Haveil Havalim #162 - Pesah Edition

Mossa'ei Shabbath Qodesh Parshath Messor'ah 5768

Founded by Soccer Dad, Haveil Havalim is a carnival of Jewish blogs -- a weekly collection of Jewish & Israeli blog highlights, tidbits and points of interest collected from blogs all around the world. It's hosted by different bloggers each week and coordinated by Jack. The term 'Haveil Havalim,' which means "Vanity of Vanities," is from Qoheleth, (Ecclesiastes) which was written by King Solomon. King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem and later on got all bogged down in materialism and other 'excesses' and realized that it was nothing but 'hevel,' or in English, 'vanity.'

But first, a few words from our sponsor...

1) A number of bloggers do a tremendous job of submitting posts. However, our fearless leader, Jack, would like to remind you not submit more than three of your own posts, please.

2) We are still looking for more hosts.

"It is fun and exciting." -Jack

3) The deadline for submission is Friday. Yes, it used to be Saturday night, but no longer.

4) Apparently, someone did not get his waffles for hosting, and is now Stalking Jameel. This behavior will NOT be tolerated! Please stop stalking Jameel! And, Jameel, no one deserves to be stalked, but maybe NOW you'll think twice about making promises you have no intention of keeping. Hmm....?


And, now we go back to our regularly scheduled program....

As usual, the posts you submitted could be categorized all sorts of ways. The following is what I came up with, focusing on Pesah. I have noticed that submitters and other readers, appreciate clarity, as do I. One of the perks of hosting is that I get to provide commentary, my version of an annotated bibliography. (You'll get to do this, too, when you volunteer to host!) I admit that this can clutter things up. But, like I said, it's one of the perks of hosting. To compensate, I hope that the color-coded, embedded links are easy to spot, in case you wanted to skip the commentary.

But why would anyone want to skip my commentary?

Pesah

Preparations

The Rebbetzin's Husband presents his Shabbos haGadol Derashah: Celebrating Shattered Assumptions and New Visions, and shares about his matzah-run in I Got The Motts [-ah].

The ominous task of cleaning for Pesah receives coverage from Daled Amos in How to Clean for Pesah and Enjoy the Seder, and from Batya at Me-Ander in Confession!.

Laws & Customs

Machon Shilo reminds us of the permissibility for all Jews in Israel to eat qitniyoth during Pesah. Machon Shilo receives a great deal of response, both positive and negative, to it's annual press releases and audio shi'urim. However, the negative responses almost never contain any halachic (Jewish legal) arguments with sources, just expressions of feelings. If you can come up with an halachic response, why not contact them? You may also want to ask about the bringing of the Qorban Pesah.

Food

A Mother In Israel is hosting the "Pre-Pesah" Edition of the Kosher Cooking Carnival. Check it out for some traditional and some new recipes to make your Pesah extra special!

The Seder

Some of you will be shocked by Batya's post Better a Traif Seder Than None At All. It's cross-posted on the Arutz 7 Blog. Check out the different kinds of "comments" which appear on both venues.

Daled Amos presents a great game for kids at the Seder in Who Wants to be a Pesach Millionaire?

Music

Phyllis at Ima On (and Off) the Bima provides her recommendations for holiday music albums in Passover Musical Adventures! This is a clever way to educate our kids and get them and ourselves into the Pesah spirit!

Humor

Soccer Dad presents the cover of this year's edition of The Goshen Gazette. Be prepared never to look at the 10 Plagues in the same way.

Ben-Baruch, creator of the Shabot 6000 comic strip, invites you to Join The Seda' Club. When I first saw this a couple of years ago, I thought it could be used as a clever educational tool. Then I listened more closely, and was taken aback and speechless. You'll have to judge for yourselves. I'll just say this. I read his comic strip regularly and although we don't always agree on various "issues," we are both bound together by something greater than "all that." We are both avid BSG fans. So check it out, and support this nice [single, straight, and available!] Jewish guy's career.

Israel

Smooth Stone provides us with a history lesson in Come To Palestine. Yid With Lid does too in Hebron the FIRST Jewish City No Longer Welcomes Jews.

Don't forget to check out the latest edition of Shamrak's Report.

Dan at Tzipiyah reminds us of his Big Project for Israel's 60th Birthday. Rachel at 60 Bloggers starts us off with her very clever 60 Ways I Love Israel. Cosmic X in Jerusalem adds his contribution with Torah - One of the State of Israel's Greatest Accomplishments.

In The News

Bar-Kokhba at For Zion's Sake is concerned about Am Yisrael being On The Brink. What are you going to do about it?

Yitzchak at Judeopundit tries to understand the insanity of Islamic Jihad: "If their fuel means humiliation for us, we don’t want it."

Smooth Stone, on a relatively new blog on the scene Stop Raping Israel, reports on Israeli Aid and Hamas Attacks. Check it out.

Snoopy The Goon at Simply Jews reports on The Murders At Nahal Oz.

Elder Of Ziyon reports on Moderate Fatah's Chemical Weapons - Attempt to poison hundreds of Jews. This story did not get the news coverage it deserved at all.

Hey, remember that bombing last summer of "something" in Syria? Well, if you're still wondering about it, I suggest you check out Caroline Glick's Covering For The Enemy.

This section would not be complete without mention of the perils of S'deroth. Soccer Dad looks at the news in Not Right And Left.

