Avi K

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  • in reply to: Re forced draft on Haredim passed by Seculars (& Arabs) #2061404
    Avi K
    Participant

    1. Actually, there is a move to lower the maximum age for the draft in order to encourage you hareidi men to go into the work force. The fact of the matter is that anyone who says that he has no motivation to serve is quietly exempted. non-motivated people make poor soldiers. Some people, of course, have martyr complexes and refuse to go to the induction centers. They want to go to jail and the IDF obliges them.

    2. It is well known that many men who claim to be avereichim are either just hanging around or working off the books. Those who are should go into the IDF rabbinate in some form. We stop talmud Torah for any mitzva. Even for things that are not such bg mitvot lie going to chazzanut concerts and tiyulim during ben hazemanim (ten weeks per year – more vacation than most workers get).

    in reply to: Is it time to leave America #2060967
    Avi K
    Participant

    HaKatan,

    Why do you continue to spout hatred of your fellow Jews? Are you filled with guilt for not making aliya? Rabbi Abahu says that the ra’ah is called that because he stands in Babylon (a paradigm for chutz laAretz) and sees a carcass in Eretz Yisrael. The Kotzker says that nothing is more tamei.

    The fact of the matter is that more people are learning Torah in Israel than in all of pre-Holocaust Europe. The state supports yeshivot and seminaries, unlike in the USA where there is a wall of separation. Moreover, polls consistently show that Israel is becoming more religious whereas America is becoming less so. Outside of the South and Midwest religion is marginal.

    Avi K
    Participant
    in reply to: Chug Chasam Sofer Petach Tikva #2051511
    Avi K
    Participant

    What is considered unreliable? Specify what they are doing wrong. If you cannot, keep quiet.

    in reply to: Vaccine Mandates #2050357
    Avi K
    Participant

    Far fewer vaccinated people become very sick, or even get Covid at all. This is an established fact. SCOTUS has repeatedly upheld state vaccine mandates on public health grounds. The ABA has an online article about this called “Not Breaking News: Mandatory Vaccination Has Been Constitutional for Over a Century”. A federal mandate, however, is problematic on Tenth Amendment grounds.

    A real libertarian does not believe that the public should pay medical costs. A real libertarian would also not force a private insurance company to cover someone’s costs even if the person is not vaccinated.

    in reply to: Tomorrow Segula for Parnasa, Saying Parashas Haman #2050356
    Avi K
    Participant

    The Mishan Berura says that it is not enough to rattle it off. One must understand it. It says that each person received exactly what he needed. If a person internalized that he will be satisfied with his lot, which is a rich person (Pirkei Avot 4:1).

    in reply to: Protecting the innocent and false accusations #2045570
    Avi K
    Participant

    Mod, that sounds ominous.

    in reply to: The Bochur found out he is not Jewush… #2043077
    Avi K
    Participant

    Always, you’re welcome.

    Health, you do not know the long history of persecution in Arab countries. The hatred started with Mohammed, who wiped out Jewish tribes. In any case, it is a Torah mitzva to conquer Eretz Yisrael and establish a state.

    in reply to: The Bochur found out he is not Jewush… #2042396
    Avi K
    Participant

    Health, you are really funny. Don’t give up your day job though. When WW1 broke out the Turks expelled any Jew who did not have Ottoman citizenship (European Jews kept theirs as it was advantageous under the concessions given to European powers). There was even a period when any Ashkenazi was grabbed do to debts from the synagogue that followers of Rabbi Yehuda heChassid tried to build (it was destroyed because of the debt, which is why it is called the Churva Synagogue).

    Always, that was Abner “Longie” Zwillman and it was a funeral home. Segal, as his name suggests, was a levy. There is a memorial plaque for him in the Bialystoker Synagogue. There was also a hit man named Samuel “Red” Levine who kept kosher, wore a kippa under his hat, and never carried out a contract on Shabbat if he could avoid it – and even then he first went to shul.

    in reply to: The Bochur found out he is not Jewush… #2042078
    Avi K
    Participant

