gregaaron

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Viewing 50 posts - 1 through 50 (of 185 total)
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  • in reply to: Getting the other to say no #972062
    gregaaron
    Member

    Not a good idea.

    ???? ???? ??? ??? – no matter what people may want/think, stories (and reputations) get around.

    in reply to: Racism and Chinuch: What do we teach our children about diversity? #929170
    gregaaron
    Member

    @zahavasdad:

    Yup, it greatly helped – for about 40 years.

    Then, the country’s collective mindset became that to be Republican is racist, to believe in 7 Mitzvos of B’nai Noach is bigoted, and religious freedom is ironically titled.

    in reply to: Poor Tim Tebow #932003
    gregaaron
    Member

    @apushatayid

    Normally I’d agree with you, but funny things happen on the Jets sideline.

    in reply to: WAKE UP!! Our Yeshivas & Schools Are Open To The Public!! #913731
    gregaaron
    Member

    Typical gut overreaction.

    First of all, as many commenters pointed out, the gunman blasted his way in; having been in a Yeshiva where there is a security guard, I can tell you there’s no way he would’ve been stopped (especially considering the intelligence and physical state of many of the security guards that are out there).

    Secondly, he was a teacher in the school’s son. Even had he been asked to shown ID, would he not have been allowed in?

    Sorry, but Sheep w/o Spleen is right – better to use the money to bring the salaries of the Rebbeim and teachers somewhat in line with what they deserve than to blow it on useless and pointless “security” that exists only to make gullible people feel good.

    in reply to: Shocking Study of Modern Orthodox OTD Rate #941447
    gregaaron
    Member

    There are people saying that someone with a jewish father may not be Jewish. WHAT?

    You lost a lot of credibility with that statement. Being Jewish is not a “feel-good” thing. A person from a Jewish father and a non-Jewish mother is not Jewish, no matter how (s)he may feel about it. Such a person, who cares about following the Mitzvos and would like to convert, would be welcomed with open arms. But Halacha is non-negotiable, no matter how politically incorrect it may be.

    in reply to: shaving during Chol Hamoed #898845
    gregaaron
    Member

    @shtiky shlob –

    You serious?

    in reply to: shaving during Chol Hamoed #898841
    gregaaron
    Member

    you should find time to consider why calling someone slob because he is following Halacha would be offensive to those follow Halacha.

    Actually, it seems that the majority of us here – who are following the Halacha – agree with him.

    And anyway, there’s a difference between saying someone looks like a slob (which the OP correctly did) and saying that someone is a slob.

    in reply to: NYC Board of Health Votes to Regulate Bris Milah #1096398
    gregaaron
    Member

    But as of right now, the AAP’s study stands as current medical practice.

    Again, the fact that a paper was published does not make it “current medical practice”. Medical and professional literature is full of papers advocating conflicting and contradictory viewpoints.

    in reply to: NYC Board of Health Votes to Regulate Bris Milah #1096395
    gregaaron
    Member

    @Health:

    To expand on PBA’s point, yes, all of the babies also had MBP. But it is just as likely that they all used the same brand of baby food – maybe that caused it? Or, maybe it’s that they all were wearing little blue bowties – maybe that’s what caused it? Until every other variable is controlled for, and an equal sample of non-MBP babies is studied as well, the study can not in any be considered conclusive. Remember – every person who eats Rice Krispies eventually dies. Cause and effect?

    in reply to: NYC Board of Health Votes to Regulate Bris Milah #1096393
    gregaaron
    Member

    I really don’t understand what you’re saying here. I’m not a Boki in statistics, but why can’t they just assume that most MBP didn’t cause HSV?

    Because scientific medicine, which for better or for worse seems to be considered ????? ??? ?????, is not based on assumptions. Which is why every reliable study published in every reliable medical journal clearly states the limitations of the study and possible confounding variables (which of course is something that you, as a self proclaimed expert in medicine, already knew).

    in reply to: NYC Board of Health Votes to Regulate Bris Milah #1096383
    gregaaron
    Member

    @Health:

    But the rule is that if the AAP accepted it for publication, they basically agree with it.

