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Does Ritual Parchment (Klaf) Require a Hechsher?

Sofer Offers Refund or Free Replacement

As a Sofer, I have always used certain types of klaf that were easier to write on, in the belief that certification made the klaf of a higher standard, yet was not essential. I relied on the factories to use only G-d fearing, Jewish labor when processing hides designed for use as STaM klaf.

Upon hearing of the Elul 5766 scandal, I turned to leading Rabbinic authorities from both Israel and the Diaspora, all of whom ruled that the “regular” parchment was of doubtful validity. There’s a high probability that the lime-soakage was done by Gentiles who are always considered to lack the needed intention (lishma), rendering the parchment completely unkosher.

I must now either fully reimburse my customers, or rewrite all my work on hechsher-bearing klaf. My customers can reach me at the number below. In the meantime, none of my work may be used, including tefillin, mezuzos, etc. I hope this notice suffices.

__________________________________________________
Clarification
Regarding the overwhelming response to my previous notice entitled “Sofer Offers Refund or Free Replacement”, I’d like to clarify a few points:

(a) It has been brought to my attention that quite a few prominent Poskim, among them Av Beis Din Zichron Meir Rabbi Shmuel Wosner, Badatz Eidah Hachareidis and tens of Rabbis from America had by Teves 5761 already issued a ruling to the effect that the use of unsupervised klaf is absolutely forbidden and that 86 well known Rabbis had said the same thing a hundred years ago.

(b) Distinguished rabbis have contacted me to offer encouragement in withstanding this trial of great monetary loss.

(c) In the wake of this scandal, I confronted the person who’d instructed me in the art of writing upon certain klaf that is easier to write on even though it lacks Kosher certification. We asked a great Posek who should be responsible for the free refunds. The ruling was that my teacher, the sellers, and I all should share the reimbursement expenses. The Posek also showed us no less than six pamphlets concerning this very subject. My teacher was shocked and agreed to help pay my customers.

Shmuel Nesanel Blum, Sofer STaM, Bet Shemesh

(Formerly of Kiryat Yoel, NY)

Grandson of the Kashoi Gaon zatzal

011-972-2-991-0591

Pray for Israeli Government, State, or Nothing?

Misgivings about the Prayer for the State of Israel-Interview with Rabbi David Bar-Hayim

TUESDAY, 12 JULY 2016 18:27
Should we be saying the prayer for the State of Israel every Shabbath? In the following video interview Machon Shilo’s Rabbi David Bar-Hayim assesses this prayer:

In English:

:בעברית

LAST UPDATED ON TUESDAY, 12 JULY 2016 18:34

From Machon Shilo, here.

There is No ‘Scale of Offenses’ Against the State

The Penalty is Always Death

electric-chairYesterday, the NYPD opened fire on an unarmed suspect in Times Square. Luckily for the suspect, the NYPD has terrible aim. Not so lucky, were the two innocent bystanders struck by taxpayer funded bullets flying indiscriminately through the polluted urban air. This all started because the NYPD allegedly saw the man stumbling around on 8th Avenue. Moments later, they started spraying bullets in his general direction, in one of the most crowded places on the planet.

I can think of no better opportunity to take the chance to point out, that the penalty for disobeying agents of the State, is always death. I’m borrowing the title from a 2008 article by Mike Gogulski on NoState.com, but what follows are my own thoughts, and it’s a point I’ve been making for a long time, that everyone, or at least, every anarchist, on some level, knows is true.

Whether you stand accused of stumbling, smoking marijuana, ignoring threatening letters, driving too fast, or parking too long, the outcome is always the same, threats of violence. If, when the armed thugs come to extract their vengeance, you become compliant, true enough, you are likely to survive the encounter. If however, you treat them like the criminals they are, they too will display their true nature, and kill you where you stand.

Continue reading…

From ChristopherCantwell.com, here.

‘I Am That Women’ – Thank God For Hardship!

Rachel’s Joy

July 11, 2016

Someone Small
Rachel from Puerto Rico sent the following email to our Breslev Israel office in Jerusalem:

Rav, Yo era aquella mujer esteril. Le escribo llena de emoción. Hace unos meses le escribí pidiendo consejo para mi esposo y para mi. Usted me contesto que agradeciera media hora por día y que escuchara la clase “Agradecer por lo que mas cuesta”. Rav obedecí y ayer me entere que estoy embarazada.Ademas de esto yo habia hecho un Pidion Nefesh por 9 meses. Rav quiero que sepa y que anuncie, que el único camino para ver milagros es el agradecimiento. Gracias por ser usted la fuente, Rajel

Translation:

Rabbi, I was that barren woman. I write with emotion. A few months ago I wrote asking for advice for my husband and me. You answered me to thank half hour per day and listen to the class “Give thanks for the most difficult things”. Rav: I obeyed and yesterday I found out that I am pregnant. Besides this I had made a Pidion Nefesh for 9 months. Rav I want you to know and to announce to everybody, that the only way to see miracles is to give thanks. Thank you for being the source, Rachel

Rachel is right – with gratitude, you see miracles. She was not only grateful to Hashem for her difficulties, but for nine months straight she gave a substantial donation to help us spread emuna in the world. Rav Shalom Arush shlit’a says that there’s no charity in the world that invokes such Divine compassion as spreading emuna.

From Lazer Beams. [missing]