A Fishy Email Conversation

I recently had the following email discussion with Lisa Winer, which I thought might be useful to others as well:

Rabbi,
Now that Farmer Jack has closed it is harder to find kosher fish. Is it necessary to go to a place where they have a separate kosher fish knife or is it okay to just buy fish anywhere and rinse the fish off since its all cold.
thanks, Lisa

Lisa,
It's much better to use a place that has a separate fish knife -- the gemara and shulchan aruch speak about a concern that a shamnunis -- a fat residue -- remains on a knife once it's used, even though it's all cold, that's difficult to remove without thorough washing with soap, warm water, etc.
but I'm not sure which place has such a knife...which place do you know of that has a kosher knife? Maybe we can encourage a local store to have such a knife? Perhaps Meijer would be interested. I know that Rabbi Morris has a relationship with them -- perhaps I'll ask him about it. Also, I know that One Stop carries kosher fish that's fresh.
-Rabbi Spolter

Rabbi,
Superior Fish Co. on 11 mile Road (just east of Woodward) has one. You obviously have to select a whole fish and they'll filet, debone and scale it. But it ends up being more expensive and you're obligated to buy the whole fish. This means that I can't buy a salmon unless I freeze it) b/c its just way too much fish. It would be really nice (especially in a community this size) to have a place with a separate fish counter, like Farmer Jack had, where they run specials and you're not obligated to buy the whole fish.
I am not aware of other places have a kosher knife. In Ann Arbor we used to go to a place in Kerrytown that had one. Since they were willing to do this for such a small demand there, II'm guessing other local fish suppliers would be open to it, espcially if they heard from you and Rabbi Morris that there was a demand. My sense from talking to people is that a lot of people just purchase fish anywhere. So, if you are able to sway another fish market to obtain and keep a kosher knife, please publicize this information. It would be especially nice to have this type of convenience at a place where they sell other food items, like Vics or Westborn markets.
Lisa

Rabbi:
I was thinking about your email....even if the fat residue were not properly washed off the knife, wouldnt rinsing the fish off at home get it off? Also, if any residue remained, wouldnt it create a batal b'shishim case -- not enough fat residue on the fish to make it traif? While I understand that its better to use a kosher knife that's been only used for kosher fish, is it really halachikly necessary?
Lisa

Lisa,
You asked a great question, and I looked into the issue further. Fresh fish purchasing has a couple of issues involved:
1. If it's cut, then there is the issue of the knife. You are correct on the first issue: because we cannot assume that the knife was properly cleaned from the (shellfish - for example) residue, we must assume that the residue is still on the kosher fish that was cut from the knife. But, because the fish is still cold, you can rinse that residue of if you scrub the fish with some kind of brush under running water.
Regarding the issue of bittul, we might apply bittul if one accidentally cooked the fish without washing it after the fact (bedieved), but the halachah forbids one from entering into a bittul situation lechatchilah. Perhaps the best option might be to keep your own fish knife, and ask them to put a piece of fresh paper down on the counter and use your knife to cut the fish with your knife in the store. Not practical to carry around, but halachically ideal.
2. Fresh fish nowadays raises another problem, and that's the issue of identification. Most fresh fish is no longer sold whole. Rather, the vast majority of the fillets that you see in the store are filleted in a plant and shipped boxed to the store, where they sell it. So, how do you know that what they say is rainbow trout actually is? What are the identifiable marks? That perhaps was the greater value of the hashgachah in Farmer Jack. Regarding finding another store, I was in Westborn this week, and their fish setup is not at all feasible -- the kosher and treif fish types are all mixed together, and they also sell pre-prepared fish in the same cooler, so there's just too much possiblity of actual treif contamination there. I would also look into Holiday Market. They just hired David Neumark, who was the mashgiach at Farmer Jack, and having him supervise a kosher fish knife, cooler or something like that might be the best bet right now. If you have any other thoughts, please let me know. Also, after we had this exchange, I realized that other people might have the same questions regarding the kosher fish, so I'd like your permission to share this discussion with the shul -- either with or without your name - your choice.
Thanks,
Rabbi Spolter

Rabbi:

When you talk about brushing the fish, do you mean taking the type of brush used for dishes and keeping it for this use only? Or could you take a dish brush used for pareve dishes and scrub it with soap and cold water after brushing the fish? I just want to be sure I understand you correctly after this long discussion!