    Actually, Americans have only been intermarrying in large numbers in the last couple of decades. Previously, even Jewish communists and gangsters married Jews. Jews lived in Jewish neighborhoods and had mostly Jewish classmates in public schools as they were neighborhood-based and Catholic parents generally sent their kids to parochial schools. People generally know what their parents and grandparents were so once they become observant they know if they are halachically Jewish and go to a rav.
    Anyway, there is a halachic principle ืžืฉืคื—ื” ืฉื ืžืขื” ื ื˜ืžืขื” . Who knows what happened in someone’s family a few centuries ago? It could be that we are all mamzerim as during the time of the First Temple adultery was rampant (see Ulla’s response to Rav Yehuda’s brother Rav Yitzchak on Kiddushin 71b),

    in reply to: The Bochur found out he is not Jewush… #2042081
    Avi K
    Participant

    As for Zionism, it is a resounding success. Look at where Israel has come in such a short time. Imagine what life would be like here under Arab rule. Anyone who does not recognize this is either blinded by hatred or guilt-ridden by continuing to live in shmutz laAretz a.k.a. the lands of the goyim, a.ka. the lands of tuma.

    in reply to: Non jewish isreilis #2041455
    Avi K
    Participant

    I read that there are 300K immigrants from the former Soviet Union who are not recognized as being Jewish. This undoubtedly includes many who are but can’t prove it. It was very advantageous to be categorized as a Russian on one’s identity card (Jewish was considered a separate nationality along with Ukrainian, etc.). As they generally have very small families and have formed a separate sub-culture (many times I hear teenagers speaking Russian to each other, unlike the children of Jewish olim who speak to each other in Hebrew even if they speak to their parents in another language) the problem will eventually go away. Moslems, Xtians and Druze do not marry out.

    in reply to: shidduch probability #2039826
    Avi K
    Participant

    Ujm, what difference does it make which side is Sefardi?

    Avira, why are those so-called “yeshivish” people bigoted?

    Dorah, law students frequently have summer internships in cities where they neither study nor live.

    in reply to: Denigrating Gedolim #2039401
    Avi K
    Participant

    Ujm, that happens all the time. There even instances in the Gemara where two Amoraim argue over what their rebbe said and each one swears that he is right. A gadol says complex things. Each talmid comes away with a subjective interpretation.

    in reply to: shidduch probability #2039400
    Avi K
    Participant

    What difference does it make if he is Sephardi? The fact of the matter is that the NYC area has the largest Orthodox singles pool outside of Israel. Of course, with shidduch sites, if you are mobile you do not have to limit yourself geographically. I just saw a film called “Orthodoxed” about a BT Chabadnik from Canada who married a woman who was living in Panama.

    in reply to: Plastic surgery and Yiddishkeit #2039399
    Avi K
    Participant

    The Tzitz Eliezer wants to say that but it is very puzzling. Does it show a lack of bitachon for someone to undergo any medical procedure?The question is whether cosmetic surgery is considered a medical procedure that would would allow wounding the person. This is a machloket among the poskim. See “Judaism and Cosmetic Surgery”by Daniel Eisenberg, M.D. online.

    Who are these people who “frown upon” it and what is their basis? If it is muttar it is muttar. If it is assur it is assur. A person might be able to be machmir on himself but he has no right to force others to do so. If it is muttar, let them frown. The muscle exercises might be good for them.

    in reply to: Israels shocking poverty rate #2035468
    Avi K
    Participant

    UJM, when did you become a supporter of terror?

    HaKatan, you are over on hotzaat shem ra. Besides, Zionism is part of Judaism. We daven for the return to Zion, not Brooklyn.

    in reply to: Allowing Racist posts on this board #2035059
    Avi K
    Participant

    CS, based on your post you do not know English. Here is the corrected version:

    I don’t know or care if you’re Sephardic, I could say based on your posts that you’re an immature, attention seeking, troll.

    in reply to: Giving Your Child an English Name #2028370
    Avi K
    Participant

    Yiddish names are really German names. In many places, clerks gave Jews last names based on the amount of the bribe (in some places, it was called a tip). Those who could not pay much, or anything, received insulting names. For example, “Krombein” means “broken leg”. Some, as with gentiles, were their occupations or their former towns (e.g. Landau, Horowitz). There were also levi’im who took the names of songbirds, such as fink (finch). In Russia, the “h” was turned into a “g” as the Russian language does not have the former sound. Thus, for example, Horowiz and Gorowitz are really the same name.

    in reply to: Life in Israel is hard for most isreilis #2022641
    Avi K
    Participant

    This is what the spies said. A person can live in the Galil or the Negev. A person who works in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem can live on a yishuv. BTW, there are also Hareidi enclaves in places like Ofakim, The Gerrer rebbe, in fact, is telling young couples to live in the periphery where apartments are much cheaper.

    in reply to: Israel on its own #2022454
    Avi K
    Participant

    Avirah,

    1. It is a Torah mitzva to establish a sovereign state in Eretz Yisrael and a prohibition to give it to goyim.

    2. If c”v it was American territory, it would be subject to the toeva inquisitors. Not to mention the fat that there would be complete separation of religion and state.

