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Knaidlach,
1. Is it is a chiddush to you that people who keep all kinds of chumrot in some areas fall in others? Rav Kook, in fact, said that if a person keeps a chumra that is not appropriate for him he will cause a spiritual imbalance which will in turn cause him to fall elsewhere.
2. I wrote that it is a safek. That means that there are different opinions. Did you look up my source? I posted a link to Hebrewbooks.
3 The statement about Calev is aggadata and we do not leanrn halacha from aggadata. In fact, Rambam says in his intro to Perek Chelek that all aggadatot are metaphoric.
4. The Kitzor does not say that one asks the dead just that they do it – on their own accord (@Laskern, ditto Rachel).One cannot get into an Ivy league school with only a “good” LSAT score. It has to be close to the top, as does one’s GPA. However, from what I have read BTLs do very well on the LSAT as it tests analytical skills (BTW, you can see the ranking of majors by average LSAT scores online and you will see that Pe-Law is not very high). Moreover, many schools look for a diversity of majors.
Having written that, I do not understand why anyone who is not rich or good enough to get a full scholarship would go to law school today. Tuition is out of control (about five times the inflation rate over the last forty years – to give an idea, the gross starting salary at a NYC DA office forty years was twice the total three year tuition whereas now it is only a bit over one year’s tuition) and, as CTL observed, much work that was done by lawyers can be done by lay people (or paralegals). If someone likes the law but is not rich or a genius I would advise taking a paralegal course at a reputable school. It is much cheaper and faster.
Knaidlach, ashreicha. However, there is a group in Tzefat that does that. As for asking the dead (I assume that you agree that he is dead) to intercede is a safek d’Oraita as I posted above.
David, the reason is that he is on a roll and this might continue.
As to the non-answers of Laskern, the Ramban also gives as a reason what has happened in previous gilgulim. For example, if Reuven died owing money to Shimon and Shimon did not forgive him they will come back as Reuven as a rich man supporting Shimon the poor man. See Taanit 25a for a hint at this.
David, he is referring to the Peleg hooligans.
Milhouse, that is if he internalizes what is written. The Mishna Berura says something similar about saying Parashat haMan. Someone who thinks that a mezuzah is a magic wand is over on several extremely serious aveirot.
1. Bolton said that there will be no quid pro quo.
2. Trump and Abbas hate each other. Abbas has already said that he will reject any plan.
3. Abbas is going n 83, is in very poor health and has no obvious successor so he is more or less irrelevant from an objective perspective.
4. An op-ed piece recently appeared in the Jordan Times saying that Jordan never really relinquished all claims to Judea and Samaria although the exact border is negotiable.My feeling is that Trump is going to suggest some kind of shared sovereignty between Israel and Jordan. This would benefit the Palestinians (as opposed to the PA) in that they will be much freer and more prosperous than under the PA kleptocracy. It might even be that Trump and Abdullah think that they can co-opt a potential Abbas successor with a governorship.
ZD, in EY it is a local call.
Takes, you were referring to the shmira a mezuzah gives.
Takes, the din is the same. If what is written in it inspires you to do mitzvot and not do aveirot it works. If not, not. Here is what Rambam has to say about those who think that it is an amulet (Hilchot Mezuzza 5:4):
מנהג פשוט שכותבים על המזוזה מבחוץ כנגד הריוח שבין פרשה לפרשה שדי ואין בזה הפסד לפי שהוא מבחוץ אבל אלו שכותבין מבפנים שמות המלאכים או שמות קדושים או פסוק או חותמות הרי הן בכלל מי שאין להם חלק לעולם הבא שאלו הטפשים לא די להם שבטלו המצוה אלא שעשו מצוה גדולה שהיא יחוד השם של הקדוש ברוך הוא ואהבתו ועבודתו כאילו הוא קמיע של הניית עצמן כמו שעלה על לבם הסכל שזהו דבר המהנה בהבלי העולם.
Regarding amulets he says (Guide 1:61):
ולא יעלה במחשבתך שגעון כותבי ה’קמיאות’ ומה שתשמעהו מהם או תמצאהו בספריהם המשונים משמות חברום לא יורו על ענין בשום פנים ויקראו אותם ‘שמות’ ויחשבו שהם צריכים ‘קדושה וטהרה’ ושהם יעשה נפלאות – כל אלה דברים לא יאות לאדם שלם לשמעם כל שכן שיאמינם:
ZG, kameiot work as placebos. The Noda b’Yehuda once tied up some rag , gave it to a woman who requested a kameia for her illness and told her that she should open in in one week and if it was blank it meant that she was cured.