I'll give the store location more thought and ask around to see if others have any ideas.

Thanks again.

Lisa

Lisa,
You can use any kosher brush -- since it's cold and you're washing it off afterwards.
Rabbi Spolter

Great Jewish Audio Links

Are you having trouble teaching your (young) kids how to bentch? Need some help learning the tunes? Stuck on some of the words? A great solution to all of these challenges is the Bentching Tape -- A CD for kids that's pretty much just Bentching. Instead of Disney or Barney, pop this CD in the car during carpool or shopping runs, and before long, the entire family will be betching better -- guaranteed. To order the CD online (and it's on a great sale right now), click here to access the Sameach Music Web Site.

I also found a great site that has a tune for Al Hamichya - the blessing recited after eating cake, pasta and the like -any mezonos food. You can download the song and burn it to a CD for free. This tune is widely used in many schools in Israel, and is quite catchy!

I also found a great site that has basically all the audio for Shabbos -- kiddush, zemiros, blessing the children -- to click on and listen to. It's a great resource for people looking to learn the Classic Shabbos tunes or fine-tune their pronunciation. Click here for the link, and enjoy!

Table Talk -- Devarim 5767

Question: I pre-ordered the 7^th and final book of the Harry Potter series, which is due to arrive on Shabbos. Is there any halachic way to open the box, and if so, can I read the book that arrives on Shabbos?

Answer: No. Wait until after Shabbos, and then enjoy.

While most of the fantasy world created by J.K. Rowling emanates purely from her imagination, one detail from Harry Potter’s world actually appears in our parshah.

During Moshe’s review of the Jewish people’s experiences in the desert, Moshe reminds them of their defeat of the nation of the Emori, and especially their victory over Og, the King of Bashan. Og is no ordinary king. Aside from being alive since the time of the flood, he is enormous. In the words of Moshe, “his bedstead was a bedstead of iron…nine cubits was the length thereof, and four cubits the breadth of it.” (3:11) At the very least, his bed was 15 feet long and 7 feet wide. But Og isn’t just big. He’s also abnormal in another way.

The Midrash notes that normally, a person’s height is approximately three times his width. But from Og’s bed measurements, we can deduce that he was only about twice as tall as he was wide. From this, says the Midrash, we learn that “he was a disgusting creature, different from other creations.”

In other words, he wasn’t just a “giant”. Today, we would call him a “monster.”

Table Talk - Matos Masei 5767

What’s in a number? Well, if the number is one, or seven, or even ten, each number has specific significance. One=God; Seven=Days of the week, weeks in the Omer, days of Sukkot and Pesach, ten=commandments. But what if the number is something much larger…say 24,000? While it seems strange, that number appears in Judaism too often to be coincidental.

When God commands the Jewish people to attack the nation of Midyan and avenge the desecration that Midyan caused (by instructing their daughters to seduce the men and entice them into idolatry), God commands Moshe to send a specific number of troops: אֶלֶף, לַמַּטֶּה, אֶלֶף, לַמַּטֶּה--לְכֹל מַטּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל – “One thousand per tribe, one thousand per tribe, for all the tribes of Israel.” While some explain that Moshe only sent 12,000 men, the Midrash, noting the repetitive nature of the verse, explains that God commands Moshe to send two thousand troops from each tribe, for a total of 24,000. Intuitively, this seems to make sense, as it’s the exact same number of Jews who died in the plague that followed the sinful behavior precipitated by the Midyanite women. (see 25:9)

But if God really wants two thousand per tribe, why not just say אלפים למטה – “two thousand per tribe,” instead of saying “one thousand” twice?

Perhaps God’s command has to do with the nature of the number 1,000. The Hebrew word for 1,000 is אֶלֶף – (pronounced eleph), which we spell identically to the letter א', written in Hebrew as אָלֶף – (pronounced aleph). אָלֶף – the first letter of the alphabet, is also equivalent to the number 1, and carries mystical references to the unity of God. Perhaps then, אֶלֶף – the number 1,000, refers to the smallest unit of numbers that make up a large community, in this case a tribe.

Interestingly, this number appears in another famous example in Jewish history as well. As we know, during the Omer we mourn the deaths of Rabbi Akiva’s students who died between Pesach and Shavuos. How many died? The Gemara tells us that it wasn’t simply 24,000. Rather, in the langue of the Gemara, 12,000 pairs of students perished – or, put another way, the tribes of Israel multiplies times two.

