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Sam2 -“BTGuy: I’ve heard all of those things about Columbus too. I asked several experts in the field and they said they are all false.”
I don’t know who your experts are, but many experts disagree. There are even more experts that I’m posting here. There is quite a lot of scholarly debate on Columbus’ origin.
From the Huffington’s Post:
“Over five centuries after the famed explorer’s death, historians are taking a fresh look at what motivated Christopher Columbus to make his voyage across the Atlantic — and how his faith may have played into those motivations.
Some scholars, after analyzing Columbus’ will and other documents, have devised a new theory about the explorer. They believe he was a Marrano, or a Jew who pretended to be a Catholic to avoid religious persecution. These historians also theorize that Columbus’ main goal in life was to liberate Jerusalem from Muslim control, and that he decided to take his historic quest to North America in order to find a new homeland for Jews who had been forced out of Spain.
During the time of Columbus’ voyage, Marranos were a targeted group. Tens of thousands of them were tortured during the Spanish Inquisition, so keeping one’s true religious identity secret was a crucial priority for many.
As CNN reports, Columbus’ will contained five provisions that some scholars believe to be evidence of the explorer’s true faith:
Two of his wishes — tithe one-tenth of his income to the poor and provide an anonymous dowry for poor girls — are part of Jewish customs. He also decreed to give money to a Jew who lived at the entrance of the Lisbon Jewish Quarter.
On those documents, Columbus used a triangular signature of dots and letters that resembled inscriptions found on gravestones of Jewish cemeteries in Spain. He ordered his heirs to use the signature in perpetuity.
According to British historian Cecil Roth’s “The History of the Marranos,” the anagram was a cryptic substitute for the Kaddish, a prayer recited in the synagogue by mourners after the death of a close relative. Thus, Columbus’s subterfuge allowed his sons to say Kaddish for their crypto-Jewish father when he died. Finally, Columbus left money to support the crusade he hoped his successors would take up to liberate the Holy Land.
Scholars also point to the real financiers of the voyage as evidence of the trip’s purpose. While most schoolchildren grow up learning that the expedition was financed by Queen Isabella, historians say it was mostly paid for by two prominent Jews who had been forced to convert to Catholicism, Louis de Santangel and Gabriel Sanchez.
While these claims may be difficult to verify, the new portrait of Columbus painted by these scholars adds a complicated layer to the already convoluted sentiment toward the famed explorer. While he is lauded in the United States with a federal holiday and a receives a great deal of credit for discovering North America, his legacy has been tainted by charges of genocide and exploitation. But if Columbus’ true intent was not imperialism, but freedom from religious trial, public perception of the man may shift yet again.”
Confucious -“Is one of the reasons because there is a halachic shaila of what river to put on the get?”
I posted this above:
“that I personally have not looked into this issue and am not on either side.”
Did you think this was a lie? I’m not a Poisek. Your question should be addressed to your Rov.
SB – When I was in EY I spent most of my time in BB, not Jerusalem. They have many English speaking people there, but they hide it – to mix in with the natives.
Mod -It wasn’t that much of a Shtuch. If you’re pretending to be a secret agent -then I guess you pretend everything is a secret.
Most companies when they advertise a job -describe it somewhat.
Confucious – Many reasons. The main one is – I wanted to!
Mod – I didn’t know that asking about a job was such a secret. I wasn’t asking about company secrets. Now I know why you are Mod Double Zero 7.
Mod -“If you think you would qualify, send YWN a message.”
I’m assuming this is a job offer. How about telling e/o the job description/qualifications?
Yitay – You buttered it up and that’s why your post made it through. I wasn’t so gentle and therefore my post didn’t make it through. But I did tell the OP – that I personally have not looked into this issue and am not on either side. The best thing for him to do is to ask as many people and Rabbonim that he knows and not just in Lakewood, if he needs to know L’masseh.
And btw, even though I live here, I did my GET with a Bais Din from a different city/town.
Oomis – There’s plenty of baggage with never married people also. The only difference is that it’s hidden. People’s marriages fail because of the phoney presentation of the spouse when they were going out. At least this is one of the main reasons -maybe not the only one!
