Letters of Thought

Closed on Saturdays

2009-11-08T13:08:00.001-08:00

Hat Tip to Feter Yechiel haMelech for the word about the exhibit

The blurb from OCJAC site:

Sharon Wohlmuth's powerful black and white photographs reveal the essence of the extraordinary Lubavitch community in Crown Heights, New York. Taken in 1974, through the lens of this renown photojournalist, Wohlmuth's striking and historic images, capture moments of joyful celebration, intense prayer and the unique spirit of this Crown Heights community.

"Closed on Saturdays" will open First Friday, November 6th, 5-9:00 pm at the Old City Jewish Art Center (OCJAC) 119 N. 3rd Street. "Meet the Artist" Reception is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18th from 6:30-8:30 pm.

This looks very cool - it's in Philly, so it'd be a trip to check it out . . . but might be worth it.
Anyone spot anyone they can name in the images?

Technorati Tags: Art, Chabad, Links, Crown Heights, Photography

Weekly Riddle 16

2009-11-04T21:04:00.001-08:00

Despised by some, awaited for by others
Once a week a gift to my Jewish brothers.
But energy it takes, and my time it lessens, you see,
So ask you I do, do you want to see another of me?

What is the answer, and what is your answer?

---
On a side note, I was by the Tweetup tonight set up by FrumSatire, JewsNews and other greats . . .
Awesome!

(Video h/t - The Circus Tent)

Technorati Tags: Videos, Riddles, Blogging, Twitter, Russia

Mottel Style Nachos

2009-11-03T21:52:00.001-08:00

Ingredients:

Tortilla Chips
Cherry Tomatoes
S. Barbara Hot Salsa
Sabra Spicy Roasted Peppers in Oil°
Mozzarella Cheese
Oregano
Freshly Crushed Pepper (from my father's pepper grinder)
Diced Cilantro

Place chips on a plate, cover with salsa. Spice and then add chopped cherry tomatoes, diced peppers and then smother with grated cheese.

Food For Thoughts:

Nachos originated in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, just over the border from Eagle Pass, Texas, at a restaurant called the Victory Club, owned by Rodolfo De Los Santos.One day in 1943, the wives of ten to twelve U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Duncan in nearby Eagle Pass were in Piedras Negras on a shopping trip, and arrived at the restaurant after it had closed for the day. The maître d', Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, invented a new dish for them with what little he had available in the kitchen . . .
Cherry tomatoes are generally considered to be similar but not identical to the wild precursor of the domestic tomato. They are often more sour than standard tomatoes. The most popular varieties today were developed in the Rehovot Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
Care should be taken in the preparation and storage of salsa, since many raw-served varieties can act as a growth medium for potentially dangerous bacteria, especially when unrefrigerated.
Although first mass-produced in Los Angeles in the late 1940s, tortilla chips are considered to be a Mexican food.

Food for Future Posts:
A few ideas for blog posts to be featured in the near future.
1. Flowers and Films: The Degradation of Crown Heights
2. Analyzing Lubavitchers' Attitudes on Ba'alie Teshuvah
3. and of course many more Riddles and Photos!

°I rarely see these peppers and don't know what they are called. They're longer green chili peppers preserved in oil. Yumms

Technorati Tags: Nachops, Food, Cooking, Facts, Wikipedia, Blogging

Dr. David Luchins and a Little Blog by Mottel

2009-11-02T21:56:00.001-08:00

Now that it's official that Dr. David Luchins will be speaking at the Kinus I thought it might be interesting to pull up a series of comments left by Luchins on this very blog concerning the subject of the Rebbe and WIC some time back . . .
A little background: JEM had recently shown Dr Luchin's speaking about Shirley Chisholm's experience with the Rebbe.
There were those at the time who cast doubt upon the legitimacy of the story. Interested in the back and forth of subject, I collected links to various sides of the argument and added my own two cents - publishing it all as WIC and the Lubavitcher Rebbe.

Boy was I surprised the next day when I found a comment from Dr. Luchins in my inbox, further explaining what had happened . . .

Technorati Tags: Luchins, Kinus, Chabad, The Rebbe, Blogging, Links

Picture of the Week: 89

2009-10-30T11:02:00.000-07:00

A fox seen while ascending Pikes Peak

Wishing everyone a great Shabbos!

לאכן מיט יאשטשערקעס

2009-10-28T21:15:00.001-07:00

והנה ה׳ ניצב עליו, ומלא כל הארץ כבודו, ומביט עליו

א סצענע פון לעבען
א געדיכט פון עומק הלב
אן א גראם און אן א טעם
מ'וויל נאר די אמת טאן
איך וויל און דו ווילסט נאר ווער פארהעלט?
די שאור אין די טייג
אבער מ'גייאט נאך ווייטער און ווייטער,
און מ'גראבט זיך נאך טיפער און טיפער.