Rav Aryeh Levine tried to avoid being photographed while being interviewed. When the interviewer told him that the photographer was a new immigrant and it was his parnassa Rav Aryeh said “Take all the pictures you want”.
As for having pictures on the wall, a man once went into a restaurant and asked to see the kashrut certificate. The owner pointed to a picture of a distinguished rabbi on the wall and said “He was my grandfather. Do you have any more questions?” The potential customer said “If he were in the chair and you were on the wall I would have no questions. However, you are in the chair and he is on the wall so I have questions”.
CTL, as a matter of fact, some people have a custom to fast on erev RH until Chatzot. As for the youngest grandchildren how old are they? They might not even remember. My father’s mother died when I was one year old and I have no recollection of her or even a recollection of a childhood recollection.
Laskern, if they draw inspiration from their rebbes that is one thing. However, the O.P. implied that the picture itself is believed to protect. The next step is to daven to it (as do a certain Chabad faction).
Avoda zara. However, it works very well for those who sell it.
In any case, RH is not such a day for celebration as it is yom hadin.
Icemelter, if you are referring to me I did not say that his mind was not working well. I said that he was not feeling well. BTW, the Gemara says that towards the end Rabbi Elazar ben Arach’s mind was not working well for a time (Shabbat 147b).
Yeshivishrockstar, TY for informing me. I wonder how many Breslovers will heed his pesak. I was told by a Breslover in so many words that someone who goes to Uman will receive salvation from <b>Rabbi Nachman</b>. When I told him that this is a”z he called me an apikoros. Of course, as I posted above anyone can call himself a Breslover.
BTW, according to Rav Tuchichinsky (see my post above for the link) there are opinions that even asking him to intercede with Hashem is assur.
Yytz, the problem is when they make the dead rebbe into an a”z. For example, by davening to him
G. who says that a mumar has no status as a Jew? For example, you still cannot charge him interest.
Laskern, who says there is no yibum? First of all, Sephardim do not worry about Abba shaul’s statement. Secondly, if an Ashkenazi would want to do it and the widow agrees no one can do anything. No ceremony or document (b’diavad) is necessary.
It,
1.I find that hard to believe as BG hated the communists and even the pinko Mapam. In fact, he wanted to outlaw the former (Begin stopped him, even though he hated them even more, because he was a liberal democrat) and refused to allow the latter in any coalition (“lo Herut v’lo Mapam).
2. That contradicts what the CI is known to have paskened. Apparently this gentle, old Jew’s memory was not what it was.Yytz, I have not seen the exact letter or what RTY wrote so I cannot comment. However, in later years he very much de-emphasized his father’s Chassidic influences. You are correct though that anyone can call himself a Breslover (just as anyone can call himself a Chabadnik). This is also a negative as a Chassidut without a rebbe is like a ship without a captain. This leads to all sorts of distortions (e.f. NaNachs and Yechis) who reflect badly on the whole group. BTW, when someone suggested forming a network of “Batei Avraham” Rav Kook said “don’t make Kookistim”. He believed that all groups in Troah have some truth and one should take from all.
G, he was obviously not feeling well at all. The fact of the matter is that in those circles the askanim make the decisions and manipulate the gedolim. According to Rav Simcha Kook Gafni lied to Rav Eliashiv to get him to approve joining Sharon’s coalition. Rav Kaminetzky even wrote in a letter to someone that he signs what his rabbanim recommend. Another possibility is that being that Lapid does not have brothers (only two sisters) the proof of yibum falls away.
Laskern, so what? Where does it say that there is no yibum for a mumar l’chachis?
G, Rav Shteinman was obviously not feeling well. In any case, he is a daat yachid.
BY, we do not pasken directly from a mishna. Sometimes there are contradictory mishnayot. Sometimes it is not l’halacha.
CA, please cite your source.
