over-influenced by the surrounding Western culture. Not only because man naturally rejects authority, seeks comfort and pleasure, and loves to indulge in intellectual acrobatics to justify the above said. Not only because man loves to hide his natural shortcomings behind this or that good deed or quality he possess – and often uses as a moral high-ground do defame others. All these do, indeed, play a major role in the state of Orthodox “leadership”. But they certainly aren’t the only factor.

I don’t know how tired the reader is of me saying this over and over, but I’ll say it again, nonetheless. There is no Orthodox Jewish leadership. There are many rabbis, many gabbais, and far more secluded groups than we can afford. Many decry the power and authority of the “rabbinate”, or “the rabbinical establishment” – and in many aspects they are right. But the fact of the matter is, that there isn’t a well-organized and structured leadership and governance. There are many small groups that are run independently, and often at odds with one another.

And this is precisely the problem. Because every time a rabbi has a better idea of running things or of what “real” Torah is about, a new group forms around him, essentially turning their backs on other groups. Thus, there is no overseeing or restraining leaders. Dissent can be dealt with in the form of either leaving the group or keeping it to the back of the shul – and even there it has to be toned down.

It seems that most “leaders” and rabbis can be bamboozled and misled all too easily. I’m not sure why it is so, but am fairly convinced that the main reason is that deep down, they don’t truly care about Clal Yisroel. A harsh accusation, I reckon, but there is more than one indication to this. Most everyone cares about his own yeshiva, family and community. Seldom does it go beyond that – mostly in the form of some incredibly innovative charity which will eliminate hunger, poverty, disease and tragedy forever. The fact that rabbis are being turned into poster boys in the process doesn’t seem to bother too many people. If someone would argue that they are willing to undergo this humiliation, I’d be willing to swallow it. But can anyone explain me why in this case Covod Hatorah doesn’t matter? And if they really care so much about all Yidden, why resolutions to cancel charity concerts two weeks before the event are acceptable?

I’d be willing to accept well thought resolutions if they’d spell out that since such events inherently carry with them many pestiferous side effects that can be corruptive. If they’d claim that such gathering are a step toward Western Culture, I’d understand. But how can great sages irresponsibly sign (or at least not outright denounce the fact that their names were used without permission) these decisions without the slightest concern for the organizers’ parnossah – not to speak about the fundraiser itself?- The answer, probably, is “השוחד יעבר עיני חכמים ויסלף דברי צדיקים”. The ‘gvirim’ and rich benefactors, who, by means of their support and donations become immune to criticism, carry the rabbis after them.

And how can the wealthy get away with this? Because most “unwealthy” play Mr. Rich. Big house, big car, big spending, fancy-schmancy clothing, luxury hotels for Yomim Tovim are almost universal staples. (Why doesn’t anyone ban hotels for Yontev? Answer: the holy rabbis get rich with lectures while sleeping on silk sheets and super-duper ultra comfy mattresses. A wooden board was good for Rav Avigdor Miller זצוק"ל, but I guess today’s gdolim –there are 33 in the USA only, and Lipa Margulies is one of them!- need some extra comfort to come up with some extra wisdom. That’s what you call a “dor yasom”).

Are the filthy-rich entrepreneurs on whose arms many rabbis hang ever being confronted by ordinary folks? Except on blogs, no. Why? Because it is very easy to bark at the moon on the ‘net (like I do right now) without getting into personal conflict. And most likely, if such a confrontation would occur, Mr. Rich would answer “עד שאתה אומר לי טול קיסם מבין שינך טול קורה מבין עינך” as the standards are not set only by the rich. Today everyone seems to take it for granted that la dolce vita is his unalienable right. Ironically, the standards of gashmius are very often set by the loudest opponents of ‘daas Torah’ and rabbis.

Such confrontations are not pleasant. But this must be, I imagine, one of the main reasons for the strict rules of loshon hora – instead of spreading rumors, talk to your brother first! This is part and parcel of “ישראל עריבים זה לזה”. It is not easy and must be done tactfully in order to avoid quarrel and rifts. But this was exactly the trait that made Yehoshua great “שיכול להלך כנגד רוחו של כל אחד ואחד” – he had the ability to ‘go against’ – to present his opposition to- anyone without getting into a battle.

We have a puppet government allright. But who’s pulling the strings?


