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Declarations of war are done by the Congress. They have a lot of baggage which is why they have disappeared since the mid-20th century.
Killing on Iranian general, in Iraq, where he was organizing terrorist activities directed against the US, is not a big deal. It is interesting note that those objecting to Trump’s latest action, were previously complaining that he wasn’t helping the rebels fight the Iranian-supported regime in Syria.
If the Democrats were to switch back to their former selves (think of presidents such as John Kennedy or Harry Truman), it would change things. However many of their positions are now considered politically incorrect. As long as the conservative Republicans are blocked by the populists, and the Democrats have apparently adopted positions of militant opposition to religion (in general), capitalism and free enterprise, white privilege (a thinly veiled framework for encouraging anti-Jewish violence), and the military (needed in particular to keep us safe, as America’s primary enemies make it clear that they especially don’t like us), there isn’t much choice but to support Trump in 2020.
Note to CTLawyer above: What “Muslim ban”? That was campaign rhetoric that was never acted on. Unlike professional politicians who think before they speak and plan their lies carefully, Trump lets his mouth run and doesn’t take his rhetoric seriously UNTIL he actually has to do something. Trump banned people (not just Muslims) from countries whose governments weren’t willing or able to cooperate with the US in checking with immigrants (or tourists for that matter) were hostile to the US. None of the countries with large Muslim populations (Egypt, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, not to mention Saudi Arabia) were included. The claim of a “Muslim Ban” is an example of a “Big lie” from the Democrats, and you fell for it.
Given that the Democrats include significant leaders who are openly anti-Semitic, and the party is increasingly anti-Israel, and supports many policies that would seriously hurt the frum community, there isn’t much choice. If the Democrats returned to the leaders in the mold of John Kennedy, Skip Jackson, Joseph Lieberman, Harry Truman and Hubert Humphrey, it wold be different. But the Democrats have “evolved”, which is why many Republicans (e.g. Ronold Reagan, Donald Trump, et al,) are former Democrats.
Based on public information, it is clear that Trump was justified in demanding the Ukranians investigate corruption that took place during the Obama administration, which accepted bribes from Ukraine. It also appears that the Democrats colluded with Russian intelligence to spread “fake news” defaming Trump, and lied about it in order to get the a federal court to authorize otherwise illegal political espionage directed against the Trump campaign. In other words, so far the evidence is that Obama was guilty of high crimes.
The language is evolving, as is true of all living languages. In 100 years “Boro” will be only possible spelling, and “Borough” will be marked in dictionaries as archaic.
The rising divorce rates, among both Jews and goyim, have been taking place over a long time. A strong argument can be made that the cause is the use of antibiotics in general, and improved obstetric care in particular. In the good old days, few marriages lasted all that long since one (of both) of the spouses would die. It used to be very rare for a marriage to last 25 years. An unfortunate side effect of marriages lasting so long is that leaves time for the couple to “grow apart”, which leads to divorce.
There are many other reasons to leave New York City, such as a government that increasingly believes that frumkeit is a backwards and extrememly political incorrect indeology that needs to be surpressed. Even if New York City was affordable, there would be good reasons to relocate to “red” states. While a century ago there was a problem with Christian anti-semitism, today the problem of anti-semitism is a function of the left-wing “woke” politically correct crowd.
The families always have the option of staying together in their homeland, but are choosing to separate in order to enter the US. Often the adults have engaged in criminal activities. One should note that most of the people involved are coming from democratic countries where their chief complain is about corruption and incompetent law enforcement, not persecution or even horrible living conditions. They should elect honest and competent governments.
Reb Eliezer: The rich can also hire a hit man to kill people they dislike, whereas the poor have to risk getting caught and do it themselves. So should we decriminalize murder? Until the government, led by a bunch of religious fanatics put a stop to it, the rich could buy slaves and do whatever they wanted to with them, so are you arguing for repeal of the 13th amendment? The Democrats made a clear policy choice to allow (and insome cases, encourage) the murder of the weakest and most helpless persons in society. A Yid who owes his primary allegiance to HaShem should no more consider joining the Democrats thanone in the 1930 coudl have supported the National Socialists in Germany. If you decide that some lives aren’t worth living, how long before someone decides that our lives aren’t worth living (and do say it won’t happen, because there are still people old enough to remember when a major democracy voted to kills their “untermenchen” as they saw them.