און ס'גייט זיך און ס'ציעט זיך
און די נשמה גיסט זיך פון תוכ-תוכיות נקודת הלב
אלץ איז שטיל ווי דאס ערשטע נאכט פון די בריאה
אבער אין די שטילקייט הערט מען א שעפּטש א קול דממה דקה
א פּלוצעמדיק גייסטלעכע הימל געשריי
"וואס וויינסטו אידעלע?
"ביסטו דאך א חלק אלוקה ממעל -

דארפסטו זיין בשמחה

Technorati Tags: Yiddish, Thoughts, Life, Judaism

Rebuilding Babel : A Redux in Blank Verse

2009-10-25T21:44:00.001-07:00

I heard an interesting vart over Shabbos.
There are certain concepts in the weekly Torah portion that can only be properly understood in the light of chassidus.
וַיּאמֶר ה' הֵן עַם אֶחָד וְשָׂפָה אַחַת לְכֻלָּם, וְזֶה, הַחִלָּם לַעֲשׂוֹת; וְעַתָּה לֹא-יִבָּצֵר מֵהֶם, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר יָזְמוּ לַעֲשׂוֹת.

And the LORD said: 'Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is what they begin to do; and now nothing will be withholden from them, which they purpose to do.

Rashi gives three explanations of what they wanted to do -
To build a tower that would reach to the Heavens to wage war against G-d for taking the Heavens for himself, to speak against the One above [in general it would seem] or to build a Heavenly support to prevent a future flood.

Seemingly G-ds answer makes little sense in light of the tower's purpose. Was does G-d wish to prevent them from fulfiling their machinations? No matter how high the tower were to be built, it would never reach G-d . . . No building would actually serve a support stop the sky being ripped asunder once more by flood. What does G-d need to foil in their actions when seemingly they are vain in the first place?

If we take a closer look at the Biblical verse, we see the people built the tower "lest [they] be scattered upon the face of the entire earth" thus undoing their world "of one language and uniform words." Men no longer wanted to be scattered by future floods. Instead they wished to remain unified and uniform. They wished avoid the Divine duty of spreading out upon the land and make a dira b'tachtonim. Dispersion would lead to development and change in human culture, language, society and life.

Thus they built an edifice upon which all could congregate. The tower would serve as focal point - binding humanity together in a single cohesive society.
¤
They wanted, to bring a modern analogy, to create a UN. Just as today many people falsely assume that true peace and unity is through the assimilation and acceptance of all cultures into one cohesive identity, so too then.

What they missed was that true unity best expresses itself by the vary nature of the differences - that the homogeneity brings to stagnation and ultimately failure. It's one of the earliest sophisms recorded in human history - it's the destruction of true distinction and honor, instead supplanting it with intellectually dishonest truisms fit only for feel good messages found in the fortune cookies of cheap Chinese take-out.

....

Before Gimmel Tammuz the Rebbe in many ways was our Migdol. Just like Michael the prince of water and Gabriel the prince of fire, kindness and severity, are two conflicting and diametrically opposed concepts, yet in their root above - under a supreme divine presence - they can coexist through their essential nullification to the same source . . . So too before Gimmel Tammuz the very existence of a Rebbe prevented the dispersion, conflict, debate and degradation of those around him (to some degree).

But when the Cats away, the mice will play . . .

Now we have our shlichus abroad . . . we have spread out fulfilling what those who built the tower tried to fight. We're doing what out tower so wanted us to do.
. . .
A word to the wise . . .
Of course, as we say in French, eino domeh hamoshel le'hanimshal, the parable can not be truly compared to the lesson we learn from it.
For while the dispersion and cultural dissonance of the Tower of Babel was something very much wanted Above, the same is not true in our case.

Our shlichus, our sojourn in all places abroad, is not to lesson our original goals and ideals - our native tongue. We must go out to the world around us . . . but we must pay heed to elevate it to us - not sink in the mire we wish to let others know they can be released from.
Like the soul . . . if it does not go down, then why was it created? And if it does not wish to return once below, what good will it do?

וד"ל

Technorati Tags: Judaism, Chabad, Rebbe, Dvar Torah, Tower of Babel, Crown Heights, Shlichus, Politically Correct

Weekly Riddle 15

2009-10-22T13:13:00.001-07:00

Today's riddle is worth 10 points.

To some the beginning of the end, for others the end of the beginning.
Worthy am I to atone for the punishment of the sinning.
A day of solitude, a day of fraternity,
my blessings for you will go on for eternity.