Table Talk -- Pinchas 5767

As any Harry Potter fan will tell you (as we eagerly await the publishing of the seventh and final book), Voldemort’s ultimate goal, other than being evil, is to achieve immortality. But Horcruxes and soul-splitting, unfortunately, seem to have some painful and negative side-effects. They seem to transform you into an evil, snake-like, murderous tyrant. Could there be another way?

According to this week’s parshah, there is a much better way to achieve eternal life.

During the listing of the counting of the families of the Jewish people, the Torah inserts an interesting fact: ושם בת אשר שרח – “and the name of the daughter of Asher is Serach.” (26:46) Who is Serach, and why name her if she doesn’t add to the counting of the nation?

Rashi explains that her uniqueness lays in the fact that she’s still alive. Serach is, in fact, the daughter of Asher, who traveled with Ya’akov and his family down to Egypt hundreds of years before. The Midrash also identifies her as the “wise woman” who appears in the book of Samuel during the times of King David, hundreds of years later. On this verse, Yonatan ben Uziel in his Aramaic translation adds that “Serach went up to the Garden of Eden alive.” Serach somehow achieved immortality. Like Eliyahu the prophet, she never died. How did she do it? What was her secret?

Yonatan ben Uziel explains that she merited eternal life, “because she told Ya’akov that Yosef was alive.” She was the messenger. She gave her grandfather the good news about his beloved son. And for that, she lived forever.

Sure beats soul-splitting.

YIOP July Bulletin -- Three Weeks Halachah Guide

Different places and times have unique and specific attributes – both good and bad. The Land of Israel has a greater holiness than other places in the world. The high holidays are a time of holiness and closeness to God. But Jewish tradition considers certain times of the year inauspicious as well. The month of Av has historically been a difficult period in for the Jewish people. Whether we remember the mistakes and sins of our people in the desert (think golden calf), the destruction of both Temples in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, or even the war in Lebanon last year, these three weeks in July bring with them worry and concern.

For this reason, we maintain practices of mourning and sadness during these weeks to heighten our own personal awareness of the calamities that befell the Jewish people and encourage us to evaluate ourselves personally and spiritually as well.

Below is a short primer on the basic halachot of the Three Weeks and Nine Days. If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me by phone (248-967-3652) or email (rabbispolter@yiop.org) at any time.

The Three Weeks (17^th of Tammuz – Rosh Chodesh Av, July 3^rd – 24^th)

In their attack on Jerusalem, the Romans breached the walls of the city on the 17^th of Tammuz. As that breach marked the beginning of the end of the Jewish kindom, the rabbis instituted a public fast on that day. While the true period of mourning begins in the month of Av, Jews have accepted the custom to begin mourning on the 17^th of Tammuz. We refrain from making weddings, parties and other joyous celebrations. In addition, we refrain from taking haircuts, listening to music or attending shows for the entire three week period.

The Nine Days (1^st of Av – 9^th of Av, July 16^th – July 24^th)

These nine days mark the classical mourning period for the destruction of the Temples. In the words of the גמרא, “when Av enters, we reduce our joy.” We refrain from purchasing significant new items such as expensive clothes or anything that would require making a שהחיינו, (like a Subzero freezer), conducting home improvement projects such as painting or remodeling, and even engaging in avoidable litigation. It’s just not a good time to start new projects.

Tisha B’av Monday July 23rd – Tuesday, July 24th
Fast begins	9:02pm
Ma’ariv and Eichah	9:10pm
Shacharis and Kinos	8:00am
Chatzos (midday)	1:39pm
Minchah I	2:30pm
Tisha B’av Films	5:00pm
Minchah II	8:30pm
Fast Ends	9:46pm

We also don’t wear freshly laundered or pressed clothing during the Nine Days (so wear your clean clothes at least one time beforehand – underwear not included). We don’t bathe for pleasure, so we don’t go swimming in a pool or lake. When we bathe and shower, to ensure that we’re only showering to get clean, we only take quick, lukewarm or cold showers. It’s not about being dirty; it’s about refraining from activities that make us feel good. Therefore, we also don’t eat meat or drink wine on weekdays (we don’t mourn on Shabbos) during the Nine Days.