    3. You are making the same mistake Mendelssohn made. Becoming Americans will not stop anti-Semitism. Anti-Semtism is just because we are Jews. The reasons given are just excuses.

    edited

    in reply to: Women Learning Gemara #2019041
    Avi K
    Participant

    DY, who proved it? Please cite sources.

    RE, tell that to Judge Freier. Anyway, she did not have to listen as it pertains to her life and livelihood.

    in reply to: Married Women Shaving Their Hair Off #2018325
    Avi K
    Participant

    isaacmalul. you’re welcome.

    Avira, read my post again. I wrote that Rav Sternbuch and Rav Ovadia wrote that. I did not write that Rav Moshe Feinstein wrote it.

    ujm, none of us, including you, is on Avraham Avinu’s level. Besides, that is aggadata, and aggadata is not to be taken literally. I pity your wife.

    Regarding the Zohar, the Gra says that there is only one machloket between it and the Gemara (regarding whether it is permissible to walk behind a person who is davening). All other supposed machlokot are misinterpretations. For example, the Zohar says very harsh things about a man who pulls off even one strand of his beard. Rav Chaim Volozhiner explains that it is referring to someonewho shaves with a razor.

    in reply to: Married Women Shaving Their Hair Off #2017948
    Avi K
    Participant

    Rav Sternbuch (Teshuvot Vโ€™hanhagot 2:692) and Rav Ovadia (Yabia Omer Y.D. 4:1) say that here is no halachic source for this custom. Rav Moshe ruled (IM EH 1:59 that a husband can prevent her from doing so, as it makes her repulsive to him (see Nazir 28b and Shabbat 64b).

    in reply to: Planes over Jerusalem #2017937
    Avi K
    Participant

    Ujm, are you in the group that wants asylum in Iran? It was an air show.

    in reply to: No apology yet from Bennet on Uman Libel #2010064
    Avi K
    Participant

    There have been many forged vaccination certificates in these circles. BTW,
    Rav Ovadia blasted those who desert their families and go to Uman. Not to mention giving parnassa to people who have a statue of Chmielnitzki ym”s in the middle of their capital and even have a city named after him.

    in reply to: The Lace Sheitel thread #2009473
    Avi K
    Participant

    RE, both Rav Moshe and Rav Soloveichik said not to divorce a woman over this as today many frum women are, unfortunately, not careful in this matter. In Lithuania, it was very uncommon for women to cover their hair. Custom may impact the halacha. Why should women who have never married not have to cover their hair? An erva is an erva. The only answer the poskim give (although the Aruch haShulchan is unhappy with it) is that it is not the custom.

    Avi K
    Participant

    On the contrary, the women passed on antibodies to their babies. Regarding safety, see “The COVID-19 Vaccine and Pregnancy: What You Need to Know” put out online by Johns Hopkins University.

    in reply to: Where is the line between halacha and dinas dimalchusa #2007275
    Avi K
    Participant

    Avira, RCK doesn’t say anything. He just learns. His grandson Yanky is the one who does the talking. In any case, your issues are well known here. Just out of curiosity, would you say that the Israeli government is legitimate for the purpose of taking money, such as what it gives to Torah institutions and avereichim?

    CS, Rabbi Weiss’ role model in this is MLK. If you read “Letter from a Birmingham jail” you will see that he (and Rabbi Weiss) accepted the fact that they would have to go to jail. MLK was also worried about anarchy. In any case, there is a clear difference between protesting a law one considers unjust and breaking a law for personal convenience or profit.

    in reply to: Where is the line between halacha and dinas dimalchusa #2007005
    Avi K
    Participant

    correction: the citation from Baba Batra is the Rashbam.

    in reply to: Where is the line between halacha and dinas dimalchusa #2007002
    Avi K
    Participant

    Dina d’malchuta dina is far more than monetary matters(@ujm, many poskim rule that monetary laws have the power of minhag hamedina). According to the Chatam Sofer it includes anything that is enacted for public safety and welfare. A modern example would be traffic laws. There are a number of online articles on the subject.

