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March 27, 2025 10:07 am at 10:07 am in reply to: Three Oaths essay from Rabbi Avraham Rivlin of Kerem B’Yavneh #2382491Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant
HaKatan, this is a good exposition of what secular Zionism stands for in terms of “nationalism”. Indeed. First, you obviously understand that RZ do not hold such views. Seems that your problem with RZ is that they are willing to collaborate in politics with those secular Zionists. How is this tactical disagreement even important in the Torah sense? We have Jews voting for D- and for R- in USA, hoping that corresponding policies will be “good for the Jews”. We all daven together despite that. So, some religious Jews in Israel are trying to improve religious and economic life of Jews in Israel by participating in Knesset and joining in some subcommittees with members of Labour or something. They still eat kosher and keep shabbos. Why are you bothered by what they do? They may be right or they may be mistaken and their work may be futile, why are you wasting your energy on denouncing them instead of learning some Torah or some mussar about how to talk nicely to other Yidden?
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantI think the just published kol koreh firmly resolves the issue- in favor of ambiguity. Before listing their opinion, esteemed authors say: we don’t want to impugn the Torah of talmidei chachamim that permitted.So, you should not also
March 26, 2025 9:37 am at 9:37 am in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2381812Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantsomejew > what is this “zionist shita in Torah”?
I don’t know what is a “zionist shita” and I don’t know what is “anti-zionist shitah”. Are you talking about gemorah supporting Ben Gurion’s views? The issues involves probably hundreds of specific questions, and many can be, and were, addressed from different perspectives.
For example, “can you have a zionist flag in shul” is a specific question, and I understand it. It seems that R Moshe answered (in early years) that it should not but it is not worth fighting about. Just from this question, you can see that it is possible to ask specific questions, there is nothing to be ashamed of, or disgusted by, (both ways – I can see people being outraged at bringing the flag, and people outraged at removing the flag). So, maybe we should discuss specific questions that bother you based on your reading of Satmar Rebbe.
March 26, 2025 9:37 am at 9:37 am in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2381810Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantsomejewiknow > There is wide space between “go learn and figure it out on your own” and “you expect a one-page proof?”.
Here a couple of small books by/based on Rav Soloveitchik
The Return to Zion. Addresses on Religious Zionism and American Orthodoxy, 2021 – in Yiddish or English
Community, Covenant And Commitment: Selected Letters And Communications, 2021Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantAvram,
I would not let kids out of the house with phones in uncontrolled environment (friends, park, library) unless they have demonstrated good behavior. How about this algorithm to take into account your concerns:
First establish a glued device; teach them good computer skills in additional to other middos; then; then reduce visible surveillance why continuing secret one to quickly catch problems in case they happen; after you are sure of their good behavior and they are almost ready to go to college, give them portable devices. The last line is not just humor: you want them to model independent behavior before they get out of your control.March 25, 2025 1:49 pm at 1:49 pm in reply to: Three Oaths essay from Rabbi Avraham Rivlin of Kerem B’Yavneh #2381528Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantseveral more references I found online, I am selecting the ones that look more plausible, but of course requires double-checking
.R Ya’akov Kamenetsky writes in his Emes Le-Ya’akov Al Ha-Torah (Exodus 12:2 n. 17):
It is incumbent on us to understand that the establishment of the state of Israel in our day, after the the great destruction and despair that overtook the remnant, and given the desperate and destroyed status of Russian Jewry, God caused the establishment of the state of Israel in order to strengthen the connection to Judaism and to sustain the link between the Jews in exile and the Jewish nation.R. Eliyahu Dessler has two relevant letters, from 1948 and 1949, that were published in Mikhtav Me-Eliyahu, vol. 3 pp. 349-353. He writes that he is hesitant to call the establishment of the state of Israel and the ensuing military victory the beginning of the Redemption, but he considers it a possibility (i.e. a Hopeful Zionist position). He also has harsh words for anyone who refuses to see God’s miraculous intervention in this, considering them heretics who reject Divine Providence.
