Sunday Night Suds - Samuel Adams Reunion IPA

 

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Samuel Adams Reunion IPA.

The Reunion IPA is included in Samuel Adams Beers for Cheers mix pack which includes two bottles of each of the six styles. In addition to the Reunion IPA, the mix pack includes Boston Lager (reviewed here in 2013 - https://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2013/04/sunday-night-suds-samuel-adams-boston.html); Holiday Porter (reviewed here in 2008 - https://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2008/12/sunday-night-suds-holiday-porter.html); Holiday White Ale; Old Fezziwig (reviewed here  in 2008 - https://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2008/12/sunday-night-suds-samuel-adams-old.html) and Winter Lager (reviewed here in 2012 - https://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2012/01/sunday-night-suds-samuel-adams-winter.html ).

This beer is one of the more interesting IPAs that I have tried recently. The beer poured a pale orange with good carbonation and foam which lasts far beyond the pour. The first sip is citrus and pine and while the citrus lessens during successive sips, the pine bite stays with you. There is bit of alcohol flavor, more than you would expect with beer that is 6% abv, but its not heavy enough to taste like medicine.

This is a good cholent beer, so if you can find a case of the Beers for Cheers still in stores, I would recommend saving these for Shabbos lunch.

The Reunion IPA is under the Kosher Supervision of the Star-K and has a Star-K certification mark on the label. To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about this brew, please follow this link - https://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/574824.

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's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Mishpatim

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 by noting that in two consecutive pesukim in Parshas Mishpatim (Shemos 21:12-13) we learn that a person who kills intentionally is killed, while one who kills accidentally is exiled. R' Frand then cited to Parshas Ma'asei (Bamidbar 35:9-29) which discusses in detail the Ir Miklat and that the forty-eight cities where the Levi'im lived were capable of being used as Arei Miklat to house those who were required to be exiled.

But what is the reason that these killers are sent to live with the Levi'im?

R' Frand first answered by quoting the Sefer HaChinuch on Parshas Ma'asei which writes that the Levi'im were good people who would not shun the people who were exiled there. Even if the killer had accidentally killed a friend or relative of the Levi'im he would still be accepted by them, because Shevet Levi lived this kind of life and would not have any enmity towards him.

R' Frand then quoted R' Bukspan who expounded on this in his new sefer (R' Frand cited the source quoted by R' Bukspan but I did not catch it). He stated that the Levi'im were special because they lived selflessly. Their role in the Beis HaMikdash was to attend to the Kohanim and to perform supporting tasks such as unlocking the gates and playing the instruments which accompanied the singing.  A person who kills accidentally does so because he is more focused on himself than those around him. Therefore, the killer is sent to live among people who live selflessly and put others first, so that they can have an impact on him.

[BTW - R' Bukspan recently published a new sefer  - available here - www.feldheim.com/classics-and-beyond-2].

R' Frand then noted that Thursday was the 25th of Shevat which is the Yahrtzeit of R' Yisrael Salanter, someone who lived a life of mussar, which trains people to put the needs of others ahead of their own.

R' Frand said as an aside that the 25th of Shevat always falls the week of Parshas Mishpatim because this parsha is the parsha of Bein Adam L'Chavero.

R' Frand said that in 1983 R' Ruderman in Ner Israel (which is named for R' Yisrael Salanter) said a shmuz on the Yahrtzeit and R' Frand wanted to tell over some of the stories from the shmuz. 

The first story related to R' Yisrael when he was on his deathbed. He was staying in someone else's home and a student who would attend to him. Realizing that he was near death, R' Yisrael said to the boy - you should not fear dead bodies and attempted to comfort him. This was quite amazing given that he was close to death - yet its indicative of a person who lives selflessly and is more concerned about the needs of others.

R' Frand also told a story about R' Chaim Ozer - a man was discussing a gemara with R' Chaim and told him that Rashi said x and Tosafos said Y. R' Chaim told the man that he thought he did not properly recite Tosafos' position, but the man was adamant that he was correct. At that point someone said - lets just get a gemara and see what Tosafos says. R' Chaim told him not to get the gemara, and the argumentative man said - see, its because he knows I am right. Yet when the volunteer later looked up the gemara he saw that R' Chaim was accurate and that the only reason he did not want the gemara to be brought was to not embarrass the man.

