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Actually, in Israel the Rabbinut batei din can put get refusers in jail as well as take away their drivers licenses and bar them from leaving the country. We are working on a decree that all Jews in Galut pack up and make aliya.
CG, Ramban says in Shaar HaGemul that after the year is up the neshamot of resha’im for wom Gehinnom is not enough are incinerated and the ashes trampled under the feet of the tzaddikim. What that (as well as the Gemara aboutr the fates of Bilaam,Yushki and Titus) means is another question. as for Levi Aron, it could very well be that he is a shotteh. Soros is probabaly a tinok shenishba. Regarding Dweck (if you a referring to the crook who was machshil rabbanim) I don’t know. When I either get by navi certificate (I still have a few tests to pass) or am hired as Hashem’s accountant (after 120 years) I will let you know, bli neder.
Yungerman, according to the Gra someone who does not eat gebruchts is mevatel simchat Yom Tov (and to drive his point home he used to hang a kneidlach in his window – Rav Soloveichik would eat matza ball soup on his porch in full view of passers-by) so lechora he would not even require a hatart nedarim from someone who wants to change. As to the general question, very often couples combine minhagim where they are not inconsistent. For example, many Ashkenazi/Sephaaradi couples have both a berit Yitzchak (where they read portions on berit mila from the Zohar and make every food beracha) and a shalom zachar.
Health, considering the fact that you only consider people like yourself to be frum that is a tautology. If you are talking about the usual definition you are simply WRONG.
Anyway, it is almost impossible to say that it was ladaat as almost everyone who does this either does not do so in front of two kosher witnesses (so that maybe it was an accident or a murder meant to lok like a suicide) or is unbalanced. Once a well-known Jewish politician in NYC was found dead, apparently by his own hand, in the middle of a corruption investigation. He was buried in the regular section of a Jewish cemetary.
This is obviously only an official bet din of the type that no longer exists and not any three Jews.
Both Rav Moshe (Iggerot Moshe, Orach Chayim 2:111; see also Orach Chayim 4:48) and Rav Ovadia (Yechaveh Daat 3:85) say that it is normal hishtadlut. Rav Moshe asks rhetorically if we can say that we have such zechut that we do not have to provide for our families.
We can go on saying “yes it is”, “no it isn’t” until Mashiach comes. I suggest to that whoever decides these things should close this thread.There are none so blind as those who will not see.
The test is whether the Goyim did it for pritzut (including gaava) or whether there is a logical reason. Thus it is permitted for a doctor to wear a white coat to differentiate imself from a layamn (Rema Yoreh Deah 178:1). Regarding clothing, Rav Moshe says that being that today clothes are manufactured for everyone it can just as well be said that Goyim are wearing Jewish clothing and there is no issur so fra as Gentile clothing is concerned (Iggerot Moshe Yoreh Deah 1:81).
Health,
1. Convince him to be mitgayer and then come yourself and promote his party.
2.All of the rabbbanim of our generation with the exception of a small handful agree that we are in atchalta d’Geula.
3. Nobody in Israel is or was ever forced to work on Shabbat.
4. Israel is not a treif medina as it is the fulfillment of a mitzva d’Oraita and according to all opinions, even those of Leftists, it has and should continue to have a Jewish character. This or that politician or government has nothing to do with the Medina as a medina.
5. Rambam says (Hilchot Melachim 5:12) that it is better to live in EY in a city whose majority are idolators than a city in Chutz La’Aretz whose majority are Jews.
Longarkel,
Democracy and Tora go hand in hand (Berachot 55a and Heemek Devar Devarim 17:14).
Read “Off the Derech” by Faranak Margolese. It seems that most people who leave do so because of negative role-models and a minority because they simply found out that here is another way of life (I personaly once met someone like that). The key to the teshuva movement, on the other hand, is showing people that Judaism has something for every type.
BTW, regarding the controversy on wives and guests the Chafetz Chaim once invited Rav Meir Shapiro for Shabbat. When Rav Shapiro asked if the rebbetzin sat atthe table the Chafetz Chaim said “I gave her a ketuba so I am obligated to her – to you I am not obligated”. Rav Shapiro regretted the missed oppportunity for the rest of his life.
I think that it refers to an intellectual approach to Judaism as well as a propensity to use Talmudic reasoning.
Sushe, you misspelled “porshim”.
Health, the Turks already have a treif leader. Regarding the Geula, see the Yerushalmi (Berachot 1:1) that it comes slowly in stages. BTW, what you wrote about working on Shabbat was in America. Sweatshops had signs “if you don’t come in on Saturday don’t come in on Monday” – and “treife medina” was the nickname given to America by rabbanim who told people not to go.
