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New York - Tefillin Club Prays For Giants Win Over Philadelphia Eagles |
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After putting tefillin on himself, New York Giants fan Jay Greenfield, right, assists others in donning Tefilin
But in addition to being a clothier for the power elite - customers over the years have had names like Eisenhower, Clinton and Bloomberg - the factory may well be aiding the success of the New York Giants, who face the Philadelphia Eagles today in a National Football League playoff game. At least the factory owners think so.
Jay and Todd Greenfield, the brothers who run the company founded by their father, Martin, made a deal last season with a rabbi in the Chabad Lubavitch movement, and the Giants have been successful ever since.
The rabbi, Israel Shemtov, who runs a rabbinical clothing store on Kingston Street in Crown Heights, visited the factory regularly to buy items for his business. Rabbi Shemtov had been trying to get Jay Greenfield, 50, to become more spiritual.
Mr. Greenfield had been resistant because, while he is Jewish, he does not consider himself observant. He says his real spiritual pursuit is the Giants. He has rooted for the team since age 6, and his family has had season tickets to home games for decades.
He attends the games with his son, David, 15 - whose bar mitzvah, of course, had a Giants theme - and a group of friends from his hometown, Roslyn, on Long Island. They do the ritual tailgating at the Meadowlands at every home game, and often travel to see the team's away games, too.
In the fall of 2007, the Giants' record was dismal and Mr. Greenfield was a desperate man. His team had gone 1-3 in the preseason. The Giants then lost their first two regular-season games and confidence sagged in their quarterback, Eli Manning.
It was around this time that the rabbi, who admits not watching television, let alone Giants games, visited. With Yom Kippur approaching, Rabbi Shemtov was trying to encourage Mr. Greenfield to do the tefillin prayer - which includes strapping a pair of black leather boxes containing biblical verses around the head and on the arm, hand and fingers and reciting a prayer declaring loyalty to God and a request for blessing. The rabbi told Mr. Greenfield that the ritual would help make it a good new year.
"I told him, 'You're talking about a good new year, but if we lose against the Redskins this Sunday, my year is over,' " Mr. Greenfield said in his factory on Thursday, recalling the moment.
But it was then that Mr. Greenfield, who follows strict game-day rituals including wearing the same jeans, undershirt and jersey, got an idea. None of his rituals seemed to be working, and here was this persistent rabbi telling him that simply saying the tefillin prayer might be just the thing needed to help Mr. Greenfield get what he wanted for his team.
A helmeted Rabbi Yossi Deren, co-director of Chabad-Lubavitch of Greenwich, Conn., helps New York Giants fan David Katz put on tefillin at a tailgating party in Roslyn, N.Y.
"I was at a weak moment, so I considered it," Mr. Greenfield said.
"I told the rabbi, 'I'm not asking for them to win every week - I'm not greedy - I just want them to make the playoffs.' He said, 'What's the playoffs?' I said, 'You don't need to know that now.' "
Rabbi Shemtov said in an interview on Friday, "I told him, 'We know prayer goes a long way, and I can see that this Giants thing means a lot, so let's go for the prayer.'"
Mr. Greenfield did, and he saw immediate results. The Giants beat the Redskins the following Sunday. Soon, Mr. Greenfield began praying three times a week with the rabbi, who in turn began keeping the fan group in his thoughts while praying at the gravesite in Cambria Heights, Queens, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the rebbe of the Chabad Lubavitch movement.
The Giants kept winning in 2007 and Mr. Greenfield kept praying. Soon, his brother, Todd, who tends the grill at the parking lot tailgating sessions, was also praying. So were many of their friends and relatives who attended the home games - and many games on the road. The tefillin prayers became rituals at the tailgating gatherings before games at the Meadowlands, and when some of the fans traveled to games on the road, the rabbi would contact Chabad rabbis in those cities to help Mr. Greenfield's group with pregame prayers. One day, Rabbi Shemtov showed up with blue-and-orange yarmulkes bearing the Giants logo, and other ones bearing his name for the group, the New York Giants Tefillin Club.
The Giants went on to qualify for the playoffs and began their playoff run. Mr. Greenfield said he saw divine intervention during the playoffs in a dropped pass by a receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, which changed the tide of the game and allowed the Giants to go on to victory.
"When that happened, about 50 people jumped up and said, 'Thank you, Rabbi,' " he said. "At that point, we really thought God was on our side."
The Giants went on to win the Super Bowl, but even that did not get Mr. Greenfield to start attending synagogue or reading the Torah regularly - although he did agree to pray with the rabbi in the off-season.
