Kiddush Clubs Observe Siyum HaShots

On Saturday morning in synagogues around the world, kiddush club members celebrated the completion of a seven-and-a-half-month cycle of weekly drinking.

The celebration, called Siyum HaShots, was marked by the downing of various whiskeys, bourbons, ryes, rums and brandies until every bottle was empty.

"Shots in shul are a time-honored tradition," said siyum organizer Ben Shikker. "We all know that wherever four Jews gather, there's always a fifth."

The siyum (Hebrew for conclusion) is held every seven-and-a-half months because it takes that long for the average kiddush club to polish off all its liquors and begin new bottles.

Shikker concedes that pressure is now being placed on synagogues to abolish their kiddush clubs and the Siyum HaShots.

"It's shameful," said Shikker. "The OU is waging a whole campaign against us, called 'Now You Siyum, Now You Don't.' But we won't be intimidated."

Shikker asserts that being part of a kiddush club actually improves the fervency of one's davening.

"You can't spell spirituality without spirits," he noted.

He added that men who partake in a private kiddush during the haftarah "shokkel more during Musaf."

Some rabbis see it differently, however.

"They shokkel because they can't stand straight after all that schnapps," said Rabbi Nofun Ahloud. "Or even worse, they desperately need the bathroom."

Despite the current protests, Shikker vows that shul kiddush clubs and the Siyum HaShots will continue. Furthermore, he advocates bringing the tradition into one's home.

"When my wife asks me to buy her a dozen roses, I give her three bottles of Four Roses," said Shikker. "I'm very proud of that."

Another reason why there are less yeshivas ?

Yeshiva Granted 45 Days Before Demolition

A good exercise ..........

A good exercise for the heart is to bend down and help another up.
(anonymous)

THE BEST EXPLANATION I HAVE SEEN ON WHY OBAMA WON THE ELECTION

"We are worried about 'the cow' when it is all about the 'Ice Cream.'

The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year..... The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote. To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have.

We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot. The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids.

I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother. The day arrived when they were to make their speeches.

Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Everyone applauded and he sat down.

Now it was Olivia's turn to speak. Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream." She sat down.

The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream..." She surely would say more. She did not have to.

A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream?

She wasn't sure. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it? She didn't know. The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was the ice cream.

Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a landslide.

Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and 52 percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want ice cream.

The other 48 percent know they are going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess." This is the ice cream Obama promised us!

Remember, the government cannot give anything to anyone -- until they first take it away from someone else.
(anonymous)

"infidels,"

25 Iyar

In 1096, Christian Crusaders reached the city of Cologne, only to find the city gates locked by order of the bishop. The Crusaders were en route to liberate the Holy Land from the "infidels," and turned these Crusades into campaigns of slaughter, rape and pillage. This large-scale mob violence, directed primarily against European Jews, served as the model for later pogroms. Muslims were also victims of the Crusaders, which historians believe planted a deep-seeded hatred of the West. In this first Crusade, an estimated 40% of the Jewish community of Europe was slaughtered; only the Jews of Cologne, with their locked city gates, were completely spared.

(AISH)

#862 Happiness Comes From Within

#862 Happiness Comes From Within by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

In the Talmud (Pirkei Avos 4:1), Ben Zoma said: Who is wise? He who learns from every person. Who is strong? He who conquers his desires. Who is rich? He who is satisfied with what he has. Who is honored? He who honors others.

The Torah is teaching us to not to seek or demand happiness through any external factors, but rather to depend only on ourselves.

How do we see this concept expressed? The wise man learns from everyone (independent of any intellectual deficiencies in himself); the honorable person honors others (independent of whether others honor him); the wealthy person is satisfied with what he has (independent of how much or little he owns).



(see Daas Chochmah Umussar, vol.3, p.250)