Cleveland, OH - Telz Rosh Hayeshiva Passes Away At Nearly 100 |
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Last updated on: June 29, 2011 10:55 PM
Cleveland, OH - Rav Chaim Stein, the Rosh Yeshiva of Telze Cleveland, passed away at the age of 99 years after one year of illness.
Rav Stein came to Telze in Europe from a small town in Russia originally. While in Yeshiva, he quickly became one of the most outstanding Talmidim of the Yeshiva. “He was a mushlim in every sense of the word,” remarked a menahel of a Bais Yaakov in Brooklyn, who studied under him.
Aside from Rav Stein’s brilliance in Torah learning, he was well known as an extraordinary Pikayach, having led a number of fellow Talmidim out the Churban that was Nazi occupied Europe. Until his last days, the Talmidim of Telze and others that he led through the dangerous abyss that the Nazis created felt a tremendous hakaras haTov to Rav Stein – whose sharp pikchus enabled them to find an escape route. The Roshei Yeshiva of the Yeshiva were in America raising funds, and the elder Talmidim were the one’s that had to lead the way out.
“He argued with others as to the best way to proceed. Those that listened to him, survived. Unfortunately those who didn’t listen, were killed r”l.
“Rav Stein knew Shas. He was intimately familiar with all the Yeshiveshe Torah and Reid. He was a Baal Mussar extraordinaire.
“All the Roshei Yeshiva of Telze respected him, any halachic Shailah that came up they would direct to Rav Stein. He was the Posaik in Yeshiva. Yet, often, in his anivus, he would send the shailah to Rav Blum in Cleveland Heights.”
“One could see him working on his Middos. When he gave the Mussar Shmuess in Yeshiva -he spoke to himself as well - not that he needed it. But he was always working on himself,” remarked a second generation Talmid of Telze.
He gave Mussar to his talmidim out of love – One student recalled how when he first came to Yeshiva as a bachur of eighteen, he would ask questions constantly. Rav Stein put his hand on the Talmid’ shoulder and said lovingly, but forcefully, “You are working hard not to understand – you have got to work hard to understand.” The Talmid later recalled, “It was a lesson I never ever forgot. There is a Mitzvah to understand. This was a profound lesson in life for me and I quickly dropped that attitude that I had just to ask a question for the sake of asking.”
One could palpably see when it was Elul on his countenance. One would see his Aimas HaDin. All the Talmidim strove to be like him. They loved his learning. They loved his broad grasp of all aspects of Torah knowledge.
One student, by the name of Moshe, he lovingly referred to as “Moshe haMechuna Marvin.”
Rav Stein married the daughter of Rav Moshe Yehudah Leib Zaks, a brilliant Rav in Russia, who was extraordinarily impressed with his son-in-law.
Rav Stein leaves Two sons, Rav Shmuel Zalman Stein, a Rosh Yeshiva in Yeshiva Birchas Chaim in Lakewood, and Rav Binyomin Moshe Stein who lives in Wickliffe,OH, who is married to Sara Itel daughter of the late Harav Dovid Lifshitz ztl , and two daughters one married to Rav Menachem Levine in Telze and the other, Tzipporah, is married to Rav Matis Weinberg.
He lost one son a few years ago to illness – Rav Shalom Yehudah Stein. The Rosh Yeshiva led a difficult life, but managed to be a beacon of light to those who survived the churban and to thousands of Talmidim later on in America.
And Rav Stein had extraordinary talmidim. Rav Yitzchok Silverberg, currently a RY in Gerrer in Eretz Yisroel, was one of his closest students – his Talmud muvhak.
