Some questions re: Kashrus and hotels

[This post is for purpose of discussion only and should not be relied upon for practical halacha]


The Star-K's Kashrus Kurrents had a very useful article on the various halachic questions that arise when traveling (here). I do not understand some of his conclusions and wonder if any of my readers have additional information on this subject.

1 - "Pre-cut fruits or vegetables should be avoided, since they may have been cut with a knife that was used for non-kosher food"

He cites the Rema that permits lemons pieces because many are cut at once and it is batel, but says that this doesn't apply in the a hotel setting. Even if this "metzius" is correct, this should only apply to sharp/citrus fruits. Wouldn't apples or non-sharp vegetables be OK?

2 - Unfiltered water in NYC -

What is the final status of the water? I understand that R' Belsky permitted it. But even among those who are machmir, is this a chumra of מהיות טוב which might be permitted when traveling or an actual prohibition.

3 - it is recommended that one refrain from using the carafe.

I don't get this. It is almost certainly not a ben-yomo. Even if it is, a glass carafe should in any event be permitted (שיעי) and this concern should only apply to a metal vessel.

4 - If the hotel provides fruit juices without clearly specifying the brand name. Is it necessary to clarify this or can one rely on the fact that the majority of available juices are kosher (I believe that even those juices that contain grape juice and therefore do not have a kashrus symbol are at least b'dieved kosher.)

Menachem Porush and R' Kook!!

Seform V' Soferim has a thread on some teenagers from Meah Shearim (including the later MK Menachem Porush [Update: Rav Tzair send us to an interview with R' Porush in which he explains that he was an unwilling participant in this play)) who produced a play in which R' Kook was "sentenced to death". Following are some bad scans from HaHed of that year reporting on this awful story:

R' Kook and the Chafetz Chaim

Y. Mirsky in his dissertation on R' Kook notes that - Rav Kook wrote an approbation to the Liqutei Halakhot, a volume by the celebrated sage and saint Israel Meir Kagan (a.k.a. Hafetz Hayim) on the laws of Temple sacrifices, understandably, a less-visited precinct of Talmudic study.

I noticed a first-hand report (based on a conversation with R' Kook) in HaHed (7:6) that states that the Chafetz Chaim has initially asked R' Kook to help him write the sefer:


[I see now that the story was also recorded in E. Tzoref's bio of R Kook here]

I updated my Sdei Chemed post. I also noticed another letter in Igros Sdei Chemed to the Maskil Shmuel Abba Horodetsky protesting his citation of the Maharshal's harsh coments against Beis Yosef and others. I was surprised to learn that Horodetsky has a letter published in Sdei Chemed here (lower left column). There is also a letter in Sdei Chemed from the (later to be) Israeli Minister of Religious Affairs, Y. L Fishman (Maimon).

Sdei Chemed and the Haskalah periodicals

Awhile back, Onthemainline posted an interesting excerpt from HaMelitz that records what is supposed to be a conversation with Sdei Chemed. This report was spurious and in Igros Sdei Chemed V. 1 pg. 113 there is a letter from his students protesting this libel against their Rebbe.



I noticed the following piece in the memorial volume for Sdei Chemed, Chemdas Yisrael that state that Sdei Chemed would quote and argue with the writers of HaMelitz and HaTzvi (perhaps the cause of the libelous piece posted by S.). The writer claims that these pieces were removed in later editions.


Although I do not have access to a first-edition Sdei Chemed and cannot validate this claim. In a periodical of this same publisher (Sovalski) Knesses HaGedolah there are two very interesting Teshuvos of HaRav Sdei Chemed. On pg. 63 he writes:

הרב המו״ל יצ״ו אמר שכבר העיר ע׳׳ז הרחז״ס בהצפירה כי הכלים האלה דין כלי זכוכית להם עכ״ל ואני לא ראיתי דברי הצפירה בזה (כי אין נמצא בעיר הזאת רק אחת אצל תלמידי יחיו ושאלתים ולא נזכרו אס יש בזה בהצפירה ולא אוכל לידע איה מקום כבודם לעיין בזה)

and on pg. 44 he cites HaMagid and HaTzefirah so it seems that Sdei Chemed had no problem quoting the Haskalah writings in the context of his Teshuvos.

I also noticed a letter of Sdei Chemed in regards to Yishuv Eretz Yisroel here (I do not know if this was republished in Igros Sdei Chemed). This is likely why he was willing to permit his students to eulogize Herz'l (I cannot identify the opposing Ashkenazic R' SA)

A Halevi-an article from R Dovid Tzvi Hoffmann

In his article on the methodology of R Y I Halevy, R YY Weinberg compares the strident tone of Halevi with the more moderate tone of R Dovid Tzvi Hoffman. I just noticed this article in HaPisgah which is written in the harsher style of Halevi. My guess is that when a Christian who "doesn't know any better" writes against the Torah it is OK, but in this case it is a "Rabbi" writing against תורה שבעל פה and this upset Hoffmann very much.

Where to find Yiddish newspapers?

I am in need of the Yiddish newspapers: "Haynt", "Tag", "Moment", and "Yiddish Tageblatt" of the dates: September-December 1929. YIVO was only somewhat helpful. Any ideas where else I might find them?

Thanks

W