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Far Rock’s Rav Feiner delivers a Super Bowl kiddush Hashem

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We should carry words of Torah everywhere we go — even to the Super Bowl.

Rabbi Eytan Feiner of Far Rockaway’s White Shul drove that point home during halftime on Sunday in a webcast shiur that provided football enthusiasts with an alternative to Justin Timberlake’s mid-game entertainment on NBC TV.

In a vort inspired by the Chasam Sofer, Rabbi Feiner said there’s a time when klal Yisroel will learn Torah “in the theaters and stadiums of the goyim.”

“You’re going to have Jews learning Torah like never before in the history of the world,” he said. “But you know what’s missing? The excitement, the geshmak, the enthusiasm.”

“Think about these meshuganahs who spent five-, ten-, 15,000 dollars on a ticket,” he said. “And … imagine the people in our neighborhood who spent $1,000 dollars for a pastrami sandwich to enjoy the SuperBowl!" [Editor's note: with Truffles, foie gras, gold leaf and a flute of Champagne, a $1,000 Big Game sandwich was sold at DOMA Land + Sea in Cedarhurst]

The Philadelphia Eagles were ahead at halftime, so Rabbi Feiner explored Torah precepts involving eagles. “With G-d carrying us on the wings of eagles, on his Clouds of Glory, He said, don’t be afraid to take risks. Let me see your mesiras nefesh, your excitement, your enthusiasm … for yiddishkeit,” Rabbi Feiner said, concluding with the hope that Hashem will “take us on the wings of eagles [to] where we really want to be, to the building of the third Bais Hamikdash.”

“It’s all going to happen exactly the way Rebonno Shel Olam wants it to happen,” Rabbi Feiner said.