Epstein vs. Friedman update

Yesterday, Vol. 14 of Kol Zvi (Wexner Kollel Elyon of RIETS, 5773) was published at http://hebrewbooks.org/59850 , which includes an article on Kiddushei Ta'ut by R. Mordechai Willig. On p. 8, R. Willig accepts the ruling of R. Moshe Feinstein and R. Zvi Pesach Frank that mental illness in the groom constitutes grounds for kiddushei ta'ut. [R. Willig does not mention that R. Feinstein and R. Frank are challenged in this regard by R. Joseph Elijah Henkin, R. Yom Tov ha-Levi Schwarz and R. Joseph Ber Soloveitchik.] R. Willig then further reports "I heard from an expert psychiatrist that also borderline mental disturbance is included within this [ruling of R. Feinstein and R. Frank], because it can occur that he [the patient] can become psychotic, i.e. he has no grasp of reality, and this would be called an insane person without knowledge as described by Iggerot Mosheh, and this requires analysis in terms of the final verdict."

R. Willig does not identify who the anonymous expert psychiatrist who told him this is, whether it was a talmid chakham or an am ha-aretz, or whether the anonymous expert psychiatrist is even Jewish. Indeed, it seems quite strange to render so monumental a determination to the side of leniency on dinei nefashot based on one anonymous expert psychiatrist. Taking this anonymous expert psychiatrist's analysis to an extreme, every Jewish marriage could be nullified as kiddushei ta'ut, since there is always a problem with every groom, as per the Gemara, Shabbat 130a that "every ketubah has a glitch." Wasn't this the entire reason that R. Joseph Ber Soloveitchik responded so energetically to R. Emanuel Rackman in 1975?

Trump Pushes Baseless Smear That Ilhan Omar ‘Partied’ on 9/11-- more Trump lies

https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-pushes-baseless-smear-that-ilhan-omar-partied-on-911

President Donald Trump on Wednesday used his Twitter account to boost a baseless smear claiming that Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) danced at an event last week on the anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, a claim that’s based on footage that wasn’t actually taken from that day.

Trump’s tweet circulated a video from conservative personality Terrence Williams, in which Williams declared that Omar “partied on the anniversary of 9/11.” In his video, Williams comments on footage of the Muslim congresswoman dancing and fumes that she’s disrespecting the memory of the Sept. 11 attacks.

But the footage of Omar dancing actually came from a Sept. 13 event hosted by the Congressional Black Caucus and wasn’t taken on the 11th, as Williams and Trump wrongly claimed. 

Netanyahu to Likud: 'We will do everything to prevent a dangerous government'

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/269104

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened members of the Likud faction at the Orient Hotel in Jerusalem, addressing the election results.

"I come here after a meeting with the leaders of the National Camp parties," said Netanyahu. “We unanimously decided that we will go together into negotiations for the establishment of a government headed by me.”

“We will conduct the negotiations with one delegation, Yariv Levin will be at the head.”

Netanyahu added: "Now that we have established the bloc of right-wing parties, there will be either a government headed by me, or a dangerous government that relies on the Arab parties. We will make every effort to prevent this dangerous government."

Riverdale Again Hit With ‘Shocking’ Abuse Case

https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/riverdale-again-hit-with-shocking-abuse-case/

Riverdale, a tight-knit, densely populated Modern Orthodox community in the Bronx, is reeling this week after a day school principal at Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy (SAR) was arrested by federal authorities last Friday on charges of possessing and producing child pornography and coercing a 14-year-old boy into sending him sexually explicit pictures.

Rabbi Jonathan Skolnick, 37, a popular middle school associate principal at the well-regarded school, was arrested at his Riverdale apartment by federal authorities late Friday night. The educator, who was fired by SAR, will be held until a detention hearing this week, according to a statement released Tuesday by the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI.

