Do not keep fresh or edible flowers on table with food, as there are live crawling insects present

 

Fresh / Frozen Blueberries Need Extensive Washing and Checking during an season of the year, regardless of the source

 We checked and verified with the major growers of blueberries and other experts, and they confirmed that all blueberries are to be considered "highly-infested".  Contrary to other reports.

Who is checking up on the books in our schools for compliance with a Torahadik sprit?

 We have received numerous communications re: above issues, it seems that some schools are falling between the cracks. In at least one Girls school on Oak St, the Principal tells the teachers "you can leave, but we will not change the "Goyish hashkofah books".

From numerous emails by educated kosher consumers

 It has become pretty standard that many food items, i.e meat, fish, pre-checked vegies, etc are packaged in not completely transparent packaging.

The side that looks great is on top and does not look good is on the bottom in a colored tray.

The partially shriveled or brownish lettuce is packaged in a colorful bag, till one opens it and discovers the ........

Time to use clear plastic trays, clear plastic for packaged fruits and vegetables.

Most Lakewood food establishments are using eggs from the Amish in Pennsylvania that have roosters, and the food establishments are permitted to have the Goyim check the eggs, which it not in accordance with Halachah.

Ninety years, yet I never

 After the 93-year-old man in Italy got better in the hospital he was told to pay for the ventilator for one day and the old man started to cry.

The doctor advised him not to cry over the bill, what the old man said made all the doctors cry, the old man said I don't cry because of the money I have to pay I can pay all the money, I cried because I've been breathing God's air for 90 some years but I never have to pay anything for it,

But for using the ventilating the hospital for just one day I have to pay $5000.00, I realize now how much I owe God I never Thanked God for that before.

Updated: AKO Tried implementing, Star-k objected.

 Ako tried implementing that;

When a Hashgocha is removed because of kashrus violations, another Hashgocha should not certify.

Rabbi Pruzansky- Pushback

Pushback

Posted on November 15, 2021 | 5 Comments

    A few weeks ago, I mentioned to a noted Israeli politician a conundrum that Orthodox rabbis face these days:  how can we show our love for every Jew, all our brothers and sisters of all levels of observance or non-obervance, and simultaneously uphold and defend the integrity of the Torah? It is an uneasy balance. Oftentimes, maintaining the Torah’s integrity and defending its moral system is perceived by offenders as unconscionable assaults on their dignity and humanity.

      A related question: is there a way to speak the hard truth without sounding insensitive? To that the obvious answer seems to be no, and that has caused many rabbis to color the truth, avoid certain topics altogether or, worst of all, try to revise the Torah, subtly or overtly. Thus, many embrace the new immorality “as the world we live in” without recognizing that their acquiescence is shaping and validating that “world.” And the effect on the laity, which is both a prime mover of these deviations as well as pressure points on the rabbinate, is devastating in terms of their fidelity to the Mesorah. Lacking forceful, unapologetic Torah guidance, their moral authorities have become Twitter or Facebook, the society at large, its loudest progressive voices, the secular culture and other anti-Torah outlets.  

    What has to be said that is not being said? Every month or so it seems, there is a public forum under Orthodox auspices that discusses the alphabet soup of moral transgressions, LGBT and the rest. The ground rules are always the same: the discussion can never be about halacha, Jewish values, or tradition, but can only encompass various ways in which we show acceptance, sensitivity, inclusion, etc. The discussion about halacha, Jewish values or tradition must wait until another time – a time which never comes. Sometimes the moderators will proclaim that those too are legitimate topics but “not our topic.” Whose topic is it? No one. When will it be discussed? Never.      

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It is a bait and switch game, which results in only one voice being heard – call it the pro-sin forces – and those forces are featured, promoted and even honored by the Modern Orthodox, really neo-Conservative fringe. It has engendered the growing acceptance of same sex unions in the Modern Orthodox world, in which parents, relatives and friends are expected to shelve their values and celebrate the sin of the young couple. 

      Anyone who wants to discuss Torah, Halacha, sin, immorality, mental illness or degeneracy is accused of endangering their lives, causing suicides (itself an indication of mental illness), bullying, insensitivity and cruelty. Consequently, the new immorality has cornered the market. Only they are allowed to speak. Only they are allowed to misinterpret the Torah as they wish. No one else is allowed to differ and whoever dares to sound a contrary word must be censored, ridiculed, silenced and canceled. Their cherished concept of “inclusion” excludes, castigates and bullies religious people and anyone who challenges their agenda. Enough.  

