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Of Making Many Books

And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end (Ecclesiastes 12:12) A pdf version of this essay  can be downloaded here [*] Years in brackets refer to an individual’s or book author’s year of birth Thought experiment for the day: Anyone born 1945 would be pushing towards 80 and mostly past their prime. So name any Charedi sefer written by someone born post war that has or is likely to enter the canon, be it haloche, lomdus, al hatorah or mussar. Single one will do for now — IfYouTickleUs (@ifyoutickleus) July 27, 2022 A tweet in the summer which gained some traction asked for a book by an author born from 1945 onwards that has entered the Torah and rabbinic canon or is heading in that direction. I didn't exactly phrase it this way and some quibbled about 'canonisation'. The word does indeed have a precise meaning though in its popular use it has no narrow definition. Canonisation, or ‘entering the canon’ is generally understood to...
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With Frands like these...

Open Letter from "yankel"
Dear Mr Frand,
Firstly, let me introduce myself. I'm just an average Golders Greener, have only eaten Kedassia meat for the last 40 plus years, used to daven in Halpern shuls, but still daven in very right wing shuls (no eiruv carriers) send my kids to the most frum schools in NW, and try and do whats right in the eyes of Hashem. I go to work everyday, schvitzing to make a living to enable me to bring up my kids frum and correctly. Oy and 1 more thing I almost forgot to mention - I try to respect what my Rabonim and magid shiurim have to say. Your letter throws all this to the wind!
What message are you sending out to me? I can't trust my rabonim I've learnt from and davened with for all these decades? I may as well send my kids to Christ College; they will probably end up being better guided knowing right from wrong! (Will save a fortune in school fees too!)
I am thoroughly appalled by your recent announcement naming 3 rabbis who will be coming to 'investigate' this serious matter. So is everyone else that I met today on the road.
It just simply does not make sense to import rabbis, whose ultimate decision will only be as good as the info (or lack of it) they are provided. 3 cheder yingelich could do the same job, but you obviously think that we in NW are a bunch of goons and importing rabbis from B'nai Brak will tip the scales. Mr Frand get real!
Here in NW London, ALL our rabonim have already THOROUGHLY investigated and have come to their conclusion. What right do you have to issue such a letter? A complete azus to our esteemed Rabonim who are NOT echod bepeh and echod belev, unlike your cronies!
Back off from NW because you are just going to make matters far worse. There are 3 possibilities that will come out this 'new investigation':-
1. They find CH guilty.
2. They find him innocent.
3. They find him somewhere in between.
The outcome resulting from the above findings, as per the above numbering:-
1. Much worse for CH and his whole family. Probably lose everything he has and will be publicly kicked out of town.
2. All out war between the 2 camps. Major breakup of the kehilla. Vast majority of NW will still respect the findings of the GD and all the verbal instruction we have received from our Rabonim. Kedassia sales will take a massive hit in NW. (Do you really think the average Golders Greener will allow our NW Rabonim to end up with egg on their face? I for one will not!)
3. We are where we are currently - no progress. Union just confirming what our NW rabonim confirmed weeks ago. Union looking again stupid. Probably distancing more people from Kedassia/Union.
Frand get honest & real. There is only one thing the Union should now be doing and that is to save what is left before the cooky crumbles completely. The Union should be working alongside our NW Rabonim to sort this out, NOT against them. I know this will not suit Halperns PLC but ask yourself whats more important long term, pacifying the Halperns or a strong unified kehilla? You know the answer to this as well as everyone else. Time is running out. It's late - very late, but not too late.
Please do the right thing or the demise of the Union is in the making.
Yours truly,
A sincere friend.

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