WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN WHEN WE PRAY?

WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN WHEN WE PRAY?

This is one of the nicest e-mails I have seen and is so true:

I dreamed that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said,"This is the Receiving Section". Here, all petitions to G-d said in prayer are received.

I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.

Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section.

The angel then said to me, "This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them." I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.

Finally at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. "This is the Acknowledgment Section, my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed." How is it that there is no work going on here? ' I asked.

"So sad," the angel sighed. "After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments"

"How does one acknowledge G-d's blessings? " I asked.

"Simple," the angel answered. Just say, "Thank you, Hashem. "

"What blessings should they acknowledge?" I asked.

"If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy. "

"And if you received this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity."

"If you woke up this morning with more health than illness. You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day."

"If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation. You are ahead of 700 million people in the world."

"If you can attend a SHUL without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world."

"If your parents are still alive and still married, you are very rare."

"If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair."

Ok, what now? How can I start?

If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.

Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are

ATTN: Acknowledge Dept.

"Thank you Hashem, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people with whom to share it. "

If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have been blessed with, how can you not send it on?

I thank G-d for everything, especially all my family and friends.

First published on 21 July 2014, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

OCTOBER 2010

From: A Heskel
Date: 15 October 2010 09:17

An interesting fact about October 2010: 

This October has 5 fridays, 5 saturdays and 5 sundays, all in 1 month.

It happens once in 823 years. 

These are called money bags.

First published on 21 July 2014, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

GRANDPARENT’S ANSWERING MACHINE

Good morning. . . . At present we are not at home but, please leave your message after you hear the beep. beeeeeppp ... 

If you are one of our children, press 1

If you need us to stay with your children, press 2

If you want to borrow our car, press 3

If you want us to wash your clothes and do the ironing, press 4

If you want the grandchildren to sleep here tonight, press 5

If you want us to pick up the kids at school, press 6

If you want us to prepare a meal for Sunday or to have it delivered  to your home, press 7 

If you want to come to eat here, press 8

If you need money, press 9

If you are going to invite us to dinner, or take us out tonight - start talking! we are listening !!!!!!!!!!!"

First published on 21 July 2014, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

Clipping a clip from a clip ...

פרשת קרח תשע''ד - Food for Thought

Rabbi Y. Cohen of Baer HaTorah, Gateshead, UK

Recently someone told me a story about myself, when I was a little boy of 6 years old! My parents OBM lived selfless lives, and although they were both involved in chinuch all year round, many a summer holidays were devoted to leading a variety camps for children all ages. Always full of energy and youthful, one time my father OBM was acting in a play. In this particular scene he was ‘captured’  and being taken away by the soldiers, when all of a sudden a little voice was heard crying out from the audience ‘that’s my daddy, leave him alone, he is a Tzaddik’.

 Children have this innocence about them, they often feel that their Daddy or Mummy is the strongest, the cleverest, or the most able in any area [‘my daddy is stronger than your daddy’], their parents are their Heroes. My parents had obviously successfully inculcated me with the definition of a true hero, a righteous person, as I recognised my father z’’l as a Tzaddik. 

 This story jogged another memory out of my brain/freezer. This was more hero stuff. I was a little boy, enjoying the Shabbos morning walk home with my father when suddenly we came across an awful sight. Something unbelievable was taking place; there were two yidden still with their talleisim on, in a violent argument. I don’t remember if they were actually punching each other or nearly so, but they were pretty close to it. Daddy z’’l went across the road to break up the fight!

I do remember thinking then, what would be if one of them is meshuge enough to hurt my daddy? It definitely taught me a very powerful lesson then, which has remained with me till this day.

But this week I re-examined this incident and it got me thinking. At that horrific moment when משה רבינו and אהרן were faced with their jealous cousin קרח, who accused them of nepotism, we are told that משה ‘fell on his face. Since we are clearly told that ויקהלו על משה ועל אהרן - they were demonstrating against משה and אהרן, why did [2]only משה ‘fall on his face’?  Where was אהרן, how does he suddenly become disassociated from the scene? The רמב''ן[3] is bothered about this, and tells us something awesome,

There is reason for אהרן’s passiveness. In his giant humility, אהרן truly believed that his cousin was more worthy than he was, for the position of כהן גדול. But the King, was divinely ordained, and it was his opinion which counted.עכת''ד הרמב''ן לפי הבנתי הדלה

ut wait a minute, sure it’s great to be humble, but is now the time, [4]isn’t this false place humility. Put yourself in משה’s shocking position for a moment, he’s standing next to his brother who is known as the אוהב שלום ורודף שלום, everybody loves אהרן. Wouldn’t the best thing have been at this moment for אהרן to confront קרח, and get involved to use his שלום trump card, that he was famous for?