© Joseph Izrael 2008

Corrosion Of Conformity

Please forgive me for sounding like a hoarse parrot – but I just can’t keep quiet. Wherever I turn I see dishonesty, cunning, and an absolute disregard for truth and honesty. Yes, of course, I know that “ שערי תרוצים לא ננעלו – the gates of excuses were never locked”, but come on…

The heilige “Hamodia” endorses Hillary… Yes, yes, of course, I know all the teirutzim on the book… it’s only for the Democratic nomination blah blah blah… so why no endorsement for a Republican candidate? Because Orthodox Jews are never Republicans? Humm, I thought Dov Bear paskened that we’re all “GOP Juden”… I guess even He can be wrong once in a while…

And let’s face it: besides her Presidential Majesty, Hillary Innocent Clinton, who would give a damn about New York’s hook-nosed cloak-clad population? Barack Non-Terrorist, Non-Hussein O’Bama? Mitt Romney who wants to throw our dear Mexican builders out of the country, and then all our dropouts will have to start working in supermarkets? Hucklabeery Finn the evangelist? John McCocaine?

Obviously, only Her Eminence Queen Clinton –wink wink- will remember –wink wink- how we put her in office, -wink wink-. And how our innocently jailed non-criminals were pardoned –wink, wink- by her “husband”. Oh, her husband’s closest friends are murderers, rapists, shakedown experts, con artists, world-class terrorists and pornographers? So what? Why not lighten the picture by throwing in a few rabbis? Hey, for money, isn’t everything kosher veyosher?

I just can’t understand it. When Mordechai the Jew banned Seudas Achashverosh, all the Persian bloggers made fun of him, said he’s a fanatic, and invents new chumras everyday. Then, when he refused to bow down to Hamany Clinton, they all screamed that he endangers all Jews. But now those who claim to be Mordechai’s representatives shamelessly bow down to the worst possible people. How come these heilige hassidim don’t back up from a promoter of homosexual marriage?

And it gets even better: the “Hamodia” is endorsing her! There are also a bunch of paid ads and letters from America’s best and brightest swindlers, shakedown experts and con artists with shterimels supporting her!

Just a little note of warning: being a bit too close to the Clinton Clan can be somewhat dangerous! But I guess one has to have a good teacher to become a pro criminal!

And I thought people falling for Hucksterberry Finn, who stays in the race for the sole purpose of stealing Romney’s votes is bad… I thought falling for serial liar, amnestizer, tax-raiser, and spinmeister (helped block 150 seats of good Supreme Court District judges and now boasts about having helped Alito and Roberts… cockroach!) leftist bum who runs on his lie “I’m a Reagan Conservative” was bad… I guess I was wrong!

I guess holy men are at the White House's most ethical president's side.


© Joseph Izrael 2008

Chains Of Misery

Take a look at your grocery bill: dozen eggs, 4qts milk, 3lbs chicken, 2lbs tomatoes, Muenster cheese, coffee, bar of chocolate. What goes into the price you paid? Many things: raw materials, labor, transportation, - often including import costs, i.e. additional labor of shipping companies and port workers- and then again the same for all the packaging materials in which these items come, and then again the same for the distributing/marketing companies and your retailer. And it carries one more heavy item: taxes. That’s right – even though most grocery items are sales tax free, all of the above mentioned must pay their taxes – businesses and employees alike. In other words, the more taxes each employer and employee has to pay, the higher the cost of each component of your groceries and their way of reaching your hands.

Employers, of course, prefer lower-wage employees. What their shortsightedness sorely misses, is the fact that they must compensate their imaginary gain with higher taxes – public education, social benefits and the additional burden of unemployment benefits for natives who lost their jobs to immigrants. In other words, when you buy chicken, you must pay for all public services consumed by all the employees in the process: farmers, transportation, slaughterhouse, etc. Not to mention all the money that leaves the country.

Would the societal norms not push for a degree at all costs – often sponsored by the State, read: the taxpayer- and sneer at blue-collar jobs, value work ethic, integrity and honesty over fame and fortune, and would the mega-corporations be less corrupt, blue-collar wages would be all taken by natives. But since in this day and age every ignoramus who can barely spell “New York Yankees” gets some BS degree from some community college, and goes into “journalism”, “acting” or “education” –read: welfare and unemployment sucking- until the most aggressive and knavish get lucrative do-nothing, all-important bureaucratic “jobs” (examples include “director of diversity training at University of Busytown, USA” or “administrator of job satisfaction quality of the Nevermore branch of the Stargazers’ union”) with skyrocketing salaries and even more heaven-rocketing retirement packages. (Makes you wonder why we get angry at all when we hear someone say it’s a mitzvah to steal from the government…)

In short, 12 to 20 million less illegal immigrants in the USA would put that much jobs for immediate availability, cut unemployment, crime, education costs, prison and police costs, and the out-of–control welfare abuse. (Although I have a feeling that the Agudah and similar organizations fear once our brothers of Mexican origin are gone home, their constituents (i.e. Orthodox Jews) would come under scrutiny. Why this is wrong will be clarified shortly.)

