An interview with the beloved Rav Roov

Few readers know that my blog is named in honor of my younger brother the beloved Rav Roov. Rav Roov is a genuine Orthodox Rabbi and G man . It is his unfortunate luck to be my younger brother. This interview is a mix of Judaism , Comic books and comedic swipes at myself.

Desperate Rebbes

1 Are you the only known Rabbi that uses comic book and Star Trek references is your Dvar Torah or sermon. Who is your favorite Star Trek Charachter ?
2 You also ae a big fan of Comic books ? What are your favorites ?
3 What cartoon or Star Trek charachter reminds you of your older brother ?
4 You also are an avid baseball fan. Are other Rabbis big sports fans ?
5 Do you know any Rabbi's into off road driving.


This is the "heiliger" Rav Roov signing in. First of all, I'd like to comment that if anybody out there has a photo of "uncle Grouchie" similing, my family has big bucks out there as a reward.

It has to bew after his Bar-Mitzvah.

First of all, I feel that it's a breach of protocol to answer more than four questions, especially after the Passover Seder, but we do special things for the Grouchi one...

1. To the best of my knowledge, I am the only Rabbi that uses cartoon references -- but there are some Mickey Mouse rabbis out there that do soas well... The others are reform rabbis with a lowercase "r" though. Only Rav Roov does it with any orthodox angle. By the way, to order my book full of the connections between Bugs Bunny and true Torah Judaism, send $24.95 to me brother, he'll get you a copy.

My favorite Star Trek character is Spock -- that has to do with the priestly blessings on the holidays and the parting of the finger "Live Long and Prosper." The obvious connection to Judaism is obvious. Though are they saying that Vulcan's are Jewish? Also, why are there no Jews on Star Trek? Whites, blacks, Asians, even American Indians (Commander Chakotay) -- why are there no Jews on that series? Wait... I remember that Spock's mother had a Jewish trait of mothering Spock and babying him. Wait, now that the new movie my Big Fat somethingor other wedding -- It's not a Jewish thing either...

2. Anybody who ever went to Hebrew school would know that the w







6 What is the difference between a Rabbi and a Rav
7 Is Roadkill kosher ?
8 What is a siyum ? Is there square dancing part of the siyum ?
9 What does beaker mean in hebrew ?
10 Were you an original member of the Beastie Boys ?
11 Are movies like Yently or a Stranger among us accurate ?
12 What do you think of Matisyahu ?
13 What was it like to follow in the footsteps of an eccentric brother ?
14 What is the saying every Jewish girl has a nice butt about ?
15 What does one have to do to become a Rabbi.
16 Will you be selling Rav Roov products to compette with Madonna's Kabalah center ?
17 What part of the chicken did you fight to get on Shabos growing up. Was any blood shed ?
18 Is the reason we had two challahs on shabos is one is for your older brother and the other is for the rest of the family.
19 Is it true that a talent scout from Fox News gave you a business card on the LIRR ?
20 Is Shmuley Boteach a mensch or a publicity hound ?
21 How do you always manage to arrive five minutes before shabos every week ?
22 Is chulent a potential WMD.
23 Who was the worst Yeshiva student of all time ?
24 What does the torah say about pot ?
25 Is song and dance part of Jewish Culture ?

8. Ah siyum is ah party that we make when we complete the study of (a) ah tractate of Talmud; (b) a section of Mishnah and/or (c) a Book of the Bible with commentary. That refers to the OLD TESTMAMENT, by the way.

And as we say in Talmud, now you siyum, now you don't. And where there's a will, there's a Wayne.

9. Beaker is spelled "Bikur" in Hebrew, and means to visit. Most common context is visiting the sick ("bikur cholim".)

10. The Who? Who is on first? What's on second?... I don't know -- THIRD BASE.

11. Yes and no. The whole thing about women not studying Torah like a man -- that definitely was the mainstream 100 years ago. THe stuff about only accepting charity --etc. Not true. The Strangers among us thing was pretty accurate as far as religious Jews in some Hasidic sects, although it's crazy to think that the "future Rebbe" would make out with Melanie Griffin. I mean, please... Also, there's a scene in that movie when she's learning how to bake challah and they crack an egg and it goes right into the dough. It's not done that way -- it has to be cracked into a separate dish, etc. -- to check for blood spots, etc. The philosophy there about looking for your bashert (intended match in Heaven) was worth the price of admission. Her interaction with the secular Jew who was hitting on her was also priceless. ("I'm waiting for my bashert." "What's that?" "Ask your Rabbi.")