    That is certainly not the case with most scientific journals. Do some research – you would be amazed at the studies that have been published that quite clearly do not reflect the viewpoints of the organization in whose journal it was written.

    in reply to: NYC Board of Health Votes to Regulate Bris Milah #1096369
    gregaaron
    Member

    I would imagine that PBA’s assertion of him being a Malshin is not only due to this most recent case…

    in reply to: public service announcement #895217
    gregaaron
    Member

    He was testing he fortitude to see if she could hold out under such trying circumstances . Unfortunately she didn’t pass the test, so he has declined to take her out on a second date.

    Lucky her.

    in reply to: Eid passuled because of Iphone #895178
    gregaaron
    Member

    The working suspicion is that someone who has immediate and private access to these horrible sites, is liable to be suspected as possible having visited these forbidden sites.

    First of all, as others have said, even if someone has visited these sites, one is obligated to assume that he has done ?????.

    Additionally, with regard to being a witness, we don’t really care what he does in private, as long as he hasn’t been doing shady things for the sake of money. Check out the ???”? mentioned above, and the ????? in ??????? of ???? ???? ?????? – every disqualification mentioned (other than ????) is regarding monetary suspicion, where we are worried that a witness may have taken money to testify.

    in reply to: Eid passuled because of Iphone #895159
    gregaaron
    Member

    If an eid is pasul he cannot be an eid for kiddushin.

    Well, that is certainly true – but is it relevant?

    That being said, the mesader kedushin at any wedding has the right to conduct it as he sees fit; as long as, as is being indicated, there was no public scene, I don’t have too much of a problem with it. Do I think it was the right thing to do? ?????? ????, no. But that’s the difference between a talmid chacham like him and a yokel like me who posts in the YWN CR.

    in reply to: Where is right and wrong? Morals upside down. #895608
    gregaaron
    Member

    no, its not. The reason why there’s no capital punishment is because it’s a sofic chi. not because it’s mutter!

    No, the reason there’s no capital punishment is that the Torah says there’s only a monetary payment.

    If the only question was ??? ?? ??? ??, there would be no money being paid at all – there is no concept of a monetary payment atoning for murder.

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892900
    gregaaron
    Member

    Ignoring someone in the street who has said Good Shabbos to you, whether male or female, breeds sinas chinam

    Again, I agree that saying good shabbos is the correct thing to do…but if I’m wrong, it wouldn’t matter whether or not it “breeds sinas chinam”. That is not a consideration when it comes to halacha.

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892884
    gregaaron
    Member

    Thanks, Popa.

    it recalled the concept of chessed as something that has no ?????

    Naftush, while I’m generally on your side of this discussion, I do want to point out that if Popa is right, it wouldn’t be considered a Chessed that that mishna is talking about. Chessed, like all other things, needs to be within the framework of Halacha. (Again, not that I disagree with you, but ??????, what you’re saying is not a rebuttal.) And chessed can have another meaning, too – quite relevant to our discussion, in fact.

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892868
    gregaaron
    Member

    Okay, sorry then – I did totally misunderstand you. My apologies.

    Not sure what my thoughts on that are, but I definitely hear where you’re coming from. Personally, I don’t think the current norm is such a problem, but that’s just my own two cents.

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892866
    gregaaron
    Member

    Popa, the comparison is that saying each of those phrases (“thank you” and “good shabbos”) is considered – by most people, I would think – to be the polite and usual thing to do. Obviously, politeness never supersedes halacha, but minhag hamakom seems to indicate that neither of these implies anything beyond a perfunctory greeting.

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892864
    gregaaron
    Member

    Okay, Popa, I’ll bite – what’s the difference?

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892860
    gregaaron
    Member

    I’m concerned for feelings of friendship and relationship.