Another time [R. Eliezer] Silver was in a quandary within himself and with his associates [was] regarding a Bonds for Israel dinner in his city. Every year Silver publicly supported this event and attended the dinner. In 1964 the guest of honor was to be Nelson Glueck, the president of the Hebrew Union College. Many Orthodox Jews felt that Silver should not be present at an affair honoring such a prominent Reform Jewish personality. Nevertheless, Silver did attend, since his concern for the cause and feeling of communal responsibilities won out. At the affair, when questioned about his presence, Silver declared, “How could I stay away from a dinner aiding the State of Israel?…”
Silver also exerted his influence in the determination of Agudat Israel and Agudat Harabanim policy towards the formation of the Jewish State. Silver himself had always been in favor of such a state, despite his Agudat Israel ties. Following the Balfour Declaration in 1917, Silver marched in a New York Zionist parade in its support. When Chief Rabbi Abraham Kook visited the United States in 1924, the Agudat Harabanim invited him to adress its convention…
Silver’s letter [in opposition to Satmar anti-Zionist activities] did not abate the course of action of the Satmar element. It did, however, strengthen the more moderate forces in American Orthodoxy. His viewpoint was widely cited in Mizrachi circles. Silver later participated in a Mizrachi conference. Afterwards, at an Agudah conclave, there were those who desired to disbar Silver. It was reported that Rabbi Kotler opposed this request…
R. Teitz left a radio on in his study over Shabbat, November 28/29, 1947, in order to hear the vote in the United Nations… In ten years, we suffered a concentrated exile equal to that of all the preceding centuries. Now it is time to go to a city of refuge… in an essay for the New Year 5709 [October 1948] on “The State of Israel and the Torah-Jew.” He asked, “Will we be a generation of mourners for the great destruction” or “a generation of redemption, of builders who establish the foundation for the Jewish future?”… He thought that the founding of the state of Israel eliminated most of the differences between Agudath Israel and Mizrachi, which had centered on the question of whether there should be a Jewish state at all. Once this question had been answered with a fact, the parties should cooperate. R. Teitz met regularly in 1948-49 with a group trying to create a united religious front in Israel, but the two groups elected to remain separate.
March 25, 2025 1:48 pm at 1:48 pm in reply to: Three Oaths essay from Rabbi Avraham Rivlin of Kerem B’Yavneh #2381527Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantR Moshe Feinstein:
Igros Moshe, Orech Chaim vol I, chap 46 whether it is permissible to pray in a synagogue which displays an Israeli flag: “Even though it is improper to bring the flags into shul, and all the more so not to keep them there permanently, and all the more so, not near the Aron Kodesh, and one should try to remove it peacefully. However, to make a fight over this is forbidden.”response to his grandson who enlisted in the Israeli army, which is published in T’chumin 5, pp.11, and so it seems also from his response in Or. Ch. 4, 70, 11, which was written in the year 1979/5739.
R. Moshe Feinstein was asked about the prayer for the state of Israel. He said that it should be modified to indicate a Hopeful Zionist view, instead of a Messianic Zionist approach. The text, as he recommended, is as follows: “Our Father in heaven, the rock of Israel and its redeemer, bless the state of Israel that it become the beginning of the sprouting of our Redemption (she-t’hei reishis tzemihas ge’ulaseinu).”
R Ovadia Yosef:
– forbade the flying of the Israeli flag in synagogues, calling it “a reminder of the acts of the evil-doers”. While serving as Chief Rabbi, he allowed the recitation of psalms of praise after prayers without a blessing on Israel Independence Day; he did not permit saying Hallel either as a part of the prayer service (where it is normally recited on holidays) nor with the customary blessings before and after that are only said on holidays.– acknowledged that the Jewish people experienced a miracle with the establishment of the State of Israel; however, since the miracle did not include all of the Jewish people, If the congregation wishes to say Hallel without a blessing after the prayer service, they should not be prevented.
– What is anti-Zionist? It is a lie, it is a term which they have concocted themselves. I served for ten years as a Chief Rabbi – a key public position in the State of Israel. In what way are we not Zionists? We pray for Zion, for Jerusalem and its inhabitants, for Israel and the Rabbis and their students. What is Zionist? By our understanding, a Zionist is a person who loves Zion and practices the commandment of settling the land. Whenever I am overseas I encourage Aliyah. In what way are they more Zionist than us?
