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The Short Vort- -“ “Do we really need this?”” (7/15/10)
The Short Vort
Good Morning!
Today is Thursday the 4th of Av 5770 and July 15, 2010
“Do we really need this?”
One of the great parts of visiting day is taking the children to the local kosher grocery and allowing them to pick out the buy their favorite treats.
By the amount of nosh some of the children buy, you would think that they are being denied food and drink in their camps; however, such is the ritual of visiting day.
As I am always looking for additional fodder for the Vort, I walked away from my family and observed the going on’s in the store.
I watched one family who with their daughter, were walking down the nosh isle- (truth be known, some of these kosher groceries in the mountains, are 85% nosh and 15% disposable dishes. However, that’s for another Vort).
The daughter kept taking various items off the shelf and depositing them in the family shopping cart. The mother who was down the isle, returned to the daughter and the cart and looked at the growing pile of nosh, treats and sweets which were packed high in the cart.
The daughter was so excited and proud of her shopping prowess.
The mother carefully looked at the mound of edible sweets, chips, mushy and gooey sugar coated worms and beans and assorted cookies and candies.
Slowly, the mother lifted up one large bag of sugar coated, honey glazed, glucose covered, deep fried fudge bars-which on the label was proudly stated- “Cholov Yisroel, Pas Yisroel, Bishul Yisroel, Chassidishe Shechita, Mashgiach Temidi, Tannur Rishon, Orla Free, Challah Taken, A Natural Healthy Snack!”.
The mother just looked at the bag then looked at her daughter and in a calm low voice asked her daughter, “Do we really need this?”
The daughter, who at first looked as if she would protest, lowered her head and said, “I guess we have enough without them.”
As I walked away, I wondered to myself the same question, “Do I really need this?”
We are in the midst of the Nine Days.
For Nine Days (actually only seven; for one day is Shabbos and Tisha Bav anyway you cannot eat) we are asked to refrain from eating meat.
Is that such a big deal?
Do we really need the meat?
Many camps used to (some still do) sponsor Siyumim every day of the Nine Days to allow their campers to have meat every night.
Irrespective of the halachik permissibility of such actions, the question remains, “Do we really need this? Can we not mourn for the Beis Hamikdash for just nine days of the year?”
I was informed that there is a “900” number where for just $5 a minute you can hear a Siyum over the phone.
By pressing ‘one’ you hear a Siyum on a Seder of Mishnayos in three minutes.
By pressing ‘two’ you can hear a Siyum on a Massechta of Gemara in five minutes!
Is it so hard to refrain from meat for one week?
The question of the mother as she looked at her daughter haunts us, “Do we really need this?”
Friends, “Do we really need this?”