Always_Ask_Questions

RebE, a good example. To extrapolate, when there is nobody else to do a mitzva, you should try to compensate.
three is a more explicit one:
Pirkei Avot 2:5. In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man
Berakhot 63a bar Kappara taught: If the price of the merchandise has declined, jump and purchase from it; and where there is no man, there be a man; where there is no one to fill a particular role, accept that role upon yourself.

American Army developed Covid and then travelled to Wuhan and left it there. One of the official CCP positions.

common > They do everything short entering the building

Oh, so it is a real issue. How does it work in those remote Israeli locations? Do they have the luxury of having supporting personnel that can not fulfil the core mission?

not saying this happens all the time, but there were some cases:

March 2016: Donald Trump’s campaign on Friday postponed a rally in Chicago amid fights between supporters and demonstrators, protests in the streets and concerns that the environment at the event was no longer safe… Supporters of Trump still inside chanted “We want Trump” after the event was canceled….Others chanted “Bernie” as supporters whipped out Bernie Sanders campaign signs.

May 2016: Bernie Sanders Defends Supporters After Rowdy Protests In Nevada … Bernie Sanders is doubling down on accusations that the state party treated him unfairly, and he denies that his supporters were inciting violence. ..Sanders supporters, believing they had been treated unfairly, rushed the stage, threw chairs and were shouting obscenities, according to veteran Nevada journalist Jon Ralston. Even after the convention concluded, many refused to leave and had to be escorted out by security. Since then, Lange, the Nevada Democratic chairwoman, said she’s been receiving threats from Sanders supporters.

> Whether it is being discussed in the context of shidduch dates or more generally.

I am thinking that we are always trying to find what exactly we should not do and not be like “them” to avoid assimilation or just to feel superior. At the same time, we are neglecting that we should be decent human being, and hopefully more decent than others. Some may not feel like helping a grandma (grandfa for men) cross the road makes them special, but I don’t think Hashem values a mitzva less because it is a neglected one. Maybe more.

To be fair to the CEOs, they may be right that airplanes may be safer than the other outdoor places people are visiting and often staying for a long time. “safer” than totally unsafe environment does not mean “safe” for sane people though.

Except these two are nogeah b’davar and want to sell more tickets. And, now people who were Ok with circulating dirty air for years, are suddenly trustworthy.

I did not fly for some time, but I do remember how close someone’s face can be – and how many times I, and others, got sick after flying on a plane. If someone sneezes in your face – the filtering system is not helping. When planes are not flying, the filtering system may be off, etc. A line in the airport.

> suddenly sneezed and died
speaking of peshat:

I was thinking about this for some time already. It sounded strange some time ago – this happens but not that often … Now, the pandemic clarified this of course … Also, note that viruses and bacteria change quickly. Some that were deadly several centuries ago, became not deadly later, or deadly only to new population (like American Indians) so it is well possible that there were something going around at that time that routinely caused a lot of deaths

> and I wanted to know what he really held; not looking for a ptur.

good suspense. Waiting for the answer. Meanwhile, I do not understand the question. Do you ask same question when you are confronted with a sandwich with suspicious ingredients or see an ad for a movie? Does saying Shma twice daily fulfils obligation of limud Torah? Does saying “good morning” poters you from kibud Av vaEm the rest of the day?

I presume you usually do the safe thing and do not push towards the boundaries and try to do best in positive mitzvos. You may also look at your Rosh Yeshiva and try to be as polite, thoughtful, learned as him.

Why suddenly here you are ready to ruin your health and make yourself unattractive for a shidduch unless ordered so by your Rebbi?

> designate the bashert/basherte

nitpicking, according to Sotah, the 40 day thing is: a person X is matched to a daughter of person Y (that according to most customs, was not born yet!). So, all you get designated is a F-I-L! You still may have a choice between the sisters! And possibly this is a pru-u-rvu brocha to the F-I-L too ….