Longarkel, you are right. When are you going to be a Nachson and make aliya, take on Israeli citizenship and vote?
Sushe, their statements are on record. They obviously regretted the secularism but they saw the State as the beginning of the Geula.
Health, as much of Turkey is in the area promised to Avraham Avinu it should be the other way around.
Nechomah, I cited the places. Rambam at the beginning of Hilchot Chanuka and the Gemara in Sanhedrin 102b regarding Omri (it also praises Achav for supporting talmidei chachamim and refusing Ben Haddad’s demand to turn over the Tora to him – apparently the forerunner of the Kotel contraversy).
The Chazon Ish was referring to secularism. In fact, he told Ben-Gurion that the religious would eventually take over democratically due to their much higher birthrate. Other talmidei chachamim who saw the Return to Zion as the beginning of the Geula include Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rav Yehoshua Landau (Rabbi of Bnei Brak), Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank , Rav Y.M Tikochinski, Rav Zalman Sorotzkin (famed head of Va’ad Hayeshivot), Rav Yechezkel Sarna (Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron), Rav Shlomo Yosef Zevin, Rav Hillel Posek, Rav Unterman, R. Ovadia Hadaya (author of Resp. Yaskil Avdi) , the Husiaton Rebbe, and Rav Y. S. Kahanaman (Rosh Yeshivat Ponevitz – who flew the Israeli flag on Yom HaAtzmaut) .
TY,the entitlement has been restored.
Tora Yid, Rambam in the beginning of Hilchot Chanuka praises the postive accomplishments of the Chashmonaim and the fact that they restored Jewish sovereignty. Moreover, most of the holidays mentioned in Megillat Taanit as no-fasting days were celebrations of their victories. Chazal even have good words for Omri because he built EY (Sanhedrin 102b). The worst things that the secular Zionists did, including the Teimani children (if it actually happened) pale in comparison to what Yannai and Omri did but they are praised for the good things.
I personallly know someone who heard Rav Moshe misquoted (he had been present when Rav Moshe made the statement in question). In fact, when Rav Mshe was told that someone misquoted the Chatam Sofer he said “I’m still alive and people are misquoting me”. Rav Scheinberg said that if he had a nickel for every time he was misquoted he would be a rich man. Scientific studies have ben done about this phenomenon and can be accessed on scientificamerican.com. Maybe he said “book, shmook” (in Yiddish it would be close, “buch, shmooch”) about some derogatory book about Rav Kook.
Who was Book? Maybe he said something and was reported in the name of Rav Kook so the Chafetz Chaim said “Kook, Shmook, it was Book”.
Really, anybody who is familiar with Sefer Chafetz Chaim 7:4 and 8:6 knows that the Chafetz Chaim could not possibly have made such a statement. Certainly not on the strength of something written in a newspaper. Or he meant that he did not believe that the quote was accurate (Kook shmook – Rav Kook did not say exactly what was quoted).
Here is the quote:
Compare with:
??? ????? ???? ??? ???? ????. ????? ??? ???? ????? ??? ?????? ?? ????? ??? ????. ????? ???? ??? ????. ?? ???? ???. ???? ???? ??? ????. ??? ???? ??? ??. ??? ??? ??. ????? ??? ?????? ????. ???? ??? ???? ???. ????? ???? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???. ???? ????? ??? ????. ??? ???? ??? ??. ??? ??? ??. ????? ????? ?? ????. ??? ?? ???? ?? ?? ?? ???????? ??????? ??????? ?? ????? ?????? ????? ????? ??? ?????? ?????? ???? ?? ????? ??? ??? ????… ??? ??????? ???? ????? ????? “?? ???? ?????? ??? ?? ????” (?????? ?, ?) ?? ??? ??? ????.
???? ?? ??? ???? ??, ???: ???? ???????? ?? ???? ???.
(???? ???? ??? ????? ? ??? ?)
Certain unscrupulous people claimed that Rav Kook allowed sports on Shabbat c”v. This was absolutely untrue and he even rebuffed a deleagtion of soccer players who tried to get a heter from him. All he said was that sports, at the proper time and with the proper intent, develop a healthy body and teach good middot.
Rav Aharon HaKohen
Tel Aviv, Eretz Yisrael
[This is because] [the Rav] [the proper way] [that is] [, the Chafetz Chaim,] and he would turn his eyes with contempt from any posters [disparaging Rav Kook -ed]).