G-d chooses Liberman to decide future of Israel like he chose Trump

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Libermans-gambit-pays-off-as-Yisrael-Beytenu-remain-kingmakers-602039

Liberman promised on Tuesday night that his party would fulfil its campaign vow to ensure the establishment of a national unity government without the ultra-Orthodox and religious-Zionist parties. 

“I say to all citizens, our security and economy are in an emergency situation. Therefore the state must have a broad national, liberal government and not one which fights for survival from one week to the next and from one no-confidence vote to the next. 

The Yisrael Beytenu leader vowed that no attempts to tempt him with of ministerial positions or even a prime ministerial rotation agreement would persuade him to abandon his goal of a national unity government without the sectoral parties. 

And Liberman even stated that he would not mind being left out of the coalition if it meant avoiding the complications of a narrow government.

The fact that the exit polls gave neither the right-wing or left-wing political blocs a majority means that Liberman’s goal of forcing a national unity government without the ultra-Orthodox or religious parties now appears attainable.

From there, Liberman went on to Tel Aviv, and made sure to stop at the “Jewish Bridge,” a pedestrian bridge spanning the Ayalon Highway and connecting the separate parts of the city.

Political pressure by the ultra-Orthodox parties on the government led to construction on the new bridge scheduled for several Saturdays in a row to be canceled because of the desecration of Shabbat involved in the work.

The work was eventually resumed after the Tel Aviv Municipality petitioned the High Court of Justice against the construction freeze.

Speaking at the Jewish Bridge during Election Day, Liberman said that “We are all in favor of the sanctity of Shabbat, but the sanctity of life is even more important.”

https://www.kikar.co.il/abroad/331098.html

ליברמן מפחיד: "לימודי ליבה בחינוך החרדי - תנאי סף"

Liberman: We Insist on a secular national unity government

https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5591530,00.html

Speaking to reporters outside his home in the settlement of Nokdim Wednesday, Liberman said he does not rule out joining a coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but his pre-election demands for a secular government remain in place.

ULTRA-ORTHODOX VOTERS ‘FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES’ ON ELECTION DAY

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Ultra-Orthodox-voters-fighting-for-their-lives-on-election-day-601970

Voters in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods of Jerusalem got up early on Tuesday morning to pray, and then to vote.

Men could be seen coming to voting stations with their prayer shawls and tefillin in hand having left synagogue to perform what has become another religious obligation in the lives of the ultra-Orthodox, voting for their political parties.

CATHOLIC PRIEST FILES DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AFTER BEING OUTED AS ALLEGED PREDATOR

https://www.newsweek.com/catholic-priest-accused-molesting-children-files-defamation-lawsuit-1459545

A lawsuit by a former priest is seeking punitive damages for "severe humiliation, mental anguish, and emotional and physical distress" after being outed as an accused child molester by the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego.

J. Patrick Foley of Sacramento, California, claims that the Diocese promoted a "reckless disregard for the truth" in a September 12 filing with San Diego Superior Court. In 2018, Foley was one of eight men added to a list of Catholic clergy believed by the Diocese to be responsible for sexually abusing children. Foley's lawsuit alleges that his inclusion on the list amounts to publishing "false and defamatory material."

Foley is hardly the first priest from the area accused of child sex abuse. The San Diego Diocese previously settled a 2007 lawsuit claiming child molestation by a further 48 priests under their purview.

The Abominable Joe-man By Joe Orlow

Today was the first day of Rabbi Daniel Greer's trial. The charges stem from his alleged molestation of one of his students. Today the student testified. I was aware already from published reports of what the testimony would entail.

Sill, there's a certain weight which the actual sworn testimony in a courtroom carries. The report of the testimony was like learning, same as the jurors learned today for the first time, what Rabbi Greer allegedly did.

Before today, I was thinking that physical molestation of a student by his teacher is about as bad it gets.

But today another report was brought to my attention on the social media Whatsapp chat "Rabbi Yehuda Levin Live!"

