There is something that bothers me about going in and out of 770. Namely, when you go up or down the steps to the main doors of 770 many a time you are entering an area with heavy second hand smoke going straight into your face.
I am not trying to tell people whether they should smoke or not, but they are making me go through the smoke by filling the area with second hand fumes.
More than that, many young children pass through there, and are also subject to the experience. When they see people smoking it encourages them to smoke in their own lives in the future as they see it as an acceptable activity. That’s without mentioning the bad health consequences of the smoke and the unpleasant aroma that goes with it.
Some buildings in the city have signs stating no smoking within so many feet of the building. Here it’s not even a question of smoking near the building but in the actual step area- which is really like the building itself, as it’s the main entrance to the building and it’s enclosed.
There are even ashtrays there, so it seems that the people who placed them there are in agreement that that’s the designated smoking area. It seems to me that according to the NY law, smoking there would probably be permitted, which I assume is the reason it remains to be allowed in our case.
As we know that smoking in the first place is questionable according to halacha as it certainly endangers your health and the people who live near you. My question is how can we possibly allow so many people to have to be subject to it while going in and out and inhaling all this smoke? Can the ones who are in the position to do something about it please stand up and ban smoking on the staircase of 770 Beis Rabbeinu?
Also, it is not Chassidish to smoke. It looks grub and out of touch with reality. The Rebbeim discouraged smoking in letters as is known. Also, you have to consider how it looks to outsiders as well as it’s an issue of Kiddush Hashem or the opposite. It will probably be hard to get people to stop smoking there as that’s the status quo, but things that are difficult are often time the most worthwhile pursuits.
Thanks for reading,
A Crown Heights Resident
is number 7 true? the Rebbetzin was always impeccably dressed and kept her house in a very classy style.
and if the rebbe would suggest something, wouldnt the rebbetzin be the first to do it????
Shidduch age girls. Please refuse to marry bochurim who smoke. If a great bachur smokes, tell him that you’ll only go out if he quits smoking as of before the first date. That’ll get there attention.
Is it true that the entrance to 770 is smoky, smelly, and unclean? I hope not. I was planning on a trip in the near future. If it’s true, that doesn’t sound very inviting. It takes some of the excitement out of my plan, actually, because that would be an unpleasant discovery. I hope it’s just rumor.
Pray tell, WHAT does liberalism have to do with this?! Correlating disliking a smoking habit in a specific area to a political group? Does that make sense to anybody else? If I am liberal I want no smoking at the entrance of 770, but if I am conservative smoking there if fine? Huh? I’m not a liberal, but I do not think that that environment at the entrance is pleasant or healthy or in good taste or a very good example to set. It just seems very disrespectful to me. And judging from many of these comments, I’m not alone… Read more »
We’re not talking about a bad habit alone! We’re talking about a bad habit directly and negatively affecting others. It affects others’ health AND the quality of the visual atmosphere of 770. Noone is judging smokers per se, but some ARE saying that the smoking at the entrance is more than an inconvenience. It’s bothersome, and in many cases it literally makes people sick. So, if you need to keep the habit, keep it gezunteh heit. Just don’t make me upset and disgusted when I simply wish to enter 770 through the entrance that I am entitled to comfortably enter.… Read more »
it must be a women writing this article
besides just lung cancer that spreads throughout the body as you continue in life, you get emphysema and chronic bronchitis that will effect your ability to breathe and will have to constantly travel with oxygen tanks. talk about major baggage huh?
