Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
To everyone who has a problem with golus.
Where exactly did golus Yavan take place? Was Klal Yisrael exiled to Greece? No, it took place tight here in EY. Golus is a spiritual state, along with being physically exiled from EY. In our ties, we have the privilege to live in EY, but the spiritual aspect of Golus is unfortunately still running at full steam,….Incidentally, the Chazon Ish zt”l referred to the medina as “seifa de’galusa” not ‘aschalta de’ geula.
Regarding Hallel on YH, used to be that those who said it did so w/o a bracha. Then Shloime Goren was elected Chief Rabbi and he decided that people should be making a bracha as well. This decision of his provoked widespread opposition from the Chareidi rabbonim. When someone had the nerve to ask Rav Elyashiv zt”l about this, he replied “I can’t think of a bigger bracha le’vatola.” (My chavrusa was present and heard Rav Elyashiv say this.)When seeking the best, say, orthopedic doctor in your area, whom do you consult? The local taxi drivers? Hardware store owners? The local shoemakers? Perhaps students in the local medical school? Of course, non of the above. The other orthopedic doctors know who among them is the most knowledgeable. I.e., the best orthopedic doctor among them.
So, who is a Gadol b’Torah? The experts in the field know who, among them, is the greatest expert.Of course, everyone has forgotten about the brilliant medical breakthrough of injecting bleach…. Oh yeah, he was just being sarcastic …
I like to hope that the GOP could somehow prevent the childish, narcissist, bleach injector from becoming the party’s candidate. Biden is plainly a disaster, and Trump is a different kind of disaster. Hashem yerachem.
Trump will be 78 yrs old in 2024. Yet he ridiculed Biden during last year’s election campaign saying, among other things, that 78 years old is “too old ” to be elected president.
Sounds like the sages of the CR ought to immediately get in touch with all the Gedolei Torah, all of whom seem to have forgotten this important halacha.
Avi K: and in which foreign country did Galut Yavan take place?
Start by reading– as much as possible. Start with classics and later to the more contemporary authors. There’s more to it, but that’s a good way to start. Hatzlacha!
Having Hebrew and English mixed on the same line will always be somewhat jarring, regardless of what font you decide to use. Maybe keep it all in English. When you absolutely must bring the original in Hebrew, maybe put it in a footnote or endnote. That way, you can even add a few words of explanation without distracting the reader in the text of the sefer. Hatzlacha!
Many of the commenters here might be too young to remember the war. I am too, but being something of a history buff, and the fact that my father fought in the U.S. army against the Germans, I have a bit of perspective on this.
People today cannot imagine how unprepared the US was in 1941. And Congress was doing everything in its power to keep the US out of any conflict, be it in Europe (which some derisively called “the Jew war”), or with Japan. Today this sounds ludicrous, but if not for Hashem’s mercies, if the US wouldn’t have immediately rallied around FDR in defense of the country, who knows if Japan couldn’t have seized areas of the western US?
The US made the decision to stand up to tyranny, both in the Pacific and against Germany. FDR believed Albert Einstein’s warnings about Hitler possibly achieving nuclear capability. The government allocated huge resources to developing the atom bomb, which military planners figured on using against Germany. Hashem guided the Allied forces to victory without nuclear weapons, but the war in the Pacific could have dragged on for years. The Japanese army was not some ragtag military force. They were tough, disciplined, and had high quality weapons. And it was nearly impossible to stop the kamikaze attacks on US warships.
So yes, we owe everything to the United States of America, and to the valiant servicemen (and women) who gave their lives so that ydden can live proper yiddishe lives in the US and throughout the world. It’s not too much to ask to fly the American flag on July 4th — not because we identify with all the American mishegassen (which lately have proliferated and deteriorated to a worrying degree), but with a sense of gratitude to all those who sacrificed to free the world from Nazi Germany and Imperialist Japan. So, yes, they are heroes for what they did. Even if we still save our principle admiration for the great ones of our nation.The father of a child is also his rebbe. Ergo, by definition, the father must also be ” domeh le’malach.”
There are different options among the rabbonim about celebrating Thanksgiving. Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l allowed a turkey dinner. I think Rav Gifter zt”l also allowed it.
