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CCTV is worse than a mirror. Who is monitoring the screen?
Dear Always,
On Afghanistan. Forget that. On making sense. Biden and Trump saw the same reports on Afghanistan and received similar advice. Trump backed down when he realized the ruckus that may (and did) follow a full withdrawal. Biden stayed the course. It could be that Trump had the better policy decision. But it is clear that he is as afraid of making tough choices as anyone else.
On the Embassy or on being Honest. Moving the Embassy was the popular choice since the bill was passed over twenty five years ago. Clinton, Bush, and Obama, kept pushing it off in the hopes of some concessions from the Israelis. Trump understood that moving the Embassy helps his home politics so he did it. It had nothing to do with Mid East policy. This is obvious from the eventual Abraham Accords.
On Nordstream2 or on being informed. Trump put sanctions on the construction companies after the pipeline was all but built. There didn’t seem to be anything to gain other than help the USA sell some old oil. Biden took off the sanctions for two reasons. One, he likes undoing what Trump did. Two, there weren’t doing anything consequential.
Postscript. You can try to embellish Trump’s greatness all you want. It’s nothing compared to The Don Himself. He is going on his seventh decade about how great he is despite all the disadvantages he had to go through. Like for instance, Fred giving only a million dollars to burn into his first bankruptcy. But to do not bring up to anyone that is not a fan that Trump is courageous and not afraid. That is one thing he himself won’t try to sell to anyone. The truth is, he is deathly afraid. His pathetic outbursts when his next karma comes due, are now common occurrences. He never says he is ready to deal with whatever is next.
He is a wimp who likes to fight. A loser’s idea of a leader.
“What irked me the most here was that this is a real Rav, and it is not within the guidelines of halachah to openly question him like this.”
Questioning isn’t the problem. Doubting his authenticity without being in proximity of the context is a whole different story. Because it’s about a well respected figure who plays a major role in the community, it’s serious loshon hora.
Other than that, I agree with your paragraph about Early Conservative Rabbis.
Halachah and Schisms.
We disagree here. But I’m not sure on what terms. In straight halachah, eruvin in cities is more of an issue than women rabbis. But the Brooklyn Eruv is not causing a schism. (At most, it’s a temporary rift.) Because the both sides are behind the idea of kedushas shabbos etc. There isn’t any friction here that will cause the different sides to go two opposite ways. But women rabbis is just one instance between two sides. One wants to stay where it is. And the other wants to move off to somewhere they think is better. There can be schisms that both sides are fully within halachic bounds. [Mussar. Chassidus. amd many more.] But over time the dispute fizzles, because they both end up in the same place anyways. It does seem that the only permanent idealistic move, is to outside the bounds of halachah.
….address lack of conformity.”
LOL! What I meant here is that when Jews do not conform to halachah, it is not by itself schismatic. We have a bunch of systems (Omer muttar. Shogeg. Tinok shenishba. Taus.) that allow us to remain in close contact. It was not easy for the Conservative Movement to earn it’s mumar label. But actually, I was thinking of Orthodox groups that seem oblivious to certain parts of halachah.My insistence on using the term ‘we just don’t go into churches’ is only intend to make the matter more serious not less. It is not my own term. I heard it from a major rosh yeshivah when he had a similar issue.
PS You can always ask me anything.
Dear Always,
The last four presidents wanted to get out of Afghanistan. Trump had it on the table. He wimped out. Biden did it with steely determination. Things Trump did (Moving the embassy to Jerusalem.) do was not because of courage or resolve. He is as hesitant and in need of approval as they come.
His dismissal of the establishment wasn’t a policy of small government or anti corruption or less bureaucracy. He simply never bothered to figure out what the different complexities of government is for.
Though come to think of it, I agree with you. Trump voters find his ignorance of government and civic duty very endearing.
Dear Lost,
The law applies differently to mentally retarded citizens. Is that what you meant?
Dear Judy,
Your memory is incorrect.
Holding someone down in a fatal sequence is liable for the death penalty.
Even without the Torah criteria for the death penalty, it’s still murder.
I’m not commenting on this specific instance.
Though it is worth remembering that this not a unique occurrence.No. Did I miss the question?
None of this is true. Those who are being pressured create the pressure. The obscene extravagance of others is just an excuse not to face their own mental instability.
Dear Yechiell,
Your not really saying anything worthwhile by comparing Biden to Trump. Biden has a chance to be worst president ever. Trump will never me more than a non-President. He basically did nothing besides for pushing headlines.
Is that a dare?
NO president ever gets treated nicely by the media. Why are you all so prickly about this? It’s not Zionism, Chabad, or Modern Orthodoxy.
