Sunday, March 31, 2019

Sunday Night Suds - HaDubim Phoenix IPA


This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at HaDubim brewery's Phoenix IPA. (No, I could not tell that the name of the beer was Phoenix, it was only when I looked the beer up on BA that I saw that they had reviewed the HaDubim Phoenix IPA and realized that this spelled Phoenix in Hebrew).

This is another of the IPAs that I picked up on our recent trip to Israel. The beer is made with three kinds of hops - Simcoe, Chinook and Magnum, the last of which is not a hop variety that I am familiar with from American brews. They call this beer a "strong beer", ostensibly because it is 6.3% abv, which is not super high for an IPA, but maybe is by Israeli standards.

The beer poured a rich dark copper and had great lacing and perfect carbonation. I enjoyed it with Mrs KB's garlicy olive chicken (with perfect crispy skin!) and the flavor combination was phenomenal. There was something about the spicy hops and pine notes which melded very well with the garlic, olive and pepper notes in the chicken and if I had more of this I would repeat with other garlicy dishes (like takeout chinese).

The Hadubim Phoenix IPA is certified kosher by the Rabbanut of Kiryat Gat and there is a kosher certification mark on the label.

To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about the brew, please follow this link https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34339/286867.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

If you've tried this beer or any others which have been reviewed on the kosher beers site, please feel free to post your comments (anonymous comments are acceptable).

Lastly, if you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Shemini

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

In Vayikra 11:3-8, the Torh discusses the laws of the kosher land animals and the requirement to have both split hooves and chew their cud. The Torah then identifies four animals which only have one of the two requirements. [The gemara discusses how if you find an animal and see that it has one of the requirements and know that it is not one of these four, then you can be certain that it is kosher].

The Klei Yakar notes that each of these non-kosher animals which has one kosher sign is identified specifically by the kosher sign first and then the Torah states that it is not kosher because of the only one sign. He asks - why did the Torah need to identify these animals in this way - it would have been more logical to identify them by the non-kosher symbol and say that this is the reason that it is not kosher.

The Klei Yakar answers that the reason they are identified this way is to teach a lesson about being hypocritical - of acting two different ways, or even acting one way on the outside and another on the inside. In this way a person is even worse than a Rasha, as the Rasha does not give the outward impression that he is good person, or that he is doing the right thing.

R' Frand stated that this is perhaps the reason why eating one of these non-kosher animals like a pig has a negative impact on a person in that the consumer becomes hypocritical like the item that he is consuming.

R' Frand also quoted R' Elya Boruch Finkel who identifies this with a person who publicly acts in two different ways and he theorizes that this might be why it is better to deal with a Rasha. A Rasha can be brought back to teshuva because he is what he is and does not attempt to rationalize his actions. He further equated this with the story of Eliyahu on Mount Carmel and his interactions with the prophets of Ba'al. As part of their discussion, Eliyahu says - if you are going to follow Ba'al just worship it. But why would he be urging them to worship Avodah Zarah? Because it would be easier to bring them back if they acted uniformly negatively, rather than positive in some ways and negative in others.

R' Frand also connected this to Rivka and her menuchas hanefesh from finding out that she was having twins. Rashi quotes the Medrash that Rivka went to ask at Yeshivat Shem V'Ever as to why the child seemed to kick both when she walked by a Beis Medrash and a place of Avodah Zarah. When she was advised that she was having two children (including one who was a Rasha) she felt better. But why would she feel better if she knew that she had a Rasha in her womb? Because now she knew that this not one baby with two conflicting manners and there was always a possibility that the Rasha could be brought back to teshuva.

R' Frand closed the vort by observing that people often have this problem of being hypocritical and rationalizing their conflicting ways. He called it cognitive dissonance, where a person is bothered that he is acting two different ways. He gave an example of smoking - people knew that it was unhealthy, but rationalized that it was not so bad because the person was not smoking so much, or because he is an active person and takes care of himself some other way, or even that if he quit smoking he would gain weight and that was more unhealthy. R' Frand even quoted some people from years ago who theorized that the studies on the damage of smoking were not applicable to Sabbath observers since the study group smoked 7 days a week and the frum people had a 25 hour window when they did not smoke. 

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Sunday, March 17, 2019

Sunday Night Suds - Herzl Dolce De Asal and Purim Beer Guide


This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Herzl Brewery's Dolce De Asal.

