Jews joined the meraglim to avoid fighting in war

 According to Rav Yakov the reason why the Jews readily accepted the negative evaluation of the meraglim was because they didn't want to fight in war.

Emes L’Yakov (14:29) As punishment all those older than 20 will die in the desert. Bava Basra (121b) the punishment did not apply to those less than 20 or more than 60. It is clear that those less than 20 should not be punished as they were below the age of punishment even from Heaven. But why should those older than 60 also not be punished? The answer seems to be that only those who were to fight in the battles to conquer Israel were scared and thus accepted the negative report of the spies. Those older than 60  were no longer in the army and thus had no reason to believe the spies and thus didn’t sin

עיין בבבא בתרא [דף קכ"א ע"ב] דאיתא התם דלא נגזרה גזרה לא על פחות מבן עשרים ולא על יתר מבן ששים, ועיי"ש. ולכאורה צריך ביאור, דבשלמא אלו שהיו פחותים מבן כ' יש לומר שנכללו בכלל וטפכם אשר אמרתם לבז יהיה ובניכם אשר לא ידעו היום טוב ורע וגו' [דברים א' פל"ט], או יש לומר שלא נענשו בדיני שמים מכיון שהם פחותים מבן כ', אבל אותן שהיו יותר מששים מדוע לא נענשו - וכי אפשר לומר שכולם לא חטאו בחטא העגל. וצריך לומר דאכן כן היה, דרק אלו שהיו יוצאי צבא שפחדו מלהלחם האמינו למרגלים ומיאנו לעלות לארץ ישראל, אבל אותן שהיו יותר מבן ששים - שכבר לא היו יוצאי צבא - לא היתה להם שום סיבה להאמין למרגלים והם באמת לא חטאו, ודו"ק.

Gedםlim and war

 According to the Netziv the meraglim were chosen because they were gedolim with knowledge of war. He generalizes and says that is the general approach to deal with problems in the world - is gedolim with some knowedge of the actual propblem it is not enough to be a gadol in Torah

Netziv (Bamidbar 13:2) כל נשיא בהם. מי שנשיא היינו גדול בישראל ויודע טכסיסי מלחמה הוא ילך. ולא הדיוט אע״ג שאפשר שיודע יותר טכסיסי מלחמה. ובקי בטיב הענין הנדרש יותר מכל מקום היה הצווי ליקח גדולי ישראל ויודעים לתור ולעמוד על הענין הנדרש ג״כ. בכדי שיהיו דבריהם נשמעים ביותר. ומזה יש לנו ללמוד בכל הליכות עולם לנו: 

Netziv (Bamidbar 13:2) Every nassi – What is a nassi? He is a Gadol who in addition to Torah is also knowledgable about how to fight a war Experts were chosen and not an ordinary person even though he might know more about how to fight a war. Gedolim were chosen who knew how to spy the country and and were also able to determine what was necessary to do. This extra requirenment was so that their views would be more likely to be  respected. This dual model is the prototype of dealing with all issues of the world. 

Iranian missiles trigger waves of sirens across Israel, damages electrical infrastructure in South

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-858660

Missiles fired from Iran triggered sirens across Israel in several waves on Monday morning, the IDF said. Israeli media reported that between 10 and 15 missiles were fired, and that there was a total of 35 minutes of sirens. 

The missiles were launched in numerous waves and to areas across the country, with initial sirens sounding first in northern Israel, including the Galilee area, followed by sirens in central and southern Israel. 

Large booms were heard in the Shfela area and in southern Israel, and loud thuds were heard in Jerusalem, according to Reuters witnesses.  Footage on social media showed a large impact in Israel's South. 

Israel Unsure Iran Nuke Program 'Annihilated' After US Strikes

 https://www.newsweek.com/israel-us-bombs-iran-nuclear-program-fordow-isfahan-natanz-2088974

During a Sunday morning press conference, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that "many presidents have dreamed of delivering the final blow to Iran's nuclear program, and none could until President Trump."

The defense secretary then said to the world's cameras: "We devastated the Iranian nuclear program."

In Israel, though, there's less certainty about whether Iran's nuclear development has been smashed to pieces by U.S. strikes on three of Iran's major nuclear facilities overnight, and whether the country's nuclear program is permanently out of the game.

"Is it fully, fully annihilated? We don't know yet," a senior Israeli official told Newsweek. "Nobody knows yet," added the source, who was granted anonymity to speak freely. "It requires a lot of intelligence work."

Kremlin warns that other nations ready to give Iran nukes: ‘Dangerous escalation has begun’

 https://nypost.com/2025/06/22/world-news/kremlin-warns-that-other-nations-ready-to-give-iran-nukes-dangerous-escalation-has-begun/

Moscow warned Sunday that several nations are prepared to supply Tehran with nuclear weapons, as Russia and China condemned America’s attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Dmitry Medvedev, who serves as deputy head of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Security Council, claimed Saturday’s US airstrike — the first to use 15-ton GBU-57 “bunker-buster” bombs in combat — only caused minimal damage to Tehran’s nuclear sites, including the fortified Fordow enrichment plant.

Medvedev, who did not specify which countries are ready to arm Tehran, reiterated that the attacks would not stop Russia’s ally in the Middle East from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Top General Immediately Undercuts Hegseth’s Claim Iran Was ‘Massive Success’

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/defense-secretary-pete-hegseth-declares-irans-nuclear-ambitions-obliterated-in-secret-midnight-attack/

The United States carried out a middle–of-the-night attack using decoys and deception that completely “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has declared.

But Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine immediately undercut this, telling reporters that while an initial assessment indicated “severe damage and destruction,” it would take time for the final battle damage to be known.

White House wary of Iran counterattack as Trump strikes triumphant tone

 https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/22/white-house-wary-of-iran-counterattack-as-trump-strikes-triumphant-tone-00416470

President Donald Trump was triumphant Saturday night during his Oval Office address but within the administration the mood was less sanguine as officials braced for a potential Iran counterattack.

The decision to send American B-2 bombers to attack Iran, the most significant military action of Trump’s presidency, threatens to inject the United States into another Middle East conflict, the kind that Trump and Vice President JD Vance have long promised to avoid.

“We don’t know how much this is going to get us into something protracted,” said an administration official, who like others was granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberation. “Right now the message is we want to get rid of the nuclear capacity and focus on negotiations.”

US joins Israel’s war in Iran, bombs fortified Fordo site and other nuclear facilities

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-strikes-irans-elusive-fordo-facility-joining-israels-fight-against-nuclear-program/

US President Donald Trump announced early Sunday that the US had carried out a “successful attack” on the Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan nuclear sites in Iran, hours after he appeared to suggest that the matter of US involvement in Israel’s campaign against Iran’s nuclear program was as yet undecided.

The decision to directly involve the US in the war came after more than a week of strikes by Israel that damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities, eradicated the country’s air defenses, and took out many of its military brass and top nuclear scientists. Iran, in retaliation, has launched dozens of ballistic missile barrages at Israel.

“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordo,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, referring to the difficult-to-destroy underground site, which has been characterized as the most integral part of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

US bombs three Iran nuclear sites, entering war

 https://thehill.com/homenews/5362296-trump-us-bombs-iran/

President Trump announced Saturday the United States had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, including the Fordow site that is located in a mountainside.

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump posted on Truth Social. 

Fake News - Bibi and Trump colluded to trick Iran?!

 https://mishpacha.com/wars-easier-to-start-than-finish/

Did President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu collude to deceive Iran by creating the impression that the US opposed the IDF taking military action while negotiations over a nuclear deal were still underway? Or did Netanyahu act alone, fearing that Trump would strike a deal with Iran that would garner international support, making it impossible for Israel to attack Iran without becoming a pariah state? There is a lot of spin in both directions. The truth may lie somewhere in between, but it’s irrelevant now.

The mixed messaging serves both American and Israeli purposes. Israel has an interest in demonstrating that Trump and Netanyahu are in sync. Trump is playing a more difficult hand. He boasts of Israel’s military prowess, pleasing his pro-Israel constituency, while his insistence that America is not involved in Israeli strikes and his call to Iran to resume negotiations reassure his domestic right-wing base that he is adhering to his policy of keeping the US out of foreign entanglements.