SB -If you do Sheirut Leumi do it only with a org. like Agudah. This way you have the best chance of remaining Frum.
PBA -Physical and emotional/psychological child abuse will be here to Moshiach comes. What happened was the Yetzer Hora convinced people that when the Torah talks about hitting kids that applies forever. It only applied when the parent meant totally L’shem Shomayim. Nowadays it’s just the anger of the parents. We live in very dark times.
Yitay – All I know is what’s presented here is one-sided. I tried to post the other side, but it didn’t make it past the censor.
SB -“are Ezra laMarpeh (Rav Firer), Ezer meTzion”
You see the “Bear” is recommending two Frum orgs.
Contact one of them.
Bear -“There was no real corrective operation for the scar on my hand, and the doctor knew this. (There may be one now thanks to medical lasers, but I could care less to have it corrected.)”
I’m not into plastics and I didn’t see your hand, but even without lasers you can correct some scars with Z-plasty.
“His (lacking) ethics are pretty much in line with what I experienced from many RZ/MO “professionals” in EY, whether olim or locals. They think charedim are captive patients and clients because we’d rather have shomrei Shabbos professionals. I happen found out that he and his wife, also an MD, practice and advocate a dangerous alternative diet. Had I known that back then, I would not have gone to him on moral grounds.”
In a way you’re right, but mainly I think they are out to take advantage of americans. But they sound like the types that would take advantage of anyone that they can, including Charedim, Americans, Chilonim or anybody. (Of course besides Arabs.)
Go Ravens go!
Bear – While I understand your sentiments about crime, I’m not sure about the political revenge you’re talking about. There could be more to the story. Even though this was right after the libs becoming big in America, I don’t think you can fault him about the crime waves. It’s known in the US this transformation occured in the sixties. All the US had unprecented crime since then. As a matter of fact, I don’t think anyone else at that time would have done a better job regarding the crime statistics. It got even worse under Dinkins. People were very liberal minded then and crime wasn’t an election issue. It got to a point were even the libs couldn’t take it anymore and that’s why Rudy got in because he made this an election topic.
DY – One thing has nothing to with another. It’s Ossur to be on the Net.
oh brother – Any excuse to put down Charedim. You know why all these complaints against Charedim are ridiculous? I’ll tell you why. Because your so-caled common sense of the common man doesn’t come close to the common sense of Gedolim. This is besides the fact of your generalizations about Charedim/Motzay Shem Ra based on your bias/hatred.
The first generalization is no Frum/Charedi people get a secular education. I know many that have, including myself. Your next generalization is that’s why Charedim are poor. Another lie. I know many people in this world that have lots of degrees and No Parnossa. Ya know why? Because it’s Hashem who decrees how much money a person has every year.
And your final lie is that they don’t work because they can’t get a job without a secular education. I know many Charedim here and in EY that do work, and some make a lot of money, without any secular education. So why do you think some Charedim don’t do what I mentioned above that other Charedim do?
Your posts mention Hashem a few times, but you don’t begin to undestand what Hashem wants from his people.
Those people that have decided to spend their life learning is because their Daas Torah told them to, not because of any of the things you posted.
JM -“@Hakatan
1. That gemarra is the one that Health was referring to when he said “It isn’t so pashut”
So that has already been answered.”
First of all, there is no Machlokes in the Gemorah in BK -so obviously Chazal held the Maskana is “Kivan SheNitan”.
Second of all, if you are going to learn like the Malbim that R’ Yonasun holds of “Mavchin” then you have to hold of what the Malbim says before. On page 200 (#49), the Malbim says in this paragraph about the Machlokes R’ Yonasun & R’ Yoshea at the end -“And it’s explained -that this miracle will only occur now during the destruction of Egypt, not after this time.”
So even acc. to R’ Yonasun this was a one time deal and forever on we just apply the rule of “Kivan SheNitan”. This is Pashut Pshat in the Malbim.
The Pashtus of all the Gemorahs and Midrashim, esp. because they brought two Pisukim from Nach, is that this Din of
“Kivan SheNitan” was always a rule. The question was if this rule was applied during Macos Bechoros or not.