    I understand that, but two minutes later, I don’t remember the person I said “good shabbos” to. Feelings of friendship and relationship it certainly is not.

    If a woman held a door open for you, would you not thank her?

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892852
    gregaaron
    Member

    You really believe the “type of feelings (arousal) it will cause” are different in different communities?

    You really think someone saying good shabbos will cause feelings of arousal in ANY community?

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892832
    gregaaron
    Member

    @Englishman:

    Your knowledge of the t’shuva is impressive, but it has no relevance to the point that Sam, Naftush, I and others are making, which is that saying good shabbos is not the beginning, middle or end of a “close friendship between a young man and woman”.

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892829
    gregaaron
    Member

    Before reading this thread, I would have thought it is appropriate to greet a woman on shabbos in the street. But I’ve been convinced otherwise now. I don’t like it.

    You’re certainly entitled to your opinion. But a perfunctory “Good Shabbos”, without any intention or desire for further conversation (as evidenced by the fact that in many communities, one will say it to any frum person between the ages of 5 and 100) does not, in my opinion, fall under the category of conversation.

    (Several years ago, I asked my Rebbeim the question upon which this entire thread is based, and I was told that it depends on community norms.)

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892788
    gregaaron
    Member

    As you note, you are using the encounter to evaluate whether you would like to marry her. That is, the encounter is not entirely platonic.

    That may be so, but I have been saying good Shabbos to everyone since long before I was dating, and will continue to do so (community permitting) even after I am married, when there will obviously not be any such intentions. (Even now, I still say good Shabbos to my parents’ friends – such as the Rebbitzin of the Shul – and have yet to not receive a response.)

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892784
    gregaaron
    Member

    Feif: I think you misunderstood pba’s point. pba is (correctly) pointing out that the person who made that comment was giving his “shabbos greetings” to girls on the street with sexual overtones even if he didn’t outwardly acknowledge he was doing so. Perhaps he even told himself he wasn’t, but his comment (that pba responded to) proved he did in fact have those overtones, as he was evaluating their lascivious value to himself.

    Sorry Englishman, but for once PBA had it wrong. Judging a girl – especially one who has been suggested – for shidduchim purposes is not “evaluating lascivious value”; otherwise, there would be no excuse for the entire shidduch process. Saying good shabbos has nothing to do with sexual overtones – it’s the way I was brought up, that one says good shabbos to every Jew (and indeed is the way it’s done in my relatively right-wing neighborhood). If I see a girl that was suggested to me, and I’m weighing the pros and cons of giving a yes, her not returning a good shabbos greeting says something about her – again, not something negative, but something that indicates that we are probably on different pages hashkafically.

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892782
    gregaaron
    Member

    pba: I don’t think he meant anything about sexual overtones. I think he just meant that rude girls are not for him.

    Thanks, Feif Un. I wouldn’t necessarily call them rude – after all, they feel it’s the right thing to do – but it shows a certain hashkafa which, while maybe making them better people than I, is not what I am looking for in a life partner. I definitely did not mean it the way PBA took it. 🙂

    in reply to: saying good shabbos to girls (men) #892770
    gregaaron
    Member

    Hey, I like the fact that not all of the girls will respond to my “good shabbos”. At least now I know they’re completely not for me…

    in reply to: Facebook #890898
    gregaaron
    Member

    But besides that, I’m saying the very nature of keeping up with someone else on the level that Facebook allows and encourages is unhealthy.. psychologically, socially

    Really? Considering that many friends people have on Facebook are those who they would otherwise not be keeping up with at all, in what way is that psychologically and socially unhealthy?

    (Not giving an opinion on Facebook in general – at least not now – but looking for clarification.)

    in reply to: kids that don't smile=depression/angry #891054
    gregaaron
    Member

    could there be depression in infancy that is preventing her from being happy?

    question is what is causing it? the parents give her everything she needs, emotionally, physically, etc…

    In that case, there is little reason for her to have been depressed (withdrawn) as a baby. Is it just that she never smiles, or is she never happy?