Some facts: 1- Smoking is not good for you. 2- No one is going to die from walking into 770. 3- The “cloud” of smoke is an exaggeration most of the time. If you really can’t stand it, there are other entrances. 4- It used to be much worse. When I was growing up, people used to smoke upstairs all the time, and downstairs except when the Rebbe was coming down. 5- The Rebbeim asked Chassidim not to smoke, no two ways about it. 6- The Rebbeim stopped smoking when informed of the health risks involved. 7- The Rebbetzin z”l… Read more »
BH
BSD
SO MUCH WASTED ENERGY AND TIME
IF ONLY WE ALL WOULD REALLY TRULY PRACTICE THE CHASSIDUS WE LEARN
THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ALLOWED SMOKING PERIOD
AND AFTER ALL THE TIME I ASKED AND ASKED
BUT WE CAN SHUT THE AHD MOSAI GUY UP
HES SPEAKING THE TRUTH
WHEN OH WHEN
WILL WE STOP ALREADY AND BE ABLE TO WELCOME MOSHIIACH WITHOUT A CLOUD OF POISON A
First of all, smoking is directly related to lung cancer. Secondly, second hand smoking (ie inahling other people’s smoke) also causes lung cancer. By smoking you are directly responsible in negatively impacting other people’s health. No comparison whatsoever to Bloomberg’s small coke agenda (although I agree drinking soda should be limited). Drinking soda doesn’t affect the people around you. Anyways, this author doesn’t say you shouldn’t smoke,(and seriously, be real about it, you shouldn’t ) just that you shouldn’t smoke in front of or in the Shul, which makes perfect sense if you consider 770 a mini Beis Hamikdash. Sorry,… Read more »
We often travel to Crown Heights and always stop to daven @ 770. I look forward to 770, however I dislike walking through the front doors as it is always dirty and smells from second hand smoke. Please respect the Rebbe’s shul and have respect for others. Please look for another spot to smoke!
Although your comment has lots of sarcasm, it worked. Sometimes we need that, I guess. I do agree that outside 770 is disgusting! I agree that the place does not look decent. Your depiction of 770 as “disgusting to the world, a haven of smokers” very sad, yet very powerful. What can we do to bring a respectful and holy visual presentation to 770? As it is now, it looks awful. We wear tzinus, and we consider that very important. Don’t we see the irony of this? What we wear, how we present ourselves, how we cover our heads, how… Read more »
I venture a guess that those finding other problems here are smokers in the entrance of 770. The thing is, we can change one thing at a time. Yes, there’s pollution, yes, there are things going on while trying to daven, etc. However, can we alleviate the smoke at the entrance anyway? Can we approach other issues separately? For G-d’s sake, there are people who are really bothered by the smoke there! Don’t you care? These are your people! Go somewhere else and let them enter the way through which they are entitled without getting sick! And don’t say you… Read more »
We should change what we can do something about! We CAN do something about the smoke-filled entrance to 770! No one ever said to ban smoking, they just said get it out of that area! So there’s a way to make both sides happy! Why not do that?
yes, tthe smoke is disgusting and a shame; there are other problems with 770, but this is one of them. i daven there every weekday morning for years. apparently there is no pride in 770 in this area. they shoul/could hire a bouncer, maybe he can be part of security team, and could try to keep place decent including the smokers to go to the benches away fro mthe entrance. or maybe 770 should be disgusting? maybe that is what the rebbe want(s)(ed) – for 770 to be disgusting to the world, a haven of smokers?
For starters, I agree with 1, 2, 5 and 10.
I think according to Torah it could substantiate.
it is not fair to others to subject them to the smoke, and it gives a shleppy look to the place. thers more too
“You cannot be Chassidish and smoke” Did you know that some of our rabbeim smoked?
“Please Ban Smoking” you make it sound like someone has control in 770.
“Halacha” you can’t make a halacha about smoking cause that would make it hard for smokers to take real halachos seriously.
it is harmful, but so it everything else around you. smoker could live long life and could c’v not. he’s taking chances. crossing the street is save, but c’v could be not. its healthier to live upstate, eat organic and not drive the car… but its not agains the halacha do otherwize.
37
#25
it harming ur body isn’t that against halacha
if they would smoke outside the beis hasmikdosh?
im lighting up : ) liberalism is a desease that can be cured!
oy vei
ven vet zein dee sof
this is not good its takah bad thats y theree is so many problems in ch every single article people have to fgfht about this is so not an issue smoking is ad full stop ban it y so much machlokes and then we sigh and ask where is moshiach?! look at us we are the problem we must fix ourselves before screaming at others
not!
If you would ban smoking in 770, you would instantly change the whole environment. You’d drive out the losers and batlonim who use 770 as a Greyhound station. You might even have a chance of it becoming a half classy place.
But alas, there’s nobody to enforce it. They can’t stop roving gangs of teenagers from beating people up. You think they’ll be able to enforce a smoking ban? Sadly not.
we need moshiach 🙂
How do you have the guts to compare us to the rebbe at all???