Erev Tisha B’av (July 23^rd)

In order to prepare for the long fast, it’s a good idea to drink plenty of water throughout the day. We call the final meal before Tisha B’av the סעודה המפסקת – concluding meal. Because this meal takes on many elements of mourning, before this final meal, we eat a full, normal meal to prepare ourselves for the fast, finishing a short time before the onset of Tisha B’av. (It’s a good idea to eat a meal rich in starch.) Following that meal, we wash again, and eat bread and hard-boiled eggs, both dipped in ashes, while sitting on the ground. We eat this meal as individuals, and not together as a family, so we don’t bentch together.

Tisha B’av (July 23^rd – Tuesday, July 24^th)

Chazal designated Tisha B’av as the Jewish day to remember all the calamities that have befallen the Jewish people throughout history. We mark the day by reading Megillat Eichah, Kinos (Lamentations), and focusing on tragedies that have devastated us for so many years, from the destruction of the Temples, to the Crusades and massacres of the Middle Ages, up to and including the Holocaust of European Jewry and Arab terrorism in the Middle East. On Tisha B’av we refrain a number of different behaviors:

1. Eating and drinking, from sunset on Erev Tisha B’av until nightfall of Tisha B’av
2. Washing and bathing, except for hand-washing in the morning and cleaning soiled hands
3. Wearing leather shoes (canvas sneakers are fine)
4. Marital relations
5. Study of Torah (other than the calamitous and sad aspects that we learn on Tisha B’av)
6. Anointing oneself (Actually, I’ve never seen anyone pour oil over himself, but they used to do it during the times of the Talmud, and apparently, it feels good. So don’t do it. Please DO use deodorant.)
7. If you can take the day off and focus on the sad nature of the day, do it. It’s a very good thing to do, and will better sensitize you to the meaning of the day. If you can’t, it’s best not to go into work until chatzos (midday – see the chart above)
8. We also sit on the ground (or on low chairs) for the first half of the day, until chatzos.

One of the most difficult aspects of Tisha B’av is the challenge of making it meaningful. Somehow, after shul in the morning we find ourselves engaged in our normal daily activities. How do we make the day meaningful in the mournful spirit that we know Tisha B’av is supposed to be?

It’s not a day for shopping or pleasure trips. If you can, read a book or watch a film about the Holocaust. Write letters to victims of terrorism in Israel. Make the day meaningful in a constructive manner. Have your children make cards for the Israeli soldiers still held in captivity. Don’t give them candy or ice cream; tell them that it’s a sad day, a fast day, and that they should feel that sadness as well. Have them draw pictures of Moshe breaking the לוחות הברית – the two tablets. Teach your children through your demeanor and the day’s activities that this is not a normal day – it’s a day of sadness and lamentations to allow us to feel the pain of our fellow Jews.

The Gemara tells us that כל המתאבל על ירושלים זוכה ורואה בשמחתה – “anyone who mourns for the destruction of Jerusalem will merit seeing it in its glory.” We make these three weeks, the Nine Days, and Tisha B’av meaningful, in the prayer that God transforms our sincere sadness into joy, gladness and celebration.

Table Talk -- Balak 5767

Unfortunately, forecasters for this summer – not weather – but geopolitical, are predicting storms. With Hizbullah creeping ever-closer to Israel’s northern border, and Hamastan consolidating its power in the south, conditions seem ripe for another regional flare-up. What’s most amazing is that while Hizbullah -- the Shiite-based proxy-army of Iran, and Hamas – the Sunni-based terrorist organization/political movement – have publicly supported their respective attacks on Israel, both groups actually hate each-other. Dr. David Luchins even suggested during his visit to YIOP this year that the kidnapping of two soldiers in Lebanon that precipitated last summer’s war was Hizbullah’s warped way of showing up Hamas.

Still, as much as they hate each-other, they can easily agree on one issue: they both hate Israel more. And, as we see from our parshah, things today have not changed much from the times of the Chumash.

When the Torah introduces Balak as the king of Moav at the outset of our parshah, the Midrash tells us that in reality, Balak was originally a Midyanite prince. Moreover, the nations of Moav and Midyan often waged war, as the two countries hated one-another. If so, why do the people of Moav accept a prince from their mortal enemy as their ruler? The Ohr Hachayim explains that when Moav sees the Jewish nation approaching, fear of the Jews forces the two nations to make peace, hoping that their combined strength would repel the onslaught of the Jews.