Besides shopping in Beer Bazaar, I also made one other incursion to a wine and beer store on Agrippas Street right outside of the Shuk Machane Yehuda. This store had mix your own four or six packs (for beer) with prices running from 49-59 NIS for the four packs, depending on which shelf you mixed from. One of the more interesting beers that I added to the pack was this Herzl Dolce De Azal, which had limited English content on the bottle and some rather dense Hebrew, but from what I could understand it was a Strong Ale with Honey, so how could I go wrong?

Once I got back to the US, I put this on the shelf and forgot about it until we had company coming for Shabbos who were makpid on Yoshon, so I grabbed this and put it in the fridge before Shabbos, thinking that since the beer was certified kosher by the Rabbanut of Jerusalem it would be Yoshon (my friends later explained to me that everything is Israel is Yoshon).

Wanting to understand a little more about this beer, I went on the Herzl website (www.herzlbeer.com), which states

Infused with Israeli honey, coriander seeds and oatmeal, *Dolce* is a strong beer who makes its presence felt while owning a gentle bitter taste. This one’s for you if you’re not into bitter beer, or if you’re looking for a beer that’s strong and intriguing!

Strong as a bull yet silky smooth, loaded with honey and seasoned with a mixture of spices. No bees were harmed during the production of this beer, and neither were rabbits when you think about it...

In Israeli Slang we sometimes reply to “how are you?” by using the Arabic words for honey and onion and saying “Yom Asal, Yom Bassal.” Basically, “Some days are honey days, some are onion days”. *Dolce* is made for all types of days.

The beer poured a rich dark golden color and was more carbonated than I would have expected for an English Strong Ale. The honey was present as was the coriander, but both were somewhat subtle and melded well with the slightly stronger alcohol taste. We had this in between courses at Shabbos lunch and since I poured for 4, I did not get to pair this with food, but I feel that it would work with turkey, duck or dark meat chicken.

The Dolce De Azal is under the kosher certification of the Jerusalem Rabbinate and their certification is on the label.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

If you've tried this beer or any others which have been reviewed on the kosher beers site, please feel free to post your comments (anonymous comments are acceptable).

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!
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KOSHER BEERS PURIM BEER GUIDE

Please note that there is no mitzvah to get stone drunk on Purim. The mitzvah is "ad d'lo yadah" which can even be accomplished through sleep (since while one is sleeping they do not know the difference between Haman and Mordechai). Furthermore, if you have been drinking on Purim (or any other day) please do not get behind the wheel of a car. Purim is a day of simcha and should never be marred by the tragedy of DWI

For those who do utilize alcohol responsibly as part of their seudah, the following is a brief guide to beer.

Does beer require a hashgacha? The major kashruth organizations utilize the chazakah that unflavored beer does not require a hashgacha as unflavored beers are made only from four ingredients: malted barley, hops, water and yeast. Please note that the Star-K has limited this application to beers from the USA, Canada, Belgium, England, Germany, Mexico and the Netherlands. The CRC continues to apply the chazakah without geographic limitation, but has also indicated that beer known to be produced at microbreweries, pub breweries, or craft breweries requires certification. The CRC publishes a kosher alcohol list which includes beers not kosher certified but deemed acceptable to the CRC based upon chazakah which can be found here - http://www.crcweb.org/LiquorList.pdf

For a great article by Rabbi Tzvi Rosen of the Star-K on kashruth in alcohol, including an in depth analysis of beer production, click here - http://www.star-k.com/kashrus/kk-thirst-highspirits.htm. Rabbi Akiva Niehaus of the CRC has also published an article which reviewed the history of beer making along with a view on modern kashruth issues related to beer production. The article can be found here - http://www.crcweb.org/kosher_articles/Beer.php


Thursday, March 14, 2019

Thursday' Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Vayikra

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Frand on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

R' Frand began this week's vort by quoting a Medrash which states that we learn from the way that Hashem called to Moshe, that any Talmid Chacham who does not have "deyos", a piece of Nevelah is greater than him. The Medrash explains that Moshe who was the father of wisdom, was responsible for Krias Yam Suf, receiving the Luchos, built the Mishkan, still did not enter "Lifna V'Lifnim" until Hashem called him as it is written Vayikra with a small Aleph. R' Frand also quoted a related gemara which states that had Moshe entered without permission, the Neveilah would have been greater than him as well.