    To be sure, others suggest that we ignore them and not give them any more attention. But ignoring them has enabled them to dominate all discussions of morality, leaving many – especially impressionable youngsters – perplexed, experimenting in ways that ruin their lives, and rebelling against Torah norms.   

      The weird secular culture has permeated Jewish life as well. We are supposed to accept as true what we know to be false. We desperately need a Hans “Jewish” Anderson to shout that the emperor has no clothes. Here are the obvious truths that people have been intimidated into silence: same sex relations are Torah prohibitions regardless of the parties’ love for each other. Men are men and women are women. Boys are boys and girls are girls.  

    Those who struggle with this are suffering from a form of mental illness and the worst of all of society’s dysfunctions in the last decade has been the mainstreaming of mental illness. There is certainly no joy in noting this; indeed, it should evoke sadness and an abundance of compassion. Sure, gender dysphoria is real (true sufferers are infinitesimal in number) but it is a malady that should be treated, not indulged. That mental illness exists is an unfortunate reality, and sufferers should not be stigmatized, but nor should they be coddled or consecrated. And they deserve both our sympathy and common sense responses.     

If a boy thinks he’s cat, we get him help. Aside from Rav Nachman’s parable, we don’t put a bowl of milk before him on the floor every morning for fear that otherwise we will be labeled bigoted anti-felines or feline-phobes. Yet, today, it is considered decent and virtuous to encourage him to purr and to meow right along with him. This is insanity.

       Men cannot become pregnant. This is not controversial. This is normal. A tiny number of people believe such nonsense and they are very loud and aggressive. The rest of us ignore, smirk or roll our eyes but we need to do more than eye roll. We all know that woke is a bad joke but we have to speak up and strike a blow for sanity. Otherwise, the day will soon come when traditional morality will be deemed a form of mental illness and believers will be persecuted (if they aren’t already).

       The modern world tries to convince people that they are not what they are and they are what they are not. This is not an innocuous phenomenon. Abigail Shrier has well documented the catastrophe in her “Irreversible damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing our Daughters” in which thousands of teenage girls are talking it into themselves today that they are really boys and then engaging in life-altering mutilation and sterilization. And when they regret it, it is too late. But they are succumbing to this claptrap because that is all they see on social media. There is no pushback, no voice for sanity, And this popular acceptance is itself an inevitable extension of Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s lament a half-century ago of society “defining deviancy down.” Even a self-described Rebbitzen recently declared herself to be neither a man nor a woman, whatever that means, by her own admission talking it into herself during the long Corona lockdown. This needs to be treated, not feted.   

A must watch video-ושמרתם מאוד לנפשותיכם וכו'

 

Israeli Chevra Kadisha Alert-

 Reb Yisroel Kohn of the various Chasidim Chevra Kadisha(s) has an interesting financial game going.

When people that deposited the full purchase price of a plot call to arrange for a Kevurah, Rev Yisroel Kohn says "we don't have a record that you paid, please send us the $25,000.00 now.

It's a professional scam- stand your ground, keep your records, don't use him for the Matzaivah.

Kashrus Magazine's "Mashgiach of the Year"

A QUOTE FROM REB AHRON KOTLER Z"L

Reb Ahron Kotler said;

"The truth must be heard,

                         Even if the public doesn't like the sound of it.
Whatever the circumstances, regardless of the consequences.
                    The truth must be stated-loudly, clearly & unequivocally".
(Quoted by Bunim-Ob"m)

BMG's "KCL" Attributes, see links below- Why did Greenwald Caterers got rid of the BMG's KCL?

https://jnews.us/is-a-kashrus-dictatorship-brewing-behind-the-scenes/

 https://jnews.us/kcl-catering-standards-questioned/

https://jnews.us/bmgs-kcl-is-it-really-kosher/

How does anyone eat at a BMG's KCL establishment?

Because, Kashrus is not something that they really care about as long as they have the $15.00 dollar donuts, and the Salt restaurants, etc. 

UPDATE: Lkwd CourtYard's lack of acceptable kashrus is in dire need for some serious change in their Hashgocha.

If you would not accept such a lack of kashrus, why are you satisfied that your family "in time of need" should have to accept such a lack of kashrus?

מזל-טוב, מזל-טוב Greenwald Caterers has finally released themselves from the BMG's "KCL" Mafia

NOTE: Greenwald's Bais Faiga still has KCL, evidently Greenwald dropped KCL, not the other way around. "Check-mate".

