I have wings, but but do not fly.
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
Picture of the Week: Video Edition
My Buddy Roei "jinji" Sadan managed to biked from South Africa to North Ethiopia. Enjoy the video!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
On Kings of Hills
While Reb Mottel'nu was heading West and and Reb Shmel'ke was heading North, their paths soon crossed in the border town of Ustilah. As fate would have it, their two wagon drivers, Pavel and Ivan both decided to stop for a rest and a healthy drink in the local tavern.
The two wagon drivers soon become inebriated with vodka, and in little time began to speak about their current assignments.
"I'm taking a Rabbi to the city of the Czar!" Ivan boldly declared.
"Fancy that!" called out Pavel, his words slurred by the heavy kiss of lady spirit. "I too have a Rabbi in my carriage and am heading to Petersburg!"
Ivan's eyes grew wide, and as he downed another cup of vodka, chasing it with hearty Baltic porter and a generous handful of herring.
"You may also have Zhid in your carriage - but mine is by far the holiest Zhid in the Empire!"
The comment took Pavel by surprise, forcing him to spit out the contents of his cup.
"What are you saying that your zhid is better then mine! My Moshke had hundreds of people from out town wish him off on the journey! My rabbi is far greater."
And so the argument escalated, each wagon driver enumerating the praises of 'his' rabbi, and cursing the others.
Finally, in an act of rage Pavel jumped to his feet,
"I'll show you Ivan! I'll show you whose Jew is better!"
Storming out of the tavern, he ran to Ivan's carriage, and throwing open the doors, landed a sound smack on the face of an entirely unprepared R' Mottel'nu.
Shocked by the disrespect shown to his patron, Ivan ran to Pavel's carriage and upon opening the door, gave an equally ill-prepared R' Shmelke a series of heavy blows on the back.
Not letting his new opponent get away with the upper-hand, Pavel took Ivan's rabbi and through him to the ground.
As such the fighting continued for a few more minutes, each wagon driver defending his patron by showing his aggression to that of the other. At last Ivan jumped into his carriage and began to flee the scene of the fight. In hot pursuit, Pavel began to give chase . . . leaving the two bruised Rabbis in the mud of the tavern's front yard.
A goodly king of long ago once had two precious sons. The children, wont to copy the comings and goings of the court, would play rival kings in the small private garden allotted to the family of the monarch.
The garden, sparse as it was in the inner sanctum of the massive fortress, had a few small apple trees and a small hill with a bench in the center. This hill became the subject of the desires of the two would-be kings. Endless battles were waged for the hill.
One day, as the battle continued on for many hours, the two small boys began to forget the game behind their war, and soon took to throwing rocks and bruising each-other in the ultimate battle for the hill. Hearing the shouts of pain and anger, the king ran to the small garden and saw his only sons fighting over the hill.
"Children! Children! Why are you fighting? This is only a little hill in our castle . . . Why are you fighting over it when the entire world belongs to you?!"
וד''ל ואין צריך להאריך בדבר המביא צער
Technorati Tags: Chabad, Rebbe, Judaism, Parables
Monday, November 23, 2009
Good News!
I'm thinking about making this a semi regular segment: The Weird Signs of the Jewish World!
As well - something I like to call Ohelei Torah Mikvah Wisdom:
"Sleeping is the only thing done during the course of a day that every minute invested is used out fully." - Wisdom of Ohelei Torah 9:30
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Любавич без России деньги на ветер
I started this post before the craze of the Kinus took me on to other things . . . hopefully I'll be able to get more blogging done now. My thoughts have changed some what - as the post was based on a passing nostalgia. Take it for what it's worth.
The other day I became very sentimental for the Russian Lubavitch of old.
Somehow the combination between watching Ech Luli Luli, interviewing Berel Levin for a since postponed article on Chof Mar-Cheshvan - and all that entailed a trip to the exhibition hall of Rebbe's library, and the photos in Closed on Saturdays brought back a nostalgia for the Lubavitch of old.
Which is odd, as I have very little to do with the Lubavitch of yore.
Even my education was not in Brunoy, with it's connection to those who made the great escape from the USSR via Lemberg or the like, but rather Montreal - a yeshivah established and run by Polish Refuges from Shanghai . . . The eltere chassidim of my Yeshivah days were R' Volf Greenglass and (yibdal bein chaim) Rabbi Hendel a"h.
Yet somehow, it was the beauty of Russian Chabad that attracted me. The lack of falseness and superficiality, the refined sense of understanding and intellectual purity . . . I may not be a Russian, but Ukrainian and Lithuanian blood pulses through my veins; as a child I played in Russian parks and shopped in Russian markets.
And Chabad is Russian.
It is no coincidence that Toras Chassidus Chabad was revealed in Russian Empire . . . I don't know of another culture that would complement it so well.
For those who seek proof, look at Russian Drinking etiquette, and tell me if you do not see a Lubavitcher Farbrengen:
Drinking on an empty stomach can leave undesired effects. Therefore,
tradition dictates that the usual drinking party involves a lot of
eating between shooters of vodka. This custom is called a zakuvski, an
expression akin to what we call an entre. Zakuvski comes in a large
variety of choices: caviar on blinis, smoked fish, black bread, pickles
and even wedding cake when desperate . . .
As simple as the idea of drinking vodka may
seem, there are a few things one must know for proper vodka etiquette.
Let us further explore the methodology of vodka drinking.First Rule: Drink what is served to you in one gulp. Nobody measures the quantity
of alcohol poured, this is left to the discretion of the pourer.Second Rule:Never sip or mix vodka. Mixing is perceived as a western way of doing
things since orange juice is often more expensive than the vodka itself . . .
