Avi K

Rav Yaakov Emden, in his siddur, says that the intention is for the yetzer hara of a”z to be defeated.

Rabbi Hiyya says (Yevamot 63a-b) that one should even thank a problematic wife for saving him from sin. Hakarat tov is a fundamental good midda. Even dogs are grateful.

RE,
Who says that the reason for loving a ger is because we were gerim in Egypt? That is only a reason to make us sensitive to how they feel (I would extend this to making deprecating comments about other ethnic and religious groups). Rav Kook says that we should love all of Creation as an extension of loving HaShem.
One must, though, define the meaning of ahava. There is a famous Mussar saying that asks why a person says that he loves fish. If he loves fish why does he kill them? He actually loves his tastebuds and stomach. The Hebrew word “ahava” is related to the Aramaic word “hav” (give). One is certainly required to give to one’s wife. One signed on it before the chuppa. This also explains how one can, as Rav Kook says, love resha’im while hating their sins. One gives to them by bringing them to do teshuva (see Berachot 10a). In a way, even capital punishment is a form of love as it enables atonement.

Google “TAS Tax Tip: Got a Direct Deposit from the IRS, But Not Sure What it is For?”.

Abba_S, Korach also used “common sense” (Rav Soloveichik called it the “common sense rebellion against Torah authority”). The chances of an animal infecting a person with COVID-19 are very low. Even if this were not so, the vast majority who get the viruses would not be affected or only slightly affected. That is why epidemiologists agree that it is at least theoretically possible. Whether or not this is a practical possibility depends on people. If you have not gotten the jab get it!

.לא ראינו אינה ראייה

There are a number of articles online. Google “recovered people getting corona”.

For that matter, how many were asymptomatic?

Resident, vaccinated people can indeed transmit the disease but the chances are much less as are the number of people they infect. That is why in the US there is no mask requirement for those who have been vaccinated. In Israel there still is because the government wants to be extra careful.

Anti-vaxxers, as opposed to those who have real medical conditions that preclude getting the jab, are doing a great deal of damage. I refer the O.P. to Jacobson vs, Massachusetts, 197 U.S. 11 (1905).

Run from Corona? Are you vaccinated?

Avira, there is also “v’asita hatov v’hashar”. This, apparently, is behind the Be’er haGola’s famous statement. The Netziv says in his introduction to Sefer Bereisheet that the Avot werecalled yesharim because of this.

You are wrong about Rav Hirsch. He believed in studying German culture as well as science and math. This was Torah im derech eretz. In his commentary on Pirkei Avot he writes

“Derech Eretz includes everything that results from the fact that man’s existence, mission and social life are conducted on Earth, using earthly means and conditions. Therefore this term especially describes ways of earning a livelihood and maintaining the social order. It also includes the customs and considerations of etiquette that the social order generates as well as everything concerning humanistic and civil education.”

Avirah, first of all, Rav Soloveichik earned a doctorate in philosophy. rav Kirsch himself studied philosophy as did Rav Kook, his son rav Tzvi Yehuda and one of his main talmidim, the Rav haNazir (Rav David haCohen). Rabbi Jonathan Sacks also studied it. He as well as many other rabbis, both in America and Israel quote non-Jewish and secular Jewish writers. Of course, someone who wants to study it should have a rav. This also depends on the branch of philosophy (logic, which is very mathematical in nature, is considered a branch of philosophy) and why one is studying it. Some just want to learn how to formulate arguments. In fact, when someone asked Bertrand Russell why he did not live according to his theories he replied that he was also a mathematician yet no one expected him to be a triangle.

As for Rav Meiselman’s book, he is attempting to show that Chazal were not wrong about science. I personally have my doubts as to whether or not they meant their statements literally (the Ben Ish Hai seems to take them as metaphors and Rambam says that all the aggadatot were metaphors). However, it is clear that they interacted with non-Jews and even admitted when they were right (Pesachim 94b). Shmuel went to a debating club called Bei Avidan (Shabbat 116b) and had a number of conversations with a non-Jewish sage named Ablett.

From an actuarial point of view, the girl should be 2-3 years older. That way they can expect to die together.

Refuah sheleima.

Avira, that is why I used the Sephardic pronunciation of מצוות. I am half Ashkenazic and half Sephardic. That, BTW, reinforces my definition of Yiddish as creole German. “Fromm” means “pious” or “religious”. Perhaps, though, מדקדק or מקפיד would have been a better choice. BTW, “Yiddish” should be capitalized. There should also be a period after “all”.

RE, there are six explanations in Tosafot. One is that it is talking about false converts. This also Rashi’s opinion. Another is that they become so frum they embarrass born Jews. Another explanation is that it is very difficult to be careful about the mitzvot regarding their treatment. In fact, I heard that when Rav Scheinberg heard that a talmid in the yeshiva was a ger he trembled with fear. The Maharshal points out that in many times and places it was illegal and even punishable by death.