An interesting item - the recent ‘housing bubble’ and its subsequent burst is tied directly to illegal immigration (as well as corruption and the Federal Reserve’s stupidity or willful blindness): the immigrants created higher demand for housing. The contractors bought up lots of properties to build condos and other cheap constructions, squeezing as many housing units on as small a property as possible. Because of the Fed’s low rates, people –entrepreneurs as well as individuals- borrowed money –money they had no clue how to give back, but hey, “the rates were low!” to buy investment houses. Those who were quick made a killing - those who came later got killed. Too many units were built, and the Mexican’s minimum wages and food stamps were not enough to cover rent, and the big mansions built on dreams and illusions went on foreclosures. What happened to the Orthodox Jewish housing market is a microcosmic mirror reflection of this.

If the illegal immigrants are ח"ו amnestized, the Orthodox community can kiss their darling politicians goodbye. The immigrants understand less, vote more, demand less, and it will be a lot easier to pull the wool over their eyes. The very arms on which dignified Rebbes and important Roshey yeshiva used to hang will stab us all in the back. “הוו זהירין ברשות שאין מקרבין לו לאדם אלא לצורך עצמן, נראין כאוהבין בשעת הנאתן ואין עומדין לו בשעת דחקו” The boots which you diligently licked will kick you in the face faster than you can say “gevald!” Goobye cheap housing! Goodbye Yeshiva freebies! Goodbye seudos Achashverosh! Goodbye shopping with food stamps while being clad in thousands of dollars in clothing! Goodbye uncontrolled building permits, grants, “congregations” and parsonage deductions!

As far as media attention goes, I don’t think the focus on Jews will grow significantly. The Skverer Rebbe doesn’t hold an exclusive patent for milking the government – there are enough people of his ilk who do at least as good a job as he does (Al Sharpton comes to mind…) The education system is corrupt enough to outweigh any and all OJ corruption. So don’t worry gentle rabbis, you don’t have to rush to inculcate our yeshivaleit with unbending honesty and integrity. The government has known for a long time what the Gecko just discovered: “If you want a lot of friends – giving away money, fffhhhooo – no’ uh ba’d ideah!” Just keep on encouraging a life of luxury and no restraint for all. But please don’t foist on us the immigration disaster. I’m not sure Mexican gangs -hardened killers, rapists and drug dealers- can be kept at bay with kol korehs, takonos, issurim and gdorim.

The war on terror, Iraq, and even the appointment of Supreme court judges – are all important issues, but in the long run will be solved, regardless of who is president. But if immigration is not solved now – you can kiss your country goodbye.

The coming Tuesday is erev rosh chodesh Adar. The Agudah issued an anouncment to daven and do tshuva on this day, in face of the situation in Erets Yisroel. It is also Super Tuesday. Daven the best candidate wins. Go out and vote. And for heaven’s sake, do the right thing.

© Joseph Izrael 2008

Drinking With The Devil

Dear Rabbi Horowitz,
I was delighted to read your recent articles about child abuse awareness and prevention, as well as denouncing violence and bullying within the “Charedi community”. But I was also a little saddened, as by doing so without the proper disclaimers, you have further aligned yourself with some of the worst elements within the Jewish people.

I am talking about the so-called “bloggers” (Especially “Dov Bear”, Shmarya and Mayrles), self-appointed heralds of absolute truth and honesty. But in reality these windmill fighters and weekend warriors aren’t as honest as they claim. Even if you think my assertion that they are outright enemies of the Torah and Klal Yisroel are exaggerated, you should consider a few facts: besides for constantly denigrating, defiling, slandering and vilifying all haredim, including the most respected rabbis, explicitly or implicitly, these people have been fuming about every report -verified or not- of anything that might even be remotely construed as ‘violence’ by “haredim”. Every such incident becomes an irrefutable truth, seen from one side only, and they run the story over and over, encouraging the most disgusting and inflammatory remarks in their comments sections. Yet, when the opposite happens, they stay quiet as a grave. For example, all of these “bloggers”, as if by secret agreement, have systematically ignored any and all reports of the Neo-Nazi gangs in Israel (and even refused to mention them when asked to do so), despite the fact that many of the Nazis’ victims were these bloggers’ darlings: prostitutes, homosexuals, foreign workers, homeless people etc. The website pogrom.org has been active for seven years now, and comes up in search engines. The site claims over 500 incidents of Neo-Nazi violence, which the Israeli media refused to cover until the recent events that could not be ignored, as foreign media picked them up. Had these bloggers joined forces with pogrom.org.il, perhaps the worst attacks could have been prevented. But these bloggers -who focus on many current issues- still ignore this, among other important cases. This is but one of many clear indications that they are motivated not by a sense of justice and righteousness, but by sheer hatred of the Torah and the Jewish people.

