Off to Yankeeland AGAIN

Lets see if I can get it right this time.
Crown Heights here I come!

B"H for friends. Ive been telling my friends I'm coming for weeks and one of them texted me "Hey man, when you getting in? I'll come pick you up at the airport."

:-D

I was going through my clothing and found a green striped button down shirt. I was so shocked and had no idea where it came from. I thought maybe I took it from someone by accident but it turned out it belonged to my father. Glad no one came over and saw that with my clothes or I could be in big trouble :-P

Finishing packing now. The fruity pebbles I ate for breakfast + the nervous anticipation of this new move = stomache ache.

See ya'll on the northern side of the Mason Dixon line.

Kol Koreh: Save Rubashkin! via Yeshiva World

The Yeshiva World

5 Iyar 5770 (19.04.2010)
In an unprecedented move, a Kol Koreh on behalf of Sholom Rubashkin was signed by Gedolim from all sects of Klal Yisroel, asking the Tzibur to act. Never before in recent history have so many Rabbonim and Rebbes from Satmar, Lakewood, Chabad, and Litvish Roshei Yeshiva come together on a signed Kol Koreh.

TRANSLATION OF LETTER SIGNED BY RABBONIM SHLITA:

To our Jewish Brethren Worldwide:

Sholom Mordechai Rubashkin is due to be sentenced shortly, and as the situation now stands, is facing the possibility of a very lengthy jail sentence, G-d forbid. US Legal experts have informed community leaders involved in this case, that the recommended sentence (by the US attorney) is overzealous and excessively harsh, and is totally unparalleled to similar offenses by others.

According to the experts involved in the case, phone calls and letters to department of justice (expressing concern) about this situation can be helpful. Therefore, there is a holy obligation for every single individual to get involved in this matter of utmost Pidyon Shvuyim , and to do whatever they possibly can to assist in this matter.

As well, anyone who has the ability to urge the department of justice or political officials to rectify the (undue) harshness (displayed by the DOJ) should get in touch with the committee as soon as possible, and do whatever they possibly can to help rectify the (undue) harshness, and hereby fulfill the mitzvah of ‘Lo Taamod’ – not standing by idly while a fellow’s blood is shed.

As the Shulchan Aruch Yoreah Deah rules (252:3): Every moment that one delays the mitzvah of Pidyan Shvuyim, when there exists the possibility to assist sooner, is tantamount to committing bloodshed. As the Rambam’s states famously in the Laws of Matnas Aniyim (8:4): There exists no greater mitzvah than that of Pidyun Shvuyim ; One who looks away from assisting in helping to free the person, violates the injunctions of : Do Not Harden Your Heart, Do Not Be Tightfisted and Do Not Stand By While The Blood of Your Fellow is Being Shed. The Rambam then states an additional five mitzvahs involved in this.

Our Sages have already stated (Shabbos 151b ): All Who Have Compassion on Living Beings, Heaven will have compassion on him.

May Hashem positively change the hearts of the authorities to good; May the cries of the imprisoned come before Hashem, and speedily extract him from his imprisonment.

Amen.
Month of Iyor, 5770.

SIGNED BY LEADING RABBIS IN AMERICA & CANADA:

Rav Dovid Feinstein (Mesivta Tiferes Yerushalayim),
Skulener Rebbe,
Rav Mordechai Shmuel Ashkenazi (Rov, Kfar Chabad),
Mattisdorfer Rov,
Pupa Rebbe,
Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky (Rosh yeshiva Philadelphia),
Rav Malkiel Kotler (Rosh Yeshiva BMG, Lakewood),
Rav Chaim Yehuda Krinsky (Lubavitch),
Novaminsker Rebbe,
Satmar Rebbe of Williamsburg,
Rav Yonasan Bonyomin Weiss (Av Beis Din, Montreal),
Rav Menachem Meir Weissmandel (Av Beis Din, Monsey),
Rav Moshe Wolfson (Rosh Yeshiva Torah V’Daas)

LINK TO HELP SAVE RUBASHKIN: Click HERE to see how you can help Rubashkin!

The BT Wannabe Litvak vs. The Real Litvak

Something very refreshing about the hotel I worked at over Pesach was the wide variety of Yidden in attendance. There were ashkenazim and sefardim, modernish types, yeshivish types, tradional types, americans, canadians, israelis, FFBS, not so FFBS, BTs, OTDs, etc.

Aside from the warm fuzzy achdus feeling this hodge podge of Jewry gives me, there is something else I enjoyed - the opportunity to see how different types of people interact.

It was the night of the first seder and we (The Lubavitcher mashgichim and Rav Hamachshir) were all sitting together (those of us not on duty anyway). A man with a hat (not exactly the right type of fedora though, first give away) and trim beard approached us. "Gut Yom Tov!" he exclaimed. He then offered a short synopsis about how he became a BT through Chabad. He finished by offering the following with a smirk, "I don't learn Chassidus though. Mussar only!" and then turned around and walked away.

(Agav, I have never seen anyone so proud before about their non-limud of Torah. It was easy to read in between the lines the attitude of "No sir, I don't need any of that Chassidus stuff. I am just fine the way I am. My frumme grandparents didn't learn Chassidus why should I? Let me make a crack at you while I'm at.")