Did you know that the Baal Shem Tov made a brocha when he lit his pipe? You can not understand what was being accomplished when any Rebbe was smoking.
And yes I am a smoker and what goes on outside of 770 is pretty nasty..,
when you have children you have to protect them and be an adult. that’s when you realize that if something is wrong you have to stand up against it. the time is ripe to end smoking around 770, it wasn’t so in the past for what ever reason. young people in Crown Heights want a just, good world. Not excuses from old buba maises that their zaidy used to smoke in shul. etc. there are plenty of opinions in our community BH, but you cannot accommodate every single opinion. you have to take into account the benefit of the rabim.
You people make it sound there is nothing positive or relaxing that comes from smoking.
Do you really think the Rabeim used to smoke because it looked cool? To impress their friends?
It’s true they stopped once they were told about the risks but they didn’t start because of peer pressure.
The second hand smoking idea according to many sources is a myth, it was made up by the government for a number of reasons (similar to global warming)
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/july-dec98/smoking_7-21.html
“Hymei brov we takin ova” 🙂
I personally know plenty of people who always thought that we should ban smoking not only on the stairs but also the block infront of 770.
Its about time that someone spoke up about this, and its about time that we all!
please sign the petition
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/to-ban-smoking-at-the-main-shul-of-770/signatures
A woman passed away in this community from lung cancer. She was not a smoker. Her husband was
We spent Tishrei in N.Y. last year and My husband said that he cannot Daven in 770. Every 2 minutes he was interrupted by and israeli shnorer. Can’t someone daven without being bothered a hundred times in one davening.?
I was walking down lefferts on Friday afternoon 2 weeks ago and passed by 2 female blacks were having a conversation (they seemed to be very intellectual and were definitely of the higher class) They were talking about hypocrites. As I passed by they said ” and like these Jews. They claim they are the holy ones. Ha! Look at them smoking away in front of their synagogue, and they molest their children, then they come home and light candles for their holidays. What hypocrites! you call that holy behavior?!” Now, I wouldn’t categorize smoking with molesting, but you get… Read more »
the letter did not ask anyone to stop smoking. but 770 is the Rebbe’s shul. it is where many chassidim, women, and children are. is sthere any respect in CH? take the smoking down the block, it doesnt belong in s shul. how can one smoke, knowing that the Rebbe was right there. would you (chas vshalom) smoke if the rebbe was passing by? show some respect! we dont need smoke, why are you at 770 anyway? to smoke??? if you came to 770, daven or learn! there are many people who wish they can be at 770, and you… Read more »
LOL— ‘no internet”..then how did you read this article and write that message?
why can’t the smokers just move to theside of 770 near the tashlich area.
i heard that the rebbe didn’t wan’t to say smoking is assur out of respect for his father that did smoke.
everyone has some kind of bad habit so fix yours before stopping everyone else
i have read respectful sources that question how harmful second hand smoking realy is (unless someone is blowing smoke in your face) and its nothing compared to the fumes a car gives out . and by the way all the years when the rebbe was alive everybody was smoking in 770
#3, that’s a great comparison, Soviet Russian oppression to bans on public smoking to protect the public from breathing in stinking, carcinogenic 2nd hand smoke. Give me a break!
I don’t find “saying l’chayim in front of kids” as a problem if the kids see how Chasidim say l’chayim. It’s a good thing for children to see responsible and Chasidish drinking. When the “saying l’chayim” is actually alcohol abuse and binge drinking as unfortunately goes on in 770 then that is another story!
There are no smoking signs in 770 and there is a law against smoking indoors, yet, there still are people who smoke inside 770!
Yes, it might appear that they do not care enough about themselves to take care of their bodies, therefore why would they care about others. However, since most of them are addicted, they are most likely unable to see the forest for the trees. That’s why I think rules and boundaries should be implemented. THEY should have to smoke away from there, and nonsmokers should have easy and uncompromised access. End of story! Now who will begin the process by speaking or writing to the appropriate people to get this done?
its not chasidish to smoke?! ……, one has no relationship to the other… smoking was discouraged due to the health implications, nothing to do with religious standing…. seriously you ruined and decent all-be-it whining article with that last ignorant, self imposed statement. that others will probably now judge by.
and that just what we need MORE misplaced ignorant judging
A PERSONAL OPINION IS ONE THING BUT DON’T SAY IT IN THE NAME OF ANYONE ELSE AND HOLD AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO YOUR HERGASHIM !!!
