In honor of the upcoming Hasc concert, I thought it'd be a good idea to go through my favorite Hasc songs, in no particular order. The number next to them is the number of times I've listened to them on my iPod, which of course does not reflect the number of times I listened to them on my previous 1.5 iPods.
1. Yoel Sharabi's Hineni Kahn (1023). As many of you will know, I sang together with him, and yes, he really had that hair.
2. MBD's Golus Paroh (1185). Apparently this is the Weiss family's favorite song, and truth be told, I really can't blame them.
3. It took this long to get to Avremel? But here he is, with Eliyau Hanavi (127).
4. And again, with L'shana Habah (1279) . No words, just right. Well, almost no words. Still just right.
5. And back with MBD, Daagah Minayim (31). What can I say? He's right.
6. Tzadik, from Avraham Rosenblum and Ruby Harris (1551).
7. MBD again, with Ko Amar (63). I think this might be my favorite song of the bunch. Maybe that's because it's so easy to sing.
8. MBD with Mimkomcha (703). I love this song to bits, but the intro is a bit grating after the first thirty listens. But that's ok.
9. It's funny, because I really don't listen to that much MBD in general, but he's on the list here again with Heaven on Earth (1032).
10. The one and only Dedi with Elokai Neshoma (1536). On a side note: isn't everyone one and only? I mean, even people with identical DNA are different, no?
11. Chaim Dovid with Nafshenu Chiksah (1535). Truth is, his Open Up Your Gates (327) should also be on this list. As should the finale of Hasc III, There's a Small Piece of Heaven (3). As should the finale of Hasc IV, Candles (19), even if MBD sounds terrible there. And once I'm there, is it fair to leave out either Forever One (10, 63)?
12. Piamenta's Birkat Hamazon (67). I didn't always appreciate the brilliance of this one, but now I do. Strange things happen, eh?
13. Avraham Fried, Dedi, and Ohad's Yossi Green medley (641). Gorgeous. I wish Avremel would put out a cd of oldies, and give prominent billing to Kadaish (112) off of Goodbye Golus. My heart stops every time I hear that chorus. Fortunately it's not a very long one, otherwise I'd have to put Hatzalah on speed dial. But yeah, the first two numbers covered in the Hasc medley should certainly receive preferential treatment. V'zakeinu (79) and Keayol (15) are, as I already said, gorgeous.
14. The next two songs are, now that I'm further reflecting, possibly unworthy of their place on this list. Boruch Haboh (38) from last year's Hasc is great, but is it an all time great? Especially with Lipa cracking in the middle? Which brings up another point. Some people are fantastic in the studio, like Yaaov Shwekey, but aren't worth a lick live. Or else, maybe he is amazing live, but recordings of him live aren't much. I wouldn't know. Others are fantastic in studio and live and in subsequent recordings thereof, like Avraham Fried. Everyone knows that I love Lipa, but recordings of him live aren't so great. When in a studio he's able to do a lot more than when he's bound by the laws of physics, but seeing him on a stage? His presence more than makes up for any deficiencies in his voice. Not that there are many, but they certainly do exist. The same applies to the next song, the greatest hits medley (40), also from last year's (XXIII) Hasc. I really had it on this list (which mirrors the "Hasc Classics" playlist of the official iPod Touch of TRS) because of one song, Vehi Sheomdah 7). Like everyone else, I love that song. But now that I actually have Shwekey singing it, do I need this version? Especially with Fried's corniness? I understand that it's a family trait (ouch! that wasn't nice!), but again, after thirty listens, is it really necessary? Ich vais nisht.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Now you know
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Yeshiva Darchei Menachem Sparks Hakhel Concert
Here I am at the Darchei Menachem concert. Supposed to start at 8:30. I think. I got here at
9:05. Doors opened five minutes later. Rehearsal going on as I, and the rest of the world, walk in the door. No worries.
9:08: the cool Jew taking pics. We chat for thirty seconds. He recognizes me not. Nu nu.
9:20: are we starting? Could it be? Besides for the fact that I have to use the men's...but did you want to know that?
9:22: Sholom Mendelson emceeing. I didn't know he worked at Darchei Menachem. Maybe he doesn't. Regardless, I spent 11 great days with him this past summer on birthright, and he just had a baby girl. Mazel tov.
9:23: the sparks boys (international?) boys choir takes the stage. Mr. Mendelson announces that the show will begin in two minutes. Btw, he's wearing a nice tie. Oh, the sparks boys walked off and are now (presumably) backstage. I didn't see, I was typing. And no, I don't touch type on an iPod. Have you ever tried touch typing on an iPod? I didn't think so.
9:26: No smoking or fireworks in the concert hall. Dang.
9:28: the crowd is asked to take their seats. The show is about to begin.
9:29: Sholom is out of his mind. That's a good thing.
9:30: Rabbi choni tzucker. Who? But sing he does. Yossi green/MBD's anovim anovim. A great song. Mr. Tzucker, a little loud perhaps (undoubtedly the speakers' fault) does it proud.