One can not be Democrat unless one supports abortion on demand, without restrictions. It would be like wanting to join the Nazi party (in Germany, during the Third Reich) but opposing persecution of Jews, or like join the Communist Party of the Soviet Union but favoring private property.
In all fairness, other cultures have allowed murder of children, such as the toleration of infanticide for a variety of reasons (e.g. birth defects), and in Rome a head of the family could order the execution of any descendant at any age. The American left feels that mothers should be able to kill their babies at least until birth, and some argue longer. If this boths you, become a Republican.
Why would a non-Orthodox “shul” rent space to a frum school if they could find someone else to rent to. We are mortal enemies, aren’t we. From the City’s perspective this is a “win win” situation, since they will also be getting political conservatives to come out against “charter schools”.
Giving gifts on or about Dec. 25 is the avodah the Christians do in honor of the birth of their “diety”. The issue is discussed in the gemara, and it is clear that this constitutes avodah zarah. Anyone who thinks otherwise is ignorant.
Iy is not the goyim’s minhag to place live plants in their houses. THEY PUT DEAD TREES in their houses. I don’t know of any fum Yidden with dead fir trees in their houses.
just like Avraham Aveinu (and that seemed to have worked out)
Humans were designed to want to have children. It is the first mitsva. Even according to secular science, “reproductive success” is the only success that matters. Over the few centuries two things have happened: 1) the age of puberty has fallen; 2) the economy evolved such that young people are forced to spend more time as children being educated before they can establish themselves. This is quite unnatural. Among the goyim all sorts of deviant behavior results. Among the Yidden, we mainly have a lot of whining. Unless we want to reintroduce famine and plagues (to result in delayed puberty), and somehow revert to a pre-industrial economy (as if anyone today could survive without antibiotics, indoor plumbing, reliable food supplies, the internet, etc.), we’ll just have to live with it. Baruch ha-Shem that at least at present, mothers rarely die in childbirth, children almost always survive to adulthood, so we have more time to have children in spite of a late start (and given that our schools are overcrowded, we seem to being doing well).
The Eidah grew out of the leadership of the pre-zionist Ashkenazi community in Israel, and tooks its current from under R. Sonnenfeld’s leadership after the rest of the community (e.g. Agudah) became zionist.
In all fairness when the “greatest generation” turned over the world to the boomers, around 1992, they had achieved peace and prosperity. If you compare the world then, to the world today, it does not reflect well on the “boomers”.
“Rabbi” is poorly defined. Arguably is acts more as a courtesy title such as “Mister” in English, or “Monsieur” in French (both of which once indicated the you were addressing person higher up on the feudal ladder than a mere peasant). Academically, it seems to indicate you can teach older children (meaning it is similar to a Bachelor’s degree, or in modern times with watering down of credential, a Master’s).
“Admor” (literally, My Lord and Teacher and Rabbi”, and “Lord” is in the fedual English meaning showing respect to someone whom you acknowledge outranks you substantially) implies you are accepting the person as a leader.
As to whether it is inherited, one should note that in most traditional cultures, our’s included, positions of leadership will tend to stay in a family, with flexibility to get rid of the unworthy and raise up the worthy. An OTD from an hashuvah (“important”, though “noble” is a better translation) family is seen as having died a horrible death and ignored, and a BT who distinguishes himself gets to be the distinguished ancestor from whom people are proud to trace descent (so in many ways we are more like the Americans, than the English in such matters, even though we are still a very non-republican (small “r”) culture).
Note that among Americans, names such as Brown of California, Cuomo of New York, Kennedy, Bush, etc., appear to end up in positions important based on inheriting from their parents (so while the son of a leader isn’t necessarily a leader, it sure helps).
If there were only 500 printed, I suspect a complete set would be quite valuable (suggesting a yeshiva might be better selling it and using the money to further Torah education today).