The final story involved the Tzchebiner Rav who had been at a wedding which was delayed because the Mesader Kiddushin was late in arriving from another city. The Tzchebiner said to the father of the Chassan - I am really enjoying the wedding, there are so many learned people and I don't often get the chance to sit and talk Torah with them

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 Night Suds - Jailbreak Brewing Feed the Monkey Hefeweizen

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Jailbreak Brewing Feed the Monkey Hefeweizen.

I first tried this beer in the Jailbreak Brewing taproom in Laurel, Maryland during a visit in 2015, but have not been able to get a can of this until recently. (To see the post for my thoughts on my visit back in 2015 - https://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2015/01/sunday-night-suds-jailbreak-brewing-big.html).

The Feed the Monkey is not a typical American beer as the phenols evoke memories of true Hefeweizens. The clove/banana mixture hits you before the glass makes it to your face and stays with you to the very last sip. The flavors are not artificial and are derived wholly from the yeast and are complex. Like most Hefeweizens, this beer is not heavy and the alcohol content is low as well (5.6% abv). 

If you have never tried a Hefeweizen I would recommend having this on its own in order to truly appreciate the flavors. But if you are looking to pair this, I would recommend pizza!

Jailbreak Brewing Feed the Monkey Hefeweizen is certified kosher by the Star-K and there is a Star-K on the can. For the experts take on this beer, please click here beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/34426/124627/.

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!

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Yisro

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 by quoting the two pesukim at the beginning of the parsha which mention the names of Moshe's sons, in which the Torah states in Shemos 18:3 אֲשֶׁ֨ר שֵׁ֤ם הָֽאֶחָד֙ גֵּֽרְשֹׁ֔ם and in 18:4 וְשֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד אֱלִיעֶ֑זֶר. The obvious question is - if the first son was introduced by saying, the first one was named --, the second son should have been introduced as the second was named --. So why are they both listed as שֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד ?

R' Frand answered by quoting a Medrash Tanchuma in Chukas which states that when Moshe went up to Shamayim he saw Hashem learning the laws of Parah Adumah and saying, my son Eliezer teaches... Moshe then asked Hashem - you are Hashem, why are you quoting a mortal? Hashem answered that R' Eliezer is a tzaddik and will teach these laws. Moshe then asked Hashem - may it be Your will that R' Eliezer come from me and Hashem responded that it would be. This is why the Torah states וְשֵׁ֥ם הָֽאֶחָ֖ד אֱלִיעֶ֑זֶר - there will be an Eliezer in the future who will teach the laws of Parah Adumah and he will come from Moshe.

R' Frand closed the vort by quoting the Sefer Yechi Reuvein who observes that there was no person on Earth with more zechusim than Moshe. R' Frand said as an aside - everyone learns gemara with Rashi and similarly Chumash. But Moshe is responsible for all the learning that is being done! So why did Moshe want the zechus to have R' Eliezer come from him? Because Moshe was never satisfied with his zechusim and always wanted more. The meforshim ask - why did Moshe want to travel to the land of Israel? Did he want to eat its fruits? The classic answer is that Moshe wanted to the mitzvos that can only be done in the land of Israel. Why? Because he always wanted more zechusim.

R' Frand said a second vort based on the end of the parsha where the Torah states in Shemos 20:20-23 that a Jew should not make images of anything that is with Hashem, should not use metal to fashion the mizbayach and should not go up steps to reach the mizbayach.

R' Frand observed that these mitzvos belong in Sefer Vayikra as they do not seem to be connected to the Aseres HaDibros. 

To explain this, R' Frand began by quoting the famous Medrash that before Hashem gave the Torah to the Jews He went to the other nations and offered it to them. He went to Esav and they asked - what is in this and He answered, don't kill. They said no.