Yes, it might appear that they do not care enough about themselves to take care of their bodies, therefore why would they care about others. However, since most of them are addicted, they are most likely unable to see the forest for the trees. That’s why I think rules and boundaries should be implemented. THEY should have to smoke away from there, and nonsmokers should have easy and uncompromised access. End of story! Now who will begin the process by speaking or writing to the appropriate people to get this done?
this article wasn’t to ban smoking… it’s that peopel should not congregate and smoke in front of 770.
and to whoever wrote about an eruv… what does this have to do with an eruv?? but we DO ned one.
Chassidish or not… It is for sure not heathy and it plain bothers other people. Both sides have to allow space for the other, without going bloomberg about it. I find it annoying, I hate the smell, and so do many people. If we go to the bathroom privately then maybe since it is bothersome for us just go smoke on the back. The issue really is this: The people that smoke are so unconcerned with their own health, why would they care about someone else being annoyed. You have to love your fellow AS YOURSELF, so since they don’t… Read more »
LOL
once you start smoking its not that easy to stop just like that.
it harming ur body isn’t that against halacha
B”H make a takana that you can only smoke while drinking a 16 oz coke,then the police will swoop in , end of problem
When the Fredeicker Rebber smoked that was one thing. For him it was holy as he is a Tzadik Gamur. And in his time it was the norm. These days it is no longer the norm and as further proof the Current Rebbe did not smoke after the Fredeicker Rebbe stopped smoking as well.
No drinking mashke
No Internet
No Smoking.
No sodas
Oy vei
Only Moshiach can save us
If it is a holy place, then then why is that behavior allowed there? Since it IS allowed THERE, then what’s the issue with the picture? To me it’s just as bad or WORSE to have it right there in real life! The picture is representing a truth, and from your comment I gather that you feel the real behavior AND the picture are not appropriate fit a holy place. I agree. Unfortunataly, the smokers there do not show ability to be objective here. They are addicted to their nicotine, so they are not able to think objectively.
The writer stated they are a Crown Heights resident, so I think you guessed wrongly. And if Mayor Bloomberg WERE to have input into a smoking ban, it would not be a bad idea. It’s not as is he would be banning davening, or demanding you use electricity or something! Why do you want to defend something like putting smoke into others’ atmosphere without their consent? Lastly, what do liberals have to do with anything in this discussion? If someone isn’t liberal they don’t get bothered by an atmosphere full of smoke? If some is liberal they get bothered by… Read more »
770 is a holy place as the rebbe so many times spoke, “Bies Hamikdash ShebeBavel”. so when placing a picture it dhould be an appropriate one. Thank you!
What is that comment supposed to mean? Was there a point to it? MOST of them are Israelis. What about the others who are not Israelis? Does either group have anything to do with the price of cigarettes in China?
I work in the building and the smell of smoke within and without the building is simply awful. How sad that when I open the window of my office for some fresh air I get a generous whiff of second hand smoke
forget about outside. ppl still smoke inside of 770. today when i came to daven maariv guy was smoking inside disregarding everyone around
In this day and age, when we know the terrible harmful effects of smoking, how could anyone still smoke??
You have to be nuts to do something like that to your body.
And they should ban smoking near 770, its practically illegal everywhere else already. Only here in CH apparently we are in the dark ages about this issue.
no one
hows that agains the halacha?
As a bochur about 30 years ago you could smoke in 770. During seder it was pretty unbearable.
I estimate that in most communities in North America smoking is becoming less and less acceptable. I rarely see Lubavitcher kids in my community smoking. I wonder how common it is amongst CH youth.
Regarding #2, I always wondered how a non-smoking women could live with their smoking husband. They must smell like an ashtray. Yuck.