Rav Hutner zt” l held it’s forbidden. Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l was vehemently opposed to any Thanksgiving celebrations.
We are surely required to evince endless gra6to Hashem for creating the malchus shel chessed. This ought to be year round, not specifically on the last Thursday in November.Most shuls in Israel in 1949 — the first year after the declaration of Israel — recited Hallel on the the 5th of Iyar. Most likely not at the Chazon Ish’s minyan, and among the Toldos Aharon chassisim. They were grateful for being saved the previous year from oblivion. In Yerushalayim, in particular, the battles often raged around many of the old frum neighborhoods.
After 70 years, this practice is not found among too many Chareidim anymore. People who don’t live here, and even many who do, do not realize the horrifying depths to which much of secular Israeli society has descended. Huge swaths of this population have become Hebrew-speaking goyim, very many with the lowest of the low moral standards. One occasionally hears reference to the “strongest LGBT-state in the Middle East…..” r”l. These degenerates already have an unbelievable array of “rights” under Israeli law, and are working feverishly to try to gain even more. This is a situation that even 15 years ago would have been unimaginable here. They have penetrated into much of public secular life here, and into the army (from which they used to be rejected). We have just read the parshioyos in the Torah what Hashem thinks about this, and other forms of perversion. This evil element here in EY is causing Hashem to make EY “vomit us out of the land.” So, they are actually a national security risk, just like someone who spies for the enemy. Yes, there is much Torah learning here throughout EY, but most of this is despite the medina — not because of it. If the secular leaders had their way, most would evince a Yair Lapid-type of attitude toward Hashem and His Torah. So, while we need to constantly be grateful to Hashem for all the good, this does not have to include Hallel, and certainly not with a bracha, a practice that nearly all gedolei Yisroel nowadays do not sanction. Who wants to praise the rampant chilul haTorah that is burning like a wildfire throughout the country?Rav Elyashiv zt”l is known to have said on several occasions, “I can’t think of a greater ‘bracha le’batala’.”
YWN is a business venture that requires as many eyes on the website as possible that will respond to the advertisements. Otherwise, there is no YWN. Hence, sensational-sounding news articles with attention-grabbing headlines are practically a necessity. Nothing wrong with any of this as long as the truth is followed. In a further attempt to attract a more diverse readership, YWN has, in the past few years, expanded the scope of its reporting to include all kinds of news items, the types of which were not reported in years past. A while back, the site reported mainly yeshiva world news. In recent years, practically any news item reported on the general news finds its way onto YWN. In fact, except for blatantly shmutzy news items — nearly all the general news is considered suitable for today’s YWN website.
The same is true concerning YWN’s editorial/ ideological stance regarding anyone or anything the editors deem “extreme,” for example, opposing any form of public “kana’us,” Chareidim demonstrating in the streets, publishing pictures of women on the site, NK, Satmar, the general attitude toward the state of Israel. This editorial slant, instead of being confined to “opinion” articles (like most other news-reporting bodies), makes its way into what is supposed to be objective news reporting. Regular news articles have become vehicles to disseminate the editors’ hashkafa on Yiddishkeit. Doesn’t have to be a bad thing, as long as readers aware of the situation.
Judging by their comments, some readers comments seem to favor this new broader approach. Many readers seem not to. Personally, I preferred the previous editorial style. I suppose time will tell whether this “broadening” experiment will succeed.RockStar: you claim that YWN was worried about chilul Hashem surrounding the Paris fire in the eyes of the non-Jews who might read the article. I find this reasoning somewhat difficult to grasp. What about some articles against about whomever the powers that be at YWN consider “extremist” or “too-frum” or “un-zionist?” And then publishing often appallingly vile readers’ comments against the “extremists” — remarks that are sometimes seem better suited for a neo-Nazi website? Do the gentiles not read those articles and comments? When those non-Jews see how some frum Jews publicly talk/write about other frum Jews — isn’t this also a chilul Hashem?
