Parashat Bechukotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:34)

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Luke Ford

I discuss the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Rabbs every Monday at 7pm PST on my live cam and on YouTube.

This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Bechukotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:34).

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Does Leib Tropper Still Have A Following?

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Luke Ford

Yaakov* emails: The world loves a “martyr” and to the Agudists Tropper was framed and all is denied, in spite of all the scandals and expulsions, Tropper still has access to top Haredi rabbis. He still has money. He looted the Kol Yaakov and EJF accounts for himself before resigning. He writes seforim and runs his nutty blog pontificating. He is a hoodlum and hoodlums remain “popular” even when they are brought down or pass on.

Yet again, Tropper rants against the Internet on his nutty “כבוד התורה” blog, even as HE uses the Internet to tell it over.

If one reads that blog regularly it can only be Tropper making such statements, see:

He attacks his rabbinic enemies that brought him down:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/02/rdovid-ribiat-r-pinchas-rabinowitz-and.html “Sunday, February 7, 2010 R’Dovid Ribiat, R’ Pinchas Rabinowitz and R’ ben tzion Kokis Of monsey, NY Ignore the Psak of Maran Harav Steinman shlita”

He reports about his “old” yeshiva:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/08/tumult-of-kol-yaakov.html “Thursday, August 26, 2010 A tumult of Kol Yaakov”

He praises his Monsey defender and enabler:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/08/hagaon-harav-yisroel-d-schlesinger.html “Sunday, August 29, 2010 Hagaon Harav Yisroel D Schlesinger shlita, Rav of Beis haknesses Shaarei Tefila, Monsey. Is going to Europe for Yomim Noraim.”

Still focuses on conversions:
http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/08/grandaughter-of-hagaon-hagodol-harav.html “Monday, August 30, 2010 The conversion situation in Eretz Yisroel has deteriorated into a chaotic and unacceptable level.

Praises his main rabbinic backer (and more like this):

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/09/maamarei-rosh-hashono-new-seforim.html “Sunday, September 12, 2010 Maamarei Rosh hashono (New Seforim) A collection of deep and beautiful ma’amorim delivered by Maran Harav Aharon Schechter”

And promotes another key rabbinic backer (there are more like this):

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/09/maran-harav-dovid-feinstein-shlita.html “Sunday, September 12, 2010 Maran Harav Dovid Feinstein, shlita. (Siurim CD)”

Celebrates his rebbe’s birthday. Tropper learned by rav Scheinberg and got semicha from him:
http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/09/hagaon-harav-chaim-p-scheinberg-shlita.html “Monday, September 13, 2010 Hagaon Harav Chaim P Scheinberg, Shlita, Celebrates 100th Birthday”

Voices a pet pieve:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/09/gedolei-yisroel-and-marriage-counseling.html “Monday, September 27, 2010 Gedolei Yisroel and Marriage counseling Gedolei Yisroel, shlita are alerting the tzibur to avoid going to any kind of counseling without a written endorsment of that particular therapist, counselor or rabbi who acts as counselor. The endorsment should be from a “Renowned Talmid chacham with experience”.”

Mnetions politics of his old yeshiva:
http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/10/harav-dovid-wolpin-shlita-mashgiach-of.html “Sunday, October 3, 2010 Harav Dovid Wolpin, shlita, Mashgiach of Kol Yaakov resigns Hagaon Rav Dovid Wolpin, shlita the Mashgiach of Kol Yaakov since 1984 resigned from his position. He Did not retire.”

Pontificates about kiruv:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/11/new-sefer-on-rav-shach-view-of-kiruv.html “Sunday, November 7, 2010 New Sefer on Rav Shach’s View of Kiruv A new sefer on Kiruv, a collection of many Maamorim of Rav Shach, zt”l is being published.”

Praises Belzer rebbe who it’s known he’s close with:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/11/belz-and-kiruv.html
“Thursday, November 18, 2010 Belz and Kiruv The Belzer Rav, Shlita is above all a leader with creative vision.”

More in geirus (quire a few like this):

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2011/01/geirus-problem-in-israel.html “Tuesday, January 18, 2011Geirus Problem in Israel”

More on his Belz buddies:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2011/01/belzer-rebbe-pained-over-assimilation.html “Sunday, January 23, 2011Belzer Rebbe Pained Over Assimilation”

A good word for his ally Rav Amar:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2011/03/harav-amar-shlit-in-lakewood.html “Sunday, March 20, 2011Harav Amar, Shlit”a in Lakewood”

