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Neville,
1. Good riddance to Yiddish! It is no more than an a dialect of Alemannic German. In fact, I have a friend whose wife is from Switzerland. She said that she can understand Yiddish if the person speaks slowly.
2. Not all Ashkenazic names are worth keeping. If someone could not pay a high enough bribe he received a derogatory name. For example, “Krumbein” means “Cramp”. Some names were nice in their original places but not in new places. For example, “Fink” is often a name of levi’im because it means “finch”. As the finch is a songbird it came to mean I squealer in English.
3. Actually, the Jewish settlement was found by Sephardim. Observant Ashkenazim who came here also adopted many of their customs, especially beingthat in many cases the Gra and Chassidic leaders agreed with the Bet Yosef against the Rema. For example, not wearing tefillin during Chol HaMoed and ducahaning every day (at least outside the Galil – there for some reason they only duchan on Shabbat Musaf).
4. I try to love all of Hashem’s creations and especially Jews.
It is fairly obvious if the person is drunk/homeless. Do not do anything yourself unless you are a qualified to give medical aid. You can make matters worse. Even if you are not actually at fault you could set yourself up for a major lawsuit. Call the local emergency number (in the US 911, in Israel 100).
No one outside the Chareidi and Chiloni extreme Left is against the state. People are are against the government, people are against the present make-up of the Supreme Court, but no one wants the state dismantled. This is a critical difference. Louis XIV notwithstanding the state is not the government or even the constitutional framework. The Wikipedia defines “state” as “a type of polity that is an organized political community living under a single system of government”. Thestate, like a corporation, continues while governments and constitutions come and go. France, for example, is now on its fifth constitution and has been a monarchy. However, no one says that it is a different state.
Lightbrite, if Hashem does not have a body how can He feel chilly?
In Chul they are much more likely to go OTD. Even c”v marry out.
Often the choice is not between good and bad but between bad and worse. Tillerson might be able to calm down relations between the US and Russia. Apparently Bolton is going to be Deputy Secretary. According to the State Dept. website the Deputy “serves as Acting Secretary of State in the Secretary’s absence; and assists the Secretary in the formulation and conduct of U.S. foreign policy and in giving general supervision and direction to all elements of the Department. Specific duties and supervisory responsibilities have varied over time.” If Tillerson defers to him on professional matters (and as a good exec he must be able to do this) things could work out well iy”H.
Rav Moshe says it is permitted to take public transportation if necessary (Iggerot Moshe, Even HaEzer, 2:14). All of these far-out chumrot are gezerot that almost none of the public can keep. The result of pushing them will be a light attitude towards real halachot. This, in fact, is happening in Israel with the craze to find a way for everything to be under the prohibition of kitniyot during Pesach. Next they wil claim that an Ashkenazi can’t talk to a Sephardi because he might have kitniyot on his breathe.
I would think that any Jew would refer to any soldier who saved him as his hero. Moreover, American exceptionalism is an empiric fact. America is a nation of nations. In many ways it has been the Am Yisrael of the gentiles (e.g. seeking tikkun olam). IMHO, an America based on traditional American values would be the perfect partner for an Israel based on traditional Jewish values. It is for this reason that I share the view of David Brog and Yoram Hazony, as expressed on-line in “The Nationalist Spirit of 2016: A Conservative Spring?” that the rise of nationalism is good for the Jews.
In any case, I must agree with Joseph (difficult as it is for me to type these words – LOL) regarding hakarat hatov. A book, “At Home in Two Countries: The Past and Future of Dual Citizenship” by Peter J. Spiro, has even been published attesting to the benefits of dual identification (full disclosure: I have only read the review and I unfortunately do not receive a commission for mentioning it).
YW, Lilmod.
Joseph, the Sate of Israel’s murder rate includes terrorist murders (bli ayin hara attacks in the last couple of years have been almost completely unsuccessful) – and also “family honor” crimes. Civilian war deaths have also been, ba”h, negligible. In fact, baruch Hashem, the rain of scud missiles in the first Gulf War resulted in only two deaths – one heart attack from fear and an asphyxiation death due to not putting on a gas mask properly.