Regardless, Israel has made significant progress in restoring its deterrent posture with a diversified and well-planned preemptive strike against Iran, which doomsayers claimed Israel could never achieve alone, while also absolving Trump of any blame. Assuming that Iran lacks the desire or capability to restart talks, Trump is no longer at risk of damaging his reputation as a dealmaker by either entering into an agreement that Iran would never honor or being forced to admit that the negotiations had failed.

Donald Trump proves he’s the stupidest man in the Situation Room

Trump's lack of foreign policy principles tears MAGA apart on Iran

How close was Iran to the bomb, and how far has Israel pushed it back?

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/how-close-was-iran-to-the-bomb-and-how-far-has-israel-pushed-it-back/

The more we learn, the clearer it becomes that Israel struck in the nick of time: Iran was very close to the bomb. Its ballistic missiles were becoming a dire threat. And then there’s that derided ‘Destruction of Israel Plan’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was still more dramatic, characterizing Israel’s resort to force on Friday as preemptive action against an imminent “existential” threat. In a video address at the start of the campaign, Netanyahu said Iran had stockpiled enough uranium to build nine bombs, had taken unprecedented steps in recent months to weaponize that enriched uranium, and could get to the bomb “in a very short time — it could be a year, or it could be a few months.” (The IDF at the launch of the attacks said Iran could enrich enough uranium to weapons-grade level for 15 bombs “within days,” and did not specify how long it would take the regime to complete its nuclear weapons project.)

By contrast, CNN on Tuesday cited a host of American sources assessing that Iran was “up to three years away” from being able to build, deliver and detonate a bomb and asserting that it was not even “actively pursuing” one — an implausible claim, not least in light of the regime’s documented production of increased quantities of near-weapons-grade uranium with no civilian application.

As far as I have been able to determine from interactions with several sources familiar with the matter, Israel’s intelligence assessments are that Iran was very close indeed to attaining nuclear weapons — as in, building and delivering a working bomb. Closer, that is, even than Netanyahu’s public estimate.

Parnossa learning trade in time of Chazal to Modern Times

Igros Moshe (YD IV #36.11) Question: Doesn’t the Talmud and Rishonim indicate that working at a job is required? Answer  I don’t understand why you cite the gemora in Kiddushin (29a) that a father is obligated to teach his son a trade and if not it is consider the son was taught to steal.  Or the statement at the end of Kiddushin that a father most teach his son a trade which seems to be the view of the Rashba. This seems to indicate that this is the halacha. In fact all it shows is an obligation to teach a trade . It simply means he should ensure the son gets a good Torah education so that he can teach others or be a rabbi of a community and thus have parnossa. 

Successful in secular subjects only - leave Yeshiva?

Igros Moshe (IV #36.14) Question: Those students who are not successful in their Torah study should they leave yeshiva and study secular subjects? Answer Are you claiming it is because of a lack of intelligence but they are intelligent for secular subjects? The fact is that concerning Torah anyone can improve with study even those who can’t study it in depth as long as they have a working memory. This is aslso considered growing in Torah and sometimes the ability of in depth study develops and it is possible to become great in Torah knowledge. It is not like medicine and other secular study where misunderstanding can result in harm. In fact the opposite is true. The ignorance in Torah can be harmful to his soul.

Unsuccessful in Torah Study - Leave yeshiva for parnossa?

Igros Moshe (IV #36.14) Question Is it permitted  for unsuccessful students to leave yeshiva to study other subjects. You write that there are many yeshiva students who are afraid of sin and therefore they are not involved in the needs of daily life and they sit in yeshiva with an open sefer but they don’t actually learn anything and thus there learning is not successful. Answer It can’t be that they make such an error but their real motivation is that they are simply lazy. Even if they were actually learning according to their abilities but they were not going into depth but merely skimming the material this is being lazy and is considered serious bitul Torah . They need to be chastised and explained the error of their ways. If they don’t accept this from their peers they need to hear it from the rosh hayeshiva. 

Moshe seeing not more real than hearing - Contradiction?

Igros Moshe (Y.D. I #223): You bring from Sefer HaIkkarim (4:15) that the reason that Moshe did  not break the Tablets immediately when G‑d told him that the Jews had made the Golden Calf was because seeing is more powerfully real than knowledge. In my humble opinion, G‑d forbid to say that when Moshe heard about the Golden Calf that it was less significant to him than when he saw it himself - even in terms of emotional response. A possible explanation of why he broke the Tablets only after seeing the Golden Calf, because G‑d did not tell him about their enthusiastic dancing and therefore he thought it would be enough if they saw him - to completely repent immediately. However when he saw their enthusiastic dancing he realized that they would not so readily repent and therefore he broke the Tablets. You can also say that that he waited to break them so that the Jewish people could see him break the Tablets and realize the great loss they had caused because of the sin of the Golden Calf. This is stated explicitly in Devorim (9:14), “I broke the Tablets before their eyes.” This implies that he deliberately did it before their eyes. In addition it says later more explicitly in Devarim (34:12), “Before the eyes of all Israel.” Rashi explains this verse to mean that he intended to break the Tablets before their eyes. If so he had don possibility of breaking it when he first heard from G‑d about the Calf before he descended from  the mountain. He was thus forced to wait until he descended so they could all see that he was breaking the Tablets. In contrast regarding hearing something from another person it is definitely true that seeing is more powerful in eliciting emotions and there is no need to bring a proof to something so obvious.

Igros Moshe (O.C. III #50): I replied to you many years ago and my reply was printed in my Igros Moshe (1:223) that G‑d forbid to say about Moshe that what he saw with his own eyes was much more real than what he heard from G‑d and that is the reason that he only broke the Tablets after he saw the Golden Calf with his own eyes. Now you write to me that the Akeidas Yitzchok also shares the view of the Sefer HaIkkarim. I in fact looked into the Sefer HaIkkarim and I saw that in fact he agrees with my view that there is no difference between hearing information from G‑d to seeing it oneself. He brings a medrash that the reason that Moshe didn’t break the Tablets previously was in order to inform the Jews that it is prohibited to act on knowledge – even absolutely certain knowledge until it is directly witnessed… The Akeidas Yitzchok himself wanted to say that Moshe wanted to break the Tablets in front of the Jews in order to magnify the message to increase their discomfort at sinning. This is a strong reason and I my explanation anticipates this as I wrote previously.

In contrast in Darash Moshe (Yisro 18:01) For everyone hearing about something is not the same as seeing. Even if what is heard  is known to be true as what is seen it doesn’t get accepted in his mind  and emotion and have the same impact as seeing. We see this even with Moshe who did not break the Tablets until he saw the Golden Calf even though he had heard about it from G-d. 

Trump's ‘heartlessness’ was outdone by Sen. Lee’s ‘perverse’ tweets

Battle to define ‘America First’ intensifies as Israel strikes Iran

 https://thehill.com/newsletters/the-movement/5353559-battle-to-define-america-first-intensifies-as-israel-strikes-iran/

The ideological battle over what “America First” means in the Trump era is intensifying in wake of Israel’s strikes on Iran, splitting the MAGA right and testing its relationships with the president.

On one side, noninterventionist doves insist the Trumpian tagline means the president must avoid U.S. troops, resources or dollars going toward the conflict, for fear of getting dragged into an endless war.

“Anyone slobbering for the U.S. to become fully involved in the Israel/Iran war is not America First/MAGA,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) posted Sunday on the social platform X. 

But on the other end, foreign policy hawks and supporters of Israel are appealing to President Trump’s position that Iran should not have a nuclear weapon, and encouraging him to leave all options — including direct military intervention — on the table.

“How is it not AMERICA FIRST to congratulate those who just made sure Islamists who chant ‘DEATH TO AMERICA’ and who openly plotted to assassinate President @realDonaldTrump never have an opportunity to have a nuke?” right-wing provocateur Laura Loomer posted on X over the weekend.

