Thursday, June 6, 2024

‘Morning Joe’ Skewers WSJ Over ‘Shocking’ Biden Mental Acuity Story

https://www.thedailybeast.com/morning-joe-skewers-wall-street-journal-over-shocking-biden-mental-acuity-story?ref=home 

The MSNBC pair further took issue with the article’s sourcing, claiming it relied mostly on partisan Republicans like former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and associates of current House Speaker Mike Johnson.

“Why didn't they just ask Marjorie Taylor Greene to weigh in?” Brzezinski scoffed. “And Lauren Boebert.”

Commonsense and Torah

 Toras Avraham (Toras HaSeichel HaEnushi #2): … Intellect (seichel) which characterizes man is not simply a means of knowing and understanding data. In fact the intellect is a moral faculty to know what is truly straight. G d created man with this faculty in order to teach him the path of life. Therefore it is obligatory for man to use it to know what is right and wrong and not to distort his straightness and wholesomeness. It enables him to be a moral judge to understand things in full. Thus man is obligated to keep things which he knows are right - as well as that which he has been commanded directly by G d. Both obligation serve to direct him properly…

Rabbeinu Nissim Gaon (Introduction to Talmud): The reason that there is punishment for activities not specifically commanded is because all those Mitzvos which are derived from commonsense are obligated on everyone from the day that G-d first created Adom HaRishon. Not only him but also all his descendants afterwards for all generations. 

Rambam (Moreh Nevuchim 3:17): A person is rewarded for any good deed and punished for sin - even though these activities were not commanded by a prophet. This is because a person is held accountable for those things which are dictated by commonsense.

Ramban (Bereishis 6:13): The generation of the flood was punished for theft because it was an obvious sin. Our Sages (Sanhedrin 108a) say that this sin sealed their fate. That is because it was commonsense that it was a sin, there was no need for a prophets to warn them. Furthermore it was evil to both heaven and man.

Eruvin (100b): Even if the Torah hadn't been given it would be possible to learn proper conduct from observing animals.  Modesty from the cat, avoidance of theft from ants, avoidance of adultery from the dove and sexual conduct from the rooster.

FDA panel rejects initial MDMA therapy for PTSD

 https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/h1wxtatn0

Key concerns raised by the panel included the study design, potential for drug abuse, risks outweighing benefits, lack of diversity in trials, missing patient data, and potential bias from therapists and facilitators.

Wednesday, June 5, 2024

Tzadikim punished for Pride

 Bamidbar Rabbah (21:12) AND MOSES BROUGHT THEIR CAUSE. Some hold that the law was hidden from Moses. There are cases where righteous men have boasted of some matter connected with a precept and G-d weakened their power. You find that David boasts: Thy statutes have been my songs, as much as to say that they are easy and familiar like songs. Said G-d: ‘By your life! You will in the end err in a matter that children read in the Scripture! When he brought up the ark he erred and put it on a cart; as it says, And they set the ark of God upon a new cart. The ark suspended itself in the air and the cows beneath it slipped. Uzzah drew near to support it, And God smote him there for his error, for an error in learning amounts to presumption. And David was displeased, because the Lord had broken forth upon Uzzah. G-d said to him: ' Did you not say, "Thy statutes have been my songs"? Have you not learned: But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none, because the service of the holy things belonged unto them: they bore them upon their shoulders? David began to reflect: The Lord our God made a breach upon us, for that we sought Him not according to the ordinance. It was the same with Moses. Because he had boasted: The cause that is too hard for you ye shall bring unto me, and I will hear it, He diminished his mental powers. When the daughters of Zelophehad, however, came, He concealed the law from him, AND MOSES BROUGHT THEIR CAUSE BEFORE THE LORD. THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD SPEAK RIGHT. This, He meant, is the law! G-d said to him: ' Did you not say, "The cause that is too hard for you ye shall bring unto me"? The law with which you are unacquainted is decided by the women! '

Grabbing Bargains

 Shulchan Aruch (CM 237) Someone who is trying to buy or hire something and another person comes and makes the deal first. That second person is called wicked. The same is the case if someone applies for work., There is another view that if the object being sought is ownerless or is given as a present that the second person is not called wicked, because it is not something that he can readily obtain elsewhere. And similarly If involves property which is adjacent to his, he can buy it first and is not called wicked. Since it is a unique purchase. (the view of Beis Yosef citing the Mordechai). Also if it is cheaper than elsewhere, then it is a bargain and the second person can acquire it as long as the first one hasn’t.  Others say it doesn’t matter whether it is unique or a bargain Rema: The first view is the halacha and this is only regarding poor people unless it is clearly a unique bargain. Furthermore the problem occurs only when the first one has already established an agreed price and it only lacks kinyan. If the price has not been established. Than another can buy it first. There is a view that there is a cherem from Rabbeinu Gershom or custom  concerning renting houses from non-Jews.

