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The Short Vort (7/24/09)

The Short Vort

Good Morning!


Today is Friday, Erev Shabbos Chazon 5769- July 24, 2009


Call Me Mr. Eisenman


I hardly slept last night- I could not get the issue out of mind.

Already yesterday the emails were coming in as were the phone calls.

Everyone wanted to know the same thing:  “Did I see the news? Did I see the pictures?” One woman called me incredulously and asked, “This is not true- correct? It is all a set-up, right?”

And then of course was the follow up question, “So rabbi, what do you have to say?”


The Story of Shoeless Joe Jackson


Shoeless Joe Jackson was a famous baseball player in the early part of the twentieth century. He was accused of taking bribes in order to ‘fix’ the 1919 World Series.

A grand jury was convened to investigate.

 

I can still vividly remember the first time my brother told me the story of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the little boy.

The story- true or not- is part and parcel of baseball if not American lore:

When Joe Jackson left criminal court building in custody of a sheriff after telling his story to the grand jury, he found several hundred youngsters, aged from 6 to 16, waiting for a glimpse of their idol. One urchin stepped up to the outfielder, and, grabbing his coat sleeve, said:

"Say it ain’t so, Joe?"

"Sorry, kid, I’m afraid it is," Jackson replied.

 The boys opened a path for the ball player and stood in silence until he passed out of sight.

"Well, I’d never have thought it," sighed the lad.

 

In 1921, a Chicago jury acquitted him and his seven White Sox teammates of wrongdoing. Nevertheless, Kenesaw Mountain Landis, the newly appointed Commissioner of Baseball, banned all eight accused players, claiming baseball’s need to clean up its image took precedence over legal judgments. As a result, Jackson never played major league baseball after the 1920 season.

 


“Say it ain’t so”


I desperately wanted to wake up and find out that the entire incident was a nightmare which had disappeared with the morning light. But, alas, it was not to be.

I was not surprised when I was informed that one Orthodox news outlet never even mentioned the fact that among those arrested were Jews- let alone congregational rabbis; after all, how could they? Aren’t we always the victim, we never do wrong.

 


I do realize that as apposed to the thuggish riots and demonstrations by the ‘handful of miscreants’ in Jerusalem , where the actions themselves speak for themselves; here the accused certainly have a presumption in this country of being innocent until proven guilty.


However, the fact that it seems that the main informant in the case was ‘one of us’- namely a Torah Jew – who cooperated to save his own skin- certainly did not give me the warm and fuzzies.

So what should I say when an 87 year old respected and venerated rabbi with a long white beard is seen being led into federal court by FBI agents exactly a week before Tisha Bav?

What should I say when the far reaching investigation seems to touch every Orthodox enclave in the metropolitan area with claims of money laundering and the sale of human organs? 

I still pray the whole episode will be a mistake; a fluke; a lie.

However, even if that does occur, one thing has happened which we can never undo. 

His name has been profaned. His name has been vilified.

Therefore, the only thing I can say- is that which we all say at the conclusion of the long service of Kinos on Tisha Bav day.

In the last stanza of the last kinnah- “Eili Tzion” we say: “Alei Shemecha Asher Chulal…” “(We wail and we and cry for) Your name which has been profaned…”

At the end of the day, we cry for Your name, which has been desecrated.

That is certainly something we must all cry about.

Unfortunate for us, in the Kinnah we say that those who are profaning your name are the enemies of the Jews; however, today……


Rav Sharga Feivel Mendlowitz



Rav Sharga Feivel Mendlowitz Zt”l was the Rosh Yeshiva of Mesivta Torah V’Daas in Brooklyn . Although he was an accomplished Talmid Chochom and Rav, he insisted on not being called Rabbi Mendlowitz, but, rather, Mr.  Mendlowitz.



There are various stories as to why he insisted as such.

However, today I feel that one of these versions is more applicable than the others.

When he was in New York in the 1930’s and 40’s- many individuals who had the title ‘rabbi’ were less than upstanding; for a few dollars they would grant a ‘hechsher’ on a butcher store.  Therefore, in order to distance himself from the immoral and dishonest connotation connected to the title ‘rabbi’, he insisted on being called Mr.  Mendlowitz.

Today I understand Rabbi Mendlowitz, today call me Mr. Eisenman.

May Shabbos bring all of us, some much needed rest from the events of the week.

 




If Not Now, Then When?- Hilllel

 

Ron Yitzchok Eisenman

Rabbi, Congregation Ahavas Israel

181 Van Houten Avenue

Passaic, NJ 07055

973.777.5929 ext.  1