Trump: ‘I don’t care’ that Tulsi Gabbard said Iran wasn’t close to having nuclear weapon

 https://thehill.com/homenews/5354764-trump-gabbard-iran-intelligence-assessment/?tbref=hp

President Trump rejected his own director of national intelligence’s assessment of Iran’s nuclear capabilities in remarks as he returned from the Group of Seven summit in Alberta, Canada, a day early to weigh America’s response to escalating airstrikes between Israel and Iran.

Tulsi Gabbard testified before Congress in March that while Iran had an “unprecedented” stockpile of weapons-grade uranium, the country did not appear to be building a nuclear weapon.

“I don’t care what she said. I think they were very close to having one,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One in the wee hours of Tuesday morning in response to a direct question about Gabbard’s testimony.

CNN reported Tuesday that American intelligence assessments continued to say Iran was not actively pursuing a nuclear weapon and was up to three years out from being able to launch one. Israel has claimed Iran was approaching a crucial tipping point for developing nuclear capabilities as justification for its airstrikes.

Israel Built Its Case for War With Iran on New Intelligence. The U.S. Didn’t Buy It.

 https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/israel-built-its-case-for-war-with-iran-on-new-intelligence-the-u-s-didnt-buy-it-55592e81?mod=trending_now_news_2

American spy agencies stand by their assessment that Iran hasn’t decided to build a nuclear weapon, but Trump now says Tehran is ‘very close.’

Before launching its attack on Iran last week, Israel provided the U.S. with intelligence it deemed alarming: Tehran was conducting renewed research useful for a nuclear weapon, including on an explosive triggering system.

But U.S. officials briefed by the Israelis weren’t convinced that the information pointed to a decision by Tehran to build a bomb, according to a senior intelligence official, another U.S. official and two congressional aides familiar with the discussions. 

The gap between Israel’s assessment of Iran’s nuclear program and that of the U.S. helps explain why the two allies haven’t been aligned in recent days on dealing with Tehran.

הגר"ד לנדו: "יש לסגור את הישיבה, הבחורים ילמדו בבית"

 https://www.emess.co.il/radio/1726011

בעקבות היעדר מיגון בישיבת 'תורה בתפארתה', הורה מרן הגר"ד לנדו לסגור את הישיבה: "אם אין מרחב מוגן – הבחורים ילמדו בבית". ראש הישיבה עדכן את התלמידים כי מדובר בפיקוח נפש והם נשלחו לבתיהם

Trump's most favorable pollster warns it could be "all over for MAGA"

 https://www.newsweek.com/trump-pollster-warns-all-over-maga-iran-israel-2086637

President Donald Trump's most favorable pollster has warned that it could be "all over for MAGA" if the president gets the United States more deeply involved in the conflict between Iran and Israel.

"Kiss the Republican majority goodbye... For the next decade," Rich Baris, the director of Big Data Poll, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "If he pulls the trigger, it's all over for MAGA."

A recent poll by the Ronald Reagan Institute, conducted before Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran's military and nuclear program on Friday, shows that a majority of Republicans support Israeli airstrikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.

However, polling has also shown that Republican voters are worried about the U.S. being drawn into a military conflict in the Middle East. A Quinnipiac University poll last year found that 86 percent of Republican voters were concerned about it, with 52 percent saying they were "very concerned."

Meanwhile, MAGA figures in recent days have been split on the issue, with some advocating for a strong response and others arguing that Trump's supporters backed him because of his promise not to draw the U.S. into expensive foreign wars.

Avoid Kiddush Friday night at seventh hour

Rav's Shulchan Aruch (OC #271)  There are some who are careful not to make kiddush the first hour of the night (the seventh hour from noon) but either before night or an hour after in the night. That is because at the seventh hour the celestial force of Mars is dominate which represents Sammel (the force of Evil)  It has already been explained that it is always best to make kiddush immediately when returning home from the synagogue and this is typically while it is still day. 

Magen Avraham (OC #271:1) It says in Tekunei Shabbos that one should make kiddush before it is night because at the beginning of Friday night the Mazel of Mars dominates and at the end of Friday Saturn dominates Therefore it is best to make Kiddush when Saturn dominates. The Maharil says the same thing. He also says that if the person doesn’t want to eat then, he can wait to say Kiddush since he already has said kiddush in the prayers at the synagogue. This is satisfactory since the requirement to have a meal with Kidush is a rabbinic requirement and thus he has fulfilled his Torah obligation with his prayers. 

Aruch Ha Shulchan (271:11) I have seen someone (Magen Avraham) who wrote “that a person should be careful to always say kiddush before night since at the beginning of Shabbos night the mazzel of  Mars is dominate while at the end of Friday Saturn is dominate. It is best to make kiddush under the mazzel of Saturn.” In my humble opinion this view is astounding because G-d forbid to say we are under the influence of mazzel. In fact the opposite is true! I saw that in fact the ancients of the non Jews used to sit in darkness in their homes on Shabbos and cry because of the bad mazzel of Shabbos and their fear of being harmed. In contrast G-d commanded us the opposite. We are to light a lot of candles to make light and we are to enjoy ourselves on Shabbos. This is to show that we transcend the force of mazzel and that we have been chosen by G-d to be uninfluenced by mazzel. So how can the Magen Avraham say this? This requires great study. One who trusts in G-d is surrounded by kindness. 

Rav's Shulchan Aruch (O 271) יֵשׁ נִזְהָרִים שֶׁלֹּא לְקַדֵּשׁ בְּשָׁעָה רִאשׁוֹנָה שֶׁל הַלַּיְלָה (דְּהַיְנוּ שָׁעָה שְׁבִיעִית אַחַר חֲצוֹת הַיּוֹם, עַיֵּן סִמָּן תכ"ח), אֶלָּא אוֹ קֹדֶם הַלַּיְלָה, אוֹ לְאַחַר שָׁעָה תּוֹךְ הַלַּיְלָה, לְפִי שֶׁבְּשָׁעָה הָרִאשׁוֹנָה הוּא מַזָּל מַאְדִּים, וְסמא"ל מוֹשֵׁל עָלָיו. 

וּכְבָר נִתְבָּאֵר שֶׁלְּכַתְחִלָּה יֵשׁ לוֹ לְקַדֵּשׁ מִיָּד בְּבוֹאוֹ מִבֵּית הַכְּנֶסֶת מִבְּעוֹד יוֹם:

Magen Avraham (OC #271:1)לאכול מיד. היינו לקדש כדי שיזכור שבת בכניסתו ועסי' רע"ג ס"ג, וכתוב בתקוני שבת שיקדש קודם לילה כי בתחלת ליל שבת הוא מזל מאדים ובסוף יום ו' הוא מזל צדק לכן יקדש בצדק וכ"כ בתשובות מהרי"ל סי' קס"ג ומ"ע בתשוב' כתב שאם אינו תאב לאכול יכול להמתין שכבר זכר אותו בכניסתו בבה"כ ע"ש, ובירושלמי ריש ברכות אי' שדרך לאכול שעה או ב' בלילה וכ"מ ברש"י ריש דף ג', כ' הרמב"ם פכ"ט קידוש היום דאורייתא בלא יין ורבנן תקנו על היין וכ"כ התוס' בסוכה פ"ג דף ל"ח ונ"ל דמדאוריי' בקידוש שאמר בתפל' סגי דקרא כתיב זכור את יום השבת והרי זכר אותו וקידוש במקום סעוד' רבנן תקנוהו כמ"ש סי' רס"ט וכ"מ בתוס' שכתבו דלר"ת מי שאין לו יין לא יקדש כלל וק' וכי יעקור מ"ע דאורייתא אלא ע"כ דדי בתפלה ועוד דאמרי' בקדושה אף על גב דמקדש בצלותא וכו' ע' בברכות פ"ה וגם הבדלה י"א דאורייתא היא וכמ"ש המ"מ פכ"ט ואפ"ה אמרי' בגמ' דבתחלה קבעוהו בתפלה כו' ע"ש וכ"מ ל' הרמב"ם וכ"מ בתוס' פ' ע"פ בשם הירוש' ע"ש: ודע דהקידוש בי"ט הוא דרבנן כמ"ש המ"מ פכ"ט מ"מ יש לו כל דין קידוש של שבת ואם אין לו אלא כוס א' של שבת קודם:

