- Q. Dear Rabbi Shlit’a. There are many who go shopping on Black Friday as there are many saving offers. Since it is after all a day with a religious background is it permitted?
A. The true origin of the post-Thanksgiving Black Friday lies in the sense of black, meaning “marked by disaster or misfortune.” In the 1950s, factory managers first started referring to the Friday after Thanksgiving as Black Friday because so many of their workers decided to falsely call in sick, thus extending the holiday weekend.
About 10 years later, Black Friday was used by Philadelphia traffic cops to describe the day after Thanksgiving because they had to work 12-hour shifts in terrible traffic. Visitors flocked to the city to start their holiday shopping and, sometimes this popular shopping day coincided with the annual Army–Navy football game.
The term caught on among shoppers and merchants in Philadelphia, and from there it took off nationwide (from Dictionary.com)
See Next question.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by, Horav Yaakov Hirschman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu and Horav Kalman Ochs Shlit’a.
Mazel tov to Mr. & Mrs. Yisroel and Batya Luwish on the birth of their twin grandson and granddaughter born to Mr.
& Mrs. Yaakov and Devora Leah Luwish. Mazel tov to grandparents Rabbi & Mrs. Yecheskel and Leslie Shapiro.
Mazel Tov to Rav & Rebbetzin Kalman Ochs on the engagement of their daughter, Racheli, to Moshe Reich of Cleveland, OH. Mazel Tov to the grandparents, Rav & Rebbetzin Mordechai Ochs.
Reprinted from the Jewish Community Council of Montreal:
MEETING WITH BORDER OFFICIALS
To prepare for the Yom Tov travel season, members of the Jewish Community Council met with border officials at ground and airport border crossings to ensure they are properly informed in terms of Arba Minim (Four Species). We also provided them with the dates on which more traffic is expected.
People who are traveling with Arba Minim should declare them at the border post.
CROSSING THE BORDER WITH ARBA MINIM
Arba Minim may be brought through the border for personal use only. Once these items have been cleared and determined to be free of pests and/or diseases, they will be released. Members of border inspection are sensitive to the handling of these items, and will ensure that the passenger himself opens, unwraps and rewraps the Arba Minim. In order to avoid delays, the Arba Minimshould be easily accessible.
AVOID DELAYS
Border officials have asked us to remind all travelers to have their travel documents well prepared and up to date. Non-citizens who are traveling by car with birth certificates and not passports should please ensure to carry the originals or a clear, legible copy. Please be aware that inspectors will process passengers as quickly as they can, but delays could occur with unclear documentation.
Note: If not all passengers in the vehicle have a Nexus card, please proceed through the regular lane. Do not let the non-Nexus card travelers off to cross the border by foot.
We take this opportunity to wish you and your families a wonderful Yom Tov!
Hospital Pantries: Bikur Cholim maintains kosher pantries in most of the local hospitals. Non-perishable food items and provisions to help patients and family members in the hospital over Shabbos, are available around the clock. For pantry locations, see that attachment
Important Numbers