The narrative of how he led others from the abyss of Europe has been documented thoroughly and discussed in numerous accounts:
In October 1940, a group of students led by Rabbi Chaim Stein escaped from war-ravaged Lithuania as it was overrun by the Nazis Y”S. The original faculty, their families and most of the student body left behind in Europe, were killed in Lithuania by Nazi forces and Lithuanian collaborators. Escaping to Russia as the war ravaged Eastern Europe, another war was taking place in the Pacific- the very direction that the students led by Rabbi Chaim Stein were headed. The students achieved safe passage via the Trans-Siberian Railroad to the Far East. The group had somehow acquired visas from the renown Chiune Sugihara, and became beneficiaries of his admirable action to risk his life so many persons from war-torn Europe were given the opportunity to seek refuge elsewhere in the world. Shortly after, the students traveled to Australia. Being that there were some students that were British subjects in possession of British passports- such as Rabbi Shlomo Davis, their visas were granted. Upon arrival in Australia, they were greeted by the small but vibrant Jewish community in Brisbane. As they planned out their next course of action, the group of students reached out to improve the Jewish quality of life amongst the native Australians.
The Levaya will be held both in Cleveland and in Lakewood. His Kevurah will be in Israel.
Levaya Information: 10:55 PM
The levaya will take place Thursday at 9:00am in Cleveland. At about 1:30 the Aron (casket) will be arriving to Allaire airport near Lakewood, NJ. The levaya will continue in BMG at about 2:00. At about 4:00 the (casket) will fly out to JFK heading to Israel. There will be no funeral in Brooklyn.
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Read Comments (41) — Post Yours »
1
Jun 29, 2011 at 03:38 PM Loss in Olem Hatorah Says:Report as Inappropriate
How Sad! Rav Chaim’s Petira comes just four days after the Petira of Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, and less than two weeks after the Petira of Rav Yitzchok Dov Koppelman
2
Jun 29, 2011 at 03:38 PM Mandel Says:Report as Inappropriate
BDE. to many fine people in the same month..
3
Jun 29, 2011 at 03:43 PM realistic Says:Report as Inappropriate
ribono shel olom!
whom are we left with?
4
Jun 29, 2011 at 03:45 PM belzer gabbai Says:Report as Inappropriate
how did one rosh yeshiva say?
lately many tzadikim passed away
first Rav kopelman
then rav lefkovitz
then Rav Stein
and i'm also no youngster
5
Jun 29, 2011 at 03:48 PM JerusalamiKugel Says:Report as Inappropriate
BD"E -in one week!!
6
Jun 29, 2011 at 03:50 PM Yechi Says:Report as Inappropriate
BDH Maybe we should stop the focus on the older RH .
7
Jun 29, 2011 at 03:58 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
I thought he was older.
8
Jun 29, 2011 at 04:00 PM eighthcomment Says:Report as Inappropriate
Say what you want in terms on natural causes, there MUST be a reason that these gedolim were nestalek so close together in time. I'm not speculating as to the reasons because we don't have to look far.
9
Jun 29, 2011 at 04:00 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
When will we wake up that something very scary is going to happen due to all our great leaders leaving us in light of the gay marriage passing in the largest orthodox state. Had we seriously told our elected official to oppose it ,we could of won. In 1933 many great rabbis too passed away and thus the holocaust came. Many of you laugh but with the serious rising unemployment ,pogroms are not far off.
10
Jun 29, 2011 at 04:04 PM Elie Says:Report as Inappropriate
Baruch Dayan Ha'emet - We are living in scary times.....
11
Jun 29, 2011 at 04:06 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
is this a wake up call or what this is number 3 in as many days. NOW THAT IS SCARY
12
Jun 29, 2011 at 04:07 PM ChachoMoe Says:Report as Inappropriate
Baruch DH!!
Another true gadol...all these losses within a week, does not sound too good! No doubt, a clear sign for all of us to do teshuva, as mentioned in the Rambam!
13
Jun 29, 2011 at 04:08 PM crazy Says:Report as Inappropriate
BDH. It really is something to think about being 3 gedolim all passed away with in a short spam of time. for those that believe it "just happen to be" should get there head on straight. They all should be malitz yosher on klal yisroel!
14
Jun 29, 2011 at 05:09 PM yoeli Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ How Sad! Rav Chaim’s Petira comes just four days after the Petira of Rav Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, and less than two weeks after the Petira of Rav Yitzchok Dov Koppelman ”
Thanks!... I didn't know that.