מודעה למדקדקים בכשרות

Greenwald Caterers has finally been able to get rid of  BMG's   KCL.

 

Alert: Worms in fresh Turkish Apricots- Klein's Naturals

 

Dr Zelenko

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2021/11/exclusive-video-dr-zelenko-gateway-pundit-cdcs-response-covid-19-crime-humanity-mass-murder-genocide/

Alert- Flour beetles in Eidahs vacum packed flour, stating נקי מחשש תולעים

It was still vacuum-sealed, when it was opened there was a zoo

Therefore, one should sift all of the Eidah's flour.

Alert: the Eidah's vaccum-pcked Quinoa, would also be suspect.

The Truth must be heard regardless of the sound or the consequences

https://rabbipruzansky.com/2021/11/15/mainstream-pushback/

He writes:  

"Certainly, there will be hundreds of rabbis and others encouraging me privately, wishing that “if only we could say this.” But you can, you all can, and you must, once you realize that right is right, Torah is Torah, moral is moral, ill is ill.

Either we can join the battle, or we can mistakenly conclude that we can passively outlast it. The latter is tantamount to surrender, and the effect on our children and their appreciation and acceptance of the Mesorah and of traditional Jewish family life will be devastating. What is the triumph of Chanukah but the celebration of our salvation and the preservation of Torah from the decadence that was mainstream Hellenism."

BMG lost their Moral / Ethics compass

 BMGs VAAD

BMG's KCL

Have both lost their Moral and Ethics compass

The gift of tears by Rabbi Lau

 

BMG's KCL (Kosher Council of Lakewood) covering up on serving treif cheese to our "kinderlach" in our Moisdois!

A Lakewood Moisoid under the KCL served Non-Kosher Laubscher Cheese . 

Note: Laubscher cheese has no hashgocha at all, it's not an issue of non-cholov-yisroel-it's non-kosher!

It was used by a few of their moisdois, served to "Yidisher Kinderlach."

BMG's KCL tried doing a (diaper) cover-up with the following letter. They write "MAYBE" they served it- They are lying to you, (Again).

 

We filter our information for reliability.

 Filtering good information from uninformed opinions can help open your minds,

Don’t Let Data Smog Close Your Mind.

Alert: Evergreen & Newday Monsey, lost their infestation expert Reb Ari Green

 Evergreen & Newday Supermarkets do not have anymore the Hashgocha of Reb Ari Green for the insect cleaning department,  who is the

renowned expert in checking for infestation.

Therefore their all of checked  fruits and

vegetables can not be recommended 

anymore. 

Re: Vaccines for Covid! Pfizer Scientists in Undercover Videos Say Natural Immunity Likely Better Than COVID-19 Vaccination!

Do not trust the latest video from Reb Chaim Re: vaccines, It's all Yankie Kanievsky videos not Reb Chaim.

A Rosh Yeshiva recently wanted to go into Reb Chaim with some of his Talmidim, as usual. He was made to pay $500.00 USD Baksish.

It's all Yankie- Reb Chaim and the Shulchan Oruch say "it's ossur to vaccinate".

 

Their Taurine is "now" synthetic- They pastuerize and bottle in non-kosher facilities!

Red-bull- only with kosher symbol on can. 

CRC Chicago still considers Red-Bull as "not-recommended"

The others are bottled in non-kashered treif facilities.

Cocaine test prompts Red Bull removal in Germany THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Six German states have told retailers to stop selling Red Bull Cola energy drinks after a test found a trace amount of cocaine. The bans started Friday after a sample test conducted by authorities in North Rhine-Westphalia state found 0.4 micrograms per liter in the drink. Five other states also banned it from shops amid concerns over possible narcotics law violations.Germany's Federal Institute for Risk Assessment said Monday that the cocaine level was too low to pose a health risk. It planned to produce a more detailed report Wednesday.Red Bull said its cola is "harmless and marketable in both the U.S. and Europe." It said similar coca leaf extracts are used worldwide as flavoring, and a test it commissioned itself found no cocaine traces.

Update: Beware: Real Estate Prices in Lakewood area "exorbitant "? Who is causing it?

The Lakewood Scoop » Opinion: Yes, The Agents Are to Blame | Meir Bergman » The heartbeat of the lakewood community

Real Estate agent$ are "agent$ of the $eller".

