Feb 1, 2012
News Tidbits From The Haredi Community
I am lumping together a few interesting stories that were in the news. They have no connection to each other, but individually they do not each deserve their own post.
- The grandson of the Spinka Rebbe married a girl in Israel last night, the daughter of Antania Rebbe (never heard of him, sorry). The Spinka Rebbe is in jail in New York and was unable to attend the wedding. His request was denied. The family decided that the Rebbe and his family would watch the wedding broadcast over the Internet, and would transmit a message to the chosson and kallah as well. (source: Bechadrei)
I wonder if he is the first hassidic rebbe to use the Internet...
- A few days ago there was a news report about a blood drive by the haredi community in Ashdod. What made the news was the fact that it was for men only. There was really nothing new about it, so I did not even think about it. All over the place, for years already, the haredi community has been organizing blood drives for men only, though I do not remember seeing any blood drives for women only.
What is interesting is the response. The haredi community of Ashdod feels betrayed by the journalist who wrote the article that got them in hot water. As part of the article the journalist asked Tanya Rosenblit (she of the mehadrin bus fame) for her response about the blood drive. The community feels that the article was hostile to them, especially because it involved Rosenblit.
In response, the community has banned that specific journalist from receiving news updates and press releases from it. (source: Bechadrei)
- Bechadrei has publicized a story about Rav Chaim Kanievsky, and I find it puzzling. I always love a good story, but when they don't make sense they bother me.
The story goes that the gabbai of the Lederman shul had gone to Rav Chaim Kanievsky a few days after Rebbetzin Kanievsky's death and asked if they should check the mezuzos. Rav Chaim answered that the mezuzos had recently been checked so there was no need.The Lederman Shul in Bnei Braq
A few weeks later the gabbai returned. During his visit he mentioned to Rav Chaim that he had understood that he did not need to check the mezuzos. Rav Chaim said he should send the mezuzos to be checked.
After checking 30 mezuzos from around the shul, it was discovered that they were all kosher. In the three mezuzuos from the womens section, where Rebbetzin Kanievsky was a regular, problems were found, though the mezuzos were technically kosher. the three mezuzos were brought to Rav Chaim who instructed them to replace the mezuzos immediately.
My questions:
1. Did the imperfect mezuzos kill the rebbetzin? Is that the implication of the story?
2. Why did they ask about the mezuzos? Just because she had died? Do they check mezuzos after every time a member dies?
3. If the mezuzos were kosher, why should they have "killed" the rebbetzin?
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the ashdod hareidi community has a PR person who issues press releases?
ReplyDeleteIt's a problem, women giving blood, because they have to roll up a sleeve.
ReplyDeleteNot that this is the reason, but I have been told by a medical professional that because men do not lose blood the way that women do, it is healthy for men to give blood as a way of modern day blood letting. Has anybody else ever heard of that? (Not that they should not let women give).
ReplyDeleteYounger women generally need iron supplements, while the iron men take in from red meat is more than they need and puts them at greater risk for heart disease. When women get older they also need to restrict iron intake for the same reason.
DeleteRe: Bechadrei...
ReplyDeleteI think we have a potential B-movie title here: "Killer Mezuzas 2: Revenge of the Scrolls".
Seriously, I don't think the claim is ever that non-kosher (let alone "non-perfect") mezuzas "cause" harm per se - only that they don't offer the protection of kosher ones, and therefore mazikin, illness and other harmful entities are allowed to enter. (Not that this is any less superstitious, but that's another story...)
Ben Waxman: No, it's not a PR person; according to the Bechadrei article, there's a group of journalists who help each other via SMS messages to the group, and this reporter allegedly used this information to write a negative article, so they feel that this reporter has abused their trust and 'shot them in the foot' and are therefore leaving him out. See the middle of the article.
ReplyDeleteDavid Meir - I like it
ReplyDeleteThis is why I refuse to have mezuzot in my house. They're murderous little sneaky things. They might suffocate me in my sleep.
ReplyDeleteHow do they get 30 mezuzot in that little shul?
ReplyDeletethere must be a lot of rooms.
ReplyDeletewhat is more amazing is that a shul does not even require a mezuza. so, what we have from this story is... a kosher mezuza in a place that did not need one did not provide enough shmira because it was not mehudar enough..
maybe they became pasul because she was nifteres? that's why they had to wait a few weeks...
ReplyDelete"maybe they became pasul because she was nifteres? that's why they had to wait a few weeks..."
ReplyDeleteThat was my understanding of the story as well.
But they didn't become pasul, they just diminished slightly.
I think you're trying to find logic on a topic that is irrational.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, mezuzot and tefillin do not "go pasul." Leave them in their cases, and they can last forever (and are assumed, halachically, to have been kosher until the moment they were checked, however long it takes). Pasul status is almost always caused by water or bookworm damage, which is pretty easy to tell before even opening. Use your tefillin every day, you'll be OK.
ReplyDelete