– Yosef’s grandson points out his grandfather’s positive attitude towards the IDF, in that whenever the Torah Ark is opened, Yosef blesses “mi sheberech” for IDF soldiers
In 2010: Yosef and Shas’ Moetzet Chachamei HaTorah (Council of [Wise] Torah Sages) approved Shas’ membership in the World Zionist Organization
in order to be accepted to the WZO, Shas had made some significant changes in its charter – including adopting the “New Jerusalem Program” that recognizes the foundations of Zionism. The New Jerusalem Program is a plan that recognizes the centrality of the State of Israel and of its capital Jerusalem in Jewish national life. The program was formulated over a long period by the various members of the WZO, and was formally accepted in 2004. It was also reported that the World Likud, long a WZO member, and Shas had agreed to become a joint WZO faction that will be “World Likud-Shas.”March 24, 2025 8:15 pm at 8:15 pm in reply to: Three Oaths essay from Rabbi Avraham Rivlin of Kerem B’Yavneh #2381487Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantyankel > Multiple times klal yisrael are being described with the moniker of ‘am’
This might be where the problem is. Some people are eager to exclude everyone who disagrees with them from am yisroel. This is understandable going not so far back to various anti-religious groups – from reform to zionists to bundists to communists. I heard from some old people in NY showing to a place near their shul – “this is where communists were bringing food on yom kippur”. And this is in US, think how things were in Russia or Eastern Europe.
R Berel Wein traces antagonism between early Israel leaders and religious communities back to Russian under Czar forcing (religious) kahal to select (mostly poor) children to be recruited into the army. So, attitudes survive for long time …Still, it seems this attitude is not relevant in these times, especially after Shoah and after Soviet Jews coming out in large numbers and next generations of both American and Israeli Jews being more ignorant than antagonistic … R Steinsaltz writes that Jews are not a nation, nor a religion, but a “family” – where people sometimes agree, sometimes disagree, but still stick together over long time … And we can see here that even those who don’t see others as “am”, still come to argue their point! hypocritical, but still in the family.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantZSK, someone should develop a TSAT, a Torah SAT and then get gedolim to support it. Sara Schenirer did not wait for Chofetz chaim to come up with an idea to do schools for girls … In our day and age, we need some simple measure of learning – not just for exemptions, but also for allocating tzedokah, shidduchim … it is silly to rely on “he is a smart boy” from some unknown rebbe. I realize that there are some distortions caused y measurements (people studying for tests, there are many ways to learn Torah, etc), but I think benefits are more important.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant> Ran in Nedarim
Again, they are free to live there and defend themselves. In all your postings, you seem to have profound confusion between what a person can do on his own and what he can do by taking from others without their permission. I suggest reviewing R Dessler’s essay on taking and giving personalities and maybe Maseches Nezikin.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant> aptitude is no prerequisite.
sure, if your parents or in-laws can support you and provide protection. But sometimes practicalities matter. R Aha b’ Yaakov sent his son to the yeshiva, while staying behind working the fields. When the son came back at the end of the year, he examined his son, saw that the progress is not high enough, so he left his son working and went to yeshiva himself (where minor miracles happened for him upon arrival …). So, was he a worse parent than today’s charedim not letting his son doodle on the pages of Mishna for another year?
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant> I’ve been very clear that I oppose any mitzvah observant Jew from joining the chazer-treif IDF,
so, then why are dreining my kopf with talking about T’Ch? trying to get more sympathy? Using gnevas daas to support your “Torah-based” views? what could be more chazer than being not honest when pretending to defend Torah positions?!
March 24, 2025 1:53 pm at 1:53 pm in reply to: Three Oaths essay from Rabbi Avraham Rivlin of Kerem B’Yavneh #2381116Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantHakatan > Judaism is a Nationality, not (only) a religion
thanks for specifying your concerns that we can discuss!
Is it not true? What does it mean for you that you deny that there is “am yisroel” and “goy kadosh”? and “am chacham venavon”?
What does it mean in practice – that you don’t care about any non-religious or “traditional” Jews in Israel and do not consider them your brothers?
Please specify what is exactly wrong with saying that Judaism is a goy/am in addition to dat (word not in the Chumash, I think)> . The Zionist “State” is the Nation-State of that religion.
here, I think, opinions differ, although again not clear what are you denying. That Israel exists? that it has a “right to exist”?
How is it different from any other state that Jews live in? There is a difference that there is rov yehudim in the country, at least,
so if you find a lost gold bar, you should look for the owner – as opposite to US Senate (where you give it straight to Sen Menendez)March 24, 2025 1:49 pm at 1:49 pm in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2381071Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantsomejew, I have no idea what you are asking. I suggested reading up on R Soloveitchik books and see what you think about that. Others suggested other authors. Maybe the disconnect is that you are looking for a one-page disproof of Vayoel Moshe? I don’t think this is fair to anyone including Satmarer Rebbe. If he were an unknown person from St Mary, publishing his interpretation of a gemora, it will be as well known as any CR post. He developed a certain philosophy and raised thousands of students, and that is why his opinion is important. So are other Teachers that we mentioned. So, good read up their writings, try to understand what they are writing about, and then come back and tell us what you think, and we can have a discussion. And, again, onus is on you because you deny validity to whole large group of observant Jews. I am not accusing Satmar Chassidim of kefirah, I do not need to prove anything.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantWho is this crowd? Are they recent BTs or yeshiva graduates? If the former, then interest them in sme additional exciting learning that opens something new to them. If the latter, advice is the same + go to their yeshiva rebbes and ask them why their graduates did not acquire desire to learn after graduation.
