WolfishMusings

He did not want such a person as an eid.

See my previous post. It hinges on how accurately the event was reported. It was reported as that he disqualified him. Do you have any information to the contrary (i.e. that it was a personal decision)?

The Wolf

You guys are going to make me cry. The rambam says you have to *know* Hashem. One can only know him when you can prove with an undeniable proof that Hashem exists.

Then I guess I’m in violation, because none of the proofs hold water, and yet I still believe.

Besides, I think you’re overplaying the word “know.” We all know things without having direct evidence. I know that water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, even though I’ve never looked at it under a microscope. I know that Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address, even though I have no proof at all that his travelling secretary didn’t write it. To know something does not require absolute proof.

Heck, we put people to death on the basis of less than absolute proof. If I could be put to death under Bais Din for less than absolute proof, why shouldn’t I be able to accept HKBH’s existence on the same basis?

The Wolf

Rabbonim have the right to make takanos upon the kehilla.

Not with carte blanche. That’s very concept that a decree “she’ain hatzibur yecholim la’amod bah” proves that the tzibbur can, in fact, reject such a decree if they are unable to fulfill it.

The Wolf

Rambam (Hilchos Ishus 15:20): And thus our Sages have commanded that the woman honor her husband to an extreme degree and the fear of him should be on her and she should do all her deeds according to what he says and he should be in her eyes as a ruler or king.

I don’t run my marriage in this fashion. Frankly, I suspect that there are very few in this day and age who actually do.

I have been married over 20 years and, with thanks to HKBH, have a wonderful marriage. It’s a marriage of partnership and of equals. I don’t dominate her (and I certainly don’t “put the fear” of me upon her. I don’t set myself up as her “king,” “ruler,” or “master.” We have a marriage where we respect each other’s opinions. We also have a marriage where one person does not make unilateral decisions without the other. If we disagree on a subject, we work it out until we come to an agreeable compromise.

I’m not saying that everyone’s marriage has to be as mine is. Heck, if ruling over your wife as a master works for the both of you, go right ahead. But it annoys me when posters decide that they have to rule everyone else’s marriage and imply that ALL marriages have to fit the model of a place and time that was VERY different from modern times and that that is the ONLY (proper) way to run a marriage. Culture (and even Jewish culture) has changed over time and with those changes come changes of what each partner expects out of a marriage.

After more than 20 years, Eeees and I are comfortable in our relationship. For us to change our marriage as the OP suggests would be to destroy the marriage entirely… as I suspect it would destroy most Jewish marriages that exist today.

The Wolf

Umm, how would anyone know what non-kosher product they would like to become kosher — unless they previously tried the treif products??

You’ve never seen a food that you’ve never eaten before and said to yourself “Hey, that looks good?”

Happens to me all the time when I look through cookbooks.

The Wolf

The working suspicion is that someone who has immediate and private access to these horrible sites, is liable to be suspected as possible having visited these forbidden sites.

A. As yehudayona pointed out, such things could be accessed any number of ways, including via an old-fashioned phone.

B. So what? Is it wrong? Sure. But there are plenty of things that one can do wrong that don’t make one passul l’eidus. Why does this? How does this fit into the classically defined cases?

The Wolf

It was right to be malbin pnei chaveiro barabim like that? }

I believe the news story said that it happened in private, before the chuppah.

The Wolf

Hi! I’m Shopping613’s friend and I’m borrowing her account here and there, you can call me

CR Queen! When I post I ‘ll put CR QUEEN in big letters at the top with lots of stars!

Is there a reason you can’t sign up for your own account?

The Wolf

You think someone repeating what you write is tarnishing your reputation? How can they be? If they are repeating what you say.

Because you are stating that my kids were rejected from Brooklyn schools because I trumpet my rishus. In fact, I said nothing of the sort. *You* said that.

Want to say I’m wicked? Fine — I said that. I did not say that my kids were rejected from any school because of it — and I’ll thank you not to imply or state it.

Well here’s a bit of news, we find it irritating when you do it as well.

I’m sorry you find the truth irritating.

so we wonder what else to take from it.

I suppose it never occurred to you that it might be possible that I didn’t find any of the schools in Brooklyn appropriate for my kids and didn’t even apply? And that that was my response to the OP regarding his query — that I found the schools in Brooklyn wanting. Or was the “fact” that my kids were rejected the *only* possibility?

Even if I don’t deserve the benefit of the doubt, I think my children do.

The Wolf

No. (But they should be ready to accept his ruling even if they don’t like it.)

Fair enough.

The Wolf

I qualified my “pronouncement” to functions that have a risk of requiring Chillul Shabbos. That would probably constitute the vast majority of Armed Forces enlistments. Likely a chaplain is one of the exceptions.

I agree with you that many positions would pose problems. Do you have a problem with my suggesting that people ask their LOR before just assuming it’s absolutely forbidden?

The Wolf

The Army can reassign you to wherever they need you, if necessary, even if it isn’t what you enlisted for. Also, most functions the enlistee knows off the bat that Chillul Shabbos (and a host of other aveiros) is a near certainty.

They can, but that doesn’t mean that they routinely do so willy-nilly.

In any event, I would advise you to ask your LOR before making such absolute pronouncements… especially considering the fact that there *are* frum yidden in the armed forces (including chaplains) and they may well have asked and been told it was muttar before enlisting.

The Wolf

not their kids’ merits.

Sorry. Epic fail on my part. Let’s try that again:

Furthermore, I’d like to think that a school judges it’s applicants on their own merits, not their parents’ merits.

The Wolf

They weren’t accepted in local schools? Because of someone’s proudly crowing about his rishus?

No. I didn’t even apply to any. They weren’t right for my kids.

Furthermore, I’d like to think that a school judges it’s applicants on their own merits, not their kids’ merits.

Why not D’rav Meir or Machon? They are excellent schools!

They may very well be excellent schools. But because a school is an excellent school, that doesn’t mean that it’s an excellent school for every child. Neither of those schools were appropriate for my daughter.

The Wolf

If you’re trying to be funny/sarcastic with all your self-denigrating comments -it’s long past any drop of humor in your comments. Noone appreciates this kind of sarcasm.

Trust me, when I’m being sarcastic, you’ll know it.

If you truly are lacking in self-esteem to this degree, please see a therapist. A lot of people have low self-esteem, but you seem to be an extreme case. You might have a personality disorder, or another mental illness. I’m not really into mental health, just regular medicine – so please get evaluated by a mental health professional.

Why should I see a therapist. A therapist can help someone who is good who believes he’s evil. I, on the other hand, am hopelessly and irrevocably bad. I’ve been told by educators and others in positions of authority that there is nothing redeemable about me. Far be it from me to disagree with any of these gedolim. I’ve been told that even when I try to do right, I do wrong. I’m simply living up to the mandate that was imposed on me.

The Wolf