Bloomie is a traditional Republican (think Bush, Reagan, Eisenhower) on issues such a free trade, immigration, foreign policy and national defense. Unlike the other Democrats who are at least paying lip service to the “woke” (radical socialist, somewhat bolshevik, agenda), he would appeal to many of the “Country Club” (“Wall Street”) Republicans and the NeoCons, who can’t stand Trump but are terrified of what the Democrats are offereing (e.g. Trump may be an isolationist, but most Democrats are surrender monkeys, Trump is undermining world trade but the Democrats will destroy the American economy, Trump may be making a mockery of the Constitution but the Democrats threaten to tear it up). Remember that Bloomie is running against a Democrat field that has apparently turned Marxist (though occasionally they get confused and follow Groucho rather than Karl).
If you love Trump, Bloomie is your biggest threat. If you hate Trump, Bloomie is your best hope.
1. Paying politicians help the Jewish community is a well established tradition. In many countries these were mere “gifts” (what today is called a bribe). In America, they take the form of political contributions (giving a politician money for living expenses would probably be a bribe).
2. Given that many of the Democratic candidates have positions that would probably be very detrimental to the frum community, it isn’t hard to understand why many frum Yidden would support Trump.
3. If one considers this money could be spent a lavish simachas, expensive houses, or fancy vacations, it seems it is a reasonable expense. Paying off friendly politicians is a worthy cause. Of course supporting full time Torah scholars and supporting the poor in our own community (often the same) is probably a better defense against hostile government policies, but what can’t expect everyoneto be on a high enough madreiga (level) to undertand that.
Many 12 step programs are steeped in Christian culture, and many secular programs work with basic assumptions that are alien to the Torah world. There are often frum equivalents.
Doesn’t “worst” depend on what is “good”. For example, if you favor enslaving Blacks, Lincoln was a disaster. If you believe either in “Freedom from religion”, or in having a government support religious establishment, or in not allowing religious minorities (e.g. Jews) to vote than Washington was bad news. If you favor a dull government based on boring hyper-intellectualism, Trump is horrible.
The only way one can do that is to buy on Friday, and pay extra money for Shabbos delivery. Outside of New York (or Israel), one can be reasonably sure that you aren’t paying a Jew to do work for you on Shabbos (though there are occasional non-frum Jewish blue collar employees elsewhere as well). Perhaps it would be better to save money and not pay for next-day delivery when you order on Friday.
Can a robot convert? What about an extraterristial?
My complements to Connecticut, though for a “sin” tax that is a low rate.
The Medinah can rest assured about the United States honoring commitments, Just consider how the US stood by Ukraine when Russia invaded and occupied several of its provinces. Remember how the US stood up for pro-democracy revolutions in Hungary and Czechoslovakia in the Soviet era. Remember how the US stood by South Vietnam when the Communists broke the peace agreement and launched a full scale invasion, sending massive numbers of Vietnamese fleeing the country. If the Zionists actually believe the USA would go to war to save their state, they are dumber than even the most fanatical hareidim could imagine.
The idea of a tariff, unlike a tax, is not to reduce consumption but to shift consumption to an American brand, e.g. instead of Scottish Whiskey, buy American Bourbon.
“Sin taxes” may be a good idea, but no one found a way to tax lawyers.
There are some excellent alcohols from other countries with a proper hecksher, and in an event unless Scotland leaves the UK and stays in the EU, Scottish whiskey won’t be covered by an EU tariff post-Brexit.
1. President Pence would be good. He could appeal to the traditional Republicans as well as the “basket of deplorables” who put Trump in office.
2. To remove Trump from office would require much Republican support, which would alienate the Trump-base and result in Warren or Sanders getting elected. To win a national election the traditional Republicans (“Country club” or “Wall Street” or “Chamber of Commerce” flavor) need the populist base. Anything that alienated the “deplorables” costs the Republicans.
From the point of view of Jewish survival, a Jew vanishing from Klal Yisrael due to assimilation is no different than being murdered by the goyim. The reality is that non-Orthodox Jews “disappear” within a few generations. There is a “line” based on observance of Torah and Mitsvos, and once you cross it, it become statistically likely that the grandchildren will not identify as Jews.
Non-Orthodox Jews tend to assimilate. So what’s the hiddush?
Writers write what readers want to read, and what readers want is indicated by sales.
