Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I can’t understand, except if people love illegal immigrants, how Jews do not like Trump. He’s pro-Israel, has pardoned Rubashkin and is in general a friend of non-liberal Jews ( I myself am no friend of liberal Jews with the meaning of what “liberalism” stands for these days. Did he do and say immoral things before he came into office? Yes he did and that’s why I didn’t vote for him. However as things stand today he is a decent person and great president. I agree with all his policies except for international trade tax. The only thing I’m unsure of is what his real “peace plan” in the Mideast will be. As things stand now I’d totally vote for him … and I’ve never voted in any presidential elections but time may be the first.
jdf0007, I don’t understand most of your comment, but regarding my ancestry, I was never interested in my yichus until my daughter had a project in high school and we got her family trees and stories from my husband’s and mine extended family members (cousins) who were interested in these things…it was VERY EASY to PROVE our ancestors going back a few hundred years were JEWISH. We even shtamed from famous Rabbonim and a Chassidish Rebbe from Europe (actually we both knew about our famous ancestors before but we now we saw the family tress and how exactly we shtamed from them).
Not that having non-Jewish ancestors, if it is not an halachik issue, is something to be ashamed about. Our Avos and Imoas had non-Jewish ancestry (and as a result, us as well…) as did Dovid Hamelech. My point is to prove that we could have proof of our Jewish ancestry. No one has to know their family yichus till Har Sinai but if you know where you shtam from that is what matters. My daughter and I were too lazy too bother with a very long report, honestly it doesn’t matter that much too us, but girls in her class had huge reports on their ancestry. All her classmates knew where they came from. This is the result of intermarriage between Jews.
Baalei teshuva should be able to trace their mother’s side of the family to full-fledged religious Jews a generation or two back. How far back can one go to prove their mother was a Jew? Can Spanish Catholics, who are still practicing Marrano traditions passed down for centuries, claim to be Jewish if they marry mostly with other families living in their village? There are also other halachik considerations to consider such as if a women who was married to two Jewish men who was the person who officiated the divorce from the first husband? And other considerations are important to consider due to the immorality in today’s secular society. Putting one’s head in the sand to do kiruv is not a mitzvah. Doing kiruv and messing with the fabric of tbe Jewish people should not be taken as lightly as it is.
Sam Klein, I totally agree with you. I can’t wrap my brain around going to a Rebbe or Rebbe’s kever they should intercede on my behalf. Itseems like a foreign concept to me. We are taught from early on that Hashem involves Himself with everyone and Hashem listens to every person no matter how sinful they are… A brocha from a tzaddik i believe in, but asking from others when one can ask straight from Hashem? I guess it is a Yiddisha concept though and has mekoros because big tzaddikim and gitte Yidden believe/d in this age-old shitta.
huju, actually I personally wasn’t thinking about Jewish people in general (but not exluding either) making false accusations and I believe other posters didn’t only talk about Jews. Frum Jews are a very tiny minority within the US population and unscrupulously frum Jews are an even tinier minority.
I just want to amend my previous post that many Bucharians are frum to begin with, I didn’t mean to generalize them only just state a fact that there there communities in the US with Jews who have not assimilated but their children are in danger of doing so. I support kiruv for Jews who have not assimilated into the non-Jewish world.
While I’m against doing kiruv in the US because people can consider themselves Jewish but come from a few generations back of assimilated Jewish background and it can be impossible to know for sure if they are halachik Jews, there are exceptions where kiruv is needed and is happening successfully and that is in Jewish communities like the Bucharian community in the US. Jewish communities who originate from the Caucasian regions, even those who are not religious, have not assimilated but there’s danger of that happening to their children who are attending public school. Kol hakovod to those bringing these Jews back and saving their generations from being lost to our people.
Grey matter, ok, that’s your opinion. My opinion, based on the realities of our current situation is very different obviously.