The pregame tefillin prayers have gained momentum, and this season, Mr. Greenfield secured a parking pass for Rabbi Shemtov. Putting on tefillin in the Meadowlands parking lot drew stares and comments, but as the Giants continued to win, other fans - even some non-Jewish rooters - began doing it too.
"They would yell to us, 'When are we putting on the tefillin?' " Mr. Greenfield said.
"He thought he was converting me," Mr. Greenfield said of the rabbi, "but I got a sector of his community interested in the Giants.
"I know the game is played on the field, but we're just doing our part," Mr. Greenfield said. "It's about karma and good will, and it helps to have people in important places on your side."
The rabbi said Friday that he would probably never wind up watching a Giants game - although he plans on being in the parking lot Sunday morning at the Meadowlands - but "this means a lot to Jay, and each one should pray according to what he needs."
"I may hear the score, but I still really couldn't tell you if the Jets were playing the Mets - I don't know the difference. But if it makes him happy, only good things will come out of it."
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Total107
Read Comments (107) — Post Yours »
1
Jan 11, 2009 at 11:59 AM Abe Says:
Lets go Giants!
2
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:09 PM Anonymous Says:
meetoch shelo lishma bah lishma. sounds like a nice way to start off the season
3
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:08 PM eli Says:
eagles will win 27-17!!!
4
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:15 PM Anonymous Says:
After the Giants ost 3 in a row, the Philly's will make it today by 3
5
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:10 PM Anonymous Says:
better to invest a shul's money with a bookie (Giants, of course), than with Bernie the Weasel. ( you don't even have to look at bernie's ugly wife)
6
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:34 PM Anonymous Says:
The Giants come in as somewhat of a question mark. Tom Coughlin's team won 11 of its first 12 games, and then lost three of four in December. Their only win was an overtime decision against Carolina that wrapped up the conference's No. 1 seed in the next to last week of the regular season.
7
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:15 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Lets go Giants! ”
Tell them to pray for israel in this hard times when our fellow jews are getting killed
8
Jan 11, 2009 at 12:37 PM Anonymous Says:
The Winner Plays the AZ Cardinals
9
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:04 PM Use Your Head Says:
Am I the only one who finds this rather disgraceful?
10
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:24 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Am I the only one who finds this rather disgraceful? ”
yup u are the only one . go back into your disgraceful hole
11
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:53 PM Anonymous Says:
Good sack by Giants. Go Giants!!
12
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:54 PM Anonymous Says:
7-5 Philliy
13
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:47 PM Anonymous Says:
This could be a Giant win for Chabad
14
Jan 11, 2009 at 01:59 PM Anonymous Says:
Eli isn't doing it yet
15
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:06 PM Anonymous Says:
If I go now to pray with Rabiniy Tam's tefillin, could the Giants still turn it around?
16
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:07 PM Anonymous Says:
Not really disgraceful but shockingly surprised.
17
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:15 PM Anonymous Says:
great turnover by Giants
18
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:26 PM Anonymous Says:
Giants lead by one
19
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:36 PM Anonymous Says:
Eagles up 10-8
20
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:45 PM Anonymous Says:
this is a complete disgrace for the mitzvah of tefillin
21
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:51 PM Toronto Litvak Says:
“ Am I the only one who finds this rather disgraceful? ”
YES!!!
22
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:54 PM Anonymous Says:
Nice run by Jacobs
23
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:51 PM Lubavitch at theyr best Says:
“ Am I the only one who finds this rather disgraceful? ”
Youre not the only one, there are plenty of brainless people in this world.
"Metoch shelo lishma bo lishma"
24
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:43 PM Anonymous Says:
how about coming to the uk and help tottenham
25
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:56 PM Anonymous Says:
Giants 11, Eagles 10
26
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:39 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Am I the only one who finds this rather disgraceful? ”
sorry, mr. disgraceful, you're all alone on this one
27
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:15 PM Anonymous Says:
Philly 13
28
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:20 PM Anonymous Says:
Great pass from Eli to Hickson
Great
29
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:19 PM Expatriate Owl Says:
And what if the Rabbi Shemtov from the Chabad in Philadelphia is doing similar for the Eagles?
30
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:17 PM Anonymous Says:
Too bad the shreklach football was morei mportant to these heimishe yidden than coming out to support Eretz Yisroel.
31
Jan 11, 2009 at 02:58 PM Get a life! Says:
“ this is a complete disgrace for the mitzvah of tefillin ”
You think you know better than the Lubavitcher Rebbe ztl?!
