WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE AND NOT A DROP TO DRINK

Well, it’s finally official. The OU has ruled and issued a clarion call (we would have preferred a klaxon horn, but apparently calls are clarion and horns are klaxon) for all NYC residents to install a water filter.

According to the OU, if you live in New York City (or play a New Yorker on television), you SHOULD filter water used for baking, cooking and drinking. On the other hand, the OU helpfully tells us, “Products already manufactured may be used EVEN IF MADE WITH UNFILTERED WATER (caps ours).”

Anyone else find that confusing??

In other water news, a magazine dedicated to matters of “kashrus” informs us “The rabbonim of Boro Park, in a trend setting advertisement, printed a psak din, a legal decision, that a filter is necessary for Brooklyn Jews. This was signed by forty major rabbonim in Boro Park and issued as a legal halachic decision.”

So, let’s take a look at that paragraph.

We gather there are both major and minor rabbanim. Go know! Does the size of your kehilla matter? Are there, like, major league shuls and minor league shuls? Do shul presidents have winter trading meetings? (We’ll trade our rabbi for a rookie rabbi and two future rabbinic draft picks.)

Second, just what is a “legal halachic decision?” Are there illegal ones, too? Are there non legal halachic decisions? We do know that in some communities there certainly are decisions that go way beyond the bounds of normnative halacha. Is that the same thing? Finally, if you believe that your water does not need to be filtered, will you be arrested by the Water Authorities?
(RJR)