There is, however, another reason why you have become the darling of these people who call you “my friend” or “a courageous warrior”. From the admittedly little of your works I have read, I seem to understand (I’m aware that this is an oversimplification) that it is your belief that incorporation of more recreational activities in charedi curricula and everyday life may prevent youth from sliding ‘off the derech’. While this approach has many merits, unfortunately it only targets the symptoms, not the malady. The real problem is that we live an extremely materialistic and selfish world, and in this day more than ever before, our prosperity and addiction to leisure has marginalized true faith and Yiddishkeit to the smallest proportions. We practice “disposable Judaism”, not akin to the true burning devotion of our forefathers. We work for a big house and big car, and do G-d a favor by learning Daf Yomi and daven mincha/maariv. We pat ourselves on the shoulder for keeping kosher and attending kosher concerts and sending our children to religious schools. But how many of us truly live the Torah? How many of us really feel and live in this world as guests in an antechamber and not permanent residents? How many of us are fully conscious that we work, eat and sleep to serve Hashem? I believe that it is this emptiness our youth truly runs from. And few have the guts to admit it. I understand this approach may not be too popular with the rich (and seemingly rich) people whose children you educate, but it is no reason to deny it.

The Jew-hating bloggers love your approach not because its efficiency, but because it fits their agenda of diluting and synthesizing Torah with Western Culture and values of putting the material, the leisure and fun before and above anything else. These are the same bloggers who have bullied none other than you by forcing you to take the Aguda logo off your site. (You can take my honest word that I am no big Aguda fan, - as far as I’m concerned, it could have been the Blue Öyster Cult’s logo. But the point is, they bullied you and you bent to them, all the while they accuse others of bullying.)

When talking about “… ‘Walled’ communities are the dream setting for a child molester.” I believe it should be made absolutely clear that we’re talking about the structural walls in establishments and families where one feels bad reporting a friend/employee/relative, and not the “walls” separating us from the surrounding culture. The main cause of our troubles is too much capitulating to the ‘outside’ world and wrapping it in a kosher black coat. Despite what these “bloggers” would like everyone to believe, fraud, dishonesty and child abuse are not generated by ‘frumkeit’. They’re generated by putting up a show of mock-frumkeit, all the while living like barons.

I hope that you don’t have your allegiances in the wrong place, Rabbi Horowitz, and hope you will make it very clear.


© Joseph Izrael 2008

Speed The Plough

As the Mondrowitz extradition case progresses, the charedi rabbinical establishment digs its head deeper in the sand, while the Jew-haters are having a field day. That chilul hashem, it seems, is of no concern to anyone. The problem, some PR artists reassure us with a straight face, is being taken seriously and being dealt with. And all who disagree with us are just alarmists who blow the problem out of proportions.

I simply cannot understand this attitude. What is wrong with us? I understand that there are alarmists out there. I know that facts are being distorted, taken out of context and sometimes outright invented. I’m also undecided about legislation on background checks. There are too many laws and regulations choking us as it is, but our children must be protected from potential harm, even if statistically small. Ideally, there would be self-imposed regulations, making certain information available to parents and board members… unfortunately, in real life it doesn’t work like that. Although victims of sexual abuse in general tend to hide their traumatic experiences, this is even more prevalent in a society that conceals a child’s ear infection at age three for fear of getting a less glitzy shidduch or not getting into that seminary.

Claims that most cases of child abuse are dealt within the community, and that rabbis can be fooled are not without merit. But “too little, too late” is not an unfair accusation. The rumors about serial rapist Mondrowitz have been around for a long time, and no amount of apologetics, either for the victims’ privacy or in favor of halachic approach or against false accusations can justify the mishandling of this affair.

In principle, I’d be all for dealing with such issues halachically within the community. I believe this would be more effective than endless hours of deliberations between judges and lawyers whose homes are probably full of child pornography anyway.

