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26 Elul 5772 - September 13, 2012 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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Please note that the next regular issue is scheduled for Monday 8 Tishrei/24 September. The issue after that is for the week of Parshas Bereishis.
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"The Frightful Destroyer, Internet, Is the Sitra Achara's most Potent Weapon in Uprooting Everything"

Dozens of roshei yeshiva, community rabbonim, Torah disseminators and poskim from all over the country reverently gathered in the home of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky for an emergency meeting in the battle of survival for the souls of Jewry, to eradicate the scourge of Internet which has entrapped so many, thus declaring an all-out war like in times of shmad, pursuant to the determination of all our Torah leadership as Internet being the greatest threat to our people since the time of Creation.


To the Communal Rabbonim gathered in the home of the Devotee of Hashem and the Friend of all of Jewry, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky shlita

It is surely known to all that the use of Internet has created severe problems, both in interpersonal relations and the relationship bein Adam laMokom, and felled many victims, all of which can be blamed on the Internet.


To the Honored Community Rabbonim Everywhere, Our Congenial Greetings

The disastrous damage caused by Internet, which has destroyed many Jewish homes, is fully acknowledged.

These times urgently call for formulating plans of action in stemming this terrible breach, especially by the heads of our holy people, lest they be blamed for negligence in this area.


To Remove a Stumbling Block from our Community

26 Kislev 5772

We hereby publicly declare that those electrical devices which have electronic systems that use or increase electrical current or digital recording and the like are forbidden on Shabbos. One must be careful not to rely on fabricated heteirim based on safek psik reisha or gramma and the like based on analogies which are very doubtful.


A Rabbinical Warning Against a Girls' School Reminiscent of Cults

Extreme care is urged amongst parents and seminary students in the wake of the public letter appearing this past Friday issued by gedolei Yisroel past and present regarding a seminary that resembles dangerous cults.


For the First Time: Bais Yaakov Kindergartens for English Speakers

The announcement of the creation of Bais Yaakov nurseries and kindergartens for the English speaking public was greeted with effusive enthusiasm by that population. As a result of the implementation of recommendations of the Trachtenberg Commission, state-funded education will begin at the age of 3, and even non-citizens may benefit from the free nurseries.


2,300 Students Entered First Grade in Kiryat Sefer; 2,600 Three-Year-Olds Entered Nursery

With the onset of the new school year, statistics show that 2,300 students graduated to first grade while 2,600 three- year-olds are now attending nursery, out of the total 27,000 students in all the elementary level schools.


The Mashgiach - HaRav Elya Lopian, zt"l
In honor of his yahrtzeit

"He's an old grandfather and he's still sitting in yeshiva," the small children said of Reb Elya when, having passed the age of eighty, he was still at the helm of the yeshiva in Kfar Chassidim teaching Torah and mussar.

From Our Archives


The Many Dimensions of Rabbi Nachman Bulman

by M. Samsonowitz

In the past two weeks, we told the life story of Rabbi Nachman Bulman, the great rav, educator, counselor and guide. This week, we will deal with the ideas and broad themes that animated Rav Bulman's life.

Opinion and Comment

Challenges of the Modern World: Keeping Too Busy


by Mordecai Plaut

Not all of the challenges raised by modern life to Torah living are new. Some were familiar to earlier generations. Unfortunately, the extensive collective experience we have with them does not make them easier for us to meet.


It is All for Our Benefit



by Mordecai Plaut

Near the beginning of his sefer that explains the basics of life, Derech Hashem (I,2), the Ramchal explains very clearly Hashem's point in creation: "The purpose of the Creation is to benefit others with His Goodness, may He be blessed. And He is not satisfied with doing a minimal amount of good, but only with benefiting with the maximum good that created beings can receive. This maximal good cannot be found anywhere but in Him, and therefore His wisdom decreed that the true benefit [that He will give to His creations] will consist in giving His creations an opportunity to cleave to Him, may He be blessed."


The Call To Freedom: Understanding Mitzvas Shofar



by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

"You shall sanctify the Yovel (fiftieth) year [with the blowing of the shofar], declaring emancipation of slaves throughout the land" (Vayikra 25,10). On the Yovel year a shofar blast signals the freeing of all Jewish slaves. Three times a day a Jew prays in Shemoneh Esrei, "May You blow the great shofar for our freedom." The shofar will once again be used as an instrument to proclaim freedom at the end of days with the advent of Moshiach and the emancipation of the entire world. What is the connection between the shofar and freedom?


The Intermediate Days: Rosh Hashonoh -- Yom Kippur





A compilation of customs from ancient and contemporary periods for these propitious times



Becoming Tohor on Yom Kippur



by HaRav Mordechai Gifter

The Time of Our Tohoroh

Hashem gave yomim tovim to plant certain principles firmly within every Jew's nefesh -- the fundamental idea that each particular yom tov teaches us. Optimal observance of the yomim tovim also involves our knowing and understanding their principal message. The Anshei Knesses HaGedolah therefore laid down a fixed text of tefilloh for each yom tov according to its essence: Pesach, the time of our freedom; Shavuos, the time we were given the Torah; Succos, the time of our rejoicing; Rosh Hashonoh, the day for blowing the shofar; Yom Kippur, a day dedicated to atonement and forgiveness (mechiloh, selichoh, kaporoh).



The Purpose of Affliction: Understanding the Inuyim of Yom Kippur



by Rabbi Daniel Yaakov Travis

A Complete Rest Day

"This shall remain for you an eternal decree: In the seventh month on the tenth of the month, you shall afflict yourselves . . . (Vayikra 16:29). Although Judaism generally frowns upon self-affliction, on Yom Kippur the Torah seemingly designates it as the focal point of the day. In addition to the prohibition against eating and drinking, we are obligated to abstain from other bodily pleasures, including washing, anointing ourselves and wearing shoes.




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