15
Jun 29, 2011 at 05:12 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Baruch Dayan Ha'emet - We are living in scary times..... ”
Scary times ?? Not at all. Scary is when someone young dies not when someone is 100years old. Stop with the emotional (fake?) overreacting.
16
Jun 29, 2011 at 05:30 PM cbd Says:Report as Inappropriate
BD'E
Zol veren a gitter beiter far uns!
I rember when Reb Moishe Teitelbaum passed away. There were 3 moishe's who passed away in a very short period!
1: Reb Moishe taitelbaum
2: R' Moshe from Baltimore's Camp Ohr' haner
3: I think the 3rd was Shapiro or Wolbe?
Now again 3 giants in one week!
Whats happenign here!!!!!!
My rebbi was a talmid Of Reb Chaim. I remember him speaking at Continental arena's Sium Hashas!
17
Jun 29, 2011 at 07:13 PM enlightened-yid Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ When will we wake up that something very scary is going to happen due to all our great leaders leaving us in light of the gay marriage passing in the largest orthodox state. Had we seriously told our elected official to oppose it ,we could of won. In 1933 many great rabbis too passed away and thus the holocaust came. Many of you laugh but with the serious rising unemployment ,pogroms are not far off. ”
People like you are more irrational and dramatic than any gay drama queen. You have been conditioned since childhood to search for every scary stuff on the planet to constantly explain something or search out signs that don't exist. Without this constant fear, religions become mundane. It's as if people are tired of life and in back of their minds want these doomsday stuff to really happen.
Go to any nursing home and you will see elderly dying every week. Old people die, it's how God programmed this world to be. There is no difference between a 99 year old Gadol or 99 year old former bus driver. Age afflicts us all equally. You don't live in bible times where people lived for 400 years.
Do you want to do a census on how many 90 year olds died in NYC in past 3 weeks or better yet in all 50 states? You should be thankful that he lived for so long and was able to lead his community. Judaism and the world continues to function every time we lose leaders, educators, scientists etc.. such is cycle of life. There is a generation of rabbis who have been trained and will naturally take over and whom you will call gadols of our times still.
18
Jun 29, 2011 at 08:27 PM Matzoslocal101 Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ People like you are more irrational and dramatic than any gay drama queen. You have been conditioned since childhood to search for every scary stuff on the planet to constantly explain something or search out signs that don't exist. Without this constant fear, religions become mundane. It's as if people are tired of life and in back of their minds want these doomsday stuff to really happen.
Go to any nursing home and you will see elderly dying every week. Old people die, it's how God programmed this world to be. There is no difference between a 99 year old Gadol or 99 year old former bus driver. Age afflicts us all equally. You don't live in bible times where people lived for 400 years.
Do you want to do a census on how many 90 year olds died in NYC in past 3 weeks or better yet in all 50 states? You should be thankful that he lived for so long and was able to lead his community. Judaism and the world continues to function every time we lose leaders, educators, scientists etc.. such is cycle of life. There is a generation of rabbis who have been trained and will naturally take over and whom you will call gadols of our times still. ”
Irrational fear dates back to the time of the tzaddik Mesushelech who died prior to the mabul in order that he should not see the world wiped out. It continued until the holocaust when Reb Meir Shapiro - a young man, The Munkaczer, Reb Chaim Oizer, and others died shortly prior to holocaust. Had klal yisroel taken notice and repented as necessary who knows what would have happened? But I'm sure there were others like you then, claiming it's only coincidence, ki bishriris libi ailech, and only simple superstitous people would associate such occurences with the need to do tshuvah. Hashem yerachem!
19
Jun 29, 2011 at 08:41 PM Chaim Says:Report as Inappropriate
BD'E How wonderful yidden must be that their gedolim are zocheh to such long lives.
20
Jun 29, 2011 at 08:53 PM MDG Says:Report as Inappropriate
When Gedolim pass away, it's a Kaparah for the rest of us. I hope that we have been completely forgiven.
21
Jun 29, 2011 at 09:29 PM esther Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ People like you are more irrational and dramatic than any gay drama queen. You have been conditioned since childhood to search for every scary stuff on the planet to constantly explain something or search out signs that don't exist. Without this constant fear, religions become mundane. It's as if people are tired of life and in back of their minds want these doomsday stuff to really happen.