March 23, 2025 11:33 pm at 11:33 pm in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2380928Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantZsk, that is why I am suggesting to discuss rabbis who had first hand respect from other well-known rabbis. U wonder whether some jew would dare addressing r Soloveitchik without the title in the presence of R Moshe.
March 23, 2025 11:33 pm at 11:33 pm in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2380927Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantUjm, if you are a serious student of history, you would of course read both Hertzl and Marx ad many others.
If you are not comfortable in your emunah, you can read R Berel Wein, he read them for you.But here we have a different case. Some jew paskens that r Soloveitchik needs to answer Satmar rebbe, despite r Soloveitchik writing multiple books on is own. How about asking whether doing reverse: read r Soloveitchik and then go see whether Satmar rebbe ever responded.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantujm > “it is unfair that the Torah scholars are exempt from the army”
so, you are in favor of charedim who are not Torah scholars to go to the army. Maybe, there are several questions here (1) those who are not learning and (2) those who cannot pass a test on their learning (3) those who pass the test but do not show Torah attitudes in their behavior towards other Jews?
As one ger, former rapper, wondered – if we have more students now than at the time of Rambam, then our generation would have 100 Rambams. Where are they?
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantujm > The Zionst-come-latelys can move to Iran, Russia and Poland
why? Israeli Jews, more-or-less, accept democracy, vote in elections, and follow the laws enacted by the elected government. So, only those who disagree with that have a problem. And, again, solution is very simple – you can stay within EY and move to areas not currently under control of Medinah.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantsomejew > who are the “rabunim” you would want at such a meeting that are pushing Jews to vote
EH seem to have at least 2 rabbis on their board, maybe not at the level of those who werfe talking at the asifah. Otherwise, there are a number of rabonim at RIETS who could express pro-WZO line, such a R Schachter, R Willig, R Lebowitz, R Mayer Twersky. I really really do not understand why we-all do not insist of having our leaders express their opinion in the presence of others at their level. We should all learn from their debates, the same way we learn from debates of Tannaim and Amoraim.
March 23, 2025 10:31 am at 10:31 am in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2380649Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantHellooooo, are there any anti-Z out there who actually read R Kook or R Soloveitchik in the original? It appears that writings of these Rabonim are more powerful than I thought.
March 23, 2025 10:30 am at 10:30 am in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2380371Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant123abc> No True Scotsman
indeed. The problem (for him) is that there are verifiable connections between true and false Scotsmen – they are from the same klan!
maybe that is why he refuses to say that, but continues repeating “I did not see any names”.Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantAvram > hand them a full fledged smartphone with a “be good, Totty’s watching!”
you don’t say them that. You, presumably, raised them well and taught them middot tovot. But, you have an admin account and you watch their behavior “just in case” – same way you, hopefully, lock your doors and watch who comes into your house. OpenDNS will show you a list of sites they are addressing. you can check that monthly. If you have reasons to be concerned – do snapshots every 30 minutes. So, a quick look at 10 pictures per day.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantAvram > Well, saying “just keep the computer in the living room and tell your kids to be good. There, I’ve solved children and tech for you!” doesn’t sound appealing to me either.
I am NOT saying that this is just one thing to do. I am saying it is one of the things to do!
>> admin account.”
> They’ll have my bank account, email account, and photos, but at least they can’t update my drivers!again, this is just one of the things to do, not the only one. With admin rights, all accounts on this computer will be compromised, your hard drive will be encrypted until you pay ransom, and your computer will be used as a server to do more illicit activities. I’ll stop here so not to give people more ideas.
and yes, why not have your email separate from your bank?
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantZSK > There is plenty of room to argue Charedim are selfish for not considering themselves part of the Kahal
There is a concept in mussar to verify that your actions are actually based on correct motivation. Say, Alter from Slobodka did not want to go great some visitor that others considered hoshuv. To make sure he is not doing it because he is stam lazy, he walked to the hotel, stopped there, thought it over again, and walked back home. So, a true charedi will not put himself in a position where his views dictate him actions that are convenient for him. If you think you should not be drafted, take upon yourself to go do something supportive of soldiers equivalent amount of time every day.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant> So the Zionists caused a hundred years of wars and terrorism
I can understand Jews from Old Yishuv complaining, but most of the charedim came to EY when Zionists “were already in the Land”.