9:35: the crowd is asked to sing along. Am I the only one who knows the words?
9:36: the guitarist (not piamenta person) has a MacBook in front of him. Nice. If anyone wants to sponsor one for me...
9:39: after another really cute mendelson speech we're ready for the sparks boys choir. And cute! (I use that word way too much-just ask my roommates) they're all holding sparks. Or something like that. It's a pity I have no idea what song they're singing. Some form of kadsheinu from shabbos. Very techno-ish. The band isn't behind them playing. That's right, the pipes are playing.
9:43: I might have had no idea what song that was, but they certainly have the dance moves down.
9:44: dani finkelman speaks. Ooh, he says the name of the next song-pitchu li kitzipuda shel machat. Or something like that.
9:45: some kid starts singing yedid nefesh. Am I the only one who notices that this song isn't about opening up small spaces? But that's ok. Anyway, it's a rock-ballad. I think. If I was chaim rubin I'd know what that meant. By me there's just two types of songs-fast and slow. There's a lot less dancing in this one. That's probably because it's a slow song. I'm good at figuring things like that out.
9:52: the piamentas! (sholom mendelson was born to address crowds). Ok, it's the kids. Three kids. What's their names? I have no idea. They begin with v'yichazkem. One wears a white hat and sings, one plays flute and gebearded, and the third plays guitar with a red shirt. I mean, he's wearing a red shirt. If anyone could actually play guitar with a red shirt-well, that would be super cool.
The song is played really well.
9:57: ooh, the flute player speaks too! About hakhel. His voice is cute (don't blame me if I think everything is cute). It's a mix of lubavitch and piamenta. As I said, cute.
9:58: yibane mikdash. I love this song. Excuse me while I enjoy it.
10:00: yehuda? Is that flute player piamenta's name? A flute solo. And then "lshanah hazot b'yerushalayim habnuyah". I couldn't agree more.
10:01: yehuda starts to tell a, in his words, "cute story" about the Baal Shem tov.
Ok, the Baal Shem tov goes off with his students on motzei shabbos and they all say lchaim. Then the Baal Shem tells them to pour the rest of the mashke into the ground. Huh? The Baal Shem tells a story. Once a Jewish innkeeper came on hard times and the local priest made friends and eventually convinced him to shmad. His wife leaves him, the priest gives him his own daughter, life is good.
Years later he's inspecting his vast holdings and comes upon a worker crying in a corner. Why? Turns out the guy is a descendant, on his mother's side, of Marranos and it bothers him greatly. Our hero realizes that he's a Jew too, and the next day he runs away. His wife (the priest's daughter) finds out about this and she's so inspired by her husband's return to Judaism that she also runs away and becomes a giyoress.
The old Jew in the field is old and he really has nowhere to go or anything, but he realizes that he's also a Jew, and he too begins to wander. But he has nowhere to go, and he passes away. His neshoma is in limbo until the Baal Shem tov comes and says lchaim with him.
(continues yehuda) I heard today from Mendel morozov a proof that there's mashke in gan Eden. How do we know? Because meir itkin passed away, and if there wasn't any mashke in gan Eden then he'd certainly be back by now.
10:11: azreinu kel chai. Or is this one called keli keli? Recall I can't.
10:14: Asher bora. In honor of yehuda's future brother and sister in law. A piamenta classic. This song is good enough to get banned.
10:17: I notice Shaya Lieberman (Isiah and the prophets) playing bass guitar. Or is that regular guitar? You would think I would know this after spending a year with yoni chanowitz, but I guess not.
10:18: yehuda piamenta (red shirt man) plays a riff behind his back. Even his relatives are impressed. The rest of us just have huge smiles on our faces. That's nuts.
10:23: ayal Bension (my sort of [don't tell CCL this] relative) principal of darchei menachem, takes the stage.
10:27: yeedle! singing ashrecha from his new album. I know it from lipa non-stop. I love this song. I guess I'll have to buy yeedle's new CD. All right, lipa sings it better. But lipa does everything better. You knew that already.
10:30: turns out we've been listening to the freilach orchestra. And yeedle sings gut voch from melave malka's Avraham fried. Or is that the other way round?
10:31: cab-driver in Acapulco heard listening to ananchu maaminim. Mexican guy. Why? Because this music comes from the heart. And it's gonna bring moshiach.
10:33: a fast ilan bama avarechecha. I expose my ignorance by revealing that I've never heard it before. Presumably from the new album.
So you want to know what he's wearing (cheerio I become)? A boring black bekishe, no cufflinks on a white shirt,, but a sparkly silver tie. And a nice watch. At least, I think the tie is silver. It can be hard to tell with all these lights flashing and everything.
10:38: a little moving around of mics.
10:39: emor meat. This song I know. The crowd starting to get into it. And why shouldn't they?
10:45: bizos ani boteach. Another classic from yeedle IV. Say what you want (not in my hearing) but that was a great cd. Got me through yeshivas kayitz Florida. That and slurpees from 7-11. Yum, I could do one of those right now.
