Friday, April 30, 2021

44 people killed in mass stampede of people during Lag Ba'Omer celebrations in Meron

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/305300

44 people were killed and dozens more were injured on Thursday night in a mass stampede during Lag Ba’Omer celebrations on Mount Meron.

Paramedics from Magen David Adom and United Hatzalah provided treatment to the victims, including several who were unconscious, and evacuated them to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem, Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Ziv Hospital in Tzfat, Poriya Hospital in Tiberias and the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya.

Fighters from the Home Front Command's rescue brigade, medical forces from the Northern Command and a number of Air Force helicopters with medical teams are assisting in treating the large number of victims in Meron.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

בית הדין ביטל את הוכחת היהדות של המיסיונר

 https://www.bhol.co.il/news/1214360

 בית הדין בפילדלפיה הוציא פסק מיוחד בו הוא מבטל את יהדותו של מיכאל הכהן מהגבעה הצרפתית שהתגלה כגוי ובעבר חילק חומרי מיסיון | וגם כיצד בקלות ניתן להערים על הרשויות בישראל ולהוכיח יהדות? |

Trump and Scott Walker Linked Up For One of the Great Public-Private Scams in American History

 https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a34417273/foxconn-wisconsin-deal-scott-walker-donald-trump/

 Not to pile on Wisconsin, which is being battered by the pandemic and continually harassed by President* Superspreader, but The Verge has produced what may be the definitive account of how the state was swindled out of its socks and underwear by Foxconn, the Taiwanese tech company that the president* and departed homunculus Scott Walker promised would convert Wisconsin into a magic kingdom of 21st century technological whizbangery. This, of course, has turned into one of the biggest public-private scams in American history, and one that living Wisconsinites have bequeathed to their posterity. Hold onto your gob while you read it, because it will be smacked, repeatedly. We begin.

 

'They demolished my house for this?' Residents outraged by the Foxconn factory that fizzled

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/08/wisconsin-foxconn-factory-residents-displaced

 In 2017, Mount Pleasant officials had used the promise of 13,000 jobs and $10bn in private investment by 2023 as justification for forcing hundreds of residents from their homes and turning the property over to Foxconn. Officials vowed to transform the sleepy rural village into a bustling, hi-tech hub for manufacturing known as “Wisconn Valley” – a promise that appealed to many in the state who have suffered as traditional manufacturing jobs have disappeared.

 Instead, the project imploded in slow motion. Few jobs have materialized and Foxconn has not submitted new construction plans in over a year. The LCD screens that were supposed to be made there aren’t being built in its “factory”, which is 20 times smaller than proposed and now zoned as “storage”. After Foxconn failed to meet its job creation targets, Wisconsin’s governor, Tony Evers, last month pulled a deal that would have handed the company nearly $4.5bn in incentives for completing its plans.

Rav Dessler and proper chinuch

 Rav Dessler (Michtav M’Eliyahu 3:360-361 written 1949): Education of children regarding corporal punishment. Question: You have written that the latest scientific research has a fundamental problem with the use of corporal punishment. They say that it is natural that children imitate what their parents do. Consequently if they are given corporal punishment then they will learn the improper lesson that they should hit those who act against their wishes... Answer: The secular researchers are mistaken because of two fallacies in their reasoning which cause them to misunderstand the true nature of the matter. 1) The first mistake is that they think  that man is born without any characteristics at all [tabla rosa] and therefore a person’s nature is totally determined by what he learns from his environment. In other words they mistakenly believe that a man acquires his personality entirely from his surroundings. This is not true. The Torah says “At the door sin crouches”. That means that even before a child is born that there is an instinctive attraction to evil. Our Sages note that when Rivkah was pregnant with Yaakov and Esav  - when when she passed the temples of idolatry that Esav pushed to be born. See what the Maharal writes on this. That means that there is an aspect of instinct without conscious awareness or thought at all which are part of a person’s nature that he is born with which he has to fight against. It is obvious of course that the social environment can strengthen characteristics and that he can in fact learn from others. However the primary characteristics do not have to be learned from others because they are innate. 2) The second mistake is that they think that it is necessary to develop independence in children. This is an incredible error. In fact not only do they no need to learn independence but they need to learn submission and humility. They will in fact learn by themselves pride and murder. But to teach them “there is no one like me” (Yeshaya 47:10) is the approach of Edom  and the approach of murder and theft.

Torah and Shalom bayis

Rav Dovid Moshe Steinwurzel was an important rabbi dayan and teacher at Bobov in Brooklyn. He was always thinking about Torah. One day he arrived to teach at Bobov and  his students asked why he was carrying a paper bag? He was surprised because he normally did not go around carrying a bag. He looked in it and was shocked- it was full of garbage and he had carried it from his home in Midwood to his class in Boro Park on the bus. He then remembered that just as he was leaving his house his wife and asked him to take out the garbage. He had forgotten about it until he arrived to teach and was asked by his students.

