Newsworthy Notes

Well, there have been lots of stuff and things (colloquial, I know) going on in the news lately, and frankly, although I've been reading it, I just haven't had time to post.

We have guests from America coming to us for the ENTIRE summer- and I've been in a bit of a cleaning frenzy. No, I don't think they'll notice if my bathrooms aren't shiny, but I feel like a clean home shows that a Kollel couple doesn't live in shmutz and dirt, but rather, also maintains the aesthetic appearance of their home.

It's like a Kiddush Hashem (sanctifying G-d's name)- although I'm sure there are those who would say that it doesn't matter at all.

So, what's newsworthy nowadays? Let's see.

The Yeshiva World reported that the number 2 bus has 'unofficially' gone mehadrin, with women, by themselves, moving to the back, and men sitting in front. People commented that it isn't fair to force mehadrin status on a bus without it actually being mehadrin- but I feel that if people do it by themselves, then what's the problem?

I haven't taken the 2 lately, but as long as everyone is behaving 'menschlichdik'- that is, if a woman does sit in the front, she should have the right to, without being the comment of derogatory remarks or deeds- then, again, it shouldn't be a problem.

However, there is a committee working on getting all the mehadrin lines in Yerushalayim canceled. At least, according to the Yeshiva World article. I know that Mr. NMF won't step onto a crowded bus- packed beyond comparison when the doors can't even close properly, if he's going to get squashed between two women. He'll wait for the next one. So, it would be a shame if all the mehadrin lines were closed due to the inappropriate actions of some people who felt that tznius was more important than that 'other' commandment of shaming another Jew (or worse, hurting another Jew) in public.

Let's face it: people can comment quietly, or mention that it would be nice if they would move to the back (quietly) but they most certainly can not shame another Jew. It says in the Gemara (Sotah 10b, if I'm not mistaken) that one should rather jump into a fiery furnace than embarrass another Jew in public. Even for tznius- as proven by the story of Yehudah and Tamar. In that same Gemara, it then equates public embarrassment with murder, immoral actions, and idol worship- all sins that one should rather kill themselves than do.

Why can't women get on the front and men in the back? I have a reason (maybe there are more)- but women are the gender most often accompanied by a stroller, and strollers legally can only enter on the backs of buses for safety reasons. So therefore, women enter on through the back, and to make life easier, they sit in the back as well. Imagine getting on the bus with a heavy stroller, and then having to drag it all the way to the front!

Speaking of strollers, in baby related news- a great-great-great grandchild was born to R' Elyashiv. That child is also related to R' Chaim Kanievsky, and R' Aharon Leib Shteinman. Wow- that kid has yichus! And, such a zechus (privilege) for someone to live to see their great-great-great granchild!

In other child related news, there was a beautiful gathering at the Kotel this past Rosh Chodesh, for fathers and sons, all to say the special Tefilas HaShlah (usually said on Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan, but that came out on Shabbos), and for a Hachnasas Sefer Torah in memory of Rav Meir Shapiro zt'l- the father of the Daf Yomi movement.

I think that is so beautiful and phenomenal- that everyone would gather like that- parents to say a tefillah for the well being of their children- and for the Daf Yomi movement- it must have been a truly beautiful and heartwarming sight. For all those interested (I'm sure the Shlah wouldn't mind it being said on other times of the year) the Tefillas HaShlah is here.

I'm sure you've all read on SuperRaizy's blog about the new JAP doll- American Girl is putting out a Jewish doll, living in the tenements on the Lower East Side, with a grandmother called Bubbie. Sadly, she and her family are forced to work on Shabbos to make a living. But, at least the people at American girl got the situation right!

I never really heard about this, until I read the NY Times article. It seems that there was discrimination against Jewish doctors in the US during the time of WWII. They didn't want to hire or accept so many Jews as doctors, due to the war and anti-semitism. Yet, one doctor, Dr. Putnam, stood up, and hired the top Jewish neurologists of his day. And he was fired for it. Wow- what a story. He was a brave and courageous person.

Finally- Neve Yaakov residents are arguing over a shul...on wheels. Depressingly, the city has not given Neve Yaakov money for a permanent structure, nor allowed the construction of one, so therefore, the residents put a shul on wheels that would change places every three months.

Yet, there have been complaints about it, from both sides- those that don't want a chareid shul in their area, as Neve Yaakov is slowly becoming 'black'- and from those charedim who just want a permanent shul of their own. I hope that one day, disputes like this will be resolved, and all of Am Yisroel, the Jewish nation, will join together as one whole.

That's my news roundup for the week! Phew. Now, back to scrubbing my floors.