10:50: intermission
11:18: a darchai menachem kid (fuchs?) begins to sing a song. What else would he sing? It's an English number. About darchai menachem. And another kid joins him on stage. Shloimy samuels maybe?
11:20: some issues with the mics.
11:21: a third kid onstage. I have no clue.
11:22: oh, the rabbi who just got onstage to sing is shloimy samuels. I think. So the second kid becomes a mystery.
11:23: and the darchai menachem kids go wild! I think my ears are going to fall off.
Oh, meislish was the second kid I think. Horowitz the third? This is really confusing.
11:25: ah, here's something I know. The sparks boys choir. Lead by dani finkelman. Singing kol habotchim bishimcha b'emes.
Another fastish song. A lot of parents are shepping nachas I'm sure. As well they should be.
11:29: ooh, back to the dancing. Mr. Finkelman is really into this part.
11:32: what yeedle concert would be complete without shiru lamelech?
11:39: holy smokes! Another song I love from non-stop lipa! Tzahala I think it's called. Or maybe not. Regardless, I obviously must get this new yeedle cd. Who knew it was so good? Ahh, all the kiddies in the audience, plus some adulties, up to dance. Now I can't see what's happening on stage. I mean, it's not that interesting. Presumably. Band playing, guy singing. At least I can hear.
Oh, cute, teachers dancing with their classes. I forgive my bad sight. I guess there are maalos and chisronos to everything, yeah? You get a great seat (row B, seat 205), you got to make some sacrifices.
11:44: ok, I think the world is going to end. The next song is another of the top three from non-stop lipa. Matamar. This is freaky. Wow. Don't worry, lipa, I still love you, but maybe next time you record songs like this on your own cd?
11:46: yeedle introduced this song by calling up some little (two feet tall?) to tell yeedle the kid's favorite song. Moti greenbaum his name? Kid, in between dancing cutely (what else?) look traumatized.
11:48: the worst niggun of all time. Vayehi bemei achashverosh.
11:49: oh good, we switch to a medley from Abraham fried's avinu malkeinu, with choni tzucker.
11:50: anachnu maaminim. Can moshiach be far off?
11:51: I guess not. Right now it's hu yigal osanu. You know what? Choni looks and acts exactly like shmuelie bortunk. The same looks, voice, mannerisms...scary.
11:52: Someday. Dina Storch's masterpiece.
11:54: Carlebach's "Return Again" for a sec.
11:55: and that's all folks!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Haveil Havalim 222: The The The The The Edition
Or maybe it's the My-kallah-is-in-town-and-I-have-better-things-to-do-(I know your skeptical, but it's true)-than-sit-in-front-of-a-computer-screen-for five-hours-reading-people's-posts-edition of HH!
Perhaps it's the I've-always-desperately-wanted-attention-and-I've-finally-figured-out-a-sure-fire-way-to-get-it-edition of HH!
Or maybe it's the I've-just-used-more-hyphens-in-four-paragraphs-than-the-average-blogger-uses-in-a-month's-worth-of-blogging-edition of HH!
Because, as you know, every Haveil Havalim has to have a theme, a leitmotif, a general idea running throughout that connects the disparate posts into the semblance of a whole that we might wish them to be, an association of thoughts that act together (in concert) in a presentation of commonality that might be missing if the theme weren't there, a... you get the point. So, without further ado, I present to you THE GREATEST HAVEIL HAVALIM TO EVER BE (PARTIALLY) TYPED ON AN iPOD TOUCH (OS 2.1!) IN THE HISTORY OF MAN OR MACHINE!
But first, a word from our sponsors...
Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by Jack. The term 'Haveil Havalim,' which means "Vanity of Vanities," is from Qoheleth, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other 'excesses' and realized that it was nothing but 'hevel,' or in English, 'vanity.'
So here we are, all ready for a new edition of HH, and the time has come for me to make a big admission of guilt: Whenever a new HH is hot off the press I immediately scroll down looking for my name and seeing what was written about me. Because really, isn't that the point? I'm sure I'm not the only blogger who engages in this shockingly narcissistic behavior, and therefore I'm saddened to have to tell the vast majority of you that in fact I won't be writing anything particularly special about you. Sorry. Now on with the show.
First of all, most importantly, my wonderful Kallah le7 blogged all about our meeting and engagement for The Jewish Wedding Network with First Comes Blog, Then Comes Marriage, and she also blogged about other facets of being engaged on her own blog, Free Elisheva!, with Stream of Unconsciousness: Wamma Bamma Engagement Update Edition. For really cute pictures of my (and her future) nieces, check out The Day After: A trip to the Brooklyn Children's Museum over on the TRS+le7 blog.
Chabad.org presents When Jews are Targets posted at My Views on the News, saying, "Delusions become dangerous not when we start to believe them but when we stop questioning. Why are we afraid to face the obvious facts? Because the facts hurt too badly. So we hide behind two-state solutions, and pullouts, and dialogue and bridge building..."