With the understanding that "deyos" should be learned as good middos, why did the Medrash not use the term middos in discussing this? Furthermore, it should be noted that Rambam places his discussion of proper middos in Hilchos Deyos. So what is the connection?

R' Frand answer by making reference to the Rabbeinu Nissim Gaon who explains that every person (Jew and Non-Jew alike) are obligated in any mitzva which is logical. This is why a Non-Jew is similarly obligated in honoring his parents.

R' Frand also quoted Rashi on Bereishis 1:26 which states that Man was created in Hashem's image because there is an obligation to learn and understand His ways. If a person does not attempt to understand Hashem's ways and emulate them, he is no greater than a piece of dead animal.

R' Frand also said a second vort on Vayikra 5:7, which states that if a person sins and cannot afford livestock, he brings two birds - one as a Chatas and one as an Olah.

R' Frand quoted the Ibn Ezra who asks - why does the man bring an Olah merely because he cannot bring livestock? The Ibn Ezra's second answer (R' Frand said the first was technical) is that perhaps the man had qualms with Hashem that he could not bring livestock, so the Olah atones for this.

R' Frand next quoted R' Elya Boruch Finkel who asked - why does this person have qualms now? He lives next door to someone who has a nicer car, or a nicer house. So why does he have ta'anos over having to bring birds?

R' Finkel explained that the person has come to peace with his financial lot and he is ok with his neighbor driving a Lexus while he drives a Ford. But when the neighbor can bring a nicer animal or has a nicer esrog, he may have claims.

R' Frand closed the vort by quoting a story involving R' Shmuel Birnbaum - Rosh Yeshiva of the Mirrer Yeshiva in Brooklyn. When R' Birnbaum fled Europe through Shanghai he brought with him his most prized worldly possession - his shtender. And when he learned in the Beis Medrash for afternoon seder he always stayed until the end - 7:30. If someone wanted him to be Mesader Kiddushin at a wedding, he had to know that R' Birnbaum would not leave the yeshiva before 7:30.

One day a young man came to see him and asked whether he should buy an expensive car. The man's wife had been bothering him to get it, but he was worried that people would be jealous. R' Birnbaum asked him - do you know Seder Nezikin and Seder Nashhim? The young man responded - no. Do you know any mesechta cold? Again - no. Do you know any daf gemara cold? Again - no. R' Birnbaum said to him - don't worry, no one will be jealous of you for buying the car.

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Sunday Night Suds - Saranac Polar Haze IPA


This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Saranac Polar Haze IPA.

I found this beer when I stopped in Oliver's Brew Crew in Albany, New York. I can always count on them having limited release beers which we cannot get down here (there are a few more which I intend to review over the next few months). The Polar Haze IPA caught my eye, and although they were sold in twelve packs of cans, they agreed to sell me a six pack without upcharge.

The Polar Haze IPA is a little more golden than I expected (why I included the picture above) but the fruit in it is incredible. Citrus? yes, but more than that even a little bit of pineapple. No, this beer is not flavored, the taste comes entirely from the Citra, Centennial, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops. The beer is 6.0% abv, but there is no heavy alcohol flavor and the pine and tropical fruit make it a beer that non-traditional beer drinkers would enjoy.

Saranac Polar Haze IPA is under the Kosher Supervision of the Va'ad of Detroit as is every other beer produced at the Matt Brewery plant in Utica, NY. Keep in mind, Saranac has begun to brew many different varieties off site, so check the cans/bottles for kosher certification from the Va'ad of Detroit.

To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about the brew, please follow this link https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/99/393708.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

If you've tried this beer or any others which have been reviewed on the kosher beers site, please feel free to post your comments (anonymous comments are acceptable).

Lastly, if you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Melave Malka Treat - R' Mansour on Pikudei

In full disclosure, R' Mansour did not say this vort this week, it actually was his shiur on Parshas Vayakhel/Shekalim which I listened to last Friday morning while I was driving to Court. The shiur struck a chord with me and I very much wanted to blog it this week as it has a strong connection with Pikudei. Same rules as usual apply, although I have not attempted to summarize the entire shiur,  I have tried to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Mansour.

In Shemos 38:26, the Torah writes that the collected half shekel was a "bekah." Rashi explains that a bekah is a weight and this weight is half a shekel.