Go to any nursing home and you will see elderly dying every week. Old people die, it's how God programmed this world to be. There is no difference between a 99 year old Gadol or 99 year old former bus driver. Age afflicts us all equally. You don't live in bible times where people lived for 400 years.
Do you want to do a census on how many 90 year olds died in NYC in past 3 weeks or better yet in all 50 states? You should be thankful that he lived for so long and was able to lead his community. Judaism and the world continues to function every time we lose leaders, educators, scientists etc.. such is cycle of life. There is a generation of rabbis who have been trained and will naturally take over and whom you will call gadols of our times still. ”
whoa,why all the bitterness? is that how enlightenment feels?
22
Jun 29, 2011 at 09:34 PM Baruch Dayan Emet - FROM ANSHAY PARAS WHO TOOL REFUGE IN TELSHE YESHIVA 1979 Says:Report as Inappropriate
I knew the Rosh Hayeshiva Ztl well. Although Rabbi Gifter (zecher Saddik livracha) bar mitzva me. Rabbi Stein and his son were very active in Pekuach Nefesh of Anshay Paras. Roohesh Shaad Bashe.
23
Jun 29, 2011 at 09:41 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
What's going on the last few weeks a lot of old aged gedolim dying??
24
Jun 29, 2011 at 10:13 PM ugottabeyashrus Says:Report as Inappropriate
It is quite clear that these gedolei hador are being taken from this world so they do not have to suffer and see whats coming next. Whatever it is, it's something that Hashem did not want them to see. So all we can do is prepare ourselves and wake up start realizing why were really here in the first place, for real, why are we here and start to serve Hashem and fulfill what we are supposed to do, and whatever comes next we will be prepared whether we live or c'v die.
25
Jun 29, 2011 at 10:31 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ When will we wake up that something very scary is going to happen due to all our great leaders leaving us in light of the gay marriage passing in the largest orthodox state. Had we seriously told our elected official to oppose it ,we could of won. In 1933 many great rabbis too passed away and thus the holocaust came. Many of you laugh but with the serious rising unemployment ,pogroms are not far off. ”
Your posting is indeed one of the most absurd and ignorant here in a long time. These rabbis who died in recent weeks were extremely old and fortunate to have lived as long as they did (as was Klal Yisroel to have them among us for so many years). However, they were physical mortals and statistically there are hundreds of great elderly rabbis whose time will come soon and there is no reason to attibute it to anything other than old age and natural causes. Yes we will laugh at you for making such naresh comments which are an insult to the memory of these rabbbis. Stop trying to create cause effect relationships that devalue the memory of our gadolim.
27
Jun 29, 2011 at 11:11 PM talmido Says:Report as Inappropriate
I remember when I was learning in Telz yeshiva a kevutza of bachurim came from Lakewood for a chasuna and were telling us many first hand stories of his tzuzugs (promises), how he would promise that they would be engaged by a certain time and without fail it would be mekuyem. Al kol ponim many years later a friend of mine, a bochur who was a fellow talmid of Telz who was having difficulty in shidduchim. We tried many times to get a brocha or a tzuzug but none was forthcoming. We believed that he had a kepeida on him because of a certain maaseh shehayah. Well finally after a bunch of years the Rosh Yeshiva zatza"l (oy does it hurt to say zatza"l!) gave a brocha or a tzuzug. Needles to say the fellow found his shidduch immediately! There are many other moifsim vos ich ken dertzeilen, un a shiur, kaheina vekaheina rabois! Ubber raboisai nisht dos iz geven em! Zein gadlus iz geven az er iz geven kol kulu areingezunken b'limud un in avoidas haborei kol yamav! Ich vill eich dertzeillen az yoren tzurik hubben gezetzen a kevutza menchen zuggen maasos fun moifsim fun der Mashgiach R Chatzkel zatza"l, R Leizer Horejeski vos iz dorton gezetzen b'oiso maamud hut geklopt oiffen tish un geshriggen, raboisai, nit dos iz geven R Chatzkel!