    According to Rambam, Rabbenu Tam (Or Zerua, Piskei Bab Kaam 447), the Shulchan Aruch (CM 369,6), and Rav Ovadia (Yechavei Daat 5,64) it does apply in Eretz Yisrael. The Rashba (Baba Batra 54b d”h v’amar) says that it has nothing to do with land ownership. Anyone who lives in a country implicitly accepts its laws.

    CHOOSID, who decides what makes SENSE (please learn how to spell or get a spell check)?

    in reply to: Different levels of religious observance (frumkeit) #2005938
    Avi K
    Participant

    RE, who says? What I heard is that one should only eat pat Yisrael (Kitzur Shulchan Aruch).

    in reply to: Different levels of religious observance (frumkeit) #2005465
    Avi K
    Participant

    Rational, I once told this to someone from a Chassidic background and he took umbrage. He said that there has to be a pesak. If it’s kosher a jew has to eat it after making a beracha in order to elevate the animal soul. BTW, the Chafetz Chaim preferred glatt yosher.

    in reply to: wearing a yamulka in a professional setting #2005062
    Avi K
    Participant

    At one time in Europe as well as in America Jews did not walk outside bareheaded because no one did. A hat came with one’s suit. Workers wore caps. Jews did not work in non-Jewish offices so the subject did not start. In New York, I worked with several observant Jews who did not wear kippot at work. When I decided to start wearing one a black woman asked me if I had been “elevated”. Apparently, she thought that it was some kind of clerical garb.

    in reply to: Different levels of religious observance (frumkeit) #2005057
    Avi K
    Participant

    Shimon, have you taken a census? Of course, one can have a wide definition of slavery. Someone who cannot part from his cell phone and runs out of tefilla to answer it is a slave in a sense. According to slavery expert Siddharth Kara, out of 28.4 million slaves today (out of a world population of 7.674 billion – .37%) 18.1 million are actually indentured servants. According to the Encyclopรฆdia Britannica, slavery was practiced in every ancient civilization and slaves sometimes accounted for a very large percentage of the population.

    in reply to: Different levels of religious observance (frumkeit) #2004905
    Avi K
    Participant

    The Gra says that Jewish observance is like a ladder. If you try to jump a level you will fall. Rav Kook says that if a person tries to keep some chumra that is inappropriate for his spiritual level he will fall somewhere else to keep a general balance. Thus there was an ืืฉืช ื™ืคืช ืชื•ืืจ and slavery until humanity progressed to the point where these dispensations were no longer needed. Similarly, vegetarianism is not appropriate for our time but will be in the Messianic Age (see on this Rav Yosef Albo in “Sefer haIkarim” on the generation of the Flood).

    in reply to: Different levels of religious observance (frumkeit) #2004496
    Avi K
    Participant

    Hashem decides based on the person’s challenges, upbringing, etc. (Rav Dessler, “Kuntras Nekudat haBechira”).

    in reply to: Ahavas Yisrael for those in YU/the MO community (Ask me anything) #2004210
    Avi K
    Participant

    1. What is respectable garb differs according to time and place. Should Sephardim today wear fezes because at one time it was the mark of a man of standing?

    2. Many Orthodox men did not wear kippot at work or while engaging in secular studies. In fact, in Rav Hirsch’s school, the boys studied secular subjects bareheaded. In fact, originally it was only a middat chassidut. If you see old passport pictures, even talmidei chachamim have their heads uncovered as it was a requirement of the government (US passport regulations still say this but there is a religious exemption). The Cahfetzchaim also wore a cap as did Rav Kook when he was a rav in Latvia (after he came to Yerushalayim he changed to a spodik). I heard that Rav Moshe wore a straw hat in his bungalow colony

    in reply to: Ahavas Yisrael for those in YU/the MO community (Ask me anything) #2003870
    Avi K
    Participant

    Avirah, Hashem runs the world according to Nature. Moreover, there is free choice and there is personal responsibility. We are not fatalists like another religious group that says that all “is written”.