 

Sen. Tim Scott takes on politics of division during GOP rebuttal: 'America is not a racist country'

 https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-tim-scott-credits-trump-administration-for-putting-coronavirus-on-the-run

 The only Black Republican senator, Scott has talked openly about his experience being targeted by police, including getting pulled over seven times in one year.

Biden promises to lift 'left-behind and forgotten' Americans with his ambitious economic agenda

 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/28/politics/presidential-prime-time-address/index.html

 President Joe Biden spoke directly to working- and middle-class Americans who "feel left behind and forgotten" in a rapidly changing economy in his first address to a joint session of Congress, promising that his ambitious economic and infrastructure plans amounted to a "blue-collar blueprint to build America."

Addressing many of the voters who abandoned the Democratic Party to support former President Donald Trump, Biden made the case that his economic plans are squarely aimed at improving their economic fortunes while strengthening America's position around the globe and positioning America to compete against other world powers like China.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Chareidiyos & IDF: Breakthrough or Breakdown?

 BS"D


Chareidi Women Working at an Israeli Air Force Base: Breakthrough or Breakdown?

-- And the Imperative to Fight End the Military Draft for ALL Girls, Including Secular

Iyyar 16, 5781 / Tiferes She'Be'Hod, Parshas "Emor el HaCohanim" / Apr. 27, '21

By Binyomin Feinberg

It was recently widely reported in Israeli media (e.g. TV News12, Ynet April 8, '21) that the Israeli Air Force has, over the course of several years, developed a group of Chareidi women who perform very sensitive high-tech military work as paid employees of the military, at a military base. Secular Israeli media understandably hailed this as refreshingly positive development, enabling Chareidi women to secure careers that (a) purportedly accommodate their religious lifestyle while also (b) providing financial independence and (c) reportedly making a significant contribution to the physical security of the State of Israel. This unusual initiative was spearheaded by an ostensibly Chareidi woman, Ester Solomon, who received a Yom Ha'Atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) award from the Israeli military for her "trailblazing" work in recruiting over a dozen 
ostensibly Chareidi women to work in this group. Solomon is officially involved with organizational work aimed at providing Chareidi women the "benefits" they're missing out on by not serving either in the Army or Sheirut Leumi (National Service), both of which Chareidi girls generally avoid - in compliance with the Chareidi Rabbinic leaders who have declared both as prohibited.*

On closer observation, however, not everything is as rosy as it may appear to many casual observers, as we explain in brief below. 

(* P.S.: Recent events have revealed the foresight of the Rabbinic pronouncements against the Israeli drafting of girls. Every step towards breaking the taboos of the Israeli government drafting girls into the Army leads the government to advance more of the same, inexorably leading towards mainstreaming the notion of religious, even ostensibly Chareidi women serving in the morally corrosive Army environment.)

At the very least, a few warnings are in order:

1) ANY initiative aimed at drawing Jews (either the recruits or others) away from Torah - in this case,  towards accepting the Israeli government drafting girls - involves a prohibition of the highest magnitude.*

(* For a sample of Torah sources addressing prohibitions of that which leads one astray from Judaism, see Shabbos 116a: Rabbi Tarfon and Rabbi Yishmoel; GR"A Orach Chaim 334: 26-28; Teshuvas HaRosh 19:17; Tosofos Pesachim 25a, Avoda Zorah 27b, Tosofos Shayni; Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Daiyoh 155:1; Teshuvas Maharam Shik O.C. 304; Sefer "MiYemini Michael" on Pesachim 58:12,13; cf. "S'dei Eliyahu" on Shabbos 116. To illustrate the severity of the prohibition against that which potentially could lead to apostasy, the world renowned  "Chassam Sofer," in his responsa on Yoreh Daiyah, 76 (quoted by the Pischei Teshuva on Y.D., siman 155) prohibited healing remedies employed with intent to draw the recipient away from Torah, even for those facing life-threatening conditions.)

A review of the publicly available information on some of the operative organizations, ATIDA and Atid Yisroel, as well as a letter on "Shalhevet" stationary, apparently signed by Mrs. Solomon, indicate that there is a concrete effort to integrate Chareidi women into the Israeli military, incrementally. Any accomplishment in that regard, however seemingly harmless, and even seemingly beneficial, leads to the next, more ominous steps.

How specifically would this celebrated 
Air Force development lead to the latter? 

