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  • in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2084126

    Gadol, I am not sure how all these technology advances change the issue. If you facilitate improper information reach their audience, it may be a problem. Possibly, if you’re a platform for business, you can say that rov of your clients are kosher.

    in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2084125

    Common, thanks, I was not aware about what share is for trauma. Still caution is required in professions where lucrative deals are questionable morally. Will you be satisfied to work for the trauma hospital, when your colleagues earn easy money the other way. Similarly, say, in jo s where you can get profitable business representing Russian or Chinese clients. Or construction where you may not even be able to compete without employing illegals. I am not a bokeh in these professions, just highlighting issues in choosing professions.

    in reply to: Gas Prices #2083806

    n0 > All I’m suggesting is not allowing oil futures to be traded publicly.

    that’s an interesting question … Nixon tried price controls .. There are Jewish sources for not increasing prices during emergencies on necessities, and arguably gas is one for people who need to get somewhere important.

    On the other hand, price sends a signal. Germany just announced that “in solidarity with UKR” they’ll reduce water temperature in their pool by 2 deg (C). I guess, 3 would be too much of a sacrifice, but 2 might reduce ammunition RUS can make and save some lives. High price will naturally send the same signal and make people use less of it. Also, you don’t want to start a black market of people smuggling subsidized oil into other places.

    in reply to: Gas Prices #2083803

    Syag > where do you see me saying they buy in bulk?

    Deduction? It was mentioned $70 gas, so presumably a full tank, not a couple of gallons, but I did not check the prices for a couple of days (feels like Weimar)

    in reply to: Boycotting Companies #2083802

    common, did you lose your glasses? It is a matter of fact, not the opinion, that about 50% of these Yidden are maskless or half-maskless. Not sure, how you define “rov” here – by gavras who do not wear it properly or be heftzas that are not covering noses. And these are videos _they_ chose to post … presumably after being told multiple times to wear masks.

    I think this is just a classical Chasidic-Yakkish divide over warmness v order replayed…. Just fly Malev or Al Italia, if it still exists somewhere.

    in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2083800

    Chofetz Chaim encountered someone selling newspaper (a blog advertiser in modern times). He asked how is parnosah, turns out it was so-so. So, Ch Ch suggested that his friend can offer a beter job. Which one? A friend is a priest and he needs someone to once in a while to ring the church bell …

    The Jew was shocked by the offer, but Ch Ch explained that this is still more honorable than selling newspapers.

    in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2083799

    is plastic surgery (and skydiver for that matter) a frum profession? or even “mutar”?

    in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2083798

    common, I hear you, but in that case the doctor did not give hard time to the “frummer” youngele, but turned out to be even “frummer” just in the closet (literally).

    in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2083797

    Wolf +1

    in reply to: Bibi Netanyahu נ׳י #2083756

    Gadol, similar comment – the gentleman has lots of zehuyot both in the Army and in world politics. I can’t say whether he borrowed some cigars or betrayed coalition partners, this is one big mess there, but you sound like you simply disagree with him and ready to throw any argument at it. We somehow find this permissible in the American context between a real estate developer and a senator from Du Pont. If if that is not asur, I don’t think we should use same brush with Israeli issues and people.

    in reply to: Bibi Netanyahu נ׳י #2083792

    @Marxist > What does quoting Marx have to do with being knowledgeable about Torah?

    Sorry, did not mean you personally. I meant to say that some old-time anti-Torah Jews had an ideology, such as Marxism, current ones usually do not and not oppose anything. You are right, even someone who knows Das Kapital b’alpe can still be an ignoramus, but at least, he was a dangerous ignoramus.

    This “yeridas ha doros” is one of the interpretations of arba banim in Hagada: first generation – chacham, second – rebels, third – not sure why his father rebeled, fourth – has nothing to talk about, fifth – disappears unless we put him back into first. Note that this 4th+ generations are far removed from the original rebels.

    in reply to: WhatsApp #2083790

    Gadol > and are now instilling the same values and practices in their own kids.