Sorry to brake the news to you, but everyone is copying lubavitch nowadays and doing the SAME EXACT THING.
(which was exactly what the Rebbe ztl wanted). They even claim to have pioneered the idea LOL. (see last weeks hamodia for a 'purim version' of the history of mivtza tefilin).
32
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:21 PM Anonymous Says:
“ sorry, mr. disgraceful, you're all alone on this one ”
This is a disgrace!!!!!!!!!!!
Since when is Tefilin made to inspire Chuchmas Yuvon
33
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:37 PM Anonymous Says:
Tuchdown Eagles
34
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:36 PM kop Doktar Says:
“ Am I the only one who finds this rather disgraceful? ”
Yes! Maybe it's a reflection of yourself.
Are you uncomfortable about kiruv? Do you have a deep rooted hatred against anything Chabad does?
I used to be like you, but after extensive Therapy I am now a full functional member of klal yisroel. Help is available.
35
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:38 PM Anonymous Says:
Eagles 20, Giants 11
36
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:30 PM Anonymous Says:
at what point to these guys go from putting on tefillin to win a football game to something deeper in yiddishkeit.Its the like the arguement we don't care how you come to shul on shabbos just come.This is completly wrong and cheapens the torah and the mitvos.They need to understand what teffilah and tefillin and minyam etc is all about.Are they eating kosher meat at the tailgate?
37
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:39 PM Anonymous Says:
“ this is a complete disgrace for the mitzvah of tefillin ”
and you sir are a total disgrace to judaism.
what exactly is so wrong with gonig to a place where there ajews and giving them the oppurtunity for the mitzvah teffillin? not all jews were as fortunate to have the smae upbrining or lifestyle as you did. why are they any less worthy of teffilin than you?
if anything your attitude shows that you might be unworthy you sick sick person.
38
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:48 PM Anonymous Says:
Eli couldn't pick up 4" so Philliy takes over
39
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:56 PM alfyas Says:
giants are lossing and they will lose i called 2 weeks ago
40
Jan 11, 2009 at 03:57 PM ben Says:
They could still make it just down by 9
41
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:01 PM Anonymous Says:
48 Yard complition
42
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:01 PM Anonymous Says:
Major catch by eagles at Giants 1
43
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:02 PM Anonymous Says:
Giants block the eagles from 3rd and goal
44
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:02 PM Rippin Pinchas Says:
“ giants are lossing and they will lose i called 2 weeks ago
”
Had you put on tefilin in the Meadowlands this morning things may have been different...
45
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:03 PM Anonymous Says:
Field goal is good, Eagels 23, Giants 11
46
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:08 PM G. Says:
Easy interception by Eagles
47
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:14 PM feivish Says:
“ and you sir are a total disgrace to judaism.
what exactly is so wrong with gonig to a place where there ajews and giving them the oppurtunity for the mitzvah teffillin? not all jews were as fortunate to have the smae upbrining or lifestyle as you did. why are they any less worthy of teffilin than you?
if anything your attitude shows that you might be unworthy you sick sick person. ”
do they have a gif nuki ?
they are eating nvileis at the park oh tafilin
48
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:13 PM Anonymous Says:
Eli what's with u, again ?
49
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:17 PM Anonymous Says:
Over for the Giants with this new turnover
50
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:11 PM feivish Says:
“ yup u are the only one . go back into your disgraceful hole ”
mike is right what a shame and disgrace
51
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:10 PM I don't buy that weird paper Says:
What did it say in the Hamodia Purim Version on Mivtza Tefilin?
52
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:19 PM Anonymous Says:
Eagles 23, Giants 11.
Philliy the Champ's
53
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:08 PM Kop Doktar Says:
“ at what point to these guys go from putting on tefillin to win a football game to something deeper in yiddishkeit.Its the like the arguement we don't care how you come to shul on shabbos just come.This is completly wrong and cheapens the torah and the mitvos.They need to understand what teffilah and tefillin and minyam etc is all about.Are they eating kosher meat at the tailgate? ”
Be Dan Lkaf Zchus. Many of these wayward yidden simply didn't have time to put on Tefillin that morning. Maybe the Daf Yomi was long and complicated and they had to rush to the game.
Why do you think they don't appreciate Tefillah or Mitzvos? They often daven a hoycha shemona-esray.
Besides, just because they rely on non-heimishe hechsherim doesn't mean they eat treif.