Promotes his own new seforim:
http://www.kavodhatora.com/2011/04/sefer-kuntres-hateshuvos.html “Monday, April 4, 2011 Sefer Kuntres Hateshuvos In 1952 the famous Sefer Taharas Yisroel on laws of family purity was published in America for the first time. It was published by Rav Yehuda Tropper Zt”l. Since then it was published 10 more times. The author of the Taharas Yisroel received various haskamos. Mongst them is a Haskama from Maran Rav Chaim Halevi of Brisk Zt”l. The author also left unprinted a Sefer called “Kuntres Hateshuvos” on 4 Chelkei Shulchan Aruch. This Sefer was recently published by R’ Leib Tropper, founder of Yeshivas Kol Yaakov in Memory, of his most respected father….”
and many posts “condemning” the Internet (that helped to bring him down of course):

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2009/12/internet-sites.html “Thursday, December 17, 2009 Internet Sites A negative trend has become prevalent among various internet sites, which give a voice to the ideas and opinions of wicked people.”

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/10/catastrophe-of-internet-gossip.html “Thursday, October 7, 2010 The Catastrophe of internet gossip ”

Defending his ally Norman Eisenstein:

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2010/10/mevaze-talmedei-chachomim.html “Monday, October 18, 2010 Mevaze Talmedei Chachomim Recently a blog site attacked Hagaon Harav Nachum Eisenstein. Re: Issues of Giur.”

http://www.kavodhatora.com/2011/03/rebbe-of-skver-internet.html “Sunday, March 6, 2011 Rebbe of Skver & Internet The Skverer Rebbe Shlit”a has involved himself in the battle against the internet.”

To sum it all up, “if it talks like Tropper, sound like Tropper, looks like Tropper, seems like Tropper, prehudices like Tropper, enemies like Tropper, and acts like Tropper, and speaks like Tropper — it’s Tropper”! A duck needs less signs to be “certified” a duck!

Added to which he is VERY sly and knows how to play “cloak and daggers” not afraid to forge documents and signatures and make up facts and stories to suit his ends.

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The Queer Frum Orthodox Chasidic Mother Of Eight Novelist

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Luke Ford

Somebody tried to set me up with this woman.

Then I did my research and found out she was queer.

So I just asked for an interview instead. Goldie said yes. We exchanged a bunch of emails trying to nail down a time and date.

After getting the great long runaround, she finally said she wouldn’t have time for an interview with me. She was so busy.

I guess my loss is literature’s gain.

The Chicago Jewish News reports:

Her children, five boys and three girls ranging in age from 21 down to eight, with one set of twins, all live at home; four are currently in college. “They’re all different, they’re all good at different things,” Goldbloom says of her brood.

As for herself, she’s a self-described “queer frum (Orthodox) Jew.” (Elsewhere she has described herself as “a queer Lubavitcher Chasid.”) “I go to a Lubavitcher synagogue, I practice the way Lubavitchers practice, I keep kosher to the standards of Lubavitchers, keep Shabbos the way Lubavitchers keep Shabbos. I feel connected to the Lubavitcher community and very strongly connected to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, his writings and letters. I take an active part in (the children’s) school life, in synagogue life,” she says.

She adds, “I’m very supportive of queer frum people everywhere, and the idea that queer frum people are part of the frum community, and that’s sort of a new idea for some people.”

The reaction of the Lubavitch community to her and to the book is mixed, she says.

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This Week’s Torah Portion – Parashat Bechukotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:34)

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Luke Ford

I discuss the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Rabbs every Monday at 7pm PST on my live cam and on YouTube.

Watch this week’s videos.

This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Bechukotai (Leviticus 26:3-27:34).

* Lev. 26:2 says to revere God’s Sabbaths and His sanctuary. The Sabbath is the most sacred time and the sanctuary is the most sacred space. Judaism sanctifies time and space and food and sex.

* So what do the blessings mean? If you keep the commandments, God will do what for you? Or are the blessings for the nation as a whole? Does this mean God will do miracles for Israel if it keeps His commandments? The blessings don’t list spiritual benefits, they list only physical benefits.

* God doesn’t say, so long as you keep My ethical commandments or the most important of my commandments. He says his commandments without proviso. Many commandments have no meaning to me but I feel bound to observe them anyway.

* Most Jews don’t like to use the word “sin.” In my experience, most Orthodox Jews and most Orthodox rabbis don’t like to use the word “sin.” Yet sin is a focus of Torah.

* Is God’s covenant with Israel revocable? If Jews ignore His commandments will they cease to be His people? That’s what Christians say. Are Jews God’s people only if they act like God’s people?

* Rashi says the rains will come on Shabbat. Lev. 26:4 (AS)

* Lev. 26:5 Constant work is part of the blessing. (AS)

* Lev. 26:14 If you do not listen to Me, indicates to not engage in daily Torah study. (AS)

* Most Jews today don’t care about these rituals in Leviticus, and to the extent they do care, it is because they can link them to some ethical upshot, but these rituals have psychological, social, aesthetic, and inspirational value. God’s directives for our lives are not only ethical, but also holy.

