basket of radishes

Derech HaMelech. I believe that our Creator has indeed made the provisions in our society for science to flourish. I do not believe that Hashem wants us to not use these advances in our lives. I say this is my G-d given right becuase I am a human being living in this era that Hashem Created me to live in. So therefore, G-d gives me the right to live in today’s society and use todays media and scientific advances.

I dont doubt that there is a lot of unobserved evil and unrelized wickedness in our Jewish lives in all of our communities. I disagree that this is the reason for this terrible tragedy, but if this is on our minds this is our job to look at ourselves and find what is pleasing to our Creator and eliminate that which is wicked and heretical. The idea that we are living in too much of a materially glamorized world is a possiblity. I have never been to this particular community but I will tell you that I have known great men who drive toyotas and wicked men who drive Range Rovers. That said, it is not the way of our people to always look at our own as if we are the enemy. We are not.

But one thing I will say about this horrible tragedy… we must be observant of those in our communities and those who are Jews and try to get to know each and every Jew we come in contact with in our lives. It is not acceptable for a jew to live alone or to be without the support of others whether they be from the synagogue or the family or somewhere else. There is a true thing called mental health in all of our communities. If we are cohesive it may help improve our mental health. The idea that we shun the idea of seeing a mental health physician or that we must shun someone who does is wickedness and I can assure you that our Creator is very dissatisfied with our approach to those with mental health concerns in our communities. How many times have you heard the comment made that someone has a “meshuganah” outlook or that he is mentally unstabile? How many times have you heard snide remarkds about the yidden family that has a person who has a psychiatrist or has been in the hospital? This is a good concern and we should make our communities well aware that we do not tolerate or allow the sickness of mental incapacity or mental illness to go unchecked, undiagnosed and untreated. And yes, our communities need to start talking about this and making improvements in our perceptions and awareness of mental health problems. We are not immune no matter what our family is known for and what our standing is in our synagogues anc communities.

Change your bed sheets. That got me through 8 minutes!

Funny Masking tape,

I adopted that phrase from a Jewish Doctor who said it quite a bit and I guess it found its way into my vernacular. I must say it eases transitions and seems to work well.

Sorry, I don’t mean to indicate that that is the way of our people. I wish to indicate that there are people today who are forbidding the Jew in their community to use certain forms of media. I have also seen a number of articles in the last few years telling that we can not use the internet on VIN, YWN and Matzav. I am aware that many in the yeshiva education system are forbidden from having an internet connection and are forbidden from using this sort of Modern day computer internet connection.

I may see that there are certain groups, perhaps those in a very structured yeshiva who the teachers and leaders do not wish to be exposed to outside ideas while they are in their programs. For someone in a yeshiva, I believe that as illiberal as the idea of no computer is, it is within the rights of the yeshiva to enforce this but that our children should also have the right to use a computer if they so choose. It may make it that people will no longer pursue that particular yeshiva and that is the democratic process. But if it works for that sort of community, I am not going to be one to interfere.

But for me as a Jew to want to use the internet and other media, I feel that is my G-d given right. And sadly, it may make me someone on the outskirts of a religious community in some places, but that is my choice. I am well served as an American and Jew by having access to the online information.

Thanks.

they claim that it is assur to have a computer period. I have a friend who has to go to the public library to use the computer for even a simple thing such as learning to type.

I do not speculate very much as to whether there is or is not life in outerspace. But I know this, Hashem created this universe for the purpose of Creating Israel and bringing our people to the forefront of our day. That said I personally do not believe that our universe will ever be detroyed (Noah story) and that there is a possiblity that in the very very very distant future, man will take to the stars. Perhaps G-d has planted other life on the other planets for our own edification. But I do not expect that there is another planet of people who are created to serve our Creator in the way that our people exist today. I do not believe in a parallel universe where there might be another sentient people who know our Creator, though it is an interesting considering to speculate and wonder about.

That said, what you see here on Earth is what it is about.

The Jewish people have a mission and God created this universe to give us Torah.

Do you think that there is Torah in another part of universe? That is the interesting question. But I profess that I believe that we are it on this lonely crazy planet and that the other planets if they have a people they are only for the benefit of our Existence as we are the ones who have Torah.

Marijuana is very harmful and most certainly more so than tobacco and alcohol. Alcohol can be used in moderation. Marijuana is an illicit way that people “get high” and have hallucinogenic and delirium producing experiences.

That said, I do support this drug being used for Medical purposes only. I personally feel that the appetite inducing effects of THC are very beneficial for the end state cancer patient.

I personally am a strong advocate of the medical uses of this drug, but it must be at the hands of a trained physician.

I do believe that everything in creation has its purpose and that Hashem has given us this drug for a reason.

But that said, I disagree that it has a recreational use.