My question is why are you motzi dibbat haAretz? Are you wracked by guilt over not making aliya or are have you been elected President of the Association of Erev Ravniks and Spies?
Time, who says that Homo Sapiens wiped out the Neanderthals and Denisons? Scientists postulate that they were wiped out by climate change, some other catastrophe or were assimilated into humans (in fact, Neanderthal DNA has been found in modern people).
Joseph, I checked and the crime rate in Lakewood is times higher than in Israel. The murder rate is three times that of Israel.
I believe in Hashem and have seen his hashgacha in my life. It follows that I must keep my obligations to Him.
Lightbrite, once a bachur was attacked by an anti-Semite who was wielding a knife. He immediately made a beracha “vetzianu al kiddush Hashem’. The assailant was so impressed he put away the knife. The bachur pointed to his chest and said “Umm! Umm!”.
Lilmod, once wjhen I hitchhiked (in Yehuda v’Shomron it is widespread and one can usually even tell the driver’s destination by a windshield sticker) and was asked to pay for the ride with a devar Torah. I told the driver that I heard from one of his talmidim that Rav Gustman prohibited listening to tapes of shiurim while driving as oine could be distracted. The driver went into a long pilpul about why he thoughtt hat it is permitted.
Lilmod,
1. I wrote that it is a machloket. I do not remember where but see Shoftim ch. 11 that Sichon acquired part of Ammon by conquest and that this acquisition gave him legal ownership. Thus, Israel was not violating the commandment not to take land from Ammon when it took this area.
2. My point is that states have rights that individuals do not have. An individual may not imprison someone to prevent crime and certainly may not kill someone for that purpose.
Lilmod, the libertarians notwithstanding, it is clear that states may do what individual may not do. A state may imprison or even execute people. Individuals may not. In any case, the discussion is to whom America belongs at least b’diavad.
We are allowed to start a war in order to widen EY. However, such a war needs the approval of a navi and the Sanhedrin.
Lilmod, it is in their commentaries to commentary on Pirkei Avot ch. 3. BTW Comlink, ???? us feminine so it is ??? ?????? (sheiva chochmot).
Lilmod, you are correct. As they did not have the concept of private ownership of land but only the usufruct the Indians thought that they were ripping off the Europeans by selling land that was not theirs. In any case, I recall a machloket in the Gemara regarding whether or not a gentile king may take another’s land but all agree that if he does he acquires it. This was Yiftach’s rebuttal to the King of Ammon.
Is it all right to keep and arm bears?
Joseph, there are separate statistics by race and gender. While it varies from state to state the overall white life expectancy in the US is 79.12 You can google “LIFE EXPECTANCY WHITE AMERICAN”. Israel is number 6 in the world (there are ties for 4 and 5) at 82.5. The annual World Happiness Report published by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) ranked Israel as the 11th happiest country in the world for a third year in a row. The US is number 13.
Math, Physics, Astronomy, Logic, Musicology, Measurement and Medicine.
Health, who is the average frum person?
Lilmod, it depends. The Yerushalmi (Hoiriot 1:1) ays not to listen if they tell you that right is left and left is right. The Chafetz Chaim and the Be’er Sheva say that it is talking about a case where one is certain. In any case, where there are many gedolim and certainly today when some are controlled by courtiers (askanim) it is not so simple.
Health, so are all of the gedolim you have previously mentioned. I will, however, mention a few who are still alive (ad 120). Rav Dov Lior, Rav Nahum Rabinowitz, Rav Shmuel Eliahu. If you want opinion of a Chareidi gadoil see Mishne Halachot 15:213.
AY,
1. I dispute your claim about the majority of the gedolim. In any case, gedolim are not Hashem and can err. They erred when they told Jews not ot leave Europe.
2. Actually the killer was Avraham Tehomi. However, he was (so he claimed) sent by Ben-Zvi/
3. Chaim Weizman had already reached an agreement with Abdulla’s father Faisal in which the latter enthusiastically supported the idea of a Jewish state.