R' Mansour asked why the Torah had to use a new term for the collected piece, rather than "shekel" or "machtsis hashekel?" R' Mansour noted that the root of bekah appears three other times in the Torah. In Bereishis 22:3, it states that Avraham split the wood at the Akediah, using the term "Vayibakah Atzei HaOlah" - this teaches that the term bekah means half - as Avraham split the wood in half.

R' Mansour noted that the root bekah appears in the following Parsha (Chaye Sarah) as the Torah states in Bereishis 22:22, that Eliezer gave Rivka a nosering which was "bekah" mishkalo - half of the weight.

R' Mansour quoted one other time that the root bekah appears, as it states in Shemos 14:22 by the Krias Yam Suf --"Vayibaku HaMayim" - the waters split.

After digressing to discuss the concept of Mesiras Nefesh, R' Mansour noted that the gematria of Shekel is 430, which is the same gematria as Nefesh. If a person gives a shekel to Hashem, he will be allowed to live as Mesiras Shekel and Mesiras Nefesh are somehow linked.

R' Mansour then circled back to the Akeidah - when Avraham split the wood in half he had no self doubt and was willing to give up his son. This was the original bekah - a split which was imbued with Mesiras Nefesh. R' Mansour quoted a gemara (I looked and found this in Medrash Rabbah) which states that in the zechus of the splitting of the wood, the Jews were worthy of having the Yam Suf split for them.

How did that water come to split? Nachshon and some of the Jews entered the water and walked until it was up to their necks and only then Hashem split the water. This was the Mesiras Nefesh which Avraham had implanted in their DNA, which allowed them to take this brave act. And once they did, the water split.

This then brings us back to the story of Eliezer and Rivka. When Eliezer gets to the well and see Rivka and her chesed, he gives her the nose ring as well as two bangles which weighed ten gold pieces. Why does the Torah take the time to describe these in detail? Rashi explains that the two bangles were a hint to Rivka that there would be two tablets and the ten weight was a hint to the Aseres Hadibros - the ten commandments. This jewelry was specially made by Avraham, to be used for this purpose.

R' Mansour opined that Rivka was aware of the hint, because she refused to remove these items when she showed them to her brother. Although in gemara in Shabbos talks about certain jewelry which cannot be taken out in a non-eruv community on Shabbos because she might come to take them off, here Rivka would not. It states in Bereishis 24:30 that Lavan saw the jewelry on his sister - she knew the importance and would not relinquish it.

R' Mansour also noted that bekah are the same letters as Ya'akov if you add a yud - which is the ten weight of the bangles. She was being told, if you marry Yitzchak, you will be the mother to Ya'akov the third of the Avos. Furthermore, there are 172 words in the Aseres Hadibros and the gematria of bekah is 172-- another symbol and hint to Rivka which she recognized and agreed to marry Yitzchak.

But the crown is the Rashi on the word bekah when Eliezer gave the nose ring to her. Rashi says that this was a hint to the shekalim the Jews gave which were bekah. But why is this the mitzvah that Avraham wanted Eliezer to hint to her?

R' Mansour answered that this was the first marriage we are actually aware of in the Torah. We don't know how Avraham and Sarah courted, but this we are aware of. The gemara states that marriage is as difficult as splitting the Yam Suf. Why? Because it is difficult to put together two people who are used to living along and to give up to each other. Without mesirus nefesh of a couple, the marriage wont work. When a person is single there is no reason to give, or to care about someone else's needs.

R' Mansour noted that people translate the word ahavah as love. But in the language of the gemara, "hav" means give. Marriage is about giving and sacrifices, even those you were not willing to do previously. This also explains why a divorce in the gemara is compared to a mizbeyach (altar) which is crying. Why does it cry? Because it knows sacrifice and it recognizes that the people were not willing to give up and sacrifice.

This is what it means that a marriage is as difficult as Krias Yam Suf - the sea did not split by itself, they had to have mesiras nefesh and walk in first. A person entering (or even being in a marriage) has to give up of himself to make it succeed. R' Mansour opined that this is why Avraham tells Eliezer that he must mention the Torah - the ten commandments, as well as bekah - there must be sacrifice and the man that she is marrying is the product of his father's sacrifice. And remember you are marrying into a nation which every year gives the bekah - a symbol of the sacrifice needed to succeed in a marriage.

