After being asked a question about television Rav Betzalel Stern, the Rov of Melbourne Australia after the Holocaust, lashed out at this vessel of tumah whose fire devours young and old with no way of extinguish it. He told a story that happened during the Spanish Inquisition. One Shabbos afternoon the head of the Inquisition came to complain to the Spanish King. He said that not only do there arrogant Jews disobey the King by practicing their religion in secret, but they even have the nerve to reside right next to the Kings palace! Can you prove that?, asked the King. Sure, said the Inquisitor. With the Kings permission can we go out onto the porch and I can show with a quick glance which homes belong to practicing Jews. They proceeded to the porch and the inquisitor took a quick scan of the surrounding homes. My dear King, he said. Today is a very cold day. You will see that almost every house has smoke coming from the chimney from the burning fireplaces. Yet look here and there and you will see a few homes without any smoke coming out from the chimney in accordance with the Jewish prohibition of lighting a fire on Shabbos. Those must be homes of Jews still loyal to their tradition! And so it proved to be... Similarly, said Rav Stern, when I walk around Melbourne, a quick glance at the chimney can tell me right away if the home is occupied by a Jew still loyal to his religion. Those homes whose roof does not have a TV antenna perched upon it must be occupied by true Shomrei Torah UMitzvos!
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 02:30:00 +0000
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