So, what rights do they have to complain? Just move to Iran or Russia, explain to them that you are anti-Z, and live happily thereafter.Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantujm > That Chilonim don’t accept תורתו אומנותו as a valid exemption is absolutely no reason anyone shouldn’t utilize that exemption, regardless of Chilonim not accepting it.
Gemora brings such example in Bava Basra – Rabonim refused to pay roman tax. The “chilonim” did not like that. Rabbis told them – you can leave. At the end, after the last launderer left, the romans abolished the tax. So, just move to one town, let Tzahal leave you alone. That is fair. Accepting protection and not paying for it is against halakha.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantujm, I don’t have the primary source right now, quoting from secondary sources. It appears that your assertion is not correct and RJBS continued in SCA despite all opposition and his own reservations.
RJBS sees two expressions of Jewish unity – (1) as covenantal community “You shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” and
(2) based on joint historical fate “, it is a people that shall live alone”. This second one unites all Jews, religious or not, including in the eyes of our enemies. From this, it follows, as we mentioned above, (1) a need to be separate from non-religious groups/non-O groups in issues of religion and (2) a need for joint action/unity in communal issues.now secondary analysis:
The Synagogue Council of America had been organized in 1926 by the six organizations comprising the three mainstream Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox rabbinical and congregational associations, including the RCA and Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America…SCA often found itself crippled by differences among its member organizations, and survived as long as it did on the strength of a one-organizational veto, which allowed the Orthodox groups to reject any joint action (particularly one that might be perceived as straying into the “spiritual” realm) they disagreed with.
…
In 1956, the Rav’s support for the SCA came under attack both from within his community (the RCA) and from without (the Lithuanian yeshivah world). Just days before the RCA’s Halakha Commission, of which the Rav was the chair, was to meet to address a petition from the RCA’s leadership to require withdrawal from the SCA, the ultra-Orthodox Rabbinical Alliance issued a public ban on all Orthodox participation in the SCA as well as other joint rabbinical boards. Neither the Rav nor the Halakhic Commission ever formally ruled on the question, despite repeated efforts by the RCA leadership to force the issue.[11] Indeed, the issue continued to simmer, but despite a widening of the gap between the “two camps,” the RCA and UOJCA remained members of the SCA until the Rav’s death in 1993…dissolution of the SCA in 1994 simply put a punctuation mark on a completed era. With the Rav gone, it was as if the last remaining force (within the Orthodox world) trying to maintain the tension between unity and separation, to restrain the deep separatist forces at work within Orthodoxy, within the larger Jewish world, and in the wider society, was released. It was in fact a watershed. [16] What the Rav’s death marked was not so much the end of the Rav’s influence, but the end of the milieu in which Conservative as well as Orthodox rabbis (and to some extent even Reform rabbis) came from (and in some cases adhered to) traditional roots and perspectives that made debates among them still possible.
[9] Rabbi Walter Wurtzburger, in an essay on the Rav’s life and writings, writes unequivocally that the Rav strongly supported continuation of RCA and UOJCA participation in the SCA, recounting that he and the Rav, along with Rabbi Klavan had strategized how to keep the SCA status quo from falling apart. See, “Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik as Posek of Post-Modern Orthodoxy,” in Angel, Marc D., Exploring the Thought of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, at 14 (1997).Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantujm, from wiki> [ RJBS] also did not sign the ban by America’s foremost rabbis against participating in the Synagogue Council of America. It has been debated whether his refusal to sign was because he believed in participating in the SCA, or because he was not happy with the way the ban was instituted
so, it seems that his position is unclear.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant> The filibuster is anti-democratic. In a democracy a majority of the legislature should be able to pass laws without a minority having veto.
You see how greek culture crept into the yiddishe shtetl of Monsey! It took just 2000 something years.
