Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Ki Tseitzei

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.

The parsha begins with the laws of the Eishes Yifas Toar who is captured in battle. R'  Frand noted that besides the obvious question as to why there is even a need for the rule, it is puzzling how the soldier would have a desire, based on the connection between this week and last week's parsha.

In Parshas Shoftim, the Torah lists in Devarim 20:3-9, the men who are exempt from battle. When the Torah lists those who are faint hearted, the Gemara explains that this makes reference to those who are afraid because they have sinned. As a result of these exemptions, the only ones going out to battle are the tzaddikim who have not sinned. So if this is the type of solider who is in battle, why was there a need for this law?

R' Frand answered by quoting R' Ya'akov Galinski (sp?) who explains that people have a misconception that tzaddikim don't do battle with (and occasionally fall before)their yetzer hara.  A tzaddik will have issues resisting his yetzer hara, however he works at trying to overcome it by setting up gedarim - fences- which prevent him from being in a situation where he might fail. 

R' Frand gave an example of a person who is trying to lose or maintain their weight. If they are invited to a wedding and know that there will be all sorts of tempting foods, the smart move would be to eat a full healthy meal before going to the wedding, so that the person will not feel hungry and desire to partake in the shmorg. 

The problem is that the fences are only effective when a tzaddik is in an environment over which he has control. However, when the tzaddik goes out to battle, he is thrown into an environment of chaos where there are no fences to keep him in line. It is in such an environment that he may encounter an Eishis Yifas Toar and it is is for that reason that the law exists.

R' Frand also spoke about the concept of returning lost objects and made reference to the pasuk in Devarim 22:2 that if the owner of the lost object is not nearby, there is an obligation to bring the object in using the word "V'asafto". R' Frand quoted the Ba'al HaTurim who notes that the word V'asafto appears only twice in the Tanach - here and Melachim II 5:6, in discussing the gathering in of someone with Tzara'as.

R' Frand quoted the sefer Merapeh L'Nefesh which explains that the law of Hashavas Aveidah is not only about objects, but is equally applicable to people. If you see someone who appears to be lost in the wrong path, there is an obligation to help him right himself and return to the derech. 

R Frand quoted the Ohr HaChaim HaKadosh who explains that the use of the word Shor in Devarim 22:1 is allegorical and really refers to a person who is like an animal. You should return him to Achicha - bring him back to Hashem's ways. When the Torah states later in Devarim 22:2  that the lost item is "Lo KaRov" it is a reference to the end of days when many Jews may be off the derech. At this point one must gather the object "El Toch Beisecha" - bring him into the Beis Medrash so that he can learn.

The Merapeh L'Nefesh states the same concept by Tzara'as. A person gets Tzara'as because he is Tzar Ayin - he has a very narrow view on things and people and he does not see the whole picture. It is incumbent on us to gather him and show him the wonders of Torah life.

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Sunday Night Suds - Leinenkugel Grapefruit Shandy

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Leinenkugel's Grapefruit Shandy.

Its no secret that I am not a fan of the Radler/Shandy style of beer. I don't think that the big guy upstairs intended for lemonade and lager to be joined together. But this beer was not your average Shandy, largely because it did not taste like a Shandy.

The Grapefruit Shandy poured a deep cloudy yellow with about two inches of foam. But the foam was about the only resemblance this had to beer. The taste reminded me of store brand/no frills grapefruit juice. The alcohol content was imperceptible and at most it bore a passing resemblance to a wine cooler. If there was lager in this brew, I did not notice it.

Leinenkugel Grapefruit Shandy is certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, and has an OU on the label. To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about this brew, please follow this link beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/710/159431. 

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).

Also, if you are reading this post more than six months after it was written, please note that it is possible that the product is no longer still certified kosher. To verify that the product is still certified kosher, please click on the kosher beers list link on the top left corner of the blog.

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 Shoftim

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 Devarim 17:18, the Torah writes that a King should have two sifrei Torah (as opposed to the average Jew who only needs to write one). The Gemara in Sanhedrin states that one of the Torahs is to be kept in his storehouse and the other is to travel with him.

R' Frand quoted the Sefer Ner Uziel who explains that a Jew generally should be the same on the inside as the outside - tocho k'barro. However, a King is commanded to be different. While he is to be humble at home, he needs to an imposing and fearful presence when he is outside of the home. If is for this reason that he has two sifrei Torah - one to read at home to remind him that he is to be humble and yield to others and one to take with him as a reminder that he must have an awe inspiring presence outside the home.

R' Frand next quoted a pasuk from Vayelech (Devarim 31:7)  where Moshe calls Yehoshua and tells him to be strong and courageous. R' Frand asked - where should the "comma" be in the pasuk? One would think that it would be before the words Chazak V'Ematz. However, the notes on the pasuk place the "comma" earlier in the pasuk as it precedes the words "L'einei Kol Yisrael" and as such the pasuk is read "before the eyes of all of Israel be strong." Why? Because the King or leader needs to be strong before the eyes of the people. 

R' Frand made a parenthetical joke that generally if one acts as a King in public he needs his wife the Queen to remind him to be humble at home.