    I think that is the point. Again, there are things that need to be done in many cases, such as keeping computers, not phones, and in the open, etc, but it seems that kids seeing parents using computers for work, learning, good comms – even posting on CR! – is the most useful thing.

    in reply to: WhatsApp #2083789

    Avira > You can text me on a regular phone number

    Define “regular”. If you have a thingy with an attached cord going into the wall – you can’t text it at all. I mean you can text but I won’t get it.

    (again, same kids found my old one and, despite their internet skills, could not figure out why there is a cord attached to something that is similar to a phone).

    in reply to: WhatsApp #2083766

    ujm, I respect filters. I tried relying on them with kids and it did not really work – they find ways to go around. Even when I established a multi-layered defense at router, computer, and cellular level – they would find a free WiFi or, as a last resort, claim that my filters interfer with their legitimate work on the computer. Then, they will peak over my shoulder to see what I do to open that helicke website they need … Constant warfare … Somehow, soon after getting kids out of schools and making them do serious work on their computers lead to them using computers responsibly without any filters. It is not because they “grew up” as some are of the age that others were during the warfare times. I do keep basic network filtering and safety options in google search on all devices to prevent silly stuff appearing in the search results.

    in reply to: Bibi Netanyahu נ׳י #2083758

    it is not that difficult to evaluate the level of tinakyous of non-O Jews – just talk to them and see whether they quote Karl Marx or JTS or they are simply clueless about Torah. In my humble experience, it is 1:10 in favor of clueless, but maybe my contacts are too educated… And it is not because I am such a kind soul judging everyone ltzad zechus; I’d love to have some high quality apikoires to discuss things but they are rare sightings.

    in reply to: Abortion Decision – Less Retzicha in America #2083748

    I am concerned as a couple of posters fashioned to refer to R Moshe’s S-I-L somewhat derogatory. I understand that you might disagree with him on some issues, or even doubt his veracity when quoting his F-I-L, suspecting that he puts a political slant.

    I wonder – do you have any factual basis for your attitude:
    – do you have evidence that R Moshe did not verify quality of the semicha of the chatan, so you don’t use R-?
    – do you have cases, or even a pattern, of other witnesses contradicting R Tendler’s reporting of R Moshe’s words?

    Also, keep in mind that people in the family tend to talk differently between each other. It is possible that R Moshe was focusing on the psak when talking to outsiders and revealed more of the underlying reasoning in the family.

    Just a sevorah, I do not see a contradiction between a strong position against abortion and a position against government interfering in religious matters. R Moshe had Soviet experience with both murder and religious prosecution, so no doubt he understood policies here – and better than one-issue advocates in US.

    in reply to: Abortion Decision – Less Retzicha in America #2083738

    Re: orphans. As far as I know, Americans are looking far and wide in order to find kids to adopt. Russia even banned giving away their alcohol-ridden children to US at some point …

    in reply to: Denigrating Gedolim #2083226

    with so many talmidei chachamim who live or lived in E’Y, could we agree that there are some exceptions to the Oaths?! Or it is not OK for Zionists to fight for E’Y, but OK for non-Zionists to arrive on El Al later on without fighting?

    Also, is emphasis on E’Y or on fighting non-Jews in general (see example of Portugal above). In the latter case, maybe Jewish communists would be a prime example of what we should not do (see a simpler source than Oaths – Beitza 25 that Hashem gave Jews Torah from stopping us stepping over other nations).

    in reply to: Gas Prices #2083215

    from what you don’t know what poor people do: they don’t buy gas in bulk, they buy a couple of gallons, see above. As another lady said “let them eat cake”

    in reply to: Amen to women’s bracha #2083157

    that wife follows husband Igros Moshe 1:158

    R Auerbach, quoted in Yom Tov Sheini K’hilchaso, pg. 188 – husband does NOT HAVE TO insist on his minhag – even possibly nusach or anything she wants. Maybe this could be part of a prenup?

    someone suggests that this is coming from the klal of moving to a different place – husband’s house (YD 214:2). This matches Yevamos saying that a man should not live with in-laws (may not be operative now when most people don’t live with in-laws and wives are not always that younger than husbands).