Dear Neville,
My position is that it being permissible for the Chief Rabbi to go, does not mean that we have a halachic precedent. Rav Mirvis is a symbolic Jew besides for being a halachic Jew. And then we disagreed over the symbolism. I’m not sure were we stand. But it’s okay if we disagree. (I don’t decide these kinds of questions for anybody in any capacity.)
What irked me the most here was that this is a real Rav, and it is not within the guidelines of halachah to openly question him like this.
PS The line you quoted, was targeting the poster that a Zionistic rabbi has no benefit of the doubt.
On to Schisms!
If your rabbi was looking at Popa’s thread for inspiration to use in her actual responsa, I may break off to form a new coffee room. But not because your rabbi is from a different camp, or even because she has really detrimental ideas. [Halacha is not a factor in schisms. There is a system how to address lack of conformity.] It will be because she is actively trying to lead to matters that I am definitely not going to participate in. Schism is about the future, not the present. In the present I could always go to your rabbi and be aware of our differences. But down the road… Who knows?
It would behoove the partisans to wait a bit. The lawyers for the whistleblower as well as the JD are both on the record about being open about this. Only the AG is not commenting. He is A Trump appointee. This story could go either way. But by the time it gets there the media would have already decided and they will miss the real headline.
If you are still worried bout being shtark or living among the shtark, you would be better off living among older couples.
The office of the Chief Rabbi is a major factor in Jewish political life in the UK. Unlike the US, England has recognized religions. Also, non Orthodox does not mean automatic assimilation. It’s importance to retaining Jewish integrity in the UK as well as Europe, cannot be understated.
(Think shechitah, milah, geirus, etc. these are all at serious risk throughout Europe and other places.)
Dear Neville,
Schism is not a matter of who your rabbi is. If it was, there wouldn’t be any schism. You go here. I go there. The reason why Jews aren’t Christians isn’t a matter of a different rabbi many years ago. I feel like I missed some humor here.
Dear Dovid,
Those resources are meant to gain insight. Not to pas judgement. Just because a journalist or editor has a corrupt outlook on journalism, it doesn’t change what it is for you and me.
I wouldn’t call this a debate. It’s a rabble.
Since the general sense is that we never go into churches, it would be better not to post sources. As this would only lead to sway readers that it is permitted. [All the sources that something is forbidden, are not as strong as the statement that we just don’t do it.] If you really need sources for this, your just an imperceptible ideological shift from entering a church yourself.
My issue here is not that I am convinced it’s permitted to go into a church in a certain context. I am mildly annoyed that posters who have no idea what any of this is about, are making a stink out of themselves. It’s undermining to their own credibility and objectivity that they keep repeating the same lines without taking a second look at the factors.
Rav Mirvis took a very difficult position and has been blessed with success while keeping a relatively low profile. The Office of the Chief Rabbi is not an halachic institution. However it is more deliberate than any beis din or organization in all of World Jewry. When the daily tasks are akin to carrying lit dynamite sticks, it goes a long way to not being fazed and never getting carried away in the moment. There was no psak given that you or me or anyone can go into the church. What was done is what was understood to be needed.
The rationale that “oh, he is some sort of zionist and not my type” is particularly insulting. So, the Torah is reduced to whether the rabbi involved is your type or not?!? when you learn some gemara, do the statements mentioned also depend on being your type? How can anyone ever pass judgement on anything without a fully understanding what the issues are? The haphazard way some of the strongest proponents of ‘Rabbinic Judaism’ hurl their opinion without checking the facts is very depressing to me… Remember that you are a role model to many that are completely unlearned. Do you want them to also pontificate based on their gut instinct?
AI models have no capacity to realize that they are out of place. Try shorter responses.
Dear Avira,
He wasn’t trying to blast yom tov sheni (I think) he was making a point toward this topic. Though I can’t figure out what he wants.
There is a major mistake being perpetuated here. That being, that the person asking the question is the one who the question is about. Outside our fictitious YCT postings, these questions are generally from a rabbi who has a trans congregant. The individual is likely on their way out. But the rabbi has some tough questions in the meantime. There are entire sections of the SA that aren’t supposed to happen. Yet there are all kinds of SHU”T dealing with what is permitted therein even though it is not advisable.
Dear Neville,
“Who cares?”
Certainly not me. If not for this thread I could have forgotten that the coronation took place. I have zero interest. But I realize that my view doesn’t create what is factual for others. And I don’t know how to label this concept, but whatever it is called, it is a big factor in what the Office of the Chief Rabbi of the UK exists for. I’m claiming that you do not have an issue with Raav Mirvis as much as the institution in general. And the solution to your issue is to be aware of the facts on the ground.
I don’t know what the halachic term for vested nationalism is. But it is a real and undeniable fact. Your insistence that this cannot play a role in the halachic approach, leads way off the beaten path. But you seem not to be aware of this.