Meanwhile, Rafi G. at Life In Israel provides us with a status report on the campaign to pressure Shefa Shuq's owner to close his other businesses on Shabbath.


Questions About Aviner updates us on the campaign to bring Rabbi Shlomo Aviner to a Beth Din's inquiry in Elon Moreh's Rabbi Levanon Speaks.

Missionaries Beware!

Due to recent reports and discussions on this topic, it earns its own section for this edition.

Separating the Holy From the Impure from Bar-Kokhba at For Zion's Sake starts us off. This post garnered 45 comments so far. See why.

Dealing with Christians and whether to distinguish them from outright missionaries is brought up first by Ellen Horowitz at Shiloh Musings in Riskin, the Rav, and the Rebbe.

Her criticism of Rabbi Riskin brought a response, Rabbi Riskin and Christain Support posted by Yisrael at From The Hills of Efraim.

Then Ellen responds in turn in Rabbi Riskin Responds and so do I.

A new blogger on the scene is Geulah Girl who writes on The Key To Redemption. She clearly states her belief that Christian=Missionary. Also see why Separating From Esav is important in general.

Tomer Devorah reminds us that Speaking The Truth Does Not Equal Hate.

Personal

Joshua at the Whole Hog Blog shares one of his Shabbat experiences In Israel, and also gives us a clever way for coping with the shenanigans of the government.

Toby at A Time Of the Signs reminds me about the translator/editor job I can never seem to get in Sider for me, a duble esprreso for my friend. Who DOES have this job?

Zemer at Tzipiyah writes about prayer and his longing for Israel in Transcending Toward Jerusalem.

Politics

According to Sultan Knish, the KGB Chief Gained Three MK's in the Knesset. Who knew?


Media Watch

Batya at Shiloh Musings recommends you check out the New Look And Listen To The IBA News. She is not optimistic. Neither am I.

Judaism & Jewish Culture

Lion Of Zion starts us off with A Daf Yomi Predecessor . . . In America!. Hmmm... I was not aware of this.

Frume Sarah invites you to a Reform Shabbat experience in Savour The Possibilities.

A Simple Jew asks Rab TiVo about Television and Orthodoxy.

Leora at Here In HP shares a painting of hers, Havdalah In Oils.

From Outside The Homeland

U. S. Election-Related

Sultan Knish asks, "Does Obama attend a Church or a Mosque?"

Further investigation into Sen. Obama's campaign and associates is carried out by Debbie Schlussel in More On The Company Obama Keeps and by Robert at Seraphic Secret in Black Liberation Theology AKA Bigotry 101.

Plus Yid With Lid brings us Barack Obama's NEW Anti-Israel Adviser Daniel Kurtzer.

News

From Presidential hopeful to former President, Debbie Schlussel reports on Peanut Farmer Prez to Fete HAMAS Leader re-Israeli Hostage: You're Paying for the Secret Service Detail

Yid With Lid says, "Take Away Carter's Secret Service Detail!!!"

Most of you know that I am NO fan of most of your mainstream, Jewish organizations in the U. S. I remind you of this so that my praise for the American Jewish Congress on its protest of the censorship of a radio ad it submitted will have greater impact. Avi at Tel-Chai Nation reports NY Times Radio Won't Take Ad From AJC.

Bennauro at Israel Without Ifs Or Buts reports that the Chief Rabbi of Uzbekistan Faces Expulsion.

Media Watch

Yid With Lid discovers Old Palestinian Propaganda From the New Statesman.

Personal

Mottel at Letters Of Thought shares Where I'm at....My Best Friend's Wedding.

Lion Of Zion shares Williamsburg Jews and the Flu Vaccine.

Meta-Blogging

The JIB Awards (Jewish & Israeli Blog Awards) people are still in the process of forming their 2008 committee. Wouldn't you like to be an active participant? In particular, they are looking for...

- Site Development Help (PHP, Joomla, WordPress)
- Web Site Security Experience
- Public Relations
- SPONSORS

Ombudsman's Report

For those of you unfamiliar with this term, or the Fox News show "Red Eye," I'll just say that this is my meta-blogging bit where I review my Haveil Havalim carnivalling experience.

I pride myself on being as open-minded and inclusive as possible, when hosting Haveil Havalim. I know that this continues to surprise and amaze some of you, either because you don't agree, or because many consider me to be a right-wing, Jewish extremist [who's a Harry Potter fan], and Jack has told me that he is continuing Soccer Dad's policy of giving discretion to the host. (Jack, please place a comment below, any time you would like to clarify that.)

Now, I did not include every single post sent to me. If you had at least two of your submissions included,...well,...need I say more? By the way, I liked and agreed with posts I did not include as well.

I also chose not to include a post which seemed like it could have been spam. It was very interesting, though, but not in the least bit relevant. Oh, well. Nice try.

That concludes the 162nd edition of the Haveil Havalim Blog Carnival. Stay tuned for the 163th edition, which will be hosted at Tzipiyah on Monday, 23 Nissan/April 28.

Please send your posts for the next edition of the Haveil Havalim Blog Carnival via the Blog Carnival Submission Form. I found this to be very helpful in organizing your posts this week. Plus, it doesn't look like we have a host for next week, so there wouldn't be any other place to send your links to. If you're interested in hosting or receiving more information about the carnival, please contact Jack at talktojacknow-at-sbcglobal-dot-net.