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Thursday, March 7, 2019

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Pikudei

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts said over by R' Ya'akov Frand (son of R' Yissochor Frand) on the parsha this evening. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to this R' Frand.

In Shemos 39:43, the Torah states that Moshe saw the entire work that was done in building the Mishkan and Moshe blessed the Jewish people. Rashi explains that the blessing was a Yehi Ratzon that the Shechina should dwell in your handiwork.

R' Frand quoted the Sefer Chassidim who asked - what kind of beracha is this? In Terumah, Hashem made a promise - V'asu Li Mikdash V'Shacanti B'Socham - if you make for me a Mikdash, I will dwell in it. So Hashem had already said that He would dwell here and there was no question that it was built properly as the Torah states that Moshe observed that it was built correctly. So what was the blessing?

R' Frand also quoted the Ksav Sofer who observes that the Yehi Ratzon usually has a subject we are addressing - it does not say Hashem or before Hashem?

R' Frand answered that the purpose of the Mishkan was not to be a place for Hashem to live. The purpose was so that Hashem will dwell with and among the person - B'socha Lo Ne'emar, Ela Besochum. The point of the Mishkan was to have an encounter with Hashem and then take Him with us in every aspect of our lives. Thus the Yehi Ratzon was addressing Hashem, since Hashem promised that he would come to the Mishkan if we built it. Instead, Moshe was telling the Jews - it should be your will that you do your part and then take Him with you - don't leave Hashem alone in the Mishkan, take Him with you.

R' Frand then linked this to the second pasuk of the parsha which states that Betzalel did everything that Hashem commanded Moshe. Rashi notes that the pasuk does not say that Betzalel listened to Moshe - it says that he built was Hashem commanded Moshe. Rashi also quotes the Gemara in Berachos where Moshe told Betzalel to make certain things. Betzalel answered - this is not the way of the world - first you build then house and then you furnish it. Moshe was thrilled with Betzalel and said - maybe you were there with Hashem when he said this, since what you are saying rings so true.

R' Frand quoted R' Simcha Zissel Brody who asked - Betzalel knew the secrets and the master code for creation and was able to distill them into the creation of the vessels of the Mishkan. He was unique and the Ramban said that from the creation of the world he was designated for this job. But that did not impress Moshe. Moshe did not say - you are great because you know the secrets. He was impressed because Betzalel knew the way of the world - first you build the house and then you furnish it. Why was he more impressed with decorating tips than creation of the world?

Additionally, what was it that Betzalel understood which Moshe did not? It was the way of the world! Moshe found him unique in that even though he knew creation, he also knew how to merge that with the mundane ways of the world. He was able to link those secrets to simple construction and had the sensitivity to integrate it into the ways of the world.

This was the purpose of the Mishkan and why Betzalel was suited for the task. The Mishkan was not meant to be a place purely spiritual where only Hashem could live. He wanted a place where we can integrate it into our lives - carpools and traffic and mistakes that we or our children make. This was the wisdom of Betzalel - putting it all together - because he infused the Mishkan with its mission - to take Hashem and integrate it into our lives (Carpools have Kedusha! Redecorating tips are chachma!). This was the beracha of Moshe - you should have the ability to integrate the connection with Hashem into your daily lives.

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Sunday, March 3, 2019

Sunday Night Suds - Bazelet IPA


This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Bazelet IPA.

Unlike most of the beers which I tried during my recent trip to Israel, I had sampled Bazelet previously (see review of Bazelet Wheat and Bazelet Ale here - https://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2017/02/sunday-night-suds-bazelet-wheat-and.html) and even had been in the generally vicinity of the brewery. So when I had the option to add a Bazelet IPA to my sixer at Beer Bazaar, I jumped at the opportunity.

The Bazelet IPA poured a darker orange than I expected, but there was no mistaking the floral hops and citrus which hit with every sip. The beer was also a little high on the alcohol scale (7% abv) but the alcohol flavor was not overwhelming. Instead, it was crisp hop forward beer with grapefruit and some pine. 

The Bazelet IPA is certified kosher by R' Levi Yosef Shimon of Katzrin-Ramat Golan and there is a certification on the back of the bottle.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

If you've tried this beer or any others which have been reviewed on the kosher beers site, please feel free to post your comments (anonymous comments are acceptable).

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!