A Rabbi who taught young men pretended to be a girl online. Using that ruse, he apparently enticed boys in the school where he taught to send him photos of themselves. The Rabbi was arrested last week.

And what has been going through my mind? Thoughts formed unbidden in my consciousness? I'm thinking, "Why can't this Rabbi be normal and molest boys the usual way." I caught myself. But still, unwanted, that was what crossed my mind.

So, I gained a new apprecistion of why the Torah calls homosexuality a Toeva, translated as "abomination."

It is because of what it does to those of us who study the sinners in order to better oppose their activity. At least in my case, I became an abomination. It was for a brief moment, but still it happened. I was outraged at one sinner, and that outrage made another sinner seem "not so bad, after all."

Rabbi Levin gives a metaphor for why we must actively protest immoral acts. He teaches that a pot which is expelling from its walls cannot be absorbing.

As long as we protest, we will keep ourselves shielded from absorbing bad societal influences.

Today I had my guard down. I didn't expect to get hit with such a shocking revelation: a Jekyll and Hyde teacher of Torah to a child robbing the boy of his privacy.

And in that split second where I lapsed, I became abominable.

I'm vulnerable to being mocked for my heightened self-awareness. Go ahead -- those who feel so moved -- make sport of my talking on and on about myself.

I know, though, that by protesting, even protesting my own foibles, that I become better equipped to stare down the evildoers.

ISRAEL ELECTIONS MODE 2 – SAYING A FINAL FAREWELL TO CONSENSUS

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Election-mode-2-saying-a-final-farewell-to-consensus-601871

To make sense of what's going on as Israelis head to the polls Tuesday, one would need to be part mathematician and part psychologist. Determining who will sit with who in a prospective coalition is like choosing sides at a schoolyard pick-up basketball team.

Blue & White will consider forming a unity coalition with Likud if Netanyahu isn't  its head; Deri would sit with Liberman but Liberman won't sit with Deri or join any coalition with haredi members, likewise Blue & White; Liberman also isn't crazy about sitting with Blue & White at the helm; the haredim will sit in any coalition that lets them keep their subsidies and draft deferments; the Joint List will support Blue & White from outside but won't join a Zionist coalition; Netanyahu will talk with any party that would conceivably enable him to stay in power – even the outside-the-tent- Otzma  if they pass the electoral threshold; and poor Amir Peretz (the chubby, glasses-wearing last player picked) would probably accept an offer from just about anyone.

NETANYAHU: THE ELECTION HAS BEEN STOLEN

https://www.jpost.com/Israel-Elections/Netanyahu-The-election-has-been-stolen-601764

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu escalated his rhetoric against alleged vote forgeries in the Arab sector, changing his tense in interviews from warning that Arab-Israeli voters “are stealing the election” to telling Army Radio on Sunday that “they stole the election.”

Netanyahu made the accusation after reports surfaced of forgeries in the Arab sector in the April election, saying that he believes it may have cost the Likud two Knesset seats and resulted in another election being held.

Orthodox Jewish Girl Languishing in Military Prison - Over Her Resolve to Remain Faithful to Her Religion... NOT IN SWEDEN - BUT IN ISRAEL

BS"D

16 Ellul, 5779 °°° Sept. 16, '19

Parshas Ki-Sovo

By Binyomin Feinberg, Contributor to The Jewish Press*

* The perspectives and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of The Jewish Press.

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Orthodox Jewish Girl Languishing in Military Prison - Over Her Resolve to Remain Faithful to Her Religion... NOT IN SWEDEN - BUT IN ISRAEL

