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What is an “emergency” that would allow a frum Jew to work on Shabbos on economic matters?
Mayby making a $trillion platinum idol would qualify?
Unlikely there would be an emergency. Secretaries of Treasury normally work more regular hours, so it won’t be a problem. He primary a budget maven not a banker, and he’ll probably have fewer problems than as the president’s “chief of staff” who might get woken up whenever there is a presidential crisis.
He is the first Shomer Shabbos cabinet secretary (under the Republicans Dov Zackheim was an under-secretary, albeit with a yarmulke in public). In Israel, Orthodox Jews have held cabinet positions, but they got them as patronage rather than based on merit.
“MO” means “Modern ORTHODOX” – he davens at a frum shul, keeps Shabbos and kashruth – that’s pretty much the basic definition of frum.
When a Jew is in a position of great responsibility in a political office, certain heterim are made.
R’ Dov Zakheim, an official in the Defense Department, with semicha, and a top adviser to Mitt Romney, authored an in-depth analysis of these issues in the last volume of Conversations, the Journal of the Institute for Jewish Ideas and Ideals, a wonderful organization directed by my rebbi, R’ Marc Angel.
I don’t understand why Jews always place themselves in the position as “the scape goat” any time the government is lacking in a certain field, they always pick a “Jew” to run it. We are headed towards a major financial meltdown and Mr. Lew will be the face and reason for the upcoming storm. Bush did it with Michael Chertoff, with Homeland Security and now Obama is doing it with Lew. Can someone explain….
I am not aware of a provision in halacha that allows the public constantly to reevaluate other people’s frumkeit.
yim-Why not assume that maybe Lew will help things get better?
abcd2: You asked “Why not assume that maybe Lew will help things get better? ” —
because he is a liberal (as are most Orthodox Jews, when it comes to economics), and will therefore implement Obama’s unwise economic policies
KovodHabriyos, Joseph Lieberman once referred to various Senate issues that would have massive effects on large numbers of people and described guidelines that his rav gave him. It might apply to Lew’s case as well.
Akuperma is sadly correct. Jacob Lew has a reputation for being overly ideological and obstinate in his love for welfare programs.
If I were a senator, I’d proudly vote against him, with my kippah on, unlike many of our Orthodox-affiliated politicians.
I refer to politicians such as these as Orthodox-affiliated because affiliation with an Orthodox synagogue does not necessarily mean a person is a shomer mitzvot yid. There are many people who belonged to Orthodox Jewish Centers, Young Israels, etc. who are not religious.
What is an “emergency” that would allow a frum Jew to work on Shabbos on economic matters?
Ask your LOR. Mr. Lew will ask his.
I just find it funny how everyone knocks MO and now decides to call Jack Lew an Orthodox jew where he will follow the haclacha of the Yeshiva world. Jack Lew davvens at Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah (BSCTT) which is a Modern Orthodox synagogue on Seven Locks Road in Potomac, Maryland. It is led by Rabbi Joel Tessler and assistant Rabbi Nissan Antine.
For the past few days people have been arguing that MO violates halacha time and time again, but now you decide differently?
Jack Lew will do whatever his Rabbonim tell him, not what YOUR rabbnim say. If he works on Shabbos, I am sure his Rabbi provided him the guidelines when it is necessary to work.
In the early part of the last century heroic yidden in America were moser nefesh to not work on Shabbos Kodesh. They would lose their job each and every week in order not to work on Shabbos Kodesh.
Now we celebrate looking for heterim — which may not even exist?
“He is the first Shomer Shabbos cabinet secretary”
Not true; Michael Mukasey was Attorney General under Bush.
Why are people so concerned about the level of his piety? Is this really the business of anybody? Maybe he only fasts half a daya on Tannis Esther perhaps he doesn’t wash before eating pizza!
He seems to be a mentch who is also a member of the tribe. There is an anecdote in reference to Senator Joe while Senate was in session late Friday afternoon. His colleagues were wating to leave for Shabbat so that they my vote without him for whatever reason there was. To everyones suprise he excused himself and walked into a side room where about 12 Chabadniks davened mincha and kalbalat shabbaat. And than the vote proceeded. I am not sure whether Kiddush was recited or he used wine or challah..what’s the difference!
“I refer to politicians such as these as Orthodox-affiliated because affiliation with an Orthodox synagogue does not necessarily mean a person is a shomer mitzvot yid.”
I belong to one of the two synagogues that Jack Lew belongs to. He is well known as a fully observant Jew and I see him in shul often on Shabbat.
Reverend Wright YM”SH, Farakhan, etc. etc. are probably jumping out of thei skin for excitement, (no I’m not implying conspiracy…yet…)now they will have a full fledged Jew to blame for all America’s financial woes….
circa Europe in medevil times
circa Europe in the 1930’s
circa the 2,000+ years we are in golus….
rebdoniel
Member
I refer to politicians such as these as Orthodox-affiliated because affiliation with an Orthodox synagogue does not necessarily mean a person is a shomer mitzvot yid. There are many people who belonged to Orthodox Jewish Centers, Young Israels, etc. who are not religious.
lol
Pot calling the kettle black?
1. I suspect that as Secretary of the Treasury it is unlikely he’ll have any emergencies that require working on Shabbos, unlike his current position as the President’s Chief of Staff which deals with true emergencies. I wouldn’t be surprised if this affected his willingness to accept
whatg is probably a “fool’s errand” since the budget situation is probably hopeless given the realities of partisan politics.
2. His frumkeit isn’t an issue. His economic policies are what many frum Republicans object to (though in all fairness, most frum jobs support “tax and spend” policies – just look at the press releases in YWN celebrating increased “pork” obtained for the frum community).
Jacob Lew is frum jew. He will not violate Shabbos unless he is given a heter by his rav. Orthodox Jews have been Democrats for a very long time. It is only very recently that they started to change.
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