Welcome to America!
from Jewschool by Kol Ra'ash Gadol
OK, well not so much, really. Apparently the Bobov sect has been commanded by a rabbinical court to hold elections to decide who their next rebbe will be. Interestingly, single yeshiva students are not permitted to vote (and I’m assuming, although the article doesn’t state explicitly, that women also do not vote).Quoted in Ha’aretz, one person said, “Something like this has never happened in the history of the Hasidic movement, that a Hasidic rabbinic leader would be elected by a vote - our forefathers never dreamed of such a thing.”
A rather curious statement, actually, since although there were not , in the past, a voter’s registry with a list of those eligible to vote; the requirement for voters to present valid identification; and fierce campaigning, originally chassidic sects formed simply because some person formed a group of followers around themself and became acknowledged as leader. It was only after chassidism became more institutionalized and formal that dynasties formed, handed down father to son. So, perhaps in a certain sense this is a very American way of returning to an older tradition.
May the best man win.VS.Full story
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
DovBear, The Cranial Emancipator
DovBear, The Cranial Emancipator
from DovBear et al by CousinOliver
By CousinOliverAccording to some, Moshe received the torah in its entirety, including all that is d'rabanan.Avrohum followed the entire torah. Yosef's brothers even followed the entire torah (re: yosef complaint of Aver Min Hachai). That means Moses, Our Teacher, kept the rules of Sfira. He did not get a haircut during the 33 days nor did he listen to music. He was privy to the information that some day in the future R' Akivas students will perish because they did not respect each other.Why then didn't Moe pass on a note to future generations, to R Akiva, to teach all incoming students to love thy neighbor?Why didn't Avrohom, Our Father, who already was keeping pesach, inform the Jews that they would be saved by a dude named Moses...you know, THE SECOND IN COMMAND OF EGYPT? That should have really been a known secret.Why didn't Aaron, The Priest, leave a sticky note that read:Dear Mordechai,Save yourself the trouble and knock off Haman while he is still an infant.Yours,AaronWhy didn't Yosef, The Righteous, warn Jews of Temple 1 and Temple 2 eras to amass a large army leading up to the 9th of Av and to look out for a dude named Nevuchadnetzar or Titus?Side note: DovBear needs a descriptive title. How about DovBear, The Verbal?
from DovBear et al by CousinOliver
By CousinOliverAccording to some, Moshe received the torah in its entirety, including all that is d'rabanan.Avrohum followed the entire torah. Yosef's brothers even followed the entire torah (re: yosef complaint of Aver Min Hachai). That means Moses, Our Teacher, kept the rules of Sfira. He did not get a haircut during the 33 days nor did he listen to music. He was privy to the information that some day in the future R' Akivas students will perish because they did not respect each other.Why then didn't Moe pass on a note to future generations, to R Akiva, to teach all incoming students to love thy neighbor?Why didn't Avrohom, Our Father, who already was keeping pesach, inform the Jews that they would be saved by a dude named Moses...you know, THE SECOND IN COMMAND OF EGYPT? That should have really been a known secret.Why didn't Aaron, The Priest, leave a sticky note that read:Dear Mordechai,Save yourself the trouble and knock off Haman while he is still an infant.Yours,AaronWhy didn't Yosef, The Righteous, warn Jews of Temple 1 and Temple 2 eras to amass a large army leading up to the 9th of Av and to look out for a dude named Nevuchadnetzar or Titus?Side note: DovBear needs a descriptive title. How about DovBear, The Verbal?
Jameel asks a good question (sort of)
Jameel asks a good question (sort of)
from DovBear et al by DovBear
Jameel:
The year is 1944. World War II rages in Europe. The atrocities of Nazi Germany's genocide against the Jews is becoming apparent. Columbia University invites Germany's elected leader Adolph Hitler to speak. The Hindenburg II Zeppelin arrives in NJ...What do you do?There are important and obvious differences between Jameel's scenario, and the events of earlier this week. For instance: The US is not at war with Iran, Iran hasn't conquered Europe, and by 1944(!) the death camps were in full operation. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may wish to carry out a campaign of genocide against the Jews, but he hasn't yet.So let's change things a little. Say it's January 1933. The Nazi party has 230 seats in the Reichstag, but not an outright majority. Hitler is Chancellor, and on the record as an anti-Semite of the first order, but we're still a long way from Aushwitz. Even the Night of the Long Knives is almost two years down the road. Now, what do you do if Columbia allows Hitler to visit, (and subjects him to a public tounge-lashing?)Additional note: Jameel says that Hitler was "Germany's elected leader." Not true.
from DovBear et al by DovBear
Jameel:
The year is 1944. World War II rages in Europe. The atrocities of Nazi Germany's genocide against the Jews is becoming apparent. Columbia University invites Germany's elected leader Adolph Hitler to speak. The Hindenburg II Zeppelin arrives in NJ...What do you do?There are important and obvious differences between Jameel's scenario, and the events of earlier this week. For instance: The US is not at war with Iran, Iran hasn't conquered Europe, and by 1944(!) the death camps were in full operation. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may wish to carry out a campaign of genocide against the Jews, but he hasn't yet.So let's change things a little. Say it's January 1933. The Nazi party has 230 seats in the Reichstag, but not an outright majority. Hitler is Chancellor, and on the record as an anti-Semite of the first order, but we're still a long way from Aushwitz. Even the Night of the Long Knives is almost two years down the road. Now, what do you do if Columbia allows Hitler to visit, (and subjects him to a public tounge-lashing?)Additional note: Jameel says that Hitler was "Germany's elected leader." Not true.