I'll give 5 points each to the first two people to answer correctly after the initial person gets it. As well, I'll give 100 points to anyone who l'chaim tonight with me.

Technorati Tags: Riddles, Life

New York, Do You Love Your Jews?

2009-10-20T21:41:00.001-07:00

I've written about Hollywood's portrayal of Orthodox Jews in the past.
With the film New York, I Love You coming out, people seem to be interested in Natalie Portman's portrayal of a chassidic woman.
While if anyone can pull off a relatively inoffensive and accurate portrayal of a Satmar meidel it would be Natalie (a friend of mine was actually an extra during the principal photography, and told me he spoke briefly to Ms. Portman about her experiences with Chabad), I find the trailer rather interesting.
For it would seem that even while portraying religious Jews in a film, they aren't interesting enough to be heard. For while the Jewish story is an eleventh of the film, no dialog is used from it. We make for good images in passing, but can't have depth.
Sigh.

Technorati Tags: New York I Love You, Film, Videos, Judaism, Hollywood, New York, Natalie Portman

The Highest Sukkah in the World

2009-10-18T22:08:00.001-07:00

Zebulon Pike tried to clime the mountain that would one day bear his name. Unable to make it to the pinnacle, he questioned if it was indeed possible to surmount the top.
Though he never did stand upon it's gusty peak, we did make the journey up.
Click on the link to enjoy the post . . .

Pikes Peak from afar

At 14,115 feet, Pikes Peak comes in at half the height of Mt. Everest. Part of the yearly tradition in the Springs has been to bring a pop-up sukkah to the top, thus creating the highest sukkah in the world.

Jason, a dear friend of the Chabad, rented a car to ascend the winding path to the top.

A fox noshing on popcorn at the halfway point

Above the tree line there's only snow and rock against a gray sky

A look out down below to the Garden of Hashem and the city at large

At the top we quickly began to assemble to pop-up sukkah despite the strong gusts of wind on frigid top. As soon as we had put up the Sukkah, however, a park ranger came to us and told us that we had four minutes to take it down and leave the mountain top in order to be out by park closing.

We managed to gain a few extra minutes, in the interim greeting the guests at the Cog Train's arrival.

The train arrives

. . . and the non-Jewish conductor offers to make an announcement on the loud speaker to let the Jews know there's a sukkah on the peak.

Unfortunately, the Jews were sparse.

Jason (a staff Sargent in the army) bentches Lulav and Esrog!

As seen on Lubavitch.com

Love the wind in the kapote

Enjoy the almost alien views on the way down.

Goodbye Pikes Peak

On the bottom we met an Egyptian man named Mahmoud who offered to make Falafel for us. Unfortunately it wasn't kosher . . . We spoke for a while, then noticed a most interesting person walking by - a guy with a brown kilt, rangers hat peaked with a feather, Lennon glasses, a a leashed dog, bowie knife and handgun at his military belt.

Speaking to him, it turned out he was Jewish!

And so the trip to Colorado ends . . .
Back to New York and back to life.

Technorati Tags: Colorado, Pikes Peak, Sukkos, Mivtzoyim, Photography, Travel, Nature

Picture of the Week 88

2009-10-16T05:53:00.001-07:00

Rocking out in the Sukkah.

A Good Shabbos Y'All!

Dancing in a Cowboy Sukkah

2009-10-14T22:46:00.000-07:00

A shorty of a post - this one has some of the amazing sites (and sounds - watch the rocking video!) of Chol Hamoed Sukkos in Colorado Springs.
Click on the link to enjoy!

The first day of Chol Hamoed we went to the campus to shake Lulav and Esrog - we managed to shake lulav with at least 20 plus Jews - out of a total Jewish student population of around 200!
ChaZaL came to jam on the guitar and get the students pumped about the party that night.

Bentching Lulav with a professor

Kalman Katz - a local Jew comes with his guitar and whiskey in hand!

The ad hoc Jam Band was great!

Cadets from the academy - l'chaim!

I've made this post rather brief - since the next one will be a real whopper!
Stay tuned next week for

A Lulav on Pikes Peak
or
Chabad Gets High in the Most Elevated Sukkah in the World!

A look at things to come:

Technorati Tags: Sukkos, Chabad, Campus, Colorado Springs, Music, Video, Photography, Travel, Mivtzoyim

Mottel and the Mystery of the Imaginary Cliff People

2009-10-13T02:59:00.001-07:00

Throughout my travels, I've been to my fair share of ruins (modest hyperlinking -I know) . . . The Manitou Cliff Dwellings are, however, in a very different class. Click on the link to expand the post and learn of their sordid tale.