But halocha says: “-ובערת הרע מקרבך– you must eliminate evil from your midst”

And halocha says: “ועשית הישר והטוב בעיני 'ה– You must do the right and good in the eyes of G-d”

And: “לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל-דַּם רֵעֶךָ – don’t ignore your brother's blood [=plight, danger]”

And halocha empowers Judges (Rabbonim) to act or override other obstacles. Such as the provision for “מכת מרדת” – flogging ‘rebels’ – i.e. punishing crimes without specific provision in the Torah.

And the principle of “עגלה ערופה – slaughtered calf” teaches that leaders are responsible for the community’s welfare, to bring criminals to justice, punish crimes, and prevent future crimes.

If any of this has been done, it had no effect. “Dealing with those problems within the community” cannot mean anything but these criminals (Mondrowitz is undeniably חיב מיתה) being eliminated like Mark Younglove –. Since we’ve failed to do this, the last option is to hand the matter over to the authorities. The secular justice system –if generalizations can be made- is not overly harsh on sex offenders. Although there are tendencies in both directions, I’d say they’re more lenient and “understanding” of criminals than the opposite. But looking the other way and downplaying the problem’s magnitude is even worse. Unfortunately, those who invent or even blow the “coverup” out of proportions only play to the hands of the “leave it to us” experts: “see! They all lie and make up stories! They have no credibility!”

Mainstream Charedi leadership will finally have to learn to face serious problems even if they come at the expense of their honor and image of immaculate sanctity.

It seems like Mondrowitz raped all he saw - now his abettors reap what they sow.

© Joseph Izrael 2007

Dallas 1PM

Today, forty-four years ago, Jack Ruby (nee Rubinstein to a frum family) emptied a single bullet from his Colt Cobra into Lee Harvey Oswald’s stomach. Oswald died of the wound a short while later, and Ruby died of illness after his appeal.

To this day, stipulations and conspiracy theories abound. Why was JFK assassinated and who was really behind it all are questions which will probably never be answered.

What the assassination did however achieve, was sugarcoating the Playboy President’s legacy, and downplaying his many failures and misdeeds. Claiming that without Oswald we’d be speaking Russian today might be an exaggeration, but it sure isn’t far from the truth.

Many times in history assassins of dictators are heralded, even if not outright heroes, as people who rid their countries of oppression. This is true even if the assassins turned out to be no better than their victims. Cromwell and Napoleon sure fit the description, and even today many are willing to downplay the Bolsheviks’ abysmal evil, brutality and cruelty because they dethroned the Czar. Yet one who’d dare even the slightest such nod in Oswald’s direction is regarded as a lunatic at best. The fact however is, despite the admiration, J.F. Kennedy was
at best a midget compared to his predecessor, Eisenhower.

Today we also have a feeling of betrayal and abandonment. Our so-called leaders play with our money, our education, our children and our lives with absolute impunity. There’s no accountability, wherever there’s a serious problem there’s someone who can help but turns away. “We can’t do a thing,” they say, but when they are always faster than lightning to pay back the man with the big wallet. This is true about many leaders at many levels. Or rather, just powerful people, for leaders they are not. They may parade as leaders, but their leadership fails with their inability –or unwillingness- to lead their own selves.

It is at such times that unity is most precious and of utmost importance. When responsibility is rejected by those who need it most, it falls on everyone else’s shoulders. That’s precisely what must be understood by all who want change. We don’t want animal farm all over again.

But we shouldn’t go overboard…

© Joseph Izrael 2007

Demolition (Israel Syndrome - intermezzo)

Includes vague references to Part I
Part II
Part III

מי האיש החכם ויבן את זאת ואשר דבר פי ה' אליו ויגדה ל מה אבדה הארץ ונצתה כמדבר מבלי עבר
Who is the wise man who shall understand this, which the mouth of G-d spake to him, and tell why the land was lost and desolated as a desert with no passers through

The gmora in Bove Metsie (85a/b) interprets this posuk as a question “why was the land lost?” i.e. the Temple’s destruction and the exile. The sages, the prophets and the angels could not answer it, so The Holy One Bessed Be He answered himself “עַל-עָזְבָם אֶת-תּוֹרָתִי, אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לִפְנֵיהֶם; וְלֹא-שָׁמְעוּ בְקוֹלִי, וְלֹא-הָלְכוּ בָהּ. – for they have forsaken my Torah that I gave before them and haven’t heeded my word and haven’t gone in it[s teachings]”. The gmora explains that this doesn’t mean that there was no Torah learning – but that the people wouldn’t “שלא ברכו בתורה תחלה…. They [the people] didn’t bless the Torah first”. According to the commentators, this means that the Torah wasn’t important in their eyes and was disrespected. Which is an oxymoron – how is it possible to toil day and night over the Torah and not holding dearly important?
But this explanation does not match any of the reasons given in various gmoras. According to the simple understanding, this refers to the first Temple’s destruction, as this is a verse in Yirmiyohu. But in Yirmiyohu’s times the Torah was literally abandoned – the sages and prophets needn’t have to be consulted on the matter. We also know that idol worship, adultery and bloodshed were ubiquitous, and this reason for the destruction is spelled out in scriptures. Furthermore, the land was not ‘lost’, in the sense that the Jews returned from exile seventy years later.

