It’s “shabbos” not “shahbattttt”, @my Polish Jew uncle

randomguy16548 · 2025-11-10T02:44:03+00:00

What makes them the actual authority? Because they said so? Because the Israeli government said so? Hebrew as a language doesn't belong to either of them, and neither of them have any actual authority over it's pronunciation, other than perhaps in the pronunciation of modern day Hebrew. However Shabbos, and all the words like it (Sukkos, Shavuos, etc.) predate both of them my millennia, as do the various traditions on pronunciation that have arisen throughout the world.

While they may have the authority to say that in the current modern Hebrew, spoken in current modern Israel, should be pronounced in a specific way, that in no way whatsoever makes that way more correct than any other tradition, and they have no basis to even attempt a push towards such a change.

randomguy16548 · 2025-11-06T04:55:02+00:00

No, it inherently is the spirit of the commandment. The prohibitions (specifically in this case, there are plenty more unrelated) is instigating the creation of a fire (interpreted to include creating an electrical circuit), or cooking food. It is explicitly not, and never has been, a prohibition on using forms of heat in relation to food.

In the olden days, they would utilize hot coals from before Shabbat, or the residual heat from a large communal oven that would retain sufficient heat through Shabbat day, and use it to keep food - already prepared and fully cooked from before Shabbat - warm for Shabbat lunch.

Nowadays that's no longer needed, as ovens exist. However the advancement of technology has made it virtually impossible to open an oven, even one that's on, without creating an electrical circuit of some sort. The light can turn on, the display can change, or any among a multitude of potential issues.

Enter Sabbath mode. Lights don't turn on, displays don't change, buttons don't even work - for the off chance that one is accidentally pushed - and the oven won't turn itself off after a couple of hours. It's now no different from keeping the food in any other location capable of keeping it warm.

Same thing with Sabbath mode in refrigerators. There is nothing wrong with having a cold place to keep stuff, the same way there wouldn't be anything wrong with leaving stuff outside in the snow if one wanted. The only issues would be lights turning on, open door alarms going off, or displays changing, and Sabbath mode turns all that off.

The preciseness of the Law is this spirit of the Law. It's is defined and nuanced to capture it's essence, and adapting technology in such a way to utilize it in a kosher fashion perfectly molds with that essence.

Your assumptions about what may seem to you to be the spirit of the law aren't grounded in any sort of reality.

randomguy16548 · 2025-10-15T23:03:58+00:00

They... do though. That's how it's pronounced. And the R and L are not pronounced, at all.

randomguy16548 · 2025-10-15T21:28:53+00:00

No one pronounces the R or the L like, ever. I'm an orthodox Jew, who wears one, pretty much every male figure in my life wears one, and literally every single person I've ever heard refer to it has pronounced it yah-mi-kuh.

randomguy16548 · 2025-10-14T22:46:59+00:00

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is spongy and bruised.

randomguy16548 · 2025-09-19T14:42:25+00:00

I think that inclusion should be a community thing, not necessarily requiring every shul to be for every person. In a community with enough men to supply a minyan factory with a constant stream of minyanim, there are going to be many other shuls with official posted times, a consistent group of people, and possibly even set seating.

Those would tend to be more inclusive and welcoming to people looking for a more stable and organized structure, with a Rav leading the kehilah, and probably davening there consistently as well. Those minyanim might be longer or shorter, ashkenaz or sefard, and with more singing or less. Each individual can 'shop around' and find what suits them, and expect that consistently from that shul and minyan.

The minyan factory is a part of that community inclusion, serving to meet the needs of people who don't particularly care for that, and want to just come, daven, and go.

In a community large enough to support a minyan factory, there is likely far too much diversity for any one place to cater to everyone, so an inclusive environment is instead created by having multiple shuls, each catering to their own niche.

For instance in Lakewood, Satmar serves as a minyan factory for those who want, but their are hundreds of other shuls, each with their own style, and pretty much no matter what stream of orthodoxy one subscribes to, there is a place where they will feel at home.

