Rabbi Michael Green's Blog
Donald Trump’s Kosher for Passover Vodka!
I really should have posted this here when I saw this billboard last summer. However, with the upcoming Purim holiday, I’d be remiss to not feature these images here. Indeed, at first glance one might think, “is this a Purim prank!?!?!” After all, Donald Trump is known for hawking anything and everything under the sun from hotels to menswear! And yet, when I was walking down the hill that leads into the Charedi community of Sanhedria Murchevet I could not believe my eyes. There was “The Donald” grinning and offering his Trump Vodka to all the people who might see the billboard. What’s more, the billboard boast that it has not one but two Kosher certifications (one of them being a Badatz Hechsher)…
Shabbos Time Management Part 2
As the Overseas Director of Bnot Torah/Sharfman’s I have the unique opportunity to travel all throughout North America and visit and pray in a plethora of shuls and communities. Indeed, there are some days that I have been in three states in one day! When it comes to Shabbos, I’ve spent that time serving as a Scholar-in-Residence or visiting with friends or family.
Regardless of the state or the size of the community, by and large I have noticed three trends when it comes to Minyanim…
Shabbos Time Management
Rabbi Efrem Goldberg is the Senior Rabbi of the Boca Raton Synagogue (BRS). His congregation is rapidly-growing with over 650 families. It follows that he is someone who cares for the needs of all of his congregants. Indeed, the other day, he asked (here) on his Twitter account the following question, “how would u shorten shabbos morning davening within halachik boundaries in an effort to make it more enjoyable and meaningful?”
This question elicited several responses. Rabbi Eli Storch of DRS answered (here), ”take away the hosafos in leining. no misheberachs after the aliya. Don’t sing while taking out the Torah,” while Mordechai Holtz, the COO of Meor, replied (here) that he should consider what I believe to be an even more drastic method. Namely, Mordechai suggested modifying the services to be more akin to, “Israeli style [in which there's] no speech during davening (do it post-prayer where those w/ kids dont feel pressured).” Rabbi Gil Student of TorahMusings.com replied with an answer that I see to be a healthy medium. He wrote (here), that the service should simply offer a “quick dvar Torah…
Hashem & Technology
Hashem doesn’t have a Blackberry or an iPhone, but He is my favorite contact. He doesn’t have Facebook, but He is my best friend. He doesn’t have Twitter but I follow him nevertheless. He doesn’t have Foursquare, but He is always checked in. He doesn’t have Linkedin but I always feel connected to him wherever I may find myself. He doesn’t have Google but that’s OK because he’s God. He doesn’t even have internet, but I am connected to Him. And even though He has a massive communication system, He never puts me on hold!
Parshas Zachor 2012: Please Light Shabbos Candles 5 Minutes Early!
There is a worldwide initiative that is close to my heart and that I believe is worthy enough to bring to your attention. As such, my wife will be joining Jewish mothers the world over in lighting Shabbos candles 5 minutes earlier this Friday night (Parshas Zachor/March 2nd 2012).
This dramatic appeal to all Jewish women around the world is meant to to help focus our thoughts on the terrible events that took place now over 2+ years ago–and daven for the speedy refuah of a friend and hero who remains in a coma. On Rosh Chodesh Av, just over 2 years ago Menashe Chaim Ben Shulamit Tufcha jumped into the sewage drain in the Ramat Eshkol park that is known to all as “The Iglu Park.” My children as well as hundreds of other local kids have enjoyed playing at this park. Sadly, a cute three and a half year old Racheli Sofer went to this park and never returned home to her loving family. You see, Menashe Chaim Ben Shulamit Tufcha didn’t know who she was, but that didn’t stop him from jumping down into a pit that Racheli had fallen into while playing in the park.
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NEW Book Review: Why be Jewish?
I have had the pleasure of hearing Doron Kornbluth, author of the newly released book, Why be Jewish speak on several continents. Be it to seminary students in Jerusalem or a room comprised of mostly unaffiliated Persian Jews in Beverly Hills, I’ve always been impressed by his ability to not just captivate and inspire the audience—but to engage and empower them with something to think about as they walk home or drive off into the evening. Arguably most recognized for being the best-selling author of, Why be Jewish, Doron chose to tackle an even more fundamental question in his latest release.
Truth be told, this question is one that I presume any good Jew ponders at least once or twice throughout their lifetime!
How to Use a Koishekle on Your Arba Minim!
Jews all across the world are busily preparing for the joyous holiday of Sukkos. In addition to dwelling in a Sukkah we are commanded to shake the Arba Minim. And so, when it comes to the selecting and purchasing of the Arba Minim, there are laymen to scholars who spend countless hours—let alone days—searching for the most beautiful objects that comprise the Arba Minim (the Esrog, Lulav, Hadasim and Aravos).
When it comes to putting ones Hadasim and Aravos together with the Lulav, there are various traditions that have been preserved for hundreds of years. The common practice for many Sephardim and some Chassidim is to simply wrap their Hadasim and Aravos directly to the Lulav. However, the Minhag that I practice is to place the Hadasim and Aravos in a 3-branched holder that is woven from frond slats and then dried. This device is commonly referred to as a: Koishekle. That said, this device may create serious Halachic problems.
iHesped for Steve Jobs: 3 Lessons for Yom Kippur!
I received the following from Rabbi Eisenmann, and thought that I’d pass it along.
Please note: All of the quotes are from today’s New York Times.
“Steven P. Jobs, the visionary co-founder of Apple who helped usher in the era of personal computers and then led a cultural transformation in the way music, movies and mobile communications were experienced in the digital age, died Wednesday. He was 56.”
Time running and so are people! One of Steve Jobs greatest accomplishments in life was to allow people to move faster and quicker through life.
Therefore, for the sake of brevity- I present an ‘iHesped’ on Mr. Steve Jobs
At the time of his death he was 56 years old and worth an estimated $8.3 billion.
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