2) This ostensibly Chareidi Air Force program will most likely be cited by the Israeli Supreme Court as evidence of their bizarre pronouncement in early 2019 that serving in the military does not conflict with the lifestyle of religious girls. The fact that these women are ostensibly being paid may be easily dismissed.*

[* as in the expression attributed to a famous WWII era British statesman, "Madam, what you ARE has already been established, we're now just quibbling about the price." (The full context of his remarks is not appropriate for  publication for this readership.)]

This legal landmine could explode in the Supreme Court in the course of any legal case involving a religious girl being drafted that makes its way up to the Bagatz (Israeli Supreme Court). We ought expect the unexpected. Advocacy organizations be warned: your planned forays into the notoriously leftist Israeli Supreme Court may harm tens of thousands of religious girls.

3) Additionally, the "wonderful" and truly historic precedent set here - over which Ms. Solomon waxed eloquent at her timely Yom HaAztma'ut award - will be leveraged not only to offer an OPTION to Chareidi women, but also to eventually establish a MANDATORY alternative to Army and Sheirut Leumi. Once there's a "religiously acceptable" manner of making a contribution to the military, it will become required of all religious girls. Of course, politically connected families may initially evade the obligation. But everyone else will suffer - just because these ladies opted to secure hefty salaries "to support their husbands in Kollel".*

(* as if the continuity of Torah requires the financing of this camouflaged concoction of the Army Draft Office.)

4) Consider the emotional and psychological impact that this female Chareidi taboo-breaker has on all of the courageous refusenik girls - often isolated and abandoned by the Chareidi estsblishment - enduring harassment, persecution, terrorism, incarceration in military prison, abuse by the military police, prison and justice systems. These courageous souls, often with no family or community support, are putting everything on the line to stand on principle. Now, enter some comfortable, well-paid Chareidi women - whose community connection to political parties provided them the leisure of avoiding both Army and Sheirut Leumi easily, sans mesiras nefesh - and THEY volunteer to work for the Army proper - on an Army base. Thereby they are pouring cold water on the stigma of religious girls in the Army. How do those two pictures combine?

And Where is Mrs. Solomon and other involved ostensibly Chareidi busybodies when it comes to helping those most needy and deserving of it, i.e. the aforementioned refusenik girls (e.g.: "IDF: Stop Persecuting Olga": http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2021/03/idf-stop-persecuting-olga.html ( Wed, Mar 3, 2021 ),  https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2019/11/online-updates-in-culture-wars-parshas.html,  http://firstamendmentactivist.blogspot.com/2019/11/culture-wars-updates-online-vayaira.html?m=1) - risking so much to stand against the often brutal abuse of the Israeli Army and it's Sodomesque justice system?

If they would feel the pain of all of the girls and women being persecuted by the human-trafficking professionals operating out of the Army Draft Office, would they indeed wax so eloquent about the wonders of working for the Army? Would they pontificate about their contribution to a cause "greater than themselves" while being paid hefty salaries (shochad or es'nan) to serve as useful idiots to advance the forcible draft of untold numbers of other girls - and to advance the doomed Army attempt to decimate  the remnant of authentically devout girls risking all to avoid compromising with Army dictates to appear for a Rayon Dat [religiosity interrogation (see http://firstamendmentactivist.blogspot.com/2020/02/creep-state.html )]?

°  In addition, on careful observation, Solomon's public statements, organizational work and associations strike one as infused with self-focused ambition, and unbecoming of a genuinely Chareidi woman. In fact, it's hard to imagine many non-Chareidi women taking such revolutionary [or subsversive] steps, as described above, in part. Are we being played?

°  Now that we see how extensive the inroads made by the female military draft crusade into the Chareidi community are, we have the wherewithal to challenge those who until now have remained blind to the spiritual devastation being perpetrated under their noses. The question is: what is the most effective response. One central element of that response is described below: pushing for an end to the female military draft altogether, for non-religious girls as well, and, as per the Brisker Rov OB"M, even more so for them.

###
Part Two: A Real Solution

Not One Girl Left Behind:

Straight Shooting from the Brisker Rov, in the Jewish War Against the Israeli Army's Female Draft

"Let them close all the Yeshivos - rather than (allow the Israeli Army to) draft even one girl!"

This encapsulates the reaction of Rav Yitzchak Z'ev Soloveichik, OB"M, the world revered sage.of Torah Jewry, known deferentially as the "the Brisker Rov"
  to the objection raised to his refusal to sacrifice any girl to the draft - including non-religious girls. In fact, the Torah giant (quoted by Rav Aharon Soloveichik OBM (d. 2001), quoting Rav Michel Feinstein OBM, cited in Sefer "Yeled Sha'ashuim," p.348-50) was even more vociferously opposed to drafting non-religious girls than religious ones. The reasoning is simple: the nonreligious girls would fall further and faster in the notoriously immoral, exploitive Army environment than religious girls would. [Even if one would argue that that situation has somewhat changed nowadays, his sage observation clearly still applies to many "Mesorati" girls (traditional girls, who tend to be more "religious," rather than particularly "observant" of Torah precepts). His observation likely applies to a significant swath of "non-religious" girls as well.]