°°°°°

For about an entire week, a religious Jewish girl, Zivah bas Mazal, has been held in "Ma'atzar Patuch" ("Open Prison") in Tel HaShomer, in military incarceration, over her resolve to obey the Torah prohibitions against enlisting in the IDF under any circumstances. According to Jewish Law, one is obligated to sacrifice one's life, if need be, to prevent the draft of girls into the Israeli Defence Forces. For that reason, the Brisker Rov OB"M participated in demonstrations against the government over the female draft. He did so in the face of his known reticence to participate in anti-government demonstrations, deeming it too dangerous, given the specter of protester deaths. Nevertheless, Giyus Banos (the female draft), he exhorted, is "yai'horaig ve'al ya'avor." [How much more so is it incumbent on us to forego government funding, assistance, and other benefits and comforts, to oppose the drafting of girls.] A protest had been scheduled for tonight, on the eve of the Israeli elections. It will be interesting to see if and how the religious Knesset members react. Will the "Moment of Truth" come and go without an acknowledgement of one of the most crucial struggles in Israel today? Will saving girls, religious or otherwise, from abuse in the exploitive military environment of the IDF take precedence over procurement of financial or other government benefits?

Zivah was arrested because she was ostensibly late in submitting her religious certification. Given the fact that enlisting in the military is something a girl is obligated to sacrifice her very life to avoid, the requirement on her to enlist in the military just for being late in submitting documentation of religiosity is draconian, and, in effect, constitutes an anti-religious policy.

Zivah, apparently on advice of others, recently met with a top official in "Maitav," the military unit involved in drafting girls into military service. (Unbeknownst to her, just meeting with those bent on drafting girls itself is prohibited according to Torah law, as well as demonstrably hazardous from a practical perspective.)

Perhaps the result of the meeting explains how such a high level military official, serving in a major military power currently engaged in life-and-death struggles on multiple fronts, found the time to meet a solitary religious girl seeking a military exemption. He

denied her religious exemption, citing IDF service by her brother! (The fact that her family is also religious didn't help her.)

This "game-changing" pronouncement revealed a massive IDF inconsistency. For years, the government has invested heavily in the massive, controversial, and extremely cumbersome mission of drafting hard-to-integrate Chareidim, claiming vociferously that they can remain Chareidi in the IDF. Now, a top Maitav official admits that it considers IDF service a contradiction to being religious -- so much of a contradiction that it even disqualifies the female siblings from being considered religious Jews, denying them their religious exemptions from IDF service. Amazing.

Although this IDF promulgation would certainly not serve as an appealing advertisement for "Netzach Yehuda" (a religious-oriented fighting unit within "K'fir"), it's far worse as public policy. We await the outcry of Knesset members against this brazen antireligious coercion.

Zivah is expected to have a hearing on Thursday. Please daven and learn be'retzifus (without verbal interruption) in the merit of Zivah bas Mazal.

The organization "B’nos Melech," involved in this case, will deliver letters of chizuk sent for Zivah. Letters can be faxed to 011-972-2-502-4400, or emailed to 2838590@gmail.com.

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Hatzolas Nefashos:

Help is immediately needed for another religious girl -- and her severely ill mother:

https://www.matara.pro/nedarimplus/online/?mosad=7000774

Background:

https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2019/09/violating-vineyard-update.html

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Are you [or do you know of] a young woman who needs help in dealing with IDF Draft Office (Lishkas HaGiyus) to obtain your LEGAL exemption from IDF service?

Have your legal rights to an exemption from IDF military service been violated?

Does the Army claim they never received your Religious Certification ("Tatzhir Dat") - even though you know that you sent it in?

Have you been called down to a Ra'ayon Dat ("Religious Test")?

Are you aware the of Psak Din of leading Rabbis against appearing in the Lishkat HaGiyus altogether, even for what seems to be the simplest "in and out" tasks?

Have you been mistreated in the Lishkat HaGiyus (Draft Office)? Have you been forced to undergo an invasive Medical Exam?

Have you been drafted or even willingly enlisted into the Israeli military, only to realize how extraordinary difficult it is to remain faithful to foundational Torah obligations or to retain your personal modesty in the immoral, exploitive military environment?

Have you G-d forbid been abused in the IDF, and denied the help you are legally entitled to?

Have you been compelled to seek refuge from abusers within the IDF and their enablers?