Chossid; you wrote, “the fact is, only Jews are allowed to be in the program.” THAT is exactly the issue: how do the program directors know who is Jewish? Do they ask each participating teen if they are indeed Jewish? Is that how it works in halacha? I seriously doubt that the program directors convene a beis din to pasken on each participant? If one of these kids become frum, would you let your own son or daughter marry them — just because they say they’re Jewish?
The OP’s question is totally legitimate.Avi K: even “holy”(!) Ivrit nowadays is a hodge-podge tongue. containing a significant number of words taken from English, Russian, and Arabic, among others. You are surely familiar with the infamous “back-axle kidmit” For the uninitiated, this IS a phrase used today in Israel that refers to a vehicles’ front wheel axle….
All languages today are “creole,” including English and Ivrit.Even Slabodka (in Bnei Brak) doesn’t dress like Slabodka.
The Goral HaGra is one of those things about which they say: “if you have to ask, it’s not for you….”
As a sort of adjunct to LH’s concluding words, perhaps you could add that since most of the world is against the Jewish people, and particularly frum people — we ought to show extra sensitivity before presenting what are often hyper-critical reports, news items and allowing comments about this or that group whose,main fault is being “more extreme” than we are. If we won’t stick up for each other, who will? Less dirty laundry in the open will definitely contribute to clearing the air.
The Chazon Ish said that there was never a minhag not to learn on that night. Yidden generally stayed at home that night to avoid getting beat up. Remember that a few hundred years ago, people didn’t have seforim in their own homes as is common nowadays, except for siddurim and perhaps a Tehillm. So, effectively, if a person didn’t go out to the Beis Medrashh where there were seforim, it was pretty difficult to learn that night.
The Chazon Ish also said that in Eretz Yisroel, even the “machmiriim” need not be concerned about this matter.
In any case, since there are de’os le’kan u’le’kan, someone who chooses to be “mei’kil” has a rock solid basis to do so. If your family follows a specific minhag on this, maintain your minhag. Anyone else who wishes to learn on that night, there are many Gedolei Yisroel to rely on.The incessant attempts to cv”s discredit the gedolei harabbonim is an old trick that took on exaggerated proportions since the Haskala began about 200 years ago. When it seems impossible to persuade Chareidim to abandon the opinions of the gedolei Torah, other tactics are employed. Absurd, impudent canards are being pushed out, such as the rabbis are being “manipulated.” Or “whatever they say has to be checked and re-checked a million times for accuracy.” And possibly the most brazen of all: that there is a money angle to “keeping the talmidei yeshiva in poverty” while the gedolim rake in $$$.” (Afra le’pumei)
So, which rabbis are being manipulated? Only the ones who say things that you don’t like, and cannot be discredited on the basis of Torah learning; after all, it’s not easy to oppose Reb Chaim Kanievsky’s or the other rabbonim’s level of Torah knowledge. So, other methods are used. He is being “manipulated.” Nothing that he says or writes is reliable. But, EVERYTHING the Dati-Leumi rabbis pronounce is completely authoritative. No manipulations ever. And why, pray tell, do many of them dress up in Chareidi costumes (with a kippa seruga under their homberg)? Are they trying to create some kind of impression?
But, the worst anti-Semitic canard of all is the “money angle.” As if the rabbonim are somehow profiting financially from the talmidim sitting in the Beis Medrash. I challenge those who made such vicious accusations to visit any of their homes to see how they live, and have lived for the past 60, 70, ot 80 years (ad 120). Have you ever been in Rav Steinman zt”l’s apartment, or Rav Elyashiv’s modest home, or le’hibadel le’chaim tovim, Rav Chaim Kanievsky’s or any other of the rabbonim whom you deign to accuse of “making money” off of this. But, if anyone would make such accusations against the knitted-kippa rabbis — I can just imagine the indignant outcries that would appear on YWN. We’d be reading accusations of “anti-Semitic Torah haters” and worse.
