OK. The gauntlet has been thrown. I have been challenged. In his new blog Rabbi Notharry relates a story about my denigrating certain aspects of Charedism. I cannot let this stand. Nor can I let it even sit! All Hashkafos are good but NONE have yet been able to do what Centrists have done in this area. I responded there but for the sake of truth justice and the American way, I will restate here, the quintessence of Centrist glory in this area. I realize that some people may consider it a trivial matter but that doesn’t matter. Nothing is trivial when it comes to Kavod HaTorah. Besides, this is about one of the main staples of life... food. One can certainly not live without it and it is currently the Matzo of choice for Sefardim although Ashkenazim hold it is considered Chametz Nuksheh (see Rabbeinu Bachye and the Rama). And on the Mada side, according to most nutritionists this is one of the five basic food groups necessary for existence, right up there with hot dogs and barbecue potato chips.
This makes it all the more important to straighten out the facts and present the truth (not necessarily in that order). In fact I believe it is a matter of Pikuach Nefesh. And it could lead to a Chilul HaShem if it isn’t corrected. So for the sake of Torah, Mada, and my dog, Toto, (which means Toto, in English), I will here now repost here my response to the charge and show why the Centrist way is the best way. To quote from R. Notharry :
True Centrist Pizza is a living role model for how pizza should be made.
Truer words were never spoken. I have been to many fine Pizza establishments. Unfortunately none of them compare to my own home made super secret Centrist recipe.
I wasn’t always such a Pizza expert. But necessity is the mother of invention and I just HAD to learn because in all of my journeys throughout Boro Park, I never found anything but Charedi Pizzas. No Deep dish... No (fake) Pepperoni Pizza, no MO-Lite Pizza.... and certainly no Centrist Pizza. What’s a growing 59 year old to do? All I could find was this really Greasy Charedi stuff. It is a Charedi conspiracy. It’s probably because they have all the great Mechanchim!
So I decided to learn how to make really good Centrist Pizza from my good friend Rav Aharon Lichtenstein. He told me the secret recipe. Because we Centrists are not insular I will share it with my fellow blogger, R. Notharry... and his devoted readers:
OK. Here's my Pizza recipe.
Ingredients:
1 pkg. Maccabee Pizza Bagels.
1 microwave oven.
Directions:
Open pkg.
Remove 1 pizza bagel
Stick in microwave.
Set for 1.5 minutes and press "start"
Take out and enjoy.