Culture
Chaim presents The Jailhouse Bar Mitzvah Scandal posted at Chaim Rubin, saying, "About Jailhouse Bar Mitzvah"
Lady-Light presents Noodle Google...er...Koogle posted at Tikkun Olam, saying, "Don't know if this falls under the category of culture or religion or humor or...tragedy."
HistoryLady-Light presents We Are Settlers: Plain and Simple posted at Tikkun Olam.
e presents Internet is Evil at The Highway back to Krenitz.
Ben-Yehudah presents Who Is Rabbi Lemming? posted at Esser Agaroth.
Toby Curwin presents No, it doesn't really say that... posted at A Time of the Signs.
Israel
Joel Katz presents Religion and State in Israel - June 15, 2009 (Section 1) posted at Religion and State in Israel, saying, "Shalom, Religion and State in Israel is the only review of media coverage on issues of religion and state in Israel. Religion and State in Israel is not affiliated with any organization or movement."
Yisrael Medad presents West Bank Birthing posted at My Right Word.
Jacob Richman presents Good News from Israel: Pictures of the Ma'ale Adumim Anglo Forum posted at Good News from Israel.
Ariel Ben Yochanan presents IDF Is Not a Jewish Army posted at The Torah Revolution.
harry presents Adam Adama posted at Israelity.
harry presents The iPhone finally makes it to Israel posted at Israelity.
Yisrael Medad presents OU Goes Up to Temple Mount posted at My Right Word.
Harry presents Liev and Naomi’s Israeli vacation posted at Israelity.
Avraham Rephael (aka Bar Kochba) presents One Land for One People posted at For Zion's Sake.
Ben-Yehudah presents Beach Grievance posted at Esser Agaroth.
muse presents Why Can't Israel Be A "Normal" Country? posted at Shiloh Musings.
Mrs. S. presents Guest Post: Rak Smachot posted at Our Shiputzim: A Work In Progress, saying, "Thanks for all your efforts!"
LB presents Disengage posted at Occidental Israeli.
Robert J. Avrech presents Obama's Anti-Rational Losing Streak posted at Seraphic Secret.
Ben-Yehudah presents Speaking The Truth posted at Esser Agaroth.
Devorah presents A soul's sole concern posted at Mashiach is coming.
Schvach Yid presents Schvach - פני דל posted at Schvach - פני דל.
Rabbi Leigh Ann Kopans presents Let's Talk About Hair posted at Ashi & Rami.
Schvach Yid presents Schvach - פני דל posted at Schvach - פני דל.
Cynthia Samuels presents Don't Gel Too Soon : Sunrise, Sunset: an Amazing Day of Jewish Rituals posted at Cynthia Samuels, saying, "This is an account of a single remarkable day of Jewish ritual - from bris to funeral to wedding to bar mitzvah, and what it means."
Eliyahu Fink presents What Is The Appropriate Reaction? posted at Pacific Jewish Center | Rabbi.
ProfK presents Conversations in Klal: Ordering Klal's Problems posted at Conversations in Klal.
Chabad.org presents New Blog: An Archivist Discovers the Rebbe posted at The Chabad.org Blog, saying, "Chabad.org launches a new blog exploring the Rebbe's life and teachings. Manuscripts, letters, firsthand experiences and more."
Barbara presents Silencing Dissent, Hushing Up Scandal posted at BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS.
Personal
Baila Brecher presents a powerful post, The executioner in my living room posted at Ill call Baila.
Home Shuling presents It doesn't take $95 posted at Home-shuling.
ALN presents Don't Have the Answers, But Glad You Asked posted at Nad-ned Nad-ned.
rickismom presents Spouses and Parents: Giving us Wings posted at Beneath the Wings.
APRPEH presents American Jews: Obama or Torah? posted at APRPEH, saying, "Will Obama finally be the tool to wrench American Jews from the Democrats? Also a review of Bibi's Bar-Ilan talk."
Josh Waxman presents Was Rachav an innkeeper or a harlot? posted at parshablog.
Lady-Light presents The Fool Who Beats His Head Against the Wall posted at Tikkun Olam, saying, "self-explanatory"
rutimizrachi presents Presidential Seal of Approval posted at Movin' On Up!, saying, "It is a little self-aggrandizing, because I also want to get my comment on her article out there; but I think this is a very good essay by Laura Ben-David."
Barbara presents U.N. to Sue Israel? posted at BARBARA'S TCHATZKAHS.
Aaron Honung presents Why The Forward is Wrong on J-Org CEO Pay posted at TJC Newsdesk.
Something Different presents Basar V'dagim and WHICH Matamim? posted at A Blob of Something Different.
Mordechai Torczyner presents Who needs rabbinic leadership? posted at The Rebbetzin's Husband.
CA presents "Corpse in the living room; a girl’s best friend" posted at V = I·R "[the real modern Orthodox blog]"
Lion of Zion presents Tzitzit Wearer and the Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Idan Yaniv) posted at Lion of Zion.