And again, all the lamdonim who think they understand Torah better than the gedolei harabbonim — take it up with them, instead of anon1mously bashing their opinions. This infantile talk about exactly how one must evince “hakaras hatov” or “davening for the kingdom” or any other “halachic arguments” — as if you are on a level to argue with the rabbonim. If you change the minds of the rabbonim — you’ve won. If you cannot change their minds (pretty likely the case) — stop badgering the Chareidi tzibur about it. They’re not listening. You have your opinions, and we have ours. We are not out to “convert” you. Stop trying to “convert” us. And stop bashing the manhigei hador. You choose not to obey them. That’s your business. Leave us alone to follow the guidance. of those whom we consider the greatest Torah experts.Concerning government benefits to “disloyal” citizens. You know full well that the Israeli arabs will petition the supreme court that it is discriminatory, and the court will strike it down. This will apply to the Chareidi community as well.
I agree, “the IDF certainly has special religious significance…” Boys and girls serving together in mixed units, even serving together in tanks, tolerating queers in the army, condoning any and all forms of anti-Torah lifestyles, along with (depending on the particular army base) rampant chilul Shabbos. To cite a few “significant” features pertaining to religious observance in the IDF these days. And I already know from previous experience that you will reply with some smart alec comeback that won’t address the points that I’ve raised. Because the concept of a “holy” IDF is an unassailable axiom, regardless of the facts, or of anyone trying to point out the truth.
I do not advocate absurd and dangerous ideas such as disbanding the IDF, some of my sons do reserve duty in combat units, and I am proud that they are contributing to defend Eretz Yisrael and Jewish lives. But, let’s not lose our minds and pretend that darkness is light, that evil is righteous, or that immorality is “holy.” The Rambam writes about “michemes chova” and also writes about chilul Shabbos and immorality. How to weigh which takes precedence? So, most of the Chareidi tzibur follows the decision of the gedolei harabbanim who feel that all these other mitzvos supercede milchemes mitzva. Others think differently. And I’m certain that the rulings of the rabbis who support IDF service even in these trying situations was checked and re-checked “a million times” — as is required whenever we hear a psak from ANY rabbi — we are more or less at an impasse. We don’t expect you to listen to those whom we consider the manhigei hador; you shouldn’t expect the Chareidi tzibur to change their minds either. Some Chareidim do; yes, and some (former) RZ folks now follow the Chareidi tzibur’s derech. So, there we are. We can agree to disagree or continue wearing out our typing fingers.Manitou: if you think the gedolei harabbonim are making a mistake in halacha — take it up with them. Stop hocking a chainik in the CR trying to persuade people that you are right and the rabbonim are wrong. You ought to realize by now that you’re not going to get anywhere by telling people that you understand halacha better than their rabbonim.
There is a vast “army” of thousands of men and women who carry out all sorts of tasks that help ensure the security of the state. Some of these “tasks” are extremely dangerous. But very many of these people work long hours in an “office” somewhere in Israel or elsewhere. They are reading, listening, observing, analyzing all sorts of information that comes their way. That is their job. Most people have no inkling of what these people are doing, or why it’s important. The people in charge of security DO understand the importance of these peoples’ work. Very many of these people have never worn the green IDF uniform and never will. They go home to a warm bed every night instead sleeping in a muddy foxhole. But, the security chiefs all recognize the importance of their contribution.
So, the gedolei harabbonim have instructed us that there is another “security agency” that provides additional, critical layer of protection whose value is incalculable. Even if many people outside this organization don’t quite understand what they’re doing. The yeshivas in which the lomdei Torah are toiling is that additional security agency. One that the public at large knows and understands virtually nothing. This is a dimension of spiritual protection about which the leaders of the state and the security establishment have nothing to say, since they don’t even understand what it is. But, the manhigei hador do understand it, and frum Jews ought to as well.ought to as well.To all the eminent commenters (Avi K. and others) who continually cite marei mekomos that purport to disprove that Chareidi hashkafa.
