Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Tzedakah Watch: No Longer Guaranteed

The newest advertisement from Hidabroot reads "How to Almost GUARANTEE Yourself a Good Year". Is someone reading my posts (see the guarantee for good children for only $12 per month)? I will consider this an improvement. Much more, uh, Jewish, but a lot less enticing. If only I could buy those good children guaranteed. . . . .my work-in-progress children seem far more costly and there seem to be no guarantees.

8 comments:

Dave said...

For almost guaranteed, I want a discount.

If fully guaranteed was $12, then surely "almost guaranteed" shouldn't cost more than $8.

Dan said...

When Yona was in the ship and there was a storm he immediately assumed that it was his fault and he asked to be thrown overboard.
The Brisker Rov asked why did Yona assume that it was because of him, since the boat was filled with idolaters (much greater sinners)?
He answered that Yona knew that a person should always focus on his shortcomings and not on other’s. If he was doing the right thing, maybe that wouldn't have happened. Our main goal in life is to improve ourselves, not to criticize others.

Vehamevin Yavin!

Orthonomics said...

Dan,

I appreciate the mussar (and have plenty of things I'm working on!), but I think we also have a duty to protest what denigrates tzedakah and what changes the face of Torah.

Anonymous said...

This is worthy of a post. Finally someone trying to do something innovative to address the tuition crisis.

http://www.thejewishweek.com/features/new_york_minute/planning_yeshiva_future

Dan said...

Sure.

Let's just try to strike a balance. I used to like your blog when it was about economics.

Now it seems that every other post is just about scams of some sort.

Ok, I get it, there are a lot of "frum" scams out there.

Do you really think that your readers are taking part in it? Does it really help to give them more exposure?

Something to think about.

aaron said...

I was wondering why they wanted $12. At first I thought that it was one dollar for each of the original Bnei Yisrael.Then it hit me,that $12 for 12 months equals 144.that number is equal to koof,nun,dalet,which spells kind"(short "i" as in the yiddish for child).however,the same letters spell"naked."so if you don't want your children running around naked,you'd better pony up the $144.It's all so simple-I'm surprised nobody else thought of it.Gotta go now,my therapist is waiting for me.

JS said...

Only one problem. "Nun" is 50. "Mem" is 40. :)

But, knowing how these gematrias work, I'm sure someone can spot you an extra 10.

aaron from L.A. said...

Thank you,J.S. Actually,I was thinking of the Aseret Hadibrot,which is where I get the 10(All right so,I was actually thinking of the Bo Derek movie). whatever the case,if one doesn't come up with the $144,he may have trouble with 10 of his children.I guess this would only apply to kollel people,however.