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Huju, Obama called our presence in the heart of our land occupation.
Prof, the Gemara does say that but we do not pasken it. In any case, according to the position of the gedolim you cited only secular Zionism would be apikorsut. The question is what they would think of frum Jews who prevented Israel’s establishment as a Torah state by not coming when they could.
Akuperma, if one holds that it is an aveira to establish a Jewish state in EY someone who supports Zionism because of various advantages is a mumar l’teiavon. According to your definition of apikorsut If you hold that it is a mitzva anti-Zionism is apikorsut. Of course, one could simply say that it is a legitimate machloket and neither are apikorsim.
Parodies of avoda zara are a mitzva.
Joseph, Rav Schach strongly opposed discrimination against the Eidot HaMizrach. What do you think he would have done if he were on the court?
AY, he who pays the piper gets to call the tune. You cannot take money on the one hand and insist on no conditions on the other hand. Of course, you can argue that some particular condition is unreasonable but the public has the general right to verify that it is getting the product for which it is paying. This is no different a potential wealthy donor inquiring into the policies of an institution he is asked to support. For example, it is highly doubtful that a Satmar chassid would donate to a school that has the prayer for the State of Israel in it’s tefilla, celebrates Yom HaAtzmaut, etc.
Wrong again (so far you are batting .000), Joseph. The electric company was originally a Zionist enterprise established by Pinchas Rutenberg. Phone service has indeed been privatized for decades but the infrastructure is provided through eminent domain. Trash colection ad stret lights are provided by municipalities, which receive a good part of their money from the Ministry of the Interior. In fact, Chareidi extremists increase the trash problems by starting fires – in their own neighborhoods – to protest something they do not like.
American Yerushalmi, the daat Torah is not of the gedolim but of the katanim who surround them like medieval courtiers. They control whom the gedolim see and what information they receive. One gadol (out of respect and I will not mention his name) even stated explicitly that he signs what “his rabbis” sign. The fact that he is not alone was proven by the banning of books in English by gedolim who do not know English and without interviewing the author. In some cases their have even been forgeries. Their is one tzedaka request that shows a picture of Rav Kanievsky purportedly learning from a sefer. A close examination shows in to be a New Testament (obvious a Photoshop job).
1. The money the US government is “giving” (how much is actually in the form of loan guarantees) is far less than what it would have to spend to maintain a sufficient presence in a Mid East without Israel. Moreover, the amount that Israel must spend in America is beinggradually raised until it is almost the full amount of the aid.
2. Chareidim who do not believe in the State should not take money from it.
3. What do you mean by “influence the policy”? Are there officials who insist on giving shiurim? As for welfare payments to Chareidim, the government has every right to insist that they undergo job training and register for placement according to their abilities. Obligations must be mutual. If the public has an obligation to help poor people (which it does)individuals have an obligation to do their best not to be a burden on the public (which they do). Thus the government has every right to send inspectors to check (without prior warning) if the number of learners registered is, in fact, the number who are actually learning. It also has the right, through the Chief Rabbinate, to insist on exams in order to verify that it is getting the product for which it pays.
A friend of mine who has diabetes said that she looked like he has felt after an attack. This would explain why she was fine not long after going to her daughter’s apartment – she received the food and rest she needed. If this is correct it would not disqualify her for the Presidency but lying about it is a symptom of a serious character flaw.
HaLeiVi, please cite your source. Science and Math are, in fact, necessary for learning Gemara. The sugya regarding the minimum shiur of a round sukka is a case in point.
As for studying Kabbala, Rav Ashlag differentiates between taamei mitzvot and practical Kabbala, which is only for those who have mastered Shas and poskim and reached a very high level of observance. However, in any case, that Zohar seems to say that one who is not ready will be prevented. When Rabbi Hiyya was a bachur he wanted to join Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Eliezer but a wall of fire surrounded their house. There are also stories about people falling asleep as soon as the shiur started and waking up as soon as it was over. Interestingly, the Maharshal was very upset when he heard that the Arizal, who was his grand-nephew, had begun to learn Kabbala. He wrote him a very harsh letter in which he threatened to put him in cherem. The Arizal wrote back very respectfully explaining why he had done so.