Dear Neville,
You need to get better rabbonim. (Some ‘enjoyed’ the quiet.) But the best were non stop involved in the hidden problems that were rising to the surface. And there have been plenty more suicides and overdoses since the lockdowns. So what’s your halachic take on suicides. Are you promoting the argument or the position?
Dear Anonymous,
I don’t know why you call yom tov sheini Neville’s glass house. His claim of others thinking like Reform is his glass house.
I suspect that this was never about going into a church. It’s just an educated leftist dogma not to understand that people care about ideas that elitists don’t approve of.
A part of being AI is a program that programs itself through mass calculation. It’s not trained. Chat GPT mixes up proper nouns all the time.
Shailah: Dear Rabbah, When is the best day to protest racial injustice?
Teshuvah: The prophet clearly told us ‘to let down our burden on the seventh day’. In our times this clearly means the burden of systemic racism. Therefore Shabbos seems like the ideal time to protest. This Shabbos there is a double social incentive. Those who stay home may end up watching the PGA, and it’s racist exclusion of the Saudis. I am planning on protesting the soup kitchen near our shul. They should be in a more disadvantaged neighborhood. It must be traumatic for all the poor and homeless to have to see the racial disparity between our homes and theirs.
You raise a good point, that this more than a ‘one state’s law’ issue. And then stick in a bunch of other stuff. It’s not worth responding to.
Dear Neville,
You are correct. I misread. You are not allowing a middle ground on the issue. The beyond the pale kulos of electricity on Shabbos is that electricity can’t be prohibited because it’s not fire. That is far from what is being posted here. I don’t know why that bothers you so much.
Dear Neville,
The Trump base, is those who are in love with television. In our circles those are a growing minority. Across America, it is a significant chunk of the populace. If you would sit on the couch all day in front of a large screen, who do want to hear from Donald Trump or Jeff Flake? And would you really want to here mussar from the President about living a moral life, or would you rather hear about how there are bigger lowlifes out there to blame?
Dear Neville,
Ther has been a major shift in the social fabric of the Jews who live in Israel.
Dear Neville,
What it should be is irrelevant. The fact is that it has real meaning to the majority of the people that the Office of the Chief Rabbi serves. I don’t know why anyone would deny this fact.
Dear Neville,
I am under the impression that the question today is the historicity of the question. There are many technological and societal changes since the Chazon Ish.
You could also be saddened by yourself insinuating that those who used electricity in the 50s were using Reform-like justifications.
Indifference to evil is a consequence of indifference to objectivity.
I thought the Republicans hate Trump more. Only the RINOs fawn over him.
Dear Sam,
Oh. So no communists are taking over the country. So we will just go back to minding our own business.
Dear Avira,
Are you satisfied with this explanation?
There is a hole in your mesorah. You didn’t mention the Geonim. And this discussion has it’s origins with them. I’m just saying that I don’t know. And Lag Baomer itself, is even more vague.
Dear Ujm,
The threat to humans is that we are incredibly naive with machines. With more awareness people can easily safeguard themselves from these dangers. Until then, AI is just another tool for hackers and scammers. Big deal.
Confusing Ukraine and Siberia would be very typical of AI. As is charming humans.
Understand the Royals or ignore the Royals doesn’t change the fact that it can’t be looked at as a joke..
So many people have a real hard time with this fact.
Dear Avira,
If the basis of your essay came from the gemara that would be possible. But most of the details that serve as your critical sources are not mentioned at all in shas. I don’t know what going on with all this. And would love solid answers. Your piece, – while mainstream, is not enough for me.
Shailah: Dear Rabbah, My parents are coming to The Mission. The are ultra-ultra Orthodox. (Dad does not watch television on the shabbos and Mom covers her hair sometimes.) They want to go out to eat with me. I suggested Manny’s. They refused. In their narrow view, the fact that the food is being prepared by homeless non-Jews does not suffice to make it Kosher. Am I obligated to honor my parents and eat somewhere else. I can’t imagine I would have to turn my back on Manny’s and support a non affiliated establishment😢😢😢😢😢😢😢
Teshuvah: Dear Activist (She forgot to sign her name) Honoring ones parents is very important when living in the bay area. (Who else will pay for your rent so you can live near where you protest about homelessness?) Also, you may be able to influence them to see how the torah want’s us to be Woke. (That way they won’t try telling her any Torah. Can’t have the competition.) However, the Talmud says the commandment to honor our parents only applies when they are included in our mitzvos. A quick glance at your Facebook page shows that you are at your best when you participate in Manny’s drive to help the locals. (Check her posts. Outside of Manny’s she acts like trash.) Since your parents will not go to Manny’s they are not with you in your mitzvos and you are not obligated to honor them. So they can go Kosher without you. (She is too cheap to pay for kosher food.)
