By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Hashem was very kind to me and enabled me to spend a few days in Eretz Yisroel over this past week. I was apprehensive about going, but when such opportunities present themselves, we have to grab them, and I’m happy I did. Besides, I am a libi b’mizrach type of Yid, and being in mizrach was refreshing and reinvigorating.
I got an inkling of the type of trip I would have shortly after entering a taxi at the airport for the ride to Yerushalayim. The driver was obviously secular, though nothing is really obvious in that country, and things are not always what they seem. It is folly anywhere to judge people by outward appearances, but in that country it is doubly foolish.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
It is interesting that last week, when the Torah introduced us to Noach, it did so in glowing terms, informing us that he was a tzaddik tomim, who walked with Hashem. When referring to Avrohom Avinu, the father of our people, we aren’t told much about him. His lineage is presented at the end of Parshas Noach, and this week we are told that Hashem appeared to this person named Avrom and told him to leave his home and move somewhere.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
This week we learn again the fascinating parsha of Noach and how Hashem brought the Mabul to destroy the world He had created.
As we begin learning the parsha, we note that the pesukim (6:11-12) that describe the depraved situation of the world at the time of Noach state, “Vatishocheis ha’aretz lifnei ha’Elokim vatimolei ha’aretz chomos – The world became corrupt before Hashem and the world became full of thievery. Vayar Hashem es ha’aretz vehinei nishchosah – And Hashem saw the earth and behold it was corrupted.”

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Sukkos is a wonderful time of year when we celebrate many mitzvos. Loved and cherished by all, the mitzvos include, of course, the sukkah and the daled minim. Much effort is involved in procuring a nice esrog, lulav, hadasim and aravos. The joy of those who worked so hard is evident when you see them proudly holding aloft the daled minim, heading off to shul with an extra bounce in their step and a smile on their faces.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
The Rama (Orach Chaim 582:9) writes that on Rosh Hashanah, people should wish each other, “Leshanah tovah tikoseiv. May you be inscribed for a good year.”
The Mogen Avrohom (ibid.) adds to the wish that we offer to each other. He says that we should wish others, “Leshanah tovah tikoseiv veseichoseim,” that they should not only be written for a good year, but also that their good fate should immediately be sealed.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
I recently had the good pleasure of meeting Rav Lipa Yisraelson. A grandson of Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, this lovely and engaging person dedicates his life to publishing works of his grandfather, as well as those of his uncle, Rav Chaim Kanievsky. He gave me a copy of the “Amudo Shel Olam” biography that he published on Rav Elyashiv and told me that I would find material for an article on every page.

By Jonathan S. Tobin
According to the Anti-Defamation League, it’s just a mistake. A Fox News Digital exposé showed that the curricula they hand out to schools as part of their anti-hate programs included critical race theory (CRT) teachings about “white privilege,” the need to address the problems of “whiteness,” praise for the anti-Semitic Women’s March group and support for the idea of contemporary Americans paying reparations to those whose ancestors were enslaved.

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
Parshas Ki Seitzei opens with the halachos of the aishes yefas to’ar. Rashi quotes the Sifri, who explains the reason the Torah permits an act that violates Torah norms. “Lo dibrah Torah ela keneged yeitzer hora.” This is commonly translated to mean that the Torah understood that man cannot withstand the temptation presented by this circumstance and therefore permitted it. In sanctioning the aishes yefas to’ar, the Torah makes an allowance for the limitations of a man’s self-control in the face of great temptation.

Dear Matzav,
I was surprised to hear the shock and alarm over the revelation yesterday about a certain Chinese restaurant in New Jersey. Sorry if I don’t share such deep sympathy. Anyone with half an ounce of kashrus sensitivity knew that this store, owned by an aino Yehudi, was trouble. Only sleeping people were surprised. It wasn’t a scandal. A scandal indicates outrage and shock. This was an obvious problem. It was right under people’s noses. But people tuned out.
But…
Let me tell you, though, about 3 kashrus scandals taking place right under your noses that you may be oblivious to:

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz
The Gemara in Yevamos (63a) quotes Rabi Elozor, who derives from the posuk (Bereishis 12:3), “Venivrichu vecha kol mishpichos ha’adamah,” that blessing flows to all families of the world only on account of Am Yisroel.
The Gemara also quotes Rabi Elozor bar Avina, who teaches, “Ein puraniyos ba’ah la’olam ela bishvil Yisroel,” everything bad that happens in the world is “bishvil Yisroel,” for the Jewish people. He derives this from the posuk, “Omarti ach tiri osi, tikchi mussar” (Tzefaniah 3:7), meaning that Hashem does these things so that we should learn mussar from them and do teshuvah.