So far as I know the only English translation was put out by a known apikoros. Some say that the translation is correct but say that the page with the name of his organization should be removed. If you read Hebrew, there are reputable Hebrew translations as well as commentaries such as the “Sulam” and “Metok miDevash”.
Flatbusher, a judge is not supposed to represent the interests of a particular community. That is the job of politicians.
Joseph, Rav Yaakov Ariel said (and paskened for some l’maaseh)that it is a mitzva for a judge who knows how to go about bringing more Jewish law into Israeli law (and, in fact, many judges do cite Jewish law and some laws establish principles of Jewish law into civil law) to do so. Moreover, Israeli judges can refer litigants to mediation or arbitration (secular courts here are extremely congested and judges try to pass on cases as much as possible) and some have referred them to battei din. In the US this is more problematic because of the separation of religion and state although not impossible (both Earl Warren and Antonin Scalia cited Jewish sources in their opinions). As for a Jewish judge presiding over a civil court see “Serving as Judge in Secular Courts” (on-line). I heard of a case where a frum judge reprimanded two Chassidic groups for not taking their case to a din Torah.
The Tzitz Eliezer (9:50 – http://www.hebrewbooks.org/pdfpager.aspx?req=14508&st=&pgnum=208) citing the Terumat HaDeshen is meikal as today women commonly walk in the street. Similarly, the Levush (Likutei Minahgim 36) defends the practice in his time of mixed seating at weddings by saying that being that men and women do business together (already over 400 years ago) men do not consider being in the presence of women a big deal. In my experience, in the centers of cities it is not possible as a practical matter to completely refrain from walking behind a women.
Lilmod ulelamaid, I would add a caveat to your caveat. Many times whether or not something is permitted depends on custom and can vary from place to place, time to time or community to community. Tzeniut is an example. To cite two examples that have been discussed in the CR, in some communities it is unacceptable for women to drive and in others it is not. In some calling someone by his/her first name is considered closeness whereas in others it is not. One can also add the issue of wigs.
In some cases the copyright has expired. This varies from country to country. According to the opinion that the issur is only because of dina d’malchuta this apparently would also apply. Some poskim say that it is a derivative of hassagat gevul (@Yekke) and that the Halacha itself does give proprietary rights to intellectual property. There are a number of articles on-line about this issue.
Lilmod ulelamaid, how do you know? are you making an assumption based on your definition of “religious”? If so, that is very sad.
Learn “Messilat Yesharim”. First make sure that you keep the basic Halacha (zerizut and nekiut) then think about chumrot. Be especially careful about ben adam l’chavero and chillul Hashem (i.e. dealings with non-frum Jews, gentiles and the government). The fact that none of the above commenters has mentioned these matters is extremely disturbing.
It is empirically true that one can have several successful marriages (widow/er). The Zohar discusses zivug rishon and sheini (not necessarily in chronological order).
CTl, your answer is an enigma. If the marriages were successful then they were maintained for at least the life of one of the partners. Unless you mean that they were successful and getting a woman to agree, which I do not think is the subject of this thread.
Joseph, are you a PA troll?
I half agree with Ben Levi. What is important is not the actual age of world but why Chazal took the trouble to calculate it. For dating legal documents we could have stuck with the minyan hashetarot – which the Yemenites still use.
Joseph, it depends on what one means by “the world”. There is a midrash that says that Hashem created and destroyed worlds before this. The Torah also says that Adam’s body was created and only later did he receive a “living soul” (according to Onkelos the power of speech.In fact, according to archaeological evidence writing has only been in existence for a little over 5,000 years so perhaps 5,776 is from the time people were raised above the animals. this si the world as we know it.
As for Rav Eliashiv, with all due respect there are other poskim. Perhaps the “halacha” (I find it difficult to write that about a non-legal matter) is not like him.
