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yuda > the love American Jews have for America reminds me of the love German Jews had for Germany until the holocaust
We all are not naviim and don’t know what awaits us. Indeed, when Fritz Haber, a Nobel prize winner, was visiting US a couple of years before WW1, he was shocked to discover that some places did not allow Jews (although it did not apply to respected people like him, he was told) – and said that nothing like that could ever happen in Germany … Still, there are many countries where Jews lived for hundreds of years in a reasonable way (Spain, Germany, Poland, Persia …) and, to a various degree, interacted with the country.
r Avigdor Miller brings a moshal that might be applicable to Chabad activities: if a house is burning and you run into the house and save the child, you are getting burned also. It is not a punishment, it is a natural consequence of your – laudable – action.
Qwerty > ’m not clear what point you’re making. I assume you have a question or challenge.
I think you are “misunderestimating” what Chabad did for myriads of Yidden, neshomos saved, many turning out ehrliche Yidden and having great families. Yes, there are side effects and I am acknowledging them (and did them to the face of people that have some reason in them), but those groups that were so engaged with the Torah that they did not pay attention to their brothers being lost should be less judgmental and more helpful, if they can.
xctl > a mandatory basic education is necessary to provide functional and employable citizens.
I think we agree here, and maybe even more than basic
> private institutions cannot be trusted with public money.
This is what I think is “unexamined”. USSR had indeed such economy, but in this country, government routinely spends money on private businesses – from buying munitions to doing medical research to providing medicaid services and foodstamps. I agree that education is not a simple good as potatoes are, but medicine and defense are also complex industries. So, your premise needs more nuance.
gadol > It will be an interesting 2 months until November.
I know UK and other countries run their elections in weeks, but America has this tradition of vetting candidates over time through primaries, press coverage, debates. Are you comfortable having a candidate that took over the position in some back room deal – when one day Pres B was pressured to quit, and Pres O and others wanted to have a mini primary, and 30 minutes (?) later Pres B endorsed his VP who he did not care for during these 3 years, and somehow everyone got in line. This sounds like CCP election style. And nobody seems to plan to ask her – how did she sit behind a President who is now admitted to have diminished capacity for years, or what her platform is, or how did she succeed in politics via her boyfriend. I don’t think these are partisan points, this is basic stuff.
Gadol, not that simple. Machine learning works well (or at least with predictable performance) in a “closed world” (olam satum?). When events change, or even just their probabilistic distribution, then you would need contemporary poskim to re-train the system. This is what parsha Shoftim teaches – go get training data from shoftim of your generation. So, here (computer) science and Torah are in full agreement.
The problem would be that when most of psak will be given by AI, how do we ensure that new generation poskim will be ready to step in? Same as how do we keep pilots to be ready to step into a complicated landing when they are sleeping through the flight most of the time.
Gadol, right, I saw him stepping in after I posted. Still, halakha prefers pro-active actions rather than reactive, and a kosher business should check the halocha before the medina forces them to a “peshara”.
Be careful though (as with any online advice). If you don’t know what you are doing, better pay the company than risk your life on this ladder.
I think it would be up to גואל הדם to make sure nobody shoots him first. Put a peace flag on his machine gun.
XCTL, there is a good reason you did not see any anti-semitic activities, as they were happening in “undisclosed (to you) locations”
>> Abraham Foxman expressed concern on Wednesday that the situation for Jews in the US had deteriorated to the point that they had to meet in secret at events like the Democratic Party National Convention.
Kuvult > But anyway, my unpopular opinion is about bombing the tracks being impossible & wouldn’t have changed anything anyway.
I think you are right. Look at current war in Russia by Russia. Bombing tracks does not work even now with precision targeting. It does not take long to rebuild tracks. It only makes sense at bridges and tunnels, maybe. During WW2, you would probably need thousands of bombs to have one hit on the tracks – all of this beyond the front lines from the West. You could have destroyed another Dresden for the price of bombing one track for a week.
There are a lot of emotional myths like that. One example is a sustained negative campaign against Poland, amplifying anything negative that Poles did to Jews, totally disregarding reality of the time that Polish state was destroyed from two sides by Nazis and Commies and their government did not control anything.