Chabad provides a service to all yidden, even the kollel guy that had to skip tefillin that morning to attend the game.
But if it were your child who is off the derech, and he is willing to put on teffilin only so that his ball team wins, would you still oppose him from putting on teffin or doing any other mitzva?
Even if your son eats trief, would you say that he shouldn't put on tefillin?
I highly doubt it!
54
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:21 PM Anonymous Says:
its over take off the tefillin!
55
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:31 PM Anonymous Says:
Donovan McNabb and his Philadelphia Eagles get another week to keep chasing that elusive Super Bowl crown. Eli Manning and the New York Giants get a whole offseason to wonder what went wrong. McNabb made all the big plays that Manning did not, and the Eagles eliminated the Super Bowl champions 23-11 Sunday to reach the NFC title game for the fifth time in eight seasons.
56
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:26 PM Anonymous Says:
They didn't doven with kavunah!
57
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:26 PM bigi smalli Says:
small blue ha ha!!
58
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:25 PM Anonymous Says:
put the tefillin back on time to say kaddish for the season.
59
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:24 PM Red Sox Fan Says:
Philadelphia Eagles won by score of 23-11 will head to NFC champion next sunday
Giant's Lost :-((:-((:-((
60
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:45 PM Anonymous Says:
i guess it didnt work
61
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:42 PM Anonymous Says:
“ eagles will win 27-17!!! ”
i agree they won the giants lost yay!!!!!!!!
62
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:41 PM Anonymous Says:
Maybe they would have won if MIKE ROSENTHAL was still with them (Rosenthal a 6-7, 318 lb OT, was drafted in the fifth round in 1999 by Big Blue out of Notre Dame and played for the Giants from 1999-2002. He later played for the Vikings and Dolphins, and was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Rosenthal is currently retired, does a radio sports show in Austin, TX, and has a clothing business).
63
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:55 PM Dag Says:
Put Tefillin on Plaxo! Maybe that'll work
64
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:58 PM Anonymous Says:
“ yup u are the only one . go back into your disgraceful hole ”
this is what you care about when our brothers are getting killed in eretz yisroel following goyim play ball is non-sense
65
Jan 11, 2009 at 04:57 PM yona Says:
wat a waste! u should be davening and doing mitzvos for important things like the situation in gaza and our soldiers risking their lives. and giants suck anyways. GO EAGLES! ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPERBOWL!
66
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:30 PM Anonymous Says:
Hashem is probably mad cause these people are bothering Him with shtusim. A shande!!!
67
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:28 PM esther Says:
“ at what point to these guys go from putting on tefillin to win a football game to something deeper in yiddishkeit.Its the like the arguement we don't care how you come to shul on shabbos just come.This is completly wrong and cheapens the torah and the mitvos.They need to understand what teffilah and tefillin and minyam etc is all about.Are they eating kosher meat at the tailgate? ”
clearly the halacha is that they don't need to understand tefilah etc when putting on tefilin.mitzvah goreres mitzva-hopefully "these guys" ,yidden just like you, will become more deeply involved in Yiddishkait. there are THOUSANDS of stories like that.every single Jew is like an only child toHashem plus every mitzva we do now helps achainu bnai yisroel in E'Y.
68
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:27 PM feivish Says:
“ Be Dan Lkaf Zchus. Many of these wayward yidden simply didn't have time to put on Tefillin that morning. Maybe the Daf Yomi was long and complicated and they had to rush to the game.
Why do you think they don't appreciate Tefillah or Mitzvos? They often daven a hoycha shemona-esray.
Besides, just because they rely on non-heimishe hechsherim doesn't mean they eat treif.
Chabad provides a service to all yidden, even the kollel guy that had to skip tefillin that morning to attend the game.
But if it were your child who is off the derech, and he is willing to put on teffilin only so that his ball team wins, would you still oppose him from putting on teffin or doing any other mitzva?
Even if your son eats trief, would you say that he shouldn't put on tefillin?
I highly doubt it! ”
so now what a disappointment for this half jews what did we gain they should loose even the drop faith c"v
69
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:23 PM The Other Team Davened BETTER Says:
Puting on Tefilin and davening by the Giants (fans) works!
The only problem is that the other Team (fans) also put on Teffilin and Davened even more and better!
70
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:16 PM Anonymous Says:
“ mike is right what a shame and disgrace ”
YOUR LIFE IS A DISGRACE IF YOU SEE THIS AS A DISGRACE.