Joseph’s dreams have come true in a way he never dreamt himself; the tribes were not separated anymore – for they were lost… And still, there was no unity between them.
In the era of the second Temple’s destruction, there was intense Torah learning, and it was destroyed because of sinas chinom, baseless, vain or “free” hatred. So how was the land lost due to a lack of proper Blessings for Torah? And why was that so terrible as to cause the destruction and the exile?

Our sages explain that the word ברכה is rooted in בריכה – pool, in the sense of container, a storing of sorts, or source, from which the ‘blessing’ emanates. In other words, when we “make a brocha”, we acknowledge that G-d is the source and giver of that which we have. Meaning that it’s not us who ‘bless’ the Creator, but rather acknowledge him as the source of our blessing. This word ברכה is always used with the preposition על - on (for). We make a brocha on an apple etc. But here the gmora states “ שלא ברכו בתורה תחלה…. They didn’t bless in the Torah first”. This makes absolutely no sense. Blessing in something has no meaning. So why does the gmora expresses itself this way?

The utmost disrespect for something, or someone, is to know it well, deal with it on a daily basis, and blatantly ignore it, flying in its face. Achdus Yisroel, the unity of the Jewish people is the absolute crucial and central concept of the Torah. The revelation of the Torah would not have been possible without perfect and sincere unity. Toiling in torah has for its purpose the perfection of the soul, the polishing of the self, to achieve closeness to the Infinite. And perhaps the clearest indicator to such closeness and perfection is the love, the true brotherhood to the fellow Jew. And it’s also the hardest. Since the Torah has so many facets and aspects, and our History and backgrounds are so turbulent and different, it is a real challenge to respect one another without compromising our beliefs and the way Torah is. But it must be achieved – and it can; to cite “e pluribus unum”, for the sake of a cheesy cliché.

Maybe this is the true meaning of “שלא ברכו בתורה תחלה…. They didn’t bless in the Torah first”, they wouldn’t acknowledge that the blessing was in the Torah, the obligation of unity and solidarity. That the fulfillment of this commandment is also a condition, - a condition for G-d’s bestowing his blessing and protection on us. If there was sinas chinom, if the crucial concept in Torah, the very condition for its deliverance in the hands of our Nation, is abandoned, that is the utmost disrespect. And if the cornerstone is missing, the entire building collapses. Than all other rituals are meaningless motions – the Temple lost its unifying power, and as a result was destroyed.

May we open our eyes and begin to unite – in sincere brotherhood, despite our differences.

May we merit to be united, in life, and see our Temple’s building soon.

No Prayer For The Dying

So he hung.

What’s the big deal, you may ask, since the situation didn’t really improve, and it seems as if Bush is determined to let our troops perish in Iraq instead of quartering that area and let the Arabs decide how to run their countries, while the US Armed forces can fulfill their actual purpose – to protect us and barricade our own borders?

The big deal is that there is a big lesson to learn here. Bleeding hearts are heard all over the media saying that a helpless man, as bad as he was, in captivity is no longer harmful, poses no threat, and therefore his execution is an act of barbarism.

But that is of course a vile propagandist fabrication. Humanity is obligated to eradicate evil from its midst, in many cases even after the physical threat is no longer present. Capital punishment is an essential element of maintaining a stable and spiritually healthy society, not only to deter would-be criminals, but also to teach a universal lesson that all man’s actions have consequences. All consequences are neither immediate nor drastic, but when one trespasses on domains forbidden by universal human pact, the very life with which he breached that pact shall be taken from him. Conversely, a society that rejects this notion by eliminating capital punishment, frees itself and the individual from personal responsibility and accountability.

This is true on a collective level as well. A society – be it a nation, a religion, city, sect or group, is responsible for its own global behavior. The Islamic peoples hold the West collectively responsible for its psychological degeneracy, yet most of us refuse to admit this fact. It is our duty to hold Islam collectively responsible for its actions, and be held to the same answerability as they have held their dictator. Our survival depends on it.

