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Neville, if the minimum wage were replaced by a negative income tax, as Milton Friedman suggested, there would be more jobs. Deregulation, lowering business taxes, etc. would also go a long way.
Joseph, they are not doing a chillul Hashem. Chazal presume that a normal person is ashamed to take charity and call it “bread of shame”. So I guess these people disagree with Chazal.
Doing, the best system would be a workfare” program where they are trained for productive work.
Joseph, in mussar yeshivot a man was NOT Allowed to grow a beard until he married. If you look at old pictures you will see that only the rabbanim had beards.
CA, don’t give up your day job. I personally do not know why anyone would want to be a president or PM. He has no personal life. He and his family are reviled in the pres for any little thing. People even write anonymous letters accusing him of misconduct while in HS (!). Such a person must either have a tremendous feeling that he must serve the public or have a tremendous yetzer hara for power and honor. As for dictators, what about Obama? He ruled by decree (executive orders against the express will of the Congress).
Joseph, you are simply wrong. When Horthy saw that Germany was losing he declared an armistice and attempted to make a deal with the US and Britain in order to stave of the Russians. This is why he was deposed and Hungary occupied by the Germans. In an October 1940 letter to Prime Minister Pál Teleki, Horthy wrote:
“As regards the Jewish problem, I have been an anti-Semite throughout my life. I have never had contact with Jews. I have considered it intolerable that here in Hungary everything, every factory, bank, large fortune, business, theatre, press, commerce, etc. should be in Jewish hands, and that the Jew should be the image reflected of Hungary, especially abroad. Since, however, one of the most important tasks of the government is to raise the standard of living, i.e., we have to acquire wealth, it is impossible, in a year or two, to replace the Jews, who have everything in their hands, and to replace them with incompetent, unworthy, mostly big-mouthed elements, for we should become bankrupt. This requires a generation at least.”
Thus we see that his unwillingness to wipe out the Jews was pragmatic rather than ideological.
As for Netanyahu and Israel being friendly with Orban and Hungary, I have already posted that we are seeing the birth of a new nationalism that respects others’ nationalisms.
We see, in fact, that Hitler did not invade Switzerland, which even took in some jews (although it turned back others), Sweden or even Finland, which flatly refused to turn over Jews and even had Jewish soldiers fighting the Russians, despite the presence of German soldiers on Finnish soil.
Joseph. you wrote on September 13, 2018 at 10:24 am “Avi, the contemporary Hungarians are from the better countries insofar as relations with Jews and Israel is concerned.” Considering the fact that the Horthy regime collaborated with the Nazis and sent Jews to labor camps where many died from the harsh conditions. After he was deposed when he saw that he backed the wrong horse and tried to switch the Arrow Cross government shot Jews into the Danube and helped send others to Auschwitz. Thus you must believe that today’s residents of Hungary are not Hungarians.
Joseph, you are a really funny guy. From where are they from? I think the Orban will be very surprised to know that he is not really a Hungarian.
Genya, what about IBM? They sold the census technology that enabled the Nazis to identify and keep track of Jews. After the conquest of Poland it established a subsidiary called Watson Business Machines that contracted to the General Government, which administered the areas not annexed by either German or the Soviet Union (prior to Operation Barbarossa). It also had a German subsidiary called Dehomag which continued to operate after the US entered the war.
How do “heimish” people afford these cars? In any case, what about British cars? I knew a Holocaust survivor who said that he would buy German products because they changed but not British products because they did not – and they were equally responsible for the Holocaust by closing the doors to EY. What about French cars? The Vichy government helped the Nazis round up Jews. What about Ford products as Henry Ford ym”s was a rabid antisemite and Nazi supporter. Japan (@Doing) was actually pretty good to Jews. Interestingly, when the Germans sent them copies of the Protocolsthey were decided that it would be good to partner with the Jews.
As for the Germans being Amalek, Rav Chaim Soloveichik said that Amalek is anyone who wants to wipe out Am Yisrael, which would mean that today’s Germans are not Amalek. In fact, even those European leaders who do not particularly love having Jews in their countries want good relations with Israel. Theirs in a new type of nationalism that respects others’ nationalisms. Hungary for the Hungarians, Poland for the Poles and Israel for the Jews.