Aruch Ha Shulchan (271:11)  להמתין איזה שעות בלילה. (מ"ע בתשובות)וראיתי מי שכתב שיקדש דווקא קודם לילה, כי בתחלת ליל שבת הוא מזל מאדים, ובסוף יום ו' הוא מזל צדק - לכן יקדש בצדק. (מג"א שם) ולעניות דעתי הוא תמוה, דחס ושלום לומר שאנחנו תחת המזלות, ואדרבא ראיתי בקדמונים שהאומות הקדמונים היו יושבים בשבת בחשך ובוכים, מפני שהמזלות של שבת מורים לרעה. והקב"ה צוה אותנו להיפך, להדליק הרבה אור ולהתענג עצמינו, להראות שאנו למעלה מהמזלות. ואותנו לקח ד' להוציאנו ממערכת השמים, ואיך נאמר כזה וצע"ג, והבוטח בד' חסד יסובבנו. (המג"א שם הביא ירושלמי ריש ברכות שדרך לאכול שעה או שתים בלילה ע"ש, אמנם ע"ש בפירוש חרידים דשתים הוא שתי חלקי שעה, ומטעם דבתי כנסיות היו בשדות רחוק מהעיר, ועד שיבואו נמשך הזמן ממילא, ואדרבא מדתירץ שם באילין כופרנייא ע"ש - משמע דמצוה לאכול מקודם ודו"ק)

Merit for redemption: Jewish names in Egypt

From some sources  it seems that the Jews were  equivalent to the Egyptians at the Splitting of the Sea yet some medrashim list various unique merits that the Jews had.

Shemos Rabbah (21:7) When Israel departed from Egypt, the Angel Samael arose to accuse them, pleading before God: ' Lord of the Universe! Till now they have been worshipping idols, and now Thou dividest the sea for them?

Zohar (2:170b) When the Israelites stood on the shore of the Red Sea and G-d was about to divide its waters for them, Rahab, the angel-prince of Egypt, appeared, and demanded justice from G-d. He stood before Him and said: “Lord of the world, why dost thou desire to punish Egypt and to divide the Red Sea for Israel? Have not all sinned against Thee? Thy ways are according to justice and truth. Those are idolaters and so are these.

Bamidbar Rabbah (3:6)) By whose merit did Israel go forth out of Egypt? R. Halpai said: By the merit of Jacob. Our Rabbis say: They were redeemed because of the merit of the women, the pious  mothers.It was on account of the merit of the pious among them that they came out. 

Bamidbar Rabbah (13:20) By virtue of three things they were redeemed 1)They did not change their names,2) they did not change their language, and 3) they fenced themselves off against unchastity

Bamidbar Rabbah (20:22) Israel were redeemed from Egypt by reason of the merit of four acts. They did not change their names, they did not change their language, they did not disclose their secrets

Devarim Rabba (2:23) Israel were redeemed from Egypt only because of the following five reasons: (1) Distress, (2) Repentance, (3) The Merits of the Fathers, (4) God's Mercy, (5) The Term of their slavery, which had come to an end.

Mechilta (Beshalach 6] Jews were only redeemed from Egypt because of their faith

Medrash Tehilim (114:4) The Jews were redeemed from Egypt on the merit of four things 1)They didn’t change their names 2) They didn’t change thei language 3(They didn’t reveal their secrets 4) They weren’t involved in sexual sins.

Shemos Rabbah (1:28) Israel was redeemed from Egypt on account of four things, one being because they did not change their names. 2) they were not suspected of adultery.

Shemos Rabbah (17:3) On account of two kinds of blood were Israel redeemed from Egypt-the blood of the Passover and the blood of circumcision,

Midrash Lekach Tov (Shemos 6:6) There were four merits the Jews had that correspond to the four terms of redemption in the Torah. 1) they did not change their language 2) they did not change their clothing 3) they did not reveal secrets 4) they did not stop mila

Shir HaShirim Rabbah (IV 12)  In the merit of four things were the Jews redeemed from Egypt 1) They did not change their names 2) they did not change thei language 3) They did not speak lashon harah 4) No one was involved in sexual sins

Sotah (11b) In the merit of the righteous women that were in that generation, the Jewish people were redeemed from Egypt. At the time when these women would go to draw water, G-d would materialize for them small fish that would enter into their pitchers, and they would draw pitchers that were half filled with water and half filled with fish. And they would come and place two pots on the fire, one of hot water for washing their husbands and one of fish with which to feed them.

Tanchuma (25:1) The Jews were redeemed from Egypt on the meruit of four things 1)They didn’t change their names 2) They didn’t change thei language 3(They didn’t reveal their secrets 4) They weren’t involved in sexual sins.

Yalkut Shimoni (#657) The Jews were redeemed from Egypt on the merit of four things1)They didn’t change their names 2) They didn’t change thei language 3) They didn’t speak lashon harah 4) They weren’t involved in sexual sins.

Vayikra Rabbah (Emor 32:5) Israel were redeemed from Egypt on account of four things, viz. because they did not change their names, they did not change their language, they did not go tale-bearing, and none of them was found to have been immoral.

Yerushalmi (Tanis I 63a) Israel were redeemed from Egypt for five reasons. Because  1) the time of Exile was finished 2) suffering tribulation 3) because of their cries for help, 4)merit of the Fathers, 5) because of repentance.

Don't rely on segulos

 

‘Psyop’: How Far-Right Conspiracy Theories About the Minnesota Shooting Evolved to Protect MAGA

 https://www.wired.com/story/psyop-far-right-conspiracy-theories-minnesota-shooting/

In the hours after Vance Boelter was named as the suspect in the fatal shooting of Melissa Hortman, a Democratic Minnesota state representative, and her husband Mark Hortman, far-right conspiracists and Republican influencers claimed he was a violent, leftist Democrat.

When the facts of the story emerged—that the alleged shooter had been registered in other states as a Republican, was said to have voted for President Donald Trump and, as WIRED reported, had participated in an evangelical ministry where he preached against abortion and demonized the LGTBQ community—the conspiracy theories didn’t stop. Instead, they just changed. Posters then claimed the incident was a false flag conducted by the shadowy deep state, while trying to distance the shooter from any connection to the president and the wider MAGA movement.

A Battered Iran Signals It Wants to De-Escalate Hostilities With Israel and Negotiate

 https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/a-battered-iran-signals-it-wants-to-de-escalate-hostilities-with-israel-and-negotiate-9feab4ae?mod=hp_lead_pos1

Iran has been urgently signaling that it seeks an end to hostilities and resumption of talks over its nuclear programs, sending messages to Israel and the U.S. via Arab intermediaries, Middle Eastern and European officials said.

In the midst of a ferocious Israeli air campaign, Tehran has told Arab officials it would be open to returning to the negotiating table as long as the U.S. doesn’t join the attack, the officials said. Iran also passed messages to Israel saying it is in the interest of both sides to keep the violence contained.

‘Extremely disturbing and unethical’: new rules allow VA doctors to refuse to treat Democrats, unmarried veterans

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/16/va-doctors-refuse-treat-patients

Doctors at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals nationwide could refuse to treat unmarried veterans and Democrats under new hospital guidelines imposed following an executive order by Donald Trump.

The new rules, obtained by the Guardian, also apply to psychologists, dentists and a host of other occupations. They have already gone into effect in at least some VA medical centers.

Medical staff are still required to treat veterans regardless of race, color, religion and sex, and all veterans remain entitled to treatment. But individual workers are now free to decline to care for patients based on personal characteristics not explicitly prohibited by federal law.

Language requiring healthcare professionals to care for veterans regardless of their politics and marital status has been explicitly eliminated.

China ‘condemns’ Israel as it looks to show itself as a potential peace broker

 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/06/16/china/china-role-israel-iran-attack-intl-hnk

For one, as the Trump administration’s “America First” policy has shaken up the US’ traditional position on the international stage, Beijing sees an opportunity to further expand its clout. That’s especially true in the context of countries across the Global South, where Israel has received stark condemnation over its ongoing assault on Gaza.