YYtz,
1. Rav Kook saw the positive side of Chassidut and was himself a descendant of the Baal haTanya. However, he also had strong criticisms of its attitude towards rebbes. I never heard that he considered himself tם be a gilgul of RN.2. See Mishpat Cohen 147 in which Rav Kook dounts that there is any mitzva to go to a tzaddik’s grave. Furthermore, he states that going to see one’s rav is only a live rav (Rav Tuchichinsky brings down in Gesher haChaim 2:25 that one who talks to a dead person may be over on derisha el hamitrim and if he prays to him on avoda zara).
2. Rav Tzvi Yehuda (his only son) certainly did not almost become a Breslover. In fact, he was very much a mitnagged and said that his Torah is a continuation of the Gra’s. In any case, almost never counts except in ring toss and hand grenades.
Yytz, if the grave has the kedusha of EY why not live there already? Besides, they are giving parnassa to a people who antisemitic cruelty even shocked the SS ym”s. They even have a city call Chmielnitzky and a statue of him ym”s in the center of Kiev. Moreover, as Rav Kook pointed out, EY has the greatest tzaddikim of all time – the Avot and Emahot. According to RN’s sheeta that is at least double kedusha. BTW, both
Rav Ovadia and Rav Mazuz blasted them for going on Rosh HaShana and leaving their families.1. Rav Sonnenfeld, the Ponevicher Rav and the Chazan Ish all vehemently prohibited saying it about a Jew, even a mumar. The proof is that if a mumar dies childless his wife needs either chalitza or yibum (SA EH 157:5) – and that continues his name.
2. יורה דעה ס’ שמ סע’ סעיף ה
העומד בשעת יציאת נשמה של איש או אשה מישראל חייב לקרוע. (טור בשם רמב”ן וב”י אף לדעת רש”י) ואפילו אם לפעמים עשה עבירה לתיאבון או שמניח לעשות מצוה בשביל טורח.הגה: אבל רגיל לעשות עבירה אין מתאבלין עליו (מרדכי סוף מ”ק) וכל שכן על מומר לעבודת כוכבים (שם ופוסקים וכן מוכח מש”ס פי’ נגמר הדין וכמה דוכתי) וי”א שמומר שנהרג בידי עובד כוכבים מתאבלים עליו (הגהת אשיר”י פרק א”מ וא”ז) וכן מומר קטן שהמיר עם אביו או אמו דהוי כאנוס (מרדכי ה”א בשם ר”י ומביאו ב”י סימן שמ”ה) וי”א דאין מתאבלין וכן עיקר (שם בשם ר”ת). הפורשים מדרכי צבור אע”פ שאין מתאבלין עליהם מתאבלין על בניהם (א”ז) (ועיין לקמן סימן שמ”ה).
Thus we certainly mourn those who were raised in non-observant homes.
3. Rav Kook explains that there are two parts to being a poresh midarchei tzibbor:
a. Not keeping mitzvot.
b. Not wanting to be considered a JewToday’s secular Jews consider being called non-Jews fighting words so they are not in this category.
Wolf, the Kotzker said that the world is a mashal and the nimshal is money. The Ukrainians profit. Tour operators profit. Airlines profit. A few years ago some breslovers wanted to reinter Rabbi Nachman in EY, which he certainly would have wanted. The Ukrainian government adamantly refused. There was a similar promo about Rabbi Elimelech’s grave and within EY there is Amuka (Yonatan ben Uziel’s grave).
Takes, they learned Torah. They made aliya.
Takes, by whom? If you are asking why they were not arrested or why they were not put in cherem as I am not the spokesman of either the police or any rav nor am I privy to their internal discussions I do not know.
AJ, putting something in the law that is not there would be a new high in judicial activism. I doubt very much if the conservatives Trump has appointed would go anywhere near that far.
Laskern, in that case, anyone who criticizes anyone is guilty of incitement. You should make aliya and join a leftist movement the way you wave that bloody shirt. However, I definitely do not suggest that you give up your day job.
1. According to some poskim capital punishment is only the maximum penalty but a Noahide court may impose a lesser penalty (Chelkat Yoav Tanyana 14; Rabbi J. David Bleich, “Mishpat Mavet Bedenai Benai Noach,” Jubilee Volume in Honor of Rav Joseph D. Soloveitchik 1:193-208 (5754); Rav Aharon Soloveichik, “On Noachides”, Beis Yitzchak 19:335-338 (5747)).