So I thought, that perhaps this could have been because of the famous words of the [5]רא''ש  , basically ‘Mind your own business’, Don’t get involved if the argument has nothing to do with you, because in the end they will make up, and you will be left the angry one.

But surely that statement can’t be understood simply like that, we know לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל-דַּם רֵעֶךָ.

Three proofs to my argument. The תורה makes a point of telling us, that the very first time that משה came out of פרעה’s palace as an adult, [1]he saw the מצרי giving a yid a walloping and משה got involved good and proper. The next day he went out and [2] saw 2 yidden having a go at each other, he didn’t put his jacket down and take out his sandwiches to watch the [6]knockout fight. That terrible pair, reported him to the authorities, but that still didn’t stop the עניו מכל אדם from getting involved yet again, and coming to the rescue of [3] the בנות יתרו, from the bullying shepherds at the well. Three incidents, three identical responses. What happened to ‘Don’t get involved!’?

Remember those hot days in the playground, two guys at each other necks rolling around in the dirt, a group of youngsters surrounding them ‘ooh ooh ooh’ goading them on, that can’t be correct, just to stand by idly and do nothing..

Perhaps herein lies the [7]answer. It’s our minds that have to lead our impulses, not the other way round. The first question which I need to ask myself before charging in chanting ‘break it up’ on coming face to face with two people having a standoff is, A. Would they want to resolve it in a different way, do they want my help? [As in stepping into the ring at Wembley, to keep combatants apart??!!].  B. Will my actions achieve anything, or will it be adding fuel to the fire – make thing things worse.

Obviously if two persons come over to you, and say ‘Listen we can’t seem to sort this out ourselves, we want your assistance’. It would be wrong to say ‘don’t get involved, the חסד now is to help them, they are asking for your help.

Obviously if somebody is clearly a victim at the end of a stick – incident one with משה, sure then לא תעמוד על דם ריעך, do whatever you can. The small kid in the playground being kicked around and bullied – wants anybody’s help.

משה hadn’t met these two villains before, he didn’t step into the foray and try to separate them, he faced the tormentor and asked him רשע למה תכה ריעך ?,  he couldn’t fathom for a moment that individuals belonging to this tormented people  could  actually be having a blood fight, a boxing match ? Unfortunately he very quickly learned that there are exceptions to every rule.

But when it was clear again with the בנות יתרו that they were victims, they don’t want to fight, they want your help to be saved, then משה does not back off. Rather וַיָּקָם מֹשֶׁה וַיּוֹשִׁעָן .

אהרן הכהן – the quintessential supreme Peace Maker with an over powering love for everyone and surely for his [8]brother, was faced with an aching dilemma. On the one hand מחלוקת was anathema to him, and ‘It’s my holy brother’. The gut reaction, the passion was surely telling him to rush in and help. But on the other hand, will it help or will it only add fuel to the fire?

אהרן הכהן was teaching us [9]here that even the with most noble intentions of making peace, and saving someone from acute pain, at times the correct action is standing apart, because sadly any other way will only turn the argument into a greater conflagration.

This was the incredible נסיון which אהרן הכהן the most loving person was faced with, and only he as the רמב'ן above tells us בְּמוּסְרוֹ ובקדושתו , made the decision here that the surest quickest way to שלום will be by being silent on this occasion.

May we be zoiche speedily in our days to witness to the fulfilment of עושה שלום ברומיו הוא יעשה שלום עלינו ועל כל ישראל ואמרו אמן.

[1] פרשת קדושים

[2] וַיִּקָּהֲלוּ עַל-מֹשֶׁה וְעַל-אַהֲרֹן וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֲלֵהֶם רַב-לָכֶם כִּי כָל-הָעֵדָה כֻּלָּם קְדֹשִׁים וּבְתוֹכָם ד' וּמַדּוּעַ תִּתְנַשְּׂאוּ עַל-קְהַל ד': וַיִּשְׁמַע מֹשֶׁה וַיִּפֹּל עַל-פָּנָיו:

[3] רמב''ן. וַיִּפֹּל עַל פָּנָיו:. ולא ויפלו, כי אהרן בְּמוּסְרוֹ ובקדושתו לא עָנָה דבר בכל המחלוקת הַזוּ, וַיְהִי כְּמַחֲרִישׁ וּכְּמוֹדֶה שֶּמַעֲלֲת קרח גדולה מִמַעֲלָתוֹ, אבל הוא עושה כִּדְבַר משה, ומקיים גזירת מלך.