Beijing is also a key diplomatic and economic backer of Iran and has moved to further deepen collaboration in recent years, including holding joint naval drills, even as it’s sought to balance those ties with its growing relations with countries like Saudi Arabia. Chinese officials long voiced opposition to US sanctions on Iran and criticized the US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, while accusing Washington of being a source of instability and tensions in the region.

Do voter identification laws suppress minority voting? Yes.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/02/15/do-voter-identification-laws-suppress-minority-voting-yes-we-did-the-research/

There is, of course, widespread debate about the merits of these new laws. Proponents claim that ID laws are necessary to reduce fraud and to restore trust in the democratic system. Critics claim that voter ID laws serve as effective barriers that limit the legitimate participation of racial and ethnic minorities and other disadvantaged groups.

Who is right? Scholars have been able to show that racial and ethnic minorities have less access to photo IDs, and extensive analysis reveals almost no evidence of voter fraud of the type ostensibly prevented by these laws. But determining just how many Americans are prevented from actually voting is another question altogether. The key question is not whether there could be worrisome effects from these laws, but whether clear-cut shifts in electoral participation and outcomes have actually occurred. Do voter identification laws skew the electorate in favor of one set of interests over others?

These laws have a disproportionate effect on minorities, which is exactly what you would expect given that members of racial and ethnic minorities are less apt to have valid photo ID.

Israel Police International Spokesman: Iranian regime deliberately targeting civilians

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/410102

Dean Elsdunne, International Spokesman for the Israel Police, spoke to Arutz Sheva - Israel National News in Petah Tikva, where an Iranian missile slammed into a residential building in Petah Tikva in the early hours of Monday morning, causing dozens of casualties and four fatalities.

Over the past several days, Israeli police forces have responded swiftly and decisively to multiple impact sites across the country. One such strike resulted in a direct hit on a residential building, leading to the deaths of eight individuals and injuring many others.

“This is part of the ongoing pattern we have witnessed from the Iranian regime—once again revealing its true face by deliberately targeting our civilians, as has been the case at other impact sites from this latest barrage,” Elsdunne stated.

IDF Home Front Command extends ban on gatherings; schools and workplaces to remain closed

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-home-front-command-extends-ban-on-gatherings-schools-and-workplaces-to-remain-closed/

Following a fresh assessment, the IDF Home Front Command says there are no changes to guidelines for civilians amid the conflict with Iran.

All gatherings are prohibited, and schools will not open. Workplaces are also closed, apart from those deemed critical.

The guidelines remain in effect until Tuesday night, when the Home Front Command will conduct another assessment.

Donald Trump Tells ICE Agents To Target Democratic Strongholds

 https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-tells-ice-agents-target-democrat-strongholds-2085878

Trump wrote on Truth Social that ICE "must expand efforts to detain and deport Illegal Aliens in America's largest Cities, such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York, where Millions upon Millions of Illegal Aliens reside."

He added: "These, and other such Cities, are the core of the Democrat Power Center, where they use Illegal Aliens to expand their Voter Base, cheat in Elections, and grow the Welfare State, robbing good paying Jobs and Benefits from Hardworking American Citizens. These Radical Left Democrats are sick of mind, hate our Country, and actually want to destroy our Inner Cities — And they are doing a good job of it!

"I want our Brave ICE Officers to know that REAL Americans are cheering you on every day. The American People want our Cities, Schools, and Communities to be SAFE and FREE from Illegal Alien Crime, Conflict, and Chaos. That's why I have directed my entire Administration to put every resource possible behind this effort, and reverse the tide of Mass Destruction Migration that has turned once Idyllic Towns into scenes of Third World Dystopia."

It comes after Trump's administration provided immigration officials with the personal data of millions of Medicaid recipients last week, including their immigration status, the Associated Press reported, citing an internal memo and email.

‘Just like I got India, Pakistan...’: Donald Trump pitches for ‘peacemaker’ deal between Israel, Iran

https://www.businesstoday.in/world/middle-east/story/just-like-i-got-india-pakistan-donald-trump-pitches-for-peacemaker-deal-between-israel-iran-480468-2025-06-15

 In his statement, Trump wrote, “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal, just like I got India and Pakistan to make, in that case by using TRADE with the United States to bring reason, cohesion, and sanity into the talks with two excellent leaders who were able to quickly make a decision and STOP!”

He referenced multiple geopolitical disputes during his presidency, including tensions between Serbia and Kosovo and the Nile dam dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia. “Serbia and Kosovo were going at it hot and heavy... and this long time conflict was ready to break out into WAR. I stopped it... Another case is Egypt and Ethiopia, and their fight over a massive dam... There is peace, at least for now, because of my intervention, and it will stay that way!”

Trump also suggested his efforts often go unacknowledged. “Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran! Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!”

However, India has rejected Trump’s assertion that US trade incentives played a role in its February ceasefire agreement with Pakistan. The Ministry of External Affairs has clarified that the agreement followed direct talks between the militaries’ Directors General of Military Operations.

Why Is Trump Taking Credit For What He Opposed?

Trump scrambles to claim credit for Israel’s Iran attack he publicly opposed

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/13/trump-iran-israel-attacks-response

Donald Trump is walking a tightrope as he claims that he was fully aware of Israel’s plans to launch massive airstrikes against Iran while continuing to distance the US from those strikes and deny Washington took any active role in the preparations.

The White House’s messaging has shifted quickly from Marco Rubio’s arms-length description of the Israeli attack as a “unilateral action”, to Trump claiming on Friday morning that he was fully in the loop on the operation and that it came at the end of a 60-day ultimatum he had given Iran to “make a deal” on its nuclear programme.

The MAGA split over Israel

 https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-nightly/2025/06/13/the-maga-split-over-israel-00405778

Israel’s early-morning strikes targeting Iran have supercharged a debate that has been simmering for years on the MAGA right: Is America’s “special relationship” with Israel consistent with the realist principles of an “America First” foreign policy?

The clash — which is taking place between two powerful factions of the MAGA movement — is unfolding primarily at an ideological level, but its consequences are far from academic. As the U.S. and Israel weigh their response to retaliatory strikes from Iran, the position that the Trump administration eventually adopts in this intra-conservative skirmish will almost certainly shape its involvement in the next stages of conflict — and, by extension, the long-term trajectory of the Middle East.

Tucker Carlson Blasts Former Fox News Colleague Sean Hannity: 'Warmongers'

 https://www.newsweek.com/tucker-carlson-sean-hannity-maga-trump-iran-israel-2085472

Right-wing commentator Tucker Carlson blasted his former Fox News colleague Sean Hannity on Friday, calling Hannity and other MAGA hawks "warmongers" for cheering Israel's missile strikes against the Iranian regime.

On Friday, Carlson tore into Hannity, Levin, conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch and conservative megadonors Isaac Perlmutter and Miriam Adelson.

"The real divide isn't between people who support Israel and people who support Iran or the Palestinians. The real divide is between those who casually encourage violence, and those who seek to prevent it — between warmongers and peacemakers," Carlson wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

He added: "Who are the warmongers? They would include anyone who's calling Donald Trump today to demand air strikes and other direct US military involvement in a war with Iran. On that list: Sean Hannity, Mark Levin, Rupert Murdoch, Ike Perlmutter and Miriam Adelson. At some point they will all have to answer for this, but you should know their names now."

Iran missile barrages kill 3 Israelis, wound dozens including baby rescued from rubble

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-launches-barrages-of-ballistic-missiles-at-israel-hits-buildings-in-countrys-center/

Iran launched three major barrages of ballistic missiles at Israel Friday night and early Saturday morning, sending Israelis across the country rushing to shelters as the skies were filled with streaks of light and fireballs from incoming projectiles and Israeli interceptions.

Some 80 people were reported hurt in the strikes, including three people who were critically injured and later succumbed to their wounds in the cities of Ramat Gan and Rishon Lezion. According to Magen David Adom, several more people were seriously hurt. The rest were lightly to moderately injured or suffered acute anxiety.

Psychology of everyday life: "I feel sorry for him - but it's not my job!"