Laskern,
1. That is only if the mother’s life is in danger. Some poskim allow it if the mother’s psychological health would be endangered. However, there is a discussion regarding bnei Noach. See How Are Abortion and Euthanasia Classified in the Noahide Code? including the footnotes (always important).
2. On the contrary, the highest form of tzedaka is to provide productive work. The Shach says that being that the giver also profits the recipient is not at all embarrassed. The free enterprise system does this best. Moreover, the leftist welfare state has destroyed poor families (I would go into detail but it would probably not pass moderation).Yitzchokm, on the contrary, we are supposed to be a light unto the nations. This means policing the world.
Akuperma, that is sadly true to a large extent. Parnassa allows everything and they scream antisemitism when they are caught.
Laskern, what has Trump done that is in violation of the sheva mitzvot? I do, however, agree that Pence is more presidential. He might even be considered a chassid oomot haolam whereas Trump is one of chocmei oomot haolam.
Joseph, according to what I read the figure in Israel is 20%. Add to that those who become Dati Leumi (there are, in fact, organizations in both Israel and the US that help people who find the Chareidi community too restrictive but do not want to give up Shabbat, kashrut, etc.). Add to that those who stay on the periphery of Chareidi communities but commit various minor crimes.
As for the DL community, it is hard to say as unlike Chareidi schools State Religious schools accept kids from traditional homes (e.g. a formal Shabbat dinner with Kiddush and “hamotzi” followed by TV at night and a soccer game during the day). I have not seen statistics for the US but the book Off the Derech seemed to say that it is much higher than you claim. The main reason seems to be rejection do to minor things, which is much more prevalent in the Chareidi community. I also have not seen percentages for OTDs who return but probably it is much higher for MO/DLs as these communities make an effort to keep these people connected. In fact, many OTDs from settlements continue to live in their communities even after they get married – which means that as their kids get older and start asking questions they might have to come back at least somewhat (an immigrant from Russia once told me that he sent his kids to a State Religious school because of the better discipline and that he and his wife would probably have to start observing so as not to confuse them).Joseph, the rate in the Chareidi community is about the same if not higher. Until recently there was no place for Chareidi guys who are not built for all day learning . What happened was that street groups known as the “Shabab Chareidi” (shabab are Arab boys who commit relatively low-lקvel acts against Israel – it is related to the Hebrew שובב). When I lived in Bnei Beraq I personally witnessed a brawl of leil Shabbat (!) between a group of these kids and the “modesty police”.
Shalomstreet, I do not think that “goyim” is a pejorative as it means “nations”. In fact, someone told me that he was told that “non-Jew” is offensive because he described the person according to what she is not. For that matter, at one time “Jew” was considered a pejorative (the polite words were “Hebrew” and “Israelite”. Interestingly, when Khrushchev was in Poland after the Soviet occupation he was shocked to hear Jews referring to themselves by a word which is a pejorative in Russian but a polite word in Polish. However, “shaigetz” and “shiksa” are objectively offensive as they come from “shaketz”.
Milhouse, the questions are how and to what extent. I contend that it is the merit of the mitzva, that the protection is not necessarily in this world and that it can be overridden by demerits.
Milhouse,
1. I wrote that there is an opinion that red strings are darchei Emori not mezuzah.
2. If you are shogeg then maybe you get an “E’ for effort. On the other hand, you are lacking the full merit of the mitzva (that is also a protection). In any case, we do not know how these things work. It may be that someone was protected in this world but loses what he would have received for the merit in the next.
3. My interpretation of Rebbe’s intentions is at least as good as yours.
4. You are simply not correct that Am Yisrael has accepted the Zohar and Arizal’s pesakim. Rav Ovadia, for example, generally opposed paskening according to them where they contradicted the Mechaber. Ashkenazi poskim very rarely even mention them. The <a href=”http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14520&pgnum=23
“>Tzitz Eliezer has a long teshuva on this topic. Rav Yaakov Emden and the Chatam Sofer believed that Rashbi did not write most of the Zohar. See “Rabbi Berel Wein – How Authentic is the Zohar?” online.Laskern, there is a big debate about the place of Kabbal in Halacha. The Gra says that there is no machloket between the Gemara and the Halacha except one – whether or not a person may walk past someone who is davening on the side (the Gemara is meikal but the Zohar is machmir). However, this sometimes requires interpretation. For example, the Zohar says very harsh things about people who shave. Rav Chaim of Volozhin says that that only refers to someone who uses a razor.