Common practice
when drinking as part of a group is to synchronize your drinking;
everybody drinks at the same time . . . Keep some traditional Russian medication handy for your hangover: pickle juice. Like they always say: Nas zdarovia : To our health!
Our Yiddish is inflected and suplimented with Russian, our songs are Russian . . . and dare I say, our Souls.
Which makes me slightly sad when I see Chabad today.
Today too many Lubavitchers think that chabad is the cultural amalgamation we present to others, and they in turn bring to us.
We look at hiskashrus like Poilishers, or culture like hippies, or sephardim, or Americans . . . whatever. There are many beautiful things out there (though there's an equal measure of crap people take for "Chabad" today), and it could very well be that in the world today they have a valid place. Uber Lubavitch is dos nit!
Listen to whatever music you like . . . but don't think that Matisyahu's ruinations of chassidus are our heritage!
This not to say I love everything about the Chabad of yore - its biting shteching nature, its 'vemen's pisher bistu?' attitude annoys me to no end. (In truth I think it was the fact that the Gezhe chose to remain to themselves and keep the ba'alei teshuvah en mass from assimilating into their population (as done in previous generations) that has marginalized Lubavitcher culture in a see of hopping frogs and dreadlocks - but that is for another post.)
So what of today?
We can, based solely on the Rebbe's directives based on the instructions of those within the mesora to understand them, move evolve in our culture . . . but we can't forget where we came from and what it truly was.
Technorati Tags: Chabad, Lubavitch, Russia, Culture, Thoughts, Ba'alei Teshuvah
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Get Involved With #MyMitzvah!
I know I haven't been writing much here . . . but rest assured it's due to work on other amazing projects!
Right now I'm running the MyMitzvah Social Media campaign . . . Please join in!
Get involved in the #MyMitzvah Campaign! Pledge your mitzvos on Twitter or write them on our Facebook page!
Sunday, November 08, 2009
Closed on Saturdays
Hat Tip to Feter Yechiel haMelech for the word about the exhibit
The blurb from OCJAC site:
Sharon Wohlmuth's powerful black and white photographs reveal the essence of the extraordinary Lubavitch community in Crown Heights, New York. Taken in 1974, through the lens of this renown photojournalist, Wohlmuth's striking and historic images, capture moments of joyful celebration, intense prayer and the unique spirit of this Crown Heights community.
"Closed on Saturdays" will open First Friday, November 6th, 5-9:00 pm at the Old City Jewish Art Center (OCJAC) 119 N. 3rd Street. "Meet the Artist" Reception is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18th from 6:30-8:30 pm.
This looks very cool - it's in Philly, so it'd be a trip to check it out . . . but might be worth it.
Anyone spot anyone they can name in the images?
Technorati Tags: Art, Chabad, Links, Crown Heights, Photography
Wednesday, November 04, 2009
Weekly Riddle 16
Despised by some, awaited for by others
Once a week a gift to my Jewish brothers.
But energy it takes, and my time it lessens, you see,
So ask you I do, do you want to see another of me?
What is the answer, and what is your answer?
---
On a side note, I was by the Tweetup tonight set up by FrumSatire, JewsNews and other greats . . .
Awesome!
(Video h/t - The Circus Tent)
Technorati Tags: Videos, Riddles, Blogging, Twitter, Russia
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Mottel Style Nachos
Ingredients:
- Tortilla Chips
- Cherry Tomatoes
- S. Barbara Hot Salsa
- Sabra Spicy Roasted Peppers in Oil°
- Mozzarella Cheese
- Oregano
- Freshly Crushed Pepper (from my father's pepper grinder)
- Diced Cilantro
Food For Thoughts:
- Nachos originated in the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, just over the border from Eagle Pass, Texas, at a restaurant called the Victory Club, owned by Rodolfo De Los Santos.One day in 1943, the wives of ten to twelve U.S. soldiers stationed at Fort Duncan in nearby Eagle Pass were in Piedras Negras on a shopping trip, and arrived at the restaurant after it had closed for the day. The maître d', Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, invented a new dish for them with what little he had available in the kitchen . . .
- Cherry tomatoes are generally considered to be similar but not identical to the wild precursor of the domestic tomato. They are often more sour than standard tomatoes. The most popular varieties today were developed in the Rehovot Faculty of Agriculture of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
- Care should be taken in the preparation and storage of salsa, since many raw-served varieties can act as a growth medium for potentially dangerous bacteria, especially when unrefrigerated.
- Although first mass-produced in Los Angeles in the late 1940s, tortilla chips are considered to be a Mexican food.
Food for Future Posts:
A few ideas for blog posts to be featured in the near future.
1. Flowers and Films: The Degradation of Crown Heights
2. Analyzing Lubavitchers' Attitudes on Ba'alie Teshuvah
3. and of course many more Riddles and Photos!
°I rarely see these peppers and don't know what they are called. They're longer green chili peppers preserved in oil. Yumms
Technorati Tags: Nachops, Food, Cooking, Facts, Wikipedia, Blogging
Monday, November 02, 2009
Dr. David Luchins and a Little Blog by Mottel
Now that it's official that Dr. David Luchins will be speaking at the Kinus I thought it might be interesting to pull up a series of comments left by Luchins on this very blog concerning the subject of the Rebbe and WIC some time back . . .
A little background: JEM had recently shown Dr Luchin's speaking about Shirley Chisholm's experience with the Rebbe.
There were those at the time who cast doubt upon the legitimacy of the story. Interested in the back and forth of subject, I collected links to various sides of the argument and added my own two cents - publishing it all as WIC and the Lubavitcher Rebbe.
Boy was I surprised the next day when I found a comment from Dr. Luchins in my inbox, further explaining what had happened . . .
Technorati Tags: Luchins, Kinus, Chabad, The Rebbe, Blogging, Links
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