Update about Judaism and Psychology. I mentioned to the director of the program that asked me to write on the topic - that in contrast to other topics that they dealt with - this topic was different. Topics such as suffering or purpose in life etc - utilized questions simply as a means to teach the student that which the teacher already knew. These topics are closed ones with a clear answer. In contrast the topic of Judiasm and Psychology was an open one - with fundamental unanswered questions for both Judaism and Psychology. So while I could present the questions, and some basic principles - I could not provide them final clear answers. In other words I can teach an approach to deal with these issues - but not give "the Torah answers." This in in fact the dispute of the Rambam and Ravad of how to deal with free will. Ravad said an intelligent person does not ask questions that have no clear answer and but apparently the Rambam disagreed.

While we are on the topic of Psychology and Judaism I am reminded of a story.

When I first visited Israel I had a Shabbos meal at the home of an occupational therapist who worked at Haddassa with wounded soldiers from the Six Day War and Yom Kippur War as well  as handicapped people.

She mentioned two incidents to illustrate the Israeli mentality - as opposed to the American. 1) She said that when the wounded soldiers were brought to the hospital from the battle field - some with horrible wounds - they were totally silent. No crying, no moans, no cursing - total silence - which she said was totally different than her experience in American hospitals. She said that Israelis feel uncomfortable about sharing their personal feelings with others - even if it means not screaming in pain or even complaining about severe burns and wounds.

2) The second anecdote was more upsetting. She said there was one quadriplegic who lived in the hospital and whose mobility depended on an electric wheelchair - that he operated with the fingers on his right hand that he still could move - that had to be charged every night. One day she came in and found that the wheel chair had not been charged. She angrily asked the attendant why he hadn't plugged it in? She berated him by pointing out that the handicapped young man had lost the whole day because of the attendant's negligence.

The attendant expressed astonishment at the criticism. "Of course I wanted to charge the battery. I know full well the consequence of not having a charged wheelchair. You think I am a moron? An insensitive person? But what could I do - the faceplate on the socket was loose and I couldn't insert the plug!" She angrily said, "Well why didn't you fix the socket - it is a simple job taking 30 seconds with a screwdriver. The attendant patiently explained to this "stupid" American nurse that what she said was absolutely true - the repair was trivial. "But it is not my job. My job is to insert the plug not fix the socket!"

Amalek was punishment for rejecting a potential convert

Sanhedrin (99b) Timna sought to convert. She came before Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they did not accept her. She went and became a concubine of Eliphaz, son of Esau, and said, referring to herself: It is preferable that she will be a maidservant for this nation, and she will not be a noblewoman for another nation. Ultimately, Amalek, son of Eliphaz, emerged from her, and that tribe afflicted the Jewish people. What is the reason that the Jewish people were punished by suffering at the hand of Amalek? It is due to the fact that they should not have rejected her when she sought to convert. 

Hegseth takes fire from Republicans at heated Senate hearing

 https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5345183-hegseth-takes-fire-from-republicans-at-heated-senate-hearing/

Republican senators came out firing during Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s hearing on Wednesday before the Senate Appropriations subcommittee on armed forces.

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) immediately pressed Hegseth over the Russia-Ukraine war, with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) driving home the point later in the hearing; Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the top Senate appropriator, scolded the Pentagon’s delays with budget information; and Sen. Lisa Murkowski closed out the hearing by questioning the administration’s focus on Greenland in its Arctic strategy. 

McConnell, one of three Republicans who opposed Hegseth’s confirmation, gaveled in the hearing by calling out the Trump administration for what he views as a flat base-line defense budget. He then launched into strong warnings against the U.S. cozying up to Russia in its bid to end its war in Ukraine.

McConnell said Washington’s allies are “wondering whether we’re in the middle of brokering what appears to be allowing the Russians to define victory. I think victory is defined by the people who have to live there — the Ukrainians.”

Jimmy Kimmel Tells the Truth About What’s REALLY Happening in LA

California AG points out Trump's 'trigger words' that expose his next move

Marines in streets: Trump hit for 'illegal' crackdown after anti-police pardons

Jan. 6 was the one day in Trump's presidency when he needed to call in federal troops

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Treating patient that the doctors don’t know what to do.

Igros Moshe (Choshen Mishpat II #75.6) Question: Doctors don’t know how to cure patient should he be treated anyway?Answer It is obvious that he needs to be attended to so that he lacks nothing for what remains of his life.  He should not be abandoned  but he needs to be under the care of expert doctors to assure that he is fed properly and he lives the best he can for his remaining years and that he doesn’t die prematurely. It should not be viewed that there is no benefit to continue living. He therefore needs to be treated for those conditions which are curable and thus extend his life to the degree possible.  Life and death are in G-d’s hands and one should not give up hope because of the evaluation of doctors. Therefore he should be given what is good for him as well as some medical treatment so that he doesn’t give up hope. There isn’t anything more harmful than giving up hope. 

Fact-checking Trump and Miller’s claims of a ‘migrant invasion’ in California

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/immigration/2025/06/10/fact-check-trump-california-migrant-invasion/

President Donald Trump deployed the National Guard to California, saying the troops need to “liberate” Los Angeles from a “migrant invasion.” White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, a key architect of the president’s immigration crackdown, said on social media that the city is proof of how migration “unravels” a society.

But federal and state data tell a far different story about the Golden State than the political fury unfolding in Washington and on the streets of Los Angeles, where the administration has sent 700 Marines and 4,000 National Guard troops as protests continue over recent immigration raids.

In California, violent crime is down, and the unemployment rate is close to the national average. The state recently overtook Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy. It has the highest number of immigrants — both legal, most of them citizens, and undocumented. But in recent years, the state has lost hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants to their homelands or to more-affordable states. Unauthorized immigrants in California remain well below the peak of nearly 3 million more than a decade ago for reasons that often have little to do with enforcement — or Trump.

“Even the surge that we’ve seen more recently in undocumented immigration, a lot of that has not come to California,” said Eric McGhee, policy director and senior fellow at the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. “If I were to hazard a guess, it’s because California’s expensive.”

New York’s Assisted-Suicide Mistake

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/new-york-assisted-suicide-bill-kathy-hochul-amy-paulin-4b41c605?mod=hp_opin_pos_3

Gov. Kathy Hochul can veto a law with few safeguards and no waiting period.

New York’s Legislature embraces every progressive cause, and the latest is making it easier for people to kill themselves. The state Senate voted 35-27 Monday to pass the Medical Aid in Dying Act, and let’s hope that Gov. Kathy Hochul has the courage to veto it for the sake of society’s most vulnerable.

One irony is that New York passed the first U.S. law that banned assisting death in 1828. Eight years ago the New York Court of Appeals affirmed the state government “has an interest in preserving life and preventing suicide.” But times and morals have changed. Life itself is less valued today than a life that is supposedly worth living. For Assemblywoman Amy Paulin this means being allowed to “end unbearable suffering.” Eleven states and the District of Columbia have legalized assisted suicide since 1997.

New York’s proposal is for “mentally competent” adults who have been given prognoses of six months or less to live. This sounds compassionate, but around the world it has proved to be a slippery slope. In Canada the “medical assistance in dying” program has become at least the fifth-leading cause of death since 2015. The law has shed its original safeguards and in 2027 will be available to those with mental illness alone. It already is in parts of Europe.

RFK Jr. Conducts His Vaccine Purge

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/rfk-jr-vaccine-advisory-committee-purge-acip-hhs-pharma-2249465f?mod=hp_opin_pos_1

His claims about conflicts of interest proved to be nothing.

We’d like to conclude we were wrong to oppose Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to run the Health and Human Services Department, but alas, no. The latest evidence is his purge of a vaccine advisory panel.

Mr. Kennedy announced his not-so-clean sweep of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) in these pages on Tuesday. The panel of outside experts advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccine schedules. Its recommendations determine which vaccines insurers must cover without patient cost-sharing.

Donald Trump Lists Confederate Fort Names He Plans to Restore

 https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-restoring-confederate-fort-names-including-robert-e-lee-2083684

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said that he's restoring the name of Fort Robert E. Lee and other current or former military instillations that were previously named after soldiers that led the Confederacy during the Civil War.

The Republicans Against Trump account posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Donald Trump just announced he will restore the names of Fort Robert E. Lee and six other military bases honoring Confederate traitors. Because nothing says patriotism like honoring enemies of the United States."

