Redleg

Joey, whether or not the First Amendment is a “Jewish Value”, it is the law of the land in which we find ourselves. Frankly, the First amendment is a good idea in general as the same law that permits hateful speech protects us, our speech and religious practice. Joey should be especially grateful for the First Amendment as it also protects foolish and pointless speech.

Age doesn’t necessarily convey wisdom nor does youth imply lack of judgement. Shlomo haMelech was twenty (according to the RAMBAN) when he ascended to the the throne of Israel. I think he did a pretty good job, don’t you?

Bigotry, name-calling or any other expressions of hatred, even simple rudeness, are never okay and should be remonstrated against whenever they are encountered (use common sense). I do, however, have a problem with criminalizing thought. A person should be free to think whatever they want. They can hate Jews, Blacks, Muslims, left-handed people, etc as much as they want. So-called “hate speech”, as long as it’s a general statement and not specifically inciting (I.E. “Let’s string ’em up!”) is actually protected speech under the First Amendment, however loathsome it may be, but a specific insult or act of bigotry directed at an individual or group is an assault that needs to be countered by whatever means at their disposal.

Dachtzach mir, this conversation, and others similar, are precisely what funnybone wants to take a vacation from (note that a preposition is something you shouldn’t end a sentence with). Also, the idea of Joseph giving mussar to anyone would be risible if it wasn’t so pathetic.

Joseph, while the Gerrer Rebbe and the CC were early supporters of Sarah Schneirer’s efforts, neither of those two Gedolim can be said to have started the BY movement. The innovator, originator and driving force of Beis Yaakov was Madam Schneirer herself. It is also noteworthy that, with the exception of the two aforementioned Gedolim, virtually the entire “frum” world (people like you, Joseph) were strongly opposed to her innovation.

In the ultimate scheme of things, The character of the person in the suit is what’s important, not the color. If you’re more comfortable wearing the “uniform”, by all means wear that. If not, wear something else. The Eibishter knows who and what you are no matter what your wearing.

You know, Avrohom Avienu didn’t check what kind of sweatshirts the three Arabs were wearing when they showed up at his tent. Nor did he give them a questionnaire to fill out. Hachnosas Orchim is an important mitzva and a great zchus. Don’t trivialize it.

What is the definition of “ruach hakodesh (henceforth RH)”? It is impossible to discuss any inyan without precise definition. If RH is defined as “Divine inspiration” then it is clear that anyone, even non-Jews, can experience it.
If RH is sort of semi-nevuah, I would say that any Jew with the proper Kavanahs and preparations could experience it.

The Rebono Shel Olam can speak to all of his people, not just the “elites”

You know, I’m in Israel this week and it strikes me that the proper way for Jews to conduct themselves today is how it’s done here. In Israel, Nittel”, unless it falls on Friday, is just an ordinary evening. Folks just go about their business, whatever their business is, as always. The yeshivos are open for night seder, Batei Medrashim are,in service. The following day is, also, just an ordinary day (unless it happens to be Shabbos). Those who celebrate the day do so as they wish. Basically non-Jewish holidays are dealt with the way Jewish holidays are dealt with in the U.S.
I see no reason to alter one’s normal routine in learning, business or family time for “Nittel”

I have mixed feelings about the whole post-HS Seminary-in-Israel meme. First, full disclosure. I have, so far, sent three daughters and one grand daughter to Seminary in Israel with rather mixed results. My two oldest daughters had negative experiences in Sem, one of which actually closed down in mid year. My youngest daughter and my grand daughter, on the other hand, had wonderful experiences and both grew in Torah knowledge, yiras shamayim, and maturity. As well as getting college credits for their continued education if the so desired.
It seems to me that if your daughter is, as you describe here , neither academically inclined nor particularly open to new experiences, I wonder why you’re willing to spend $30-40K on a program from which your daughter’s net gain will be small. There are fine seminaries here in the U.S. that would be better suited to her needs and desires and that cost two thirds less. The seminary in Cleveland (forgot the name) would be a good fit hashkafically as well as giving her a bit of the out-of-town experience.

Ordinarily, this would be a simple protocol issue with no particular political significance but these days, everything seems to have political significance including what tooth paste CT uses. Frankly CT, my guess is probably better than yours and I’d guess that protocol will be followed, if only because the President will be too busy with “affairs of State” to concern himself with it.

A few comments
Automatic Weapons: In the course of operation, all firearms perform 5 operations, they are:
1. Feeding. The cartridge is placed in position for step 2
2. Chambering. The cartridge is pushed into the firing chamber and locked in
3. Firing. Self-explanatory
4. Extraction. The chamber is unlocked and the spent cartridge case extracted from the chamber.
5. Ejection. The spent cartridge case is thrown clear of the firearm.
These five steps in order constitute one cycle. Note that all firearms perform these functions whether they operate automatically or manually.
Automatic weapons will begin to cycle when the trigger is depressed and continue to cycle as long as the trigger is held back. Semi-automatic weapons (sometimes called self-loading weapons) will perform one cycle when the trigger is depressed, but require the trigger to be reset and depressed again for each cycle. Both automatic and semi-automatic weapons use some of the energy of the firing cycle to operate the action; other firearms are operated by manual manipulation.
As to the legality of automatic weapons, prior to 1935 fully automatic weapons could be purchased freely in the U.S. (A magazine ad for the Auto Ordnance company in 1928 depicts a cowboy using a Thompson sub-machine gun to drive off cattle rustlers) The National Firearms Act of 1935 required that purchasers or owners of certain classes of weapons, automatic weapons among them, obtain a federal license to possess. This did not prohibit ownership of these weapons, only that they be licensed. Actual prohibition is left up to the States with some permitting and others prohibiting, for instance, New York totally prohibits the possession of automatic weapons while Massachusetts and Pennsylvania permit ownership with proper Federal licensing.
In addition to automatic weapons, the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1935 also required that a Federal License be obtained to purchase and/or own short barreled rifles and shotguns, suppressors (silencers) and destructive devices (hand grenades, C4, dynamite). would a nuclear device be considered a destructive device under the NFA and require a Federal license?
With regard to a popular armed uprising, google “battle of Athens Tennessee”