As Yidden, we are tenfold bound to such responsibility. We must not view each other as separate communities and factions, but as one single nation. We cannot dismiss problems in one sector as not ours. Yet the solution is definitely not finger-pointing or denigrating a specific segment. We are in this together, and whether the ship sinks or survives is in the hands of the entire nation.

So yesterday we have learnt this lesson.
A man of immense power, who, for three decades ruled with an iron fist, went down as a coward, and paid the ultimate price. This should be a reminder for other large-caliber criminals who are still free, that winds of change come unexpectedly, and that nothing is granted.

I would kindly ask the reader to please take the time and read this article. It is very important, and if you’re up to it watch the video as well – if this is what they do to each other, pause for a moment and think what they might do to you.

© Joseph Izrael 2006

Curse Of The Hidden Mirror

My eyes opened wide, unable to dislocate from that position, my jaw dropped, and the knife in my hand also nearly dropped. I just couldn’t believe what I heard. A colleague of mine, rank-and-file yeshivish guy, came in to relate an upsetting event, and amidst his harangue blurted out a four-letter word. I was amazed.
“What?” I asked in disbelief “Did you just say that? Is it really possible?” I was sure that it was a slip of the ear - my ear. But he nonchalantly answered, “What’s the big deal? I’m just like you”. That left me wondering – although this was by no means an excuse, what, takeh, gives me the right to talk that way? Yes, I do work in an environment where foul language is very much the order of the day, but that’s no justification either. On the spot I decided to try to curtail my mouth’s output. Again I was taught a lesson to hold first and foremost myself to standards at least as high as I expect from others.

And some others could do the same.

On the heels of Yehuda Kolko’s indictment came a flurry of information and advice dealing with sexual abuse in the orthodox community, as well as a resurrection of the hate-fest of yore, the excuse being this time support or opposition to the UOJ.

Regardless of one’s position about the issue, I feel that there is a strong sanctimonious element in those orthodox bloggers and leaders who suddenly lecture excessively on sexual abuse per-se. Not that it isn’t Chas Vesholem an important matter in and on itself, – au contraire. However, a large part of the talk entirely misses the point;

I assume that most readers are familiar with at least the notion (not the halochos) of “Eglah Arufah”: the sages and leaders of the city are responsible for their communities’ welfare, and if a serious crime has been committed, they must demonstrate that everything in their power was done to prevent the crime. This however requires at least a corpus delicti. Even with taking all the allegations at face value, in all probability the leaders who were smeared and attacked probably didn’t know about the accusations until recently. The molested people and those who allegedly knew about them were first and foremost responsible to report what they knew to law enforcement and prominent rabbis. The fact that they were silent for so long (now citing fear and claims that they did actually report it to “the rabbis” – unnamed of course – doesn’t give the impression of too strong arguments) inculpates them as much as those whom they are now targeting. As I have said before, the main issue at hand is not how to deal with child abuse per-se, but how to change the mentality of entire communities who hush their own children’s plight to avoid a bad name, ostracism and “bad” shidduchim. This mentality cannot be blamed solely on the leaders – it is, however, in great part, the leadres’ responsibility to fight such trends.

Another point that I haven’t seen addressed elsewhere, is that scores of anonymous comments on UOJ claimed to care for the welfare of our “heilige kinderlach”, hypocrisy and corruption among rabbis. They used this as an excuse to smear and besmirch not only all rabbonim, but the entire “charedi” community. There wasn’t however anyone attacking the MO/Mizrachi movement, who, unfortunately, are just as guilty. I wonder how Gil Student or Rav Schachter would have reacted, had an unruly “Un-Modern-Orthodox Jew” besmirched Rav Kook and R’ Joseph Bear Soloveichik because of acts carried out by Shlomo Aviner, Ze'ev Kopolovich and others in that sector (alleged and convicted sex offenders). Allegedly, there was a similar pact of silence among top Mizrachi leaders. Agudah leaders, neither in Israel or the USA, didn’t come out mere days after the convictions and scandals, drooling with glee and lecturing everyone on sex abuse. I’m not saying this to relieve them from responsibility or to justify their actions (inaction, rather) but because it is a fact. (It has been insinuatedthat an Agudah speaker hinted at MO Rabbis not being true gdolim. If it is true, it was a critical error. This however does not justify retaliation.) Is it possible that leaders of both sectors are unhappy with the ever broadening social cut without distinct affiliation, and the slowly eroding border between these segments? I pray it isn’t the case. I might be over-sensitive, and as a matter of fact I wish my analysis is wrong - unfortunately, there are just too many details pointing to the contrary.

