Avi K

Ubitiquin,

1. The point is that socialism destroys medical care just as it destroys everything else. In every country (including Israel) that junked it the economy soared. Just to give one example here, when the phone company was part of the Ministry of Communications it literally took years to get a line. Privatization knocked it down to a couple of weeks and in the main cities even less.

2. The Torah definitely does support capitalism, that is to say, private ownership of the means of production (thus workers’ cooperatives are also a form of capitalism). The ideal of the messianic age is
…וְכִתְּתוּ חַרְבֹתֵיהֶם לְאִתִּים וַחֲנִיתֹתֵיהֶם לְמַזְמֵרוֹת לֹא יִשְׂאוּ גּוֹי אֶל גּוֹי חֶרֶב וְלֹא יִלְמְדוּן עוֹד מִלְחָמָה. וְיָשְׁבוּ אִישׁ תַּחַת גַּפְנוֹ וְתַחַת תְּאֵנָתוֹ וְאֵין מַחֲרִיד כִּי פִי ה’ צְבָאוֹת דִּבֵּר (Micha 4,3-4).
In fact, according to Halacha (unlike, lehavdil, secular law) an employee may waive rights that accrue to him by force of custom. The government in enjoined not to overtax (Nehemia 5:15, Midrash HaGadol Shemot 21 Introduction to parasha, Ple Yoetz “tikkun”, Rav S.R. Hirsch “Horev” 95:604). Some poskim have even ruled that rent control is not binding as dina d’malchuta as it is robbery of property owners enacted by people influenced by communism and socialism (Responsa Havetzelet HaSharon 2 CM 8 d”h v’nira d’harav miTarana and Responsa Maharshag 3, 125). Even those halachot that protect employees can be seen as property protections – the employee has a proprietary interest in his job.

There was a certain wealthy businessman in Brisk who gave the seudat mafseket for the poor every erev Yom Kippur. One year they could not find him and turned to Rav Chaim. He looked around and saw the man in the bet midrash learning. “What are you doing here?” “Money is hevel havelim. I am going to just learn from now on.” “Get out and go back to your business. The poor people are depending on you.”

Avram, who says that the general welfare would be promoted by socialized medicine. In fact, socialism has always turned gold into lead. In countries where this exists people clog up ERs and clinics with imaginary or minor illnesses just to talk to someone or simply because it is free.

Joseph, what about civil society? What about encouraging people to work?
A person who gets something “free” (someone has to pay) or (better) at a price in accordance with his income has no claim on luxury housing. He should live in a mini-house or apartment with only basic appliances. On settlements many people live in mobile home camps or small apartments built as rentals by homeowners.

MA, using the word “Yid” (“Jew” in Jargon, a.k.a. pidgin German) is not only Sephardi-bashing but mimicking Archie Bunker, who also called us that. Let the dead non-language rest in pieces (there is Polish Jargon, Hungarian Jargon, etc.)

Unfortunately, some people think that they are still in Poland. The fact of the matter is that many Jews did get religiously but not civilly married there as the law severely restricted the right of Jews to marry. However, to get benefits to which one is not really entitled is at best, as we say in Israel, כשר אבל מסריח. At worst it is illegal. A few decades back a couple realized that their combIned tax liability as two singles was substantially less than their liability as a couple so they divorced but continued to live together. The IRS disallowed their trick. In states that recognize common-law marriage it is definitely theft.

What really irks me is comparisons to other groups and Donald Trump. Should Jews be emulating their deficiencies? It also amazes me that the same people who are in an uproar over the peccadilloes of the Kushners, which may even be permitted in their situation, make all kinds of excuses for the alleged severe Torah prohibitions (and even worse but if I mention them this post will not pass moderation –
המבין יביו).

Once Rav Yaakov Kmainetzky was asked how it happened that the children of a lamdan all went OTD but the children of a simple Jew stayed observant. He answered that the former cheated in business whereas the latter was scrupulously honest. Their children took note. On this see Be’er HaGolah CM 388:11. BTW, some Jewish communities in Europe kept lists of cheats, those who did not repay loans , etc. and gave them to the authorities and individual gentiles (Jewish Law Annual v. 9 p. 72) in order to prevent them from bringing the community into disrepute.

Eliezer, I am willing to judge them favorably and assume that they get hand-me-downs from rich people who change their clothes every few months and have rich relatives who foot the bills for their vacations (I personally have friends whose lifestyles are more than what their incomes – from work – would allow because they have parents who would rather see them enjoy the money than leave it to them after they are gone). However, people should not be ostentatious even if they can afford it. Rambam says in Hilchot Deot that a talmid chacham wears average clothes, not expensive and not cheap. The Chatam Sofer adds that ostentatious living in Chutz laAretz arouses the jealousy of the gentiles (if I may I will add that in EY it is a kiddush Hashem as they want to learn from us).

Health, so cut down on the number of kollel guys to a few outstanding learners. The rest should get jobs. Ner Yisrael has a deal with Johns Hopkins to give a recognized BA in Talmudic Literature which can be used towards an MBA or law degree. The Aguda runs courses in Brooklyn for professions that do not necessarily require a degree. Why can’t they do that in Lakewood? Do they believe that poverty is a virtue (se Nedarim 64b)?