Yossi presents Facebook Frustrations over at A Bochur in Lubavitch.
Cheerio presents I'm Back at Questing.
C Presents Talking about little kids making jokes... at Not Really THAT Frustrated....
Altie presents It's raining, it's pouring at BLoGGinG FrOM ThE HoLy LAnD.
Auntie Mims presents A letter to G-d at Dichotomy: A split by which a person experiences or sees opposing forces.
Sarabonne presents Jolly Green Giants at Musings.
C presents Ramblings of Procrastination at Not Really THAT Frustrated....
Cheerio presents Sarah Rifka at Hip in the Heights.
Mottel (Mazel tov!) presents Picture of the Week: Still Alive After the Wedding Edition at Letters of Thought.
Altie presents Blog Name at BLoGGinG FrOM ThE HoLy LAnD.
e presents This Is Your Religion, Part I: Healing Clothes at The Highway back to Krenitz.
I'll be hosting the Kosher Cooking Carnival next week, and I should have a little more time for it than this one... so send your shtuff in! Excellent.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Yud Shevat with the (possibly) greatest living Rabbi on the planet
So I go to the Minnesota farbrengen for literally five minutes, and who's there but Webby from Crownheights.info with his camera taking pictures, making it look like I was there the whole time. Well, I wasn't. I would have liked to be, but I was by the (practically empty) ohel tonight (said the whole maaneh lashon! First time ever! Woohoo!), and when I got home I had to eat something before I fell completely off the face of the earth. Then I walk to this farbie, and leave five minutes later for another. Crazy. Oh yeah, here's a nice little picture he snapped of yours truly:
That would be me in the green sweater, TC, and Shlomo Goldin. Here's some pictures of us from a couple of months ago. For all those who think my green sweater is cute, does it become less cute if I wear it nearly every day? Just wondering. The two guys in the foreground are Baruch Dorfman and Rabbi Mottel Friedman, of Nshei Chabad fame. Moments after the snapping of this picture Mr. Webby snapped one of me sticking my tongue out at him. He said, "You'll regret that!", to which I said, "Are you kidding me? I'd love that posted online!" He smiled as if he'd fulfill my wish, but then someone told him who I was and about my deep-seated need for as much publicity as possible, and I guess he reconsidered, which kind of stinks, because it was a cute picture, green sweater and long pick tongue and all.
Anyway, from there I made my way to the LA Farbrengen being held in the Beis Levi Yitzchak Shul with Rabbi Mendy Schapiro, who happens to be possibly the most sincerely religious person I have ever met. As in, he really cares. Sure, other people care, but he does something about it.
Due to the limitations of the medium (iPod Touch 2nd Gen) and the many people talking in the room I wasn't able to hear everything he said, so the following may be a little choppy, and perhaps even a bit jagged, which would conform to some people's opinion of me in real life. e, when will you get a blog I can link to? Anyway, here it is. Remember, all the mistakes are no doubt mine, all the genius is doubtlessly the rabbi's. Enjoy.
Moshiach is not going to come through those chassidim who saw the Rebbe and loved him. The chassidim who work hard, those who didn't see the rebbe, they're the ones who are going to bring moshiach.
The Rebbe didn't want bochurim who thought bad about themselves. He wanted bochurim who thought they could change the world.
Nowadays bochurim are depressed. Not depressed, but walking about in a daze.
When I was a bochur I had a real bochur issue. I thought I was a lost case. I wrote to the Rebbe in adar '52.
A chossid is not affected by the world around him. Because the world is bluff.
When you're alone in your bedroom, and you open an igros. I know people who watch movies. They do it because they're not happy with themselves. The Rebbe speaks the word of Hashem. If you learn sichos, translating each and every word, and make a decision to not be a woman, not be a wimp. Grab your etzem. You won't feel atzmus, you'll feel strong. We live in a wacky generation. The Rebbe told us that moshiach is coming. Who's going to bring him? Not the big chassidim who love. It's going to be the chassdim who work.
A bochur messed up in shidduchim, the Rebbe told him to learn chassidus.
The Rebbe is moshiach, but before we say that we say adoneinu, moreinu, and rabbeinu. We have to accept the Rebbe before we can have moshiach.
The chassidim who saw the Rebbe, they don't have it hard. Unless you're a chitzon, what's so difficult?
The kavanah is, there's no default. When will chassidus be real? When you make decisions and act according to chassidus. Not through giluim will you bring moshiach. Through hard work. Who is going to bring moshiach? The bochurim who struggled.
I speak to bochurim who are engaged. They tell me, without the rebbe's horaos, you're a lost case. Forget about Torah, how do you deal with anger?
Before the Rebbe, no one spoke about tafkid hador. There's going to be opposition. How do you deal with opposition? Not through love only. You have to fight it.
B'gashmius, it's amazing. Kids, jobs, life. Mofsim. Tomorrow there'll be bochurim who will have mofsim themselves. They're going to make a decision to become a better person.