Oy lesfina she'avdah es kabarnita, mi yiten lanu es tmurasoi!
28
Jun 29, 2011 at 11:28 PM reb yona Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ People like you are more irrational and dramatic than any gay drama queen. You have been conditioned since childhood to search for every scary stuff on the planet to constantly explain something or search out signs that don't exist. Without this constant fear, religions become mundane. It's as if people are tired of life and in back of their minds want these doomsday stuff to really happen.
Go to any nursing home and you will see elderly dying every week. Old people die, it's how God programmed this world to be. There is no difference between a 99 year old Gadol or 99 year old former bus driver. Age afflicts us all equally. You don't live in bible times where people lived for 400 years.
Do you want to do a census on how many 90 year olds died in NYC in past 3 weeks or better yet in all 50 states? You should be thankful that he lived for so long and was able to lead his community. Judaism and the world continues to function every time we lose leaders, educators, scientists etc.. such is cycle of life. There is a generation of rabbis who have been trained and will naturally take over and whom you will call gadols of our times still. ”
There might be big talmidei chachomem nowadays but in no way can they be put in a similar level to those of pre WWII.
Take Rav Stein, for instance, who grew up and learned torah with mesires nefesh and went through the terribile years of WWII. How in the world can you compare him to contemporary "gedolim" who grew up on steak and cotton candy, learning in a nice warm. Beth hamedresh in the winter and a freshly cool beth hamedresh in the summer
29
Jun 29, 2011 at 11:38 PM reb yona Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ It is quite clear that these gedolei hador are being taken from this world so they do not have to suffer and see whats coming next. Whatever it is, it's something that Hashem did not want them to see. So all we can do is prepare ourselves and wake up start realizing why were really here in the first place, for real, why are we here and start to serve Hashem and fulfill what we are supposed to do, and whatever comes next we will be prepared whether we live or c'v die. ”
You should be careful what you say or write. Never know when something bad could get mekium ch"v.
30
Jun 29, 2011 at 11:38 PM the kvetch Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ People like you are more irrational and dramatic than any gay drama queen. You have been conditioned since childhood to search for every scary stuff on the planet to constantly explain something or search out signs that don't exist. Without this constant fear, religions become mundane. It's as if people are tired of life and in back of their minds want these doomsday stuff to really happen.
Go to any nursing home and you will see elderly dying every week. Old people die, it's how God programmed this world to be. There is no difference between a 99 year old Gadol or 99 year old former bus driver. Age afflicts us all equally. You don't live in bible times where people lived for 400 years.
Do you want to do a census on how many 90 year olds died in NYC in past 3 weeks or better yet in all 50 states? You should be thankful that he lived for so long and was able to lead his community. Judaism and the world continues to function every time we lose leaders, educators, scientists etc.. such is cycle of life. There is a generation of rabbis who have been trained and will naturally take over and whom you will call gadols of our times still. ”
For a person who believes in Hashgochas pratis, even the most mundane matters are guided by Hashem. If a person takes hisorerus from these actions of Hashem, why does it bother you so much?
31
Jun 29, 2011 at 11:45 PM esther Says:Report as Inappropriate
we yidden look beyond tevah because Hashem said we are beyond tevah.everything is hashgacha protis.when the gedolim pass away it's especially meaningful because of all the lives they touched. kalv'chomer when 3 gedolim pass away in such a short time .
32
Jun 30, 2011 at 12:35 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
Why do u come on a jewish blog and make fun of all the things we believe in? I understand that you feel elightened and all that rational but why do you still come and read VIN? Huh
33
Jun 30, 2011 at 12:45 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
IT IS GETTING TO BE VERY DANGEROUS TO BE 100 YEARS OLD. THREE GEDOLAI YISROEL PAST AWAY WITHIN THIS PAST TWO WEEKS AT THIS AGE.
34
Jun 30, 2011 at 12:51 AM NeveAliza Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ People like you are more irrational and dramatic than any gay drama queen. You have been conditioned since childhood to search for every scary stuff on the planet to constantly explain something or search out signs that don't exist. Without this constant fear, religions become mundane. It's as if people are tired of life and in back of their minds want these doomsday stuff to really happen.