Joseph, I apologize. I was addressing Haimy.
AZ, why did he spell it with an “A” (@Midwest, you also misspelled his first name)? BTW, his full name was Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola.
AZ, also The Last Jews of Berlin by Leonard Gross .
Joseph, once again you are over on hotzaat shem ra and sinat chinam. You must obtain forgiveness from every MO in the next two weeks.
HaLeiVi, it should not be ignored but also should not necessarily be taken literally. Obviously Rebbe meant that Antoninus should keep the sheva mitzvot and thus be protected., Keep the seven, go to Heaven.
Laskern, why does He need them to ask Him to do something He has already decided to do?
Amil (is that a deliberate misspelling?) Zola, in most cases SCOTUS, followingLochner vs NY, which established a right of contract under the Fourteenth Amendment, struck down labor laws. That did not end until 1937 with West Coast Hotel Co. v. Parrish. Some scholars think that Janus vs AFSCME set the stage for a comeback.
Milhouse,
1. Rabbi Eliezer ben Tzaddok says it is. Do you consider him to have been a Protestant? You obviously have no idea what darchei Emori is nor do you have an idea what Protestantism is.
2. The Torah says that about many mitzvot. It is the merit of the mitzva. However, it can be overridden by an aveira. You are making the same mistake Elisha ben Abuya made (Bavli Haggiga 66a, Yerushalmi Haggiga 2:1).
3. Please cite the Gemara that says that non-Jews are protected by it.
4. Who says that it is the pesak of the “overwhelming majority of klal yisroel and of gedolei hamekubalim”? BTW, the Chatam Sofer says (Responsa OC end of 51) that someone who mixes Halacha and Kabbala makes kilayim.
5. So what if he contradicts the Zohar (please cite the place)? Many poskim do not pasken according to it. For example, the Zohar says ( Parshat Chayai Sarah page 132 and Bamidbar page 20) to put on the hand tefillin while seated but Ashkenazim stand.CTL,
1. At that time it was a voluntary contractual arrangement. Under the “Lochner” doctrine it would have been unconstitutional to impose it by law.
2. Unless he had his own firm Shabbat was also an issue for professionals as offices were open at least a half day on Sat (as are banks and post offices today). Even if officially there was a five-day work week many employees expected such employees to come in. Even though he was on the Harvard Law Review Nat Lewin could not find a job with a firm. Finally Justice John Harlan agreed that he could work on Sun instead. Even today, there is a loophole in the non-discrimination law for employers who can prove that accommodations would harm their businesses.
3. Even with a five-day work week there are issues on Fri during the winter. Not to mention Yom Tov. In fact, I once read about a woman who was fired for taking off from her bank job on the first two days of Sukkot. The non-observant Jewish officers told her boss that it is only a minor holiday.Haimy, obviously not as some Germans saved Jews. One of them was Goering’s brother! In fact, I knew a German-American guy who went ballistic every time he heard about antisemitism. He explained to me that relatives of his were murdered because they hid Jews on their farm.
Takes, it depends. If he admits that he is wrong but claims weakness he is not. If he denies that there is an obligation to keep Shabbat he is. Rambam discusses this in his intro to Perek Chelek.
Laskern, there is a machloket regarding whether of not a red band is a red band is darchei Emori (Tosefta Shabbat 8:4). Certainly thinking that the band itself brings salvation (as I once read claimed) is a’z.
Avreichashlomo, wrong again. It is permitted to expose someone who acts against the public (SA CM 388:12) .The Rema, for example, says that it is permitted to expose a forger (ibid). I refer you to Informing on Others for Violating American Law: A Jewish Law View online.
If the person is dangerous (and this includes crooked politicians) there is also an obligation to warn people about him because of “lo taamod al dam reicha”.
Avreichcamshlomo, better that non-Jews should expose it? That would just increase the chillul Hashem. Please quote the exact place where the CC says shev v’al tasseh. In any case, making a comment about an opinion is definitely not LR. Even where the comment is directed at the person, according to your interpretation the Raavad was over on LR of the Rambam many times. Not to mention various other comments that chachamim such as the Maharshal made.