SACT5 > My mom interviewed her grandfather for a family history project. He told her “our surname was changed at Ellis Island.”
There are a lot of recorded interviews at Ellis Island. You can find them online and listen to what people actually said.
Froggie > You can tell what a person is from what he /she writes, talks about….
This works with kids and maybe teens, which might be your peer group. Adults learn what is appropriate to say and say that even when doing something inappropriate, they can present aveiros as mitzvos. My Rav’s advice: listen to what children say and make conclusions about adults in the family.
xCTL > I oppose school vouchers, if anyone wants to send their children to private schools then the taxpayer should not pay.
Sometimes, I disagree with someone but can understand their position. In this case, I can’t. Maybe coming from a Teachers Union leader.
Your premise seems to be that it is government job to _directly_ provide education to ALL the children. Not thru shaliach, and not just to poor children. I do not see where this premise comes from, maybe just an un-examined assumption that somehow creeped into your mind,
And without that premise, why not let other institutions provide the same goods (vouchers, under proper controls and testing of results) or make it into program for only those can’t afford it and then let everyone else use a market solution.
I mentioned before Baba Basra story of several attempts of establishing a working educational system, changed when the previous version did not work good enough. Same here, why not any solution that might work? We have lots of ways to experiment and measure results in this country.
>> 2. “Husbands should work, wives should stay at home”.
Gadol > Unless, as is frequently the case, the wife is smarter than the husband and can earn 2x or 3x as much so he can stay home, take care of the kids and learn.If she is smarter, why would she not let her husband work, both enjoying her time with kids and letting the husband take credit for supporting the family
Note that generally divorce rates are higher in families where “smart” women out-earn their husbands. See how “smart” Ms. Harris used men for career advancement and how long it took her to find her bashert.
I am not saying like the other guy that staying home is a mitzva, but it definitely a reshus.
qwerty > . Now Kiruv is a wonderful concept and I fully endorse it, but there’s a downside. Those involved in Kiruv are eternally optimistic. You’re a Mechallel Yom Kippur. No problem. Give him an Aliyah.
I very much understand your concerns about excesses. But here your understanding of “kiruv” is imperfect. (I used quotes because Chabad are usually not using this term, only those who – B’H – decided to copy their approach and who define their own position as between Hashem and those on outside. So, this is not about Aliyot and kibudim in general, it is about people asking basic questions about their relationship to Hashem, trying to figure out how to go home to their parents and eat from paper plates without causing a ruckus.
common > reliable, honest and frum car repair shop
would 2 out of 3 suffiuce?
xctl > I am in Chicago through tonight’s session, but must be in CT tomorrow on legal business.
Oh, so this headline was about you?
A CT DEMOCRAT LEAVES CONVENTION ONE DAY AFTER ATTACK ON A JEWISH ORGANIZATION. CLAIMS LEGAL BUSINESS AS EXCUSE.You don’t need a posek involved. Simply train AI using his teshuvos and test on other ones so you know the quality.
What IF President Biden will announce in his speech tonight: “I am Joe Biden and I am running for the second term”!
Will he be supported? dragged from the stage and sedated? Will there be a “mini primary”? Will ExCtLawyer get up and announce that he supports Mr. Biden? Biden-CTL ticket?
There is a letter from Rambam to a Yemenite ger who asked whether he can recite that Avraham is his father, as he is not. Rambam says – you yourself are at Avraham’s level, so “yes you can” (way before O-, so Rambam has the copyright). Similar sentiment applies to BTs.
MrShlomo > If they say yes, then you have your answer…
This may not be a final answer. By some, probably very lenient opinions. this religion is not necessarily A”Z for a non-Jew. My personal addition to that is that depends very much on a brand, there is huge difference between Catholics/Protest/Orthodox/Copts, and more divisions in between. Some are more AZ-looking, like Greek/Russian orthodox, some American Protestants may not even be “religious” at all.
So, you would need to have a way longer conversation with that beggar.
> “but the sheer hypocrisy of chanting “Lock her up! Lock her up!” then doing nearly the exact same thing.“
There is a subtle difference here. Multiple media outlets bombard us daily with accusations of T. Most of them do not say
similar things about Democratic players until they fall of the cliff in a debate. After that, they attacked the fallen lion like lowly hyenas.So, T has to make those accusations himself in order for them to be heard. I blame Republican leaders for not creating enough media presence …
Governor Romney tried to be nice and was accused of all kind of crimes – and that is why he became “Senator Romney”, not “President Romney”. Majority of Republicans accepted that they need a Yiftach-type fighter, even with imperfect middos.