12. SUper cool dude. I would love to hear him daven for the congregation on a Friday night. If anybody knows how to get in touch with him, I'd pay to have him lead my congregation in prayer.

13. I don't know the meaning of the word. I also can't spell it.

14. The saying comes from a famous Pee Wee Herman movie, where Pee Wee comments: "Every girl I know has a nice but(butt). You're a nice guy, but..." A classic line. I can't remember which one of his movies it was though.

15. Lots and lots of study. So much study that you have the Talmud and Bible everywhere. Also you have to have people bothering you when you come to synagogue late, and it doesn't matter if you have a good excuse ---- What I mean, is that being a Rabbi means being a leader and people look up to you. As SPiderman would say: "With Great Power comes Great Responsibility." Being a Rabbi is all about responsibility (I've used that theme for many a sermon in synagogue in one form or another.)

16. I'm not planning on it, but if people want to pay me $8 for a bottle of water, I'd be happy to start production immediately. In fact, if anybody is interested, send my brother a blank check and I'll start working on it right now...

17. That was some other religion. I don't remember sacrificing any chickens in our house. No, wait -- There was that time when Fred Stanley (backup shortstop to the Yankees "great" Bucky Dent, and nicknamed "the Chicken") sacrifice bunted back in 1978...

18. This is one of the most frequent questions I get as a Rabbi. The reason we have two challas on Shabbas is because of the old Abbot and Costello routine: "One for you, and one for me. Two for you and one, two for me. Three for you and one, two three for me..."

19. That is true. When I sent her an e-mail as she requested, it did not come back, but she not follow up. THis of course, proves the old Talmudic adage: "It's hard to figure out a woman as often they themselves don't know what they want. However a woman can never fool another woman." Mel Gibson struggled with this theme in What women want... The problem (and it's true in reality), and there was a scene like this in that movie -- is that often women themselves are in a state of internal conflict with what they want. If you saw it already, you know what I mean. If you didn't, it is Assur (forbidden religiously) to see any movie by that man Mel GIbson after he did that "Passion" movie. That was a disgrace and from what I was told, it really upset alot of Jewish people.

20. Rabbi Boteach is a hero of modern Orthodox Judaism. He's not afraid to be on the edge of Jewish law. I couldn't believe he did the playboy interview and article, but he really laid it on them -- saying that he could not be on the same page or opposite any nudity or profanity... He also had an interview with a woman who posed naked for playboy and confronted her why she included pictures of her Bas-Mitzvah... I liken it in my mind to when Guiliani fired a police woman for doing a naked spread on the NYPD logo -- saying it disgraced the uniform and what it respresents. My recollection is that the court found in favor of Guliani when the woman sued to get her job back.

Bottom line, I'm a huge Rabbi Boteach fan.

21. G-d stopped working at sundown, so I do them same. If he can create until right before Shabbat starts (a commentary says that G-d created 10 things on the Eve of Shabbat... so I believe in working right until Shabbat starts.

22. Cholent is probably a HAZMAT. You gotta remember to SOAK THE BEANS FIRST. Otherwise, buy BEANO by the case. My gastro tells me that there isn't a stomach on the planet that can digest it. (And that's fact -- He told me any gastro would say the same.)

23. I won't insult any of my collegues and don't wash my laundry in public. I will say that the worst Yeshiva student has something going for him -- He tried and went to Yeshiva, and you can be sure he didn't get an academic schoilarship either.

24. The Torah says alot about pots. There is much discussion about which pots are kosher and which are unpure, how to make non-kosher pots kosher again...

I believe that there is a reference that one of the ingredients in the "k'toret" -- ie incense, was HASH. Defitently not pot or anything like that. Some kind of drug though -- nothing as bad as you would smell at GRATEFUL DEAD concert though... ("I will, get BY (HIGH)" -- Bad stuff. No, it would have no place in Judaism...

25. This is a complicated thing. I believe that all Rabbinics is to an extent a song and dance. Education has to be at the student's level, not the teacher's. It always has to be interesting, or it will not succeed. But it isn't a show -- Torah is no joke and no show. Hence, if the TOrah reader isn't there, it's not a proper expression to say: "The show must go on..." Synagogue prayer service isn't a show -- Service of G-d is no joke.