Who said we are looking for democracy?! Surely, american founding fathers did not. History assimilated lessons of Greek direct democracy and even more stable Roman Republic and decided that democracy is unworkable – for centuries. Indeed, how could you expect uncultured masses to participate in deciding complex matters of the state. Better left to the experts, appointed by the King. The idea was looked upon again in 18th-19th century and it started working after a number of trials-and-errors that cost millions of lives. US as a far-away huge province had luxury to think a little bit and then practice a little, and worked out a system that slows down democracy to make it manageable. By now, some of these safeguards are weakened (senators are not elected by legislators, states lost lots of powers, politicians have more information about voters than voters about politicians…), so stop picking on remaining ones, like filibuster, independent courts.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantAvram > I want my children to be safe, but they also have a need for some degree of privacy.
That is a good question, and I wonder what are practices about it. First, you can ask a 3rd party to do that. You can even mix up snapshots from all kids for further privacy! As far as I know, halakha does not give my kids privacy in my house, but it calls on me to be careful with their feelings. So, I’ll use the collected information in a way that will not reveal my methods to the kids (unless they will read it here, of course). It is a hard task, but who said parenting is easy.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant“On any computer, you should always have an admin account controlled by parents”
Avram > And what about the parents?first, fyi – basic cyber practice on any computer you use: have an admin account and then a local account where you do your normal work. In this case, an intruder might take over a local account but not necessarily of the admin account. Then, just let each parent be an admin for the other parent. Or, have parent’s parents do that 🙂 Feel free to outsource this to local rav or rebetzin or to any third party.
Maybe, a fool-proof method would be a company that takes snapshots of private accounts every 10 minutes and then use a combination of AI and indian labelers to look for offending images. You want to start this?
> they don’t just focus on filters. Their stated services include hashkafic guidance and a 52-week curriculum geared for young women. My guess is that responsible usage comes up at some point in those 52 weeks and in that guidance.
I did not do thorough analysis, but I looked at a number of their and affiliated pages. I do not see the basic info that we are discussing about organizing the house and talking to children mentioned. 52-week course on hashkafic guidance does not sound appealing if they are not willing to put some basics upfront, and we don;t know what kind of guidance it is. Again, if I missed something, please let me know
March 21, 2025 2:11 pm at 2:11 pm in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2380131Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantThere seems to be a major point of agreement between those who believe in 3 oaths and those who believe in Medinah:
Both sides agree that mass aliyah is only possible b’zman Moshiach.
They only differ on how they see the facts: Oathists see the Zioni crowd as apikoiresim despite the good they do for Jewish people; and Medinists presume that they’ll turn out to be the sign of Moshiach coming despite their philosophy.
Basically – is the cup half-empty or half-full?
March 21, 2025 2:11 pm at 2:11 pm in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2380130Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantok, I searched around, here are some references that relate to 3 oaths. Note that I personally don’t want to debate this, just helping out with quotes, so you can shoot at each other with better precision. I am trying to omit agadic material and sources that one of the sides may not respect.
Rashi: it’s only a problem if the Jews come all at once
Avnei Nezer (Y.D. 453, 456) do not derive halakha from agada;
“Avnei Nezer” (Y.D. 456) once the nations of the world give permission for all the Jews to go up to the land of Israel, the oath is annulledYoma 9 says that we davka must (!) “rise up as a wall
Shir HaShirim Rabba 8, 9 (3), where R. Zeira, the author of the aforementioned “three oaths” in Ktuvot, changes his mind explicitly, and adopts the contradicting opinion mentioned in Yoma!
Pnei Yehoshua (on Ketubot 111a) points out that Yoma 9b implies the opposite
Hafla’ah (Ketubot,same), the “wall” only relates to the immigration to Eretz Yisrael from Babylonia.
Vilna Gaon, Commentary on Shir HaShirim 2, 7, in his Siddur: we swore not to rebuild the walls of Yrushalayim and the Beit haMikdash
commentary on Shulchan Aruch Even HaEzer 75, 17, “the mitzvah is upon him to ‘toil/work’ (לטרוח) to fulfill”.San. 97b – does redemption depend on teshuva
For a comprehensive treatment of this issue, see Naĥalat Yaakov by R. Yaakov Zisberg, vol. 2, pp. 715-815.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantmaybe that is why Sephardim do not charge for shidduchim but consider it a mitzva – less chances to be liable 😉
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantDr Pepper > I actually disagree with you on the part about a non-professional being responsible for damage caused when they had permission to work on something.
I probably missed out some important caveats. You can look at, for example
YD 336:6 – liability of doctors – experts v not
liability for advice – expert/not, paid/not – Nesivos Mishpat (306:14) CM 306:6-7
indirect loss CM 386:3Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantFYI – Sanhedrin 93 brings a test for a potential moschaich – find out who is guilty and who is not without using DNA analysis. Take it from here.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantDr Pepper > if you act one someone’s behalf without their permission and cause them a loss- are you responsible for making them whole again?
