Interesting Posts and Articles #295

1. DovBear on why it is so important to donate to Kupat Hair (actually, Vaad Harabbonim) -- to give the rabbonim a break! Or perhaps, so they should daven for you...
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2. On mezonos rolls. Whatever the halachic justification for it, another interesting aspect of it is why people would want mezonot rolls. The answer might be that, over the years, more and more was added to the liturgy and halachic requirements. It is already the case, in the time of Chazal, to wash for bread, eating chullin al taharat hakodesh, even if one didn't do this for other foods. Thus, one must seek after water to wash, have a valid washing cup, etc. And the bracha after it is longer than it is for mezonot -- it is birkat hamazon rather than a simple al hamichya. And while Biblical birkat hamazon was three blessings, a fourth was added at the end Rabbinically. But that was not enough, because we add more to that birchas hamazon with all the harachamans and all that follows. And we grow up singing it, which is a great aid to memory, but which lengthens the time it takes to say it. Eventually, it becomes an aggravation which people seek to avoid. (Similarly, compare the present length of Shacharit with what it used to be.)
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3. Rafi G. at Life In Israel has a picture of a tznius poster. And CosmicX has a related one.
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4. And Life in Israel has an interesting pesak by Rav Shteinman:
   

   Rav Amnon Yitzchak has been waging a campaign against what he has determined to be music and musicians that is prohibited in Judaism. He has targeted some specific musicians.
   
   A group of avreichim in Bnei Braq went to Rav Steinman saying that the siren in their area has been playing Shabbos songs by singers who do not listen to the gedolim. They asked if that is ok.
   
   Rav Steinman responded that the sirens should not play music by singers who act in opposition to the directions of the gedolim. Music has a special power of influence and Shabbos should be "brought in" with holy music and not songs that are against the spirit of the Torah.

   Maybe he really believes this, but a log hinges on how the question was asked. Did they identify the singers to Rav Shteinman by name? For example, Shweky follows his own poskim (such as Rav Ovadia Yosef) in deciding how to conduct himself. And Bnei Berak is not Yerushalayim. Did Rav Shteinman hear this music to be able to decide that this is unholy music, against the spirit of the Torah?
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5. Daat Torah translates for us the Radvaz, about whether an accidental heretic is a heretic.
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6. A Muslim student files suit against a teacher for talking about ham, in an innocuous manner, in a lesson.
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7. Newly discovered ancient humans who bred with us.
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8. How kids feel about having to trade in their toy guns.
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9. Haredi women going for plastic surgery before marriage.
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10. At Rationalist Judaism, comparing a story about Rav Shamshon Refael Hirsch ('Did you see my Alps?') with one about Rav Yehuda Zev Segal, and considering reasons for the divergence.
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11. Here on parshablog, Moshe Rabbenu makes a kal vachomer. And whether Ephraim outlived Levi.