If religious parties would conform their actual policy stances to these positions articulated by the Brisker Rov, and act on the ideals of the Torah - they would sincerely push for exemptions for all girls from the military draft. If they would actually do that - we'd all benefit in multiple ways. It would attain a win-win-win scenario, for values- voters of all stripes, as well as for all religious communities (including Chareidi, religious Zionist, Mesorati), as well as for Chiloni (secular) residents. It would also advance core defense, national security, economic, social, and demographic interests. This is all the more true inasmuch as the Israeli Army does NOT need women.

1) In addition to being true to Torah, and making a true Kiddush HaShem, a sincere campaign to exempt all girls from the Army would undoubtedly yield a marked decrease in antireligious sentiment.

2) That antireligious animus has been serving as much of the fuel impelling the antireligious edicts across the board. Once the nonreligious and traditional Jews would see that we religious Jews are sincerely following the aforementioned approach of the Brisker Rov, and thus prioritize exemptions for their girls even more than exemptions for "our" girls - much of the drive would be taken out the ongoing, escalating antireligious campaigning.  Thus, even self-interest should dictate that the religious communities urge those who operate under the mantle of being representative of our views and interests to actually do so.

3) Furthermore, such a female military exemption campaign would very likely prove successful, if properly pursued.  That's because most Chiloni (secular) girls most probably would not mind, or definitively prefer a military service exemption. This is one positive legislative initiative that should enjoy broad-based support. Most Israelis would much prefer the bona fide "Equality" between religious and nonreligious girls getting military exemptions - over the false "Equality" of women and men BOTH being drafted into the  exploitive Army environment.

4) If passed, ending (mandatory) the female military draft altogether would likely remain law, inasmuch as it would be extremely difficult for any subsequent government to convince those girls who just obtained freedom to volunteer to give it up.*  Anyone who (Chas VeShalom) feels compelled to enlist in the immoral Army environment would still be allowed to. But how many female Israeli voters (other than hard core "Equality" advocates and their dupes) would actually want to impose an obligation on all girls to give away that part of their life in the Israeli military?

5) Some people may be more effectively moved by the argument when articulated thus: By removing religiosity as a criteria for girls being exempt from military service, they would eliminate the core problem behind the ongoing escalation of the female military draft. The main factor empowering the Army to make increasingly intrusive inroads and harass, persecute, incarcerate, draft and abuse more and more religious girls is their ability to - in effect - decide who is "genuinely" religious - and "religious enough" - to meet the standard of the law that exempts "religious" girls. The aforementioned proposal takes that ability off the table altogether.

°  Ending the female military draft in toto would perhaps be the most effective strategy to address the horrific statistic of about 40,000 Israeli abortions a year, totalling over two million babies killed by other Jews in the State of Israel. The State of Israel was founded on the rhetorical backdrop of the Nazi Holocaust, whose abortion legacy has continued till today. Most other pro-life legislation would be in constant danger of being undone by subsequent governments. Elimination of the female draft would most likely not. Thereby, the Jewish People would benefit from untold additional families being started, and started earlier, and growing larger than is currently the case. Now, due to the mandatory female draft of 18-year-old girls, tens of thousands of potential mothers fail to get married, do so late, and / or otherwise have smaller families.

° Such a law would save tens of thousands [and eventually hundreds of thousands] of girls from the Israeli government military-draft strategy known as the "melting pot:" using the antireligious-dominated Army to form a "new Jew," which bears little resemblance to what the Torah requires of us.

° Another windfall of such a campaign is that fighting the female military draft in toto is a perfect way to stand with all of those all of those resolute refusenik girls enduring persecution by the Israeli Army Draft Office. If they suffer so much, in refusing to bow to Army Draft Office dictates, bullying - and even terrorist tactics - then we must demonstrate that we'll turn over the world to save them. One of the best ways to do that is by fighting for the elimination of the female draft altogether. Then, even if we don't succeed immediately, we still make important gains in the war against the Army crusade against future Jewish mothers.

The opportunity is ours now, perhaps only for a very short time. The future of tens of thousands of potential Jewish mothers lays in the balance.


Biden says 'America Is Back,' but 'America First' has haunted his first 100 days

 https://edition.cnn.com/2021/04/28/world/biden-100-days-foreign-policy-intl/index.html

 But the biggest challenge Biden will face in striking this balance between America First and returning to the world stage will be reinventing the country's China strategy. Under four years of Trump, the US had an on-again-off-again relationship with China. It ended mostly "off," and in confrontational competitiveness, with little collaboration.