Hashem then went to Ammon & Moav and they asked what is in it and He responded - don't commit adultery and they said no. Finally he went to Yishmael and when they asked what is in it and He responded - don't steal, they also said no.

R' Frand then quoted R' Bukspan who quoted R' Elya Boruch Finkel who tied these points together.

[BTW - R' Bukspan recently published a new sefer  - available here - www.feldheim.com/classics-and-beyond-2].

R' Bukspan noted that the three laws that the nations used as reasons to not accept the Torah are all part of the 7 Noahide Laws, so why was this an issue for them? He answered by quoting the Targum Yonasan which explained that it was not the specific laws of not killing, committing adultery or stealing. Each of these laws is expanded upon - not only don't kill, but don't become close to a murderer as this will have a negative impact on your family. And don't embarrass someone as its like killing them. The bar on adultery is not only the adulterous acts, its engaging it behavior which could lead to it such acts. Similarly, don't steal is not merely about not kidnapping, its being careful with other people's money.

R' Frand called the Aseres HaDibros - the Transformative Power of the Torah - that the laws can change a person or a culture. The nations were already keeping the letter of the 7 Noahide laws, but not the spirit and they were certainly not interested in transforming their culture.

R' Frand closed the vort by stating that R' Bukspan cited to a R' Chaim Zelvinsky who links this back to the three mitzvos at the end of the parsha - don't make images of things which are with Hashem because of the potential for Avodah Zarah. Don't use a sword in making a Mizbayach because it is emblematic of killing. And don't build steps to go up on the Mizbayach - אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹֽא־תִגָּלֶ֥ה עֶרְוָֽתְךָ֖ עָלָֽיו.

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's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Beshalach

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 by quoting a Medrash Tanchuma which states that anyone who has food today and asks what will I have tomorrow (he lives day to day - hand to mouth) is a person with little emunah. The simple explanation of this Medrash is that the person has little emunah because he is not relying on Hashem to provide for him. Just as Hashem provides today, he will provide tomorrow. But R' Frand gave a deeper explanation that the person is showing that he does not rely on Hashem right now. A person should not assume that things cannot change during the day and must realize that even though he has right now, he is relying on  Hashem that the situation will continue through the day.

R' Frand then said a second vort from the Medrash Tanchuma in connection with Krias Yam Suf. The Medrash Tanchuma writes that Hashem repaid Yosef for his resisting the wife of Potiphar. The Torah states in Bereishis 39:12 וַיַּֽעֲזֹ֤ב בִּגְדוֹ֙ בְּיָדָ֔הּ וַיָּ֖נָס וַיֵּצֵ֥א הַחֽוּצָה - when she grabbed him and attempted to seduce him he ran away and left his garment with her. As a reward for his doing so, when the Yam Suf saw the coffin of Yosef it split as it states in Tehillim 114:3 - הַיָּ֣ם רָאָה וַיָּנֹ֑ס. The Medrash use the terms "nas mipnei hanas" - it fled because of the one that fled. And what did it see that caused it to flee? It saw that Yosef kept the Aseres HaDibros in Egypt.

The Medrash Tanchuma also quotes Shimon Ish Kitron who writes that the nations of the world later saw the coffin of Yosef preceding the Aron holding the Aseres HaDibros and asked - why would the coffin come first? The Jews responded, since Yosef lived a life of the Aseres Hadibros, so his coffin is honored with preceding the Aron in the desert.

R' Frand next quoted the Maharal who writes in Gevuros Hashem that the Yam Suf saw Yosef and split, because just as Yosef went against his nature, so too the Yam Suf did as well. Yosef was a 17 year old man who was alone by himself in Egypt with no family and was with a woman who tried to seduce him. Since he went against his nature and resisted her, so too the Yam Suf went against nature and split.