Grey matter and interjection, it is a false conclusion that you have come to and are spreading about what I’ve said. I’ve said “…but I just want to point out the hypocrisy of some people trying to do kiruv in spiritual snake pits…” I specifically said “some poeple” but maybe for people who don’t want to understand what I’ve really said, I should’ve stressed with capitalizing the entire word “some” so that my words cannot be misconstrued. I never said all Lubavitchers and I’ve never said all who do kiruv place themselves in bad situations. That is a lie.
And I’ve never said ALL kiruv is bad. That is an outright lie. I definitely say that no one can know for sure if those whose ancestors have assimilated for a few generations are Jewish. Do people realize that Jews have assimilated for over two millennia, through being sold into slavery, through forced conversions, through the “Enlightenement”, etc…and never has there been a movement to “bring them back” because after two or three or more generations, there is mixture with the general population and it’s not possible to know for sure who is Jewish.
And do you really think that the intensely immoral secular world of today only affects goyim but not secular Jews or even assimilated Jews? Good for you if you don’t know what’s out there, but it doesn’t change reality. Secular Jews (including of course the hundreds of thousands who are not halachically Jews but consider themselves Jews) are mostly liberals who support and have to a large extent adopted the liberal cause and way of life.
anonymous Jew, I keep trying to post why I think that this law will be abused and I clearly state that it is my opinion but the mods won’t let my posts through…not sure what to make of that…
I don’t believe they are all halachikaly Jewish. Today many people who are partly descendents of Jews, but not necessarily Jewish, think they are Jewish or are considered Jewish by secular society.
LOTR92, actually BurachDybbuk is correct. Christians will mention JC at every chance they get, Christains mention God rarely, but the founding fathers never mentioned JC or said anything about Christianity, it was only about God all the time, in every document and declaration.
mdd1, why do people go through trials and suffering in this life too? Maybe Hashem should’ve made a pain-free existence for all living creatures? We can grow from suffering and become better people, that’s why. Having a pain-free existence means would mean that we would stay stagnent and never grow spiritually. Same in the spiritual dimension, the neshoma goes through Gehenim to become a stronger and better spiritual being to be able to enter Gan Eden.
… Actually that’s my guess about Gehenim. It is probably only part of the real reason ( reality can have many aspects or truths to it, not only one) or not the real reason at all. Only Hashem has all the answers to the mysteries of creations.
Joseph, interestingly enough, I agree with you on many issues…sometimes I don’t agree with you, but mainly it’s only on that one issue…
Grey matter, I respect your opinion but I’m not backing away from mine since I don’t agree that my opinion is based on whimsical reasoning. And for the record, as I previously said, I am not discouraging kiruv in 2019, I am against trying to do kiruv IN THE US in 2019.
Syag, rudeness may certainly be my style if you say I said things I never said or implied or if you are rude to me because I have a different opinion than you… But I’m trying to work on my style regardless…
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to work on my middos.
Syag, um ok…my goodness…I never said that you mentioned Joseph… I said that I still feel bad for zetzting Joseph and I DONT WANT TO GO THERE AGAIN- in other words, I don’t want to get into an argument and say things I’ll regret… I suggest that you simply process what is written and not what you think was implied.
laskern, I’ll answer for you, a woman is a giver, that is the purpose of womens existence. Whether it’s for one’s husband, children or for others. That is different than women being here to serve only their husbands.
laskern, if that is what the bracha means, please explain why women have no obligation to marry. If women’s existence is to serve their husbands it would be a woman’s obligation to marry, not her choice. Also please explain why unmarried women, widowed, divorced and spinsters say this bracha as well.
In any case, even IF there were official records of who is a Jew, the non-Jewish and secular definition of who is a Jew is different than how halacha defines who is a Jew.
Syag, I just don’t agree with you regarding this law so you dissect everything I say to the point of absurdity. And then you say I don’t follow what you are saying. Seems to me that you are not following what I’m saying…
Anyway…will try to keep this argument civil, I still feel bad for zetsing Joseph so much this past Tisha b’Av, I’m not trying to go there again… Have a good Shabbos ( if this is posted before Shabbos).
zahavasdad, exactly.