Joseph, Rashi does not say that or even hint that. He says that it was not called the first day to show that there was only Hashem. In fact, it could not have been a day as we know it as the Sun was not created until the fourth day. Actually, the word “yom” can also mean “time period” (e.g. bayom hahu”). In English we also say things like “in those days”.
These are all not funny but cruel. They are a violation of “v’ahavta l’rei’eicha kemocha”, geneivat daat and onaat devarim for starters.
Lilmod ulelamaid, the question is whether or not the dog knows that.
lilmod ulelamaid, as soon as it barks you’re supposed to say
“???? ??? ????? ?? ???? ??? ????? ????? ??? ????”.
As a mater of fact, Menachem Begin and his family were adopted by a stray dog while he was hiding from the British. The dog barked whenever British soldiers or police were near the house.
Dov, if they do it right that will keep them very busy. Most of Orech Chaim and Even HaEzer. All of Choshen Mishpat and Yoreh Deah. Not to mention Mussar and Emuna so that it is not just an intellectual exercise.
Sparkly, she mentioned on another thread that she is married so she is a woman.
Rambam Hilchot Melachim
5:1
??? ???? ???? ???? ??? ????? ???? ??? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ????? ???? ????? ?????? ???? ????? ????? ??? ?? ??? ????? ???? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ???? ?????? ????? ?? ??? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ????? ??????? ??????? ?????:
7:4
???? ??????? ?? ??????? ?????? ?????? ?????? ?? ??????? ??????? ??? ????? ???? ??? ???????? ????? ?? ????? ?????? ?????? ????? ????? ??????? ?? ???? ?????? ????? ????? ?? ?????? ????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ????? ???? ??”? ???????? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ?????? ????? ??? ?????? ???? ??? ?????? ?????? ??? ????? ???? ??????:
Abba, if they are ignorant of secular subjects about the only jobs they can get is flipping burgers. If someone is not learning at a very high level where he has a Torah obligation to go into the IDF according to his physical abilities and intellectual talents (e.g. some people can go into Intelligence and learn computer technology while they are at it). Someone who is has an obligation to pass on his Torah. I would have these guys give shiurim to the solders. At the very least they should dedicate their learning to the success and well-being of the soldiers. Of course, it could be that they do not really believe that their learning has supernatural powers. This was evident during the first Gulf War when chutznikim stormed the airports for flights back to the Galut. It was proven again when missiles fell on the South and Chariedi (but not RZ) yeshivot relocated.
Abba,
1. On the contrary, they want to break the cycle of Chareidi poverty.
2. Unfortunately, Affirmative Action exists in government jobs. It is called “reparatory discrimination”. However, all discrimination is destructive. Why should someone who was never guilty of discrimination have to suffer? Moreover, the fact that there is a certain percentage is the population does not mean that they are the same percentage of qualified people. In fact, the Chareidi sector is less qualified because of the stubborn refusal to study secular subjects, especially Math, Science and Engish (needed in Hi-Tech). Unfortunately, the Chareidi “leadership” learned from the socialists that he way to keep people voting for the party is to keep them dependent.
Joseph, from your attitude we got Yushki (Gittin 90a and Iggeret Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai).
Abba,
1. There is a mitzva to join the IDF as I have posted many times.
2. Yesh Atid does not want to draft those who are really
learning. However, there are many guys who are registered but are just wasting time as they are not suited for full-time life-long learning. They should be drafted and later put in professional training programs. This will not only alleviate the tremendous cycle of poverty in the Chareidi sector but allow for real learners to receive decent stipends. Not to mention the fact that with the growth of the Chareidi sector as a percentage of the general population Israel cannot afford a blanket exemption from military service and work.
3. IMHO, the new erev rav are the post-Zionists and anti-Zionists of all stripes. They are doing exactly what the old ones did.