71
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:11 PM Anonymous Says:
Jews who survived the hell of the nazi's murderous plan for them, couldn't understand how the American Jews could have taken all that happened to European Jews
so 'lightly'. reading this article, (I live in Israel and I am a US citizen) about davening for a ball game at such a time... now I can understand it... 99.99% of the Jewish population outside of our little Holy Country don't give a damn... only to Hashem can we turn to no one else, not even the American Jewish population... and I am talking about the orthodox too.
72
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:34 PM Anonymous Says:
“ at what point to these guys go from putting on tefillin to win a football game to something deeper in yiddishkeit.Its the like the arguement we don't care how you come to shul on shabbos just come.This is completly wrong and cheapens the torah and the mitvos.They need to understand what teffilah and tefillin and minyam etc is all about.Are they eating kosher meat at the tailgate? ”
Lighten up. The Chabad Rabbis are making important connections with people. You can't begin to teach and show the beauty of a religion unless there is a personal connection, Besides, who says its ok to pray for some things but not for others. (BTW, I'm not Lubavitch).
For those of you who suggest that this is inappropriate because Israel is at war, I understand your feelings, but sports is a safe, healthy outlet. It doesn't mean there is less concern about the IDF soldiers. Not going to a football game or watching one would not help Israel unless you are moving there and enlisting. I would suggest that most of the commenters on this board have not stopped living their lives. Throughout history there have been jews in grave danger somewhere in the world. Balancing caring for and praying for those people with continuing to live our lives helps us carry on.
73
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:33 PM Anonymous Says:
Why cant you just see this as a chance for a yid to do a mitvzah? or are you only allowed to do this mitzvah if you keep all the other mitzvos?
anyone who disagrees with another yid putting on teffilin--That is the disgrace!!!
74
Jan 11, 2009 at 05:39 PM moe Says:
you know what? at least the giants were super bowl champions last year!
good luck philly getting there! lol!
75
Jan 11, 2009 at 07:25 PM Anonymous Says:
I guess the tefilin club is not as good as kupat hair if all these people would just give $18.00 for kupat hair they would have won I tried this segula every time I got the same outcome so let's go giants let's go kupat hair
76
Jan 11, 2009 at 06:22 PM yoa Says:
im all for getting these people to put on tefillin but im saying it shouldn't be based off the NY Giants. the question now is if these yidden will keep putting them on, now that the Giants have lost? I hope its not a seasonal thing, I hope they put them on in the offseason.
77
Jan 11, 2009 at 07:46 PM Anonymous Says:
How can one daven for nonsense like this. Daven for our Israeli soldiers who need our tefilos urgently.
78
Jan 11, 2009 at 08:31 PM Anonymous Says:
the mitzva of tefilin is not only if you put it on every day. Every time you put it on is a new mitzvah. So I dont see the logic of those critisizing.
79
Jan 11, 2009 at 08:23 PM Disgrace? Says:
Showing assimilated or non-religious Jews the path back to G-d is never a disgrace. However I should only hope that these Jews had the same fervor for whats going on in Israel. Ball games are fun, but there are MUCH more important things in a life of service to Hashem.
80
Jan 11, 2009 at 08:18 PM Anonymous Says:
So what happens now that the Giants lost? Is Shemtov closing shop?
81
Jan 11, 2009 at 08:17 PM BR Says:
For all those people who think this is a disgrace, you're being extremely selfish! Who gave you the right to keep the whole of yiddishkeit to yourself?!?!?
These Chabad Rabbis, are working hard to bring moreTorah and Mitzvos into the world, to reach out to the people who may not have the oppotunities that you've had, and you, what are you doing?????
So give credit where you know credit is due, and next time you go to watch a game take your Tefillin with you, and try get another Yid to do such a sacred Mitzvah.
82
Jan 11, 2009 at 08:15 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Jews who survived the hell of the nazi's murderous plan for them, couldn't understand how the American Jews could have taken all that happened to European Jews
so 'lightly'. reading this article, (I live in Israel and I am a US citizen) about davening for a ball game at such a time... now I can understand it... 99.99% of the Jewish population outside of our little Holy Country don't give a damn... only to Hashem can we turn to no one else, not even the American Jewish population... and I am talking about the orthodox too. ”
You are absolutely right and my heart and tefillos are with all of you in E"Y. I've never understood how adults can take sports so seriously("if the Giants lose, my year is over"), but in an eis tzoro when there are young people risking and losing life and limb, it is, as previous posts said, a disgrace.