    Igros Moshe Even Ha’ezer 2:22 – a spouse can not force humros on others. R Ovadia Yosef quoted for the same (not using eruv). Some testify that R Moshe did not interfer with his wife drinking halav stam.

    Rav Eliyashev – that some minhagim are nedorim and shoulbe kept (kitniyot)
    For exceptions for candles, mikva, wig:
    Igros Moshe EH 2:12
    Beitzah 29b
    R Auerbach, Halichos Shlomo, chapter 9 of hilchos Succah, footnote 37
    Yaaakov Emden Teshuvos Ya’avetz 107.

    I am wondering whether learning status of a woman might affect the decision. If the husband typically is the posek in the house and instructs the wife what to do – then, his minhagim should have weight. You don’t expect him to go to his M-I-L and learn from her! But if the woman is learned on her own, whether BY or YI, she might not need to ask her husband and he might not need to interfere.

    in reply to: Amen to women’s bracha #2083155

    RebE > Chacham Tzvi left in his tzavaoh for his descendant women not to make a bracha on a time dependent mitzva.

    This tzavaoh seem to mean that the normative behavior is not like that.

    in reply to: Amen to women’s bracha #2083154

    ujm, women might follow their mother’s minhagim re: candles, etc.

    in reply to: 2 Luchos on Shovuos? #2083151

    Loshen is correct! If you want to find man-made objects in satellite imagery – look for straight lines and right angles.

    in reply to: Court packing #2083150

    I heard an “interesting” argument – yes, court has previously overturned previous decision – but they always did it “to expand liberties”, this is the first one “to restrict them”. In other words, it is OK to overturn decisions to make it more liberal, but not ok to make it more conservative.

    in reply to: Abortion Decision – Less Retzicha in America #2083149

    Seems like R Moshe’s position is based on R Tendler’s words and also his general position supporting shul/state separation. Other than CR posters, are there any T’Ch who contradicted R Tendler’s reconstruction of R Moshe’s position?

    in reply to: Gas Prices #2083147

    To bring a religious angle here: one reason for avodah zara is people’s inability to connect things to the source – they are looking for some immediate source of fire or water or parnasa. So, among other middos, a religious person requires daas that helps him appreciate how events in the world connect back to the Prime Source. Without such daas, one might be ortho-prax just because he is trained to mumble brochos, bot not ortho-dox. So, when some people can not connect obvious things, such as government making oil business harder to increased gas prices shows that they can’t properly connect their life to Hashem also.

    in reply to: Gas Prices #2083145

    Syag > some people, even with college degrees, don’t have enough money to avoid that happening sometimes.

    Seems that B’H you are doing ok and this is just a theoretical thing for you. Having mess money does not lead to filling a full tank, Kids noticed at the gas station what people actually started doing – filling in just several gallons and continue going.

    in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2083142

    how do female doctors handle crazy med school and rotation schedules while having a family? any clues? The only one I saw have husbands who (even pre-covid) were able to spend lots of time at home – SW develpers or PhD students. (My daughters for this reason are looking into near-medical fields that are less demanding).

    in reply to: Bibi Netanyahu נ׳י #2083139

    Nobody should look down on people who risked their lives whatever level of observance they are, whether they are a prime minister or a stam tzahal soldier from Russia or Ukraine. Maybe people who are at their level may opine.