Biden's posturing against China may not be as bombastic as Trump's, but it doesn't appear to be very different either. In an interview with the New York Times last year, he couldn't help but accidentally utter "America First" in his own remarks on China. It's a difficult phrase to avoid. "I want to make sure we're going to fight like hell by investing in America first," he said.

LGBTQ students sue Yeshiva University for discrimination

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/lgbtq-students-sue-yeshiva-university-for-discrimination/

 A group of students and alumni is suing Yeshiva University for discrimination, claiming that the university violated New York City’s human rights law when it refused to recognize an LGBTQ student club.

The lawsuit was filed Tuesday in New York County Supreme Court.

Biden cuts off press questions: 'I'm really gonna be in trouble' if I keep answering

 https://www.foxnews.com/media/biden-cuts-off-press-questions-trouble-answering

President Biden said he would be "in trouble" if he continued to take questions from reporters during a rare back-and-forth with the press Tuesday afternoon.

After speaking about new federal health guidelines for mask-wearing for vaccinated and non-vaccinated individuals, Biden answered a few shouted questions from gathered reporters at the White House.

"I'm sorry," he said, after listening to questions about his own mask-wearing and a potential summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "This is the last question I'll take, and I'm really gonna be in trouble."

 

Tucker Carlson, Unmasked

 https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/04/tucker-carlson-unmasked/618730/

 But Carlson doesn’t object to the state harassing people or exercising undue power. He delights in it, as long as the state is harassing the people he hates. The cruelty, as my colleague Adam Serwer has said, is the point. This is the lodestar of the Trump and post-Trump GOP, which values owning the libs above all—not merely rhetorically, but with the fist of government. Thus Trump asserted that he had the authority to override state and local coronavirus shutdowns (before hastily backtracking when it became clear that he had no such power). He sought to involve the federal government in decisions of colleges and universities in order to muzzle speech. And he celebrated police violence, even as he moaned that he was the victim of overzealous law enforcement.

 

New Debate Over Masks Trending On Social Media Following Rant By Tucker Carlson

 https://www.forbes.com/sites/petersuciu/2021/04/27/new-debate-over-masks-trending-on-social-media-following-rant-by-tucker-carlson/?sh=6d61f72f4fb5

 It began after Fox News' Tucker Carlson on Monday suggested it was "unacceptable," "dangerous" and even potentially "illegal" for children to be forced to wear face coverings outside. Carlson further said that viewers should report such sightings to the police or child protective services, even as it is still recommended that masks be worn at all times by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For the record, the CDC encourages children two years and older to wear a mask when in public or when they are around other people they don't live with. Health experts have also said that the vast majority of children are safe when the masks are worn properly. However, Carlson made numerous dubious claims – including that wearing of masks can lead to low oxygen levels.

Fox News host Tucker Carlson claims making children wear masks is ‘abuse’

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/27/tucker-carlson-fox-news-masks-biden-cdc

 Carlson also said “the only people who wear masks outside are zealots and neurotics” and said seeing a vaccinated person wear a mask outdoors was like “watching a grown man expose himself in public”.

“Your response when you see children wearing masks as they play should be no different from your response to seeing someone beat a kid in Walmart,” he said.

“Call the police immediately, contact child protective services. Keep calling until someone arrives. What you’re looking at is abuse, it’s child abuse and you are morally obligated to attempt to prevent it.”

Haredi ‘rabbi’ accused of being a covert Messianic missionary

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/haredi-rabbi-accused-of-being-a-covert-messianic-missionary-666517

Allegations have been made that an ultra-Orthodox ‘rabbi’ who admitted to being a Messianic missionary in 2014 has continued to cling to the Messianic movement & operate as a covert missionary.

 

Reform rabbinic giant disciplined for inappropriate relationships now accused of ‘sexually predatory behavior’

 https://forward.com/news/468535/reform-cover-up-rabbi-sheldon-zimmerman-sexually-predatory-behavior/

Rabbi Sheldon Zimmerman, who was senior rabbi at Central from 1972 to 1985, resigned his position as president of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Learning in 2000 after the Reform movement’s Central Conference of American Rabbis ruled that his relationships had broken its rules. But neither CCAR or HUC provided details of the misconduct at the time, leaving the impression that Zimmerman had simply had consensual affairs, and he went on to serve as vice president of the Birthright Israel program and rabbi of the Jewish Center of the Hamptons.

 

Leifer's psychiatric defense

 https://ajn.timesofisrael.com/extremely-discouraging/

A PSYCHIATRIST who is due to be called as an expert witness by Malka Leifer’s defence team has previously stated that the former principal of Melbourne’s Adass Israel school “never committed the crimes” and that that she was being pursued by a “lynch mob”.