R' Frand closed the vort by quoting the Chassam Sofer who discussed how when King David knew that he would be dying he asked that his son Shlomo be given his mule to ride on. This was significant as there is a general concept that two kings don't share (make use consecutively of)  the same items. So why the mule and why would a king ride a mule? Even Avraham and the Moshiach used donkeys.

The Chassam Sofer answers that a mule comes from a union of a horse and a donkey. A horse is a royal creature and a donkey is lowly. The resultant offspring has characteristics of both - haughtiness and humility. This is the role of the king.

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!

Labor Day 2016 Kosher Beers List

As a community service, Kosher Beers publishes a list twice a year of the beers which are known to be certified kosher. The list will be updated periodically until the next edition (Purim 2017/5777). For the Labor Day 2016  edition, I will again be using scribd to upload and maintain list. All newly added beers are in bold.

Kosher Beers List Labor Day 2016

Sunday Night Suds - Baderbrau Chicago Pilsner

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Baderbrau's Chicago Pilsner.

This past weekend I had the privilege to be in Chicago for my nephew Asher's Bar Mitzva celebration. Even though we flew, Mrs KB agreed to find a way to pack up some of the Midwest only available beers in our checked bags, so I went to visit the new Binny's on Touhy in Lincolnwood. And boy was I not disappointed!

I have written on more than one occasion that Chicago is one of the best beer towns in America, both for price and selection. I recently had read that the CRC (Chicago Rabbinical Council) had certified Baderbrau as kosher, so I was hoping to find some in this new Binny's. However, I found three different kinds in the mix your six section (along with some other new beers!) and a six pack of the Oktoberfest which I also needed to try.

The Chicago Pilsner poured a golden yellow, almost orange with decent foam which quickly receded. I poured the decently chilled can into a glass Banks Beer mug and watched the foam rise and settle. There was moderate to low carbonation but it did not dissipate that quickly. I found that the malt backbone was more than generous and there was the slightest bit of hops, but I was not really expecting much from a Pilsner.

As discussed above, Baderbrau Chicago Pilsner is certified kosher by the CRC and there is a CRC logo on the label. To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about this brew, please follow this link beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/29318/82618. 

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).

Also, if you are reading this post more than six months after it was written, please note that it is possible that the product is no longer still certified kosher. To verify that the product is still certified kosher, please click on the kosher beers list link on the top left corner of the blog.

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!

Lastly, due to some family and work related obligations, this Labor Day's updated Kosher Beers list will iyh be published on Wednesday September 7, 2016. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Re'eh

Since there are no Rabbi Frand shiurim during the summer, I have been substituting a vort from other Rabbanim each week, rather than leaving the blog without a vort for shabbos. This week, I am attempting to repeat a vort heard from R' Eli Mansour as recorded on www.learntorah.com. Same rules as usual apply - I have attempted to reproduce the 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 the maggid shiur.

R' Mansour noted that in the beginning of the parsha the Torah recites that there will be brachos and klallos depending on the Jews' actions. However the language of the pesukim are not parallel. In Devarim 11:27 the Torah states "Es HaBeracha Asher Tishm'u" - the beracha, that you shall listen... In the following pasuk the Torah states "V'HaKillalah Im Lo Tishm'u" - and the curse, if you do not listen... Clearly, the pesukim are not parallel, but the question is why?

R' Mansour answered by quoting the Rambam in Hilchos Teshuva wherein he asks - how is it that there can be reward promised (quoting all the berachos in last week's parsha - Devarim 7:13-16) if there is a general principle of S'char Mitzva B'Hai Alma Lecka - the reward for the mitzva is not in this world?

The Ramban answered that the reward for mitzvos is in the next world - for the simple reason that there is nothing in this world that is equal to the world. R' Mansour explained the concept by quoting a story from the Chafetz Chaim. He was approached by a man who was living in a community that was suffering from famine. The man said to the Chafetz Chaim and said to him - I want to cash in the reward for my putting on tefillin if this will break the fast. The Chafetz Chaim said to him - this wont work. The man then said, OK I will cash in two days of tefillin. The Chafetz Chaim said to him - you dont understand. He gave a parable of a kid who walked into a candy store and wanted to buy two pieces of penny candy with a $100 bill. The owner of the candy store would not make change because its not worth the effort. The nimshal is that Hashem would look at this and say - the reward for your tefillin is so much greater than breaking the fast.

The Ramban explained that there is a reward for mitzvos, but it is solely the amelioration of problems which prevent a person from doing mitzvos. In a time of stress it is difficult for a person to open a sefer and learn or concentrate on his davening. Thus the reward for mitzva is a mitzva - the opportunity to do a mitzva. He will have the ability to observe the mitzvos and prepare for shabbos and yom tov without concerns or job related distraction.

Thus the reward for the mitzva and the punishment is now. The beracha in this world is that you will have the ability to do the mitzvos - today. But if a person is not interested in keeping the mitzvos - the punishment will also be in the next world. But there will also be a curse that he will be deprived of the ability to do mitzvos.

R' Mansour quoted the Chassam Sofer that a person who therefore gets the reward here will have reward in the next world without a dimunition in his reward, because all he is getting is the opportunity to do other mitzvos. However, the curse will be if you don't do mitzvos - there will be a curse in this world, but the silver lining is that it will take away from punishment in the next world.

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!