Ask the Elder I

It is too hard to answer Fool Callie's questions in the tagboard, so I'll try here:

• Why have the MO community started kicking up the Bat Mitsvah thing if girls still don't read from the Torah?

I'm not sure what one has to do with the other. Halacha would not allow a girl to read from the Torah so it isn't going to happen (except in women-only prayer groups), but I imagine that it has more to do woth "keeping up with the Cohens" than anything else, as far as their parties go.

• Is Botox Kosher?

Are you planning to eat some?

Plastic surgery for cosmetic-only purposes is frowned upon, and I don't see why Botox would be any different. But I never read a t'shuva on the topic. My guess would be that if it has a small danger involved (like the reports that people contracted botulism) then it would be definitely no good; if not then it may be acceptable for special cases. Perhaps you can ask this woman who appears to be an Orthodox dermatologist who has given talks on this topic.

• Do Orthodox Jews have the tooth fairy?

We had the Tooth Mal'ach (the Tooth Angel) but I forgot where I got that idea from. I have no idea what the general frum community does. But it is a fantastic question.