Dr Brian Trappler of New York, who gave evidence in 2015 that Leifer was not fit to face extradition proceedings, is scheduled to testify on Wednesday night (Australian time). 

When asked how he knew she was innocent, one of his responses was that those calling for her extradition didn’t look frum.

“Just looking at their pictures and listening to their comments should give you an idea that this is not a Heimeshe or Chareidi crowd,” he wrote.

He likened them to the Women of the Wall group in Israel, and wrote that there is a “a cultural war between the Women of the Wall against a chareidi grandmother who left the shtetle to support her husband who’s spent his entire life learning in Kollel”.

Trappler also argued on Facebook that people shouldn’t sign a petition calling for Leifer’s extradition.

“I suggest that before the lynch-mob commits the ultimate crime of Mesira (reporting someone to secular authorities) they pause to realize that this case is not what you’ve been told.”

However Australian rabbinic authorities, and others across the world, disagree with Trappler.

“[The Rabbinic Council of Victoria] affirms its halachic position that the prohibitions of mesirah (reporting crimes to the civil authorities) and arka’ot (adjudication in civil courts) do not apply in cases of abuse,” the Rabbinic Council of Victoria stated in 2010.

 

Chris Wallace Repeatedly Grills Kevin McCarthy on Trump’s Jan. 6 Rage Call

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-anchor-chris-wallace-grills-kevin-mccarthy-on-trumps-jan-6-rage-call

Days after the deadly Capitol riot, McCarthy said on the House floor that Trump “bears responsibility” for the violence, adding that the then-president “should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding.” At the same time, while saying Trump’s actions deserved a congressional response, he declared that he didn’t support impeachment.

 

Rackman's aguna solution is unacceptable. RabbiJachter

 https://www.sefaria.org/Gray_Matter_I%2C_Grappling_With_the_Problem_of_Agunot%2C_Flaws_in_the_Proposal_of_Rabbi_Emanuel_Rackman.9?lang=en&with=all&lang2=en

Even if Rabbi Rackman's idea were acceptable in theory, its implementation contains a significant practical problem. It is often very difficult to formally produce incontrovertible evidence that someone physically abused his spouse (see Rama, E.H. 154:3). Proving that someone had an abuser personality is even more difficult, if not impossible. Similarly, it is exceedingly difficult to prove that one who denies his wife a get had a sadistic personality at the time of marriage. At the very least, the dayanim must see psychological records documenting these tendencies from before the marriage. In Rav Moshe's responsa regarding impotent and institutionalized husbands, official medical records proved the women's claims. On the other hand, The Jerusalem Report (August 3, 1998) disclosed that Rabbi Moses Morgenstern issues his rulings merely based on the woman's word, undoubtedly an unacceptable practice.3See, for example, Teshuvot Noda Biy'hudah (vol. 1, E.H. 54), cited in Pitchei Teshuvah (E.H. 157:9). Rabbis can rarely obtain private medical files in today's litigious society, for doctors do not generally release these records to clergy with the same ease that they may have done in Rav Moshe's time.

Rabbi Emanuel Rackman, champion of halachic justice, dies at 98

   https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/jewish-news/rabbi-emanuel-rackman-champion-of-halachic-justice-dies-at-98

Using disputable Talmudic precedents for annulment, he dissolved over 100 marriages without the husband's agreement. Rackman admitted that one of his goals was to prod the rabbinical establishment out of its slumber on this painful issue, yet insisted that the Bet Din's technical solutions remained within the halachic envelope. Rackman said that "the neglect of agunot by the rabbinic establishment is alienating people from Judaism. I am fighting for the glory of Torah and the halachic system, and my solutions will do more for the future of Halacha than the stringency of its mandates. I certainly feel that I can meet my Maker on this!" Unfortunately, Rackman's Bet Din was mismanaged, and Rackman failed to substantiate his Bet Din's actions in a learned teshuva, a formal halachic position paper (although others have now begun to do so, most notably Prof. Aviad Hacohen, dean of Shaarei Mishpat Law College.) Nevertheless, his legacy on the treatment of agunot is considerable, and I believe that Halacha will yet come around to his view.

Monday, April 26, 2021

Mesira permitted for danger to community

 

Rambam (Hilchos Chovel u’Mazik 8:11): …. Similarly all those who distress the community and harm it – it is permitted to hand them over to the non‑Jewish government to be beaten, imprisoned and punished. However if the person is only disturbing an individual and not the community – it is prohibited to hand him over. It is also prohibited to cause the loss of the property of the moser – even though it permitted to cause the death of the moser himself. That is because his property belongs to his heirs.