“2. The Iyun Yaakiv there says that the tzaddikim aren’t punished for the same REASON as the reshaim, just at the same time. The tzaddikim have some minor flaw for which it is considered a chessed for them to be punished in this world, in order to be considered clean in the next world. This punishment is at the same time.”
Ok, so what? It’s Not a coincidence that the Tzaddikim are getting punished now -it’s because of “Kivan SheNitan”. You’d only have a proof if there is anyone alive nowadays that has never sinned -then you can say it’s not possible to apply “Kivan SheNitan” over here by the storm acc. to the Ayin Yaacov.
“3. In regards to my opening post, even if you apply Kivan (which isn’t as simple as you make it), why justify a disaster with a non-applicable reason, limiting the mussar, when one can try to look in the mirror and improve themselves? (Which is what this initial topic was all about)”
It looked the most applicable because it occured pretty much in the same time frame as when they passed this Toeiva law. Again your insinuation that anyone ever meant this is the only reason is absurd. They mentioned this reason because of the proximity of passing of the law, but of course e/o should work on every Chessoron that they have. Noone is pointing to Toeiva and saying that’s it, nothing more to work on!
WIY – Never said you did.
rt – While it’s not LH, I agree with your post. I know a lot of people including Frum & Frei Jews. How many Frei Jews are not just Pro-Israel, but also proud that they are Jews? You can count them on one hand. So they should stop looking at this guy’s Chessronos and look at his Maalos. Even if being buried in this cemetary is wrong acc. to Halacha, he certainly didn’t understand this. Does anyone think the Mayor nowadays is proud of his heritage?
SaysMe -“how old do you think i am??”
If you’re that mature -you can tell us. I don’t have to play guessing games.
“I dont quite think i need my parents permission to blog here.”
Unless you’re over 30 and still living in your parent’s house, then you Do need permission from them.
WC -“A tragic but obviously fictional story.”
Obviously, but this guy is trying to make a point. If the point is on this guy himself to look inwards -then fine. If the point is Not to have mercy on this fellow then the CR knows this already. We were taught in the Chumash all about how the Sodomites behaved. As much as his Tzoros is his fault, we still have to have Rachmonus on him.
WIY -“They are illegal for a reason.”
The reason that not every drug in the world is allowed here -is not because the FDA are bunch of Mean guys, but because some of these drugs are dangerous even if they are effective.
apushatayid -“Health. I read the entire thing. The father is doing nothing to ensure his kids are raised “normally”. he is using his kids as pawns, nothing more, nothing less. The schools are taking out their fear of the father on the kids too. Why is he in belgium to begin with? what is his connection to belgium?”
I don’t know why he’s in Belgium, but perhaps he thought he could get his kids in the schools there.
The part that I said that he wants to raise his kids normally was the fact he wants his kids in Jewish schools. I’m not saying it regarding any other aspect. It’s the so-called “Frum” schools who have denied their entry. This might have been a good idea if by doing this he would just have gone away. But this didn’t happen. What instead happened is that this incident caused one of the biggest Chillul Hashems in recent history. It’s time for this Chillul Hashem to end and let the boys into Yeshivas and girls into Bais Yaacovs. Yes, the schools won’t look too good, but is their Kovod more important than Hashems?!?!
SaysMe -“health- why oh why do you need to include an insult??”
I didn’t NEED to….
Do your parents know that you blog on the Net? If they don’t, then you should ask permission before you come here.
Nechomah -“Health, there happens to be a clinic in one of the Wolfson towers that accepts student health insurance (as well as the Kupot Cholim). It is a very large, multispecialty practice, proving rather standard medical care. It is not a ritzy practice by any means. Perhaps your friend does not know about this practice. Otherwise your friend is right, Wolfson is one of the areas of Yerushalayim where there are many wealthy people.”
I made up that about the Practices there – it was my guess. He just told me your last line.
There happens to be a clinic in one of the Wolfson towers that accepts student health insurance (as well as the Kupot Cholim). It is a very large, multispecialty practice, providing rather SUB-standard medical care.
Just ask Snowbunny about the care there.
Confucious -“Yesh Atid is pretty clear they wish to force chareidim into the draft with more than just a threat of loss of benefits. They are talking fines and criminal penalties.”