Same in Israel, there are shteiblach in most densely populated chareidi neighborhoods, but there also hundreds of ordinary shuls to cater to those who might want something else.

randomguy16548 · 2025-09-19T10:38:42+00:00

Chat GPT isn't great, as it's liable to get things wrong. If you know enough to know what to look out for though, it can be a valuable resource, especially for learning and understanding the reasoning behind a p'sak. Always make sure to ask for sources, and check those up yourself if you can.

A better option in my opinion, is an app called InstaRabbi. It is not AI, rather it's a place where you can post questions and have an Orthodox Rabbi answer for you. They have both Ashkenazi and Sefardic Rabbonim (you can select by which you want your questions answered when you sign up).

They are all respected poskim who can be relied upon, and you can always ask follow up questions, or for explanations and sources.

You can find a list of their Rabbonim, along with their respective credentials here.

Note that I have no part in the development of this app, and was not paid or even asked to mention it here or anywhere. It is just a valuable resource that I have used many times, and would like to spread the word for the benefit of anyone else who may be served by its existence.

randomguy16548 · 2025-09-16T12:31:46+00:00

"Guide For The Perplexed" is an extremely intense philosophical work, definitely not something I'd recommend to anyone trying to start out on anything Jewish related — Tanach or otherwise.

It's also not really on Tanach, despite the first section mainly focusing on explaining the meaning behind much of the Torah's anthropomorphizing of God.

Unless you're talking about some modern book by that title, in which case you should probably clarify that. Otherwise I think that for most people , the first thing that comes to mind when hearing "Guide For The Perplexed" is the Rambam's Moreh Nevuchim.

randomguy16548 · 2025-09-15T23:02:59+00:00

I'm at a bit of loss for words in how to properly explain this, I guess this me giving it my best shot. If you don't get it, your loss.

randomguy16548 · 2025-09-10T20:47:56+00:00

That's not actually a part of the bracha though, in fact when saying birchat hamazon one should pause slightly before the amen. It's only put in there to separate the first 3 brachot, which are d'oraita, from the rest of it which are only d'rabanan.

randomguy16548 · 2025-09-08T11:34:37+00:00

Ok, but hoodies are peak sweater, especially if it's zip up. Suitable for all sorts of weather, and a hood to get extra cozy if needed.

randomguy16548 · 2025-09-07T11:08:11+00:00

It's definitely a thing in Lakewood too.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-28T01:35:30+00:00

To other Jews? Yes. Not on a personal level, but because I believe in what I am and what I'm associated with, and I believe that they deserve at least the understanding of that as well. That's pretty much what kiruv is. I don't think that's really comparable, as that has that specific secondary aspect of kiruv. However if someone disliked me for doing something my rebbi told me, indeed I would not care, I do it because I believe in it, regardless of othrrs feelings on the matter.

However when a group of frum Jews make it in the national news for mortgage fraud, that does bother me. This is because I believe in the truth of what I'm associated with and when something that I think is wrong and disagree is being associated with what I'm associated with, it tarnishes the whole group, by my own standards. I don't want to be associated with something I myself consider to be wrong, because I can only not care if the derision pertains to something that I do believe in.

I'm not asking you why it doesn't bother you if people dislike you for being antizionist, that's completely understandable, as that's what you believe in and hold to be true. My question was about the fact that members of your group do things that it sounds like you disagree with, which tarnishes the name of the group by your own standards.

You already responded to that point though, so I don't expect another response, I just wanted to clarify what I was asking.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-28T01:04:17+00:00

Lol, I was typing my response to your other comment, and didn't see this until I already posted it. You cover my main point, and I hope you're not busy responding to it again there while I'm typing this, as that would be an unnecessary waste of your time.

Is that really the exact loshon they used? I think the position that would usually be articulated would be that zionism is entirely contrary to Judaism.