83
Jan 11, 2009 at 09:34 PM Anonymous Says:
“ For all those people who think this is a disgrace, you're being extremely selfish! Who gave you the right to keep the whole of yiddishkeit to yourself?!?!?
These Chabad Rabbis, are working hard to bring moreTorah and Mitzvos into the world, to reach out to the people who may not have the oppotunities that you've had, and you, what are you doing?????
So give credit where you know credit is due, and next time you go to watch a game take your Tefillin with you, and try get another Yid to do such a sacred Mitzvah. ”
Or maybe don't go to the game and sit down with tehilim. Is tehilim ok with you?
84
Jan 11, 2009 at 09:34 PM Anonymous Says:
now they could daven for isreal
85
Jan 11, 2009 at 09:29 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Be Dan Lkaf Zchus. Many of these wayward yidden simply didn't have time to put on Tefillin that morning. Maybe the Daf Yomi was long and complicated and they had to rush to the game.
Why do you think they don't appreciate Tefillah or Mitzvos? They often daven a hoycha shemona-esray.
Besides, just because they rely on non-heimishe hechsherim doesn't mean they eat treif.
Chabad provides a service to all yidden, even the kollel guy that had to skip tefillin that morning to attend the game.
But if it were your child who is off the derech, and he is willing to put on teffilin only so that his ball team wins, would you still oppose him from putting on teffin or doing any other mitzva?
Even if your son eats trief, would you say that he shouldn't put on tefillin?
I highly doubt it! ”
we are not talking about a kid who went off the derech we are talking about someone who didn't know better int he first place!
Get your facts right before you comment!
86
Jan 11, 2009 at 09:25 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Yes! Maybe it's a reflection of yourself.
Are you uncomfortable about kiruv? Do you have a deep rooted hatred against anything Chabad does?
I used to be like you, but after extensive Therapy I am now a full functional member of klal yisroel. Help is available. ”
is it just me or is this site strictly chabadkins? i think this is a disgrace! i dont care if some guy who calls himself a rabbi wants to make himself feel like he is doing the divine and holy rightious shlichus of the rebba Zatzall(YES ZATZALL) but please dont go and pretend like you have no clue who the giants are! this is going about this whole thing in the wrong way! If ya wanna be mekarev people do it by inspiring them NOT by pretending that outting on tefillin is what is going to make someone win or lose! This is ridiculous if you ask me!!
87
Jan 11, 2009 at 08:50 PM Anonymous Says:
“ I guess the tefilin club is not as good as kupat hair if all these people would just give $18.00 for kupat hair they would have won I tried this segula every time I got the same outcome so let's go giants let's go kupat hair ”
Why are you making fun of kupat haeir?
88
Jan 11, 2009 at 10:02 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Why are you making fun of kupat haeir? ”
Why every time I tell some one about kupat haeir they think I'm making fun? Am I the only naive person that believes in the miracle of kupat haeir?
89
Jan 11, 2009 at 10:49 PM Kogan Says:
“ How can one daven for nonsense like this. Daven for our Israeli soldiers who need our tefilos urgently. ”
How can a child daven for a toy? Some of the people never grow up. It is important to them and they want to daven to Hashem for it. You or I would not do it, but at least now they are DAVENING to HASHEM so that their team should win. I think it is a stem in the right direction.
90
Jan 11, 2009 at 10:44 PM Kogan Says:
“ at what point to these guys go from putting on tefillin to win a football game to something deeper in yiddishkeit.Its the like the arguement we don't care how you come to shul on shabbos just come.This is completly wrong and cheapens the torah and the mitvos.They need to understand what teffilah and tefillin and minyam etc is all about.Are they eating kosher meat at the tailgate? ”
You are talking about the understanding, but this understanding has to be awakened. I am speaking from experience and know that before I would consider anything else I want to know that those people who are trying to make me aware of my Jewishness care about me, not their achievement of getting another Jew. For these guys Giants are important. So rabbi Shemtov brilliantly found a way of making a Jew do the mitzvah and pray to Hashem for what they think they want and need! What could be better? There is no knowing of where this huge mitzvah will lead this guy or his son.
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Jan 11, 2009 at 11:02 PM Anonymous Says:
“ This is a disgrace!!!!!!!!!!!
Since when is Tefilin made to inspire Chuchmas Yuvon ”
The man has a chitev to put on tefillin. This is his incentive, without he won't put on tefillin and metoch shelo lishma balishma. Should we stop passing out candy in shul for kids who only come for candy? Some people never grew up. They need their candy. That aside, we have to thank Hashem everyday for sports in the western world. The time, effort, thought, and money that Goyim spend on sports today, is the same time, effort, thought, and money that they used to spend on pogroms "in der heim". Boruch Hashem they're too busy to think about Yidden.