If this guy is serious – then him and his Zionist “Rabbi” assistants are suicidal. He should have learnt from his father – not to start up with the Charedim. His father was a failure and he’s following in his footsteps.
I don’t know if we are about to have Milchemas Gog Oomagog, but the situation in the Middle East is ripe for a war. I’m not talking about the so-called “Palestinians”, but about Russia, Iran & Syria. If you want to prevent this war -we need even more people sitting and learning. If he starts pulling people now out of Kollel – these Zionists are going to learn the hard way what the Torah says about K’oach V’otzem Yodi!
It’s amazing how the Chilonim have changed since the sixties. Back then most Chilonim realized that the 6-day war was Nissim Geluyim. Look how far even some so-called “religious Zionists” have come since then. They don’t even know what the Torah says about K’oach V’otzem Yodi Osseh Es Hachayil (Pun – Chayil) Hazeh!
Yenta – Are you really this sheltered? If he is just a Prof, not s/o you’re close to, how about an email – stating -“Sorry about your sister. Wishing you condolences. Signed -Yenta.” Or “Wishing you condolences about your sister. Signed -Yenta.”
write or wrong -“I’d definitely disagree with this. A BT has made an informed choice to leave the secular world and embrace the religious one, while an FFB is just continuing in the path of his parents. It’s not about “breaking new ground”, it’s about temptation. The BT has already been there and saw the sheker. But the FFB might think the grass looks greener…”
You’d have a valid point if there was only one reason that people become Frum and that is that they saw the light. I’d say most have more than one reason that they become Frum -like coming from a dysfunctional family. So all in all, I think it’s easier for a BT to go back to their old ways. Maybe not all BT’s, but a good portion of them. And I’ve seen this with my own eyes. Sometimes when the going gets tough -some BT’s get going.
Here is a question to all:
Is it easier for a BT to go OTD than a FFB?
TheBearIsBack -“The doctors in Wolfson charge ridiculous prices. I paid NIS 200 just for a surgeon to give me a price quote on needless cosmetic surgery, and that was in 1996. The surgeon should have just taken one look and told me not to bother with what I was considering.”
Your complaint is absurd. I asked my friend, a Doc, who lives here and there, 3 weeks on – 3 weeks off. Going to Wolfson is like going to Park Ave. or UES in Manhattan and complaining the Docs there charge too much. The Docs in Wolfson are for the upper class Israelis -so of course they charge an arm and a leg.
This doesn’t mean they are better or worse than anyone else.
Yadhira -“Im just saying why don’t doctors explain all the after effects instead of just saying that you will be “perfectly fine” wihout it because it’s not true.”
Actually they do. I don’t have to answer for a few that broke the law. They make you sign a paper before surgery that you have been explained everything and agree to the surgery anyway. If you haven’t been explained everything -then it’s not a real legal consent. Almost all Docs I know follow the law. They might not repeat themselves -they might have explained everything already during the initial visit. Are you the pt. that wasn’t told the possible complications?
Yadhira – Funny how you only mentioned the complications of GB removal, but not of keeping a diseased GB in.
How about looking those up too and weighing one against the other?
So before you decide “that Doctors don’t think that removing the gallbladder is something serious” look up why they recommend removal as opposed to keeping it in. It sounds to me that you don’t think that keeping the gallbladder in – is something serious!
plonis3141 -“Yes, the doctor who finally helped me is an old-timer. I was actually quite nervous because he was so old. But as opposed to the 2 “up to date” gastros who blew me off as long as it wasn’t colitis, crohn’s or cancer, he tried to help.”
No, it’s disgusting to blow s/o off. The only Limud Zecus for these Docs is that the socialized medicine in Israel is paying them so little for diseases like IBS that they basically are forced to blow people off. They should have referred you to mental health.
B’H still in the US, where socialism is NOT YET running our med system, Gastros treat IBS. They give different meds for it depending on the type. They also are giving TCA’s, which IMHO is better for shrinks to prescribe than Gastros, because they know these drugs better.
SB -“Which frum medical organizations do you recommend.”
I don’t recommend any – I haven’t been there in years. Why don’t you address some of the posters here from Israel?