Lilmod, a woman once told me that she was walking alone late at night in Yerushalayim when she realized that a man was walking behind her. She quickened her pace and he quickened his. He then passed her, turned around, wagged his finger at her and said “You’re not in America!” Of course, You can see a statistical comparison on-line ( Country vs country: Israel and United States compared: Crime stats) – and keep in mind that the Israeli crime rate includes “family honor” killings.
1. Actually Rambam (Hilchot Gerushin 2:20) says that beating him gets rid of his yetzer hara. However, Rambam lived in a time when the Jewish communities had internal autonomy and the bet din was the officially recognized. Outside of Israel, where the Chief Rabbinate courts handle marriage and divorce for Jews(and have various means of persuasion at their disposal, including imprisonment, but not corporal punishment), there is no longer an official bet din (bet din kavua). Certainly, three rabbis who hang out a shingle, do not constitute a bet din kavua.
2. In the US no one has a halachic obligation to recognize this or that bet din. In fact, I heard that there are several people in Monsey who were put in cherem by one community but receive all honors in their own shuls.
3. There is no mitzva to have a person beaten in order to extract a get from him. It is an option that a bet din kavua has. Thus doing it is a chillul Hashem. This is similar to returning a lost object to a gentile where it is expected that people will return lost objects.
4. Applying social pressure probably does not constitute force as he can choose to ignore it. The same goes for informing his employer. However, the bet din or other organization should be careful to run afoul of the libel and slander laws.
5. Once someone in Posen became a Reformer so Rabbi Akiva Eiger, upon the wife’s request, ordered him to give a get. He refused so RAE read him the first mishna in Kiddushin regarding how a married woman becomes single. The guy laughed, walked out of the office and fell down the stairs.
Health, not naming them is suspicious. I very have a good laugh when in Geuula or Mea Shearim when I see paskevilim signed “The Rabbanim Shelita”. However, you may be an exception. ??? ?? ?? ????
There are three opinions on Thanksgiving. Rav Hutner says that it is avoda zara, Rav Soloveichik celebrated it himself and Rav Moshe says that it is a foolishness but not prohibited. Eating turkey (in general) is another machloket.
Zahavasdad, people generally are inured to dangers to which they are used. When I first came to Israel and told people from France that I was from the Bronx they asked how I could live in such a dangerous place. For that matter, when the first Gulf War broke the chevruta of a friend of mine received a hysterical phone call from his mother. After she calmed down she told him in a matter-of-fact manner that his brother had been robbed at gunpoint.
Abba, actually I heard on the radio an interview with a firefighter who said that the water is combined with other materials. I think the main problems are that it is very dry and there has been a very strong east wind. In fact, I heard that tehre were also large fires in Syria and Jordan.
Health, you are correct. It is completely prohibited for you as you would destroy morale. Unless, of course, you became a secret agent in a terrorist group.
Health, did you ever hear of Djemal Pasha? How about the Damascus blood libel (when it was part of the Ottoman Empire)?
Yehudayona, he is a member of the armchair club along with generals who never served in any army and maybe don’t even know what end the bullet comes out, economists who never even took Eco 1, poskim who don’t know on which side of the Gemara is Rashi’s commentary and on which side is Tosafot’s, etc.
MW, I take it that anyone who does less than you is Reform and anyone who does more is a fanatic.
Health,
1. Do you really want us to be under Erdogan? Or are you suggesting a turkey for PM? Perhaps you are simply in the Thanksgiving spirit.
2. I want him to come sooner which is why I say “reidheet tzemichat geulateinu”.
Until it becomes common it might be a problem of marit ayin. However, I do not see the difference between a tefilla app and a siddur. In fact, the former has an advantage as that portions such as “yaaleh v’yavo” come up on the proper days so that it is more difficult to forget. In addition, shul siddurim are often worn out and even have pages missing. I did read an article by someone who lies the smell of old siddurim but I suppose that a smell app can be added.