[words which] [This is because] [And this is especially true regarding] this brilliant and pious [rav] [on this matter] and we must go out and rebuke this humiliation of the Torah, and join ourselves to the protest and great anger of the rabbis and sages of the Holy Land and the exile regarding these words of villainy. [Thus] we should not see [that which is] Holy destroyed, G-d Forbid.And may Hashem, may His Name be Blessed, remove the disgrace from the children of Israel and raise the honor of our Holy Torah. These are the words [of one] who writes with a wounded and agitated heart regarding the honor of our holy Torah which is [being] given over to disgrace.
Aharon HaKohen
The Satmar Rebbe himself admitted that he was a daat yachid but said that being that the other gedolim did not learn it out with him he did not feel obligated to retract his postiton. BTW, Rav Levin signed Israel’s declaration of independence as head of the Aguda and was a member of the first government.
ToraYid, see Chavat Yair 152 (usually it is printed at the end of Sefer Chafetz Chaim). As for the Satma Rebbe, he once was very upset because Rav Aharon Kotler called a certain rabbi an am ha’aretz. He calmed down when someone said to him “the rav says ‘am ha’aretz’ like the rebbe says ‘apikorus'”.
Ms, what can we do, he was the keli Hashem chose. BTW, Rav Kuk explains in his hesped that being that Mashiach ben Yosef’s tafkid is solely concerned with the material this causes him to oppose the spiritual. The opposite is also true. However, again what can we do, Hashem chose to make us material beings in a material world and then raise it up. However, very few people can have two tables. For example, I know someone who is at the top of his profession and very much in demand as a lecturer. However, when he opens his mouth about Tora absolute nonsense comes out.
Do you mean religious or political?
If it’s religious the I think that the brouhaha on the IDF Chief Rabbinate’s pesak on kol isha is a tempest in a teapot. If it’s political I think that the Likud is the best vehicle in Israel.
Msseeker, what he meant is that developing a healthy body also develops one’s spiritual abilities. We are a combination a guf and neshama and the health of one is dependent on the health of the other.
Derech, WE do hold by his deyot and sheetot. Your statement about non-acceptance is circular – you say that he is not accepted by those who do not acept him. BTW, by saying that his sheetot are irrelevant you are guaranteeing that in the end your sheeta will not be the Halacha (Eruvin 13b).
Regarding Yiftach, despite the fact that he had many drawbacks (and was strongly criticized by Chazal in the Gemara and Midrashim) was the leader Am Yisrael needed at the time (Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz, “Reb Chaim’s Discourses” pg. 271 quoted in “Insights” by Rabbi Saul Weiss vol. 2 pg. 162 #708). So too Herzl, despite his shortcomings was the leader who was needed. Anyone who is a political leader in Am Yisrael, even the lightest of the light, is like the greatest of knights (Rosh HaShana 25b and see Maharsha).
When Rav Shlomo Zalman was a bachur he went every Shabbat to a public seuda shelisheet and derasha Rav Kuk held. Rav Kuk was also his messader kiddushin (and BTW was elected rav of Yerushalayim by a majority of the shuls and yeshivot). Rav Eliashiv, whose grandfather, the Leshem Shelo veAchlama, was Rav Kuk’s rebbe in nistar and whose father-in-law was Rav Kuk’s talmid-chaver Rav Arye Levine,called Rav Kuk a gaon olam.
Ethics are what the Halacha says they are. However, there is wisdom among Goyim and philosophers may have been mechaven to the emet. Rav Soloveichik, in fat, used philosophical concepts to explain Tora.
As for making people ethical, each person has inborn weaknesses. Halacha or philosophy might make an innately unethical person less unethical or it may give him terutzim that will result in a chillul Hashem. It can only make him ethical if he seeks to break his yetzer hara. Thus, the record holder for longest prison sentence in American history (845 years) is a “Chossid” who bilked an insurance company out of so much money that it went bankrupt causing thousands of people to lose their policies and annuities in addition to the stockholders who lost their investments and the employees who lost their jobs.
Ms, Yiftach bedoro keShmuel bedoro. Read Rav Kook’s hesped on Herzl, “Misped b’Yerushalayim” printed in “Maamarei HaRaya”.
Toi,
1. Only one of Herzl’s children was baptized. He committed suicide, apparently as a result of emotional problems, after leaving a note doing teshuva gemura on his apostasy. BTW, Rabbenu Gershom also had a son who was a meshumad (I presume to Natzrut although it is not specified). This is brought down in the Hagahot Oshri on Moed Katan Perek 3. So this proves nothing about the parents.
2.How do explain the talmudic principles “naval beresut haTora” .
Health, even their proponents call these buses “mehadrin”. This means more than what the Halacha requires.
Health,
1. We can say “yes”, “no” forever.
2. Many gedolim even endorse specific political parties. Not only to support yeshivot but to promote their interpretations of Judaism in general.
Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky said that those who know don’t say and those who say don’t know.
Longarkel, the Sheva Mitzvot do indeed imply that the life of an 18 year old Ben Noach is not necessarily greater than that of a 60 year old. The penalty for murder is the same. Not treating somebody might be different even for us. There are opinions to that effect regarding terminal patients where there is complete non-action (as opposed to “pulling the plug”).
Yit, Rav Leff holds that it is a mitzva to try to convince Goyim to keep the Sheva Mitzvot but kiruv among Jews comes first. He also cites dangrs and prohibitions involved in outreach among Gentiles (http://www.matityahu.org/RavLeffQA/viewquestions.asp?viewcat=15 [question 1247). On the other hand, The Lubavitcher Rabbi, Rav Morechai Eliahu and others encouraged people to do so and there are several rabbis who are involved with Bnei Noach organizations. It could be that Rav Leff would also not discourage dealing with these people as they have already accepted the Sheva Mitzvot and then letting them do kiruv among other Gentiles. Everybody agrees that someone who already deals with Gentiles has a mitva to be an exemplar.
Rabbi Chaim Friedlander said that there is no doubt as to its authenticity and that it is in completely from the Gra’s Tora. Rav Tzvi Yehuda (Kuk) also considered it to be a very important sefer and the 5754 edition has sevral introductions from rabbanei Yeushalayim . Even Rav Sternbuch admits taht the sefer “may” have been written by Rabbi Hillel Shklover (Rivlin) but that “inaccuracies” were put in. However, the sefer was first published by Rabbi Hillel’s descendants, who are such an illustrious family that one acquaintance of mine said that Yerushalayim has three eidot: Ashkenazim, Sepharadim and Rivlinim.
Longarkel, on the other hand Rabbi Chaim Friedlander said that there is no doubt as to its authenticity and that it is in completely from the Gra’s Tora. Rav Tzvi Yehuda (Kuk) also considered it to be a very important sefer and the 5754 edition has sevral introductions from rabbanei Yeushalayim . Even Rav Sternbuch admits taht the sefer “may” have been written by Rabbi Hillel Shklover (Rivlin) but that “inaccuracies” were put in. However, the sefer was first published by Rabbi Hillel’s descendants, who are such an illustrious family that one acquaintance of mine said that Yerushalayim has three eidot: Ashkenazim, Sepharadim and Rivlinim.
The Zohar says that each 1,000 years correspond to one day of
Creation. This is based on the pasuk Tehillim 90:4):
?? ??? ???? ?????? ???? ????? ?? ???? ??????? ?????
According to this we are now in Mincha Gedola of Erev Shabbat.
Consider a few facts:
Tzet HaKochavim(approx.) Ramban makes aliya
Netz (approx.) Gra and Baal Shem Tov
3 hours (keriat Shema) Rav Kuk born
4 hours (tefilla) Rav Kuk makes aliya
5 hours (biur chametz) Medinat Yisrael established
Chatzot Mass aliya from FSU
One of his talmidim, Rabbi Hillel Shklover wrote a book called “Kol HaTor”, which has been translated into English as “Voice of the Turtledove”. In it he speaks of two mashiachs: Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben David. The job of Mashiach ben Yosef is gathering in the exiles and building the material aspects of EY (Rav Kook sya in his eulogy for Herzl, “Misped b’Yerushalayim” printed in “Maamarei HaRaya”) thatt his leads to an antipathy towards Tora as Mashiach ben Yosef concerns himself exclusively with material matters (Rav Kook held that Herzl or the secular Zionist movement in general was Mashiach ben Yosef). The job of Mashiach ben David is buiding the spiritual aspect culminating in the Bet HaMikdash. He also says that the Gra said that in the time before Mashiach (ikveta d’Mashicha) the sin of the Spies will affect many who learn Tora and love Galut (see also “Em HaBanim Semeicha”, which has also been translated into English). He also states that whereas Mashiach ben Yosef will give way to Mashiach ben David he may or may not actually die depending on whether or not Am Yisrael davens for him. I do not know if he discusses the Holocuast but the Gemara states that a ruler will arise who decrees are worse than those of Haman (Sanhedrin 97b). This could refer to the designer of the Holocaust (see Megilla 6b that if not fore Hashem restraining them “Germamia” would destroy the world – Rav Yaakov Emden says that it is “our Ashkenaz” and the Gra says that it should read “Germania”) who decreed against both Jewish lives and Jewish religious practices and planned to also outlaw Natzrut because of its Jewish origins).
Squeak, actually on average women have better driving records than men.