The Ethecist
The Ethecist is a weekly column in the New York Times Magazine. If you have never read it, you should at some point. Each week people write in letters and the ethecist writes responses. Some are fascinating... others... well, they aren't.
You can listen to some past columns here, here, here, or here.
You can listen to some past columns here, here, here, or here.
Chambers v. God
Chambers v. God
from Jewschool by BZ
Another guest post from feygele:
Wired reports that
Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers (D - Omaha) filed suit against God Friday, asking a court to order the Almighty and his followers to stop making terrorist threats.
The suit, filed in a Nebraska district court, contends that God, along with his followers of all persuasions, “has made and continues to make terroristic threats of grave harm to innumerable persons.” Those threats are credible given God’s history, Chambers’ complaint says.
Chambers, in a fit of alliteration, also accuses God of causing “fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes, pestilential plagues, ferocious famines, devastating droughts, genocidal wars, birth defects, and the like.”
Full story.
from Jewschool by BZ
Another guest post from feygele:
Wired reports that
Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers (D - Omaha) filed suit against God Friday, asking a court to order the Almighty and his followers to stop making terrorist threats.
The suit, filed in a Nebraska district court, contends that God, along with his followers of all persuasions, “has made and continues to make terroristic threats of grave harm to innumerable persons.” Those threats are credible given God’s history, Chambers’ complaint says.
Chambers, in a fit of alliteration, also accuses God of causing “fearsome floods, egregious earthquakes, horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes, pestilential plagues, ferocious famines, devastating droughts, genocidal wars, birth defects, and the like.”
Full story.
So fix it, dear Henry.
So fix it, dear Henry.
from DovBear et al by DovBear
Spotted on Edgeware (A UK-Charedi bulliten board)Are you travelling to Israel for Succos? Do you have spare luggage capacity? Due to the amount of chickens used for 'kaporos' before Yom Kippur, there is an acute shortage of eggs in Yerusholayim, Bnei Brak and Kiryat Sefer over Succos. Many large families may have to do without this basic necessity without our help. Special casing and customs clearance will be provided. Please contact us if you are able to help.Call me a wide-eyed romantic, but I have another idea. How's about you in Israel follow the old, and original custom of your place, (not to mention the ruling of Israel's greatest halachist) AND SKIP THE CHICKEN SHLUGGING ALTOGETHER?Then, nobody needs to go without eggs.
from DovBear et al by DovBear
Spotted on Edgeware (A UK-Charedi bulliten board)Are you travelling to Israel for Succos? Do you have spare luggage capacity? Due to the amount of chickens used for 'kaporos' before Yom Kippur, there is an acute shortage of eggs in Yerusholayim, Bnei Brak and Kiryat Sefer over Succos. Many large families may have to do without this basic necessity without our help. Special casing and customs clearance will be provided. Please contact us if you are able to help.Call me a wide-eyed romantic, but I have another idea. How's about you in Israel follow the old, and original custom of your place, (not to mention the ruling of Israel's greatest halachist) AND SKIP THE CHICKEN SHLUGGING ALTOGETHER?Then, nobody needs to go without eggs.
Friends of the Court, Foes of Human Rights
Friends of the Court, Foes of Human Rights
from DovBear et al by Enigma 4U
An interesting custody battle is going to be decided by the Oregon Supreme Court later this fall. The case involves a divorced father who recently converted to Judaism, and wants his 12-year-old son to undergo circumcision. The mother, a non-Jew, is against it.I've been following this story since I have an affinity for foreskins, and because this case touches upon basic constitutional rights. The father's argument makes little sense to me. How can one's freedom of religion overrule a child's right to his own body? I hope reason and sensibility will prevail, and the Supreme Court will decide this case based on this young boy's wishes, when he's old enough to decide this for himself, and not based on anybody else's agenda.But of course, not everyone sees things as I do. The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America has joined with other Jewish organizations in filing a "friend of the court" brief with the Oregon State Supreme Court urging the court to allow the father, James Boldt, to complete the conversion of his son Mikhail to Judaism by having him circumcised.To these organizations I say, "Phooey! Shame on you for pushing your agenda when it clearly infringes on a minor's basic rights."Would the OU or the Anti-Defamation League defend Muslim parents wishing to circumcise their daughters? Is maiming a minor child against his mother's wishes the Torah-true way? The hypocrisy of these special-interest groups cuts like a knife.P.S. Mazel Tov to my good friend, M., who will shortly be bringing his son into the covenant of Abraham and Ismail ;-)
from DovBear et al by Enigma 4U
An interesting custody battle is going to be decided by the Oregon Supreme Court later this fall. The case involves a divorced father who recently converted to Judaism, and wants his 12-year-old son to undergo circumcision. The mother, a non-Jew, is against it.I've been following this story since I have an affinity for foreskins, and because this case touches upon basic constitutional rights. The father's argument makes little sense to me. How can one's freedom of religion overrule a child's right to his own body? I hope reason and sensibility will prevail, and the Supreme Court will decide this case based on this young boy's wishes, when he's old enough to decide this for himself, and not based on anybody else's agenda.But of course, not everyone sees things as I do. The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America has joined with other Jewish organizations in filing a "friend of the court" brief with the Oregon State Supreme Court urging the court to allow the father, James Boldt, to complete the conversion of his son Mikhail to Judaism by having him circumcised.To these organizations I say, "Phooey! Shame on you for pushing your agenda when it clearly infringes on a minor's basic rights."Would the OU or the Anti-Defamation League defend Muslim parents wishing to circumcise their daughters? Is maiming a minor child against his mother's wishes the Torah-true way? The hypocrisy of these special-interest groups cuts like a knife.P.S. Mazel Tov to my good friend, M., who will shortly be bringing his son into the covenant of Abraham and Ismail ;-)
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