Thursday's Torah Tidbits

The following is a brief summary of thoughts said over by R' Frand during his shiur this evening. Regular readers of this blog will note that the Thursday post is usually about the parsha. However, since Rabbi Frand spoke solely about Rosh Hashanah and not about Parshios Netzavim and Vayelech, the summary will not discuss parsha thoughts. Other than that, the same rules as usual apply - 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.

Rabbi Frand noted that the Shulchan Orech (493) writes that people who are not normally makpid on Pas Akum should eat Pas Yisrael during the Aseres Yimei Teshuva. The obvious question is - why is this imposed during the days of awe? Either the bread is acceptable or it isn't, so why do we change for the Aseres Yimei Teshuva.

R' Frand answered in the name of the Tolner Rebbi who notes that many times the halacha states that a "Ba'al Nefesh" should be careful. What is a "Ba'al Nefesh"? Rabbi Frand answered based on a Rashi in Niddah who states that even though something is permitted, a Ba'al Nefesh will abstain. R' Frand offered another answer that a Ba'al Nefesh is someone who is concerned about his soul. 

R' Frand closed the thought by quoting the Rambam who explains that a Ba'al Teshuva is a different person. The previous day, the person was distant from Hashem. But now that the person has come close to Hashem, he is a different person. During the Aseres Yimei Teshuva, the person changes. The change begins on Rosh Hashanah and the person becomes a Ba'al Nefesh because he worries about his soul. Once he becomes a Ba'al Nefesh, he also changes what he eats in order to protect his soul.

The next thought had to do with section of the Shemoneh Esreh on Rosh Hashanah that is called Malchios. The gemara in Rosh Hashanah (32) states that in the name of Rebbi that we learn it from pesukim in Parshas Emor where it says I am Hashem your G-d and immediately thereafter (32:23) the Torah writes, the laws of Rosh Hashanah.

R' Frand observed that within a discussion of the holidays in Parshas Emor are the rules of agricultural charity - Leket, Shichicha and Pe'ah. These laws come immediately before the laws of Rosh Hashanah and  the agricultural laws end with a cognizance of Hashem. But why is this the source for Malchios? It seems like a stretch to make this the root of this section of the Shemoneh Esreh on Rosh Hashanah.

R' Frand gave two proofs as to the importance of these laws. The first was from a gemara which states that anyone who gives the agricultural charity, it is as if the person built the Beis Hamikdash and offered sacrifices there. This is not said by any other form of charity.

The second proof was quoted from Vayikrah Rabbah, where it is written that whomever does not destroy the corner of his fields will be judged favorably on Rosh Hashanah. Again, a powerful reinforcement for the agricultural charity law.

R' Frand then summed up by noting that there is a fundamental difference between agricultural charity and regular tzedakah. When a person gives regular charity, there is a personal satisfaction as the giver decides who he will donate to and sees his money distributed as he sees fit. On the other hand, the agricultural charity belongs to the poor man - it is his to take and the owner is powerless to stop him. This says to the owner of the field - the field is not really yours - it belongs to Hashem and he is in charge. This is what malchios is all about.

R' Frand noted that it is difficult in our times to recognize the power of a King. We don't have kings, we are in control. The avodah on Rosh Hashanah recognizes that Hashem is in charge and we are not in control. This is the link to the agricultural charity - the field is Hashem's and He decides that part of it belongs to the poor man. By accepting this and allotting the poor man his Pe'ah, it is like we have built the Beis Hamikdash and offered sacrifices there.

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Sunday Night Suds - Samuel Adams White Lantern Ale

After a week off to reconnect with family and go on a mini road trip, Kosher Beers returns with the Sunday Night Suds review of Samuel Adams White Lantern Ale.

Sometimes I get an urge for a particular kind of beer. If I am home, I can usually get my fix with one of the beers on the shelf in the den. Or if I am in an area that I am familiar with the local beer stores, I can go down and pick up the brew style of my choice. But last week I found myself in unfamiliar territory. We took the family away for a few days and I had not done an advanced scout on the local beer stores. Well, that may not be exactly accurate as I had hit a beer store on my way out to the hotel, but it was very disappointing and the store did not live up to its reviews on BA.

