Wednesday, January 28, 2009

The pre-farbie post

In just one hour begins the farbrengen. I am pumped. Before that though, there are some preliminaries that I think should be gotten out of the way.

Rabbi Chaim Schapiro reiterated his request that no recording of the farbrengen be made. "If there's even a hava mina that there'll be a recording device then I won't show up." When asked about yours truly, he is reported to have said, "I'll deal with him separately."
I attempted to assuage his fears with a story. All the Rebbeim had ksavim of chassidus which they kept hidden from the chassidim. Once some chassidim tried to take some of these from the Tzemach Tzedek, and he got very angry with them and threatened a kepeidah. A while later there was a massive fire in Lubavitch and all these writings were destroyed. The Rebbe was inconsolable, and asked his chassidim if they had managed to save even a few of the priceless works. They told him no. He said, "What, you didn't copy anything?" They were understandably shocked, and said, "But you threatened us with a kepeidah if we so much as looked at anything! You expected us to copy them?" The Tzemach Tzedek answered, "For Chassidus you must have mesiras nefesh."
The Rabbi wasn't particularly impressed, so I told him a story I heard from the Rosh.

The Rosh once wanted to honor a youngish guy by a dinner or something, and the guy told him no. When asked why, he said, "When a person is young they have taavos for sweets and toys. When they grow older they have taavos for women. When they get even older they have taavos for kavod. Please, I'm still in the second category, don't move me up."

Rabbi Schapiro told me, "Don't worry, I have taavos for kavod too, but I'll get it myself." I told him that I merely wanted to help him, and he responded, "According to the one who is honoring is the honor received." I took that as a hint to not press the subject. If I can't record the Farbie then at least I'll be able to pay attention and try to become a better person.

43 comments:

e said...

You're like the overenthusiastic camper who always screams loudest at bentching and likes to initiate Who's-the-best-counselor sessions and then wonders why the staff keep him out of the staff lounge.

Just like a guy said...

Sounds about right.

Nemo said...

E: haha. I love it!

bonne said...

I used to drive my halacha teacher insane by asking ridiculous questions. In crown Heights though I had to stop, R. Osdaba took me seriously...

le7 said...

E. That was hilarious.

Sara, I have a video of R. Turkoff teaching halacha if you want to see.... probably answering one of your questions.

bonne said...

ooooh! Yes, please! I still remember the day he let me do the illustrations on the white board. Clever really, I had to prove I knew the basics of kli rishon, sheni, shlishi, etc.

le7 said...

I think I have pictures of that too.

bonne said...

Mmmm, yeah, but lets not put those up here...

le7 said...

Don't worry I won't. If I can rotate the video I'll put Rabbi Turkey on youtube.

Cheerio said...

did you tell him it was for a good cause? all of us bums who need some good farbrenging are gonna miss out!

le7 said...

Yeah, doesn't he know the TRS Harem is in it for the chassidus?

bonne said...

LE7-that was a brilliant comment you left there, I actually snorted...
not to say it isn't true of course!

Actually I wouldn't mind a farbi

Just like a guy said...

Ahh yes. The TRS harem is in it for the chassidus. Tomorrow night I'll post the farbie.

Anarchist Chossid said...

A few words of advice from Russia.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. A piece of garlic a day keeps everybody else away.

bonne said...

And thats why we blog...

Just like a guy said...

CA: and this is in aid of what?
Sara: you mean to farbreng?

shmulie said...

I believe the original quote is even juicier. The way I heard it the T"T said: "vu is di mesiras nefesh auf a chassidishe genaiveh?

Just like a guy said...

Sounds good. Don't worry, last night I had plenty of it; heck I could only eat during the niggunim. At least we had good food-thank G-d for cosco.

Yitzchak said...

So you do such nasty writeups that he's scared of you? There lies the path to a pulitzer.

CA: Whatever works.

bonne said...

Of course, why else would I use the internet if not for purely kedusha things?

Nemo said...

Yes, one day you'll make a fine Katie Couric.

Anarchist Chossid said...

Nu, nu?

Just like a guy said...

Modeh: I only write nice things about him. Therein lies the path to smicha.

Sara: but of course. It was sick of me to suggest otherwise.

bonne said...

Yes, really
so wheres the farbi? I've got a glass of white wine and a notebook.

Just like a guy said...

It's being typed as I type.
If I had some of that white wine it might go a little faster. See, I wrote the farbie in my own little notebook, and now I have to decipher my handwriting...but never fear, religious inspiring is near.

Cheerio said...

i always do that; in the middle of reading a piece, i'm feeling the flow, and then: (squinting) "What did I write...?"

le7 said...

People wonder why I generally don't take written notes.

Actually I'm breaking off from my previous policies since my Chemistry professor doesn't give out her powerpoints and it's really hard to type equations and whatnot quick enough. Oh well.

Just like a guy said...

By me I'm reading the first sentence and wonder the heck I wrote. My father obviously passed on his doctor genes.

Anarchist Chossid said...

A good keili is paramount.

For me, thin liquid-ink pens work the best.

Just like a guy said...

How is a pen going to help terrible penmanship?

le7 said...

It makes the process easier. For real.

Just like a guy said...

I'm skeptical, but if anyone wants to send me a sample I'm willing to try it.

le7 said...

My favorite is Bic's Aspire I believe.

Just like a guy said...

A ringing endorsement..."I believe"?

le7 said...

Let me check the name.

AHAHAH. Aspire is the name of a cello bow model.

Bic's Atlantis. They're the only kind I use for my lab notebook.

bonne said...

I personally prefer the Pilot fine point V Ball Grip aka a black pen.

Anarchist Chossid said...

I'm sure you've heard this — but just in case...

"For decades Americans have spent millions of dollars trying to develop a pen that works in space. Russians use pencils."

What do you mean, how is pen going to help pensmanship? How does a good violin help a bad violinist? How does a good car help a bad motorist? How does a good rig with nice optics and latest micromanipulators help a bad physiologist?

As I said, a keili is important.

Anarchist Chossid said...

I’ve actually lost my pen (or left it at home somewhere), so I don’t remember its name, but for me any extra-fine pen works.

I’m telling you, man, your life will change. It’s especially important for us, guys, because we are... well, not girls.

Just like a guy said...

Ever heard of the Space Pen?

A good pen will do nothing. Please. The same way I would murder a violin, even if I was playing a Stradivarius, is what I do to any pen.

As I seem to say with increasing frequency, "Baruch...shelo asani isha".

Anarchist Chossid said...

Obviously if you can’t write at all, a pen won’t help, just like if you can’t play a violin at all, a Stradi won’t help. But if you’re an average player, it can make you sound nicer.

Or so I am told.

Anyway, this one is also nice. A classic.

Just like a guy said...

BH I can write. BH my handwriting is terrible. I don't see why everybody feels the need to try and help me here. It's really not necessary.

Anarchist Chossid said...

Who said that a Yid’s gashmius is ruchnius? Had your handwriting been better, you’d have finished this earlier, I’d have read this last night and davened better today with the misnagdim. Maybe Mashiach would be here by now.

Just like a guy said...

The problem wasn't so much the handwriting as the annoying "look in book-look at screen-correct typos-stop myself from falling asleep" thing.