Note: This post was slightly reworked on Wed October 14 12:29 am

As a child I was given more then my fair share of compulsory Native American education (Though from what I seem to recall, it's no longer appropriate to refer to them as Native Americans. What are they allowed to be called today? First Nations? Indigenous Peoples? Primordial Denizens?)
As such stories of the Anasazi (which due to a weird mental association - the result of the plethora of cultures I was educated about as a - conjures up images of the West African trickster spider Anansi) piqued my interest in visiting the local ruins. Advertised as the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, offering "an archaeological and natural history preserve", and and "authentic Anasazi cliff dwellings, built more than 700 years ago." Who could refuse - even at the 9 bucks per person entry fee.
Parking in the parking lot - located conveniently only a few feet away from the ruins, we entered the Pueblo Anasazi History Museum and Gift shop.

The museum looked like it had last been updated in 1976, and the gift shop was at least twice the size of the exhibition (and sells John Wayne toilet paper!(?)).
On to the ruins then . . .

Everything looked nice, and with the option to climb through and around the ruins, one could really explore them very closely. It almost seemed odd that in oh so regulated America it was possible to climb up the wall of a 700 year old ruin - I mean even Poland and Lithuania had made the attempt to rope off certain things! But nu, nu . . . who was I to argue with policy.

(A tipi set up to let visitors know that not all Native Americans lived in tipis)

What would you know, then when after the trip I googled the ruins to find out a little more about the site, only to learn that the only thing authentic about the Manitou Cliff Dwellings were the cliffs. That's right - they were a fake!

Apparently in 1906 when the husband of one Mrs. Virginia McClurig wasn't appointed superintendent of the grand (and authentic) Mesa Verde ruins, she built her own in the Springs!
In short, I was in a hundred year old tourist trap!

Now, I don't mind tourist traps per say . . . when they're honest. I mean, I'll shell out my share of money to see the worlds largest ball of wax or whatever . . . but then I know it's fake and can gauge the deal as such. Yet here the wording made everything seem almost fishily real.

Whatever. At least I got to climb inside the Tipi.

Technorati Tags: Manitou Springs, Cliff Dwellings, Travel, Fraud, Photography, Colorado, Native Americans

Hit The Road Jack

2009-10-12T00:41:00.001-07:00

Dancing on Colorado College campus during sukkos mivtzoyim

Every year on Simchas Torah, I become rather sad - not sad in a sad way, but more of a nostalgic type of sad. Somwhere between singing Ashreichem Yisroel (sisu v'simchu) and Ata V'chartanu for the the last time in mincha, it strikes me how the progression has built up and ended.

On Rosh Chodesh Elul we start saying L'dovid, we begin to blow the shofar, and we say extra chapters of tehilim. Before Rosh Hashana we stop blowing, after yom kippur we stop saying tehillim, and on Hoshana Rabba we stop saying l'dovid.
Simchas Torah bursts forth in a blaze of energy . . . then ends just before things become too intense.

This year was no different. As I chanced a glance out the window to a snowy Colorado Springs that looked far more at home for Chanuka then for Simchas Torah, I reflected on the month. On the ups and the downs, the highs and the lows: Of closing my eyes tight by Tekias Shofar, of dancing victoriously by Napoleon's march during ne'ila, of getting dozens of students on campus to shake Lulav and Esrog.
It's powerful and heady, it's exhausting and stressful . . . Every year I fear it before it comes, and miss it when it's gone.
Because, when all is said and done . . . now I need to go back into the world. I need to ~~start to~~ earn (more) money, I need to work out my learning schedule -get a fresh start on dayanus, finish shechita, learn more chassidus.
In a certain way I'm lucky. My birthday falls out on the Fourth of Cheshvan - less then two weeks after Simchas Torah - serving as a buffer between the buzz of the previous month and the humdrum of the next.
But still I miss it. Still I yearn.
Our inn is on the street without locks, you can come and do business.
'What do you have?'
'תקעו בחדש . בחדש השביעי . שובה ישראל'

Now it's time to unpack the bags we bundled in the inn . . . and do business with the schora we've brought.

Oh, and by the way, my Esrog was way bigger than yours.

Technorati Tags: Tishrei, Simchas Torah, Life, Thoughts, Chassidus, Esrogim, Sukkos, Photography

Weekly Riddle 14

2009-10-08T16:57:00.001-07:00

Spirit of Man, levity of G-d
To the Easterner for sin, the Westerner for a sot.
Blossoms from the earth, betwixt your lips as a sea
To the children of three, a blessing I shall be.

What Am I?

This Week's riddle is worth 15 points. I'll give another 5 points to the first, second, third and tenth people to comment. I'll give 25 points to the first five people to leave "LoT has no end! http://bit.ly/117FZ9 DIES MERCURII VIII ID. OCT. VDCCLXX A.V.C." as a comment on The Highway back to Krenitz, The Real Shliach and Nemo's Ramblings.