For the umpteenth time — there is NOT any passuk, midrash, gemara, Rambam, Shulchan Aruch, Zohar, or anything else that you know, that the gedolei harabbanim don’t know. I know you will respond saying, “there are other gedolei rabbanim who differ with the Chareidi rabbanim. Let’s get this straight, once and for all: you are all free to follow anyone you like. But, if you think anyone holds a candle to, say, Rav Chaim Kanievsky’s knowledge, well, I’ll say it politely, you are way, way off base. You have no inkling of the extent of their knowledge. You presist in citing rabbanim whose opinions do not carry much, if any, weight among most Chareidim. The Chareidi tzibbur is not forcing you to listen to them. By the same token, don’t think that you will somehow convince the Chareidi tzibbur to abandon the opinions of those rabbanim whom they recognize as authentic da’as Torah. You are futilely tiring your typing fingers. We cannot force you to accept the da’as Torah of our gedolei harabbonim. You cannot force us to accept your rabbanim’s opinions.To ascertain who is the premier orthopedic surgeon in the U.S. (or anywhere else), do we ask the Uber drivers in NY, the restaurant owners, or maybe the medical students studying in the local medical schools? Answer: none of the above. The top orthopedic surgeons all know who among them is the greatest expert. It is THEIR opinion that decides the matter. That’s how we determine the most qualified orthopedic surgeon.
Le’havdil, it’s similar regarding gadlus ba’Torah. The opinion of laymen, of frum professionals, or various shul rabbis is immaterial. The biggest Talmidei Chachomim all know who among them is the greatest. That person (or persons — could be more than one) is the gadol hador. It is reasonable that the Talmidei Chachomim in Eretz Yisroel are better acquainted with someone from their midst, and so it’s likely that they will recognize someone who lives in EY. While the scholars in the U.S. might recognize one of their own compatriots as the greatest in the group. So, we can and usually do have different Gedolim for different continents. The main point is that it is determined by other experts, not by non-experts. How wide the rav smiles. how well he sings, how many secular degrees he possesses are not relevant. Greatness in Torah counts — something that can only be measured by others who truly understand greatness in Torah.As an addition to the OP’s question, I’d like to know why the latest Israeli leftist outrages have somehow escaped notice by the intrepid YWN reporters and editors. One was the shameful “Betzelem” organization denouncing of Israel in the UN last week. The other is the utterly insane permission granted to a BDS supporting “student” — an American citizen — to enroll in Hebrew University. A gaggle of leftist lawyers presented her case to the Israeli supreme court, that ruled in her favor.
Perhaps if Yeshiva World would report such incidents, and there are more than these two — it will become more difficult to bash NK, Satmar, and other “extremists.” If there is a sizeable portion of the secular Israeli public has practically the same opinion of the state as the frum “extremists” and potentially can cause much more damage to the state (they in fact do cause damage!) — so all the endless vituperation on YWN against the frum extremists pales into a laughing stock compared to the damage these secular leftists are causing. So, since that would have “undesirable implications” (i.e., that the frum extremists are not quite the “danger” YWN makes them out to be — so the website has chosen to downplay or ignore the dangerous betrayals being perpetrated by much of the Israeli left. Damage that is way more serious that anything the NK Satmar clowns are capable of. If the excuse of “not airing one’s dirty laundry in public (i.e., publicizing the secular leftist depredations) is invoked — then it certainly applies to the antics of the frum “extremists.” What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.Galus Mitzrayim was in Mitzrayim. Galus Bavel was in Bavel. Galus Edom was and is everywhere. So, where was Galus Yavan? Did we go to Greece? We were in galus right here in Eretz Yisroel. Although galus is also physical, it can be spiritual too without actually leaving E.Y.
This argument about whether it was right to revolt against the Germans in the Warsaw ghetto or not is patently absurd. מאי דהוי הוי. Many people believe that Rav Menachem Ziemba zt”l Hy”d along with the other gedolei harabbonim in the ghetto sanctioned it. It is claimed that there are still witnesses alive today who know this for a fact (don’t try to ask me for sources for this). I personally accept this view that they did sanction it. Some claim there is no reliable testimony on this. Or that “it simply cannot be that the rabbonim allowed such a thing…” None of us were there to overhear anything said by anyone. If someone chooses not to accept the view that the rabbonim allowed it, so, OK, that’s your choice to believe or not. It’s probably impossible to empirically prove such matters 80 years later.
One point worth mentioning is that the leading rabbonim in the Warsaw ghetto, including Rav Menachem Ziemba received an offer from the Catholic Church in Poland of free passage out the ghetto.