Postscript: Hi it’s Quintasha. Rabbah send me the above to edit. I’m supposed to delete the those lines and just keep them in mind. However, I figured I’ll leave them and just tell you the truth. The only way you are getting the cheaper product with the Woke label, is by exploiting the workers and others. Manny’s is not more ethical or kosher than anywhere else. At least McDonalds doesn’t claim to be on the workers side.
Dear Sam,
The whole coffee room is waiting for your response.
Who is in control, Hashem or the communists?Dear Always,
So he is saying that we should continue supplying Ukraine with weapons. Were you trying to misquote or not?
Dear Yechiel,
You completely missed the significance of this event, as to state “is this rabbi for real”. Anybody who realizes what’s at stake here knew that the chance of the Chief Rabbi not attending was either nil or zero. It’s nothing to do with Rav Mirvis personally.
“they are only as smart as what the programmer provided”
Nope. AI consistently excogitates beyond what the programmer provided.
“A computer cannot make it’s own decision.”
Once a computer calculates which actions lead to the wrong result, it will decide not to choose them. It will only ‘choose’ a possible or probable calculation.
“It still needs data to learn from.”
Nope. It is now routine for an AI program to look for it’s own data.
“It seems that they are still not able to collect enough data…”
Yes. Because driving a car is not a computable scenario. It’s an experience. Which machines can’t have without actually sensing reality. Data will never be enough to fully drive a car.
As for the link, it has no concept of AI and is just comfort for whatever reason one thinks the sky may be falling.
If the problem of the kofer is merely him saying so, than that would be a coupe de grace to all these debates. As long as the skeptic is silent, than he is the in line with all the commandments.
I don’t accept this point as the truth, yet there doesn’t seem to be an argument against it.
Shailah: Dear Rabbah, Now that I have transitioned to reflect my true inner self, do I continue being a kohen like when I was trapped in my birth body? Or am I now a new person and should begin a new spiritual journey from scratch? Your student who learned to seek emotional justifications without boundaries
Teshuvah: Wow! You are a true cis Yisrael! (Name that Jacob assumed when he recovered from his hallucinations after realizing that he had misjudged his brother Esau.) We our so proud you are part of our chevrah! (Groupthink) The new you is of a most high spiritual status. We would love to receive your brachos! (Catechism that reminds us to think of the environment before we eat.)
Ideally, you should still go up to the duchan (Platform in front of the holy [According to some.] ark. Or wherever else we decide to put it.) for Birkas Kohanim. (Catechism about equality and equity.) However, the Talmud (A set of legends that we are in the process of reinventing.) records a tradition that the Shechinah (God’s Presence. The feeling of being below the Kohanim made the Jews of yore depressed and delusional.) rests on the Kohen’s hands. Therefore the congregation is forbidden from staring at the Kohanim so that they shouldn’t be uncomfortable. (We have to be cognizant that elitists are very ashamed of their own religion.) The halachah states that a Kohen may not bless the people if there is cause for the congregation to gaze at his hands. [We are all looking at the kiddush (Ritualistic rite to invite non Jews to come dine with us) menu anyways. We read the menu already. At this point in the service, we are hiding our phones inside them.] Surely, our chevra (elitist groupthink) will admire your courage to be your true self and may not abstain from gazing where they shouldn’t. (Because we never tell anybody not to do anything.)
Therefore, I think you would be better suited for a higher spiritual blessing. By my authority as Rabbah, (City in the Bible) I am adding a new section to the tefillah (A composition of prayers that was unjustly foisted on the public). In between the two supplication’s after birkhat hashachar (Blessed be the black one.) you will then bless the chevrah (Plain old elitism.) that they should find the courage to be their true selves and arbitrate their religious conflicts as they see fit.
Please let me know if you plan to attend services monthly, yearly, or depending on who sponsors the kiddush (Actually, it’s a sacrament that atones for Jews that wouldn’t share their wine with non Jews.) so that I can compose a special nusach. (Either cantorial piece or mumbling.)
Hatzlachah! (A man may now spit at you if you don’t take off his shoe.)
PS I know that you don’t care for Hebrew. I am now passing this to Quintasha to translate the words you may not understand. Even though she is not Jewish, I thought it was proper to have her as my assistant. She is especially interested in impressionable young people like yourself. You can reach out to her directly for any guidance on your exciting journey.
Epilogue: Dear Rabbah, I decided I won’t be coming back to services after all. Quintasha taught me a lot about equity and I am going to Africa to help the natives by joining ISIS. Thanks for always standing by me!
Dear Zaphod,
I don’t see why not mailing my resume is enough of a reason not to get a response.