Aruch HaShulchan (CM 237) The case of a  poor man who is turning an object and another person comes after and takes it away is called evil. Some of our rabbis say this applies only when the first is tring to buy or rent or hire himself to another or rent out his house or field. Why should the second take from the first when he can obtain it elsewhere. However if it is obtaining something ownerless or receive a present the second is not called evil since it is a unique bargain. There are other authorities that don’t make this distinction. The Rema rules like the first view. Thus any unique bargain is permitted as long as the price has not been set and the only thing lacking is the act of acquisition. The Shach says no distinctions are made in sales and it is prohibited to buy before the first one and this is the halacha and it seems this is the view of the Yerushalmi. The custom in many places is that if someone is trying to acquire something in the market that another person doesn’t try to get it first. This is a good custom and deserves blessing. The Perisha says this prevents hasagas gevul.

Igros Moshe (E.H.1:91 page 239). Concerning the case of someone who is engaged to a young lady. Is it permitted for another man to try and become engaged to her with her consent? Is this a case of Ani Hehapech becharara? It is clear that if the first couple has not yet decided to finalize the engagement there is no problem. However if they have decided but are still lacking the customary kinyan there is a dispute among the poskim whether it is permitted. Once the kinyan is made there is a cherem against nullifying the engagement

Shulchan Aruch HaRav (Hefker 10-11) If a  poor person is engaged in acquiring something and another person comes and takes it from him the second person is called evil  Some say this applies only to to hiring since he could readily obtain it elsewher with some effort. In contrast if it is a unique bargain. That is the halacha. Neverthelesss a pious person should be more stringent. If someone is trying to buy something whether land or object and a second  takes it first the second one is called evil since with effort he can purchase it elewhere unless it is very cheap and thus a bargain. However if the buyer and seller have not agreed to a price, then there is no problem for someone else to buy it. Some claim that there is a cherem of Rabbeinu Gershon when renting houses fron non Jews even when the price was not settled

Breaking an Engagement

 Igros Moshe (E.H.1:91 page 239). Concerning the case of someone who is engaged to a young lady. Is it permitted for another man to try and become engaged to her with her consent? Is this a case of Ani Hehapech becharara? It is clear that if the first couple has not yet decided to finalize the engagement there is no problem. However if they have decided but are still lacking the customary kinyan there is a dispute among the poskim whether it is permitted. Once the kinyan is made there is a cherem against nullifying the engagement.

Tuesday, June 4, 2024

What Trump really thinks about the war in Gaza

 https://www.vox.com/politics/353037/trump-gaza-israel-protests-biden-election-2024

Former President Donald Trump hasn’t said much publicly about the war in Gaza, despite implementing hardline pro-Israel policies while he was in office. But what he has said has put him squarely in line with a GOP base that is beginning to lose interest in the war, even as it maintains support for Israel.

And recently, he’s begun taking an increasingly hostile stance against Palestinians and their supporters in the US.

Trump’s turn against Israel offers stark reminder of what his diplomacy looks like

 https://edition.cnn.com/2023/10/13/politics/donald-trump-israel-netanyahu-diplomacy/index.html

Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, lauded Hezbollah militants as “very smart” and sought political gain from the attacks that killed 1,200 people by claiming that if the last election was not “rigged,” he’d be the American president and they’d never have happened.

Hunter’s Trial Reveals Trump’s Big Lie About Biden and Justice

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/hunters-trial-reveals-trumps-big-lie-about-biden-and-justice?ref=home

But let’s assume for a minute that Biden is the evil puppet master—not just in terms of telling his attorney general whom to target in federal cases, but also in terms of pulling the strings in states like New York and Georgia.

If Biden had that kind of power, wouldn’t he have already made this pesky case against Hunter Biden disappear?

Surely a president powerful and corrupt enough to summon the full weight of the judicial system against a former president could find a way to avoid the messiness of seeing his son raked through the proverbial coals.

Israel says more than a third of Gaza hostages are dead

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-804916

Hamas, which threatened at the outset of the war to execute hostages in reprisal for Israeli air strikes, has since alleged such attacks caused hostage deaths. Israel has not ruled that out in all cases, but said that some recovered hostage bodies showed signs of execution.

