Panelists: Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet, Rabbi Sholom Lipskar, Rabbi Berel Bell
Moderator: Mrs. Molly Resnick
Why do men wear black and white and women wear all colors?
How does the Torah deal with the age of the earth?
Why can’t women be rabbis?
These are some of the questions being posed to 3 of the greatest minds.
Hear their answers to the issues bothering people today.
Rabbi Berel Bell, Rabbi Yitzchak Schochet and Rabbi Sholom Lipskar are put on the spot in this Crossfire
This crossfire took place at the National Jewish Retreat, for more information please visit JRetreat.com
You must be too young to remember that MOST chsidishe bochrim and yungerleit did NOT wear only white shirt (nor black suits). it is an undeniable fact. 19 is 100% correct.
I dont remember my father (a very chassidishe shliach) wearing anything but white shirt w/ a suit and hat. This was before gimmel tammuz. Yes some yeshivas allowed colored shirts before gimmel tammuz but your average lubavitch chassidishe yungerman wore a white shirt before gimmel tammuz
And when in Jewish sources do we ever hear about a man dressing up in black?
(5) תלמוד בבלי מסכת יומא דף יט/א
שם היה סנהדרין של ישראל יושבת ודנה את הכהנים ומי שנמצא בו פסול היה לובש שחורים ומתעטף שחורים ויצא והלך לו
(14-15) תלמוד בבלי מסכת מועד קטן דף יז/א
רבי אילעאי אומר אם רואה אדם שיצרו מתגבר עליו ילך למקום שאין מכירין אותו וילבש שחורים ויתעטף שחורים ויעשה מה שלבו חפץ ואל יחלל שם שמים בפרהסיא
Fyi this whole black and white did not exist in chabad before 3 tamuz (besides shabbos of course). In 1996 a few rosh yeshivas got together and decided that Chabad shouldn’t look like less than other chassidim so they went ahead and made the change. The rest of the yeshivas followed later on that year.
Check hilchos aveilus. Definitely black is s sign of mourning in Judaism. This is why in certain situations where one is prohibited from mourning (there are such situations), such persons are mandated to wear white. This is because black (the opposite of white) is a sign of mourning, which would be forbidden under the enumerated circumstances.
All three answered clearly succinctly and with insight.
We have tremendous talent in Lubavitch.
We need such people to reach in as well as reach out.
Great answers, da mah shetoishav at its best. Thanks for posting.
Should be as chief Rabbi Sacks puts it:
Non Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism. Non Jews DON’T respect Jews who don’t respect Judaism.
if you already quote Rabbi Sacks..
He said:
Non Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism. And Non Jews are embarassed by Jews who are embarassed by Judaism.
This took place at the annual National Jewish Retreat of last year. They’ve done Crossfire’s with various Rabbis and Rebbetzins.
You can see more here:
http://www.torahcafe.com/tags/crossfire/
WOW! Seriously amazing stuff! The National Jewish Retreat is seriously amazing! I thought it wasn’t for lubavitchers….this stuff is important for everyone! THANK YOU FOR POSTING
Should be as chief Rabbi Sacks puts it:
Non Jews respect Jews who respect Judaism. Non Jews DON’T respect Jews who don’t respect Judaism.
These guys blew me away. Don’t know where it took place but want to see this live in every US city to take on all the naysayers of Judaism. Brilliant scholarswith sense of humor is a rare commodity. I am impressed.
love your answers
Three Shluchim, Rabbonim, big names in Lubavitchs, are being bombarded with essential and fundemental issues in Yiddishkeit and Chassidishkeit, and people sit here, focusing on misunderstood details! There is SO MUCH INFORMATION and answers here, and these three are carrying themselves so amazingly! None of you writing the above could come close to what these giants have done. Please enjoy this amazing video, and cut these people some slack.
Look in the Ben ish chai to do with wearing black .
His story is a famous one, oft repeated , how he pulled out a 10th to his minyan out of a non-kosher restaurant . The person eventually became an regular and donor.
Just for future reference, it’s fedora. Still, good comments.
I don’t think wearing black in mourning is a Jewish concept.
I recently heard that black clothing is sign of mourning since the bais hamikdash was destroyed…
It is supposed to say “wear black and white clothing” in the first blank, and “fadora hat” in the second
I believe that Rabbi Lipskar’s answer to why Chassidishe men where only black and white clothing, was quite evasive, stating that it all has to do with modesty and frequent formal events, not necessarily black and white in particular. For it that were the case, there are many different colored “formal” and “modest” dress clothes out there, and it would be the total norm for Yeshiva Bocherim, rabbinical figures and the like, to dress in whatever colored dress clothes they desired, (as seen in the modern orthodox and conservative groups). It is but a dress code, (albeit a bland one)… Read more »
How good is our share how sweet is our lot. This is all the Rebbe’s Koiches. Theses individuals demonstrate that they are well connected to world while infusing it with spirituality.
GLUED TO THE SCREEN! THANK YOU!!
bought a ham and cheese sandwich for someone to daven at his minyan. Is that allowed? Just wondering at 25:00