The only one I’ve heard of is Ezra Lemarpe. Here is their webpage and they do offer referrals. On their website -they list ways to contact them:
apushatayid – Read the whole post. I said they should be accepted into the places where they belong. What he’s doing with this switcharoo is to pressure the schools into accepting his kids.
JM -“I have, in no way, ignored chazal. Still waiting to see that a yid gets punished for a goy’s actions.”
While off-hand, I don’t think that anyone would be punished for s/o else’s actions -that isn’t the case over here. Over here we were talking about being punished for Not protesting -ie keeping quiet. This I have a Rayah from Iyuv. He was punished for keeping quiet about Pharoh’s idea about enslaving the Jews. Kal V’chomer a Jew would be punished for this.
“And if that is the case, still awaiting proof that our role as Frum yidden is to try to protest and educate the goy. If anything, I’d think such actions of the goyim should awaken us to do more mitzvos, work on our avodas Hashem, as we might need many more zechusim than usual”
IMHO, your statement is too general to say one way or another. It would depend on what they were doing.
But even if talking in general -the Lubavitch Rebbe zt’l held you should. He started this 7 Mitzvos project to do just that.
GAW -“There is no defense.”
Yes, this was point!
“The REAL “Rosh Yeshiva” of Lakewood Inc., Rav Aaron Kotler Shlita,”
Oh, he isn’t the only one – there’s a whole group of them.
But, I won’t name names.
SB – Try to contact one of these Frum medical orgs. Tell them your situation. I’m sure they can hook you up with a PCP that will give you a referral. Ask for a referral to a Gastro, Psychologist and a Psychiatrist.
Bear – Don’t bother these Zionists with truth -they aren’t interested.
The Chilonim want the Charedim exactly where they are now. It’s like the US before the civil war -they wanted the slaves. They could never imagine one day that they would be free and one would be President. So this guy Lapid talks big, but as soon as he implements his equality plan -the Charedim won’t be the sub-class anymore. A lot will end up in the army and then they will go to work afterwards. They will take over the economy and then the country and most of the Chilonim will flee the country and the few left will be the new sub-class. So Lapid knows they can’t keep the Charedim down much longer -so he’s trying to make them as miserable as possible in the interim. So he’s a perfect politician – he stands up to get votes based on the hatred of Charedim, but not for a second does he want all the Charedim in the army which in turn would elevate their social status.
The Chilonim are caught between a hard place and a rock. But sooner or later, they will lose the country -either by forcing the Charedim into the army and then into working or by the coming of Moshiach or by the Arabs taking over. Their time is limited and they know it. And the so-called religious that joined up with this guy will end up with him, just like the followers of Korach. People think Korach was a big Sheigetz, but in reality he looked just as Frum as Moshe Rabbeynu.
akuperma -“As Belgium has joined a UN treaty that guarantees the right to home school, I’m not sure why he doesn’t home school”
He’s not that crazy. Even he wants his kids to turn out somewhat normal – can you imagine the results of his home schooling?!?!
But you’re right he did this for revenge on the Yeshivas/Bais Yaacovs for not accepting his kids.
To stop this madness and great Chillul Hashem – I call on the Rabbonim and the Frum community of Antwerp to take his kids in. So the boys will go to Yeshiva and the girls to Bais Yaacovs.
Stop playing politics with Yiddishe Neshamos! His kids should be in the Right Jewish schools in spite of his politics.
And people are screaming about the Internet that it’s the scourge of our generation.
I got news for you – this case is exactly the case of Kamtza Bar Kamtza. Why are they both blamed for the Churban – obviously one caused it -not the other? The answer is because it doesn’t matter who started the fight -the other should be Mevatter. So here also, it doesn’t matter that Freidman started the fight, the Yeshivos/Bais Yaacovs, the Rabbonim of Antwerp and the whole Frum community should be Mevatter ASAP!
SB -“Health: I didn’t take it yesterday, and when I was unable to help so much during my chessed time at Yad Eliezer, I also could barely eat anything for dinner. This is not the time to get angry. I am telling you that even if it is for it’s “placebo effects” that at least it worked when I took it.”
Prilosec OTC is for GERD and/or heartburn. Any other use is by prescription from a Gastro. Unless you have these symptoms – you shouldn’t take Prilosec. Taking a Med for its’ “placebo effects” can be dangerous. Contrary to popular belief, Hashem gave us acid in the stomach for a reason. We actually need this acid.