Donald Trump Attorney Tried to Kill Latest Legal Bombshell:

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-cease-desist-investigation-public-1907883

 Publica recently published a lengthy report claiming that at least nine witnesses who have given evidence in the various criminal investigations involving the former president have since received financial perks such as severance packages or raises, or even new jobs or shares and cash from Trump's media company.

Gazans facing nutrition insecurity despite Israel allowing adequate food aid

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-804843

In March 2024, the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Famine Review Committee (FRC)) predicted that famine would manifest in Gaza between March 2024 and May 2024. 

Addressing this prediction, Israel’s report suggests that a famine in Gaza, should it occur, would likely be caused by issues in internal aid distribution in Gaza as Israel’s aid itself.

Once it reaches Gaza, the report says that the aid is at the mercy of various factors, including “theft, looting, and hoarding of food and other supplies, abetted by Hamas or others” which can limit the capacity of Israel to ensure the Gazan population has access to food. 

Why You Think Ty Cobb Was a Racist (When He Wasn't)

 https://www.newsweek.com/2024/07/26/why-you-think-ty-cobb-was-racist-when-he-wasnt-1907257.html

After that Cobb's reputation was in the hands of the masses—who retold and freely embroidered on his legend. Over the decades, repetition became truth. Instead of being seen as a specific human being, he became a kind of blank canvas on which people could paint a portrait of a miscreant, being as inventive as they pleased. It was fascinating to imagine a racist psycho at large in the major leagues. The bad Cobb—reiterated and further fictionalized by Stump in a 1985 book called Cobb—was someone they could shake their head at, denounce, and feel superior to. Spinning stories in a way that made Cobb look immoral was an artful way of saying, "I am not a racist because I reject this man who is." Cultures change as values change, wars are waged and the harvest waxes and wanes, but a villain who inspires self-congratulation makes for one hell of a tenacious myth.

Utilizing Signs

 Rabbeinu Yona (Sefer Hayira) And we are not to utilize any sign except what the Sages said, and if a person has a mitzvah to do, such as review a gemora or have his son to begin to study Torah, he will not say I will wait until Rosh Hashonna or until Pesach... and those who are not concerned will never be effected, but those who are concerned the devil stands at their right to harm them with their error

Shulchan Aruch (YD 179) We have the custom to not begin things on the second or fourth days of the week (Monday or Wednesday) and we only take wives during the full moon. [Comment of Rema: And therefore, we have the custom as well to begin study on Rosh Chodesh, because even though there is no divination, there is a sign(SM"K 136). What a person knows to be inauspicious, they should not do, and they should not rely on miracles. However, one must not investigate this matter, because one should be "wholehearted" (Responsa of Ramba"n 286) as will be explained.] 

Shulchan Aruch (YD179:04) A child's or a woman's house: even if there is no divination, there is a sign. [Comment of Rema: If one has succeeded afterwards three times, or not (B"Y citing Rashi). And similarly one may say to a child, "Tell me your verse of current study" (Tur). Some say that one may make a sign about something that is still to happen, like Eliezer, Abraham's servant did, or Jonathan (Tur and R"D Kimchi) but some forbid it (Rambam and SM"G). But one who proceeds wholeheartedly and trusts in Hashem will be surrounded by kindness.]

Rabbeinu Bachya (Kad HaKemach mezuza) The common practice of the world, that they do not carry women with a partial moon but only with a full moon, there is no prohibition in this, and it is not significant, since it is nothing but simply a sign, and the intent is merely a good sign that the marriage will be complete and not lacking, and this is similar to what we practice on the night of Rosh Hashanah, and it is the custom of the Gaonim. This is also similar to the custom of anointing the kings next to a spring. as a good sign that their kingdom would last. And anyone who views the matter of marriage and the success of homes other than a sign, this is the way of the Amorites, and it is the custom of the nations who think that the success of homes depends on the star system... 

Meiri (Meishiv Nefesh 02:02) ...The simonomim of Rosh HaShanna are to increase the remembrance of G-d at every moment to avoid sin. Thus we place on the table Kara, Rubia, Kerti, Salka, Tamari, according to what is stated in Krisus anf Horious. And in order that they be viewed as simple signs and not divination, we recite appropriate words asking for forgiveness and repentance

Sefas Emes (Rosh HaShanna 5632) We have signs on the night of Rosh Hashanah, because on Rosh Hashanah, one does not ask for the needs of this world, as they said in Zohar and Tikkunim, we only ask for fear of G-d and His rule. Therefore our needs are only asked by hints