u/Upbeat_Teach6117

Many of us are experiencing a heat wave, with dangerously hot and miserable temperatures outside. Now imagine fasting in this heat, then fasting again three weeks from now.

My neighbors fasted, but I didn't. In fact, I attended a special lunch sponsored by my employer *and* tried a new sandwich (that included treif vegetables) for dinner.

What a mechayeh it is to live in a healthy and sane way!

Does anyone else get a sense of comfort, nostalgia, or "heimishness" from listening to frum music? I was listening to Lev Tahor (the 2000s vocal trio, not the cult) on my way to work this morning, and it filled me with such a sense of belonging and contentment. I get the same feelings when I listen to chazanus or Miami Boys Choir albums from the 1970s - 1990s.

This may seem strange, because music has been a major driving force in my life, and a lot of frum music isn't particularly interesting or "good" from a musical standpoint. Something about it, though, makes me feel at home. And I say this as someone who is frequently critical of frummies and who has never been Yeshivish (despite existing and learning in Yeshivish spaces for many years).

Can anyone relate?

I just returned home from my Yeshivish nephew's middle school graduation. The bachurim all wore suits and hats, and the speeches/brachos/awards emphasized the primacy of Torah learning (obviously).

Even though my brother's kids enjoy being Yeshivish, the graduation made me wonder: Were any of the kids up on the dais this evening unhappy about attending Mesivta this fall? More specifically, if a teenager decides that his aspirations and interests don't fit into the societal trajectory of a Yeshivish male, is he allowed to attend a non-Yeshivish (or even non-Jewish) school?

I didn't grow up Yeshivish, even though I went to Bais Yaakov for eight years. This is why I'm asking. Thank you!

If someone had "given over" this to me months before, I would still have been laughing during the chuppah and into the yichud room. Source - https://www.imamother.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=661437

I have something very special to tell you,
Parts you may have heard, others will be new.
Because it is so koidesh, we will stop here and there,
To discuss and answer questions and make sure it's clear.
It is a very special time, for you and for me,
Because it is about something that is so holy.
It is one of the topics that is the most dear,
To our Heilike Aibershter.
Would you like to hear?

Up in שמים, before a yid is born,
From קדושה his נשמה didn't want to be torn.
It wanted to stay with Hashem's holy light,
So Hashem had a wonderful vision in sight.

Hashem thought, "I know just what I will do,
So that when a Yid is created, it will be full of kedusha, too!
Then, the קדושה that the neshama loved so much up there,
Will remain inside its body, as it descends down here."

What did Hashem do so that every Yid is created,
With the utmost קדושה that Hashem had intended?
As a mature, wonderful girl, growing up so fast,
I want to tell you what happens, and how the קדושה does last.

Let's think about the בית המקדש for a minute.
Which is the holiest room that is in it?
Yes! The holiest room is the קודש הקדשים,
Where the לוחות are, the ארון and the כרובים.

Now, imagine if all נשמות of Yidden could be,
Created in the קודש הקדשים so holy!
Wouldn't that be the best entry for a Yid?
Well, guess what, dear daughter? That's exactly what Hashem did!

In every Yid's home, there's a קודש הקדשים space,
So that הייליקע נשמות can be created in that place.
That place is the bedroom of a husband and wife,
And in that bedroom is where is created a new life!

Now, in the קודש הקדשים are the כרובים, right?
Did you know that sometimes they were hugging tight?
So too, in a place where a child is conceived,
With love and enjoyment it is received!

The faces of the כרובים are a husband and wife, too,
And showing love to each other is the most קודש thing to do.

Now, let's stop for a minute and think about a תורה.
Can we open it wherever we want? What is the הלכה?
Of course we can't! Do you know why that is so?
Because when something is hidden, very heilik it does show.

What part of a yid's body is the most heilike part?
From where do you think a neshama's descent should start?
Do you think the holiest אבר (limb) should be one that is revealed?
Or do you think the holiest part should be concealed?

You're right, dear daughter! The holiest parts are hidden,
And the more private it is, the more kedusha is within.

Sometimes people think our private parts are less holy!
But in fact, the opposite is true, actually!
That's why Hashem made the holiest אבר be,
In the most private place, so that people shouldn't see.

"In order to bring down neshamos in the holiest way,
I want to do it through the most private, special parts," Hashem did say.

Just like the male and female keruvim united together,
The same thing Hashem wanted for a father and mother.
He wanted them to bond not just in any simple way,
Because for a neshama of Hashem, that wouldn't be okay!
Instead, Hashem made sure that only when the most holy parts unite,
Will a neshama be created and even brought to life.

Hashem put inside the holy, private parts of a father and mother,
Miraculous things that can create a child together.
Hashem put in the holy part of the man cells so small,
And in the woman's special part are eggs- but that is not all!

Hashem wanted that these 2 private, holy parts should unite,
Through love and enjoyment for a neshama so bright.
Hashem made this beautiful moment a mitzvah so great,
And He said, "This is exactly the way I want them to create,
A special neshama, that is a part of Me!
ONLY at this holiest moment of unity!"

Therefore, Hashem made it that the cells of the father,
Should come out at the moment he's united with the mother!
And then, in a very miraculous way,
It can connect to the mother's egg, we daven and pray.

When they connect, a child can be created,
And in this way, the most private parts of the guf are elevated.

Hashem is so happy when a husband and wife,
Do this heilike mitzvah and bring down a life.

The neshama from above is so happy, too,
Because he was created in the most koidesh way, as a Jew.

Everything about this mitzvah is the holiest thing,
For the husband, the wife, and for Hashem, our King.

This is the very best way for a heilike neshama,
To come down here - only through this mitzvah.

Because it's so koidesh, I really wanted to tell you,
All about this, to help you as a Jew.
Since, dear daughter, you're growing each day,
I wanted you to know that you're holy in every way.

You're neshama is so happy to be inside of you,
Where you treat it so well with all the mitzvos you do.

So never forget all the things we just read,
So that the holiest thoughts will always be in your head.
Always remember how heilik you are,
And that to Hashem you are the best, most shiniest star.

I really like Meorav, even though my Israeli relatives think it's gross. I may even prefer it (and sabich) to falafel and shawarma.

How can I recreate it in the United States? What kinds of organ meats will I need to search for? Is the yellow color of Meorav due to turmeric, cumin, Hawaij, or something else?