Health, you are correct. So stop writing anti-Israel diatribes. Anti-Semites might be reading the CR. This is not at all far-fetched. A goy I knew in NY threw out to me that the Satmars are anti-Israel and even called them the Sages of the Torah.
Rav Meir Simcha said that if Jews think that Berlin is their Jerusalem the goyim will inform them that it is not. The same goes for Williamsburg, Boro Park, Teaneck, Monsey, etc.
Zahavasdad, even if you make income outside the US and live outside the US you must report (assuming that you make more than the minimum that requires reporting) although there is a very high deduction for earned income and tax treaties with some countries (Israel is one of them) provide for protection against double taxation. Whether or not you live in the US there are reporting requirements for financial accounts if the total in foreign accounts is at least $10K. The Republicans have called for repealing both. BTW, these requirements also apply to green card holders.
On the other hand, there are advantages to ex-pats who give their children US citizenship as child care aid and scholarships are available, sometimes even if they are studying abroad. In addition, if someone renounces his citizenship he will not be able to receive Social Security benefits while living abroad.
For practical advice ask your local tax consultant or accountant.
Just out of curiosity, is Internet usage legal in Kiryat Joel?
KJ,
1. According to both Rav Kook and Rav Soloveichik there are two aspects to are Israeliteness (I am deliberately not using “nationhood” as Rav Saadia Gaon did not write in English but in Arabic and as I do not know Arabic I cannot comment on the translation). There is the religious aspect (Berit Chorev, which is dependent on choice) and the national aspect (the Berit ben haBeitarim, which is not dependant on choice).
2. Why should Sereni have been embarassed? Rav Meir Simcha says that if a Jew thinks that Berlin (or Washington Hts. or Boro Park) is his Jerusalem the other nations will inform him that it is not.
3. Do you omit the beracha asking Hashem to bring us back to EY?
Yehudayona, if Jews will not be in his administration anti-Semites will say that Jews don’t want to be part of the country. We have to stop worrying about what anti-Semites will say and do what Hashem wants us to do – be a light unto the nations.
Lightbrite, FYI. the Germans first identified as Saxons, Bavarians,etc. Even now Germany is a federal country like the US. The rest of your rant is sheer hysteria. Trump said what he wants to do? So does every other politician. Whom does he want to kill? No one. Meanwhile, the Democrats have been more or less taken over by the BDS and Black Lives mMatter anti-Semites.
Actually the Gemara mentions three separate Yeshus.
1. A certain Yeshu ben Pandera (Sanhedrin 67a and Avoda Zara 17a) was the son of Mary Magdalene (Miriam Magdalei Neshaya – Miriam the Women’s Hairstylist). He is apparently the source of the nickname Yushka Pundrick. As she was the wife of Pappus ben Yehuda (Gittin 90a) this Yeshu must have lived around the time of the Bar Kochba rebellion (see Berachot 61b) – a century after Pilate.
2. There was also a Yeshu haNotzri who was a talmid of Yehoshua ben Perachia and fled with him when Yannai was slaughtering the chachamim (Sanhedrin 107b). This was over a century before Pilate.
As for maintaining good relations with your family you might want to read “After the Return” by Rabbi Mordechai Becher (full disclosure: I did not read the book so I cannot comment on its content).
3. Yaakov the Heretic quoted Yeshu to Rabbi Eliezer (Avodah Zarah, 16b-17a). As Rabbi Eleizer lived around the time of the Churban this Yeshu could have lived during the time of Pilate assuming that Yaakov the Heretic was already an elderly man when he quoted him.
Regarding the origin of Xmas you can hear a shiur on the subject by Rabbi Lawrence Kelemen on-line.
I heard of a case where a rosh yeshiva was given a heter as his elderly shut-in father was living with him.
Joseph, what about hakarat tov, kiddush Hashem and avoiding chillul hashem? In fact, Rav Yaakov Ariel was asked about aveilut by the son of a gentile father and Jewish mother. The father agreed to bring him up as a Jew and even took him to Torah lessons. Rav Ariel ruled that the son should express his sorrow by doing keria and should say Kaddish as his father certainly merited a place in Olam HaBa.