In any event, I had a craving for an ale and I was in the heart of Sam Adams country in Massachusetts. You would think that it would not be difficult to find an IPA or other ale at 10:30 on a week night, but the pickings were slim and I had to settle for what I could find at a Tedeschi's (the only place open at that hour).

Back at home in WH, I pulled a page from the back of the playbook and put a Samuel Adams White Lightning Ale in the 'fridge. This beer labels itself an ale, but it truly is more of a witbier. Having said that, the folks at SA offer the following explanation for the brew:

White ales have a long history of unique ingredients, as Belgian brewers experimented with spices discovered during the spice trade. For our hazy brew we created a refreshing combination of crisp wheat, the tangy sweetness of tangerine & orange peel, and the subtle spiciness of coriander & Grains of Paradise.

The spices meld with this brew to create a summer beer which rivals and perhaps even exceeds the Samuel Adams Summer Ale. If I could pick up a six pack of this beer I definitely would, but it only comes in a sampler box.

This beer would be a great accompaniment to sweet shabbos chicken dishes!

The Samuel Adams White Lantern 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 - beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/88423. 

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!

Sunday Night Suds - Uinta Sum'r Ale

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Uinta Sum'r Ale.

For a small Utah brewery, Uinta seems to be expanding its distribution at a rapid pace. I picked up the Uinta Sum'r Ale in the Big M, a small town supermarket in Walton, New York. They actually have quite a nice selection of beer in their large walk in cooler and they allow you to a mix a six pack for 9.99 plus tax and deposit. Some of the beers which you can choose from in building your six pack actually retail for more than 9.99 a six pack, so the deal is really quite good. (And as an added bonus, the singles are all in the cooler so after you get them home they ready to serve).

Like many of the Uinta brews, the Sum'r has a strong citrus flavor, almost to the point that you would think that it is flavored, but it is not. The beer is not on the high end of the alcohol content scale as it is only 4.0% abv, but it is not light on flavor. My first sips revealed the aforementioned citrus flavor of the hops, but successive drinks brought more sweetness, almost to the point of a honey tang to the brew.

I would pair this beer with grilled fish or pizza or other light summer fare. I would also recommend this beer on a hot summer evening, just by itself. I do not see this beer standing up to grilled meat, stews or other heavy meat dishes.

Uinta Sum'r Ale is certified kosher by the Orthodox Union and bears an OU on the label. For the experts' take on the Uinta Sum'r Ale please click here www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1416/50219. 

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). 

Finally, 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 Ki Seitzei

The following is a brief summary 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 Devarim 23:4-8, the Torah teaches that males from Amon and Moav are not allowed to convert to Judaism. The Torah explains that this is because they did not greet the Jews with bread and water when the Jews were passing through those lands. However in 23:5, the Torah adds an additional reason - because they hired Bilaam to curse the Jews. The Torah then makes a point of informing that Hashem reversed the curse to a blessing because He loves the Jews.

R' Frand asked the question - why does the Torah need to tell us that Hashem did not heed Bilaam's curse? The point of these pesukim is to teach the reasons that these people cannot convert!

R' Frand answered the question in the name of the Dubno Maggid. He gave a parable wherein a person traveled to a fair to purchase goods which he intended to bring back to his town and sell in order to earn a living. On the way back from the fair, the man stopped at an inn to rest. The next morning, he found that his wagon had been stolen!

The man was despondent and began the trek home. At some point he noticed his wagon in the distance, still laden with the goods he had purchased. He caught up to the thief and asked for the return of his items. The thief responded to him - don't you want to pay me for my trouble in lugging your wagon this far?

This was the argument that Bilaam and the people of Moav could have raised - they could have said, it is because of us that you received this wonderful beracha. We should be praised. By mentioning that Hashem did this because He loves us, we are given the answer to the false claims of Moav. Our beracha had nothing to do with you, Hashem did this because of His affection for the Jewish people.

But Rabbi Frand also gave a deeper explanation which he said in the name of the Tolner Rebbi. He began by quoting a Rashi who writes that the failure to greet the Jews with bread and water makes reference to the idea that Bilaam and the Moav people plotted to entice the Jews by seduction through the daughters of Midyan. But this is difficult to understand as the plain language of the pasuk is bread and water.