    Also, in addition to Bibi and his brother Yoni, his father has a remarkable insightful book about Abarbanel where he ponders issues of Jewish leadership. The book concludes that Abarbanel missed the moment when Spanish Jews became endangered and, after that, his efforts to prevent expulsion did not help. Did Abarbanel fail, he asks. Answer is – no, as Abarbanel continued visiting and expiring exiles after that and made a great contribution in saving Spanish Jewry after the expulsion.

    I read this book when Bibi was the leader in the difficult post-Oslo times, and it felt like the father’s book was about the issues that his son will confront.

    edited

    in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2083141

    > I know of many many older frum people who are doctors and nurses.

    indeed, a couple of decades ago, a friend went for an interview to a major NY hospital in a kippah, etc. The doctor he walked around with – who did not even “look Jewish” – at some point poured a cup of water, went with him into a small room, closed the door, took kippah out of his pocket, said shehakol …

    in reply to: Bibi Netanyahu נ׳י #2083137

    > so many more charedim and lehavdil datiim

    this hate just most stop! Charedim may also be dati.

    in reply to: Amen to women’s bracha #2082643

    RebE, Ashkenazi husband or ashkenazi wife?

    in reply to: words that are not commonly used these day, #2082642

    self > Ehrliche yid
    akuperma > Language constantly evolves

    In this case, I don’t hear alternatives, it seems that priorities change. People are lauded for being or wished to grow up “frum”, “yeras shemayim”. Nobody seems to actively oppose “ehrliche”, it just is not that important

    in reply to: Unusual occupations for frum people. #2082641

    Ballet pianist. I know someone who got a heter for this, but decided not to use it while he was single. I presume after he got married, it did not work out either.

    in reply to: Youthful Misconceptions #2082638

    Avira > I know of a certain English teacher who convinced many boys to go to college against the wishes of their parents and rebbeim, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

    A plug for online schools (or having cameras in the class that parents could watch): I hear all shtus that teachers might say and discuss with the kids. Equivalent to what amom suggests: inviting people to your own house instead of sending them somewhere to interact with strangers.

    in reply to: Court packing #2082634

    Or we can reform the President – and make it a 3 people committee (like a beis din). This was one of the original suggestions, possibly one from north, south and the middle of the country.

    Anyway, hopefully this tumult will take a month out of Congress timeline and we can save a trillion or two from last minute bills.

    in reply to: Gas Prices #2082631

    It is interesting how D-s like jackk first break the market by their policies and then blame the market for these problems and suggest communist policies as a solution. Paraphrasing R Akiva’s moshal about a fish and a fox – if we are scared what the market can do, how worse it will be without it.

    in reply to: Abortion Decision – Less Retzicha in America #2082628

    While in general we should be assisting the world to keep Noahide laws, I suggest we just stay away from this contentious issue: extreme positions on both sides are against halakha and the country does not seem to be inclined for middle ground right now.

    Legally, the decision is a welcome support for federalism. If more issues will devolve to the states, we might stop talking about federal – Presidential and Congress – elections.

    Practically speaking, this might reverse the famous “Roe effect” leading to more D- voters in 20 years.

    ujm > That was excellent. Halevei we had that maaila today.

    That seems was the position of Chabad Alter Rebbe who supported the czar against most other Rebbeim who welcomed Napoleon (that and RealPolitik that the czar is not going anywhere). Similarly, R Schach writes that we should thank Hashem for making Arabs antagonistic to early Zionists – otherwise, there will be widespread assimilation in Palestine (aside: seems like R Schach cared about those Zionists more than some here).

    Of course, however great is to piggyback on czar’s army to ensure compliance with yiddishkeit, I have a feeling that is not the Torah ideal. We have mitzvos to establish our own free society, not ask Pharaoh to ensure we eat kosher.

    in reply to: Youthful Misconceptions #2082044

    Avira > with twisted gender, alphabet soup ideology being fostered onto preschoolers.

    I think you and Kuvult envision different scenarios, both happening: you are talking about mixing with random people in a public or MO school, Kuvult seems to be talking to some special people with certain character that happen to be non- or less-observant.