I believe so, and that is all halachos about doing some a favor without their knowledge is about. If there is a possibility of loss, you are not allowed it. If you are not allowed to, you will be responsible for direct loss.
Even with permission, if you are not a professional, you are responsible for losses. So, maybe here the idea of shadchan certification comes in. I wonder how many shadchanim actually know what they are doing and thus have immunity? This is probably relevant to the current state of art – after all, old times doctors had permission to drain your blood …
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantcould you check if there is phone software that can take regular screenshots and upload them to a cloud for other family members to see – this should help.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantAvrah,
yes, chromebooks are also good solutions.
on opendns, you can disable wifi and just use ethernet cable to the router. You can use glue and nails to make sure the computer is not going to starbucks – unless you live near one. Talk to your neighbors not to use 613 as password to their network.On any computer, you should always have an admin account controlled by parents, and you can install all kind of family control software in that account. As I mentioned, maybe the most fool-proof would be to get screen snapshots every several minutes and then either quickly review them or run thru some recognition software. You can probably write such software in one hour if you don’t want to pay $20 for shareware.
But my point about related issue is not a substitute for filters, but it is important not to just focus on filters.
There are these reasonable instructions on how to use electronics in the house, and these should be distributed to all parents and repeated multiple times. It is very suspicious that TAG is not mentioning these: either they are vested in their digital solution, or they do not look at the problem at large. In either case, this does not inspire confidence in their professional judgment and business model. I think interested people should talk to them and ask questions.Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantChaim, who told you that tag is Torah m’sinai.
If you feel being influenced by their ads – call them up, ask who their posek is, and call that posek and ask him all the questions you have.Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantIt looks like there are 2 issues in elections:
Daas> Your missing what some consider more important: joining an organization which is anti Torahof course, I presumed past making that decision.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant>> if someone is going to reject the Gedolim who pasken that it is forbidden to participate in the Zionist Organization voting
> Similarly, if you don’t vote in the WZO elections, you are rejecting the Gedolim who pasken that it is a chiyuv to.why don’t you guys politely invite both sides to a in-person or on-zoom meeting so that their chassidim could here them discussing this issue? I’m interested in buying a ticket.
Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantujm > Everyone was opposed to participating in the Synagogue Council of America. Even Rabbi J.B. Soloveitchik was explicitly opposed. Certainly the WZO isn’t any better than the SCA.
RJBS position on such issues (including other religions) was usually – no to cooperation or even discussion on religious issues, but yes to cooperation on social issues, such as solving world hunger, dividing NY abandoned orphans (he wanted Jewish community to take a portion of those proportional to their share in the town), and such.
I presume SCA was a religious organization. Does WZO discuss how we should all daven together? So, there might be a difference.
March 20, 2025 10:21 am at 10:21 am in reply to: Three Oaths essay from Rabbi Avraham Rivlin of Kerem B’Yavneh #2379514Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantujm > Square: Being that you’re bigger than the Satmar Rebbe
To be fair to square, he is simply quoting someone else.
> Tosfos Yom Tov attributed Tach V’Tat (aka the Khmelnytsky Massacres of 100,000 Yidden in 1648-1649) to talking in shul.
Please stop bad-mouthing Ukrainian Jews. I am happy to inform you that not all of 100,000 talked in shul. About 50,000 were not even there (current estimates of Jews in Ukraine at the time is 20K to 50K, I think). And maybe about half of them did not survive – and of those probably many not directly from the uprising, but from resulting diseases, etc.
I also wonder: most of these Jews were “arendators” – paying annual rent to Polish owners and then extracting product from local peasants. So, presumably many of them lived in very small places, with or without minyan. So, maybe “talking” relates to their relaxed attitudes towards their overall observance – when they decided to move from population centers in Poland proper… Maybe, even, when Jews who rarely came to shul would finally meet, either on shabbos or on yomtov – they had a lot of things to talk about, especially after the uprising started.
March 20, 2025 10:21 am at 10:21 am in reply to: Three Oaths essay from Rabbi Avraham Rivlin of Kerem B’Yavneh #2379510Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipant> Vayoel Moshe askes many (if not all) of these questions and answers them, k’derech haTorah.
as I said, I don’t think this scholarly debate will convince anyone, but you can as well mention how Satmar Rebbe answers these questions, especially those that are from classical sources, such as
(1) Avnei Nezer
(5) According to some opinions, the only way to violate the oath would be if people came to Eretz Yisrael in very large groups.
