Thursday, September 10, 2009

look at this!! - Oy I'm kvelling (that means bursting with pride)

This is from chowhound about Kosher restaurants.

Thanks Queenscook!! Glad to be of help.

"queenscook
Jun 18, 2009 02:34PM
re: queenscook

It is the one on (Blank St.)

It's under the supervision of R Zev Schwarcz.

I've spoken to him a few times about the various restaurants under his supervision, and I've found him always willing to answer my questions frankly, and in a way that shows he's thought of the issue and found an answer that satisfies him. I've also found him willing to talk about the leniencies he sometimes relies on, and their pros and cons, and why he feels they should be applied in a particular situation. Let's just say that I've tried having similar conversations with some other rabbis who give hechsherim, and sometimes found quite a different attitude to being questioned."

Friday, September 4, 2009

A continuation of Tuesday August 18th post -A Parsha by Parsha, step by step, guide to the Devarim cycle of responsibility

As we mentioned the the book of Deuteronomy is one unit, dealing with one unit of time, one mission for our lives.
The book encompasses a unique and crucial part of our cycle of life and mission in life that starts with the beginning of that book and ends with it's end.
Every Parsha is a step by step rebuilding guide for the Teshuva process which starts before Tisha B'av (not Elul or Rosh Hashana as we are led to believe) and ends with Simchas Torah.

Parshas Devorim is an overall rebuking of the Israelites ways in the desert meant to wake us up to introspect into our lives in general to make way for the change which Tisha B'av is supposed to invoke in us. Which is how we interact socially one to another. Which is the crucial foundation for the rest of our Teshuva process. Because no repentance works unless we first correct how we act to others. Tisha B'av is meant to set us straight on that road.
Next is Parshas V'eschanan - once we break down our bad character traits then it's time to rebuild our foundation so this Parsha reviews all the fundementals:
The Ten Commandments, The Shema, the real purpose and benefits of following the Torah.
Parshas Eikev deals almost solely with the Land of Israel. Because that is a truly important foundation of our faith and lives. More of the spiritual effect of the land rather than the physical. But we must spend the time next on dealing with how we allow that to impact us on our road to Teshuva, repentance. Because, besides the Torah discussed in last week's parsha, it is the yearning for Land of Israel which kept us together as a people through all the difficult times of history.
more to come.....