[4] “If I were to remain silent, I'd be guilty of complicity” [Albert Einstein]

[5] אורחות חיים להרא''ש אות סד. אל תתעבר על ריב לא לך, כי לסוף הם ישלימו ביניהם, ואתה תשאר בכעס. [משלי פרק כו יז   מַחֲזִיק בְּאָזְנֵי-כָלֶב עֹבֵר מִתְעַבֵּר עַל-רִיב לֹּא-לוֹ:]

[6] להבדיל בין הטמא והטהור- 80,000 fans were the sell-out crowd that packed Wembley stadium a few weeks ago, some paying £1500 per seat, to watch a real British bashing boxing match!

[7] ועיין ספר 'שָֹם דֶרֶך' מהגאון ר' שמחה זיסל ברוידא זצ''ל ראש ישיבת חברון

[8] וְרָאֲךָ וְשָֹמַח בְּלִבּוֹ

[9] הצדיקים לבם ברשותם – עיין מדרש בראשית פרק סז סימן יד

Courtesy ©ycohen@baer.org.uk, First published on 1 July 2014, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

מאפיית מצות בקהילתנו הק' בלונדון עם הדיין הרב אברהם שליט"א מרבני בית דין לונדון

חדש ניסן ה'תשע"ד

מאפיית מצות בקהילתנו הק' בלונדון עם הדיין הרב אברהם שליט"א מרבני בית דין לונדון

חד

מי כעמך ישראל

"מי כעמך ישראל"

הרגע חזרתי מניחום אבלים בבית יתומי משפ' ישראל באשדוד ואני חייב לשתף אתכם במשהו שנגע לליבי וריגש אותי עד דמעות...

כתושב אשדוד וחבר קהילה באתי גם אני לנחם את שלוימי והמשפחה האבילה. ישבנו שם בסלון כעשרה אנשים והיה דממה בחדר. דממה כי הצער והיגון ריחף באוויר כסכין חד, ודממה כי מה יש לומר לילד בן 10 שמהיום יחסר לו את החיבוק והלטיפה לפני שיעלה על מיטתו לישון, החיוך שנתן לו כוח ללמוד עוד יום בחיידר, ואבא שחיכה לו לאחר עשר שנות ציפייה ועזב אותנו פתאום לאנחות.

כולנו שם התפללנו בלב חרישית מי יזכה והיתום הקטן הזה שנותר כעת לבד יראה רק טוב בחיים, בשמחה ובאושר תהיה כל עתיד חייו. אך מי מסוגל לדבר?!

רק להרים את הראש לרגע וליישר מבט לילד המתוק שבוהה בתוך ים מחשבות ועולמות מול המנחמים שבאו ותיכף חוזרים הם אל ילדיהם - היה מזעזע לראות וצמרמורת בגוף. מי יכול בכלל לנחם??

וכשנגמר המילים, הלב מתחיל לדבר....

כעבור כמה דקות מופיע בחור חילוני בפתח הבית וביקש כיפה. כשעטף אותו לראשו התיישב יחד עימנו, לידי, והצטרף לשאר המנחמים. ככל שעובר הדקות סקרנותי גברה בי והתחלתי לרחרח לכיוונו שאלות ורמזים מאיפה הכיר את המנוח? איפה עבדת איתו?

אולי בן משפחה רחוק?

המילים שהוציא מפיו פשוט הדהים אותי: "אני גר בראשון לציון, שלחו לי תמונה של ילד יתום יושב לבדו, תחושות אנחה ורחמנות חלפו בראשי, ואמרתי לעצמי אני כעת נוסע אליו להשתתף בצער ולשמח את הילד". הייתי בתדהמה, והתפעלתי נורא.

ביציאה מן הדלת המשכתי להציץ אחריו, הלה ניגש לדוכן ההו"ק שהונחו לתרומות המנחמים עבור החזקת האלמה והיתומים, חתם ע"ס 200 ש"ח כל חודש, ויצא מן הבית.