Folks tend to parent (when did that become a verb) pretty much as they were parented, so if follows that a good indicatiion of how good a parent any prospective spouse will be is to look at his/her relationship with his/her parents. That’s how it worked before all of the published advice on parenting (often from non-parents).

Joe, babies may come naturally but parenting is a learned behavior.

Has anyone actually read Article II of the US Constitution which defines the powers of the President? The President does not have the Constitutional power to effect any of the suggestions presented so far. The President does not make law. That’s the job of Congress. Over the years, Presidents, mostly Democrats starting with FDR, have arrogated some of the powers of Congress to themselves by issuing “Executive Orders” ala B. Obama (N.B. The Executive orders issued by the current President have been almost entirely used to rescind those issued by the previous White House infestation.) Nevertheless, the President has no Constitutional power to make the decrees listed by the OP. With respect to 2nd Amendment issues. Neither the President nor the Congress could make such a law . The President, or Congress, could no more arbitrarily modify the 2nd Amendment than they could limit free speech or allow warrant-less searches bu Police. The current law prohibits four classes of Citizens from possessing fire arms. Convicted felons, those convicted of misdemeanor spousal abuse, those adjudged incompetent by the court and those involuntarily committed, again by a court. Note that all four categories have been so prohibited, not by Presidential decree, but by due process.

In the YI style minyan in Florida that I daven in they say the Yom after Shacharis as per the MB cited above. Is that the official YI nusach?

This is trivial but it annoys me nevertheless. While some hebrew/yiddish terms don’t have a regular transliteration, Yahzeit isn’t one of them. Yahrzeit, being a regular word in German and in Yiddish, has a standard spelling as shown.

P.S. the “Z” in German is oronounces “TS”.

The big one. Boca Raton Synagogue (BRS) on Montoya Circle is a full service facility. Multiple minyanim in the nusach of your choice. Day and night Kolel, Shiyurim for all including shiyurim for women. BRS also includes K-12 day school/yeshiva.

Also new Chabad Center on SR7 (US441) at Kinberly

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

Arthur C. Clarke

Misasek b’kuvia are pasul l’eidus be cause they have a chazaka of untrustworthiness. Note that, at least in dinei mamonus, if the litigants agree to accept the eidus of a gambler, his testimony is accepted. The p’sul of misasek is not intrinsic. It is simply a chazaka. Do lottery purchasers have such a chazaka? I think not.

Yiftach b’doro k’Shmuel b’doro

Most people have seen pre-war photos of bachurim from Mir, Slabodka and other yeshivos. Note that most are clean shaven and are wearing light colored jackets and hats in the fashion of the time. Yes, bachurim wore jackests and hats in der gass and were indistinguishable from the hamon am.

Joseph, the 13th Amendment refers to involuntary servitude, not slavery per se. Convicted criminal do, in fact, perform mandatory labor and are, in some States, “rented out” to perform such labor for private entities. As far as selling them as chattel slaves, to whom could they be sold? Once sold, they would no longer incarcerated and subject to the 13th. so no private or corporate entity could legally own them. Any such sale would be void ab initio .

Depends on how you define “Platonic”. If you mean that a man and a woman cannot have a close friendly relationship without having romantic feelings, you’re probably right. On the other hand, if you mean that such feelings will, inevitably lead to action, not so. (Vide Maseches Sukos, 52B). Also, Joseph, with all due respect to R’Moshe ZT”L, one cannot paskin a metzius, Perhaps you used the wrong word. Perhaps you meant that it was R’ Moshe’s opinion that such a relationship was impossible, and that we hedyotos should give serious weight to his opinion.

RBS
Never mind food processors. How did they make potato kugel in Europe without potatoes? Potoatoes were unknown in Poland/Lithuania until the middle of the 17th Century C.E. What did they make kugel from before then?

A couple of thoughts:
1. A large number of those 80 million gun owners, I would guess more than half, have served in the military themselves and have had the appropriate training. Many were Officers, some quite senior, certainly enough to organize an effective Militia. (See not 3)
2. Who says the current serving Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen or Marines would follow orders to take over the Country? Most successful uprisings have involved the mutiny of the King’s or Czar’s or Dictator’s military.
3. The reason for the adoption of the 2nd Amendment was to insure the possibility of raising a civilian militia to discourage or, if necessary, to combat a tyrannical government. In fact, this scenario actually happened here in the U.S. in living memory. (Google “Battle of Athens”)