Bottom line is, if you go to the Rebbe tomorrow, and you made hachanos, are you going to drop those hachanos when you're done? That's not what the Rebbe wants. The Rebbe wants you to continue on.
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There's a story that doesn't work so much-Lazer, you're a shtickel baal seichel. There's a story from the Rebbe-acharon shel pesach 17 the Rebbe brought the story. It's an unpopular story. It might not work. If you're a pnini it'll work. The Rebbe told about Shmuel Munkes. He was a smart guy with a sense of humor. He was looking for the Alter Rebbe in Liozna at the middle of the night. He said that the Rebbe must be up in the middle of the night. He looked around the town, every house was dark except for the Rebbe's house.
The Rebbe learned Torah all night. The Rebbe didn't sleep.
Shmuel Munkes said, I want to sleep in your house. The Alter Rebbe said, you couldn't find anywhere else to sleep? Shmuel Munkes said, this is also a Jewish home! The Rebbe said, I'll call my goy to throw you out. Shmuel said, my goy is bigger than your goy! Fine, the Rebbe let him stay.
The Rebbe explained this story. A bochur comes and says, I want to learn chassidus, to be a chassis. Do we welcome you with open arms? No! We investigate. Do you want to be cool and hip, or do you want to be battul? You have a goy? What does the goy want and do? Even after that, your goy is bigger than the Rebbe's goy. You sinned. You become a chassis easily? Not happening. Cry. Then you can become a chassis.
There are a lot of beautiful homes in the world. But you have to go to a light house. One that has the light of Torah.
You can't just say that you want it. Don't just think that by wanting it you can get it. You have to go to a light house. No ego. No self.
Don't think you can just write to the Rebbe and it'll all turn out fine. You can't just surrender. You have to cry out and say, my goy is bigger! Just because you want to be a chassid doesn't mean the Rebbe will accept you. There are no smooth roads. You have to cry. You have to beg to be accepted. You have to want it very hard.
Don't think you farbrenged, decided to be a chassid, and now the sky is going to open for you. You have to open your own heart. Bochurim think that they work hard, and now they should feel elokus. Well, it's not going to happen. It takes hard work. You have to live with chassidus. Until moshiach comes there is no red carpet. There is no free lunch, no free supper.
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When a bochur these days wants to be serious, not ad d'lo yadah, it's very easy to put the Rebbe out of the picture. There's a story with R. Yoel Kahn. There was a family who lived in a totally frie kibbutz. They were sick of living in Israel where the religious parties are taking over. So they moved to Tasmania. He was a professor in psychology. They moved so that no one should bother them. Tasmania is the achurayim. It's far away from far away. They moved away and had a good time. No one bugged them.
This is like bochurim who want no one to bother them.
The reform rabbi there left back to America, and they needed a new rabbi. The congregation needed a new rabbi, and they came to this professor and asked him to become their rabbi. He said he wasn't even reform, he doesn't believe in everything, but they said, you're Israeli, you can read Hebrew. He became the rabbi.
His Kids started to ask him regarding yiddishkeit. He had no answers. His wife started praying. A week later he met rabbi Gutnick walking down the street in Tasmania, and they became close, and eventually they came to the Gutnick's house in Melbourne, and asked, why did you come here? Gutnick said, we got a letter saying we should come to Tasmania. When was the letter? The day the woman prayed to Hashem, if you're there, please, show us a sign.
You might think she cried and the Rebbe answered. R' Yoel Kahn said, the Rebbe thought of them, and she cried.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Rainy Days
You know what rain does to the iPod Touch? Not good things. Here's a pre-made maamar instead, originally published on November 12, 2007, entitled Here's your religion. Enjoy.
All righty then, here's your daily religious dose. It's from a Maamar that was said by the Rebbe Rashab in 1898. Basically, the Yetzer Hora is not essentially bad. The reason we know this is because before the first sin (the one with the tree) man was created with two drives, one towards Chessed, kindness, and one towards Gevurah, strictness. Neither of these is necessarily bad. What happened with the sin was that Adam used too much Gevurah when he prohibited his wife Chavah from even touching the tree, therefore causing Gevurah to fall down much farther than Chessed. So the drive towards Gevurah became the drive towards sin. But even this is not a constant; after all, it is possible that a surfeit of love can cause bad. We can see this from the case of a child who cries for a knife. A person who gives it is doing it out of love, after all, the child is crying for it! Nevertheless, obviously it's a bad thing. So we can see that Gevurah is not necessarily bad, nor Chessed necessarily good. Just that normally from Gevurah comes bad. When Moshiach comes the truth will be revealed, that Gevurah is really good. Because remember, strictness is not bad.
Anyway, for a little humor, there was once a haberdasher who had a minister walk into his business. The clothes-seller was so honored that a minister should come to his store that he gave the guy a free suit. A week later the minister sent a bible as a thank you. A month later a priest came in, and the same thing, except that the priest sent a beautiful gold cross. A month later a Rabbi walks in, and the same thing happens. And the gift? A week after the Rabbi gets his suit, another Rabbi walks in.