Dovid
You don’t really think that smoking is on an equal par to large cups of soda or saying l’chaim! Smoking, by most accounts, is an unhealthy and addictive habit that affects not only the smoker, but those inhaling their smoke. That smoke makes some people sick. When I walk past someone smoking, I actually get sick. I can’t imagine walking through so much smoke at that entrance. See, I would go to another door, but I would wonder why they aren’t asked to smoke somewhere else. Why should the nonsmokers be inconvenienced when it is the smokers who are doing… Read more »
you ever spoke to any of them?
i know few mashpiim that do that
BH
BSD
DOESNT ANYONE IN THIS MET MIKDASH MIAT
PRACTICE CHASSIDUS
LETS WELCOME MOSHIACH WITH A CLOUD OF POISON ON HIS WAY IN TO 770
AND POOF……………….HES GONE
AHD MOSAI RABBAYNU
WHEN OH WHEN WILL LUBAVICHERS IN TOTALE
START ACTTING WHAT WE REPRESENT THATS THE REAL AHD MOSAI
FOR OVER A YEAR IVE BEEN ASKING SMOKING BE BANNED …IN THAT MAIN STAIRWAY
AND WE ARE BRING MOSHIACH?
FEH FEH FEH FEH FEH FEH
DISGUSTING
DISGUSTING DISGUSTING
give it up lady… the last thing that’ll help solve this issue is have the Rabbonim make Gezeiros! we unfortunately know all to well what kind of respect this community has for its Rabbonim – especially the kind of guys smoking outside 770 🙁
i find this quite stupid. although i personally think smoking is stupid, bad for your health and just plain stupid, if other people want to that’s OK. and why should in front of 770 be banned from smoking and not anywhere else? why, the whole world should be banned from smoking! after all, isn’t that the most biggest of our troubles? NOT. there are so many more things to be upset about. please go and find one the more important things to complain about. if you really can’t take the smoke wear sunglasses and a hat, and pinch your nose.… Read more »
why would a comunity who shovels in greasy food and nosh by the pound and has rampant alcholoism care about second-hand smoke?
Talk about dangerous! – try the 20 cell towers atop of 706 Eastern Parkway – a SERIOUS health hazard to its residents, to the school diagonally across and all in their path.
The ignorance of this danger is a rachmanus on us all. Other neighbourhoods have fought this astonishing hazard and succeeded in getting them banned (to other areas!) e.g. one example – from Park Slope to C.H.)
“not Chassidish to smoke. It looks grub and out of touch with reality”
http://chabadtalk.com/forum/attachment.php3?attachmentid=1460&d=1292525049
The Rebbe used to smoke, but stopped. I heard two versions of this story: One version says that when the Friediker Rebbe was sick, a physician turned to the Rebbe to explain him the harmful effects of smoking. The same day, someone offered the Rebbe a cigarette, and he replied, “I stopped smoking.” Another version says that when the Friediker Rebbe was sick and was told about the harmfulness of smoking, he published a letter to the Bachurim in which he explains to the Bachurim that it is better not to smoke (but he even continued to smoke until his… Read more »
I feel even worse for the husbands of smoking wives…
Smoking is a very dangerous thing that harms you in many ways. Then why do people continue smoking? Maybe they do it because they haven’t really become conscious about all the effects that smoking has. There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t smoke. Some of them are that smoking affects your health, that you spend a lot of money on cigarettes, and that when you smoke you are not respecting people around you. The first reason why you shouldn’t smoke is that smoking affects your health. If you smoke, your physical condition will be deeply affected and it… Read more »
i have nothing against smoking… in fact, i AM a smoker… but the truth is… i do feel bad for people walking by there, especially babies and young kids… i walked by the other day, and it’s true, you walk through a cloud of cigarette smoke.
@CH wife. I agree with you in that I feel terrible for women who have a smoking husband. They always smell bad and are usually overweight and unhealthy. I dont think you can have a happy marriage and have a smoking husband.
So who are you?!
Soon you will make an Eruv also…
MOST OF THEM ARE ISRAELIS
Its very wrong that people can smoke in front of 770 just to avoid being rained on. If you are going to go against Halacha-at least be willing to get wet!
My guess is that this was not written by a crown heights resident, but by mayor Bloomberg.
Would you like us to stop drinking large cups of soda, maybe we shouldn’t be saying lechaim in front of kids???
I thought this was why we left Russia and came to the land of the free!
I myself do not smoke, and have not found it anywhere as offensive as my liberal friend seems to have found it.
I always feel terrible for wives of smoking husbands. Im sure they are very unhappy having to live with a always coughing and smelly husband. I wish the Rabbonim would issue a letter banning smoking!
You cannot be Chassidish and smoke. They contradict one another.