חברים, לעולם לא התרגשתי ככה. מי כעמך ישראל!

לא מדובר בסיפור מסעיר שהתפרסם בעיתונות ובתקשורת על תאונה רכבת מחרידה ובו נמחקו בדקה משפחה שלימה, או הורים ששיכלו את כל ילדיהם בשריפה או הדברה וכו' וכו' שאר סיפורים מסמרי שיער, לא עלינו ולא עליכם.

כאן בבית ישנו טראגדיה פרטית ואישית של משפחה ויתום שאיבד אב ומשען לאחר ייסורים רבים הזקוק למילת חיזוק, אך זה שייך לכולנו. עם ישראל לא ינוח ולא מסוגל להמשיך הלאה מבלי לבדוק שהכל בסדר. לתת כוח ולתמוך בעוד ילד יהודי בודד, להגיע מרחוק ולתת הרגשה טובה כאומר: אל דאגה. אנחנו כאן איתכם!

עזבו את כל הפוליטיקה בצד. עיצרו את התוכניות על החרדים ושכחו לרגע את ההפגנות נגד חילולי השבת ושאר שטויות. תראו איזה עם יפה ומיוחד יש לנו. כשכואב למישהו מקפלים הכל ובאים לחבק ולהרגיש אחד את השני, חרדים חילונים, דתיים ומסורתיים.

כי בנו בחרת מכל עם ולשון.

אשריכם ישראל!

בתוך כל החושך והאפילה שראיתי שם בבית, היתה תחושה של אחדות וסגירת מעגל בין כל המגזרים שנהרו מכל כיוון בשביל עולמו של ילד.

המשכתי לשבת שם ולראות אנשים שונים מכל הסוגים שאינם קשורים משפחתית או ידידים כאלו שלא הכירו כלל את האב הנפטר, מגיעים מרחוק, לפעמים אף בגשם השוטף - ומטרה אחת להם: נשלים לו את החסר...
זיהיתי אור בקצה המנהרה. באש ובמים - עם ישראל חי!

ויהי רצון שיבלע המוות לנצח.

הכותב בדמע וחותם בהתרגשות:

ח. ד. אשדוד

(מצורף בזה תמונה בה רואים את הבחור הצדיק מראשון לציון שהגיע לנחם. כל הכבוד לו)

Your Fame Will Come

Over 100 hundred years ago, in the very beginning of the 1900’s, there was a young girl, with the last name of Shiff, who had a most beautiful and amazing voice.  Her talents were nothing short of professional.  She was the talk of all those that knew her.  For a religious Frum girl in Vienna, Austria, coming from a traditional Torah home, professional singing was not an option. 

News spread of her amazing and potential talent to a famous agent, who offered this young potential star, a very lucrative opportunity and career.  Thrilled, she decided to discuss the matter with her parents.  When the parents heard about this terrible news, they agreed they will do all within their power, to not allow it to be. 

The young girl refused to listen to her parents.  Her father then took his daughter to their Rav, Rabbi Shlomo Baumgarten, who tried to convince the girl to abandon this career.  Reb Shlomo, sensing that he had not swayed her, suggested that they go to Rabbi Yitzchak Meir - The Kapichinitzer Rebbe, who was in Vienna at the time.  Immediately, the father went with his daughter to see the Rebbe. 

Upon arrival, the frantic father poured out his heart to the Rebbe.  The Rebbe then spoke with the girl.  “Tell me, my dear Jewish daughter, why do you want so badly to go into this line of work”? 

The girl answered honestly.  “It is because of the fame that I will find.   I’ll be known throughout the world”. 

The Rebbe closed his eyes, deep in thought, contemplating the aspirations the girl had just expressed.  After a few moments, the Rebbe opened his eyes and began to speak. 

“Listen closely, my dear daughter.   It is the dream of every young Jewish woman to be blessed with a child who will illuminate the world through his Torah learning.   I give you my promise that if you now sacrifice your chance at fame, there will come a time when you will be blessed with a child who will light up the world.   He will become the one of the Greatest Halachic authorities of his time, a Posek Hador.   Your fame will come, but it will be through him, your son”. 

The young girl wiped away her tears and thought deeply about the magnanimous promise the Rebbe had just made to her.   She was a fine, young Jewish girl and so, after considering the offer, she accepted the Rebbe’s proposition. 

