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Minutes ago I emailed a friend and mentioned that some people are very makpid about writing private things in emails. I realized as I wrote it that it's redundant to say very makpid (because makpid means strict, with a very included). The expression a little nippy came to mind, which is a silly phrase because nippy means a little bit chilly. Can you think of other redundant phrases in every day speech?
b k
I heard a comedy routine poking fun at people who email in lower case ("like it's such a strain to press the capital key!"). I that find it easier to type all in lower case. Thoughts?
gb n
Why is fattening food called comfort food? When the pounds pile on it's not very comforting. (Full disclosure: I had macaroni and cheese for dinner).
bh
Last year I had the retreat center where I work on Pesach order Artscroll siduriim. The new program director told me that Amzon was the cheapest place to buy an Artscroll siddur. I have a thirty dollar Amazon gift certificate burning a hole in my in box and I was thinking of buying one of those big tan Artscroll siddurim. I checked. It is a couple of dollars cheaper on Amazon than at the Y.U. sale.
jb n
Does anyone (besides me) know how Artscroll got its name?
n
Questions are priceless
With out questions that matter
Answers miscarry
Questions are life providers
Teachers and others beware
posted by rabbi neil fleischmann @ 6:40 PM
10 Comments:
Is Amazon still cheaper after adding on the shipping and handling fee?
Anonymous, check at Amazon - I think that if you get 30 dollars worth there is no shipping and handling fee (happens at some point).
Sure. It began as an establishment for illuminated kesubos, benchers etc. The founder is artistically talented.
What's wrong with saying "very strict?" You can be strict, but not very.
Yes, Kishke - you got it. I thought it was both, (could be wrong) Rabbis Zlotowitz and Sherman that ran the original printing company. My cousin, Rabbi Borchardt (Z"TZL) connected us with them in the early seventies to get the invitations done for my older brother's Bar Mitzvah at their place on the Lower East Side. We also got lots of hard candies to throw after the HafTorah and the bentchers at nearby establishments.
Somewhere along the line that day (I think it was at the litle Artscroll store) I got a book of Chelm stories, which I cherished. They also gave me a free free poster with smiley faces on it - maybe it was someting for Adar? Anyway, Artscroll was originally a prnting company.
I believe that makpid already has the element of very much included in the word itself, that it means punctilious regarding a certain mitzvah or matter, so very makpid is a bit much.
It was only Rabbi Zlotowitz. He got together with Rabbi Sherman later, when they did the Megillas Esther as a l'ilui nishmas for a friend of both who had died young. They never expected it to sell much, but the sales exploded. The stores couldn't keep it in stock. That's when a light bulb went on, and they realized that there was a huge, unfulfilled need for quality English sefarim. They went into business together then.
I find this background fascinating. Thank you. In my parents' (they should be blessed with long and healthy life, filled with nachas) home there is a special preview hard cover edition of the Artscroll Zemiroth, which was given out at the Bar Mitzvah of Rabbi Zlotowitz' son (Gedaliah?) and was given to us by Rabbi Borchardt.
I recall one year on Shavuous night, Shep Rosen, may his memory be for a blessing, was at the late night learning in the downstairs Gold Room and was excited about a band new sefer he had. It was previously unheard of: a beautifully designed translation of Megilat Ruth, with a collection of mefarshim anthologized on the bottom of each page...in English!
That was the first I'd heard of Artscroll sefarim. I assumed it was the first one they did. It sounds like you know your history here and that Esther was first.
Thanks again for this information, any more tidbits are welcome.
One of ArtScroll's earliest books that wasn't a commentary on a megillah was Rav Bleich's impressive Bircas haChammah, in 1980. They just published an expanded edition, in January 2009: http://www.artscroll.com/Books/bihh.html
Yes, Birchas HaChammah is an excellent piece of work.
Thanks Uri and Kishke - not familiar with that book, sounds good.
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