Interesting Posts and Articles #137

1. ON THE ORIGINAL STRUCTURE AND MEANING OF MAH NISHTANNAH AND THE HISTORY OF ITS REINTERPRETATION, by Dr. Richard Steiner, a 42 page article that analyzes how many questions there are in mah nishtanah (not necessarily the obvious answer), the meaning of the phrase, etc.
   
   
2. ZooTorah on feeding pets on Pesach. I had a post, and active comment thread, last year, about what to feed my fish for Pesach.
   
   
3. FailedMessiah on a ban on strawberries in Israel, because of a specific cause, with bugs that do not wash off even with soap. I also have my doubts as to the halachics of tiny, in many cases undetected bugs that don't seem to leave the fruit, but not enough to take any position on it. It does seem healthier, IMHO, to just declare certain fruits in certain seasons and circumstances as not to be eaten, rather than to encourage what seem to be over-the-top cleaning directions, with a corresponding attitudinal shift.
   
   
4. Cross Currents: Tzniyus patrols, abuse, violence, and getting personal about Torah.
   
   
5. Frum Satire on how to spot guys just home from their year in Israel. And in the comment section, the parallel for girls.
   
   
6. In honor of Pesach, an analysis of the word Mitzrayim, from Balashon.
   
   
7. On A Simple Jew, Beyond Tzniyus.
   
   
8. Kallah Magazine blog is looking for absurd Pesach chumras.
   
   
9. Via Hirhurim's audio roundup, Rav Schachter on the tuition crisis.
   
   
10. Mystical Paths has a special cleaner for your computer screen, for Pesach.
    
    
11. For another roundup, see today's Haveil Havalim.