Here are the words of the CCL:
הלכות לשון הרע ד ז
וְכָל אֵלּוּ הַדִּינִין שֶׁכָּתַבְנוּ הוּא דַּוְקָא בְּאִישׁ, אֲשֶׁר מִנְהָגוֹ וְדַרְכּוֹ לְהִתְחָרֵט עַל חֲטָאָיו, אֲבָל אִם בָּחַנְתָּ אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ, כִּי אֵין פַּחַד אֱלֹהִים לְנֶגֶד עֵינָיו וְתָמִיד יִתְיַצֵּב עַל דֶּרֶךְ לֹא טוֹב, כְּמוֹ הפּוֹרֵק מֵעָלָיו עֹל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם אוֹ שֶׁאֵינוֹ נִזְהָר מֵעְבֵרָה אַחת, אֲשֶׁר כָּל שַׁעַר עַמּוֹ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁהִיא עֲבֵרָה, דְּהיְנוּ בֵּין שֶׁאוֹתָה הָעֲבֵרָה, שֶׁהוּא רוֹצֶּה לְגַלּוֹת, עָשָׂה הַחוֹטֵא כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים בְּמֵזִיד אוֹ שֶׁעָבר בְּמֵזִיד כַּמָּה פְּעָמִים עֲבֵרָה אַחַת הַמְפֻרְסֶמֶת לַכֹּל שֶׁהִיא עֲבֵרָה, אִם כֵּן מוּכָח מִנֵּה שֶׁלֹּא מֵחֲמַת שֶׁגָּבַר יִצְּרוֹ עָלָיו עָבַר עַל דִּבְרֵי ה’ כִּי אִם בִּשְׁרִירוּת לִבּוֹ הוּא הוֹלֵךְ, וְאֵין פַּחַד אֱלֹהִים לְנְגֶד עֵינָיו, לָכֵן מֻתָּר לְהַכְלִימוֹ וּלְסַפֵּר בִּגְנוּתוֹ בֵּין בְּפָנָיו וּבֵין שֶׁלֹּא בְּפָנָיו. וְאִם הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה מַעֲשֶׂה אוֹ יְדַבֵּר דָּבָר, וְיֵשׁ לְשָׁפְטוֹ לְצַּד הַזְּכוּת וּלְצַד הַחוֹב, צָּרִיךְ לְשָׁפְטוֹ לְצַּד הַחוֹב, אַחֲרֵי שֶׁנִּתְחַזֵּק לְרָשָׁע גָּמוּר בִּשְׁאָר עִנְיָנָיו, וְכֵן אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ “לֹא תוֹנוּ אִישׁ אֶת עֲמִיתוֹ”, עַם שֶׁאִתְּךָ בְּתוֹרָה וּבְמִצְוֹת, אַל תּוֹנֵהוּ בִּדְבָרִים, וַאֲשֶׁר לֹא שָׁת לִבּוֹ לִדְבַד ה’, מֻתָּר לְהַכְלִימּוֹ בְּמַעֲלָלָיו וּלְהוֹדִיעַ תּוֹעֲבוֹתָיו וְלִשְׁפֹּךְ בּוּז עָלָיו, וְעוֹד אָמְרוּ: מְפַרְסְמִין אֶת הַחֲנֵפִים מִפְּנִי חִלּוּל ה’, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן אִם הוֹכִיחַ אוֹתוֹ בָּזֶה וְלֹא חָזַר, דְּמֻתָּר לְפַרְסְמוֹ וּלְגַלּוֹת עַל חֲ טָאָיו בְּשַׁעַר בַּת רַבִּים וְלִשְׁפֹּךְ בּוּז עָלָיו, עַד שֶׁיַּחֲזֹר לְמוּטָב, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתַב הָרַמְבַּ”ם בְּסוֹף פֶּרֶקּ ו’ מֵהִלְכוֹת דֵּעוֹת {הלכה ח’}, אַךְ יֵשׁ לִזָּהֵר שֶׁלֹּא לִשְׁכֹּחַ פְּרָטִים אֲחָדִים הַמִּצְטָרְכִים לָזֶה, וּכְתַבְתִּים בִּבְאֵר מַיִם חיִּים.Rav Chaim Soloveichik said that Amalek is anyone who wants to destroy us for no reason. It would seem that conversely if he would change his mind he would no longer be Amalek (in fact, after WW2 the Americans and British undertook a massive re-education program in Germany). There is, in fact, a discussion as to whether or not he can convert.