Last but not least, I'll give 3 points to each person that tells me what they'll be making kiddush on Simchas Torah.

Good luck y'all!
(Image Source)

Technorati Tags: Riddles

Am I Confusing You?

2009-10-07T20:08:00.001-07:00

E mentioned in a comment on his blog that the new Disqus comment system here was scaring off commenters.
So I ask you, even if you find the new system scary, please let me know if it's holding you back from interacting.
I know it looks daunting, but what's here now really isn't all that scary. So please give it a try and let me know what's up!

(Image Source)

Technorati Tags: Comments, Blogging, Disqus

Mottel and the Dragon Man

2009-10-06T14:38:00.001-07:00

When my Brothers-in-Arms, Yossi and Chief went to Colorado Springs last Channukah, they discovered a Jew living in the boondocks . . . A dealer of class III weapons, collector of war memorabilia and machinery, and be-tattooed armed: The Dragon Man.
Click on the post read about our meeting.

View Larger Map
Map of Dragon Man Drive

At the behest of my friends and the Rabbi, we decided to visit a local Jew in the Springs. Born in Brooklyn, raised in Crown Heights (S. Johns and Rochester) and named Mel Bernstein, he'd long since moved away from it all . . . After his wife was apparently repaid a loan in the 80's with a cache of weapons, he got a gun-dealer's license and, along with a slew of tattoos running down his arms, some how took on the persona of the Dragon Man . . . one Jew you do not want to mess with.

As we drove along the long driveway of the property that houses his shop, dirt bike tracks, a shooting range (for automatic weapons), a mock-up of urban Baghdad used by the military for training purposes, a war memorabilia museum and his private ranch, we were greeted by a series of warning signs.

Note his tanks

Pulling up n front of the building, we entered the two Dragon Man doors . . .

In a room with more firepower then mostly likely allowed in the whole of Western Europe, fathers and sons, soldiers and gun enthusiasts mulled through the selection of weaponry like bargain hunters at a garage sale.
Behind the desk stood a thin haired man with large golden frames perched on a proud Jewish nose, looking everything like a nice Jewish boy . . . and little like a Dragon Man. Save the tattoos, he looked like a high school math teacher. But indeed, it was Mel.

Claiming that he was too busy for the group of Rabbis (perhaps a little overwhelmed) he answered a few terse questions and then scurried of to the back of the shop, leaving the rest to his wife (whose Long Island accent was as noticible as Dragon Man's Brooklynese). Seeing as there was nothing left for us to do, the group turned to go. Not wanting to make the trip an entire waste, I figured it would be worth grabbing one blog worthy picture with Dragon Man. So venturing cautiously to the back of the shop, I asked him to taking a picture with me. He obliged . . .

notice the terrorist target at the bottom left.

As we left, the wind out in flats there kicked up furiously. With dust in our eyes, we began to pull out as another car approached.

A buzz cut gentleman with army fatigues and a handgun at his side stepped out of the car. Noticing us pull out, he waved.
Odd . . . for an army guy to just wave like that. we pulled over to speak to him, and low and behold . . . he was a Jew.

Despite the raging wind, we got him to put on tefillin for the first time in his life!

The wind was so strong, it blew the rabbi's beard into his face

Leaving Dragon Man Drive, we drove through the springs and continued on to Cheyenne Canyon . . .

By a waterfall at the entrance of the park.

Stepping back to get a clear shot of the mountain (above), I noted the Rabbi speaking to a rather well dressed man . . .

a Jersey dwelling lawyer with an office in Manhattan. Approaching him, I took my tefillin out of there bag and asked him if he'd be interested in doing a mitvah. Without hesitating he consented and we began to wrap up!

Deer on the roadside

On our way back down the mountain we stopped by the lavish Broadmoor Hotel.

Technorati Tags: Dragon Man, Guns, Colorado Springs, Mivtzoyim, Nature, Waterfalls, Mountains, Broadmoor Hotel, Photography, Travel

Picture of the Week 87

2009-10-02T00:40:00.001-07:00

A Quebecois Bee: Taken in Montreal during my trip Elul 5769

I have some great travelogue posts lined up for Chol Hamoed.

Wishing everyone a good Yom Tov! Technorati Tags: Bees, Insects, Flowers, Nature, Montreal, Photography, Picture of the Week

Return to the Garden of Hashem

2009-09-29T21:29:00.001-07:00

On Thursday I went back to the Garden - taking my wife for the first time.
Click on the link to enjoy the photos.

Notice the snow on distant Pike's Peak!