Syag, there were instances where criminals admitted to their deeds. I never said that criminals do it often, but it happens especially IF hard evidence does turn up and they can get longer sentences if they don’t admit guilt…
I understand that you need everything spelled out and you keep on harping on semantics ( like if I know what black and white means and with me stating numbers that were obviously my opinion but you devoted many posts to condemning that even if in my subsequent posts I said that I should’ve written it out – for people that don’t get that it was obviously my opinion…)
Now, I understand that you think that these things laws are black and white, kid get abused H”y and can’t overcome their pain until 50 years later when they sue presenting hard evidence to support their claims ….sorry it won’t work that way for the vast majority of cases.
“By default every single Jew would be doing all 613 mitzvos it’s just that his neshoma is covered up by dirt. The more you reveal the neshoma the more the more dirt falls off and being able to do more mitzvos and come closer to Hashem.”
Agreed. But how do you verify who is an halachik Jew?
This law only makes sense if one can sue those responsible for protection and employment of a molester, not the institution itself. And the victims have to have proof that the enablers knew about the molestation. But after so many years have passed, it is doubtful that any institution will have the same administrators as when the alleged abuse took place.
Victims should only be able to sue if the abuser admitted to his crime and if there has come to light sufficient proof of abuse. There are so many new cases being filed and I’m very doubtful that for the majority of these cases proof of abuse came up so many years later.
Joseph, not only are you right about Clinton and Kennedy being more immoral, but they were immoral in office while Trump was immoral before coming into office. A person can change and we have to judge him as he’s currently.
Nechama, non-Jews go to Gan Eden too. (Non-Jews can be tzaddikim too, Adam and Noach for example were tzaddikim.) The reshuim whose souls cannot be purified go to to the shaul tachtes, the netherworld.
Ok, perhaps purification is a better descriptive word than cleansing.
CS, we all believe Hashem created everything for our good so going through Gehenim as a purification for our souls must be good for us as well. Although I hope to do teshuva so I wouldn’t end up in Gehenim at all…
Really now, I thought cleansing in gehenim means taking a shower! Boy was I mistaken!
Laskern, I would assume, that for some neshomos it’s a cleansing process and for mass murderers it’s an everlasting punishment. I don’t think Hitler y”s and those responsible the Crusades or Inquisition can ever be cleansed. Also if I remember correctly, people who b’davka cause others to sin can never be cleansed of their sins.
Mushky, What is the Chabad way of looking at things?
Laskern, what does it mean when the harm happens often? I would assume that means in a time of דין in which tragedies happen often as in our situation that has been going on this summer.
People are human and make mistakes. There are also many people who disregard basic safety rules. In Hashem’s great rachamim, He saves us all the time unless there’s a specific cheshbon otherwise. But now, as Rav Brudny said ” is clearly a midas hadin out there that manifests itself in mayim.”
We need to take precautions and follow safety rules and common sense, that is the first step in preventing tragedies. But clearly, with so many stories, there’s more going on than only not obeying rules.
I don’t understand your post. If only the top most sinful people are tortured then why is Gehinnim full of pain and punishment? It should only be partly full of pain and punishment if it’s only in the top tie?
And why is cleansing of the soul in gehenim a fabrication? I would assume, without basing my thoughts/feelings on sources but what on what I’ve been taught, that punishment in gehenim is individual. Some people need cleansing of sin and are afterwards get into gan Eden while some mass murderers like Hitler y”s and Stalin y”s are there forever.
Whoever thinks there’s no corruption in the US “justice system” is not very familiar with it. Every few months people who have sat in jail for years, many even for decades, are released due to new evidence such as DNA testing or the coming to light prosecuters corruption in the presenting of “evidence”. Stories happen all the time of pressure on (fake) witnesses by police and criminals who for lighter sentence will give fake accounts of incidents. What exactly was “proven” during these trial where the defendants are found innocent after years of incarceration?