Menachem > Do Lubavitchers really venerate the Rebbe more than the Jews in the desert venerated Moshe Rabbeinu, … We’ll have to talk to an unbiased Jewish historian about that.
Just open the Chumash. Did you see chassidim complaining about the Rebbe the way Jews complained about Moshe? Caze clozed.
Gadol, thanx 4 scaring me, I was just on the way to NYC … Should I return my ticket? I still think I’ll breath better than those 44,000 musketeers. The rest 76,956,000 are the innocent victims of propaganda, tinokos sheb nishba.
Pres Biden indeed is positive towards Israel, especially comparing with people around him. It seems that he is first naturally inclined to support Israel and after that course-corrects to take his political interests into account. This was actually a selling point before 2020 elections targeting Israel-minded voters – that Obama people viewed Israel as occupier first, while Biden knew what Yom Kippur war was and understood Israel’s risks. I think this argument is largely true.
“Ironically” (or hypocritically?), there is a new argument now (opposite of the old one) – that Biden could not influence the crazy anti-Israeli youth, but Kamala can, as a Black/Indian/Batcrazy leader that those other crazies will relate to, so she is now best lord/lady protector of the Jews … Just shows how it is easy to be fooled, especially if you want to.
A religious owner?! B’H!
Who is the current posek in Israel who gets shailohs about how one can price a service when competition is weak and demand is high? Especially during the war? What did the posek answer? Is the answer posted on El Al website or reported in quarterly earnings reports?
skripka, politicians are not called listim in the Gemora, I tihnk. but “crying widows” I think as they are always crying for more money (in the story of R Yochanan convincing his nephews to donate the money he saw in a dream they are going to lose the money, and the rest was taken by the government.
Gadol, all democrats are in Chicago this week, I heard, so can I enjoy the rest of the USA?
you don’t have to stare at youtube during the ad. Mute it and read a posuk, or watch another video on the second screen, or do chesed, call your zeidi.
coffee, thanks
coffee, you are mixing me up with R Tarfon who would do that, I will simply refrain in order not to offend one of the great tzadikkim.
The story goes that when young R Kamenetsky lit a cigarette in doctor’s office, the latter informed him that recent medical thought is that it is dangerous for lungs. Rav suggested the shomer pesaim defense. Then the doctor mentioned that it also dangerous for memory. Rav replied: I can not afford forgetting the Torah I learned, extinguished the cigarette and never smoke again.
RebE, this is contradictory – he might not be changing, but his biggest drawback seems to be that he is unpredictable and some people are sincerely scared of that, and others are exploiting what he can possibly do. But if you go solely on his history, and we discussed here at length, his policy decisions were pretty good for Jews/for economy/for international politics. You may have it drilled into your head all possible scares, but if you go and review the record, there are not many problems there. So, if he does not change, you should be able to vote for him.
Note that perception from the media is extremely misleading by now. For example, T was giving a press conference yesterday. A friend who watched said that it was pretty organized and included policy positions read from a paper. There are no references in the major papers to the conference in general, and one little note I saw was about some moment that might paint him in a bad way. So, unless you are reading T’s truthsocial, you are not well informed.
We can have a CR zabla beis din – take one leftwing and one rightwing poster and let them choose the third and they can vote on whether a post qualifies as LH.
lostspark> the war in Gaza, the war in Ukraine, the civil strife in Britain things will grind on to be incrementally worse with no clear exit strategy or cathartic events.
people were saying the same in 2016 – ISIS will continue their empire, Suleimani will continue his tricks …. Then, Trump changed rules of engagement allowing US commanders to call strikes directly instead of calling White House lawyers and ISIS was soon gone. Nobody even mentions them now.
Oh, and “every president promises to recognize Yerushalaim and then does not do that”
Anyone who really cares about the election should move to PA and register to vote. Nothing new here. I was reading about elections in Latvia in 1920s-30s, and there were trains of Jewish voters from several parties going from one district to another to maximize their chances against each other. I am not sure that was legal though.