Comlink, the Chassidic movement started as a populist movement that told those who were marginalized because of their ignorance that they could be good Jews even if they were unlearned. Ironically it became highly stratified in a way that the yeshiva world had never been. For all its shortcomings (and it has many), OO, IMHO, is trying also trying to keep marginalized Jews from going completely OTD. However, like the Chassidic movement it needs an opposition to show it where it is going too far. Hopefully it will merit a leader who will realize this.
Abba, I do not have the exact citation right now but I believe that Chazal say that they were slaves from other nations who saw an opportunity to break free. Why should Egyptians who were disillusioned with paganism leave to join another religion and immediately try to undermine it?
Abba, the erev rav (please try and get this right – as I have previously posted the eruv rav is the rav hamachshir of the eruv) were a mixed group of slaves from various nations. The Messianic Jews are by and large people who were born Jewish and practice a hybrid of Judaism and Xtianity, much like the minim in Chazal’s time.
Comlink, the early Chassidim were guilty of many excesses. Sefer Yaakov Yosef denigrates talmidei chachamim in the most extreme language. One “rebbe” drank in public in the middle of Yom Kippur claiming that he saw through ruach hakodesh that the gates of Heaven had already closed. They ignored the zemanei tefilla. For these and other deviations the Gra put them in cherem. The Baal HaTanya and others after him brought back over the line. BTW, Rav Kook says that this is the function of opposition to new movements in general.
Miriam the Women’s Hair Stylist (a.k.a Mary Magdalene) went OTD because her husband was overly strict about this (Gittin 90a).
The footsteps are from all the walking to check the eruv.
Joseph, “much” obviously varies according to time, place and community. See the Levush in the likutim that even in his time women were involved in business dealings with men. Apparently Beruria also went out and about from time to time (Eruvin 53b).
Joseph, If the Americans and English are two peoples separated by a common language how much more so Yiddish speakers. When a Galitzianer says ‘Elokeini” a Litzvak thinks that he is saying “My Gd”. For that matter, Yiddish has many loan words from whatever is the local language. In fact, Ruchama Shain commented in “All for the Boss” that when she returned to NY form mir her relatives did not understand her son’s Polish Yiddish as they spoke American Yiddish.
Ben Levi, Ponevich has many Chassidic talmidim and even waives the no beards rule for Chassidic bachurim (Litvaks consider it haughty for a bachur to have a beard). Rav Schach was very much opposed to ethnic discrimination.
JF, there are many mixed minyanim. In fact, my weekday Shacharit minyan goes according whatever the Shatz davens. If there is a pinch hitter in the middle it switches.
Joseph, keli gever and keli isha are according to local custom. Tell me,do you use a mirror to shave, trim your beard or check if your head tefilin is positioned properly (Rav Chaim Brisker used a mirror for this and when told that the Divrei Chaim says that it is a shetut he replied that he would rather be a shoteh with tefillin than a Chassid without tefillin)?
Many of the Cantonists settled in Finland after they were discharged. There are also descendants of Jews form Nordic countries (Finland is not technically Nordic as the
Finns are a Turkic people)and Poland. Interestingly, Jewish soldiers in the Finnish army were given leave for Shabbatot and chagim. Today there are approximately 1,500 Jews in Finland.
There are actually two mitzvot. Talmud Torah and limud Torah. The former involves the inner workeings of Torah (sevarot, middot shehaTorah nidreshet bahen, etc.). The latter involves learning practical mitzvot including mussar and emuna. Women are exempt from the former but obligated in the latter (therefore they say birkat haTorah in the morning). Thus, for example,a woman would not have to learn Mishna Berura or Aruch HaShulchan but she would have to learn Chayei Adam or Kitzor Shulchan Aruch. Whether and what one should teach them in our time is a matter of discussion and different commuities have different approaches.
Crawley,
1. People from different backgrounds in general express themselves differently. In fact,no two people express themselves the same way.Thus no two nevi’im prophesied in the same style.