2. According to Ramban a Noahide judge may refuse to try someone.
3. According to Ramban, Rabbenu Tam and Rav Hirsch Shimon and Levi were wrong.
DY &Takes, the leaders of the Peleg explicitly incite their followers. An analogous situation would if c”v someone who habitually agrees with DY would allegedly threaten someone. Clarence Brandenburg said much worse things but was cleared by SCOTUS (Brandenburg v. Ohio 395 U.S. 444 (1969)).
DY, how so?
AJ, at present the law in the US does not state that (in Israel it is different regarding terrorist posts). Social media sites are now totally immune for suits based on third-party posts with the exception of Federal criminal liability and intellectual property suits (Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996). Thus a suit against them by victims of terrorists (Cohen et. al vs. Facebook) was dismissed. This was the whole point of Sen Cruz’ essay. The law can be amended.
Sometimes Hashem does give a test that is to hard for reasons we do not know. On a lesser scale, failure can be positive as it directs a person away from where he should not go.
If it is in EY it is definitely permitted as it is a mitzva.
For what crime should they be implicated? If you mean “implement” it is a machloket between Rambam (Hilchot Melachim 9:14) and Ramban (Bereisheet 34:13 at the end).
It, the Gemara quotes him in several places (for example, Baba Batra 98b). Some say that Rabbi Akiva’s statement only applies to those who are kovea itim. Others say it only applies to those who consider them kodesh.
RY, no one says that free speech is absolute. That would lead to much greater problems than ruining a platform. Thus, for example, libel and slander are actionable, there is the “clear and present danger” rule, etc.
Yanky, which definition of rasha do we use? According to Rambam (Hilchot Teshuva 3:1) he is someone whose aveirot outweigh his mitzvot. According to the Mechaber (SA CM 34:2-3) he is someone who has knowingly violated any halacha and not done teshuva . The Baal haTanya (Likutei Amarim c. 11) has a more general definition that we cannot know: someone whose animal soul is more powerful than his divine soul. It would seem that many frum Jews at least fit the Mechaber’s definition: those who cheat on their taxes, run scams, say lashon hara for starters.
As for members of other movements and their leaders, the former are all tinokkot shenishbu. Even most of the leaders are in that category. I once heard a Conservative (if I remember correctly she was clergy) ask why it matters how many melachot one does with one action being that one can only be killed once. Apparently she never even heard of a chattat.
I agree. Rav Kook, in fact, says on this in one of his letters “אי-אפשר לצמצם”. Some wanted to ban ספר יחזקאל and שיר השירים. In Europe מורה נבוחים was burned and all of the Ramchal’s books were put in cherem. Many other of our books were censored.
The question regarding social media is whether or not they are public forums. Courts have already decided (see, for example, Davison v. Loudoun County Board of Supervisors et al, E.D. Va. 2017) that public officials may not block people from their accounts for writing comments they don’t like. The big question is whether the managements of the media outlets can. Of course, Congress might be able to step and compel them under the Interstate Commerce clause or be bludgeoned by loss of immunity for posts as Ted Cruz has stated (see his essay “Facebook has been censoring or suppressing conservative speech for years” ).
1, actually in The Communist Manifesto Marx also predicted that the state will wither away. Rambam, at the end of Mishna Torah says that about the time of Mashiach
ובאותו הזמן לא יהיה שם לא רעב ולא מלחמה ולא קנאה ותחרות שהטובה תהיה מושפעת הרבה וכל המעדנים מצויין כעפר ולא יהיה עסק כל העולם אלא לדעת את ה’ בלבד ולפיכך יהיו ישראל חכמים גדולים ויודעים דברים הסתומים וישיגו דעת בוראם כפי כח האדם שנאמר כי מלאה הארץ דעה את ה’ כמים לים מכסים
Thus it would seem that there will be no need for states except perhaps as cultural groupings. However, until that time there will need to be states. How extensive depends on the moral level of the world and individual nations as the Netziv says ( He’emek Devar on Devarim 17:14):
“ואמרת: אשימה עלי מלך” – אין הפירוש “אמירה” כמשמעו בפה, אלא כלשון (דברים יב כ): “ואמרת אוכלה בשר”וכדומה.
אכן, לפי לשון זה היה במשמע שאין זה מצווה במוחלט למנות מלך אלא רשות, כמו ‘ואמרת אוכלה בשר’; והרי ידוע בדברי חז”ל דמצווה למנות מלך! ואם כן, למה כתיב ‘ואמרת’?