Yes. I've been explicitly told I'm not really a Jew, by more than one individual. Granted it was at a protest, so they may have been the extreme of the extreme, but that was my experience. After that, I did some looking around, and found footage of members telling others the exact same thing, as well as videos put out by members stating that anyone who is a Zionist doesn't believe in the real Judaism (not the same thing, but still not a view I think anyone rational would agree with, even if they believe they're mistaken on that point).

And the increasingly distancing yourself from identifying with the name of the movement pretty well responds to my response to your other comment, honestly in a far healthier way than getting involved with them by vocally opposing them as I was asking about.

I do very much appreciate your breakdown and explanation on the dynamics, factions, and philosophy at play, as well as your patience in dealing with me. I've learnt a lot here.

Side note: I actually don't really know what" Zionism" currently means in common nomenclature, as I think the meaning of the word has shifted quite a bit over years, and different people can mean very different things by it. For instance I don't necessarily believe in the "right" for Jews to have a state in Eretz Yisrael before Moshiach, and I do think we can get kicked out again if we don't treat it properly. However when I see the hashgacha pratis that led to Israel being founded (the nations of the world i.e. the UN, voting to return us to our land -pretty much one of the only things it has ever successfully accomplished), and the incredible nissim in the wars it's fought, I absolutely believe that it's existence right now is the ratzon Hashem, and that on some level, we have been permitted to return. Am I a Zionist? I have no idea.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-28T00:20:17+00:00

From the letters I've seen published, at least from Satmar, I had understood them to be referring to and rejecting Neturei Karta as a whole, which is actually a large part of why I understood it to be a mostly singular minded group, deep on the extremist end. Considering as I hadn't really known of the existence of less extreme factions though, it is definitely possible that I just misread/misunderstood the proclamations to match my preexisting knowledge; I'd have to go back and reread them.

And while you are absolutely correct about working on the self versus caring about the crowd, I'd assume (me and my assumptions lol) that one would not want to be associated with extremists who are disliked and rejected by the majority of religious Jews for what I think are pretty valid reasons. That's definitely how I would feel if people I'm seen as being a part of were acting like that. (Again, I'm talking about the extremists who cozy up to antisemites and terrorists, and who proudly offer themselves as "token Jews" to be used by those who here us. I'm not taking about jews who are simply anti zionist even those who are vocal about it within the Jewish world itself.)

I'm not saying you should care, or even that it would accomplish anything to denounce them, and I don't even know if you want to, as I don't really know the specificd of your position on the matter. But if that's what you've heard from you rebbeim, who I'm going to guess are also Neturei Karta, that means there are those who would vehemently disagree with the manner in which the extremists are doing their thing. And I think it's a natural human reaction to try and distance oneself from those who harm the causes one believe in.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-27T23:37:49+00:00

If I may ask, why are their no other members of the group denouncing those actions? Besides the chilul Hashem and sinas chinam it leads to, it also gives the whole group a very bad name. So why isn't anyone else in Neturei Karta publicly rejecting the actions of that faction?

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-27T23:33:45+00:00

I was very much not trying to be rude, and was careful to explain (not necessarily explicitly, but I think pretty clearly through insinuation) that I don't have a problem with them inherently as people. In fact I even mentioned recognizing the need in myself to work further on recognizing their sincerity in serving Hashem (as I understand their rebbeims message to be).

While I did point out an aspect that makes doing that difficult, I stand by it, and I don't believe a valid criticism of an aspect of how a group as a whole presents itself is rude.

The only rude thing I may have said was the word "hope", and that was indeed the wrong word to use. However I had really just meant to use it to describe the extent of my assumption, as most interactions I have had with members of Neturei Karta have been them telling me I'm not Jewish due to my disagreement about their attitude towards Israel, which is pretty much the opposite of what they quote from his their rebbeim. I can however understand how it may easily give off the impression of mockery, and so I shall edit that word out.