They refused the offer, saying although we cannot do anything materially to help our fellow Yidden, our very presence in the ghetto is a source of inspiration and gives them strength. They all perished.
ה’ ינקום דמם של כולםI personally do not receive a shekel more than any other Israeli citizen. The Chazon Ish together with many others allowed frum citizens to recoup as much as possible some of the tax money that we all pay to the state. Perhaps that’s the “exception” you referred to. Regarding Christian celebrations, I only meant it לסבר את האוזן. Although 1800 years ago, it’s conceivable that some people could have made such a claim.
The entire discussion is getting absurd. Whoever wants to commemorate yom ha’shoa is going to do so. The question arose why aren’t more Chareidim commemorating it. I simply suggested discussing the issue with the Gedolei Torah, and if they will agree, probably most Chareidim will also follow suit. Anything else will not get the Chareidi tzibbur to go along with it. Nevertheless, as if no one is paying any attention to what others have posted, the question keeps resurfacing: but why aren’t the Chareidim commemorating yom ha’shoa? The given answer is ignored (i.e., consult with the rabbonim) and people keep on asking the question. It’s a matter for poskei halacha, not ba’alei batim. Those who persist in following da’as ba’alei batim — no one can stop them.
And around and around we go ….simcha613: we are quibbling over nuances in word meanings. By “joining them” you are acknowledging that the ignorant atheists are worth following. Otherwise, why would you want to follow them? The original Christians were Jews. So, should we “join them” in their celebrations for the sake of some type of “unity” of mankind? “Joining” them is “following” them, even if you want to split hairs and say, “but it’s not necessarily obeying them.” “Following” the ignorant atheists is also a serious error. I never heard of any Gadol BaTorah proposing or supporting such an idea. If you are still bothered by this, I’ll recommend my usual solution. Get on a plane to EY, visit Reb Chaim Kanievsky or any other gadol, and try to persuade them to adopt your ideas. If they’ll agree with you, the Chareidi tzibbur also will.
simcha613: Take your proposal to the Gedolei Hador and endeavor to convince them that you’re right. That’s the only way to get the Chareidi tzibbur to accept your ideas.
BTW, the loyal Jews are not the ones who have “separated.” It is the disloyal Jews who have separated from the body of Klal Yisroel. The practices of ignorant disloyal Jews do not qualify as “minhagim,” even if they are doing it.
We should try to engage them in dialog and behave civilly toward them, to whatever extent possible. But, to give in to them and accept their practices? Who are they that we should obey them?The main idea is somehow not registering with some people here. The mourning of the days of sefira during (the end of) Nissan was not something voted upon by a gaggle of atheists claiming to represent Klal Yisroel. It was decided by the Torah Sages at that time. The Chazon Ish has already made it clear that this is not something that anyone in our (in his!) generation is qualified to decide. Not even the Sages of the Coffee Room.
Establishing memorial days and commemorative events is not not for laymen to decide. It is a question for the poskei halacha andand the manhigei hador. The Chazon Ish wrote in a letter that those calling to declare a public fast day in mourning over the holocaust are demonstrating their failure to to grasp the enormity of legislating such a day. He wrote that to declare such requires ru’ach hakodesh, and it is sheer impudence for anyone in our generation (60 or so years ago!) to even suggest such a thing. Within all the existing frameworks, we mourn the holocaust, without establishing new ones. Regarding observing yom hasho’a — the authoritative poskei halacha have ruled long ago that this observance during the month of Nissan is not acceptable. The Israeli govt. declared it for that date, to fit their agenda — that it would always fall during the week before Israel independence day. That doesn’t make it correct from a halacha standpoint.
I realize that my comments won’t carry any weight with the other commenters who have an anti-Yiddish agenda. But, Rav Kook spoke to my grandparents in Yiddish, and they heard him speaking to others in Yiddish as well. So, all the stories about him only prove that he was not absolutely one way or the other. Sometimes Yiddish was OK, and other times he preferred Hebrew. And yes, both grandparents were fluent in Hebrew and Yiddish.