Avira, Rambam, in his introduction to “Shemoneh Perakim” says that he took from non-Jewish philosophers. In the Guide, he quotes Aristotle and various Molem philosophers and then contrasts them with his view. This is also a common explanation of יפת אלקם ליפת וישכון באהלי שם.
In any case, I was discussing altruism, which is a general concept.

I found that gemara you cited. It’s Baba Batra 10b. The maskana is Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai’s interpretation, which is what the Malbim says.

They are obligated by a contract. Their hands are tied unless they want a hefty breach of contract suit. Keeping one’s word is also a Jewish value. As minhag hamedina it would probably also be binding halachically.

RE,

1. There is a machloket regarding deriving benefit from mitzvot. Rashi says that they are a yoke. Rashba says that the benefit is in the next world and this is not considered a prohibited enjoyment (e.g. in the case of a neder). Rand was an atheist but she might agree that even a perceived benefit negates it being altruism as the person feels good about what will come to him.

2. The Malbim says that it is an atonement for them. That is why the word used is חטאת and not חטא.

Avira, what is “pure altruism”? Is there impure altruism? For that matter, what is altruism? Auguste Comte defined it as giving without a thought of receiving anything in return. Ayn Rand accepted his definition and thus opposed altruism but added that getting a good feeling is a benefit and therefore giving charity in order to feel good about oneself (and presumably for a mitzvah in the case of a believing Jew, which she was not) is not altruism. Thus, she states that a man should risk his life to save his wife. Rashi, who presumably negates all charity not done for the sake of a mitzva, would probably agree with her but limit egoism to wanting to perform a mitzvah.

BTW, Rambam and Ramban healed non-Jews. Ramban also delivered their babies.

Avira, you are way out of date. “Morris” is from a couple of generations ago. Today MO Jews also give their kids Hebrew names. I guess they figured that if other groups can give their kids ethnic names they can too. BTW, Rav Moshe’s letterhead had an English side where his name was given as Moses Feinstein.
In the case you cited, the person bought the desk on Craig’s List, not at a yard sale, and the CNN article mentioned that he is an Orthodox rabbi.
In any case, when the recipient sees that the person is wearing a kippa or modest dress he will figure it out. There is also not only the issue of kiddush Hashem but also avoiding a chillul HaShem. If it is discovered some reporter will dig out the fact that he is an Orthodox Jew and trumpet it.

Lower, don’t tempt me.

Avira,
1. If they wrote it for generations they intended it for generations. Similarly, there were millions of nevi’im in Tanachic times but most said things that were only for their times. Whether something is applicable in a specific time and place is for the poskim to say.
2. Everyone knows that the Meiri’s writings were not known in their times. There are also many instances where a pesak is not mentioned because the writer did not see it.
3. If omission is rejection, why do anti-Zionists keep harping on thee three oaths?
4. “I do dismiss the psak of people who are incapable of seeing past the egel hazahav of Zionism”. Nu, I dismiss the pesak of those who repeat the sin of the spies.
5. The Meiri’s pesak is a sevara. If non-Jews act justly we cannot be worse with them. One can just as easily say that those poskim who spoke harshly about non-Jews were influenced by bad relations in their times and places. The Be’er haGola, however, wrote what he wrote (CM 348,5) around the time of the theChmielnitzky massacres. Perhaps he saw them as punishment for these actions. BTW, the Netziv says in his introduction to Sefer Bereisheet that the Avot were called yesharim because that is how they always behaved, even with the lowliest pagans.

Avirah, so how does Rashi explain Shimon ben Shetach returning a precious stone to an Arab? A Jew should always try to do a kiddush HaShem and not do a chillul HaShem. BTW, the Rema says (CM 259:7) that if there is a dina d’malchuta to return an aveida one must do so (in general, we are not required to treat them better than they treat each other, and according to Roman law, an aveida belonged to the finder – finders keepers, losers weepers). See also Rambam according to Be’er HaGolah CM 266:2 and Mammon Yisrael – Halachos of Others People’s Money by Rav Pinchas Bodner, pg. 153 regarding gentiles who believe in Gd and have the rule of law. See also on this Sheeta Mekubetzet Baba Kama 113a in the name of the Meiri. Both Rav Hirsch and Rav Kook say that the Halacha is like him.

Avira, you are guilty of slander. How does Israel not allow people to practice Judaism. What about the violations of freedom of religion in America by the toeva crowd, not to mention the marginalization of those who, unlike you, support Israel (which is also part of Judaism)?
BTW, the Chesed l’Avraham says that when someone is inappropriate for Eretz Yisrael he must be ejected. However, being that he is still a Jew the land has pity on him and makes him feel that it is to blame.