Thousands of people pay laywers tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, getting torn to shreds financially and socially, while fighting for in court to prove their innocence even when it’s blatantly clear that they are innocent, but due to the corruption of lawyers, prosecutors, and judges, a case can be dragged for months and years in court.
Many frivolous lawsuits were awarded millions of dollars. Lawsuits were settled out of court, not because there was no chance of the defendants winnining, only because individuals and institutions did not want to go through the torture of trials that can stretch for years and rob them of their piece of mind or cause unwanted attention to individuals or companies.
And this is all with reasonable laws that were created to keep criminals off the streets. But laws that are unreasonable will introduce more abuse to the already abused system.
edited
Syag, Hashem’s law is that proof must be bought into court for another person to be found guilty.
The problem in many of our communities is that in some instances of abuse H”y ( b”H there are not many instances and most Rabbonim are supportive of the victim if it c”v does happen) the abusers are generally known to the public or Rabbonim as they are sick individuals who are generally repeat offenders. But some Rabbonim protect them because of the perps families that they don’t want to destroy and with the hope that they will be rehabilitated will the help of therapy. The trauma of the victims are conveniently forgotten and ignored.
However, there are instances where people were wrongly accused of abuse. This is a very sensitive topic of dinai nefashos and is not black and white.
But what is black and white that it’s evil is this new law which will create, as the little I know aptly put it “a circus of monetary awards”. Crooks don’t need to bring proof, just a story that will move social warrior judges to tears.
Syag, how can there be the same administrations as when the alleged abuse went on 30, 45 or even more years earlier?!
klugeryid, I agree with you. A victim should be able to get monetary compensation. I just don’t agree with upping the age that one can sue to 55 as I believe this law will now be abused to large extent since no proof can nor needs to be bought in the majority of cases.
I.also agree with the little I know that there will be a “circus of monetary awards” that will bankrupt yeshivas (and institutions) for actions of PREVIOUS administrations.
I believe in a complete ban of assault weapons and semi-automatic guns. Only concealed guns should be legal.
And recreational drugs should never be legalized. Legalizing drugs is not only a liberal idea, I remember years ago Sean Hannity promoting the use of lighter drugs ( I’m not so familiar with drugs b”H so I don’t remember which one it was he was promoting relugar use of… ) Maybe conservatives nowadays changed their tune after it became a liberal issue…
Southern Yid, sinas chinum against whom? The OP stated why he thinks Zionism doesn’t work on getting Jews interested in Judaism and others said it’s because of financial consideration that Aish is promoting Zionism. I hardly think that’s sinas chinum.
Next, I said that in this generation we should not be actively he seeking people to make baalie teshuvas in the US because of the realities of society today. The tumah and repercussions we are living with is a fact of life. Talking about the realities of secular life is not sinas chinum so I don’t know what you are referring to. You can hide your head in the sand, I don’t choose to do so. Of course, it’s the right of any Jew, secular or religious, to come closer Hashem and His Torah, and they should be helped in any way, but for frum people to go into places of tumah and to run after people of questionable origin (as is the fact today in the secular world whether one wants to face it or not) is not what we should be doing in the kiruv world today. Today’s kiruv should be about strengthening Jews born into frum families.
In the US it’s a different story, but in Israel it’s important to have institutions like Aish where people come to them to get more knowledgable about Judaism. Even if most of these people don’t end up religious, it’s still important to have the availability of these classes for people who search for meaning and truth in life. Regarding their pro-Zionism stand they may not have much of a choice if that’s what gets them the $ to be able to continue to do what they are doing. I don’t think that in the long run Zionism influences anybody for or against becoming religious.
interjection, many secular liberal Israelis are anti-Israel. Anti-Zionism doesn’t have to do with Trump- it has to do with hatred of Jews by non-Jews and liberal Jews. Yes, Jews can hate Jews and anything associated with Jews.