Although a beneficial aspect of the UOJ phenomenon is hardly deniable, the unfortunate truth is that instead of a good solution to the problem, in its broader sense, we’re not only back at square one, but the flames of hatred have been revived as well. Despite my firm belief that the end does justify the means, determining which ends justify what means is all too often an arduous –and risky- task. Although in our times prophecy has been bequeathed to fools, it is probably safe to speculate that Kolko’s arrest won’t have a deep effect on hareidi community. I wonder what prominence the story will get in the mainstream Orthodox media, if any. The corrupt justice system, coupled with evidence being nearly impossible to produce (such crimes are usually not committed in front of a wide audience, and so far there were no allegations of penetration) only increase Kolko’s chances to clear his name. If that will ח"ו be the case, the big losers will not be UOJ’s gang but the community at large, and the big winners will again be the criminals, emboldened would-be criminals, and their abettors. And in case of a conviction, will the school and Beis-Din systems be changed and improved? I really hope so.

I only hope that if it will ח"ו be the case, all of the weekend warriors, Monday morning quarterbacks and holy crusaders will stick to their words and practice what they preached by creating enough outrage and fury within the community, so that the situation doesn’t return to what it was.

Instead of sectarian animosity, rabbis and leaders of all sectors should unite and try to mend our common troubles.



© Joseph Izrael 2006

Monsey Morons

Or: Traif Chicken And Kosher Terrorists

Monsey is up in arms about the recent traif scandal. As far as I am concerned, whoever is willing to pay double the price for half the quality and eat the tasteless KJ/Vineland chicken (how reliable is chicken from Kiryas Joel, home of the most hideous acts of fraud, embezzlement, sexual misconduct and Chilul Hashem is quite questionable, but as long as nothing has been proven I guess they have chezkas kashrus) quite deserves to have eaten traif. Especially in light of the fact that Shop Rite, which doesn’t employ illegal immigrants, is a lot cheaper – and they whine about tuition. The majority of the Frum world has abandoned an established American enterprise, - a decent and respectable one, offering a superior quality product for a reasonable price. And while you were eating tarfus in the name of higher kashrus standards, many real professional and G-d fearing shochtim were laid off, and a great company had to shrink to a fifth of its original size.

But when a month ago six women were shot in Seattle, WA – one killed – you didn’t bulge. The treacherous Jewish Press barely mentioned the incident, and the two pseudo-frum rags almost totally ignored it. You didn’t call for action to close the borders; to pressure your politicians to enforce tougher immigration and screening procedures. You did not establish armed protection for your shuls. You refuse to admit that it’s Berlin of 1933 all over again. You are busy buying a new fancy car and building a new fancy house but you won’t spend three to five hundred dollars on a firearm. You won’t join the Minutemen or the militia. You won’t write your congressman or senator, and you won’t pressure your rabbi to protect you. You won’t demand the Agudah to pressure their politicians to protect you against terrorism. You’ve got better things to do.

“Kol hameracheim al achzorim, sofo sheyisachzeir al rachmonim”, say Chaza”l “Those who have mercy upon the cruel are bound to be cruel upon the merciful”; the crooked butcher and his corrupt supplier (son of a convicted arsonist freshly sentenced to 15 years behind bars for setting his warehouse on fire), as well as “rabbi” Mordechai Tendler weren’t found thrown in a ditch, beaten unconscious. The phonies who conduct mass-giyurs, (or giyur-“masses”?), the menuvolim who refuse to give gittin and the even bigger fiends who allow the sarvonim to live with second wives aren’t excommunicated, yet people who write books about science and torah reconciliation (which is a great stupidity in my opinion – nevertheless it isn’t a crime) or use the internet are banned or barred from yeshivas. Notorious child molesters haven't been run over or lynched. You have put your own children in their hands to fulfill their evil desires, and watched idle. You are just as guilty as they are.

While you organize public dish kasherings, take some time to kasher your hearts and brains, lemmings.

Our leadership has forsaken and betrayed us – with our collaboration, because we haven’t held them responsible for their positions and accountable for their deeds.

The writing is on the wall, loud and clear. It is up to us to take action now. So if your son is shot by a terrorist and your daughter is raped by an illegal immigrant (or a venerable “rabbi”) while you eat bread baked on Shabbos with traif chicken, know that you’ll have only yourself to blame.