The Maharal also quoted R' Banai who writes that the Yam Suf split in the zechus of Avraham. Avraham went against his nature and bound his son and was willing to sacrifice him. The Torah writes in Bereishis 22:3 - וַיְבַקַּע֙ עֲצֵ֣י עֹלָ֔ה - Avraham split the wood for the sacrifice. In the zechus of this action, the Torah states in Shemos 14:21 - the waters split וַיִּבָּֽקְע֖וּ הַמָּֽיִם. Just as Avraham who was willing to sacrifice his son went against his nature, so too the splitting of the waters was against nature too.

This is Judaism at its essence, we look past our desires and do what Hashem asks us to do. We overcome our proclivities and dont eat whatever we see or follow our lusts. We do what Hashem asks us to do.

R' Frand then said that he went to be menachem aveil by R' Shmuel Kaminetsky this afternoon wherein R' Shmuel confirmed the following story. There was a Jew who was having a Shalom Bayis issue and he went to ask his Rav what to do. The Rav said, you need to ask a Gadol - go ask R' Shmuel. The man called and made an appointment for 5 PM this past Sunday. When he showed up on Sunday, R' Shmuel said to him - I need to visit someone in the hospital, can you drive me and we will speak? The man agreed. When they got to the hospital he asked the man - can you wait and we will continue the conversation after? The man agreed. An hour later, R Shmuel came out of the hospital and they continued their conversation.

The back story is that R' Shmuel was not just visiting someone, he was visiting his dying wife. Rather than push off the man, he asked to go with him to the hospital. And when he got there to say good bye to his wife, he asked the man to wait and then after saying good bye to his wife, got back in the car to complete the conversation. Anyone else would have said - this is not a good time, could we reschedule? But R' Shmuel wanted to help the man and he overcame his nature to try to help him.

After R' Frand confirmed the story with R' Shmuel, he told R' Shmuel that it reminded him of a story with R' Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, whose wife also pre-deceased him. R' Shlomo Zalman was in the hospital with his wife when she passed and when he was leaving, he bumped into one of his talmidim who said "Rebbi, Mazal Tov! I just had a baby boy." R' Shlomo Zalman smiled his patented great smile and wished him a Mazal Tov, despite the fact that he had just lost his wife. Because Hashem wants us to go against our nature and do things for others.

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Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Bo

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 noted that there are three species which are mentioned in connection with Yetzias Mitzrayim - the frogs, the dogs and the donkeys. 

The frogs carried out their mission with no personal fear and even threw themselves into the ovens. R' Frand quoted the gemara in Pesachim which discusses how Chananya, Mishael and Azaraya threw themselves into a fiery furnace rather than bow down to an idol of Nebuchadnezzar. The gemara explains that they drew a kal v'chomer from the frogs. Since the frogs were all over Egypt from the bedrooms to the kitchens and these frogs chose to fall into the ovens rather than the beds, Chananya, Mishael and Azaraya chose to fall into the furnace. These frogs did not even have a mitzva to die Al Kiddush Hashem, but people do have this obligation and so they chose to enter the furnace.

R' Frand also mentioned the Medrash on Tehillim which notes that when the Torah discusses the death of the frogs after Moshe prayed to Hashem there is no mention that the frogs that were in the oven died like all the other frogs...because those frogs who threw themselves into the ovens did not die!

The dogs are also lauded, because they did not bark when the Jews escaped from Egypt. As a result, they are rewarded in that with the animals which are treifahs. And even the dog excrement is given a noble purpose, as an extract is used to prepare the animal hides to be made into tefillin and mezuzos.

But which had a greater mesiras nefesh - the dogs or the frogs?

R' Frand answered by quoting the grandfather of the current Tolner Rebbi, R' Duvidl Tolna. He said that the dog had a greater mesiras nefesh because it kept its mouth shut. Sometimes its easier to throw yourself into a fire, than not to dish on your enemy who you might know some lashon hara about. 

Lastly, R' Frand mentioned the donkey which has the reward of being Kodesh despite being a non-kosher animal without even one kosher sign. The mitzva of Peter Chamor - redeeming the first born donkey is unique, since the donkey itself cannot be eaten or sacrificed, unlikely a traditional bechor. So why is it Kodesh? Because the donkey was noseh b'ol chavero (literally) and if you carry and shlep for someone else there is a reward.

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