    Rabbenu Chananel says (Chagiga 5a)
    ื•ืคืชืจื•ืŸ ื™ืฉ ื ืกืคื” ื‘ืœื ื•ื’ื•’ ื›ื’ื•ืŸ ืื“ื ืฉื”ืจื’ ื—ื‘ื™ืจื•.

    The Or haChaimhaKadosh says on Parashat Vayeshev
    ืคื™’ ืœืคื™ ืฉื”ืื“ื ื‘ืขืœ ื‘ื—ื™ืจื” ื•ืจืฆื•ืŸ ื•ื™ื›ื•ืœ ืœื”ืจื•ื’ ืžื™ ืฉืœื ื ืชื—ื™ื™ื‘ ืžื™ืชื” ืžืฉื”ื› ื—ื™ื•ืช ืจืขื•ืช ืœื ื™ืคื’ืขื• ื‘ืื“ื ืื ืœื ื™ืชื—ื™ื™ื‘ ืžื™ืชื” ืœืฉืžื™ื, ื•ื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจื• ื•ื™ืฆื™ืœื”ื• ืžื™ื“ื ืคื™’ ืžื™ื“ ื”ื‘ื—ื™ืจื™ ื•ื‘ื–ื” ืกืชืจ ืื•ืžืจื• ื•ื ืจืื” ืžื” ื™ื”ื™ื• ื—ืœื•ืžื•ืชื™ื• ื•ื’ื•’ ื›ื™ ื”ื‘ื—ื™ืจื” ืชื‘ื˜ืœ ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ื•ืื™ืŸ ืจืื™ื” ืื ื™ื”ืจื’ื•ื”ื• ื›ื™ ืฉืงืจ ื“ื‘ืจ:

    I really wonder what is the purpose of your libelous screeds. Chazal say (Kiddushin 70b) that one who constantly disqualifies does so with his own blemish. Could it be that these are things you hate about yourself?

    As for the Holocaust specifically, Rav Soloveichik said that we cannot know why it happened but we can learn a lesson – that all Jews are in the same boat.

    As for learning, the Netziv (He’emek Devar on Devarim 19,12) says
    ื›ื™ ืื ืœื™ืจืื”. ืขืœ ื–ืงื ื™ื›ื ื›ื™ ืื ืœืœื›ืช ื‘ื›ืœ ื“ืจื›ื™ื• ื•ืœืื”ื‘ื” ืื•ืชื• ื•ืœืขื‘ื•ื“ ืืช ื”ืณ ื‘ื›ืœ ืœื‘ื‘ืš ื•ื‘ื›ืœ ื ืคืฉืš. ืขืœ ื”ืžื•ืŸ ืขื ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื›ื™ ืื ืœืฉืžื•ืจ ืืช ืžืฆื•ืช ื”ืณ ื•ื’ื•ืณ. ืขืœ ื˜ืคื›ื ื ืฉื™ื›ื ื•ื’ืจืš ื›ื™ ืื ืœื˜ื•ื‘ ืœืš. ื•ืžื›ืดืž ื ืืžืจื• ื›ืœ ืื–ื”ืจื•ืช ืืœื• ื™ื—ื“ ืžืฉื•ื ืฉื ืืžืจื” ื”ืคืจืฉื” ื‘ื›ืœืœ ืงื”ืœ ื”ืณ ืฉื‘ื”ื ื ื›ืœืœื• ื›ืœ ืื•ืคื ื™ ืื ืฉื™ื ื•ื›ืœ ื”ืžืชื‘ืงืฉ ืžื›ืœ ืืณ. ื•ื›ืžื• ื›ืŸ ืขืฉื” ื“ื•ื“ ื”ืžืœืš ืฉื‘ื™ืงืฉ ืื—ืช ืžื”ืณ. ื”ื™ื™ื ื• ืœื›ืœ ืืณ ื›ืจืื•ื™ ืœื•. ืชืดื— ื™ื”ื™ื• ื™ืฉื™ื‘ืชื ื‘ื™ืช ื”ืณ ืœื—ื–ื•ืช ื‘ื ื•ืขืžื• ื•ืœื‘ืงืจ ื‘ื”ื™ื›ืœื•. ื•ืžื™ ืฉืื™ื ื• ืžื•ื›ืฉืจ ืœื›ืš ื•ื”ื•ื ืžื”ืœืš ื‘ืขืกืงื™ื•. ื›ื™ ื™ืฆืคื ื• ื‘ืกื•ื›ื• ื‘ื™ื•ื ืจืขื”. ืžื™ ืฉื”ื•ืœืš ืœืžืœื—ืžื” ืขื ืื•ื™ื‘ื™ื• ื‘ืฆื•ืจ ื™ืจื•ืžืžื ื™. ืžื›ืดืž ื‘ื›ืœืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ืžืชื‘ืงืฉ ื›ืœ ื–ื” ื•ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ืžื•ื‘ืŸ ืฉื™ืฉ ืื“ื ืฉืคืขื ืขื•ืžื“ ื‘ื–ื” ื”ืื•ืคืŸ ื•ื”ืงื‘ืดื” ืฉื•ืืœ ืžืžื ื• ื›ืš ื•ื’ื ื”ื•ื ื‘ืงืฉืชื• ื›ืš ื•ืคืขื ื”ื•ื ื‘ืื•ืคืŸ ืื—ืจ ื•ื”ืจื™ ื”ื•ื ืื– ื›ืื“ื ืื—ืจ ื›ืžื•ืชื•:
    I can tell you that many MO shuls do have Torah learning. There are also many MOs who learn in battei midrash – together with black hatters. In fact, originally there was a sharp distinction between shuls, which were only for prayers, and battei midrash, which were only for learning.