    I am not sure whether it was wise to have kids fully integrated even i the second scenario, but it is definitely wise to teach the kids that there are people with dignity and purpose that may not be wearing same hat as you.

    Gadol > yiddeshe life in the Shtetl/ Alte Heim was fundamentally endowed with greater kedushah

    One thing different was that most Yidden did not have a lot of choices, so people stayed within the community.

    n0 > The shtetl stirred up a lot of agnostic attitudes toward the Torah. Which is why irreligious sefardim (In the mid-east) did not have such attitudes until they met their western counterparts.

    I just wrote about this in another thread. I don’t the shtetl itself created the stira – rather enlightment and russian oppression. R Berel Wein traces antagonism of Israeli commies towards religious organization to the russian law that made kahal responsible for providing cantonists – kids for pre-army military schools, leading to corruption and violence within the community.

    in reply to: Youthful Misconceptions #2081945

    > who arbitrarily decided that middos (one mitzvah) is more important than kedushas aynayim

    without weighing on the debate itself. there are priorities in values, we are not just adding up mitzvos, see discussions why Avraham wanted shidduch from Syria rather than Knaanim.

    in reply to: Youthful Misconceptions #2081944

    Avram, I agree on changing priorities and kids. My kids do not stay in touch with those friends who became non-observant or moved into lax MO circles. Still, something is not right here. If you note, Sephardim seem to have more united communities, with many masorti people who feel like part of am yisrael even if not always observant or learned. Possibly, we suffer the post-haskala shock that we probably need to get over already. Number of reformim, socialists, OO is not that high any more, most non-observant Jews are ignorami rather than apikoiri.

    From a sefer written in 1950s by former Jewish politicians in Latvia. During 20-s, 30s, they were happily fighting “fascist” Latvians and fellow Jews, and the book is somewhat a teshuva for how they mis-understood Soviet and Nazi threats. One scene from a book: one (of 3-4 total?) Jewish members of Seim (socialist?) gives a speech and lambasts “that fascist”. Prime minister or President, already burned by that term, jumps us and shouts – how dare you call me …. The Jew – pan Ulmanis, of course I am not talking about you – I am talking about him (pointing to the other right-winger Jew).

    in reply to: Denigrating Gedolim #2081756

    This is interesting approach: admit that someone is a talmid chacham, and then proudly report that your teacher will not quote him. I am compelled not to believe your testimony despite it being so compelling as it reflects negatively on the talmidei chachamim you learned from. Reminder: beis Hillel would quote b shammai first and that was the reason for their success.

    It might be that your teachers didn’t see you or your class up to the proper level of learning and would reduce debate to improper level, so they stayed quiet.

    in reply to: Youthful Misconceptions #2081746

    it is indeed common for kids to stay with the group like them and is more common now than before. It surely helps kids to stay less affected by bad influence, but it unfortunately leaves remaining Jews without any positive influence. We can’t leave them just to chabad shluchim and”kiruv” professionals.

    On a personal level, if someone lost friends due to being more observant, it is also a reflection on someone’s level of observance. A true Torah scholar should cause positive emotions among at least some of their friends at least according to beis Hillel

    in reply to: 2 Luchos on Shovuos? #2081601

    I presume that if Moshe had a choice of having script seen in the right way to himself and to others – he will choose to show it to the Jews the right way. After all, he already learnt them, his goal now was to show it to the rest of the yidden.

    in reply to: words that are not commonly used these day, #2081598

    Ehrliche yid

    in reply to: Any tips for gvirim? #2081520

    How big is the shul that would need $100k for new ac? Would it have 100+ people there? Can you all have a 5 year loan for this ac and pay 200 per year each? Also maybe some of the people in the shul are in construction business and can offer a discount for the job

Viewing 50 posts - 5,401 through 5,450 (of 8,900 total)