Also consider that there are many reports that Marijuana use has been linked to brain disorders such as schizophrenia.

Gavra, You know what Deuteronomy says. See Deut 28. It says anyone who does not obey any particular law will be Cursed. That is a fact. It will effect your life and your well being. But the halacha that is continuing to evolve may or may not be exactly the Laws of our Torah that we adhere to. So if someone say refuses to wear tzitzis in public, that is a curse on his life.

My life is better today becuase I obey the laws of Moses.

Illiberal thought processes are not orthodox. To be permissive or to be a pacifist is not orthodox either. Sadly people confuse permissivism and pacifism with liberalism. This is like comparing a picket fence to a grove of trees.

Truth is what out Creator will teach to us in our days.

I do not profess to know exactly the true way that our G-d wants us to conduct ourselves all of the time and I certainly do not believe that every rabbi has the ins and outs on the way of our Creator. If I believed the rabbis, I might not have a computer, I might not have gone to college, I might not have studied medicine, I might not have entered into philosophical debate becuase some rabbi had it all together for me in advance.

I am not against the leadership of our Torah leaders, but I strive to become a torah leader myself and know the true Derech of our people.

That’s the thing, midwesterner, show me how it is a Chillul Hashem to go see, say the Smurfs at the end of this month. Doesn’t anyone appreciate any of the cinematic media today? How is this against Torah. Truely a Rated R movie could be dicey. What of the PG movie? Do we not expose our lives to the content of the intelligent communities that write films? Do we ban books now? Perhaps I would be in error for reading Farenheight 451 for it is a secular book right? F451 is one of the best books I have read and got me as a guy who was not reading the bible to pick up the book of Ecclesiastes. So how is this secular world bad? It all ties in to G-ds plan.

It may or may not be a deterrent to many of the death seeking murderers. But I for one rest much better when a horrible murderer is taken out of this world. Of course they have no life after they commit the act of murder. They will not have eternal life and they are best to be destroyed as soon as it can legally be done. This is why I personally felt that the Universe took a breath of fresh air after say Saddam Hussein was put to the gallows. This is a very righteous thing for the world to do in all of the cases of known murderers and by removing them from the world of the living they will never have any breath or association with life any time ever again. So the universe is healed and the rifts that are created begin to collapse. This is a very important thing. I am a very staunch liberal and I am very much for the Death Penalty at least in any case where it is unequivocal that the murder was committed by the said murderer.

I feel that this is the way that Our G-d wants us to conduct our business on earth. May the time of their final moment be soon and swift with the true legal process done appropriately.

If I was a moderator, which I will certainly not be doing (please!), I would add a feature for people to tag their “favorite” comments so that we could see how relevant any particular post may be on here. Might make this more competitive and fun.

If you wear an item for a season and wish to return it, I personally believe that it would not be halachiacly righteous to return this item for another one. But that said, if you are destitute and that is the stores policy, consider it a source of charity from big business. But of course, one must of course consult their own soul on all of these simple and needless agonizing decisions. That said, I personally would not return an item that I have used more than a few standard times. But of course, you never know what your needs are. These return policies are well thought out and it is not against the Law of our People to use the standard methods of return policies by established operations. This goes without saying.

I wouldnt trust ANY drug that is not prescribed by your Physician for any condition such as “weight loss”. I am a physician and know no treatments that are orthodox for this other than true medical advice, diet, exercise and in extreme cases, surgery.

Please END your confusion. The movement against the Death Penalty is NOT A LIBERAL MOVEMENT. It is a PACIFIST movement. This is like comparing Trees to Picket Fences.

Michelle Bachmann is a round 2 of Mussolini. She is really not among the righteous in my eyes and I sense she will really screw the office of the Presidency up totally if she is ever elected. But a liberal minded America has no interest in a neo-fascist radical pluralistic death walking woman.

There are many forms of charity and giving when you want to give is always a blessing. But that said, those who want to be memorialized in some manner and usually this is the custom such as if you gave to a hospital or other institution etc, you might find that your name is inscribed somewhere depending on your level of tzedakah. That is not a sin and it is not a foolish thing either. The names of the righteous are worthy of being inscribed. But if your intent is to acheive what is considered the truest form of charity and not be recognized, that is your perogative of course. And in some cases, it would perhaps be a chillul hashem to allow your name to be published. So therefore you give anonymously. But that said, it is an honor to be recognized and we should very much honor our contributors. So give where you can and be honored when it is time.

I assume this is when the Torah is held up after the reading? I don’t konw the term ‘Hagboh’, but I think I read that once on here. To kiss your pink indicates that you are smaller than Torah but that you love your own soul just as well. But that said, we usually lift our tzitzis in the air and then kiss the tzitzi afterwards. This indicates that we love our heritage.