Therefore the agents feel justified in telling the sellers "I can get you x dollars" (an inflated un-justified sum). Agents are not willing to list houses at fair and reasonable prices, the agents refuse to present a buyers resonable offer, etc.  Hence "exorbitant inflation".

Solutions; Use a "Buyers agent" i.e. Nathan Mermelstein,Realtor etc. Use a "nisht fun unzereh" Real Estate agency.

Now there are what is called the "squad of 7", they work together in shafting the buyers by upping the prices. It's alleged that they even share part of the commission.

In Gateshead, only the Rav, approves the sale price, the buyer, etc.

Lakewood does not have an "Independent- Rav". They have many Rabbonim that must tow the line with ....... or else, no perks.

Rav Shach, Z"L, told me and others years ago there will be many serious problems in Lakewood, as "they" want to control everything, and not allow an Independent Ruv.

Body soaps that don't contain animal parts

 Avon- Oil bracing bar, antibacterial liquid soap, tranquil moments soap, relaxation foam soap, soothing bath soap and body oil, ultra moist foam bath.

Rokeach - kosher soap

Proctor & Gamble- Lava hand soap, kirk coconut bar, liquid safeguard, liquid ivory

Physician's surgeons- Aloe vera soap, baby skin soap, cocoa butter soap, oily skin soap, vitamin E soap,                                       dry skin soap.

Pears- Pears transparent soap.

Lever brothers- Lever 2000.

Kiss my face- Olive oil soap, lemon lime soap, almond cream soap, peach soap.

Johnson & Jonson- Baby bar soap.

Dial corp- Dial bar soap. tone bar soap, spirit bar soap, liquid dial pure & natural bar soap, mountain                        fresh bar soap.

Colgate Palmolive- Vel bar soap.

Clearly natural- Aloe vera, rainforest, vitamen E, Strawberry, Jasmine, wildflower, hollysuckle, unscented. 

Brown eggs are much more susceptible to blood spots and other kashrus issues?

Cage free and Pennsylvania eggs, do have roosters, 

so their blood-spots are a serious issue.

All Bet-Yosef "SHAI'YISH" is a fraud. A big percentage of other Bet- yosef meat is not authenticly Bet-Yosef!

Confirmed also by Rav Machpud among others.

Agudah and the Reform join forces!

https://www.jns.org/opinion/the-agudah-and-reform-judaism-join-forces/

Rosh Hashonah - The only authentic "Brisker בריסקער -Hadasim"

 

HALACHIC DECISIONS COSTCO STYLE... Your Mesader Kedushin shouldcheck your Daled-Minim, not a Rav/Poisek..

 Congress and staff are exempt from Biden’s heavy-handed COVID-19 federal vaccine mandate

September 13, 2021 

The Mishna directs each and every individual to make a Rav for themselves.

It is thus incomprehensible how certain individuals pasken halacha for the masses!

 Furthermore, the Mishna describes a Chochom as one who recognizes his place. 

There are regrettably those "Rabbi's" or "Rosh Yeshivas" who aren't poiskim yet freely and often publicly render halachic decisions R'l. 

Thus, being the case, the Tzibur is cautioned to ask halachah questions to their individual poisek!

Li’man Hashem

G’mar Cha’sima Tova!

 

אין צריך טבילה- Utensils, Should be toiveled without a "Brocha'

 Including knives, urns, disposable pans, etc.

What is really bothering many individuals about what I publicize?

 When they are all "zocheh" to appear at the Bais-Din shel Maalah and they will  be asked,

Why did you consume these items and these items, etc?

Normally they would give a shrug with their shoulder, and say "But, I didn't know".

Now, I'm taking away from this "teretz".

Sure many will discount what I say, with various unsubstantiated reasons, 

but will the Bais-Din accept those empty reasons?

I'm sorry

The Mesorah teaches us the following;

Don't worry about who will be offended if you say the truth,

          Worry about who will  be misled, deceived and destroyed, If you don't. 

"Politically correct" has gradually become a synonym for hypocrisy and cowardice.

According to Science:

The Bee is not able to fly, - the bee doesn't know- 

Science says; Everyone will die if they don't vaccinate. 

The Amish don't vaccinate, and they are healthy individuals in general.

Why is the BMG's KCL Mashgiach in StarBucks? see undated letter

BMG's KCL Mashgiach, found "only" one item in Starbucks that's not kosher!

 

Is a Kashrus dictatorship brewing behind the scenes?

