Why Do Birds Suddenly Appear?

Warning: Tasteless post ahead!!!

Birds Just Wanna Have Fun!

Shavuos Torah

Shir Hamaalos to the tune of "I Am A Mountain"....


Also, took a look at the Spring 2003 edition of the RJJ Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society. Rabbi Alfred Cohen's article on "Daat Torah" in that volume is interesting. In the article, he quotes the Meshech Chochma, who says that the true "sin" of Moshe Rabbenu at Mai Meriva was that he erred in not realizing how his policy would be misinterpreted by the Jewish people.

"Even a great and true Torah leader, whose vision of Judaism is clear and whose wisdom is profound, has to decide not only what is the right thing to do, but also - how the people will perceive it."

In a footnote, he refers to the takanos imposed on wedding expenditures by the Agudah and notes:

As an example, if people were to get the impression that certain individuals are exempt from following recently-issued guidelines for limiting ostentation and excessive spending at weddings, there would be little incentive for others to adhere to them.

Under the circumstances, lack of respect for Daat Torah abounds.

Rabbi Cohen is too kind here. I fail to see how people could not get that impression, given that the text of the takanos explicitly allows for exceptions to these rules.

He also notes in a later footnote:

During the past year, a proclamation was issued by Torah leaders, calling upon all members of the community to accept restrictions and guidelines for expenditures when making weddings. The proclamation aroused a great deal of discussion, as well as debate whether this area was indeed the one most in need of correction -- some suggested that it would have been far more important and worthwhile to place a limit on the costs of Yeshiva education, which places a tremendous burden on thousands upon thousands of families. Be that as it may, the true test of that proclamation's efficacy as Daat Torah will be evident in about five years, when its impact will or will not be noticeable. It is the view of this writer that the factor determining whether this move to influence public behavior succeeds is really dependent upon the behavior of the signators themselves: the first time a wealthy or important individual flouts the guidelines, but the Torah personalities who signed attend his child's wedding anyway -- that will be the end of the projects efficacy.

By this standard, the takanos are already a failure – as it was obvious that they would be. I should note that there are many people who have been abiding by the takanos despite the fact that, even within the “Aguda” community, they aren’t universally followed.

I have additional thoughts on the essay in general, but don’t have the time to get into it now.

Just Eat It!

Veggie orchestra.

Via Dave Barry's Blog

Israel Day Concert

The Hocker pronounces the Israel Day concert a success.

My Children, Of Course, Are Different

Power Line on Madonna's cancellation of her Israel tour.

What's His Name?

Stambordnotes that the identity of the "popular" wedding singer allegedly killed in a US attack on a "wedding party" in Iraq (Yeah, right!) has been changing.

Criticizing A Critic

Tony Kushner responds to a critical review of his new musical.

The lyrics he refers to can be found here.

Madonna Israel Tour Cancelled

The Jerusalem Post reports that Madonna's Reinvention Tour, which began on May 24, will not include Israel as one of its stopovers.

Despite rumors confirming and reconfirming the star singer's performances here, Madonna has axed her three planned gigs because terrorists threatened to kill her and her children, Britain's The Sun newspaper reported earlier this week.

According to the tabloid, Madonna "freaked out" when she learned of the plot to kill her children, Lourdes and Rocco, if she performed in Israel. Madonna was tentatively scheduled to perform in Tel Aviv in September. The paper says she first planned to defy the extremists but cancelled after the unnamed Palestinian group mentioned specific details about her children in a bombardment of poison-pen letters.

Apparently, the "protection tools" don't work against terrorists.

More Music Hock

jewishfringe responds to Jonathan at The House of Hock.

Jewish Music Hock

Jonathan at The House of Hock discovers Jewish Music blogs.

I disagree with his assertion that the point of music in the Orthodox community is "mainly to maintain their Jewish identity." Perhaps that's what it should be, but that is definitely not an accurate description of the bulk of the music being produced by the Brooklyn JM scene.