And if you do end up going to a Gastro and he/she diagnoses IBS -there are medications that can be prescribed for this.
plonis3141 -“Health – not sure what you meant in your first comment to me – we were agreeing. Blood in stool is not part of IBS – she should have that checked and not blow it off as psychological”
Yes, on that we agreed, but my addition was -“her seeing red” -doesn’t necessarily mean blood. It has to be tested. This test can be done by any Med Practitioner, not only by a Gastro.
“In terms of your second point, there can be cases of IBS that are stress related, but there can also be physiological reasons. Silly not to try to treat it based on the theory that it is psychological, when it can be easily solved.
I had several docs tell me it is psychological and to “try not to think about it”. I lost 20 pounds and could barely leave my house. Chaval for people to suffer unnecessarily instead of a doctor trying to treat them first and then using the “mind-body connection” thing when meds don’t work.”
No, I would never tell a patient “to try not to think about it”. This is negating the Pt. and their symptoms. What I suggested above was that IBS pts. seek help from 3 people – a Gastro, a psychologist and a psychiatrist.
“I found one doctor who gave me an anti-spasmotic and it was gone within a few months. No trace of it.”
Nowadays, the Anti-spasmotic drugs are out of the treatment protocol, but some old timers still use them because they have always used them.
GAW – I’m upset at Ben Levi’s defense of certain people above. There is no defense to make those decisions without the backing of one of the main Bais Dins here!
benignuman -“I am pointing out that it is nearly absurd to think that the kesubah without a maaseh is worse than the maaseh itself.”
Why even mention this? Noone would ever think this.
benignuman -“Makeh B’Patesh is the last of the 39 Malachos. Writing non-sensical marriage contracts (which is what these are halakhicly) is not “makeh b’patesh” even in a metaphorical sense. There is no “kli” of issur that is completed by writing these contracts.”
You obviously don’t know what the metaphorical meaning is. It’s the same thing as “the straw that broke the camel’s back”.
“It would take a very clear statement from Chazal for me to believe that writing a non-binding, useless kesuba on a same gender union is worse than the maaseh aveira itself. If there were aidim and hasra on the writing of such a “kesuba” but no eidim and hasra on the maaseh aveira, do you have a hava amina that someone would be chayav misa? If a kesuba was written up but before the maaseh one of them died, is there a hava amina that the living one would be chayav anything?”
Chazal in the Medrash did just that, but you seem to be in some sort of denial. Nowhere do you find that Mischav Zocor in itself brings destruction to the world, but the marriage contracts on Toeiva does. So these Kesubos in this circumstance are worse than the Maaseh itself – in this punishment. Obviously a person writing these Kesubos have plans for the Maaseh also.
“Oh, and please provide an actual citation to this Midrash of Rav Huna in the name of Rav Yosef, so I can look it up and see if it says what is claimed.”
Oh, you have to ask the OP of that post for the location. His name is Dave Hirsch. I have no reason to doubt an intellectual poster like him. But you can start searching in the Midrashim on Parshas Noach.
“(although my points above would remain valid regardless).”
I really don’t SEE any of your “points” as valid. Also, you’ll never admit that you are WRONG!
SB -“Does anyone know where any medicine gemachs are in Israel, I need prilosec.”
And what do you need it for – for it’s “placebo effects”?
plonis3141 -“2. The OP seems to think there is a psychological component, but a person does not get blood in stool from psych. problems. A gastro should be doing testing to rule out anything serious. Do not let any doctor tell you that you are fine and take tylenol when you have blood in your stool.”
Blood in the stool is Not part of IBS, but other disorders. Seeing red – doesn’t always mean blood. There is a test that determines if it’s real blood.
“1. I had IBS that was B”H cured by taking meds prescribed by a gastro in E”Y – no psychologists or psychiatrists necessary. Not EVERYTHING is pychological.”
There are a few theories on what causes IBS. One of those is -that it’s a Psychological disease. I obviously hold that this is the most likely reason -therefore my recommendations above.
superme -“Yeh but what type of docs are those?”
Ask an adult.