I don’t understand how peole can do kiruv in the USA. I don’t want to bash Lubavitchers in general, they are amazing people, but I just want to point out the hypocrisy of some people trying to do kiruv in spiritual snake pits – I have see a pic of two Chabad “rabbis” in some sort of disco dancing near (not with) two obviously see women. People are putting themselves into tumah just to try to snag a soul to do teshuva while there’s no way that being surrounded by such tumah doesn’t affect them… It’s not Chabad, it’s the kiruv idea that makes no sense today in this crazy society.
Are people living with their heads in the sand? It’s 2019, not 1980. You can’t know who is male or female today, if people’s parents are their real parents ( goyim/non-frum people are posting videos of surprising results of their dna tests…the results are mamesh like the revelation of who is a bechor during makos bechoros in mitzrayim) and of course the halachik ramifications of who is the real mother of people who got pregnant through artificial means.
Please, just do kiruv with OTDs or those who are floundering. Or in Israel where there’s still a semblence of decency and the knowledge of who is a Jew as many things are under the Rabbinate’s control.
Money for Jewish education should be going to frum people who are struggling financially to keep their kids in frum schools not for some kids who may or may not be Jewish.
I have personally experienced a story 20 years ago! of a girl from Russia who they originally thought was Jewish, they put her through camp Russia and bought her to the US where they put her through high school. Afterwards they found out she’s not even Jewish. And this was 20 years ago when they were many Russian Jews who were becoming baalie teshuvas who set up beautiful Jewish families. But now these stories of non-Jews mix-up is even more than way back then. I have read in Hamodia’s Inyan a few months back about a boy who’s mother was a lying drug addict and the only way they knew this boy was Jewish was because his mother said so. They bought instances in the story where the mother lied and disappeared from the boy’s life in the end after taking money that was supposed to be going to her son’s ticket to bring him to England. And on the basis of what that lying drug addict thief of a mother claimed, the boy was thought to be a Jew…
The little I know, the yeshiva was sued for employing a known molester ( I’m not saying I know that for a fact to be true, I’m just stating the facts of the case). If it is indeed true that there were numerous allegations against this individual, the yeshiva should have not let him work there. They deserve the punishment they got.
Joseph, wearing any lavish party dress and shoes at work or when shopping will cause heads to turn, it doesn’t particularly have to be gown length. Just like burquas cause people to stare. And they are gown length. Do you believe burquas are not tzniusdig?
Abba_S, it costs a lot of money simply to be sued and dragged to court. Mosdos don’t have an extra dollar, never mind paying for laywers for long drawn out trials- these things can go on for months and even years.
Mammele why are gowns not tzniusdig? 120 years ago everyone wore floor length dresses and it was tzniusdig and now it’s not? How is a longer length not tzniusdig? Short dresses and skirts, very and very elaborate wigs, today they wear almost down to waist… ,tight clothing, short sleeves not covering the elbows which I unfortunately see more and more, these are not tzniusdig. But covering the body more is not tzniusdig? I don’t agree with that.
In addition, it covers shoes in insane looking colors and styles that some women choose to wear these days so that’s another plus. They can show off these $600 designer shoes in an everlasting picture so that they can be remembered forever.
DaasYochid, thank you.
anonymous Jew, it bothers me is 1. because I don’t have blind faith in our “justice” system. Read Lakewill’s post for some perspective. 2. I know people who are incredibly viscous and know how to lie like you’d never believe and many of them have no problem ruining other people’s lives by telling lies to get money or for other reasons.
What’s wrong with changing the statude of limitations to 25 years of age? It is highly suspicious when suddenly reminds themselves at age 35, 45 or 55 that they were abused. Remember Judge Kavanaough will all his accusers? There are meshegoyim out there that have no problem abusing such a law.
I’m not hiding the fact that is was my projection and opinion. I neglected to say that in my original post because I thought it’s self-evident. I apologized for not writing that in my original post. If that’s sheker in your book, so be it. It’s not sheker in my book because I’m not selling an untruth, I simply forgot to write that it’s my opinion because I thought it’s obvious to everyone that it’s my opinion as there cannot be statistics on a law that is not yet signed into law.
I am very impressed that you are so extremely careful not to ever make mistakes. I am not on your modreige, unfortunately.