OK, so it's cute. Deal with it.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Charity saves
There are many people who ask for money in Crown Heights. Some of them work in stores and give items in exchange for the money they expect you to hand them. Sometimes these items are even worth the price. There are many other people in Crown Heights who ask for money in exchange for the chance to win thousands of dollars. Most of these people run what are known as "Chinese Auctions". Some of them are from Williamsburg. Unlike the store people mentioned above, these inquirers rarely give anything in exchange for your money. Still, there's always the promise of filthy lucre, which is not to be sneered at.
We now come to that most honorable class of money makers, the schnorrer. 770 is filled with these people, and most of them are rather harmless. Sure, they'll give you dirty looks once in a while, but all in all they're happy when you give 'em the odd quarter. It's always embarrassing to be saying Rambam on an iPod Touch and to say you have no money on you, but it's true! If only these people carried credit cards around...
There are two schnorrers in Crown Heights who I do not particularly like. One is the woman who sits next to the dreidel by the Jewish Children's Museum and insults passers-by who fail to make a contribution. Though this makes for great street theater, and is undoubtedly a source of entertainment for the women herself (who wouldn't like coming up with innovative curses with which to shame the masses?), it's also very sad and a bit disturbing.
The other guy I really don't like goes around saying, "Give Tezadaka please" with this curious sing-song that suggests intense boredom and a desire to appear as if the money's not needed by him. About three months ago I heard from someone that he's a really big nebach, as he's a CH druggie, which answered one question of mine (why didn't he just get a job, like the rest of humanity?) and brought up another, (why should I give him a penny?)
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
A review of Hasc 23
There are some things in this world whose worth is obvious to all. Everyone can appreciate that a freshly baked muffin from Breadsmith is in all cases superior to a stale cookie from Ostreichers (not that I have anything against Ostreichers. On the contrary, I'm a big fan of their products. But still). Sure, the obnoxious among us could come up with an example that disproves my assertion (as Lipa would say, "Diet Diet"), but generally speaking, kulam modim that one is better than the other.
There are other things in this world whose worth is entirely subjective. I sell earphones for a living, and I would challenge you to find ten randomly selected people who can say that the Shure 535s are any worse sounding than a pair of triple-driver Westones or a copper Turbine Pro, or a Klipsch X10, or a Sennheiser X8, or a Grado GR8, or... you get the point. All these earphones cost a ton of money, and they all sound great. Of course different people will prefer different ones, and they'll all have their own reasons for those choices. Does that make any opinion and more valid than another? Besides, something like 97% of people can't tell the difference anyway. As the holy Jewish books say, "On taste and smell there can be no argument." Point is, everything I'm going to be writing in this review is my opinion and my opinion only.
And another thing. It's very difficult to take the full measure of a cd on just a few listenings. It's a scientific fact (I'm not making this up) that the more often you hear something (be it music or a campaign ad) the more you like it. Also, I'm judging this cd based on what it is, a cd, not a concert. What I mean to say is that there are many things which work wonderfully well in a concert setting which don't work well at all on a music cd. I loved the dialogues between Avraham Fried and Lipa, but how often can you listen to them before you get sick? Same goes for much of this concert- it was absolutely tremendous being there, but to listen to it repeatedly? Again, watching this on DVD, which you aren't likely to do more than a few times, is entirely different than listening on your iPod.
Having got all the caveats out of the way, it's time for an actual review.
The show begins with Nachum Segal announcing that it's time for A Time for Music 23, and Yisroel Lamm swings into action with the Neginah Orchestra and the Choir running through a review of everyone's favorite Avremel and Lipa tunes. It's well done, but it serves more to whet the appetite for what lies ahead than to really produce any masterpieces. Which I suppose is the point of intros. So good for them.
There are three types of people out there: those who love everything Avremel/Lipa do, those who hate everything they do, and the three percent of the population that lies somewhere in between. The first type will obviously be buying this cd sight unseen, and the latter won't touch it with a ten foot pole. So who is this review for? It's for the people in the middle, the ones who like Jewish music but don't feel the need to own every single recording of every tnuah of every Chazak or Hentelach. Will this cd be a good buy for them?
The first song of the main course is the old standard Mareh Kohen, very well sung by the two stars of the show. I'll be honest- there's at least twenty songs that I'd love to hear these two guys cover before this one, but for all that, it's an enjoyable experience.
Moving quickly along we've got Avraham Fried's Boruch Haboh, again with Lipa dueting. The gold standard for this song, at least until now, was the one Avremel sung at the YU concert so many moons ago, which after you got past all the annoying chatter in the beginning, was incredibly powerful. This version, I think, takes the cake, with both singers giving it their all. The only thing marring it is a bit of distortion with Lipa when he's really screaming, but I can live with that. Notwithstanding that, it's a really solid song, and probably worth the price of admission in and of itself. I'll certainly be adding it to my "HASC classics" playlist, where it will join other classics like MBD's Golus Paroh (2), Ko Amar (6) and Mimkomcha (7), Fried's Eliyahu Hanavi and Lashanah Habah (both 3), and the great Yoel Sharabi's Hineni Kahn (1). There are a few others, but those are the important ones. And again, I love "A small piece of heaven," but how often can you listen to the same English song?