So, when mortal enemies make peace to fight the Jews, we really should not be that surprised. It’s happened before, so why shouldn’t it happen again?

Table Talk -- Chukas 5767

חקת תשס"ז – Moshe the Marketing Maven

We all think of Moshe a as talented in many different areas. We consider him a good leader; a great motivator, teacher, rabbi, and educator. But did you know that he also dabbled in marketing?

You see, every product needs a good slogan – a catchy title, a great tagline, or a eye-catching logo. After all, without proper presentation, people wouldn’t purchase the product. While we might think that we can exempt religion from this rule, Moshe understands that even religious items (and institutions) must market themselves to the public.

A case in point is the copper serpent we find in our parshah. When the people complain (once again) about being forced to take the long route to Israel, instead of fighting their way through Edom, God sends snakes to attack the camp. The people relent and beg Moshe to pray for their forgiveness. When he does, God instructs Moshe to construct a serpent, stick it up on a pole, so that should a person be bitten by a serpent, he need only gaze at the snake and he would be healed.

Following God’s instructions, Moshe constructs a copper serpent, places it on the pole, and once again saves the day. Rashi notes that nowhere does God tell Moshe what material to use to construct the snake. Why then does Moshe use copper instead of another metal?

Rashi explains that had he used silver or gold, it just wouldn’t sound right. Sound it out yourself: נחש כסף (nachash kesef) and נחש זהב (nachash zahav). They don’t really flow off the tongue. Now sound out the Hebrew for copper snake: נחש נחשת (nachash nechoshet). In this words of Rashi, לשון נופל על לשון – it’s complementary language. It’s sounds nice. Feel right.

And it’s also great marketing.

Table Talk -- Korach 5767

At the Yeshiva University Yarchei Kallah I had the privilege to attend this week in Chicago, we heard from an executive coach about organizational change. She noted the two possible factors that motivate change: the carrot and the stick. At times, while we like what we have, we desire change because we see the possibility of something better. That, she said, almost never happens. On the other hand, we usually seek change because the current situation has become untenable. In other words, the most powerful motivation to seek change is pain.

While she wasn’t quoting from our parshah, she could have been. Parshas Korach relates the rebellion of a few individuals against the leadership of Moshe and Aharon. What motivates Korach’s insubordination? The Midrash tells us of Korach’s anger at being passed over for the leadership position given to his cousin Eltzafan. It’s all about his personal power.

But that begs the question: Korach lost his leadership bid long beforehand. Why does wait until now? Ramban explains that before this point, the opportunity had never presented itself. The Jewish people had enjoyed the blessings of God in the desert; life was good. They did not experience enough pain to motivate change. According to Ramban, “Had anyone rebelled against Moshe at that time, the people would have stoned him.” Yet, after the deaths over the meat and especially the terrible decree of forty years of wandering following the sin of the spies, Korach sensed his opportunity. The people were in pain. They were ready for change. He failed to realize that instead of being the solution, he was part of the problem.

Table Talk -- Shelach 5767

Dr. Howard Klausner told me recently about a recent survey published in the Economist magazine of violent countries throughout the world. Of the 122 countries in the civilized (and not-so-civilized) world, which are the most violent? Number one, of course, is Iraq with its sectarian violence, terrorism and murder, followed by Sudan, world-renown for the massacres, violence and pillage of Darfur. What’s number three – the third most violent country in the world? Is it Iran, committed to supporting and funding world-wide terrorism and building a nuclear military arsenal? How about Syria, a nation currently massing troops on the Israeli border that has been only too happy to transport arms to Hizbullah in Lebanon? What about Lebanon, a hotbed for Islamic fanaticism, and current home to Hizbullah, other jihadist groups and a military skirmish that no one cares about? Nope, nope and nope. The third-most-violent country in the world, according to the Global Peace Index (you can look it up yourself at www.visionofhumanity.com) is none other than, you guessed it…Israel.
That’s right – Israel. Now, we can give all the justifications and explanations, but it really wouldn’t matter. The bottom line, especially with surveys, is that you can arrive at any answer you want, as long as you ask the right questions.
Just ask the מרגלים – the spies that Moshe sends to scout out the Land of Israel. To them, the Land is lush and beautiful and bountiful and wonderful – but it’s still worth nothing, because they already know the answer. They just have to ask the proper questions to arrive at their answer.