I also think that he's mischaracterized our respective positions on what we think JM ought to be. Each of the JM bloggers has different musical preferences -- where we agree is that the current spate of commercial Jewish albums lacks soul. Simply put, the music isn't good because there's no "there" here. Quality isn't necessarily synonymous with "rocking" or "spiritual" music, and from my perspective, one can have quality music in any style. The current commercial stuff, though, simply isn't up to par. It fails both as Jewish music and as pop music... and that's the real issue that I have with it.

Concert Update

The House of Hock has a NCYI Concert Update.

Hakotel

When I started out playing weddings in the JM field, one song that many bandleaders regularly called on the jobs I played was the Israeli tune, "Hakotel." I never understood why they would choose to call a sad song at such a joyous time.

Here's a translation of the last verse:

She stood, dressed in black, at the kotel.
The mother of one of the infantry soldiers.
She told me, it's the eyes of my son that are shining
And not the candles on the wall.
She told me: I'm not writing
Any note to hide between the cracks.
Because what I gave to the kotel only last night
Is greater than any words or writing.

And here's the chorus (which quotes Rav Kook):
The kotel, moss and sadness.
The kotel, lead and blood.
There are people with a heart of stone.
There are stones with a human heart.

(The full lyric can be found here.)

And so, I never call this tune when I'm leading gigs... except on Yom Hazikaron or Yom Yerusholayim. Over this Yom Yerusholayim, I had the opportunity to play and sing this song at several gigs. The lyrics are so powerful, and resonate so much... especially in light of the "matzav" in Artzenu Hakedosha these days. I find it hard to express my thoughts about all those who gave their lives -- both then and now -- on behalf of Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. The self-sacrifice of our chayalim truly is, if I may borrow the lyric..."gadol mimilim umiktav.

And so, as Yom Yerusholayim draws to a close, I simply conclude with the words of Rav Goren Z"L on that first Yom Yerusholayim at the Kotel, "L'shana Hazot B'Yerusholayim Habenuya, B'Yerusholayim Ha'atika!"

Chiddushim: Singing Pesukim

Matt Wieder has added some comments I'd emailed him and his responses to the comments section on his post about singing psukim we referenced a few days ago.

Feel free to jump in!

Concerted Effort

Rabid Kahanist (his own description) Lammpost rants about the concert in the park.

Kurdish Music

Here's an interesting article on the upsurge in popularity of Kurdish music in Iraq.

Rap Violin

Violinist Miri Ben-Ari will soon be releasing her debut rap album according to CNN.

"Basically the hip-hop and R&B community are getting together to pull this off," says Ben Ari. "I have Anthony Hamilton on one track, Scarface on one, Ghostface on two tracks, Joe Budden, Mya, Kanye (West) and the list goes on, it's amazing."

Unlike her other album, "Miri Ben-Ari and Friends", it is not being produced by Shelly Lang.

It Was Inevitable!

Steven I. Weiss (Sorry, Steve! I'm not feeling "Fiddish". How about "Onward, Yiddish Soldiers?") has the lyrics to a song about sheitels, and a link to Bangitout.com which has another.

Blogging Torah

Yesterday's shiur by Matt Wieder was on the topic of "Singing Pesukim."

Chaim Witz Speaks His Mind

Kiss bassist Gene Simmons offends Australia's Muslims.

Concert Not Kosher, YU Rabbis Rule

Here's a YU Commentator report on a concert by the Seth Yacovone Band that was cancelled due to to pressure from Rabbi Zevulun Charlop and other Roshei Yeshiva.

A few 'graphs:

According to Rosenzweig, the Yacovone Band plays clean music and was excited to break into the Yeshiva scene. In fact, the performance was expected to attract around 100 students and a raffle was planned to raise funds for the One Family Fund, an organization dedicated to providing aid for terror victims in Israel. "I wish I knew what they objected to," Rosenzweig said in exasperation. "No one came to me directly with complaints, no one asked about the band or the event."

Rosenzweig claimed that had he been approached by the roshei yeshiva, he would have implemented measures to allay their fears. "We would have agreed to separate the boys and girls," he offered. "The performance had no religious or political agenda, we just wanted the music, the art."

Rosenzweig vowed to host the performance somewhere else at a later date. "Whether they like it or not we'll have a concert," he said, "the question is whether it'll be in the Village or in the safety of our own home."