By way of contrast, in socialist systems (consider places such as North Korea), “Big brother” or “Fearless leader” tell authors what to write and tell readers what to read. In a capitalistic system, professional writers make a living by writingwhat readers want to buy.
Trump is not “our hero”. He’s the least annoyng alternative. A lot of the social conservatives and neo-cons are our friends, but they were all unelectable. The Democrats have been taken over by anti-Semities, the friendliest of which only want to get rid of frum Jews, and the worst are little better than Nazis.
and to the original poster, the United States does not have a Rosh Memshalah, since we have separation of powers. All we have is a Head of State (an office based on the British kings of the 18th century). Ther is no “memshalah” in our system, only an executive and an independent legislature. You should get a book on civics before discussing a government you apparently don’t understand.
Reb Eliezer: 1. Civil disobedience. 2. Appeals to international human rights law. 3. Once you decide that all zionists are inherently opposed to Torah (not just those who claim to be anti-Torah, but even those who claim they are Torah observant), it is largely irrelevant to participate in Israeli elections since the zionists have a solid lock on the electoral system, and by participating in the elections it allows the zionists to claim that they to represent the hareidim (i.e. the anti-zionist hareidim). Note that the Arabs have a similar problem, and note how the zionists point to Palestinian participation in the kenesset as proof of Arab support for the medinah.
That’s been their policy for almost 100 years (before then, there were no elections). No hiddush.
This may come as a shock to you children, but people got along fine before the internet. People bought and sold goods. They followed the news. THey invested. THey entertained themselves. They even knew how to communicate in writing and by talking to each other.
If you want to discuss an invention that really improved life, consider antibiotics, anesthetics for surgery, indoor plumbing (toilets), and refrigeration.
The content isn’t a problem, as it is the same content on any computer system. The problem is that individuals are spending all their time staring at the phone rather than engaging in normal human activities. In the case of children, this is especially problematic and detrimental to their education. These problems have been observed and complained about in almost all cultures, and is not a uniquely “Jewish” issue. Indeed, since frum Jews manage to turn off their smartphones one day a week gives us a special advantage since even the most addicted frummie still knows he or she can survive without the online connections 24/7.
I question whether anyone has the knowledge and experience for marriage until they are well past middle age. Fortunately, Ha-Shem “programmed” people to get married well before they are ready, thereby giving all the kids a “learning experience” and securing the future of the human race.
Given the historically unprecedented integration of American Jews, and the mass assimilation over the past few centuries, any and all American politicians are likely to have supporters who are Orthodox Jews, and who are religiously non-Jewish descendants of Jews (some of are, or are not, halachically Jewish). Some are Republicans and some are Democrats (not to mention that one of the leading Democratic candidates to oppose Trump is a well known heretic who is almost certainly Jewish according to halacha).
If the husband and wife are all in agreement BEFORE they talk to rabbis or lawyers, and no one is pulling any shtick, everything goes smoothly and quickly. Though (to ever lasting joy of the matrimonial bar) few couples are that agreeabled about getting divorced. Things like the “get” law assume lack of mutual agreement.
If the husband and wife are in agreement on all issues, the process of the “Get” and the government’s divorce is quick, easy and not expensive. Unfortunately (well, for lawyers, fortunately) that is not the case in most divorces.
jackk: Finally PROOF the Trump has finally learned how to be a politician, in the fine tradition of all the other politicians that have led the republic for the last 200+ years. He really is turning NORMAL (unfortunately).
1. The last recessionwas caused by the Democrats encouraging banks to make sub-prime loans, not that the Republicans not the banks objected.
2. The current slowdown is connected with the disruption on world trade caused by the Americans with great help from the British and the Chinese. Whether the disruption of world trade is a bad thing is yet to be seen. According to standard economic theory trade is good and helps all, but many are skeptical (particularly American workers who have trouble competing with low wage countries), and as of late, conventional economic theory has been very good at predicting or explaining economic behavior.
Adoption is a complex legal proceeding involving terminating the adoptees relationships to their family.
In the past refugees needed sponsors. Most of the people attempting to immigrate now are looking for jobs and are quite ready and able to work, so there is really no economic issue. Labor force participation by new immigrants is well above average. While increased immigration is good for business, it forces down wages by increasing the supply of labor, which is why there is much opposition.