    Either way, presumably her parents have discussed this with their doctor and possibly other professionals, so there is no need for their friend – their very well meaning friend – to worry about it.

    in reply to: Torah values are NOT Chicago values! #889616
    gregaaron
    Member

    So it is hypocritical when frum Jews try to deny rights to gays.

    They have the same rights we do.

    in reply to: Torah values are NOT Chicago values! #889606
    gregaaron
    Member

    The Torah doesn’t say anything about gay marriage. The Torah assurs and condemns certain activities that gays do. But I don’t understand why we can’t treat gays in our communities simply as people who have a strong ta’aveh that most of us don’t have, and who give in to this ta’aveh.

    So the same arguments can be made for those who would be unfaithful to their spouses. And further down the slippery slope (actually not necessarily further down), there would be tolerance for bestiality, incest and child molestation. After all, they’re just giving in to their tayvos.

    (Of course, as I’ve said many times, one who has the tayva and does not give in to it will be getting a portion of olam haba that makes me jealous. But the fact that there are people who feel that way doesn’t mean we have to bend over backwards to accommodate twisted marriage.)

    in reply to: music sunday night…after the docheh #888212
    gregaaron
    Member

    Most of the seforim I’ve seen say it’s not a problem – the only thing you can’t do tonight is eat meat and drink wine (and even with regard to that, it’s more ???? than during the Nine Days).

    in reply to: Divorcing Shiksa #888086
    gregaaron
    Member

    What’s the makor that a Jew should refuse to see his non-jewish children because they are not jewish?

    There’s no such thing as “his non-jewish children”. They’re not halachically considered his.

    in reply to: How To Get To Siyum HaShas By Train? #889161
    gregaaron
    Member

    NJ Transit from Penn Station.

    in reply to: Post to Post�NOT #1047282
    gregaaron
    Member

    Post to post, kick save and a beauty.

    in reply to: Post to Post�NOT #1047281
    gregaaron
    Member

    And hangs around in bars????

    in reply to: IDEA: Let the 100,000 attendees at the Siyum Hashas #884895
    gregaaron
    Member

    @Choppy, Getzel et al

    While you are correct (at least in my view) in your definition of Da’as Torah and Emunas Chachomim, it is not out of the realm of understanding that there can be people with very real questions. Baruch Hashem, you are lucky that you are at a point where you can blindly follow Da’as Torah without any qualms – but not everyone is there. Personally, I think I am somewhere in between. Ideally, would I like to be able to say that everything I hear from every Rov is correct? Yes, I would love to be there. But I know I’m not, and as a result there will be times that I will stop to question some things. Perhaps that puts me at a lower level – I don’t mind being told that. But a person doesn’t choose to have questions, and someone like Thecuriousone – who, it seems, does not want to lose his emunah – is someone who maybe should be answered, rather than belittled.

    in reply to: Who Are The Most Liberal Posters in the Coffee room? #888301
    gregaaron
    Member

    SiDi is a Mugworm Griblick.

    in reply to: Who Are The Most Liberal Posters in the Coffee room? #888283
    gregaaron
    Member

    In terms of the political spectrum, I don’t really think anyone here does (does YonasanW post in the coffee room?).

    As far as halachically, I think any names being given would be said in a derogatory sense, but there are two or three who would be proud of it. If nothing else, I’m betting at some point the Wolf will mention how he is mechalel shabbos and therefore passul for davening for the amud or something like that, along with an amusing anecdote about his wife. PBA will ask, in jest of course, how could he know any stories about his wife, and Wolf will answer that since he is a rasha, he is allowed to talk to his wife. Aries (or possibly Queen Bee) will make some sort of joke about the wife clearly being right in the story, and Health will pick up the ball and run with it about some “clearly feminist agendas that have no place in our Torah world!!!!!!!!!!!”. By that point, Zeeskite (I think – I could be wrong) will ask the mods to please [close] the thread, as there is no to’eles in it. Jothar will agree, because nothing compromises identifying information like mentioning that you are married and hey, that could give it all away. And after going through all of the dissenting opinions, I think we’ll all agree that Baal Habooze has the best strategy.