    in reply to: Loving your spouse #2003057
    Avi K
    Participant

    Avira, the Ben Ish Hai includes the residents of EY in that aveira. Who is better a tamei bird (see Chullin 63b) who keeps Shabbat and kashrut or someone who does not but risks his life to defend the Jewish people (and how do you know what are his intentions – do you bochen kelayot v’lev?)? I don’t know. I also refer you to Reish Lakish’s statement about ืคื•ืฉืขื™ ื™ืฉืจืืœ (Eruvin 19a). As for the nazis and kapos, if you could read English you would see that I differentiate between ahava and love. The former can also be expressed through executing a murderer.

    in reply to: Ahavas Yisrael for those in YU/the MO community (Ask me anything) #2003053
    Avi K
    Participant

    1. The Orthodox world is a continuum, not a discreet distribution. Really, we should follow Rav Kook and drop these labels. Even the term “Orthodox” is relatively new and was only used by Rav Horsch in order to establish a separate religious community under Prussian law. We should go back to tzaddikim/benoni’im/resha’im with the difference based on the weight of mitzvot vs. aveirot (Rambam Hilchot Teshuva 3,1) and the weights of different for each individual (Rav Dessler, Kuntras Nekudat haBechira). Do you know who will fare better in the Heavenly Court, someone with the problems you cited but is honest, or someone whom you consider frum but steals and cheats in business? The Sefat Emmet says on ื”ื•ื•ื” ื“ืŸ ื›ืœ ื”ืื“ื ื‘ื›ืฃ ื–ื›ื•ืช that if you look at everything about a person you will surely find something good.

    2. Demonization is multi=lateral. You, Avirah, demonize those with whom you disagree. For that matter, Litvaks and Chassidim make fun of each other and everybody makes fun of Yekkes. There are also the Ashkenazi/Sephardi issues.

    3. FYI, Rav Soloveichik established a mixed-gender school in Boston. For that matter, the Seridei Eish established a mixed-gender youth movement, Jeshurun, in Paris after the Holocaust and Rav Joseph Breuer established a mixed-gender branch of Ezra in Washington Heights. There is no choice in small communities or in communities where many children would otherwise be sent to public schools. Do you have a license to pasken? If so, it should be revoked. As for the topic of that debate, perhaps the team should have entered and given the Torah view. As for the opposing point of view, they are going to eventually encounter it. whether in college or at work (yes, people do talk in offices) so they should know what to answer, at least to themselves.

    in reply to: Loving your spouse #2002664
    Avi K
    Participant

    Avira, I hope that you find a good therapist. Being expelled by the Land did a real number on you. It turned you into a spy. As for Rav Chaim Brisker, he did not say that the person is liable just that that is what he is. Similarly, someone who desecrates Shabbat because he does not know what it is is a Shabbat desecrator but he is not considered to be at fault. BTW, the Chabad rabbi of Budapest did accept Csanad Szegedi. He gave him a new mission to fight anti-Semitism. As I previously posted, executing a Nazi or kapo can also be a form of ahava as it enables atonement, or at least stops him from adding to his sins.

