Yes...I know it's been a while...
Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I really have no excuse except laziness. I will try and get something Torah related up before Shabbos. Meanwhile...
We've been having a lot of guests for Shabbos lately. Friends of ours set yeshiva guys and sem girls up at various places in Israel for Shabbos. (And, yes, they do make sure not to send the guys and girls to the same yishuv). Anyway, the past two Shabbosim we've had guys from the Mir stay at our house and have a meal or two with us.
First of all...the guys couldn't be more different. Granted, they're close in age, for the most part in the same shiur (Reb Asher, if you're interested) and from Brooklyn. But that's where the differences start. The first group were from Flatbush, Torah Temima guys. They know my wife's family, know all the cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents. Go to the same bungalow colonies, etc. Their fathers are successful businessmen. English is their native language and I could understand them when we spoke in learning.
The second group, was...mmm a bit different. They're from Boro Park. Hungarishe Yidden, from the kehila of the Viner Rov. They spoke English with a thick Yiddishe accent and spoke Yiddish amongst themselves. When anything was said that included something related to learning or regular Hebrew/Yiddish words that pepper a Frum Jews conversation, I couldn't follow a thing said. Their fathers also all work, as it goes. One is in Chinuch, one's father is in diamonds...and the most interesting, one's father collects and reprints rare s'forim. They knew where to find all the important Kisvei Yad, what was at YU, what was at JTS, what was at Oxford. I was very impressed. They had never heard of Feudelism or Copernicus, though. They go visit the tzion of the Satmar Rov once a year. And here they were, sitting at the Shabbos table of a couple Mitnachlim in the middle of nowhere.
But here's the kicker, all the boys had orange ribbons on their bags. Some had orange bracelets. All had been down to Gush Katif for Shabbos at least. It's pretty amazing, I'd say.
There were some uncomfortable moments though. When I mentioned Rav Soloveitchik, it took them a moment to realize I wasn't talking about one of the Yerushalyim Briskers...and when the light went on..."Oh! J.B.!". At least with the second group one had noticed that this didn't sit well with me and gave his friend a sharp word on having kavod. Needless to say, as impressed as I was with all the boys, I'm not impressed with the historical revisionism and zilzul paid to one of the most preeminent talmedei chochomim of the past 50 years. Luckily, I have a wonderful wife, who knows how to keep me calm and not go into lectures of where R' Aharon sent R' Shneur to go learn when he came back from Israel. Or who R' Shneur turned to to save Lakewood after R' Aharon was niftar. Or who did most of the fundrasing for R' Velvel in America. Or who could put all their Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim in his back pocket in learning, without breaking a sweat. So, I keep my mouth shut, stew in silence.
As it stands, the boys from Boro Park enjoyed themselves so much they're sending a few more friends to us this Shabbos. I'll make sure to mention the Rav (both of them...).
We've been having a lot of guests for Shabbos lately. Friends of ours set yeshiva guys and sem girls up at various places in Israel for Shabbos. (And, yes, they do make sure not to send the guys and girls to the same yishuv). Anyway, the past two Shabbosim we've had guys from the Mir stay at our house and have a meal or two with us.
First of all...the guys couldn't be more different. Granted, they're close in age, for the most part in the same shiur (Reb Asher, if you're interested) and from Brooklyn. But that's where the differences start. The first group were from Flatbush, Torah Temima guys. They know my wife's family, know all the cousins, uncles, aunts, grandparents. Go to the same bungalow colonies, etc. Their fathers are successful businessmen. English is their native language and I could understand them when we spoke in learning.
The second group, was...mmm a bit different. They're from Boro Park. Hungarishe Yidden, from the kehila of the Viner Rov. They spoke English with a thick Yiddishe accent and spoke Yiddish amongst themselves. When anything was said that included something related to learning or regular Hebrew/Yiddish words that pepper a Frum Jews conversation, I couldn't follow a thing said. Their fathers also all work, as it goes. One is in Chinuch, one's father is in diamonds...and the most interesting, one's father collects and reprints rare s'forim. They knew where to find all the important Kisvei Yad, what was at YU, what was at JTS, what was at Oxford. I was very impressed. They had never heard of Feudelism or Copernicus, though. They go visit the tzion of the Satmar Rov once a year. And here they were, sitting at the Shabbos table of a couple Mitnachlim in the middle of nowhere.
But here's the kicker, all the boys had orange ribbons on their bags. Some had orange bracelets. All had been down to Gush Katif for Shabbos at least. It's pretty amazing, I'd say.
There were some uncomfortable moments though. When I mentioned Rav Soloveitchik, it took them a moment to realize I wasn't talking about one of the Yerushalyim Briskers...and when the light went on..."Oh! J.B.!". At least with the second group one had noticed that this didn't sit well with me and gave his friend a sharp word on having kavod. Needless to say, as impressed as I was with all the boys, I'm not impressed with the historical revisionism and zilzul paid to one of the most preeminent talmedei chochomim of the past 50 years. Luckily, I have a wonderful wife, who knows how to keep me calm and not go into lectures of where R' Aharon sent R' Shneur to go learn when he came back from Israel. Or who R' Shneur turned to to save Lakewood after R' Aharon was niftar. Or who did most of the fundrasing for R' Velvel in America. Or who could put all their Roshei Yeshiva and Rabbonim in his back pocket in learning, without breaking a sweat. So, I keep my mouth shut, stew in silence.
As it stands, the boys from Boro Park enjoyed themselves so much they're sending a few more friends to us this Shabbos. I'll make sure to mention the Rav (both of them...).
posted by Litvshe at
1:50 PM
5 Comments:
You were wrong to "...keep my mouth shut, stew in silence..."
'Evil triumphs when the good people remain silent'
By
AMSHINOVER, at Friday, July 29, 2005 6:17:00 PM
They were actually very respectful. Heck...they were eating in my house, which, I assume if we were in the US, and I invited them to dinner at my place, even though I have a beard and peyos...I doubt they'd come over.
By
Litvshe, at Sunday, July 31, 2005 11:01:00 AM
Litvishe: Got a report over this past shabbat that my Belzer cousins in Kiryat Belz are covered in orange. Maybe there's hope...(I haven't spoken to them in years)
By
Jameel @ The Muqata, at Sunday, July 31, 2005 3:23:00 PM
What does it mean, no one else existed or mattered?
I challenge you to find a Beis Medrash without an Igros Moshe or Griz or Shiuri R' Reuven or R' Arieh Leib. Certainly in learning, if someone has good svoros you'll find his s'forim being learned. Except the Rav, though from what I understand, at Chevron they learn the sforim when they aren't in the Beis Medrash.
By
Litvshe, at Monday, August 01, 2005 2:59:00 PM
I don't know all the details, but I'm sure I could find out. As far as a source, R' Aharon Rakeffet. I'll try to find the shiurim he mentions it in, there were a few.
By
Litvshe, at Thursday, October 27, 2005 12:30:00 PM
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