Very astute. You are channeling a philosopher Karl Popper who defines a “theory” as something that can be conceivably proven to be false under some circumstances. That is, gravitation theory predicts where planets are supposed to be in the future – if they are not, either the theory is wrong or there is another planet to be discovered.
Well, bringing your _own_ beach chair is better than sitting on a milk crate that has written “do not take outside of the store” across it.
I know that eating chazir is generally a no-no. But, aside of that, can I eat it on Tisha b’Av before or after chatzos?
And B saw hashgaha pratis interacting with T, while B himself lost his connection during the debate – and resigned from the campaign, something that goes against his whole character. So, if B hears Bat Kol (or lack thereof), so should you.
Interesting, R Yochanan seems to be assigning blame for BHM2 destruction twice – once to Bar Kamtza (it is not clear to me whether it is him continuing this sentence from before or stam Gemorah) and then to Rabbi Zekharya ben Avkolas who was too humble to let his chaverim speak.
Why two possible explanations? Both are allegories to certain behaviors in that generation, and it seems to me that both are actually the same – Rabbi Zekharya ben Avkolas shows similar attitude to Kamtza story: people talk past each other and are not able to hear other opinions.
RebE, exactly. Maybe, Hashem wants T to listen better, so only his ear was touched. This is clearly trying to prepare him for the second term. Hope He gets your vote.
qwerty > These are Russian Jews who didn’t know Aleph Bes ten years ago. The Rabbis never mention Hashem.
Right. I went also to some yeshivish and modernish shuls with tremendous amount of torah flowing like an ocean – to interview these proverbial Russian Jews who didn’t know Aleph Bes ten years ago. I could not talk to them, though, as they left ten years ago after hanging around for a couple of days and getting no contact… they left together with their children and einekels. Whether they left for Chabad or for baseball field, I do not know.
To paraphrase B Shammai/Hillel discussion about being born – was it better for them to end up in Chabad or lost forever. Probably, at Chabad, but they should review their deeds … I hope that not all of them ended up with Meshichistim, so at least some benefited. So, the blame that you mention should be balanced by benefits.
I can not decide between B Hillel and B Shammai on whether to sit or stand during Shma, so I am skipping it tonight, bli neder.
Moshe > I do question whether Oct 7 events qualifiy but as I heard on one program, all bad events that occur to klal Yisroel stem from the destruction of the Batei Mikdash,
This is separate from the music. I heard it from multiple Rabbis that all tragic events are included, especially for a specific community. I am not sure it has to be necessarily linked as “stem from”, although it might be. Commemoration is a straight-forward issue not requiring theological justifications, I think.
I am a little surprised that when you were listening about Oct 7 events, your thoughts go to “do they qualify”Gadol, I am kvetching not about convincing, I worry about people not even talking straight. If your don’t like your choices, think about 1+ bln Chinese whose choices are Xi and Xi.
you-all should stop reading headlines and look at the data.
As an example of misleading headline: McCarthy tells T to stop talking about crowd size ^. Actual quote – stop talking about crowd size, and focus on her vulnerabilities – no platform, etc. If the actual quote would be in headlines 24-7, you would stop thinking the way you do,
Actual data from a reliable survey: 15% of voters are undecided, and 2/3 of them are open to T’s arguments with 1/3 – to K. Do the math.
Also, she is popular because people think that she has their position. She is trying to make both Jews and pro-Israel voters and pro-Palis happy at the same time, It ain’t working.
qwerty, I know plenty of Chabadnikim who are wonderful people, cared about many others, live ehrliche life, etc. I might disagree with some of them on some issue, but have no disagreements with others. I do know many who are not good and pretty clearly off. It seems to me that there are more of latter ones that are younger, and it is not simply an issue of age, as I remember the good ones being younger ;). So, I do not want to disrespect the good ones by focusing on the bad ones.
It also seems that (1) those who were closer to LR in time are better (that would mean that the Rebbe himself was a good influence), but (2) the movement is not aging well, so they were not able to establish a system that will work for the next generation. So, they risked their lives and their children’s lives to help other Yidden, and there was some risks envolved, something worked out, something did not. Again, the movements who only cared about their own, should not be criticizing.