The joy of living in accord with God’s commandments is hard to describe but the rabbi and I will try. It’s this deep sense of inner peace and this yearning to help other people.

* AS on Lev. 27:10: “Although the commandments of the Torah are decrees, it is proper to meditate upon them and seek reasons.”

* Am I very particular and exacting and does everything have to be done my way?

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Dennis Prager Still Recuperating From Surgery

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Luke Ford

Dennis underwent spinal fusion surgery May 11.

On May 15, he posts to Facebook:

Hello Everybody!

I finally have the strength to personally write about my situation.

In 28 years of broadcasting I think I missed more than two consecutive days due to illness only once. So for me to miss a week or more is a huge deal. But the truth is I have been through a huge deal – considerably bigger than I realized in advance.

I don’t want to bore you – but on the other hand, I assume anyone following me on Facebook has more than a passing interest in my life. So here goes in brief detail.

Last year I had two surgeries to remove the parts of two discs from my lower back that were protruding onto nerves and causing terrible pain in my sciatic nerve, the nerve running from the spine to the foot. Those surgeries allowed me to leave the hospital the same day and go back to work two days later.

But both before and after the sciatica problem, I had pain in my upper back and lower neck. As it went away about a year and half ago after a serious stretching regimen, I was hopeful that it be might gone forever. But it returned a few months ago worse than before, and a month ago I ceased being able to lift my left arm from the shoulder. It became obvious that without surgery, I could permanently damage nerves to that shoulder and never be able to raise that arm (preventing me, for example from ever conducting again – not to mention do daily things like shampooing with both hands). The MRI, meanwhile, showed degenerated discs in my upper back, which along with growths on the vertebrae, were contributing to compression on my nerves. I even learned that I was born with a narrow spinal canal. That made the other factors much more likely to cause pain, immobility, and nerve damage, resulting in the need for surgery.

So my excellent neurosurgeon at the excellent USC University Hospital explained to me that my only choice was to operate immediately (because of the likely nerve damage) and to remove three disks from vertebrae in my upper back and fuse those three levels with titanium to hold the vertebrae in place. They fuse, incidentally, with specially processed human bone – here I have benefited from something I have long advocated — registering as an organ donor in case of fatal accident.

The surgery lasted seven hours and was performed – to my initial surprise — through the front of my body. Access to the spinal column is much easier through the front but it comes with a price – the patient’s esophagus, vocal cords, and trachea are all pulled aside for the length of the operation. They are likely to become inflamed, and in fact did become inflamed — my vocal cords as well, making normal speech, not to mention the especially energetic three hours of talk radio speech, impossible at this time.

You could say that I feel beaten up. I am. My body devotes all its efforts to healing.

So that is the briefest I can be to explain why I am not returning on Monday. Wednesday is the earliest, and I will keep you up date.

My general attitude is quite upbeat. I am doing well, all things considered. And I never assumed I would live a life free from pain – whether emotional or physical—so this is not a shock to my emotions or psyche. It is a shock to my body, however. But I remain as grateful as ever for all my blessings.

Those blessings include living in a time and a place where such sophisticated healing is available, the love and support of my family and friends and, not least, your support, which I read with immense gratitude.

It’s amazing the lengths that people will go to to avoid working on themselves to change their habits of needless compression. Lessons with a good Alexander Technique teacher would likely have rendered unnecessary Prager’s years of pain and three back surgeries.

Most people just want to get fixed by somebody else. They don’t want to look at their own habits that are causing their own misery.

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The 12 Steps To Recovery From Bad Use

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Luke Ford

Hi, I’m Luke. I’m an addict to clenching and pulling down.

F.M. Alexander, grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change about my use, the Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.

The first step to recovery is to accept that we are powerless to inhibit our needless tension patterns and that as a result our lives have become unmanageable.

We come to believe that a power greater than ourselves will restore us to sanity. This Higher Power helps us to free our necks so our heads can release forward and up.

We’ve made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to this Higher Power.

We’ve made a searching and fearless inventory of our needless compression patterns.

We’ve admitted to our Alexander teacher the exact nature of our wrongs.

We’re entirely ready for our teacher to remove all defects of use.

We’ve humbly asked our teacher to remove all shortcomings.

We’ve made a list of all persons we’ve harmed through our needless use of unhelpful habitual postures of thinking, feeling and acting and become willing to make amends to all.

We’ve made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

We continued to take personal inventory, and when we were stiff-necked we admitted it.

We sought through active rest and regular lessons to improve our use and to develop our inhibition.

Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to other addicts, and to practice these principles in all areas of our lives.