Avi > Americans have only been intermarrying in large numbers in the last couple of decades

Pew says intermarriage was 17% before 1970, big jump to 35% in 1970 and then gradual growth to current 58% This is a little biased as asked in 2013 about marriages that existed that long .. and also at some point numbers become meaningless as those who are counted as “Jewish” actually are not.

other stats I found. Looks like Russians rates grew earlier than in US, but in Ukraine about same time

Germany 1900s: 20%
USSR:
1924: Russia Males 17% Females 9% (talk about shidduch crisis!) Ukraine 4%/5% Belarus 2%/3%
1936: 44% 35% 18%/16% 13%/11%
1978 59/ 43 45/34 38/26
1988 73/63 54/45 48/40

As Gemora says about whether to say brocha on water – “go and see”. I googled it and there are multiple sites that would seemingly ship HCQ to you. I did not verify whether the feds will stop the shipment.

Ammonia could be used for screening large events: sprinkle it near the main entrance, and then close the doors inside. Everyone who smells it and goes around through the backdoor, is allowed in.

It is in Eruvin and in Chassidus: a long short way that a kid asked about.

In halakha, you have to take care of other person’s sensitivity. You usually can’t say – I did not mean anything bad, it is he who is too sensitive. Online discussions have several extra challenges:

1) you don’t see the person and he does not see you. This also shows in emails between people who know each other. Usually, it is better to pick up the phone than to continue angry emails

2) you don’t know the person and he does not know you, so you make worst assumptions. This is similar also to books, but

3) this is written quickly and 4) we are not authorities that can claim respect l’hathila so many people do not apply l’tzad schut

general advice – if there is misunderstanding, it is not a big deal, both sides should adjust how theu read/write to make it into exchange of ideas rather than a meaningless flame war. If you are not improving in either writing or reading experience, time for self-review and ask someone else to give you an advice.

Hopefully, you’ll develop an ability to express yourself better and to read with more understanding/

I was wrong, court decision was overturn in June 2021

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court decision that concluded that FDNY must allow firefighters with a skin condition an accommodation to have beards. In doing so the court concluded in clear and unambiguous terms… and I quote: “An accommodation is not reasonable within the meaning of the ADA if it is specifically prohibited by a binding safety regulation promulgated by a federal agency.”

Goldilocks > Most of the frum residents of Rockland are pretty upset by the construction going on here.

let’s look halakhically: new construction should not ruin other residents, but can compensate for damage. Presumably, this is what town clerk is doing – developers pays for whatever damage he does to the town (what is it?). Really bad damage I can think of – building houses that will increase crime. Other than that – there will be more traffic? Think of all people who need housing and possibly of people who want to earn money building a house. You have to have a serious reason to limit them.

At the end, those woh feel strongly about this should start their own town, like new Square, and control what they want to do as a community.

Haleivi: A non-Jewish Talmid Chochom? When he converts, we’ll admire and love him

I would presume that “best bochur” already learned at least something. The fact that he is not Jewish will change quickly and he is not going to lose his memory that fast. So, it is clear already that this is going to be a good person. And, add there, those who actually were Jewish and are also bochurim. Obviously, he was there an only fUSSR bochur, otherwise he would have been vetted extensively.

Btw, we just had a series of articles about missionaries living “frum”, so this is not as bad.

So you would rather have this bochur manning Russian Ukrainian border on either side? Let’s say it is 1 in 100, should we not accept 100 immigrants for one Talmid chacham? And note that those 99 will also vote for right wing parties, putting recent party bilbul aside

By1212, Soviets would take a lot of time walking to Berlin without jeeps. I am open to evidence that operation overlord was to stop Stalin taking over Europe. What is it? Available evidence shows that Stalin pressed for the operation to start, and Churchill stalled first because he was afraid of losses and failure, and also tried to bargain for full access to nuclear development with an eye for postwar.

I once was told by a bad teacher in an unworthy subject that I was the worst among those passing the test. I bragged about it but then a friend claimed I am a liar because that was what HE was told! I was vindicated when we reconstructed the timeline of the test day and turned out I tested after him.

Those who lived in places where smoking was popular: can we estimate the timeline: when science showed the danger, when it became widely known, when teshuvos were written, when new smokers declined, when older smokers started quiting

I am concerned about possible hypocrisy when someone is careful NOT to return a lost item to H’sh not to strengthen a rasha or an idol worshipper, which is a worthy consideration, but really a minute effect for most list items. Are you equally concerned about list 10 minutes for learning, a bad word you said to your spouse, time you didn’t spend with your kid – each of these having a larger effect on the world than that lost item