Sunday, June 29, 2025
MITZVOS AND SPECIAL NEEDS
https://www.beineinu.org/chizuq-inspiration/gedolim-say/1892-mitzvos-and-special-needs
With regard to Jewish retarded -- parenthetically, I prefer some such term as "special" people, not simply as a euphemism, but because it would more accurately reflect their situation, especially in view of the fact that in many cases the retardation is limited to the capacity to absorb and assimilate knowledge, while in other areas they may be quite normal or even above average -- the Jewish identity factor is even more important, not only per se but also for its therapeutic value. The actual practice of Mitzvos in the everyday life provides a tangible way by which these special people of all ages can, despite their handicap, identify with their families and with other fellow Jews in their surroundings, and generally keep in touch with reality. Even if mentally they may not fully grasp the meaning of these rituals, subconsciously they are bound to feel at home in such an environment, and in many cases could participate in such activities also on the conscious level.
Trump: Make the deal in Gaza, bring hostages back
https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/06/29/trump-make-the-deal-in-gaza-bring-hostages-back/
US President Donald Trump is continuing to push for an end to the war in Gaza. Trump posted on his TRUTH social media platform that a deal must be signed. Over the weekend, Trump said all efforts are now focused on ending the war and securing the hostages' release as part of a broader move to expand the Abraham Accords.
Musk condemns latest Senate bill that would 'destroy millions of jobs,' raise taxes on wind, solar projects
Former DOGE head and tech mogul Elon Musk took to X on his 54th birthday Saturday to bash the latest Senate draft of President Donald Trump's "big, beautiful bill," which would "destroy millions of jobs" and raise taxes on all wind and solar projects that have not yet started construction.
"The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country! Utterly insane and destructive," Musk wrote in the post.
Trump: 'Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back!!!'
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/410814
US President Donald Trump called for a ceasefire deal to return the remaining 50 hostages still held in Gaza in an all-caps post to his Truth Social platform this morning (Sunday).
The President wrote: "MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!! DJT."
Trump told reporters on Friday that he believes a ceasefire in Gaza could be achieved this week.
“I think it’s close. I just spoke with some of the people involved. It’s a terrible situation that’s going on in Gaza, and we think within the next week, we’re going to get a ceasefire,” he said.
Iran could start enriching uranium for bomb within months, UN nuclear chief says
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c79qeqg89g2o
Iran has the capacity to start enriching uranium again - for a possible bomb - in "a matter of months", the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog has said.
Rafael Grossi, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the US strikes on three Iranian sites last weekend had caused severe but "not total" damage, contradicting Donald Trump's claim that Iran's nuclear facilities were "totally obliterated".
"Frankly speaking, one cannot claim that everything has disappeared and there is nothing there," Grossi said on Saturday.
Korach and Shabtsai Tzvi
The commentary of the Netziv regarding the rebellion of Korach makes a nimber of assertions.
1) This was a revolt of gedolim against Moshe and ultimatey against G-d!
2) The motivation of the rebels was different. Korah wanted power. Dosan wanted to cause trouble and was utilized by Korach to recruit the 250 gediolim who were not only judges in Moshe's beis din but were known fot their piety and they sinned for the sake of getting closer to G-d
3) He notes that Nazir is described as were the 250 as sinning against their souls. He says the commonality is that the Nazir afflicts himself to develop ruach hakodesh. Something he is not deserving of by his spiritual level. They felt that only by doing the avoda of Cohanim could they get closer to G-d and they were willing to sin and die to accomplish that. That is why they were not swallowed up as their fellow rebels but were were burned by holy fire as were Aron's sons, He notes that the message of Tzitzis is that spiritual greatness can only be achieved correctly through mitzvos and conforming with G-d's plan and not through sin.
Bottom line the Netziv here explains as he did with the meraglim that gedolim also have a yetzer harah to sin even for the sake of Heaven as well as for baser reasons such as power or jealousy.
Rewriting Jewish history
In the current Mishpacha there is an article about Rav Yisroel Salanter which notes at the end that the writing of Professor Etkes was utilized. It describes his mesiras nefesh in Paris to build Yddishkeit.
It first raises the question of why he lived most of his life outside the religious community of Eastern Europe and lived amongst the emigrants and irreligious in Western Europe.
https://mishpacha.com/au-revoir-rav-yisrael/
Rav Yisrael Salanter left Eastern Europe in 1857, returning only for sporadic visits. For the next 26 years of his life, the great founder of the Mussar movement, and one of the greatest tzaddikim and geonim in the whole Russian Empire, resided in various cities across Germany — Halberstadt, Konigsberg, Memel, Berlin, Hamburg — and even spent a curious two-year stint in Paris, France.
What was behind his sudden departure? Why did he remain in Western Europe until his passing? And most importantly, what did he set out to accomplish during his long sojourn away from familiar surroundings?
He left for Germany to seek medical care for his worsening health issues. After he’d been there for several months, his observations on the spiritual state of German Jewry made him decide to remain. While Eastern Europe was then beginning its own confrontation with modernity and secularization, Germany and other Western European Jewish communities were already decades into the experience.
Since I have Professor Etkes biography I decided to compare it to the article.
In the biography it is actually Part Five the Period of Wanderings 1857 to 1883
In the article it is noted that he left Eastern Europe for health reasons and then stayed in Germany because he saw a need for his influence. In the book it states that he left because he was not able to bring about significant change in the established religious communities. In fact, Rabbi Freifeld told me the same. Namely that he felt he could produce change only in a new community or one that had been destroyed by secularism. He himself used the metaphor of a team of horses racing downhill. Nothing can be done until they reach bottom. In other words, the frum community was not amenable to his influence and he felt more productive in kiruv work. That was left out of the article.
In addition the book notes the health issue was a mental health issue - severe depression. Churchill and Lincoln also suffered from severe depression. Obviously, it is not politically correct to say that about a gadol
There were a number of other issues left out of the article. In other words, the article was willing to mention only that which might inspire without regard whether it provides an accurate understanding of what happened. There is no mention that the material was from a published biography and didn't even mention the name of the biography. For those who can get the biography and want to get a more realistic understanding I would recommend reading the book over the article. Rabbi Israel Salanter and the Mussar Movement Seeking the Torah of Truth published by JPS
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Donald Trump Suffers Legal Blow: 'Grave Constitutional Violations'
On Friday, a federal judge blocked President Donald Trump's executive order targeting legal firm Susman Godfrey, ruling it was "unconstitutional from beginning to end."
This is the fourth defeat in court Trump has suffered since imposing punitive measures on a number of law firms that either were involved in legal cases against him or represented his political rivals.
The executive orders Trump imposed on various law firms, including Susman Godfrey, featured a number of punitive measures such as blocking their employees access to government buildings, terminating government contracts and suspending security clearance.
Friday saw District Judge Loren AliKhan conclude that in the case of Susman Godfrey, Trump's order was "unconstitutional from beginning to end."
She said: "Every court to have considered a challenge to one of these orders has found grave constitutional violations and permanently enjoined enforcement of the order in full.
Friday, June 27, 2025
Iran says nuclear sites ‘badly damaged’ amid conflicting reports on strikes’ success
White House publishes Israel Atomic Energy Commission report saying Fordo is inoperable, while Israeli sources told ABC News that the success of the strikes is ‘really not good’