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The Basic Question

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Luke Ford

Chaim Amalek emails: Over the course of the dozen or so years that I have know you Luke, scores of desirable, marriageable women have entered your social circle. And then left. Most men, presented with such a selection, would long since have found one with whom to close the deal, marry, have kids etc. Hell, some of them might have repeated the process several times over. But not you.

Why not?

Luke says: It’s never been my choice. The great women I’ve known? They’ve turned me away. I wish it was something I’m doing. Then I could fix it. Or am I blind?

Oh, I was tired and I was cold
Yeah, with a hunger in my soul
When it almost seemed too much
I see your face and sense the grace
And feel the magic of your touch

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I View Myself As A Fearless Truth-Teller

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Luke Ford

Yet I have all the same feelings as a normal human being.

When I am writing, I am using all of my senses. I am the receptive to everything the universe sends me.

When I read my work publicly, or when I publish it, I strap on my armor to steel myself to the reactions. I keep telling myself, “I don’t care what they think.”

I don’t buy it when people say, “I don’t care what other people think.” I’ve never met anyone of whom it was true and I am glad. Such a person would be a psychopath.

People often get the impression from me that I don’t care what other people think. That is not true. I care intensely what other people think. If you prick me, do I not need bleed? If you rub my tummy, do I not stand tall?

So, yes, I care what you think. What separates me from most people is my separation from most people. Perhaps my isolation allows me to publish my thoughts so recklessly? Or, perhaps, while I care intensely about what other people think, I care even more about sharing my thoughts with the world, about aggrandizing myself?

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Am I In Control Of My Own Life?

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Luke Ford

I feel like I am more in control of my life than ever before. Through Alexander Technique, I’ve learned to inhibit many of my habitual responses that don’t serve me. Through psycho-therapy, I’ve gained clarity on my emotions, thoughts and actions. Through Orthodox Judaism, I have a clear sense of who I am and what my responsibilities are.

Is this sense of mastery I’m feeling over my life an illusion? Are my addictions running my life or am I running my life?

I feel like I am running my life. I feel like I have free will. Yet, when I look back on my life, I see that almost all of the choices I made were fated.

I was fated to break down into chronic illness. I was fated to not pursue my studies in economics. I was fated to flirt with acting before settling down to my true calling of writing. I was fated to investigate underworlds. I was fated to write about Dennis Prager.

Dennis Prager is fated to run for president in 2012.

I’m fated to do important writing on the forthcoming election.

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Sex Addicts Smackdown

Posted on May 15, 2011 by Luke Ford

So, you’re a sex addict. Where do you turn for help? Do you just read lukeford.net every day and go from there to shul? Or do you want to work a program?

Do you want a 12-step program? Well, which one? There are four.

The old hardy standby is Sexaholics Anonymous. These ones tend to meet in churches. They have strong Christian overtones. They’re strict. They’re for men only and pretty much for married men only and I believe their focus is on keeping married men faithful.

Ironically, this is the type of meeting where you are most likely to meet Orthodox Jews.

Then there’s Sex Addicts Anonymous. Again, this is pretty much for men. It’s not as strict and is not as Christian. The focus is strongly on sex and porn and masturbation.

Then there’s Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous. This is for men and women. There’s a lot of talk about relationships. It’s as strict or as loose as you want to be. Some hot chicks show up to these in Los Angeles so beware of sexual temptation. It can lead you down the garden path to helpless humping and that makes Jesus cry.

And there’s Sexual Compulsives Anonymous. According to the website: “Members are encouraged to develop their own sexual recovery plan and to define sexual sobriety for themselves.”

This is almost all men.

The sex addiction therapy movement is much stronger on the West Coast than on the East Coast and much stronger in the United States than elsewhere.

If you want to check out a 12-step program, an open AA meeting would probably be best. The sex programs are aimed at those with sexual addiction and many if not most meetings are closed to those who identify.

Der Spiegel reports:

The growing number of self-help groups for sex addicts is an indicator of how much influence the religious right has in the United States. Organizations like Sex Addicts Anonymous and Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous, which now has a branch in Germany, are permeated with deeply conservative ideas and see liberal attitudes toward sex and relationships as nothing less than a disease.

The pioneers at Sexaholics Anonymous warn: “Sexual desire is an unrestrained feeling that drives us to abuse ourselves, others or objects for self-involved, destructive purposes.” Sexaholics Anonymous advocates a twelve-step program based on the Alcoholics Anonymous program.

Crystal Renaud says she’s “clean” today, living an abstinent life and only sharing her apartment with her dog.

But experts have built an opposition to the new generation of anti-sex crusaders. Is “sex addiction” really a disease requiring treatment, like alcoholism? Does such a disease even exist?

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