People have ALWAYS and in every country tried as best they can to make their homes “nice”. In America (and much of the modern worlds) we have more “specialists” since we have a larger supply of labor and the affluence to develop specialties. In pre-modern Eastern Europe the standard of living was much lower, and the supply of labor such that few people could specialize in interior decorating (something to do with most women being tied down with house work due to the low level of technology).
The major impact will be on very old cases where an emplyer is being sued for what an now deceased employee is alleged to have done, with no way to prove or disprove matters. The lawyer gets paid off since it cheaper to buy off the lawyer than to litigate, the “victim” gets some money, the dead person is dead. Very good deal for the lawyer. Some could argue that lawyers are an economic growth engine…..
In many cities you need to “swipe” to get out, and in most cities in America farecards are used so you would have to discard a farecard since you couldn’t carry it home (presumably you would buy a special farecard for leaving late Friday). You would have an additional problem of electronic devices connected to the exit turnstyle counting who is leaving. Also you would have to be careful to avoid getting caught in a door as that would trigger an electronic device.
I suggest taking the subway home on Friday evening is best left for alternative history novels in which Jews have to be pretending not to be Jews to survive.
RE: Taking a train on Shabbos.
Assume the “good old days” when you paid when you got on and could discard the ticket (or didn’t have one if a farebox was used and you paid with a coin or token), and assuming the train is operated by goyim, it would be possible to board a train before Shabbos (boarding after Shabbos would at the least require a Shabbos goy to pay your fare), and get off assuming you were on a train that made all stops so it would be opening the doors at your stop even in no one was getting on or off, and you were already Shabbos-dik, meaning not carrying anything. Under these conditions using the train to get home on Shabbos would probably be an option and I believe it was used fairly often in the “bad old days” before legislation 50 years ago introduced “reasonable accomodation” into American law. Today in that situation one has a problem since transit systems often require you to have a card to exit, and you would never be able to carry a fare card since it is clearly a cash equivalent.An car or bus would not be similar since it would require adjust for number of passengers (knowing who connected a seat belt, avoiding smashing people when the door closes) and once the car is reacting to your presence it becomes an issue (unless one holds that elecronic automated systems are inherently legal on Shabbos, which is problamatic to say the least).
philosopher: A lighting fixture, with or without a Shabbos clock, does the same amount of work with or without you doing anything. A light does not burn brighter if someone is, or is not, using it. Appliances with a Shabbos mode that turn off at predicted time so they can be opened (which increases activity) also “solve” the problem.
A self-driving car, even if set on clock that causes the doors to open and close at certain times regardless of whether anyone is getting in or out, and travel only on a fixed route (even if empty) would still raise an issue since the motor would have to do more work based on the number of humans involved (one should now ask if a “Shabbos mode” refrigerator or oven uses a thermostat which would mean the heavier use put on it the more the motor runs. This will lead to a debate on whether one can use a robotic Shabbos goy.
It should be noted the some reputable people that using electricity does not violate “mavir” and if one holds that way, the only objection to using an electric car or an ebook would be that it isn’t “Shabbos-dik” (shvus).
If you hold that turning electricity on and off is the equivalent of burning (since the wires and machinery heat up, and eventually are consumed), then the answer is clearly “not allowed” (that being the case, you probably don’t use a “Shabbos elevator” and are not thrilled with modern refrigerators or ovens that increase their level of function in response to what users do).
If you hold that electricity is not equivalent of burning, then the only object is “shvus”, you comfortably use a Shabbos elevator, you will probably allow use of an e-book (at least for learning and davening), and you’ll have no problems of using electric devices such as self-driving cars, and perhaps many more robotic appliances that don’t exist yet. You probably would be able to tell your self-driving car “take me out to ballgame” and drop me off by the main gate, and pay for entrance with an electronic device that doesn’t involve writing (e-tickets already exist),
The use of Shabbos elevators, and appliances that react to use, is the beginning of a “slippery slop” and that there will eventually be a divide between those that allow electric devices, including self-driving cars and ebooks, and those that don’t.