Technorati Tags: Colorado, travel, Photography, Garden of the gods, Mountains, Nature

Fake Chassidic Jews Play Ball

2009-09-29T00:52:00.001-07:00

This has been floating around the web for some time now - I my self saw it on DovBear's blog some time back.
The trailer can be found IMDB, but for whatever reason can't be embedded here. So check it out and answer here:
Is it brilliant? Or stupid? Poorly done . . . or so cheesy and bad it becomes good again?

Technorati Tags: The Yankles, Movies, Links, Baseball, Video

Picture of the Week 86 and Chossid's Avinu Malkeinu

2009-09-25T13:45:00.001-07:00

Garden of Hashem in Colorado Springs

I had an epiphany while davening Rosh Hashana.
It seems that every group of Jews chooses to use the ancient prayer of Rabbi Akiva as point of song in prayer.
Interestingly the verse sung seems to reflect the ethos of each group.
The Veltishe tune focuses on the nadir of man - our baseness and lack of good deeds:
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ חָנֵּנוּ וַעֲנֵנוּ כִּי אֵין בָּנוּ מַעֲשִׂים עֲשֵׂה עִמָּנוּ צְדָקָה וָחֶסֶד וְהושִׁיעֵנוּ.

The Chassidisher Olam focuses on the answering of our prayers, the needs of the many and the desire for physical blessings (I site the Belzer Avinu Malkeinu)
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ פְּתַח שַׁעֲרֵי שָׁמַיִם לִתְפִלָּתֵנוּ

In Chabad we sing the Alter Rebbe's tune . . . we hone in the inner meaning of Rosh Hashana - accepting the kingship of Hashem upon ourselves.
אָבִינוּ מַלְכֵּנוּ אֵין לָנוּ מֶלֶךְ אֶלָּא אָתָּה

Tatteh in himmel - du bist dach unzere eintziger kenig - mir hubbin keiner nisht a chutz fun dir!

I'd like to ask anyone I may have offended to please forgive me. Of special note, there was a rather intense exchange of words on this blog with Chaim Rubin from the Life of Rubin blog. I'd like to publicly state that I have nothing personally against him, and if chalilah I've been cruel and vicious to him, I'd like to ask his mechilah.

May we all be blessed with a good sweet year.

Technorati Tags: Picture of the Week, Colorado, Rosh Hashanah, Photography, Nature, Avinu Malkeinu, Chabad, Thoughts

Further Debate on Ethics in the JBlogosphere

2009-09-24T01:51:00.001-07:00

A while back I criticized Chaim Rubin. If you have not yet read it, I urge you to in order to properly engage in the debate. He recently responded to my critique:
Chaim said...

First of all, I never gave your permission to post private email exchanges.
Second, As I explained in my PRIVATE email to you, I would NOT say go get a CD or that I enjoyed a CD if I didn't.
You took a random comment and made a whole maisah out of it.
I told you if I dont like a CD I won't write about it.
Notice how few albums get reviewed on my site these days?
I dont have any obligation to post if a CD isn't to my liking.
Im just a guy with a blog who likes to write about something that I enjoy, music.
To make me out to be some sort of Huffington Post writer or contributor to a NY Times blog and this need to "call me out" or hold my feet to the fire or admonish me for not wanting to say negative things is very upsetting to me.
If I don't want to write when a song or a CD is bad, I DON'T HAVE TO.
As I wrote in our PRIVATE email exchange (if I had wanted it to be public I'd have allowed the comment though and engaged you in public) I do believe there is a Mentschlich element here that the goyishe world of journalism does not care about or take into account.
These ARE people who do work very hard to make an album and spend a lot of money. I will not be responsible for people not buying a CD or hurting someones Parnasah.
If the CD sucks, people will know, people aren't stupid. My blog and my reviews are meant for entertainment only, for fun, for some guy who loves music to publicly express when he enjoys a good song, or a good CD.

Yes, if you go back far enough you will see I started out differently, but as I did engage in lengthy and detailed conversations with many artists my conscious kicked in and I had many reasons to change what I choose to write about a CD.

I still hold true to my original comment. If you spent gobs of money and a project and spent months, sometimes years working on something only to have it publicly ripped apart on a site that gets over 1,000 eye balls every day, I think you'd be singing a different tune. Especially if said blog could cost you to lose tens of thousands of dollars and months (or years) worth of work.

... and you know what? I know there are holes in my logic, and news flash, I don't care.

I'm glad this is what you choose to make a big deal out of during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah.

This is exactly why I don't post as much anymore, inane, pointless, self riotous, holier than thou comments and attack posts.

Gmar Tov, thanks for the public lashing. What a waste of everyones time. Don't take yourself so serious, it's just a blog, mine and yours and at the end of the day if you don't use your brain to make your own decisions then you're just sheep.