R' Frand next quoted the Ramban who observed that Moav actually did provide food, based on a pasuk in Devarim 2:29. So why does the Torah give this as a reason for the bar on conversion?

R' Frand also mentioned another question from the Ramban - if the Jews had the well from Miriam and the Manna, why did they even need the bread and water from Moav?

R' Frand answered these last questions first, quoting the Ramban who explains that during the first 39 years in the desert, the manna and well were enough. However, during year 40 the gedolei yosroel began purchasing delicacies from the outsiders. It was these items which were provided by Moav that is reference in Devarim 2:29.

However, notes the Klei Yakar, the provision of the food and water was part of a plot. The people of Moav knew that the Jews wanted these items and desired them. So they made the Jews wait for the delicacies. As time passed, the Jews wanted the items more and finally the people of Moav said - now you can have them - they are in that tent. Overcome with hunger, the people would enter the tent and were greeted by daughters of Midyan who said - you can have the bread, but at a price. 

The Tolner Rebbi explains that now we can understand Rashi - the bread and water was part of the seduction plot. When a person really wants something and it is finally given to him, he may look past certain issues which would normally not lead him astray.

This point was the reason that Hashem was angry with Moav - they did not merely attack the Jews, they plotted to attempt to destroy the Jews as a people.

R' Frand closed the vort by stating - if Hashem got so angry with the Moav people for plotting this attack, how happy He would be with us if we plotted our own strategy for teshuva in the coming year.

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Tuesday's Thoughts on the Daf - Pesachim 54

Pesachim 54 is is chock full of agaddah on the first amud and returns to the perek's Ein Bein theme on the second. I would like to devote this post to two points raised in the agaddah portion and more specifically, two Rashis that are worth their weight in gold.

On amud alef, the gemara twice mentions items which were created by Hashem on Friday afternoon of creation. The first braisa lists various creations, including the "be'er" which Rashi explains is the well of Miriam. Rashi clarifies that this was also the rock which Moshe caused to bring forth water. This supports a vort which I read (although I can't remember in whose name) that Moshe hit the rock out of frustration because he could not figure out which of the rocks which was in front of him was the be'er of Miriam which he needed to talk to.

Towards the bottom of amud alef, the gemara again mentions items which were  created by Hashem on Friday afternoon of creation. The second braisa mentions many of these same creations and then adds (by way of a yesh omrim) the clothing of Adam HaRishon. Rashi (on amud beis) explains that these clothes had images of wild and domesticated animals on them and that the clothes were given to Nimrod. Rashi further notes that Esav killed Nimrod and took the clothes from him and that these were the "Chamudos" which Esav entrusted with his mother, Rivka. Of course, these were the clothes that she gave to Yitzchak when he impersonated Esav and to which Yaakov remarked that the scent of his son is like the scent of the field, which the mefarshim understand to mean, Gan Eden.

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Sunday Night Suds - Shiner Wild Hare IPA

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale.

On the heels of the Shiner FM 966 Farmhouse Ale (reviewed here kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2013/05/sunday-night-suds-shiner-fm-966.html) comes Shiner's first attempt at a Pale Ale by way of the Wild Hare Pale Ale.

The Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale is not an IPA but rather an American Pale Ale. Because the good folks at Shiner have chosen to go the APA route for their first Pale Ale, I knew that the beer would have less hops then I normally prefer in my brews, but I approached this with an open mind (and a thirsty palate).

The beer poured a dark maize color and had considerable lacing which stuck around much longer than I expected. My first sip was mostly malts with some lingering floral hops, but not the citrus that I normally crave. But by the second and third sips, I had nearly forgotten about the hops as the complex flavors in the malts (mostly sweet and nearing caramel is intensity) were a well earned dessert after a long day of running around in the sun.

This beer would go well with slow cooked poultry dishes. I could definitely see pairing this with Thanksgiving Turkey with all the fixings. 

Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale is under the Kosher Supervision of the Va'ad of Detroit although there is no symbol on the the bottle. To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about Wild Hare Pale Ale, please follow this link beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/143/77723.

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!