Regarding Yiddish being holy, I heard the previous mashgiach of Lakewood, Rav Nosson Wachtfogel zt”l say a number of times that the Rishonim in Europe invested some “sanctity” to Yiddish (I believe he said, “a bissele mekadesh gevein”) , somewhat like the Sages “sanctified” Aramaic that was used to transmit the Torah She’baal Peh. I imagine anyone who heard the mashgiach’s shmuessen and va’adim some decades back would also have heard him say this.
Oh, and one more thing. Nearly all languages today are “creole” — that is a mixture of tongues. Including English, and the ostensibly revered Israeli Hebrew, which nowadays is highly adulterated with English and Arabic words. among others. So, Israeli Hebrew is just as “creole” a language as Yiddish.If you live in the U.S. there’s no advantage. If you move to Israel there are advantages.
English itself is a creolized West Germanic language that originated from Anglo-Frisian dialects brought to Britain around the mid 5th to 7th centuries AD by Anglo-Saxon settlers. Norman and French also influenced its development. Shakespeare incorporated many Latin and Ancient Greek words, as well as from other European languages.
The language you presumably prefer — modern Hebrew — although probably largely based on Lashon Hakodesh, is itself an amalgam of European languages, BTW including many Yiddish words, and of course plenty of Arabic. And today’s spoken Hebrew often seems to contain more English words than Hebrew. Scores of English words have becomes “Hebraized” (creolized?) and so, if you pronounce them with an Israeli accent, everyone considers them to be Hebrew words.
Bottom line: all languages today are creole versions of earlier languages. Having said that, many comments, and even published articles on the website could occasionally use some editing…..The amoraim forbade yibum a long time ago. In all cases of yibum since the time of the gemara, chalitza is performed. This is not the same as polygamy. Communities that did not accept Rabbeinu Gershom’s cherem always allowed it, assuming the host country’s laws were OK with it (not too common nowadays).
Avadim: there are many opinions among the Rishonim on this. According to some, it could only be reinstated when we get back the Yovel, which clearly no one is claiming today to fulfill.Tzara’as: see interesting remarks on this at the end of the Tiferes YIsrael’s lengthy hakdama to Mishnayos Negaim. He wrote that in his youth, he asked Rebbe Akiva Eiger why the halachos of tumas tzara’as are not practiced nowadays. Rebbe Akiva Eiger told him that’s a very good question and he doesn’t have a good answer. The Tiferes YIsrael continues that when he got a bit older, he decided that it’s because we don’t have kohanim me’yuchasim. He bases this on a Rambam in HIlchos Terumos, I beleive the Minchas Chinuch also writes that same reason — because of the Rambam.
Korbanos: it’s mainly because of tumah, although there are many other considerations, such as the precise makom ha’mizbeiach (the dimensions of the Har Habayis has changed over the past 1900 years), bigdei kehuna, and others. The only question we could ask is about Korban Pesach that could be brought bi’tumah. On this (like on all other matters) we rely on the knowledge of our gedolei Torah who are not clamoring to do it. May we be zoche to do it in our days!And what about “Shmutz BaAretz” — among other things, the most LGBT-friendly city in the Middle East — according to “experts” in the field — is Tel Aviv. Along with the rampant promiscuity that permeates Israeli society and the IDF (“mixed units,” women serving in tanks together with men, etc.) The medinah that is controlled by bare-headed atheists who strive to obliterate as much Torah as they can r”l, is an integral part of Judaism?? Wake and smell the coffee!
Regarding made up Israeli names: Rav Chaim Kanievssky’s opinion on this is pretty well known. He considers names like Opher, Almog, Raz. Maya, etc., not to be names at all. And people so named he considers “nameless.” He has told several ba’alei teshuva who have asked him about their names, to “give themselves a Jewish name.”
Joseph: regarding naming a boy after a bubbe, I heard of such a case a few years ago, about which Rav Chaim Kanievsky was consulted. He said not to do so, adding “ein me’arvin Simcha be’Simcha.”
When I posed this question to an Adam Gadol here in Yerushalayim a few decades back, he answered that the Chachmei haTorah accepted Herod’s refurbishing of the Beis Hamikdash, despite that fact that he was a rosho. We don’t find that anyone at that time disqualified his “contributions” because it was “treifene gelt.”
