WolfishMusings

Wolf, why do you always end off with The Wolf?

Because I like doing so.

The Wolf

alternate possible other children

Ugh… I used four words when one would have been enough. I need to better edit myself. 🙂

The Wolf

What are you saying, isn’t the opposite true, most of the Jews not alive today would have ended up existing?

That’s absolutely true. But I’m not convinced that it’s morally and ethically good to sacrifice the millions of people that currently exist for the millions of people that could have existed.

Were that the case, you could never make a marital decision in your life. Sure, marrying my wife helped my kids come into existence, but it also precluded the large number of alternate possible other children that might have existed had I married any one of the thousands* of other available women. But we have to make choices in the here and now and cannot be concerned about the unknowable possibility of lives that might come into existence if we took a different action.

The Wolf

* Not that there were thousands of women who would have wanted me, but you get the point.

My kids are adults, so we don’t enforce bedtime.

The Wolf

You should however, avoid groups containing anybody and everybody.

You mean like an Internet message board?

The Wolf

@wolf, because I know you do some photography in the national parks.

That’s true. But I’m certainly no park ranger.

The Wolf

Wolf, אין אדם משים עצמו רשע, a person should not consider oneself a rasha.

You do realize that that is strictly an evidentiary rule that has applicability only in the context of testimony, right?

The Wolf

Wolf: Your apikorus shtick is old and stale. Try something new for the next five years.

I’m sorry if you find my self-opinion “old and stale.” I’ll try to find new ways to think negatively about myself.

The Wolf

Except for a wife (אשתו כגופו)

If that’s the case, then I’m still an apikorus, since one doesn’t answer “amen” to one’s own b’rachos.

In any event, I’ve also said “amen” to the b’rachos of my daughter, sister, mother and nieces as well. So, I’m still a complete rasha.

The Wolf

And (related) was Moshe lefty or righty?

I’d say it’s far more likely that Moshe was a righty simply because the vast majority of humans are righties.

(Yes, I know that I’m an apikorus for relying on stupid things like statistics…)

The Wolf

Why do all the Kindergarten & Cheder pictures have Luchos on the top of Har Sinai at Matan Torah?
Hashem gave Moshe the Luchos AFTER he was up there for 40 days and he brought them down on י”ז בתמוז – not in Sivan?

Because on Shavuous we celebrate and commemorate the giving of the Torah (and HKBH speaking the Aseres HaDibros) directly to us on that day. The luchos on the mountain are just representative of the Torah and the 10 Utterances. It’s not meant to be historically accurate, but to give the children something to visualize because they’re kindergarteners and a concrete thing (such as the luchos) are a lot easier for them to grasp than an abstract concept such as the Torah.

In other words, they’re little kids, it’s to help them understand. Lighten up.

The Wolf

Obviously you never heard that because DST doesn’t add sunlight

It was a joke.

The Wolf

Maybe have one US-wide time?

China currently does this. They have one time zone (China Standard Time, UTC + 8) for the entire country (which is roughly the same size as the US). Sunrise in Kashgar (in the west) is 10:16 AM in late December.

The Wolf

I’ve often heard that farmers hate DST since the extra hour of sunlight is harmful to the crops.

The Wolf

So, I didn’t get drunk again this Purim. (Nor did I go to sleep during the day… too much to do.)

Once again proving that I am just a terrible Jew.

The Wolf

Wolf: The British Parliament lacks unilateral power to remove the monarch or abolish the monarchy since the monarch can deny such an act royal assent, which would effectively ensure such an act doesn’t become legally effective.

While that may be technically true, it isn’t on a practical level. I’m pretty sure James II did not assent to the ruling of Parliament that he had abdicated the throne, and yet, at least in England, it was considered effective.

The Wolf

What happened to לעולם יתפלל אדם בשלומה של מלכות

Well, this brings up an interesting question in the modern age. What is meant by “malchus?” It is the pagentry, pomp, dignity and history of the institution of the monarchy as personified in its current occupant? Or is it the actual governing power and the ability to change matters for the Jews favorably or unfavorably? If the former, the “malchus” in the UK is clearly the Queen. If the latter, it could easily be argued that it’s Parliament, who not only holds the everyday legislative power, but even has the power to remove the monarch or even abolish the monarchy altogether.

The Wolf

When I go on a trip, most of the time the principal purpose of the trip is photography. As such, of course, I share the images I produce — that’s the entire point.

The Wolf

In reality, he is the 45th person who was elected

I’m afraid that’s not true. He’s the 45th person to serve in the office.

The following people were never elected President, yet served in the office:

John Tyler
Millard Fillmore
Andrew Johnson
Chester A. Arthur
Gerald Ford

It should be noted that Ford was never elected to the Presidency or the Vice Presidency.

The Wolf

Change My Mind!

Why should I change your mind? You’re entitled to your opinion.

The Wolf

Wolf: He is Mr. Please don’t improperly use a title for him.

That was your sole or main takeaway from my post?

The Wolf

This past Shabbos, I made a kiddush and siyum in my shul in memory of my mother for her yahrtzeit, which is this week.

I spoke about my mother for a bit after the siyum. I mentioned the difficult life she had, the physical challenges she faced throughout her years and how she didn’t let anything get in the way of her raising her children to be shomrei Torah U’Mitzvos.

But you know what I didn’t think to do? I didn’t thank HKBH for giving me a mother like that. I guess I’m no better than Rabbi Cytron-Walker.

The Wolf

Wolf: In your estimation, how much more are you earning today given the Master’s you possess, than had you only had a Bachelor’s.

Hard to say and completely irrelevant to anything I said.

The Wolf

If it does not make the patient think twice [There is nobody to look through the window.] It does not change anything. If it does, than it will hinder the therapy. See above.

Fair enough. However, unless I’m mistaken (and please feel free to correct me), most therapy of this type is strictly verbal (i.e. the patient sits in a chair and simply talks or follows simple instructions from the therapist). As such, as long as you don’t have people actively listening at the door, it wouldn’t appear like anything other than two people having a conversation.

The Wolf