Trump has used the Army's anniversary as the centerpiece for a military parade set for Saturday—an event that also marks his 79th birthday. Tanks and other military vehicles will roll through city streets, symbolizing how the Republican president is reshaping the armed forces following his return to the White House this year.

Serving as a counterpoint to the parade, "No Kings Day" protests are planned nationwide on Saturday, organized by critics who oppose what they view as the administration's increasingly authoritarian policies. Earlier Tuesday, Trump vowed to escalate immigration raids and warned that any further demonstrations would be met with an even stronger show of force.

How to Get Porn Out of Our Yeshivas by Raffi Bilek

 Update with comments of  SnugglyKindness and Ted video

Guest Post  http://www.frumcounselor.com/

http://www.baltimoretherapycenter.com/

The problem hardly needs elaboration anymore. Fewer and fewer people continue to deny that pornography viewing and addiction are extant if not commonplace in even the most traditional and the most insular communities. The reach of the internet knows almost no boundaries.

So far initiatives to arrest this problem have been few and far between. GuardYourEyes.com is, in the words of Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twersky, “the only weapon we have” in the fight against pornography. It is a very robust tool, but it is not enough. Nor do we have any preventative measures in place. One rosh yeshiva I approached with a proposal to speak to the bochurim about the issue responded that “the rebbeim already speak to the boys individually about this issue.” I would wager an awful lot of money that the rebbeim in that yeshiva are not approaching bochurim to discuss with them the dangers of pornography. Perhaps the rosh yeshiva was referring to sporadic shmuessen on the topic of shmirat einayim or similar topics. This is not nearly enough.

Apart from prevention programs, what do we need to preserve our boys (and girls) from the destruction of pornography? As Rabbi Twersky reports, when the “Just Say No to Drugs” campaign was launched in the 80’s, some adolescents responded with a question: “Why? What else is there?” Pornography is just another drug. (Indeed, studies have shown that the effect it has on the brain is comparable to the effects of heroin.) In order to beat pornography, we have to offer our children something better.

Perhaps you think I am going to turn here to laud the value and primacy of Torah. While I do not deny either, I humbly submit that this is not the answer. When we say we need to offer something “better,” we aren’t speaking about “good” in its moral sense. “Better” to a teenager means more interesting, more satisfying, more gratifying. Developing an appreciation for Torah is a lifelong pursuit; we cannot expect of our youngsters to feel an emotional connection to and deep appreciation of it in their adolescent years, much as we don’t expect children to willingly choose healthy alternatives to junk food (even when they may be just as tasty), or fine wines over sugary sodas.

Pornography is indeed interesting, satisfying, and gratifying – but only superficially and temporarily. The urge, once fulfilled, remains so for only a brief time until it rears its ugly head again. Torah, of course, is much deeper and more permanent, but it is a fine wine, and we can’t rely on Torah learning in its pure form to compete with the quick-and-easy stuff for the minds of our youth when they live in a world so deluged with opportunities for instant gratification. Of course, the deeper pleasures in life only come with effort; but there is a ladder to climb in learning to appreciate this truth.

Thus, in order to assist our youth in climbing this ladder, we need to provide them with endeavors in which they can participate that do take effort and do provide a more lasting satisfaction. And let’s be honest: not every bochur is cut out for full-time learning. Not every bochur is even cut out for more than a small quantity of itim k’vuim (and even then, gemara is simply not on the metaphorical or literal table for many). This is not a chiddush to anyone; yet the system has few answers for these bochrim.

Students who do not enjoy learning will not find it an attractive alternative to pornography. True pleasure comes from using the skills and talents with which one has been bestowed by the Creator in productive and meaningful pursuits. Research has found that people are happy when they are using those skills in a forum that challenges them, but that does not present goals that are hopelessly out of reach. And let us reiterate: for many people, those skills do not involve logical reasoning, linguistic deliberations, or any of the other requirements of serious learning. (I am not suggesting we not cultivate those skills in our youth; I am merely proposing that those skills take time to develop, and that while they are developing, they are not terribly effective as weapons against a very well-developed yetzer hara.)

For many people – all kinds of people! – the skills they need to call upon to actualize themselves are far more varied. G-d has created artists in His world, creative writers, actors – people who need to invent new ideas, express them, share them. He has created people who are athletic, who are physically nimble or strong or active and for whom nothing could be more fulfilling than pushing their bodies to the limits, whether it be on a hike, in the gym, or on the court. He has created “people people,” who thrive when engaging with others socially and emotionally, not just academically. All of these kinds of individuals will need pursuits that match their personalities and skill sets. Gemara simply isn’t enough of an answer. When adolescents are in front of a computer screen with free time, considering the options of how to spend it, it will be only a very few who will choose to look up a Ritva rather than browse a site that may be off-limits. But there are decidedly more who might be willing to try out a new illustration program, or look up recipes to try in the kitchen, or write a meaningful letter to soldiers out in the field – and how much more so would this be true if these activities were valued in our community, not merely tolerated (at best). To an artist, creating art feels productive and good. To an engineer, building a model or a robot or a prototype feels productive and good. THIS is the tool that will help us fight the scourge of pornography. THIS is what can ward off the emptiness that invites the filth in with open arms.

None of this is a contradiction to the primacy of Torah. For most of Jewish history, Jews held up the Torah as the central value and guiding light of our nation, yet only a very few were privileged to learn a significant portion of it, let alone all day every day. And yet the Jewish nation has indeed survived the millennia, and the Torah has not been lost from us. It is vital to imbue our youngsters with the wisdom and vitality of Torah; but that does not equate to turning every child into a kollel yungerman. G-d did not design us so. And when we deny our children the outlet that their very nature yearns for, learning will not provide an adequate substitute. The result is the lack of fulfillment that pushes our youngsters to the supremely accessible drug of pornography.

Saving the next generation from the vice that already has many of them – and many among the older generations as well – in its clutches will not be a matter of doing what we are already doing, just better and harder. It will take an approach that is different – but that is after all not so different from what we did for so many centuries before last.
===================================================
update

SnugglyKindness . • 2 hours ago

For those of you who deny that Internet pornography is harmful on the brain i would like to point you to the following links. Internet pornography addiction is harder on the brain then hard street drug addictions and this is scientifically proven as you will discover in the following videos and links.

I can't imagine that viewing Internet pornography even casually in a non addicted manner could be healthy or normal. if Internet pornography addiction does have such a strong impact on the brain even stronger then a heroin or crack addiction i can't imagine viewing it several times a week for short periods of time would not be harmful.

Would a person using heroin or cocaine casually once in a while or a few times a week not be harming and making detrimental changes in his brain? (and don't tell me these kind of people don't exist they absolutely do and i know so first hand from people iv known in my past before becoming Torah observant). maybe the damage wouldn't be as bad as someone who uses those drugs all the time but i can't imagine even once in a while would not be harmful (and maybe you would like to prove me wrong).

If the following links i post are true and Internet pornography addiction is more harmful to the brain then drugs including the hard ones then viewing them casually is going to have negative impacts on the brain.

And i don't think this is even important when you consider that its prohibited by the Torah which is whats really relevant here but for those of you who deny the Torah or pick and choose from it the following will be of interest (and probably of interest to Torah Jews for informational purposes and to better explain to Torah youth's the long lasting and permanent damage that can occur to there brains and sexual outlook for the rest of there lives by viewing Internet pornography).

Keep in mind also that all these links and information were compiled and created by a man named Gary B Wilson who is not religious and not even anti-pornography. he typically believes as is common today that people should be able to do what ever they want as long as they don't hurt anybody (live and let live type stuff).

He only does this to show the science behind it in order to help those who have been negatively affected by pornography addiction why they have so many problems with (number one being) erectile dysfunction, lack of motivation, depression, inability to view normal women as attractive and a multitude of other problems related to pornography addiction that you will find quite shocking.

Also to mention that youths are harmed way more then adults by Internet pornography and recovery from it takes a much longer time with many brain changes remaining permanent and irreversible.