Go to any nursing home and you will see elderly dying every week. Old people die, it's how God programmed this world to be. There is no difference between a 99 year old Gadol or 99 year old former bus driver. Age afflicts us all equally. You don't live in bible times where people lived for 400 years.
Do you want to do a census on how many 90 year olds died in NYC in past 3 weeks or better yet in all 50 states? You should be thankful that he lived for so long and was able to lead his community. Judaism and the world continues to function every time we lose leaders, educators, scientists etc.. such is cycle of life. There is a generation of rabbis who have been trained and will naturally take over and whom you will call gadols of our times still. ”
Well said and an excellent observation. T'filos are required daily, T'shuva and urges for Mosiach should be constant, and by this time HaShem has just about all the greatest Maletzi Yosher that exist. So sometimes people, even great people, leave this world because their time on this world is over.
One of the great experiences I received from my years in Telshe was to be able to sit opposite (more or less) Rav Chaim ZT"L for 7 years. To see his הדרת פנים and to watch him learn and daven was an indescribable experience.
It's very sad. Only Rav Issac remains, and he's been needing a רפואה שלמה for many years now.
So if people are trying to look for reasons why, I don't think its really necessary. But if they insist, let them look no further than what's going on in Wickliffe - והמבין יבין.
35
Jun 30, 2011 at 01:03 AM aaron Says:Report as Inappropriate
I think all should be able to agree that it is pointless to speculate as to why three Torah leaders have died recently. While we must acknowledge that this was Hashem's plan, we should keep in mind that we as human beings are not privy to the details of that plan. Any bad news, whether the tragic death of a child or the passing of an elderly Tzadik should be met with a somber acceptance of God's will- not hysterical finger pointing.
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Jun 30, 2011 at 03:46 AM Berl Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ how did one rosh yeshiva say?
lately many tzadikim passed away
first Rav kopelman
then rav lefkovitz
then Rav Stein
and i'm also no youngster ”
It was Rav Lazar Silver ZT"L at Rav Aharon Kotler ZT"L's Levaya, I was there, the exact quote was Reb Chaim Oizer iz nishto, der Chofetz Chaim iz nishto, Rav Aharon is nishto un yich ver shoin alt (Reb Chaim Ozer (Grodzensky) is not here, The Chofetz Chaim is not here, Reb Aharon is not here and I am growing old
38
Jun 30, 2011 at 03:47 AM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
Will there be a lavaya in Israel?
39
Jun 30, 2011 at 08:58 AM Yakov Says:Report as Inappropriate
Someone mentioned that Reb Chaim used to avoid doing a Melacha on Fridays, Erev Shaabos, as soon as it became the Zman in Eretz Yisroel, Just like the HKB"H keeps Shabbos according to the time-zone of E"Y.
Does that mean that the Taanoim in Bovel waited on Motzei Shabos, until it was Motzei in E"Y?
He has a strong point but not so known.
40
Jun 30, 2011 at 09:44 AM SF2K1 Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Why do u come on a jewish blog and make fun of all the things we believe in? I understand that you feel elightened and all that rational but why do you still come and read VIN? Huh ”
Who told you that Judaism somehow involved the belief that people dying of old age means some kind of tragedy is coming and not the fact that our generation needs to move on and make new Gedolim? Sounds more like nonsense to me; it's not in the yud gimmel ikkarim.
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Jun 30, 2011 at 02:48 PM Anonymous Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Why do u come on a jewish blog and make fun of all the things we believe in? I understand that you feel elightened and all that rational but why do you still come and read VIN? Huh ”
Because we believe in daas torah and not some bubba meisas that the death of every geriatric "gadol" is a sign from the Ebeshter of a mabul or other imminent disaster.
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Jun 30, 2011 at 02:50 PM Honorabledude Says:Report as Inappropriate
“ Why do u come on a jewish blog and make fun of all the things we believe in? I understand that you feel elightened and all that rational but why do you still come and read VIN? Huh ”
whats wrong with saying "old people die" LOL, how is this making of what we believe in? how is this unheimish, or unfrum?