 

https://jnews.us/is-a-kashrus-dictatorship-brewing-behind-the-scenes/

Please Daven and Learn for a Refuah Shlaima

 

It's NOT kosher! Art Scroll's SHABBOS TABLE are Advertisements & on shabbos-

Call them at 1-800-637-6724- or write to them at YHisiger@mesorah.com  

to state you objection to the chilul shabbos.

 

BMG's KCL Hashgocha, is it reliable?

https://jnews.us/bmgs-kcl-is-it-really-kosher/

Anti'semitis'im in todays age

It is unfortunate that at this time and age there are still companies that have very antisemitic attitudes. Seems like Unilever hates everything related

to the Jewish religion and state.

We the Jews have been persecuted since the era of the Egyptians, going further to the inquisition and going again further to Germany Nazi's, 

nobody helped us, the world only watched. Unfortunately it is happening again, most of the companies that Unilever owns used slave labor during

WWII, now again they are coming out with their antisemitic sentiment like Ben and Jerry's ice cream, what else does this miserable board of directors

have under their sleeve against Israel and the Jewish community around the world? Another persecution or free labor like they had under Nazi 

Germany, this company is antisemitic.

These people forget that most of the technology (cel phones, Microsoft etc) in the world came out of Israel or Jewish people, Medicine etc., Unilever's antisemitic stance should abandon the use of everything that came out of Israel or created by Jewish people/companies.

All the stores that the CEO's are getting these emails should decide which way to stand, either against the Jewish people and its state of Israel, 

showing your true antisemitic colors or showing that you are not antisemitic and/or racist against the previous. Unilever products should be removed 

from all non antisemitic stores, remember there are other forms of buying produces from non antisemitic organizations, we the jews have grown and 

do not need any of the above stores that hate Israel and the Jewish people. 

The CEO has not come out to apologize or anything of this nature, he and the BOD have shown their true antisemitic colors.

Hopefully all the above receiving this email have a conscience and ban all the products from your shelves, antisemitic companies have no place at all.

I have informed my family, store that sells Ben & Jerry's product, leave your kart and buy elsewhere. 

Alan Jope should show his respect to the state of Israel and the Jews world wide and apologize, remember we do not need any of the products 

Unilever produces, simultaneously remove the whole BOD from Ben and Jerry's and again apologize to the whole Jewish community of the world. 

I do not care what religion he has, remember Soros hates the Jews, he has to apologize.

It is incredible that the only company that gave any response was Publix Supermarkets, their response was that they would continue to sell Ben & 

Jerry's ice cream, willing to place a bet that if it would have been a Jewish issue but a BLM issue, you all would have bent backwards to please them, 

you all are the same like the world when we were being massacred by the Nazi's all looked the other way.

I am also writing to all the rabbinical organization that give the K or UD for your products like Coca Cola, Tropicana Juice, Pepsi etc., to see how all 

the previous can lose this certification.

This email was previously sent to Publix, Cvs, Winn Dixie, Walgreens, Unilever and all the others not mentioned on top, there is a limit of email 

address, hopefully the certifications of the stores/ products not standing with Israel and the Jewish should lose all Jewish certification. 

Show your faces in favor of Israel and do not be coward, this is for the store and or manufacturers.

We the Jewish community have a large buying power.

Thank You

Robert Dirnfeld (Holocaust survivors son)

305-812-0007 

 

Quinoa infested

 

Update: Kiryas Joel (KJ) beef is not on the recommended list of acceptable sources.

Update: Notice to Bnei Torah

 Kashrus Notice: Due to the current shortage of kosher chicken cutlets, many Lakewood caterers and food takeout establishments currently provide chicken cutlets from poultry plants - with a kashrus standard not for Bnei Torah. 

This includes chicken cutlets from Agristar and Empire/Meal Mart poultry plants.

The Israeli team from Eretz Yisroel that were in Surfside

 

Lakewood day camps kashrus ALERT

KCL certified Parve cholent may "not" be eaten with milk

"Menachems" and shloimy kaufman's kugel and parve cholent is truly parve, you may have it with milk.

נהרדעא/aka= Lakewood has a serious problem of hard liquor & wine consumption. nihar is a lake, duah is a woods

From a comment;

I know a lot of you enjoy drinking, it’s a fun activity, you do it to be social. I want to beg something of all of you. I know a lot of you enjoy drinking, it’s a fun activity, you do it to be social. But- it’s something you need to be responsible about, not just for yourself, but for whoever’s doing it with you. 

