Friday, July 25, 2008

The same vein

Funny, I write what I frankly thought was a terrible post, and Menachem over at www.rovingrabbis.com publishes it for all the world to see. Last night I email him what I thought was pure genius, and what happens? Neither hair nor hide is found upon the site. Don't worry, by now I've gotten over the disappointment. Of course, he'll probably publish it in a week or two, and I'll feel morally obligated to change this post, not that I will.
Today's MS wasn't too fascinating. The first guy we visited in a hospital was asleep. The second was not home. The third had just popped out of his office. The fourth was also not home. All in all, a lot of driving without too much to show for it. We undoubtedly brought many thousands of Jews closer to their father in heaven, but as I don't know their exact story I can't blog about it.
Instead, due to the great pressure that's been put on me, I'll write a bit about yesterday's visit with Wolf. Yes, he asked the question, "Where was G-d during the Holocaust?" I answered, "Where has G-d been for the past two thousand years? There is no answer, we can only Daven for Moshiach." He countered, "Moshiach couldn't have come sixty or seventy years ago?" I replied, "In the Gemara it says that 'Kalu Kol Hakitzin,' all the deadlines for Moshiach's arrival have passed. He couldn't come during the Holocaust? He couldn't come by the Pogroms, by the Spanish Inquisition?"
After the war Wolf moved to Sweden, where he lived for many years. The government forbade Shechita, and they only had Kosher meat once a week. This meat had to be ordered a few days ahead. They did have locally-Schechted chickens, though he didn't explain why the authorities allowed fowl but not beast slaughter.
Is Wolf frum today? He speaks an excellent Yiddish, and has visited Israel six times, but I don't think he's particularly frum. His grandson is considering going to a reform high school in Israel, which I suppose is a good thing.

Meanwhile, in other news... well, there isn't much, is there? I guess I'll just conclude by wishing you and yours a happy and healthy Shabbat, with wishes that you should internalize the lessons of this week's Torah portion, Mattos, in your daily lives.

11 comments:

Nemo said...

Ok, so I'm following these roving rabbis, and there's a few things I've noticed.

1. Lot's of guys are getting themselves stuck with the Jesus people.

2. This Rabbi Moshe Loebenstein fellow is quite cynical.

Just like a guy said...

Chatasi Ani Mazkir Hayom: I haven't been following rovingrabbis.com. I didn't do it last year either, which is hardly an excuse.
Anyway, after reading your comment, I read a bit. Having encounters with Christian missionaries makes perfect sense. If as a Shliach you saw an obviously Jewish person, wouldn't you go over to him? After all, that's your job. A missionary's job is to find Jewish people; isn't it obvious that he'll approach any he encounters?
As for the cynicism of R. Loebenstein: yes, his first post was, but his other two are kind of sweet. I think he gets away with it because he never says anything bad about Shlichus, Luabvitch, or the Jews he meets.

Nemo said...

Well, if there's one thing I learned about good traveling etiquette, it's that no matter how strange the local customs are, or how wretched you think the place is, you're never supposed to insult it. At least not with the locals around.

Just like a guy said...

I assume that he assumes that all the locals only read Portuguese.

Nemo said...

Given his animated descriptions of the place, it would be safe to assume he doesn't think the locals know how to read at all.

Just like a guy said...

No, I don't think he thinks he's in Crown Heights.

:)

Anonymous said...

hehe i was in Sweden they don't even have shechita there now besides kaporos , he was lucky he had it then;

Menachem said...

friday is a short day and there were already 3 posts up that day.

maybe ill squeeze it in on monday

Just like a guy said...

Ooh, the great Menachem on my humble blog! A tremendous honor this is. Listen, I understand completely. You gots to does what you gots to does.

Chrudge said...

Hey Maister,

Looks like your a rover too (http://www.chabad.org/blogs/blog_cdo/aid/697459/kid/14162/jewish/Roving-Rabbis.htm)? I know your kind, you MSed just to have another outlet to blog from!!!

Am I wrong?

CHRUDGE.com

Just like a guy said...

Well, actually I needed something to do for the summer...Seriously though, I got my start blogging for rovongrabbis last year, and they were pretty desperate to have me come back and do it again.