ונראה, דמשום דהנהגת המדינה משתנה, אם מתנהג על פי דעת מלוכה או על פי דעת העם ונבחריהם, ויש מדינה שאינה יכולה לסבול דעת מלוכה, ויש מדינה שבלא מלך הרי היא כספינה בלי קברניט, ודבר זה אי אפשר לעשות על פי מצוות עשה, שהרי בעניין השייך להנהגת הכלל נוגע לסכנת נפשות שדוחה מצוות עשה, משום הכי לא אפשר לצוות בהחלט למנות מלך, כל זמן שלא עלה בהסכמת העם לסבול עול מלך, על פי שרואים מדינות אשר סביבותיהם מתנהגים בסדר יותר נכון, או אז מצוות עשה לסנהדרין למנות מלך
It, while some of the Hilltop Youth are indeed anarchists (and, in fact, they are dropouts from the religious educational system) some allegedly want to overthrow the government and substitute a “Torah” kingdom (although so far as I know they have not decided which of them will be the King).
Avram, respecting diversity includes respecting my right to object to a word, make fun of Jargon, etc.
NP, a custom against Chazal has no status. What if someone’s family custom were to drive to shul on Shabbat? In any case, as I wrote, there are other mitzvot involved and, IMHO, they push off some family chumra. If he wants to be a big machmir let him do a hattarat nedarim and then keep it b”n except in extenuating circumstances. Rav David (HaNazir) Cohen’s son Rav Shaar Yishuv did this regarding nezirut and then abandoned it at age sixteen.
Knaidlach,
1. What about someone who does not want to be called a Yid, either because he wants to leave knows that the word is often a pejorative, wants to Jargon to philologists or is a proud non-Ashkenazi?
2. See Pitchei Teshuva YD 116:10 that there is an opinion that someone who does not accept an observant Jew’s word that his food is kosher is a heretic as he opposes Chazal, who said that a single witness is believed regarding prohibitions. As for his kashrut not being up to “your standard”, what about one’s standard in ben adam l’chaveiro, avoiding mechzi k’yuheira, etc.?
RY, now you are posuling anarchists? Is there Open Anarchy and Ultra-Anarchy?
Icemelter, it didn’t happen. Not only that, it looks like Trump is going to ditch the PA. Meanwhile, his Press Secretary’s father is talking about buying a house in Efrat.
Joseph, then kal v’chomer, ben beno shel kal v’chomer we should add one for the success of the Israeli government. I appoint you to write it.
Catch, after expenses (malpractice insurance, secretary, equipment, office rental, etc.0 the doctor might make less than the trucker. I worked in the actuarial field and once the VP fr the Actuarial Division commented that the high point of his career was when he made as much as a LIRR conductor. IMHO, a person should do what does l’shem Shemayim. That is to say, he should feel that he is doing what Hashem wants him to do in order to better the world i n some fashion.
Yitzyk, just because a man is independently wealthy does not necessarily mean that he should learn in kollel. Not everyone is suited to learn all day. It could be that his avoda is public service of some kind.
As for the general topic, my understanding is that being that a person has no way of knowing what was decreed for him or how much personal effort he must make he must do all that he can. After the fact if it does not work out he can say that Hashem said “No”.
I have a friend who once said that he supported anarchism on condition that he be the Anarch. In any case, anarchism only seeks to eliminate the state. It does not necessarily eliminate other forms of authority. For example, anarcho-capitalists like Murray Rothbard think that insurance companies can do the job of protecting people from crime and volunteer militias from foreign invasions (of course, if there would be no states at all the latter would be irrelevant).
Singer said that the wives of all the Yiddish writers in Poland spoke to their families in Polish.
It,
1. IDK. in any case, a Jewish king is a constitutional monarch not an absolute monarch. He has checks and balances: the Sanhedrin, the nevi’im and the Bet haMikdash aristocracy. according to Radak (interestingly against Abarbanel) not only does one ignore a royal command contrary to a mitzva but the people have an obligation to rebel against a despotic king. In fact, according to the Yerushalmi (Horiot 3:2) the David was removed from office by the people.2. Who says that they are considered low ranking presidents because of that? For that matter, who says that they are considered low ranking presidents?
Abarbanel is an outlier? Apikorsut!