I agree that Corbyn is an antisemite but I don’t know if he actually wants to destroy us. Getting back to the Germans, they have a very serious dilemma. Their birth rate is only 1.5 per woman whereas their life expectancy is a bit over 81. Someone is going to have do the work and pay for the old-age programs. That means that they will have to attract immigrants. On the other hand, they have big problems with absorbing immigrants. This is also a source a violent antisemitism, which is a great embarrassment to them.
YW Moderator-100, no I am not. It is insulting and superfluous. If you are really concerned about some Russian hacker leaving comments the arithmetic problem alone will suffice. Being that I do not know who programs the site, let alone how to contact them I cannot address my complaints directly to them. Therefore, I am addressing them to the only ones I can hope will pass on the complaint. This is something that someone who works with the public, as I have, should understand.
Avreichamshlomo,
1. Not yotzei what?
2. By making a general statement about the comments you are over on hotzaat shem ra.
3. You are correct. The CC has not come back to life so it is necessary to interpret him. If you have noticed the mods edit or delete comments. I presume that where this issue arises they consult a rav. If your interpretation would be followed every malefaction of public figures would be hushed up as in totalitarian states.1. Negative comments about something that has been posted are not LR. If someone would reveal something persona about a poster that would be.
2. Asking someone to prove his humanity in order to log in is onaat devarim (@mods).
3. Negative articles about individuals or groups may or may not be LR. In many cases the tzibbor should be warned about them. If someone is a rasha it is a mitzva to condemn his actions.So why do you all use the Internet?
I would imagine that it would also work for an MBA. I know someone who has one although her BA is totally unrelated,
CTL, I presume that the members of the various state committees are attorneys and also senior members of the bar associations.
Milhouse,
1. That is darchei Emori (a superstition rooted in a”z).
2. Compare the Mishna Berura on Parashat HaMan (1:13).
3. The baby is protected by his parents’ merit.
4. You prove my point. If the mezuzah is not a mitzva it is its message.
6 Please cite the place in the Gemara. I cited Rambam to the contrary. Of course, if someone thinks it protects it might have a placebo effect.
7. What about people who have kosher mezuzot who suffered? What about those Jews who were dragged out of their homes by the Nazis ym”s?Laskern, actually it was the Gra who did not sing Shalom Aleichem.
Milhouse, moreover, you are repeating the mistake Elisha ben Abuya made when he saw the boy fall off the tree.
Joseph, that is true of exams given by professional organizations in general. For example, most candidates fail even the initial actuarial exams. With law though it starts in law school. Some schools even have (or had – the enormous tuition is very tempting) a policy of flunking out one in three first year students. Supposedly a Harvard prof told students on the first day “Look at the person on your left and the person on your right. Next year one of you won’t be here”.
Knaidlach, please format your comment properly so that it is readable. This writing sample would not even get you into Lower Slobbovia law school.
It should also be mentioned that it is not absolutely necessary to go to law school in order to become a lawyer. VA, VT, WA, and CA allow people to take the bar exam after an apprenticeship program without ever having set foot in a law school. At one time NY did not require law school either and someone who flunked out of BLS twice went the apprenticeship route and passed the bar exam on the first try. He is now a Justice in the NYS Appellate Division, First Department.
Laskern,
1. All the Rema says is that people plead at the graves. He does not say that they plead to the dead. The Mishna Berura (BTW, it’s s”k 28) says to speak directly to Hashem in the merit of the dead.
2. The Gra wrote to his wife and children when he was making his abortive trip to EY to his wife and children: “Be very careful not to go to the cemetery at all, for there the evil spirits attach themselves unto you, especially women. All the troubles and the sins stem from this.” This was affirmed by the Leshem and the Brisker minhag is not to go ever except at the funeral of one of the six closerelatives. See also Aruch HaShulchan YD 559:7 in the name of the Arizal (Shaar Ruach HaKodesh the block letter edition, p. 49) and Responsa Chatam Sofer YD 338, who also oppose cemetery visits in general and even calls them darchei Emori (superstitions rooted in a”z).