Rabbi Don Segal found this most earth shattering and amazing story if the Sefer Kehilot of Austria and decided to pursue the rest of the story.   Rabbi Segal discovered that this girl eventually got married and had a son by the name of Shmuel.   This Shmuel grew up to be, none other than, Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Wosner, author of Shevet Halevi, the Av Bet Din of Bnei Brak and a Posek Hador.   Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Wosner Halachic opinions are sought out by Jews worldwide. 

Incidentally, Beli Ayin Hara, Baruch Hashem, on Thursday August 8, 2013, Rabbi Wosner had just celebrated his 100th Birthday. 

On this momentous day, Rabbi Wosner maintained his regular daily learning schedule.   He made a L’ Chaim with his family members to thanks Hashem for All His great kindness.   May Hashem grant Rabbi Wosner 120 years in full health and strength, AMEN.

When Rabbi Don Segal approached Rabbi Shmuel Halevi Wosner to question the validity of the story, Rabbi Wosner became very emotional and with tears in his eyes replied, “It all makes sense now.   When I was young, my mother always encouraged me to learn well and be an ehrliche Yid. 

She always said, ‘You cannot imagine what I sacrificed for you’”.

First published on 4 August 2014, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

TEHILLIM GATHERING

TONIGHT--URGENT KINUS TEHILLIM!

Ein Lanu Lehisha’ein Ela Al Avinu Shebashomayim

HAKHEL IN CONJUNCTION WITH AGUDAS YISROEL BAIS BINYOMIN URGENTLY ANNOUNCE A FLATBUSH COMMUNITY WIDE KINUS TEHILLIM GATHERING FOR THE RECENT GREAT TRAGEDIES IN ERETZ YISRAEL AND FOR THE CURRENT DIRE MATZAV, SO THAT WE ALL TURN TO AVINU SHEBASHOMAYIM TOGETHER.

LOCATION: AGUDAS YISROEL BAIS BINYOMIN, 2913 AVENUE L

TIME: TONIGHT, NOVEMBER 18^TH, AT 9:30PM SHARP

FOLLOWED BY MA’ARIV AT 10:00PM

DIVREI HISORERUS AND TEHILLIM LED BY HARAV MOSHE TUVIA LIEFF, SHLITA

MEN AND WOMEN ARE URGED TO ATTEND

OUR ACHDUS IS POWERFUL AND ESSENTIAL--ACHEINU KOL BAIS YISRAEL!

*PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD IN YOUR SHUL, ON YOUR BLOCK, AND TO YOUR FRIENDS*

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CALL: (347) 409-5061

Available by Teleconference!

In order for those not in the immediate area to participate in the  Kinus tonight, The Commission on Torah Projects of Agudath Israel of America will be making the Kinus available by teleconference 212-444-1323, menu option 9, commencing at 9:30PM.

Please call early, as once the lines are all in use, any future callers will hear silence, and will not have access to the teleconference.

First published on 19 November 2014, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

Irgun K’vod Shomayim

Kvod Shomayim
Thursday 16th of February 2017 04:27:23 PM
Irgun K’vod Shomayim
Story by Reb Yoel Klopholtz, shlita
Reb Yoel Klopholtz of Eretz Yisroel is being very busy with being m’orer hatzibur, inspiring
people that they should be very careful about respecting Hashem properly in shul.
Last year, one of his children got very sick, rachmana latzlan. The child’s condition was so
serious that he found it necessary to raise $200,000 for treatments. A certain yungerman from
London assisted him greatly in raising that money. Reb Yoel got close with this yungerman and
his family. Soon after, the yungerman in London was suddenly niftar, leaving behind an almana
and several children, none of whom were yet married.
One night when the yungerman’s family went on vacation to Switzerland, the seven year old son
suddenly woke up, screaming inconsolably. He was not even able to talk or explain what was
wrong. The family enlisted the assistance of doctors, psychologists, and others who possibly
would be able to help this boy cope with whatever trauma he experienced in his sleep.
Finally, after a number of hours, the boy began to talk. He related how his father, the yungerman
who was recently niftar, came to him in a dream. The father described how they were tearing
him apart in shomayim for talking during davening and not respecting Hashem properly in
shul. The father explained that this inyan is extremely serious and something that is now causing
him so much pain, and constantly.
The yungerman further explained to his son that normally people are not allowed to come down
and relate what happens in the next world to people in this world. However, because he assisted
Reb Yoel Klopholtz by raising large amounts of money for the critical situation Reb Yoel was
facing, they let him come down and speak to his son to pass the message along to Reb Yoel that
everyone should know how seriously they take this issue in shomayim. The yungerman finished
off by saying that if this dream would be nisparsem (publicized), people would hear his message,
be inspired, and would treat this inyan more seriously. In turn, this would be a tremendous
zechus for his neshama and he wouldn’t suffer as much.
Irgun K’vod Shomayim (IKS) has taken it upon themselves to help spread this very important
message. IKS has created a list that includes people from all around the world who were
mekabel on themselves not to talk during davening and not to have a cellphone on in such a way
that could disturb them or anyone else during the entire nusach hatefila. Everyone is encouraged
to join the list both to be mechazek themselves as well as anyone else who views the list. Not
only is one able to see the person’s name, the shul he davens in, and the city in which he lives,
but also a number of gedolei yisroel have given permission to include them on the list as
well. The list can be accessed at: www.kvodshomayim.org. Please sign up and be mechazek as
many people as you can.