Gregaaron, regarding the hydrant, if c”v there is a fire there is clear danger to life from the parked car. Alternate side regulations are for the purpose of facillitating streetcleaning so violators might be considered to be damaging the public. Regarding the rest, they are in the category of rodef. Moreover, from the Gemara (Baba Metzia 83b-84a) we see that while it is inappropriate for a talmid chacham an ordinary Jew may become a police detective and certainly one who apprehends criminals in the act or who have already been discovered (see Bet Yosef, citing the Responsum of the Rashba, Hoshen Mishpat 388).
Gavra, the Gemara at the end of Kiddushin sys that there is no profession without poverty or wealth so someone should not choose a lucrative profession but a clean and easy profession. Some interpret this to mean a profession with a minimum of moral dilemmas whereas others interpret to mean a profession that does not require a person to work, as the saying goes in Hebrew “metzet hachama ad tzet haneshama” (thus many frum Jews work in civil service postitons). However, you are right in saying that one has to normal hishtadlut. If he does not succeed he should at least learn to see where it takes him.
As for the time of Mashiach, Rambam says that at the end of Hilchot Melachim. However, IMHO it means that we will be a nation of think-tanks that will supply legal opinions to the Bnei Noach for money (thus they will support us without feeling that they are giving charity0.
Health, what about all the chillul Hashem, financial crimes, abuse, etc. in the “frum” community. Would you call them kofrim? Do you consider anyone but yourself to be at least a beinoni, at least according to Rambam (Hilchot Teshuva 3:3)? BTW, according to rav Kook, kefira comes about because of chesronot in the frum community in order to point out where the Orthodox are lacking.
Dash, that’s true. However, there seems to be an expectation of a faithful family relationship even among Benei Noach. If there is some kind of social expectation among them being unfaithful might be considered stelaing from his wife.
Health & Co., the State is the greatest beracha to Am Yisrael and the world in millenia. The government being the way it is is due to the fact that there are approximately 800K Orthodox Jews (more than 10% of the current population) who do not live here and therefore do not vote. If you are unwilling or unable to help at least stop whining and get out of the way!
The Gra argued with Rishonim. However, you have to be on his level or at least close. As for Achronim, you also have to be more or less on the level of the Acharon.
Bobcha, that is a halachic principle that applies to everyone (see, for example, Even HaEzer 4:30). I think that it is similar to a neder (in fact, the lashon of a neder is that something is prohibited to the noder like something the Tora prohibits). If he makes a clear mistake (taah b’devar Mishna) then it would be a mistake (similarly, it is possible to get out of a neder if one did not know a certain fact). I would think that it would only apply to the rav if he said that something is assur to you because it is generally assur (e.g. if he said that a certain food is not kosher) but not if he said that it is only assur to you or people in your situation (e.g. he ruled that a certain woman is a prohibited relative or you are a Cohen and he is a Yisrael and he ruled that she is prohibited to a Cohen).
HaKatan, no one disputes that a person who has a future in Tora, whether as a ram, rosh yeshiva or rav should learn full-time all his life. The problem is with the vast majority who do not. On the one hand, unless they are independently well-of or their wives have great professions (and even in the secular world their are couples where the wife makes much more then the husband and even “househusbands”) the are subjecting their families to financial and maybe even mental and physical distress unnecessarily and on the other hand they are draining resources (which are becoming more and more limited)that could be put to better use by giving real learners decent stipends.
Sam, Rav Ariel Cherlow of Yeshivat Petach Tikva has a discussion of this issue at edited, no links please.
In summary, there are a number of reasons to not only prohibit asking another rav but to prohibit him from allowing what the first rav disallowed such as the first rav’s honor, the fact that the questioner accepted whatever pesak would be given, the fact that it was as if he assured the action or the item 9shavia anafshei k’chaticha d’issura) although there are some instances where it is possible such as a rav who made a mistake in halacha pesuka (taah b’devar Mishna), there is a clear messoret against the pesak or there is the possibility of an appealate proceeding (this would seem to be limited to dinei mamonot).
BTW, once a couple in Vilna had a chicken question. The husband asked the av bet din, who paskened kosher, but while he was away the wife asked the Gra, who lived in their court, who paskened the opposite. When the husband told the av bet din, he said “with all due respect to the Gra, I am the av bet din and the Halacha in Vilna is like me. Tell the Gra that your wife will serve the chicken for dinner and he will join me there”. The Gra, in his great anava, agreed but when the wife served his portion she knocked over a chelev candle onto it. The Gra said “of course it is kosher as the av bet din paskened but I made it assur to myself so I was prevented from eating it”.(Rav Maimon, “Tolodot HaGra”)