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Jan 11, 2009 at 10:35 PM Toronto Litvak Says:
“ is it just me or is this site strictly chabadkins? i think this is a disgrace! i dont care if some guy who calls himself a rabbi wants to make himself feel like he is doing the divine and holy rightious shlichus of the rebba Zatzall(YES ZATZALL) but please dont go and pretend like you have no clue who the giants are! this is going about this whole thing in the wrong way! If ya wanna be mekarev people do it by inspiring them NOT by pretending that outting on tefillin is what is going to make someone win or lose! This is ridiculous if you ask me!! ”
Hooowllling at the moon...your worst nightmare: this site is chabadniks. Oh my gosh! Relax, if you can comprehend a rational thought, it's too late, the whole world became chabadniks. Now let's count together: 3,2, 1...howl.
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Jan 11, 2009 at 10:30 PM Kop Doktar Says:
“ is it just me or is this site strictly chabadkins? i think this is a disgrace! i dont care if some guy who calls himself a rabbi wants to make himself feel like he is doing the divine and holy rightious shlichus of the rebba Zatzall(YES ZATZALL) but please dont go and pretend like you have no clue who the giants are! this is going about this whole thing in the wrong way! If ya wanna be mekarev people do it by inspiring them NOT by pretending that outting on tefillin is what is going to make someone win or lose! This is ridiculous if you ask me!! ”
You are right!
It's like telling these fallen jews that if they learn gemorah all day, hashem will provide them with parnosa. (Such things only apply to kollel learners).
Or imagine telling them that if they keep mitzvos it will rain and the produce of their fields will grow - how foolish! (I guess the second paragraph of shema doesn't apply to them).
Or if we study torah the soldiers in israel will succeed...Or if you give tzedakah you will become rich...
Doing mitzvos has nothing to do with worldly matters, especially the giants!
This rabbi should better write chidushei torah and tell these jews a chiddush in a difficult rambam - that makes more sense
Instead of posting your brilliant thoughts, you ought to write this rabbi and educate him with your views. I'm sure he'll get a good laugh from them - that would be a true toeles.
Meanwhile, you were mesameach me and countless others who were zoche to read your chochma. Though, it's a bit early for purim.
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Jan 11, 2009 at 10:24 PM Anonymous Says:
“ Am I the only one who finds this rather disgraceful? ”
actually no i feel the same
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Jan 11, 2009 at 11:28 PM Anonymous Says:
Fellas, #1 don't underestimate the value of even one Mitzvah. Secondly, if you fail #1, remember that Mitzvah Goreres Mitzvah.
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Jan 11, 2009 at 11:22 PM AZ Says:
“ put the tefillin back on time to say kaddish for the season. ”
last time I looked in the shulchan oruch, zman tefillin is until shkiah. Now stop criticizing mitzvos!
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Jan 11, 2009 at 11:57 PM Anonymous Says:
“ is it just me or is this site strictly chabadkins? i think this is a disgrace! i dont care if some guy who calls himself a rabbi wants to make himself feel like he is doing the divine and holy rightious shlichus of the rebba Zatzall(YES ZATZALL) but please dont go and pretend like you have no clue who the giants are! this is going about this whole thing in the wrong way! If ya wanna be mekarev people do it by inspiring them NOT by pretending that outting on tefillin is what is going to make someone win or lose! This is ridiculous if you ask me!! ”
I realize that you obviously have no idea who Rabbi Yisrael Shemtov is. He is an alter yid, born in Russia. His father served time in Siberia for spreading yiddishkeit in Russia. He and his brothers were hidden and taught in secret until they got out. And no, he is not "pretending" not to know anything about ball games; I am sure that such things are more foreign and ridiculous to him than to anyone else on this site.
Read the article carefully. It says that he was talking to this man about getting closer to yiddishkeit for a while. He told the man that putting on tefillin would help him have a "good new year." The man defined for himself what that meant.
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Jan 11, 2009 at 11:54 PM Concerned. Says:
i'm actually starting to think that sports is a form of Kefirah! sports was officially an healthy outlet but now it turned into a g-d. How can someone say my spirituality is in sports?! I think putting on tefilin for such a thing is like putting it on for A"Z!