Yitz, Chazal say (Shabbat 135b) that an eight-month baby is considered dead and it is prohibited to violate Shabbat for it. The Chazon Ish (Yoreh Deah 155:4), Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Shemirat Shabbat k’Hilchata , I:35:24) and Rav Wosner ((Yoreh Deah 155:4)Shevet HaLevi 3:141 and 8:89:7) say that today that is no longer true. Do you consider them Reform c”v? I suggest very strongly that you be very careful about what you write (see Pirkei Avot 1:1).

Joseph, mishpat hamelech can be at whatever standard the authorities deem proper. See Ran in Derasha 11 regarding the obvious practical reasons. The philosophical reason, as I understand it, is that the bet din’s job is to enable the criminal to atone whereas the secular authorities’ job is to maintain public order.

There is no justification for stealing! There should not only be glatt kosher but glatt yosher!

What about Haredi violence both in Yerushalayim and Ramat Bet Shemesh? As for the videos, what happened before they begon?

Health, are you serious? They were raking in millions through straw owners of businesses.

DY, in debt? They made a million but spent $2 million? I wouldn’t be surprised if money laundering and tax evasion charges are added because of the money funneled from the businesses.

Akuperma some yeshivot (including those in Israel for English-speakers) offer recognized BAs in Talmudic Literature. I now a rav who has a nephew who got into law school with one plus, of course, a high grade on the LSAT.

DY, what about her connections with her teachers?

Ubiquitin, a boy who was interested in a shidduch with Rav Yisrael Salanter’s granddaughter sent him some chiddushei Torah in an attempt to impress him. RYS said to his associates “He is an ilui. now find out if he is a mentsch”.

Did I miss a second coming?

Yitz,

1. Duh. Margarine and vegetable oils have trans fats. Some have more, some have less.

2. Experts have said that these pictures help greatly. Litzman said that they will “disfigure” the state. I guess smoke does not.

3. Actually he was rated the most liked cabinet member. If Shelly Yachimovich would praise my performance (if I would be an MK), as she praised Litzman’s, I would demand a retraction and lifting of parliamentary immunity so that I could sue for defamation.

Yitz,
1. Google “JERUSALEM KUGEL” and look at the nutritional info.
2. Cigarettes are much more dangerous and affect others. Moreover his reason is foolish. Who cares about the aesthetics of cigarette packs?

Joseph, see Hasagat Gevul: Economic Competition in Jewish Law by Rabbi Chaim Jachter.

DY, it was a Freudian slip. נברק means “polished” or “sent urgently”.

Ubiquitin, if one needs to eat it for pikuach nefesh it is indeed allowed. However, the accusations against the Kushners involve d’rabbanas or even just oovda d’chol for which there is more room for a rav. On the other hand, LH involves many violations of Torah mitzvot as well as curses. MSR is, of course, much worse.

Joseph, the Maharal (Chiddushei Aggadot Baba Batra 110a) says to check her mother’s brothers. However, Rav Moshe and Rav Yaakvo Kaminetzky ruled decades ago that that does not hold true today as girls get most of their education in school.

CTl, so in Hartford they are Yankees fans and in E. Hartford they are Red Sox fans? What if someone lives on a houseboat? LOL

Joseph, see מגמת האדם on the website of the Betel yeshiva regarding
בשבילי נברק אדם.

Regarding extradition, if we want other countries to extradite criminals to Israel we will have to extradite them to other countries. It should be noted that every extradition treaty provides:
1. There must be a solid prima facie case that the accused committed an act which is a crime in Israel.
2. He may not be subject to the death penalty.
3. If he was a legal resident of Israel at the time he committed the crime he has the right to serve his sentence in Israel.

Mammela, tzedakt mimeni. Sorry, Wolf.

CTl, I would have thought that as a New Englander you would be a Red Sox fan.

CTL, what about weasel words (e.g. “effective”, “constructive”) or the famous, non-existent “reasonable man”. In fact, George C. Christie wrote an article in the Duke U Law Review titled Vagueness and Legal Language and Timothy A. O. Endicott wrote a book called Vagueness in Law that argue that vagueness is the Law’s stock in trade.
What about saying that nobody goes to a certain restaurant because it is too crowded? LOL (BTW, for what it is worth Yogi passed away on Yom Kippur night).

R4, I do not know that people go to other countries just to get divorced. Of course, if an Israeli couple lives abroad they can divorce according the laws of the country. For this reason, some rabbis reportedly look for witnesses who are not halachically qualified when marrying non-observant couples.

ZD, the problem is if they have a halachic to please their parents and then a civil divorce. BTW, there is civil divorce in Israel for couples from different religious communities or other couples who married abroad but whose marriages are not recognized by any religious community (e.g. toeva couples).

Golfer, YW. Howevere, the Geula actually comes in stages (Yerushalmi Berachot 1:1). Since 5708 we have been in the Geula mode. Now Israel is an major economic player and if Netanyahu makes good on his plans for further deregulation it will become a world powerhouse. We are also nearing the point where a majority of the Jewish people will live here. This means major changes both on the spiritual and halachic levels.