The next song is one of those which would have been wonderful to see in person, but which grow tiring after six or seven repetitions. It's a version of R' Yom Tov Ehrlich's classic story of the salesangel and his attempts to sell the Torah to the various nations. Avremel and Lipa really do a great job with this one, though inhabitants of France (you know who you are) might find Fried's interpretation of their accent to be the tiniest bit offensive. I assume that there were myriad special effects or costumes or something to go along with this song, but since it's difficult to tell these things solely through hearing them, I must withhold comment. If someone wants to send me a DVD of the concert I won't say no, but until then my lips are sealed. They're not sealed regarding the song this one leads into, which is Lipa's Bichsav-Baal Peh. It was never my favorite, but it's great to hear Avremel really get into it.
Lipa's off stage for the next number, a melody of Chabad Niggunim sung by Avraham Fried. Nothing too remarkable, though my years in 770 have conditioned me to expect a "Yechi Hamelech" in Didan Notzach, but I suppose that would be asking a lot of the concert committee. It's a very nice melody, as melodies go, but I'm disappointed that there's nothing off Avremel's latest album, Yankel Yankel. Wasn't that the whole point of releasing four albums of Lubavitcher niggunim, that we wouldn't have to listen to Hupp Cossak for the 89th time?
The first several times Lipa appeared at Hasc were by way of video, and people have undoubtedly been waiting for him to repeat those songs at Hasc in real life. Or at least I assume that's the case, because the next track is Gelt, Abi Meleibt, and Diet. Nicely done, nothing spectacular. I really wish he'd sing some of the slow tracks off his albums, because many those are really gorgeous. No one ever accused Diet of being gorgeous.
Ahh, my wish for something hartzig is fulfilled with Avremel singing R' Shlomo Carlebach's Gam Ki Elech. I always feel like there's something missing from a Carlebach song if the performer's voice is too nice, but Avremel manages to rise above that handicap to truly do this song justice.
What is with Dedi and Jim Hynes? Oh, sorry I think I forgot to mention that Dedi makes an appearance with "Kulanu". And it's time for the requisite, "When will Dedi finally put out a new CD?" His energy in concert is really great, and he really looks cute strutting up and down the stage. Obviously there's no strutting included with this cd, but it doesn't hurt to use your imagination once in a while.
There was much discussion following the release of A Poshite Yid regarding the two versions of Wake Up and which one was better. You can add a third version to that roiling controversy, and I think the only sensible solution is the old, "There's maalos and chisronos to everything."
As I mentioned above, there are certain things that work wonderfully at concerts but not so much on a cd. Another example of that would be Avremel and Lipa singing a medley of Fiddler on the Roof shtuff. Hearing them interact is quite cute, and they obviously enjoy being with each other on stage. But to hear their interactions too many times? It reminds me of those pizza stores or car services where they have the same cd playing for three years. Still, it's really cute.
Ahh, the next song is what a concert should be- a chance for Avremel, Lipa, and Dedi to sing Anovim (MBD), Vehi Sheomdah (Shwekey), and Kulanu Ahuvim (MBD). Gorgeous. Tremendous. Seriously.
Next up is a song I've never particularly liked, Lipa's Hallelu, done with R' Yitzchok Fuchs. I mean, it sounds as good as it'll ever sound, I just don't like it.
Moving right along, we've got Lipa singing his "Hentelach around the world," which actually sounds a lot better than the version on the Oorah cd. Again, and I seem to have beaten this particular horse to death already, but this song is great for concerts, not so much for daily listening.
Many years ago Avremel came out with a single called Change the World, or something like that. All right, so he didn't actually come out with it, but it somehow ended up on my iPod. I have no idea. Anyway, this live version is superior to that one, even if the lyrics are still a bit sappy. But what else can you expect from a Hasc anthem?
And just like that, it's time for the traditional Hasc finale. Fortunately it's not something pathetic like Dedi singing R' Shlomo's Neshoma, but rather a medley of popular melodies (I've always wanted to use that one) from the stars of the show, actually sung by the stars of the show (unlike the opening act). More of the same? Yeah, I guess so, but which heathen doesn't want more Avremel, Lipa, and Dedi singing each other's songs? Hmm? I didn't think so.
And that, as the saying goes, is it. Should you buy it? Obviously those who buy every Hasc, Lipa, Avremel, or Dedi production have purchased it already. But how about for those on the fence? Should they fork over the big bucks? Well, that depends. If you're looking for music you've never heard from these performers, this is a good cd for you. If you're looking for a transcendent musical experience that will change your life, or at least be wildly inspirational, perhaps you should have bought tickets to the concert. Overall though, it's a really nice cd. I certainly don't regret getting it.
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