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Jan 12, 2009 at 04:40 AM Anonymous Says:
“ I realize that you obviously have no idea who Rabbi Yisrael Shemtov is. He is an alter yid, born in Russia. His father served time in Siberia for spreading yiddishkeit in Russia. He and his brothers were hidden and taught in secret until they got out. And no, he is not "pretending" not to know anything about ball games; I am sure that such things are more foreign and ridiculous to him than to anyone else on this site.
Read the article carefully. It says that he was talking to this man about getting closer to yiddishkeit for a while. He told the man that putting on tefillin would help him have a "good new year." The man defined for himself what that meant. ”
Reb Yisroelik is an ish chesed who will do anything for anyone in need, from opening a door lock to bailing someone out of serious trouble. He even saved the life of a non-Jewish shooting victim by taking her to the hospital in his car, although he put himself at risk by doing so.
At one time he was the head of the community patrol in Crown Heights and he was prosecuted for allegedly taking care of a lowlife the old fashioned way. This case was the famous Barry Slotnick defense where he put 10 odd Lubavitcher Chassidim in a lineup and asked the lowlife to identify the one who did it. To the drugged out moron they all looked the same, so that he could not do so, and Reb Yisroelik B"H got off. He should have gotten an award from the police for doing their job for them.
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Jan 12, 2009 at 04:28 AM Anonymous Says:
G-d probably made the Giants win the superbowl last year because of this. However the Giants lost this year because Greenfield actually put it on on shabbes in hope that it would make the giants do better.
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Jan 12, 2009 at 03:36 AM Milhouse Says:
“ is it just me or is this site strictly chabadkins? i think this is a disgrace! i dont care if some guy who calls himself a rabbi wants to make himself feel like he is doing the divine and holy rightious shlichus of the rebba Zatzall(YES ZATZALL) but please dont go and pretend like you have no clue who the giants are! this is going about this whole thing in the wrong way! If ya wanna be mekarev people do it by inspiring them NOT by pretending that outting on tefillin is what is going to make someone win or lose! This is ridiculous if you ask me!! ”
Pretend? From where should he know about football? Now he knows a bit, because this Greenfield and his friends taught him. But before he started with him, from where should he have known it? In cheder in Samarkand they didn't teach such things.
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Jan 12, 2009 at 01:42 AM Kogan Says:
“ Hooowllling at the moon...your worst nightmare: this site is chabadniks. Oh my gosh! Relax, if you can comprehend a rational thought, it's too late, the whole world became chabadniks. Now let's count together: 3,2, 1...howl. ”
The whole world became Chabadniks for a good reason. I, a russian jew, became a frum yid and a Chabadnik.
It is our Rebbe's prophetic vision and love for every yid that made this world full of Chabadniks. You would be surprised to how many in the litvish world are really Chabadniks.
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Jan 12, 2009 at 12:57 AM Jew Says:
One problem that I have with this article is putting Tefilin on Non-Jews.
We all know that that is not allowed. Maybe that why they lost.
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Jan 12, 2009 at 12:16 AM Anonymous Says:
1. this DOES help EY as it says in the yerushalmi on 'veyoru mimeka ' that putting on teffilin fights the enemy of the yidden.
2. even if he chas vesholom never put on tefilin again (he did even in the off season as stated in the article) mitvos are nitzchi & therefore have an everlasting effect on him
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Jan 12, 2009 at 07:54 AM Lost because of NOT putting on Teffilin Says:
Mr. Greenfield was contacted and he confirmed that he knows why his team lost and it's because he did NOT put on Teffilin!
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Jan 12, 2009 at 09:54 AM BR Says:
“ Or maybe don't go to the game and sit down with tehilim. Is tehilim ok with you? ”
I don't get your point. If you're reffering to the situation in Israel, then of course everyone should be saying Tehillim. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't be trying to get people to put on Tefillin. These Jews putting on Tefillin, will help the IDF just as much as people saying Tehillim.
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Jan 13, 2009 at 01:18 PM DUMPKOFF Says:
“ One problem that I have with this article is putting Tefilin on Non-Jews.
We all know that that is not allowed. Maybe that why they lost. ”
Who put on teffilin on a Non-Jew?? C"V!!
What other false news are you trying to spread?
Let's fabricate stories together: That they put teffilin on nekayvas! That teffilin was put on at night! Spread the word...and when you are ready to howl at chabad, we will do it together.
The only non-Jew I know of is the one pretending to be Jewish in Lakewood, and even he turned out to be Jewish (see VIN: Lakewood, NJ +Mr. Ted Floyd Is A Ger Tzedek+).