    Shimon Nodel, actually, leaving a spouse in order to stop making him or her miserable is a form of ahava, which is not necessarily the same as the English word “love”, as I previously posted.

    in reply to: Loving your spouse #2002460
    Avi K
    Participant

    Getting back to the O.P.’s question. The Tosefta (Sotah 5:11) says

    ืฉื ืชืงื“ืฉื” ืœื• ืžืคื ื™ ืฉื”ื™ื ื‘ื•ืฉื” ืžืื‘ื™ื• ืžืื—ื™ื• ื•ืžืงืจื•ื‘ื™ื• ืœืกื•ืฃ ืฉืงื•ื‘ืจื” ื”ื™ื” ืจโ€™ ืžืื™ืจ ืื•ืžโ€™ ื”ื ื•ืฉื ืืฉื” ืฉืื™ื ื” ื”ื•ื’ื ืช ืœื• ืขื•ื‘ืจ ืžืฉื ื—ืžืฉื” ืœืื•ื™ืŸ ืžืฉื ื‘ืœ ืชืงื•ื ื•ืžืฉื ื‘ืœ ืชื˜ื•ืจ ื‘ืœ ืชืฉื ื ืืช ืื—ื™ืš ื‘ืœื‘ื‘ื™ืš ื•ืื”ื‘ืช ืœืจืขืš ื›ืžื•ืš ื•ื—ื™ ืื—ื™ืš ืขืžืš ื•ืœื ืขื•ื“ ืืœื ืฉืžื‘ื˜ืœ ืคืจื™ื” ื•ืจื‘ื™ื” ืžืŸ ื”ืขื•ืœื

    in reply to: Loving your spouse #2002437
    Avi K
    Participant

    RE, apparently only for Jews (Yoma 69b). Among other nations, it exists right up to our time (e.g. Hinduism).

    in reply to: Loving your spouse #2002305
    Avi K
    Participant

    Rav Yaakov Emden, in his siddur, says that the intention is for the yetzer hara of a”z to be defeated.

    in reply to: Loving your spouse #2002290
    Avi K
    Participant

    Avira,

    Did you read what I wrote about ahava? As for Rav Kook, he explained that the people to whom you are referring were did not have a complete knowledge of Torah and could not be put in this category. The Chazon Ish also says this. Even if they were, we would pray for them to do teshuva. This is far preferable and would be a great kiddush Hashem. The Mahaarl also interprets the beracha you mentioned in this manner. Why do you think that it wasShmuel haKatan who composed it?

    in reply to: Loving your spouse #2002087
    Avi K
    Participant

    Rabbi Hiyya says (Yevamot 63a-b) that one should even thank a problematic wife for saving him from sin. Hakarat tov is a fundamental good midda. Even dogs are grateful.

    RE,
    Who says that the reason for loving a ger is because we were gerim in Egypt? That is only a reason to make us sensitive to how they feel (I would extend this to making deprecating comments about other ethnic and religious groups). Rav Kook says that we should love all of Creation as an extension of loving HaShem.
    One must, though, define the meaning of ahava. There is a famous Mussar saying that asks why a person says that he loves fish. If he loves fish why does he kill them? He actually loves his tastebuds and stomach. The Hebrew word “ahava” is related to the Aramaic word “hav” (give). One is certainly required to give to one’s wife. One signed on it before the chuppa. This also explains how one can, as Rav Kook says, love resha’im while hating their sins. One gives to them by bringing them to do teshuva (see Berachot 10a). In a way, even capital punishment is a form of love as it enables atonement.

    in reply to: Shoftim – Shochad, Bribe #2001255
    Avi K
    Participant

    See Ketubot 105b.

    in reply to: Unexpected IRS deposit (8/18/2021) #2001254
    Avi K
    Participant

    Google “TAS Tax Tip: Got a Direct Deposit from the IRS, But Not Sure What it is For?”.

    in reply to: Ki Tzeitaei – How to fight the Yetzer Hara, Our Bad Inflinations #2000923
    Avi K
    Participant

    What are inflinations?

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