I'll respond to each comment in order:
I never posted the e-mails in their entirety. You never informed me that the conversation was to be kept private - in fact, it was your statement "But behold the glory of the world wide web, you can .... so, if you feel they are important comments to see the light of day . . ." that if anything implied explicit permission to bring the matter to the public forum. My quotes were to the point, and well with in the frame of Fair Use.

I'm glad that you have the integrity not to take garbage and pass it off to other people - I never suspected you of such. To not review what you consider inferior product is a legitimate means of keeping things 'fair'. You have no obligation to write about what you dislike - just as you have no obligation to write what you like - limiting it, as it will, you status as a true music review blog . . . then again you claim that you are not. So nu. What bothers me is the fudging of what you do review.

I don't make you out to be a NY Time writer, nor a huffington post . . . but if VIN and Yeshivah World can be called out, as you yourself have then neither your blog - nor mine- are different.

You seem to be confusing constructive criticism from childish ad hominem attacks. Let us deal with the later first:
Childish attacks are wrong. They serve no purpose other then to destroy. They show a lack of maturity on the part of the one who writes them, and have no place in adult conversation. When speaking of criticism, it is to such matters that you mistakenly bring as an example. On this I am in agreement with you: There is no place for immature and irresponsible attacks on the works of others - their are soseir shlo al menas l'vnos!

True criticism is not meant to "rip apart" the works of others. It is constructive and serves to better the future work. If done properly then it should in no way affect the parnasa of others. If the labels continue to release shoddy work, then it is to their own detriment!
Criticism is not a 'Goyishe' thing - make a true and honest cheshbon of what's right and wrong is just! You had no problem commenting on and profiling the Kolko case and other such high profile dirt in the frum world, yet you never batted an eyelash at lives you may be affecting therein! And you know what? I agree with you. Protecting 'inzere' will ultimately be a true danger to the viability of the Jewish Community biz bias goel tzedek, and while the Jewish record labels are not ch"v v'ch"v at all comparable to the above - the need to brake the Kosher Nostra remains. We need to strike the balance of respect and Mentschlich'kite with honesty and integrity.

You write that your blog is for entertainment only - yet to me it seems very clear that you are using it as backdoor to escape any responsibility from your own words! I never doubted that you write what you do out of joy - though you have set up a way to make some profit out of it all in order to defray your costs. I too write for the joy of it, but I don't use it as an excuse to avoid taking responsibility for my own lapses of intellectual honesty! You admit to holding power over the public, yet when confronted with a problem, you pretend that you're a nobody. Please.

If you admit that your logic is flawed and don't care . . . then I feel very sorry for you. Are you telling me that your writing is worthless and made of straw? I should hope not.

I didn't write this during Aseres Yemei Teshuvah - I in fact wrote it well before Rosh Hashanah. What is more, I would not be ashamed to write what I did now. I have no qualms against you as person and continue to have the utmost ahavas yisroel for you. If you take an honest and fair criticism of the topic (not the person) then the problem is in your own understanding of the matter. To quote a story mentioned in a recent post on the Tzig:

The Rov went for this daily walk on EYK and on this walk began to "bash" (for lack of a better term) a certain Jewish politician/askan. His attendant was surprised to hear these words from the [R]uv on such an auspicious day, and asked him if it wouldn't be better if they postpone this conversation until G-d has sealed the book of life. The Rov was quite surprised to hear this young man's question and had a very simple answer: I'm saying this because I believe that this man needs to be attacked verbally, and I believe so because I believe this is what Torah demands of me, so why should I not do what the Torah tells me to do davka on this day?!

My post was not inane nor pointless - I'd hope you'd afford my words that much credit. You're more then welcoming to disagree, but please let's level the proper criticism. What is more, please refrain from attacking my person as Self-"riotous" [sic], and holier then thou. Perhaps if you'd practice the enlightened ability to separate constructive criticism of ideas from that of your the person -and refrain from doing it to others (such as me), then you'd not have such trouble doing so when it comes to Music.
If you consider my words to be a waste of time, then they are. If you take them to practical application, then they were not wasted. Perhaps you'll no longer resort to excuses of knowingly not making any sense, and thus be m'kayim your own blessing "using your [own] brain to make your own decisions" and thus not be "just sheep".

Chasima U'gmar Chasima Tova! A Zisse yahr.

Blog on my friend.

P.S. I am sorry if it seemed that your reviews are biased by free CDs. While I did seem to imply as much in my original post, my problem is equally as much with the general cushiness with the industries and the benefits there in.

