So there we were in Manhattan which is replete with museums, concert halls, theaters and historical sites. But no, she wanted to shop at Saks, Bloomingdales and Bergdorf-Goodman’s. For those of you not familiar with Bergdorfs, that’s a sister store to Neiman Marcus... New York style.

Bergdorfs also has a separate men’s store that is so expensive my wallet puckers at its entrance. I once was looking for an east coast raincoat, one that actually repels water, and found a little light weight jacket with a $2,700 price tag. I didn’t acquire it, but the memory lingers.

So we spent three days shopping and two hours viewing an exhibit at the Met. I have sat in more uncomfortable chairs in my life, but few tinged with so much fear. My wife, oblivious to all but the sales personnel’s guidance, was entranced by the cavalcade of outfits she was trying on to achieve the "right" look.

I spent my time trying to calculate the difference between the prices thrown around and the national debt of Peru. At some point in my life, I used to actually enjoy shopping, but this was overkill, in a big way. Sensing my reserve, the salesman in the designers section at Saks Fifth Avenue, less than tactfully suggested we might try another floor where they have ready-mades at presumably lesser costs, but we had already paid our respects to that floor.

Bloomingdale’s selection was somewhat disappointing...to my wife. I was happy to flee. We then revisited Bergdorfs where lighting struck. My wife loved the saleswoman. A lady who confided that her 30-something daughter was dating a man unacceptable to the family and she was fearful that they might announce their engagement. The suitor wasn’t frum enough, or bright enough or hard working enough. "You are so lucky your daughter has found the right one, " she moaned without the slightest notion of who our daughter and her fiancé were.

The plight of the woman’s family created a sort of kinship between customer and clerk for some unknown reason. Her ooing and ahing over my wife’s figure, didn’t hurt either as an expert seamstress was called to pin the gown here and there.

Now it was time for a "time out" to allow cooler heads to cogitate and weigh the pros and cons of the possible purchase. We fled to a new, ultra sheik café on another Bergdorf floor. Although it was offered, I refrained from having wine in the chartreuse and polished aluminum, post modern setting as we consumed a tiny, costly salad with biscotti-like bread and water.

It was determined that we would put the gown on hold and continue our search. The best way to proceed was to call New York cousin Edie, a consummate shopper who had married off both her children. Edie knows her way around Manhattan. She directed us to a boutique on East 76^th and Third Avenue, called "Vivaldi."

So next morning, bright and early, we had breakfast and decided to walk from East 52^nd and First Avenue to the shop. I thought perhaps tiring her out a bit might dull her shopper’s desire. No such thing. She loves to walk even in hot, humid conditions. The thought of an air conditioned boutique kept me alive as we pushed past New Yorkers who were oblivious to my pain.

Three sales people catered to my wife for the next two hours as she tried on at least 27 gowns. I must say they had a marvelous inventory. Mr. Jason did the pinning. That was a novelty. He was very knowledgeable and a smart, foreign born salesman. My wife found a beautiful gown, but was it the right one? She bought it as a possible fall back, but a final purchase it was. Lucky me. Now, she’ll have something for every occasion.

JERUSALEM (Publicity Release) – Once again, a somewhat basic question sent to The Eretz Hemdah Institute, a leading organization recognized throughout the world for providing answers and adjudicating some of today’s most difficult questions on Jewish law, may change the face of how certain Jews around the world observe the “The Counting of the Omer” period.

For centuries, there has been a diversity of ways Jewish communities observe a 33-day period of mourning between Passover and Shavuot, during which time certain types of entertainment, shopping and celebrations are muted or not permitted to reflect on what has historically been a time of adversity for Jews. Some communities choose to observe the first 33 days, others the last. Because of the different practices and observances during this Omer period, as Jews from different communities relocate or marry into families with different customs, some people have become confused with how to properly observe the period. Additionally, there has been a multitude of rabbinic opinions and interpretations on the laws and customs of the Omer period, leaving people perplexed as to what to uphold.

One of the questions recently sent to Eretz Hemdah’s “Ask the Rabbi” online responsa system dealt with an individual interested in changing a specific custom from year to year according to his needs during the Omer period. This individual was unsure if the custom he adopted of not listening to music, taking a hair cut or getting married until the 33^rd day of the 49-day Omer period, could be changed in order to attend a friend’s wedding.

Traditionally, when one accepts a particular custom, one should not change it, nor should one choose to fulfill a Halacha taking the mutually exclusive leniencies. However, after researching the historical and Halachic ramifications, Eretz Hemdah found that the preeminent Halachik decision- makers, headed by Rav Moshe Feinstein zt"l, had a solution for this difficulty. Based on that finding, Eretz Hemdah was responsive to the needs of this individual and offered an answer to best handle his situation. Eretz Hemdah is committed to finding Halachic solutions to issues like this.

The ruling said that because the custom is based on the idea of keeping 33 days, and because different communities of origin choose their customs differently, one could switch a custom as long as he/she follows a logical system and has in mind that they will conform to the Omer period.

“It is our desire to bridge the gaps between the Jewish people and use Halacha to do it,” said Rabbi Yosef Carmel, dean of Eretz Hemdah. “Because there has not been a consistent method in which people observe even some of the most common Jewish practices such as the Omer period, people all over the world have considered us a popular source for practical and accessible Halachic decisions.”

Eretz Hemdah has taken on this responsibility role, becoming a central Halachic authority for laymen and rabbis all over the world. This year alone, more than one million people are expected to click on the Institute’s website, (www.eretzhemdah.org) which has already fielded more than 12,000 questions via their free “Ask the Rabbi” Responsa service. Additionally, Eretz Hemdah has published detailed opinions and interpretations to serve as a guide for Jewish communities throughout the world, indicative of the Institute which reflects the growing need for a central Halachic authority.

Many of the Institute’s Torah scholars attempt to find solutions to almost every aspect of Halachic life in Judaism, to answer challenging questions that deal with the circumstances of the modern, developing world. The Institute’s determined approach has broadened its appeal in greater Jewish audiences, including communities in Paris, Rome and Johannesburg that are alienated from rabbinic guidance. In addition, tens of thousands of Jews in the United States and Canada turn to Eretz Hemdah for their expertise and ability to connect with today’s diverse Jewish demographics.