The next morning this man was sitting at a table with an older gentleman from Bnei Brak. You wouldn't call him yeshivish but you would call him a Litvak.
So Mr. Wanna-be-Litvak tries to show off to Mr. Bona-fide Litvak by freely offering up everything he knows about any Litvish Gadol he has ever heard of. He's talking about how much he loves The Chofetz Chaim and in between offerings he says things like "You met The Chazon Ish wow!!!!" The Real Litvak doesn't have much interest in the conversation but he is polite and allows The Wannabe to toot his own horn a little while longer. He is visibly impatient but The Wannabe doesn't notice.
Then The Wannabe makes his crucial mistake. "Do you like the Dubner Maggid? I love his stories?" "Stories? Who has time for stories? (I'm busy learning)" and with that he completely deflates The Wannabe and the conversation crashes and burns.

The Post Pesach Miracle!!!

(I refer you to first read last year's Pre-Pesach Miracle)

Motzei yom tov I hastily packed up all of my things and my mother picked me up from the hotel. We went home to see Gramma and that is when it hit me. "Where is my wallet???"
I threw open all my bags and dissected the contents in desperation. I checked the pockets of every pair of pants I own. (99 percent of the time my wallet is kept in the pants I was last wearing. That means on motzei shabbos or yom tov that my wallet is in the pants I wore on erev shabbos or yom tov.) It wasn't anywhere. I frantically called the other mashgichim who did not yet check out "Have you guys seen my wallet??? Maybe I left pants in the room???" But they searched and searched and did not find it.

Grandmother queried me, "Did you have alot of money in your wallet?"
"No gramma, only seven dollars."
"So its not such a big deal then?"
"Gramma, I have a flight tommorow morning, and my wallet has my photo I.D."

I feared it would be at least a week now before I returned to my preferred residence.
Grandma found some papers with my name on it, papers from yeshiva, photocopy of my social secutity, etc, and said "Maybe they will let you through with these."

I went to the airport early as my flight was as seven. When i got up to the part of security where you are meant to show your I.D. I explained, "So sorry sir but my wallet went missing yesterday." What do you think happened... "Were going to have to subject you to a full background check."

They call up the Department of Homeland Security and relay all sorts of questions to me. "Whats your name" "What is your address" "What is your father's name" "What type of car does he drive" "What is the intersection one block from your address" "What about in the other direction?" "Major highways nearby?" etc etc etc etc etc

The clock is ticking. I get to the x-ray machine. I hate this part of security because I need so many bins. I have to take off my shoes, hat, and jacket. I have a briefcase and a garment bag also. When I get to the end they ask me to stand by because they want to look through my bag. I consent and after a moment of digging they pull out a completely filled Powerade bottle. I totally forgot mommy had put that there. They chuck it and re-run the bag. When I am finally though it is 6:45.
I assume I am not going to make it because they are probably closing the doors already. I sprint.

When I get to the gate I discovered to my great pleasure that the flight never even started boarding because... a stewardess was running late. What luck! I look around and notice that there are many yidden in the terminal, especially yeshiva bochurim, seeing as how it is the day after Pesach. I am about to sit down to open a sefer when up walks a middle aged man and inquires "Excuse me sir, but can you explain to me the significance of donning tefillin?" I start to discuss it with him and based on some of the questions he asks I suspect he is a Yid. I inquired and he answers in the affirmative. I ask, "Would you be interested in putting on tefillin, I happen to have a pair right here?" He stammers and seems like he will decline but then he says, "You know what, I would absolutely love to put on tefillin."

I take out my siddur and he says, "It has been a long time since I have read any Hebrew." I reply, "It's a good thing this siddur has english!"

I help him say the requisite brachos and don the tefillin and show him the paragraphs of Shema in the siddur when I hear over the intercome "Will Airtran passenger Feivel ben Mishael (well actually they called my english name) please come to the desk."

I run up to the desk and I am informed that since I was the last one to check in, if no one else volunteers, i will be bumped to a later flight since this flight is overbooked. I was a bit perturbed (especially since it had seemed like providence had worked out just so in order that I would actually be making my flight) but I nodded and quickly returned to the man I had left in tefillin and helped him take them off and had a nice converation. That is when I heard over the intercom "Anyone volunteering to be bumped to the next flight will be compensated with two free round trip tickets to anywhere that Airtran flies."

I ran up to the desk. "Okay Okay, I will volunteer!" Just in the nick of time. Ten seconds behind me is another volunteer who is turned away since I got it first.

So on a day which started with me fearing I would not be flying at all, not only did I fly. BUT I flew business class, was further compensated with two free round trip tickets, and also helped a Yid put on tefillin. A Yid who didnt even need anyone to approach him, but who with burning curiosity, picked the one lubavitcher bochur in the terminal to talk to about tefillin.

(If you liked this story, please see my other stories about backwards mivtzoim

Nissan is truly a month of redemption!

The Worker's Prayer

May it be the will of our God, God of our fathers, that I not be yelled and ranted at by crazed guests for things which are completely out of my control or have nothing to do with me.

I mean really lady - I understand you are not satisfied with the food service but I am ONLY THE MASHGIACH. I have nothing to do with the selection or quantity. I do not even work for the program, but rather the Rav HaMachshir. The next time you have a tantrum I am calling hotel security.