I want to tell you about a boy I know. He went to his friends for shabbos, and Friday night they headed over to the house of a gevir who’s known to have an open bar, fully stocked, as much as you want. This boy drank- nothing crazy, not too much. He went downstairs pretty early to go to sleep. His friends saw him later that night, flat on his back, snoring away. They left him alone, and a little while on, woke up again to see that something was seriously wrong. I don’t know exactly what- was he gagging? Choking? Throwing up? I don’t know. They called Hatzalah, but by the time they came it was too late- this 26-year-old guy, single, his whole life ahead of him, was dead. Because he choked to death on his back. Tonight, his family is sobbing their eyes out. They’re brokenhearted. His 7 brothers, his 3 sisters, they can’t believe it’s true and they’re just beginning to grasp the fact that they’ll never be a whole family again.

And his mother- she’s practically collapsing. She can’t understand how this is happening. Why his friends let this happen. How they left him alone when one little thing would have saved him. How do I know this story? Because it’s my brother. Ari Levin. I’m the one watching my brothers fall apart as they try to grasp that they’re never going to hug Ari again. They’re crying about how they regret they didn’t get to say goodbye, they’re wishing they could tell him how much they love him, they’re sobbing it to each other and holding on to each other desperately. I know my dear brother Ari died for a reason, even if I don’t know what that reason was. I know it was Hashem’s plan and that if it happened, this is what He meant to happen. But- I also know that right now, his friends are feeling overwhelming guilt. They’re feeling that if they had just watched over him a little better, turned him on his side, he wouldn’t have died this way. They wouldn’t have to face my parents at the levaya tomorrow, knowing that they could have done something about his death. 

And my parents are wishing they’d known about Ari’s plans for the night, they would have begged him not to go. Go know that you could drink the same amount you always do but this time it’s going to go wrong. So I’m begging you guys, as a brokenhearted sister, as a future wife and mother- if you’re going to drink, please be more responsible. Know your limits, but know your friends’ as well. Watch over them and try to make sure they’re as safe as possible. Know what’s safe and what’s not. Please. The life you save could be your own.
******

נהרדעא- Each one wants to outdo his peers in the costly brands and in the quantity of an assortment of the "finest". 

Then they want to outdo each other in how much liquor they could hold.

They can't afford it, but they have peer pressure.

They go to various kidushim to make li'chaim on the chazon Ish's shiur.

It affects their stability at home, affects the wife and children.

Sure, they have daily pressure, but, this? We all do.

Are "kidush clubs" the only issue? NO

Drugs are just as a serious problem, with very tragic results.

Disease in disguise- Silence is not an option- Li'Chaim

Communities in crisis

לחיים

Sholom Zuchors- Beer only

Kidushim- limited to 2 bottles of up to $20.00 @

Chasunahs- No open bars-Choson tisch /Head table limited  to 2 bottles up to $20.00@

Chasunah wines- up to $12.00 @

Dinners / parlor meetings- limited to 2 bottles of up to $20.00 @

No Ruv should sell w/ chometz-no more than 1 bottle per household.

I'm not that familiar with all of the pratim; what I do know is that more and more people, especially the under 40 chevra are becoming addicts...they are seen in big numbers at AA meetings, and Rabbonim admit to me that it has become a major issue in their kehillas

Drinking in ModerationBy Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb
The use of alcoholic beverages is a primary example of something that our Torah permits, yet prescribes definite limitations. In fact, there are Scriptural references, which are reinforced by Chazal in numerous ways, concerning the need for moderation in drinking alcohol. Indeed, the Talmud (Yoma 76b) relates the very word yayin (wine) to the word yelala (woe).

The rise of substance abuse, including alcohol, among adults and teenagers in our community is very troubling. Children who witness adults engaging in alcohol consumption—beyond what is reasonable or necessary for halachic purposes—learn that alcohol is a substance to which one can resort when looking for fun or when trying to alleviate feelings of anxiety or depression. Using alcohol this way can lead to addiction, with all of its serious consequences.

Then there is all the all-too-common phenomenon known as the “Kiddush Club.” These clubs consist of those who leave shul during the Haftarah reading on Shabbat morning to drink single-malt scotches and other liquors, often to excess. This practice disgraces the holy words and messages of the prophets found in the Haftarot; ironically, it is these very messages that these individuals would be wise to learn. I have personally witnessed how the effects of practices such as Kiddush Clubs can sometimes be literally lethal.

An Orthodox Jew cannot limit his concern to the kashrut of ingredients but must also consider the kashrut of his personal demeanor and the example he sets for others, especially children.