BTW, I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble, but those who think that the “true” Chareidi groups are not accepting zionist money are living in a dreamworld. While they are probably not accepting funds directly from the education ministry budget, there are scores of line-items in the national budget under various “innocuous” names and part of other ministries’ budgets that are quietly accepted. Sometimes funds are routed through the municipal budget (which some claim isn’t so treif) or assorted “foundations.” Bottom line: let no one be excessively naive about who really accepts or doesn’t accept govt. funding.
Brisk might be an exception to the above. In fact, Reb Avrohom Yehoshua commented a short while back on the Eida/Peleg protests: “sure, the ‘gezeiras ha’gi’us… gi’us kesafim.’ (Gius=army conscription; it’s also used to refer to “fundraising.”)
The original prohibition of taking zionist money starting about 120 years back was specifically for chinuch, for schools, and not other “favors,” like health care, buses, electricity, trash collection, etc.
A very great number of Gedolei Torah in the past and in the present allow accepting these funds from the medinah. If you are part of a group that doesn’t, that’s fine, so don’t. Just make sure you’re not being 2-faced about it, and accepting monies from other govt. sources, while hollering “gevald” at the other “lenient” ones who follow their manhigim who do openly allow it.There are a few Greek translations of the 24 books of the Tanach. These were non-Jewish translated by different people at different times. However, the Septuagint (“Translation of the Seventy”) was translated by presumably good Jews, probably Talmidei Chachamim, for Ptolemy (one of many with that name) king of Egypt. Although they worked independent from one another, Hashem guided them to create identical translations, which included a number of identical changes from our original Hebrew. This is mentioned in the Gemara Megilla. Rashi on the Chumash also points out a number of those changes as he comments on certain pessukim. He writes things like, “And this is one of the places that were changed for Talmi Hamelech.”
For anyone who disputes with Christian missionaries about what the Bible “really” says, the following is worth noting. Sometimes, when we confront them with the blatant distortions (“lies”) that appear in the NT, some of them try to defend themselves by claiming that the NT is based on the Septuagint. As if to say, “it’s the fault of the Septuagint and its (Jewish) translators.”
This is false. The NT is NOT based on the Septuagint!! It is mostly taken from the other Greek translations. In any case, the Septuagint is only the five books of the Torah, and NOT Neviim and Kesuvim. So, all the NT distortions and mistakes in the other books cannot be “blamed” on the Septuagint.I would like to add to what golfer posted. In all the decades I’ve lived in E.Y., I’ve never met a frum person named Sivan, although seculars seem to use it. Rav Chaim Kanievsky’s opinion is that very many “Israeli names” are not names at all; he has told some ba’alei teshuva to “take on” a Jewish name. Without asking Reb Chaim, I couldn’t tell you for sure that Sivan is one of those “non-name” names. I understand that he has told people with names like “Oren” and “Almog” to take a “real” name. If you are concerned about Reb Chaim’s opinion, maybe you should send someone in to ask him about it.
The ban on automatic weapons is not curbing their use. One reason is because there is an easily obtainable “kit” that can turn many semi-automatics (which are legal) into automatics.
The question of “feeling safe” etc. can be taken to absurd lengths nowadays. What if someone claims not to “feel safe” unless he has a tank in his driveway, or a rocket launcher mounted on his front porch, or an attack helicopter parked on his roof? Granted these are most likely not considered “arms” (“right to bear arms”), But that is subject to interpretation. (OK, maybe not a tank or a chopper.) In any case, you can be sure plenty of the militia crazies have some of those weapons at their compounds “just in case.”
As long as the NRA and other gun-promoters keep on getting their way, this sort of thing is r”l likely to continue. If they’re even opposed tp more rigorous background checks to weed out people with mental problems, there’s not much chance of getting any significant changes in this situation. If the supposed right to bear arms — any kind that they want — outweighs society’s right be be free and secure from loonies with automatics, it’s hard to hope for change. Hashem yishmor.Joseph, the Rosh Yeshiva and other maggidei shiurim in Mir are not fluent enough in English to deliver a shiur . So, they speak in Hebrew. Reb Nosson Zvi zt”l used to say over his daily shiur in English.