2. Today only Chasidic schools teach in Yiddish. Moreover, Yiddish also has different dialects which are not necessarily mutually intelligible. In fact, Rav Arye Levine zatzal re-tested a boy from a Hungarian background because he thought that maybe he did not understand his Lithuanian pronunciation. According to your line of reasoning there should be separate schools for each ethnic group.
3. Why can’t they teach both sets of minhagim? In fact, it would be good for kids to know this. It wouldenrich their knowledge of Judaism.
How else are they going to know what to do and not do?
MLK, we have already discussed the issue of shaking hands with women (which also applies in the business world). BTW, when Rebbetzin Jungreis met with Bush II he was told in advance not to extend his hand and there was no problem. For a candidate there would probably be elss than an issue becuaue he shakes so many hands that it’s most likely a nuisance for him.
As for anti-Semitism, that is a problem although today religion is not an issue, Nobody, for example, would consider asking a Catholic if he would let the Pope run the country as they asked JFK. There are Jews on every other level of government including SCOTUS (BTW, Stephen Wise opposed Felix Frankfurter’s nomination because of this issue and it did not pan out even though anti-Semitism was rampant in America at the time). Whatever one thinks of him Obama proved that there are no longer bars to minorities. Moreover, Jews have been advisors to Presidents from both parties with no repercussions (unlike when the new Deal weas called the “Jew Deal”). Of course, being the power behind the throne has certain advantages. How many people know that Ted Cruz’ senior adviser and deputy chief of staff for strategy is a frum Jew named Nick Muzin? Yet he certainly exerts a great deal of influence, possibly more than if he were in the limelight.
Bek, in what type of law are you interested? To get into Biglaw (advantage: huge pay disadvantage: high pressure to rack up billable hours) you will have to go to an Ivy League school. Even then you will have to be near the top of your class – and there are many legal geniuses in those schools. If you want to open you own firm it obviously does not matter but you will have to put in long hours at low pay in the beginning as in any other business. In any case, so far as I know CUNY law does not exact any contractual or moral obligation to go into public law. However, that seems to be the thrust of its program, which is very much tilted to the left (in fact, unlike other schools it does not have any prosecutorial or business clinics).
Miamilawyer, the problem is that sometimes the leaves are from another type of tree. Rav Kook says that that is the purpose of opposition to a new group. In fact “Mekor Baruch” quotes the Tzemach Tzedek as saying that the Chassidim owed a debt of gratitude to the Gra for pushing them back on the right side of the line. I will add though that Rav Kook says that the purpose of these groups is to show where the establishment is falling down on the job.
Miamilawyer, every development in Judaism was created and evolved to deal with the exigencies of the times. Rambam wrote the Guide to deal with the problem of perplexed students of Aristotelian philosophy. The Chassidic movement rose to keep the ignorant masses within the fold and when it wentto far the Mitnaggedic movement rose. This si why we are told to listen to the judges in our time. Dor, dor v’dorshav.
KJ, that was the position of the spies and the Erev Rav
Writer, Mea Shearim started as a settlement. At that time the Old City wall was the Green Line.
Writer, Rav Aviner says that he personally knows a psychologist who has had successes. Of course, as with every other issue it depends on how much the person wants to change.
There would be many halachic problems, starting with Shabbat. In Israel frum Jews have been on the Security Cabinet but here the overwhelming majority are Jews. There is also the problem of the election campaign as many events are scheduled on Shabbat and candidates are expected to partake of the locals’ food. There is also the danger of the Jews being scapegoated for failures. This happened when the Confederacy began to lose even though AG Judah P. Benjamin was totally assimilated and married a Catholic.
MLK, if the gentile records it for himself why should a Jew be prohibited from listening?
Bek, as for CUNY law being left-wing, that is true of most law schools although there are individual professors who are conservative or libertarian. CUNY law has a branch of the Federalist Society so apparently there are a significant number of conservative and libertarian students there. The big plus, of course, is the low cost, especially for NYC residents. If one is considering public-service law that is an even bigger consideration as the salaries are much lower (although with the exception of prosecutors’ offices the hours are more or less 9-5).