(6) The author of the “Haflaah”
(7) Rabbi Chaim Vital
(8) The Gra [Vilna Gaon] writes that the oath applies only to building the Beit HaMikdash, not to entering Eretz Yisrael.
(9) Elsewhere in the Gemara there are other, conflicting, sources.this post did not provide references, but I presume the original article did – or maybe Satmar Rebbe quotes them.
March 20, 2025 10:21 am at 10:21 am in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2379508Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantChaim> made up that this is Halacha when it’s really haskafa.
Well, the boundaries are not always clear, so he is within his rights to argue a certain position.> Repeated stories and paskim from gedolim done in front of 100s of people is mesora.
what is more concerning that he can not find “gedolim” within all texts written by others. Because, I presume, in his definition, a gadol is someone who teaches in certain yeshivos, lives in certain towns, writes in a certain way … I think if he were to bump into R Shimshon Hirsh in the street, he would think he met a university professor.Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantI agree with akpuerma – there is a process here. WSJ analysis says that Supreme Court could – and should – address process issues when they go out of hand, by issuing their view of when district judges should be able to issue country-wide injunctions. So, savlanut.
March 19, 2025 9:21 pm at 9:21 pm in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2379256Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantsomejew > his psak is binding because of the authoritative sources his psak stands on until there is another countering psak that fulfils the requirements of SA: 1) gadol b’minyan and/or chochma, 2) someone who goes in a “good way, 3) paskins specifically because of his the contents of shas and poskim, and 4) who has publicized his halachik reasoning for peer review.
Truly, I am with you, I’d love to be in the bleaches of the Sanhedrin, seeing Satmar Rebbe debating R Kook. I really do not understand why we do not see modern Rabbis meeting for such discussions. They don’t have to be opposite of each other, just slightly disagreeing. We have stories of someone encountering someone at a chasunah or something and raising an issue. We have teshuvas, but not real debates. Sad. As R Steinsaltz used to say – gemorah says that if all gedolim gather on the same street in Yerushalaim and daven together, Moshiach will come. Why don’t they? We misunderstand the gemorah: only when Moshiach will come, such gathering will be possible …
Until then, you just can’t obligate me, a litvishe guy, to go learn shitah of a Chassidishe Rebbe from St. Mary of Hungary. You can interest me by quoting him in a good way, and so far you didn’t.
> there is no one who has even attempted a countering psak.
You have a problem with peripheral vision. you are looking at posts quoting various rabbis and still thinking “where are the gedolim”. Just because they are not standing on the shelf in your yeshiva, does not mean they are not. I don’t want to answer for others, but I was bringing shita of RJBS. He is of comparable learning & effect on Jewish community to Satmar Rebbe. You may not see that because his students do not march in uniform – and probably outside of your neighborhood. For example, when he was a student in Berlin, he was coming back to Vilno during vacations, bringing his “chidushim” to R Ozer. R Ozer would usually smile and turn around to his bookshelf and find the source of the “chiddush”. This story says not only that R Ozer was ready to talk to RJBS, but also when RJBS was in Berlin; that RJBS was actually learning during his university studies; that he was attempting chiddushim, and that they were quite grounded in mesorah – and maybe that it requires R Ozer to see that what RJBS is saying is actually according to mesorah. RJBS was definitely respected by his contemporaries, some disagreed, some not much. And he definitely published a lot of books with references. Maybe, you read either other authors quoting him in short, or his most famous short articles, then you need to go and read more – as we are discussing a comprehensive issue that can not be resolved in one paragraph.
March 19, 2025 4:41 pm at 4:41 pm in reply to: The antizionism amongst religious Jews has no legitimate detractors #2379259Always_Ask_QuestionsParticipantsomejew > We cannot paskin based of actions of a presumed tsaddik to go against halacha
I think this explains our disagreement. I (and others here) do not see a pre-existing halakha that those who were tolerant to Z or cooperated with them were violating. See discussion of Ohr Sameach who seemed to be tolerant to both sides of the debate and did not denounce anyone.
There were often Jews of different social opinion. At modern times, there were communists, socialists, bundists, reform, conservative. There are lots of different decisions on how to behave towards them under different circumstances. Often, we decide not to cooperate with such groups. But, in some cases, we do. Depends on lots of factors. And different gedolim can come to different conclusions. R Salanter writes with owe about ladies who join serious Torah classes in Germany and says – if I were to try this in Lita, I’ll be excommunicated…
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