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Technorati Tags: Music, Comments, Life of Rubin, Journalism, Judaism, Blogging, Honesty

Weekly Riddle 13

2009-09-23T00:33:00.001-07:00

This weeks riddle is worth 10 points:

Harbinger of return, and hastening of the end.
Eight levels from strengthening the hand, to head that must bend.
I take from your strength, but repay in your days.
I save from the abyss and cure the malaise.

Bonus questions: For 4 points which Idan Raichel song is connected with the Eseres Yemei Teshuvah? 2 points will be given to the fifth, seventh, and fifteenth commenter. Finally I'll give 10 points to anyone who can tell which fantasy language is based on Hebrew and whose purported speakers are based on a European understanding of the Jews (hint:

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As well, I'd like to institute the addition of a weekly inyan in chasidus. This week I recommend Shir Ha'ma'alos in Lekutei Torah on Eseres Yemei Teshuvah. When you learn it, come back here and discuss.

Technorati Tags: Piraat, Riddles, Idan Raichel, Links, Video, Chassidus

On Tashlich, Blogging, Twitter and Lubavitch

2009-09-21T15:11:00.001-07:00

Note 9-22-09: I've added to this post
below

Over Yom Tov here in Colorado Springs the topic of bread by tashlich came up.
The 'rabbis' at Wikipedia even seem to think that it's an integral portion of the service.
It seems very much to be a reform custom . . . I haven't seen a source for it - if anything feeding the fish on Yom Tov should be problematic!

I've done some long needed upkeep on the blog . . . Including streamlining the sidebar (I've ditched some dated clutter - such as my "Follow me on Technorati [Does anyone even still use them?] button" from my blog), and implemented the Disqus system in the comments.
As well, I've added a list of books from Amazon Associates on the sidebar. Though I'd love to make some money off this blog - so please buy the books there - the main reason I've included them is to serve as a point of discussion on the blog. All the books have either been reviewed here (under the title What I Read Sometimes) or will be, G-d willing, in the future.

As a finale note: For those of you who are on Twitter and don't yet follow @Lubavitch - please do and get us up to 770 followers in honor of 5770.
As well become a fan of Lubavitch.com on Facebook!

Lubavitch on Facebook

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Technorati Tags: Tashlich, Rosh Hashana, Blogging, Twitter, Facebook, Lubavitch.com

Another Rosh Hashana Blog Post

2009-09-17T17:24:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow night, Friday 18, September, the festival of Rosh Hashana begins.
When gather in synagogue the following morning, something will be conspicuously absent from the service - the blowing of the shofar.
The absences of such an integral mitzvah is based on a Talmudic dictum that forbids the use of the Shofar when Rosh Hashana coincides with the Sabbath. The decree was thus made to prevent someone from carrying the Shofar in public - a violation of Shabbat. True the Torah gives the Rabbinic body the authority to prevent possible transgressions and build 'fences' around Biblical law, however abrogating the blowing of the Shofar, a mitzvah that represents and accomplishes such lofty things, seems rather drastic.

The Chassidic masters explain that the day of Shabbat itself is able to bring down all of the divine revelations that the Shofar does during the week.

Let us take a better look at the Shofar. Like the trumpets blown by the coronation of a king, we blow the shofar to crown G-d, the supernal king of all kings, as our ruler once more on the anniversary of creation. Through the blowing of the shofar, the primordial scream of our soul to return to G-d and accept his presence anew in our lives, we make manifest once more His desire to rule over the world. Thus through our actions, we reveal G-ds inner pleasure and delight in His creations, reforging the bonds between us and Him. Shabbat is also a day of divine pleasure in the Creation, a day when G-d's infinite essence is manifest so strongly, that mundane work seems almost obscene, and thus forbidden.
Since both moments, the blowing of the Shofar and the day of Shabbat, are points of pleasure above, the mitzvah of Shofar, then becomes almost a redundancy and is thus pushed off due to the Rabbinic decree.

Interestingly enough, however, on Sunday - the second day of Rosh Hashana - we do blow the shofar. Why, one might ask, if Shabbat accomplishes the same inner purpose, do we need to blow the next day? The answer stresses the great power and responsibility that we have. True Shabbat does what the Shofar does and accomplishes the same sublime and lofty goals . . . but who makes Shabbat a holiday, who makes the divine pleasure manifest? Not you nor me, but rather G-d Himself. Thus a very important ingredient is missing from the pleasure of Shabbat - human action.
On the second day of of Rosh Hashana, however, we blow the shofar in order that we - as a community, and as individuals - will once again reforge our covenent with the Creator. In other words - the whole world can be on the most sublime levels of revelation, but our actions as individuals are still needed.

May we all be blessed with a sweet new year of abundant blessings and revealed good!
-Mordechai Lightstone

Technorati Tags: Rosh Hashanah, Dvar Torah, Essays