Shidduch crisis? What Shidduch crisis?!

I have been following what is called "The Shidduch Crisis" for some years now.  Many rivers of ink - or petabytes of data - were expended on the seemingly endless torrent of coverage.  What most commentators are missing is the key component or, in this case the main proponent of the solution: the Shadchan. 

You see, we traditional Jews have been using the services of a Shadchan for thousands of years, making him or her an inseparable part of every Shidduch.

The Shadchan was a person who would know everything about everyone in town, going back three generations (or more) and has the same information for any hamlet, town or city within a ten mile radius, in all directions.

"The great-grandmother of the girl was once caught talking in Shul before Chazzoras haShatz!" is just one example of how the Shadchan could nudge a hesitant prospective Machatenista in the direction that he set for her daughter.

All this has changed, now that the community lives in large cities and a large percentage of Shidduchim happen with out of Towner’s, who live in a similar setting.  The all-knowing, all-powerful Shadchan is an endangered species, as the new generation has grown to such proportions that it's humanly impossible to keep up with all that's happening in the same town, let alone abroad.

So who are the new Shadchanim? Good question; there aren't any new Shadchanim coming onto the scene, who can make up for the blessed quantum shift that our community has experienced in the past twenty years.  Yes, new schools, Yeshivah's and seminaries are springing up all over the place, but other 'services' like Shadchanus don't keep up with this accelerated growth.

Having spoken to a number of Shadchanim (over 130, to be exact), I have a feeling that something can be done about the Shadchanim crisis.  Read again: "Shadchan crisis" (no capital 'c'...), there is no Shidduch Crisis!

Here are a number of reasons there aren't enough Shadchanim around:

Whether a Shadchan starts to Redt (offer) a Shidduch and another Shadchan - often times a more senior one - jumps in at the last stage, to take all the credit.

Or if the prospective Mechutan listens to the Shadchan, allowing him to share all the details, then taking all the details and approaching 'his' Court Shadchan to start the ball rolling.

Often the Shadchan will arrive at the end of the Vort or Tenoyim, with the hope of being paid for all the late hour telephone calls and the many face to face meetings with both sides - only to be told that he should be happy with the "ad-hoc standard" payment, as set by the Mechutanim.

Then there are the Shadchanim who are still waiting around to be remunerated, when the young couple is not so young anymore...

The above is only the tip of the iceberg of what a typical Shadchan has to contend with.

First published on 31 December 2014, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

The i Generation

With the year 2015 in full swing, there is the feeling that it will be a repeat performance of 2014.
After the shooting event that left twelve people dead, it looks like we will hear more from the i Generation:
iSIS, the scrounge of the world that chooses to iDolise their propaganda-generated successes.
iRan, for their iResponsible handling of atomic energy production...
iRaq, or whats left of it after iSis clobbered them into submission
iGnorance on the part of the global family of nations, iN particular when debating ways to combat the above iSsues.
iNternational condemnation of the Holy Land's management of iNternal affairs, when iMams have it their way and their people try to blow themselves up amongst iNnocent iSraeli citizens.

iNdonesia is also on the list, for losing one of its aircarft...

First published on 8 January 2015, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

Wife or Wifi ?