Zealots

 Toldos Aaron Rebb (BaKehila 14th of Tammuz 5768 page 12): Concerning Rav Amram Blau, one saw that in reality that all the cracks in the wall of Yiddishkeit caused him great pain. His protests were an expression of his love of Jews and his fear of G-d. It hurt him that another Jew would sin and that pain - caused by his concern for others - brought him to protest. In contrast, the kano'im of today are motivated by the desire to destroy. They wake up in the morning with the single concern of what they can destroy that day. Their heads are not focused on serving G-d or how they can increase the honor of Heaven. They spend their days obsessed with wall posters and slander of others. There are no great men and leaders of Israel that they don't slander. This is not kana'us! This is the lowest form of degenerate personality. Someone who truly want to be concerned with G-d's honor knows that before any activity it is required to first ask a posek and talmid chachom to clarify if this particular activity is permitted by the Torah or not. We are Jews and therefore our path has to be that of the Shulchan Aruch. These hotblooded young men mistakenly think that their acts of destruction magnify the glory of G-d. I am telling you that this is not the path of kana'us! That is because true zealotry comes only from the motivation of truly loving Jews. When a Jew is hurt by the sins of another Jew he is not allowed to make any public response without first asking the guidance of gedolim concerning possible actions and he must submit to their views. However we have never seen before the approach of these modern zealots. These men are immersed in their evil ways and their sole concern is how to cause damage.


False court testimony to protect Jew from going to jail

 Steipler Rav (Within the Domain of Gedolei Torah Vol 2 page 557-560): The rav of Komemiyus, Rav Binyamin Mendelson approached Rav Shlomo Lorenz concerning someone who had committed a crime in the past. Then he had been sentenced to a number of years of jail – but had been placed on probation and wasn’t imprisoned.  However the person eventually committed the crime again and now was being tried a second time. Rav Mendelson said that he knew this person and felt he deserved mercy - especially for his wife and children. Therefore he said there was an obligation to try to keep him out of jail - not only for the sake of his family - but because it was obvious that being in jail with hardened criminals would not serve to rehabilitate him. Therefore Rav Mendelson asked me to testify as a character witness at the trial to try and stop the jail sentence.

Rav Lorenz told him that while normally he would readily agree to whatever he asked. However in this case he knew that his testifying in court to aid a criminal would become public knowledge. This would cause a chilul HaShem because it would create the impression that the representative of the Torah world not only identified with the criminal but also offered him assistance. Therefore he told Rav Mendelson that he wanted to consult with the Steipler Rav before he did anything. Rav Mendelson agreed but requested that the Vishnitzer Rebbe also be consulted.

When Rav Lorenz told the story to the Steipler Rav, the Steipler screamed, “A Jew who sins and repeats that sin, it is better that he be punished in this world and not – G‑d forbid – in the World to Come.” He explained, “The punishment in this world is minor compared to what happens in the World to Come. Furthermore if you succeed in stopping the jail sentence he will continue to repeatedly commit this crime. It is better that he receive his punishment and perhaps learn self‑restraint…In addition if I give you permission and you testify for his benefit it is obvious that every newspaper and all the public media will publicize the matter and it will also be a chilul HaShem when he sins again…”

Rav Lorenz then went to the Vishnitzer Rebbe and told him what the Steipler Rav had said. The Vishnitzer Rebbe replied, “There is no question that the Steipler Rav is correct in every detail and I absolutely agree with him. But there is also the concept of ‘Going beyond the letter of the law.’ There is also the attribute of mercy. Therefore I think there is reason to have mercy on his wife and children…However I only have one problem – the issue of chilul HaShem which the Steipler mentioned…. Therefore you need to find a way of testifying that won’t cause chilul HaShem.”

Rav Lorenz told the Steipler Rav the words of the Vishnitzer Rebbe. He gave a long sigh and said, “It is possible to do as the Vishnitzer Rebbe requested, even though my opinion is that the person should be punished rather than be helped. However this can only be done on the condition that the testimony is not public so that it won’t –G‑d forbid – cause chilul HaShem.”

Rav Lorenz complied with their wishes and contacted the judge and told him he had a highly irregular request to make that he was doing on the behalf of gedolim to avoid chilul HaShem.  He met with the judge and told him that the Vishnitzer Rebbe asked for mercy for the criminal not to give him any jail time at all. The judge replied that since the criminal had violated probation that was impossible. Furthermore he agreed with the Steipler Rav that if the criminal were not imprisoned he would continue committing the crime. So he did not see how he could simply set the man free.

Rav Lorenz told the judge that Rav Mendelson had said that the criminal would not go unpunished. Rav Mendelson said that the rabbis would punish him according in the manner that was normal in these cases such as forty days of fasting and other such things. Rav Mendelson felt that this punishment would be more beneficial in rehabilitating the criminal than being sent to prison with hardened criminals. While the judge agreed with this he said he still had the major problem that freeing him was clearly against the law. Rav Lorenz told him that he was sure that the judge would figure out something – which he did. The criminal was again placed on probation.