So without further ado (and a warning to the extremely sensitive or completely guarded individuals that these videos do contain pornographic terms that you may or will not be familiar with that if you understood them you might not be comfortable. although there is no outright sexually explicit material in these videos that i remember):




Your Brain On Porn: website explaining pornography's negative impact on the brain hosted by Gary B Wilson
http://yourbrainonporn.com/

The Great Porn Experiment (TED Talk):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

Your Brain on Porn 6 part youtube playlist (a detailed scientific explanation on pornography addiction and its impact on the brain):
....

Adolecent Brain meets high speed Internet porn (Internet pornography addiction harms youth's way worse and permanently then it does adults)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
so check out these videos and draw your own conclusions but its impossible to deny the science behind this stuff and if you do well...

LA Protests: Trump's National Guard Move Sparks Legal Concerns

 https://www.newsweek.com/la-protests-trump-national-guard-move-legal-concerns-2082432

President Donald Trump's announcement of the deployment of the National Guard in California to quell protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) actions has raised legal concerns.

The law referenced in Trump's proclamation allows National Guard troops to be placed under federal command, and permits this under three conditions: if the U.S. is invaded or faces the threat of invasion; if there is a rebellion or imminent rebellion against federal authority; or if the president is unable to enforce federal laws using regular forces.

‘Fabricated crisis’: Retired General reacts to Trump's deployment of troops to L.A.

'An unbelievable, oversized reaction': Claire McCaskill rebukes Trump over National Guard order

War on the rule of law’: Nicolle Wallace on the intentional chaos unleashed by Trump in Los Angeles

Sotah :miracle or psychological?

Ramban (Bamidbar 5:20) Now there is nothing amongst all the ordinances of the Torah which depends upon a miracle, except for this matter, which is a permanent wonder and miracle that will happen in Israel, when the majority of the people live in accordance with the Will of G-d;

Rambam(Moreh Nevuchim (3:49) Since accusations of adultery and suspicions of it are very numerous concerning a woman, we have been commanded in the laws of Sotah. For this matter causes every married woman to guard herself very carefully and to make as many precautions as possible for herself, lest her husband's heart be offended by her, for fear of the ceremony of Sotah. For even if she were pure and confident in herself, most people would redeem themselves with all their wealth to avoid the ceremony of Sotah, and would even prefer death to that great disgrace, which involves the uncovering of her head and the loosening of her hair as well as the ripping of her clothes and walking around the Temple while being watched by the public audience of men and women as well as the judges of the Sanhedrin. This concern prevents serious problems that upset the order of many homes

Accurate Biographies or Inspiration?

R. Shimon Schwab (Selected Witings 234) What ethical purpose is served by preserving a realistic historic picture? Nothing but the satisfaction of curiosity. We should tell ourselves and our children the good memories of the good people, their unshakeable faith, their staunch defense of tradition, their life of truth, their impeccable honesty, their boundless charity and their great reverence for Torah and Torah sages. . .. Rather than write the history of our forebears, every generation has to put a veil over the human failings of its elders and glorify all the rest which is great and beautiful. That means we have to do without a real history book. We can do without. We do not need realism, we need inspiration from our forefathers in order to pass it on to posterity.’

Stories of gedolim are often fabricated for inspiration

 Originally published 6/14 - relevant to the current discussion of the Chofetz Chaim's Dybuk.

Rav Hillel Zaks (Mishpacha – "Living the Legend" page 55 June 2, 2014): Rebbetzin Faiga Chaya Zaks was once quoted as having said that 85 percent of the stories told about her father aren't reliable. In response, Rav Hillel and his brother Rav Yaakov Yehoshua asked, "How could di Mamme have said that? It's surely over 90 percent?!" 

In the family, the biography written by Rav Moshe Meir Yoshor is considered the most reliable of all that's been written about the Chofetz Chaim, in part because it was done during his lifetime. Reb Yisroel Meir once left a certain work on the Chofetz Chaim on the table just to see Rav Hillel's reaction to it. 

"You know, the writer of this book is afraid to face me," Rav Hillel remarked. 

"What's wrong with it?" Reb Yisroel Meir's wife asked. 

"Let me show you," said Rav Hillel. Opening to a random page, he read out loud a story about a Radin bochur who went to take leave of the Chofetz Chaim before going home, The Chofetz Chaim looked at him and said, "Is that the way a ben Torah looks when he goes home?" At that, he went into the back and came out with a jacket to replace the torn one the bochur was wearing. 

"Now, what do you think," Rav Hillel said. "The Chofetz Chaim had a rack of clothes in the back and said, 'You know, you look like a 45 regular'? The only part of the story that could be true is that somebody came in to say goodbye to him." 

Twenty-two years ago, Rav Hillel, Rav Yaakov Yehoshua, and Rav Yisroel Meir sat shivah in Yerushalayim for their mother. A visitor sat down in the front and said, "I know for certain that the Chofetz Chaim had a ramp in his house, which he'd practice running up and down in anticipation of the rebuilding of the Beis Hamikdash." 

Just then, the brothers heard someone in the back of the room say with obvious dry humor, "Mir dacht zich az der salon fun der Chofetz Chaim iz nit gevehn azoy groys ... [I don't think the Chofetz Chaim's living room was that big]." 

It was the voice of Rav Avraham Yehoshua Soloveitchik.
======== update  6/20/2014

Rav Nosson Kaminetsky (Making of a Godol page xx):  (In composing this book, I have generally accepted as authentic stories about earlier generations even when they were not conveyed by my father or some other unusually reliable individual. I was reluctant, of course, to rely on reports that emanated from people whom I considered unable to judge events properly, but I did not suspect anyone of prevaricating intentionally. Similarly, unless the writer was blatantly' tendentious, I assumed that printed facts were credible. (I have this faith in people despite a report by R' Velvel Kercerg that Rebbitzen Feigel Zaks, the Chafetz-Chaim's youngest daughter, told him, "Eighty percent of what they tell about [my father] is not true." I cannot help but assume that in order to bring out bluntly the idea that not everything told about R' Yisrael-Meir Kagan, author of Chafetz Chaim, is true, his daughter exaggerated the percentage of untruths.)

Rav Nosson Kaminetsky(Making of a Godol page xxv): R' Mordkhai Schwab, however, had a negative view of "storytelling" when he told me, "The Satmarer Rav, R' Yoilish Teitelbaum, never told stories because he said, 'You cannot educate through lies - sheker].'" R' Mordkhai agreed with R' Yoilish in reference to stories intended to glorify their principals while dehumanizing them. R' Yoilish echoed a statement by R' Yehoshua'-Yoseph Preil, Rav of the Lithuanian town of Krok. In a 5656 (1896) review of Toldos Yisroel of Zev Ya'avetz, published a year earlier in Warsaw, R' Preil set down the following ethic: "To create stories that never happened and present them as facts for the sake of teaching morals - woe is to the musar precept built on as brittle a foundation as a lie! '' Even hasidim, the celebrated story tellers who are more suspect than others in creating legends about their leaders (from whom the Satmarer Rav was evidently trying to distance himself by his statement), are careful in separating fact from fiction. I was told by R' Shimon Deutchy that he had asked the Lubavitcher Rebbe, R' Menahem-Mendel Schneerson, whether when writing about the arrest and release of his father-in-law, R' Yoseph-Yitzhaq Schneerson, he should mention or omit the fact that R' Yoseph-Yitzhaq's secretary, R' Hayyim Lieberman, was arrested and released with him. (R' Lieberman was opposed to R' Menahem-Mendel's ascendancy to the Lubavitch throne and did not recognize him as Rebbe after he assumed the position.) R' Menahem-Mendel responded, "History must be written   [true to its truth]" - and explained his redundancy: "This includes not polishing up any word.  Also Pulmus HaMussar  (The Musar Controversy), a book about the dispute in the late 5650's (1890's) in which most of the great Torah figures came out publicly against the Musar movement. The author, Musar adherent R' Dov Katz, tells how "many opinions were heard" by him "that we should avoid the entire affair "; but "several Musar personalities" including R' Yehiel-Yankev Weinberg and R' Hatzqel Sarna insisted not only that he should write about the controversy, but - as R' Sarna put it - that "he set down in writing the full affair without omitting any detail, be what it may."