בדיוק אתמול הסברתי לאברך אשר שנים מבניו יצאו לתרבות רעה רחמנא לשיזבון, שאומרים בשם הרבי רבי אלימלך זכרונו לברכה, שֶׁבְּדוֹרוֹ שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ יִמְתַּח הַקָּדוֹשׁ-בָּרוּךְ-הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל חֶבֶל אָרֹךְ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, וְכָל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּבְיָכוֹל יֹאחֲזוּ בְּחֶבֶל זֶה, וְאָז יֹאחַז כִּבְיָכוֹל בְּקָצֵהוּ, וִינַעֵר וִיטַלְטֵל אֶת הַחֶבֶל עַד שֶׁיְּטֻלְטְלוּ כֻּלָּם בָּאֲוִיר, וְלֹא כֻּלָּם יוּכְלוּ לְהַחְזִיק מַעֲמָד בְּטִלְטוּל כָּזֶה, וְרַבִּים יִפְּלוּ אַרְצָה. וְהַשּׁוֹטִים יֹאמְרוּ, אִם הַקָּדוֹשׁ-בָּרוּךְ-הוּא מְנַעֵר אוֹתָנוּ, בְּוַדַּאי רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁנַּרְפֶּה מִן הַחֶבֶל, וְצָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת רְצוֹן הַשֵּׁם יִתְבָּרַךְ, וְעַל כֵּן יַרְפּוּ מִן הַחֶבֶל וְיִפְּלוּ גַּם הֵם אַרְצָה, וְהַחֲכָמִים הַמְּעַטִּים יַחְזִיקוּ בְּחֶבֶל נַחֲלָתוֹ בְּכָל כֹּחָם וּמְאֹדָם וְלֹא יַרְפּוּ מִמֶּנּוּ, וְזֶהוּ "חֶבְלוֹ" שֶׁל מָשִׁיחַ. מקור: http://www.ateret4u.com/online/f_01289.html

והוספתי על הנ"ל שכעת כבר עברנו נסיון ובירור זה אלא שהנסיון בדורנו זה הוא שרוצים מאתנו שנאחז באמונה פשוטה אפילו בלי להיאחז בחבל, היינו שנתחזק בנסיונות הדור של עקבתא משיחא דידן, כשכל החיים מתנהלים בלי חבלים, כבלים או חוטים: wireless

אמרתי לו גם כן שמרומז בתורתנו הקדושה אחד מהנסיונות הקשים של הדור, היינו המכשולות בהם נתקלים כשגולשים ברשת.  כתוב וישמע הכנעני מלך ערד ישב הנגב כי בא ישראל דרך האתרים וילחם בישראל  ופרש"י שהיה לבוש כמו הכנענים ומדבר בלשון עמלק.  המלחמה שלנו עם העמלק של דורנו היא שמתלבש כסוחר - וחגור נתנה לכנעני - אלא שבאמת זה עמלק שבא עלנו "דרך האתרים" אתרי האינטרנט.

ומי שאמר לעולמו די, יאמר למלאך המשחית הרף ויתן תקומה לנחשלים אחרי הנסיונות של דורנו.

First published on 12 February 2015, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).

קהל חסידים בטאטענהאם

בשב"ק מקץ חנוכה נפתח הביהמ"ד החדש קהל חסידים בטאטענהאם

השבת עבר בהתרוממות רוחנית ביום א זאת חנוכה התקיימה מעמד חנוכת הבית וקביעת מזוזה להיכל ביהמ"ד במעמד רבנים אישי ציבור ומאות מתושבי טאטאנעהם בראשות הגאב"ד שקבע המזוזה לשער ביהמ"ד.

לאח"כ נשא הגאב"ד דברי ברכה עם שתיית לחיים ואיחל להרה"ג ר יהושע לייפער שליט"א רב דביהמ"ד שיזכה להרבות פעלים לתורה לאורך ימים ושנים . לאחמ"כ נשא דברים הרב דביהמ"ד שליט"א שנתן שבח והודיה לבוכ"ע שהגיענו לזמן הזה לפתוח היכל חדש לתורה ולתפלה ביומי דחנוכה שהם ימי הלל והודאה וסיים בתודה לכל העסקנים שעזרו וסייעו למען שלמות הבנין הן בגוף והן בממון . הביהמ"ד כבר פועל בימי השבוע מנייני תפלה ושיעורי תורה וכו'

First published on 4 June 2015, on Jewish P.O.S.T. - the Jewish Voice for the People Of South Tottenham (now defunct).