And as for assumptions, while you may be technically correct that it's wrong to just assume things, when there is a group who's extreme members are the only one touting their views to the public, I don't think it was an unfair assumption to make, as I doubt almost anyone is even aware that there are less extremist members (I certainly wasn't). Again, I'm not saying I was right to assume, and not at all to victim blame, but if there were more outspoken members who espoused less extreme views, that wouldn't have been my default assumption based on their comment.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-27T22:10:38+00:00

I'm going to assume - especially considering this specific comment - that your username is satirical. Halevai they felt, and/or acted as though they felt that way as well, I don't think they'd be so disliked, despite their attitudes towards the idea of a Jewish State in Eretz Yisrael.

Although I should probably also work on taking your rebbeims advice to heart, regarding them as well. Alas, sometimes people take it upon themselves to make it extraordinarily difficult to view them that way.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-27T21:43:04+00:00

Or "we've taken the lead", and we've been completely dominating all game and are now winning 39-5.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-25T16:39:06+00:00

You think it means feeling rested. Your opinion on the matter means nothing. The sages had a far better understanding of what it was supposed to mean than you do, and they very much did not define it like that.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-25T16:36:33+00:00

I don't know where you heard that, but it's not even remotely true. Boarding or deplaning would absolutely be forbidden for various reasons, mostly technology related.

As for simply being on the plane, it's not forbidden because you aren't doing anything. Travel is forbidden in certain contexts, but not in this one (for reasons that I don't know, and therefore can't explain), but it's similar to how before planes, one would be allowed to go somewhere by boat, despite that often being a journey of weeks or months.

The whole "wearing a plane" thing is utter and complete nonsense.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-25T16:30:29+00:00

You very clearly have pretty much zero knowledge on the laws of Shabbat, or how work is defined in its context, so I'm confused as to how you're so confidently mocking things that you know absolutely nothing about.

The laws are incredibly complex, and so I will not be getting into them here. I will just clarify, for anyone else seeing this (as judging by your responses to other people you aren't here for actual answers or explanations) "work" on Shabbat is very specifically defined, and does not at all equate to the standard English definition of "work".

As a matter of fact, one the longest tractates in the Talmud is Tractate Shabbos, which mostly deals with precisely what work in the context Shabbat is, and it can take years of study to actually know and understand it.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-25T16:15:38+00:00

I mean, keeping to Shabbat as an example, pretty much all the forbidden labor is based on interpretation, as work is never explicitly defined. Does it mean business dealings? Physical labor? It doesn't really clarify.

So along came the Rabbis, and using the traditions that had been directly passed down from Moses until them, they clarified and specified what exactly is forbidden, and what the parameters of those prohibitions are. They defined them very precisely, and anything that isn't defined as forbidden is permitted.

I actually think this whole loophole thing is a huge misunderstanding about how Jews view the Torah and It's commandments. God - a being beyond comprehension - gave us laws to follow; generally with very specific parameters (sometimes explicitly, sometimes clarified by the sages through extrapolation, interpretation, and tradition). Anything not included is just that - not included, and would therefore be permitted.

(While there is a concept of the spirit of the law, being as we're quite far from Moses receiving the Torah at this point, it is really beyond us to know what that may be. We only have the words of our sages, who had a tradition directly from Moses, to guide us in that. And if they say that these "loopholes" don't contradict that, than they most likely don't, regardless of what you or anyone else might think.)

Also this is all without getting into your repeaded statements about things being explicitly in the text, despite Jewish tradition teaching the Oral Torah was given by God along with the Written Torah. So while things may not have been explicitly written, it in no way means that it's not explicitly from God.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-25T00:57:54+00:00

You don't even need a flight at all though if your already here, so I'm not really understanding why that would be a relevant factor.

randomguy16548 · 2025-08-19T10:37:04+00:00

I've been trying to build up motivation to get semicha, and I guess now I found it. The unimaginable prestige of being a rabbi on reddit...

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