However as predicted the criminal was not able to withstand temptation and he committed the crime again. This time he was sent to jail where he died.

Torah law can be harmful to society

Aruch HaShulchan (C.M. 2:1-3): 1) Even though the Jewish court does not judge cases involving capital punishment or flogging or fines outside of Israel – but if the beis din sees that the times require it - because there is a breakdown in law and order – then it is permitted. Everything depends on the judgment of how serious the problem is. Not only can the court judge these cases when there is community lawlessness but even when a single individual sins it is permitted to punish him if they think it is necessary - as long as they do it for pure motivation. This ability to judge these cases in emergency situations is even when there are not valid witnesses but only a reasonable basis that it is true and constant rumors are heard when there are no enemies who would create them. Thus if the times require that this case be tried it must be done if we have the ability.  That is because if we insist that everything be done in accordance with the laws of the Torah - and we require 2 valid adult witnesses and proper warning not to commit the crime – the result will be that the world is destroyed. In fact Jerusalem was not destroyed except for the fact that the courts insisted in totally compliance with the Torah law [Rashba 3:393]. Thus in times of need, the courts have the right to administer corporal punishment and to give monetary punishments according to what they see is needed to correct the problems of society. If the litigant is a powerful person then he can be reported to the secular government to be tried and the secular authorities will order him to comply with what the Jewish religion requires of him. Anyone who has the power to make a protective fence to the Torah and doesn’t do it, he will have no protective fence either in this world or the next nor will he have descendants or remnants in his dwelling [Beis Yosef citing Zohar]. Similarly we are obligated to make sure that there shouldn’t be anyone with thoughts of rebellion – even unexpressed against the government of the Czar and his leaders. Our Sages said that G‑d made us take an oath not to rebel against the governments which rule us (Kesubos 111a)… 2) This ability to judge and punish - not according to the laws of the Torah - is only for the greatest Torah scholars or for the community leaders. That is because community leaders have the same power as that of the Great Sanhedrin.  Thus in our days the obligation is on the rav and the community leaders to fix the breaches in society with all of their ability. Thus every tax they impose, the community must comply and pay it – even though it means that some benefit from it while others suffer a loss. That is because this is important to correct community problems or take care of some other urgent need. Whoever interferes with this – is considered like Yeravam ben Nevat. One should not go against the decisions of community leaders even if there are scholars who support the opposition. That is because it is likely that those who are opposed to the community leaders have no fear of heaven. Investigate and you find it to be true. 3) However any matter which is not needed for the welfare of society or for emergency correction – the community leaders have no power to deal with against the wishes of those involved. All they can do is try and persuade the community to follow traditional practices or to collectively accept a particular action. Thus if a practice is firmly accepted by the community, the community leaders can force compliance with it…. Without either being an emergency matter for the community or having been fully accepted by the community – the leaders cannot do anything beyond the Torah law when there is gain for one party but loss for a second party. Alternatively if the community has an accepted practice that the leaders can do what ever they think is good or the community has fully accepted that the leaders can do whatever they wish – then in fact they community leaders can do whatever they see fit even if there is benefit to one party but loss to a second party. The leaders of the community should have their hearts directed to the desires of heaven and G‑d should help them. That is because someone who wants to achieve perfection receives Divine assistance.

 Shulchan Aruch (C.M. 2:1): Every court – even those that do not have semicha from Israel – if they see that the see that the people is corrupted by sin (and thus it is an emergency situation) can issue judgments whether concerning capital punishment or financial matters or any other punishments even without testimony according to Torah standards. If the transgressor is a powerful person than it is possible to punish him through the agency of non-Jews. Furthermore the court has the power to appropriate his money and to do with it what they see fit to strengthen the community. All the activities of the court need to be for the sake of heaven. This license to go beyond the letter of the law is specifically only for the greatest rabbis of the generation or the community leaders. It has been the practice in every place that the community leaders have the status similar to that of the Sanhedrin in that they can give beatings and punishments as well as appropriate a person’s property – all according to the local practice. Even though there are those poskim which disagree and say that the local communities authorities do not have such powers but can only pressure the community according to the local practices or their actions need to be agreed upon by everyone. However according to these poskim they have no power to make any changes in law in situations where there is benefit to one party and loss to another or to appropriate someone’s money without his agreement. Nevertheless one should follow the practices of the city. And surely these powers exist in fact everyone member of the community accepts that the leaders have these powers. The achronim mention in their responsa that some who is deserving of lashes should give 40 gold coins as a substitute for the 40 lashes. This is not according to the letter of the law but is only an emergency measure. Therefore the court has the emergency power to administer lashes or to take money according to what they see are the needs of the times (migder milsa).