    And in two years, this thread will be bumped.

    in reply to: Who Are The Most Influential Posters? #1073271
    gregaaron
    Member

    For good – PBA.

    For bad – A few, but I’m not going to go there.

    in reply to: drinking in yeshiva #882576
    gregaaron
    Member

    @Shira:

    It’s not that hard for them to get it themselves.

    in reply to: Brooklyn Bridge vs. Manhattan Bridge #881625
    gregaaron
    Member

    Tunnel is $6.50, although a bit under $5 with EZ-Pass. It generally only pays at night (when the Brooklyn Bridge is closed) and you don’t have the time to navigate Lower Manhattan, or if the BQE is really backed up at the tunnel split, or if you need to quickly get to the West Side. Coming into Brooklyn it pays if, again, you don’t have much time or aren’t interested in finding your way around the local streets (which can be a pain).

    All other things being equal, the Brooklyn Bridge is your best option of the three (taking price into account).

    in reply to: Facebook in a Shidduch #882887
    gregaaron
    Member

    I’m with PBA (as usual) – bring it up.

    If you two are really close enough hashkafically, he (I’m assuming it’s he) is cognizant of the reasons you don’t like Facebook and won’t think you’re crazy for calling it a “no-no”, and you can have a normal conversation about it. If, on the other hand, he can’t for the life of him understand why you’re against it, you’re not on the same page hashkafically. Eventually, one of you should be willing to give in – if you’re not willing to make sacrifices for the other, it’s better you find that out now.

    Hatzlacha!

    in reply to: drinking in yeshiva #882550
    gregaaron
    Member

    @The little I know:

    You are correct that by the time one becomes addicted to alcohol’s effects, there will be withdrawal symptoms if one attempts to stop cold turkey. But one drink is not a stepping stone to alcohol dependence the same way that one cigarette is to nicotine addiction.

    in reply to: drinking in yeshiva #882535
    gregaaron
    Member

    Smoking and drinking are two different stories, for two reasons.

    First of all, one cigarette may be doing damage on its own (however slight – R’ Akiva and the rock), whereas one drink does not (if it did, there would never be a Mitzvah to drink, as there is on Pesach and Purim).

    More importantly, nicotine is addictive in and of itself. One cigarette, therefore, is the first step to a lifetime of addiction. Alcohol, on the other hand, is not addictive. Sure, there are alcoholics, but their addiction is to the effects that the alcohol has on their emotional states of mind. One who is emotionally healthy will not become an alcoholic.

    in reply to: drinking in yeshiva #882524
    gregaaron
    Member

    “That is never acceptable morally or halachically”

    Never? Many poskim would disagree with you regarding a certain day called Purim.

    Anyway, in a sense Toi is right, assuming they are not getting dangerously or disgustingly drunk. Jump on Toi all you want, but Yeshiva guys drinking on Friday night IS a lot better than what is out there among some of the world’s other youth. I know when I was in Yeshiva (and I’m talking within the last decade), there was always a little drinking Friday night, and nobody really got drunk (although some of the non-socially adept certainly pretended to). If this is the worse thing the OP’s son is doing, (s)he should be thankful. Is it ideal? Probably not. But guess what – kids will be kids.

    in reply to: Wedding Intro #881581
    gregaaron
    Member

    @gavra:

    Nice 🙂 good chap

    in reply to: Ike You #884742
    gregaaron
    Member

    “Is there a real general all-encompasing test that can probe all different parts of the human intellect?”

    No.

Viewing 50 posts - 1 through 50 (of 185 total)