KNOW YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS. AND DO NOT GIVE UP. Help IS available, much of it FREE of cost for those unable to afford it. Many, many young women have been helped, even those in situations that had appeared hopeless.

PARENTS: The prohibition of "LO SA'AMOD AL DAM RAI'ECHAH" APPLIES TO TOUR OWN DAUGHTERS TOO. Do NOT accept the propaganda of naysayers who claim that "you cannot fight the system." And know your rights, and learn who can help you.

FRIENDS: Do not allow an innocent person to be lost, or abused by perpetrators, be they in the military or elsewhere.

Educate yourself about the options available.

Here is the Emergency contact number of the "Shalhevet" organization for girls and young women in trouble with the IDF draft, to contact for immediate assistance:

Shalhevet:

v: 03-958-4048 ext 2

Or 3192 * to leave a message

e: 6202300@gmail.com

שלהבת 03-958-4048 שלוחה 2

או 3192*

להשאיר הודעה

_____________________________

To check for possible Giyus Banos updates throughout the week, visit:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dPo1_Y-0u6ry7tLcfF2RbQuEFrIG-BccszjeG9FAdSw/edit?usp=sharing

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Marriage and adultery are community concerns -Rav Yakov Kaminetsky

אמת ליעקב פרשת כי תצא

פרק כג

(ג) לא יבא ממזר בקהל ה'6.

באמת יש לנו לעיין מה ענינם של כל דיני אישות ונישואין בספר דברים, דהלא ביארתי בכמה מקומות [עיין לעיל בפרשת שופטים [י"ז פי"ח] ולהלן בפרשת וילך [ל"א פי"א] באריכות] דבאמת ספר דברים הוא ספר הנוגע למלך ולעניני ציבור, והיינו שמשה בעמדו בערבות מואב וראה שהוא לא יכנס לארץ ישראל, החליט לחזור ולשנות את המצוות הנוגעות אל הציבור והכלל, וכן כל עניני הנהגת המלחמה והמשפט, כדי שהמלך החדש ובני ישראל ידעו מה לעשות בהכנסם לארץ ישראל. אבל מדוע נכתבו דינים אלו של ממזר וגיטין ויבום וכדומה בספר זה, הלוא לכאורה מקומם הוא בספר ויקרא עם שאר הלכות עריות וכדומה?

אבל נראה מזה שענין הנישואין אצל בני ישראל אינו ענין פרטי הנוגע לשני הצדדים ומשפחתם בלבד, אלא הוא נוגע לקהל כולו, שעל ידי נישואיו נכנס הבחור לקהל ישראל ונהיה כחלק מהציבור, ולכן מי שאינו יכול לינשא נקרא בתורה ובלשון חז"ל בשם "פסולי קהל", והיינו שהוא נפסל מלהיות חלק מהקהל והוא צריך לישאר כמו שהיה - יחיד לעצמו. ולכן כל הדינים הקשורים עם זה, מי מותר ומתי מותר ואיך פרטי הדברים נעשים, כל זה חלק מתורת הציבור הוא, ושפיר שייכים דינים אלה בספר דברים. וזה הוא הטעם שאם חתן מתפלל בבית הכנסת אז כל הצבור שאצלו פטורין מלומר תחנון - ולא מצינו דין זה באבל ר"ל שאינו פוטר את הציבור מחמתו שלא בבית האבל, אלא משום ששמחת חתן אינו רק שמחתו אלא שמחת כל הציבור, וכולם נפטרים מלומר תחנון מחמת שזו היא שמחתם ממש ולא משום שמחת החתן, ודו"ק7..

TRUMP ACCUSED DEMOCRATS OF VIEWING 'EVERYBODY AS FASCISTS AND NAZIS' BEFORE PROTESTER WAS KICKED OUT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE RALLY

g**************@gmail.com***.***.***.90

You are correct on both points. The problem is the obsession anti-Trumpers have with pointing that out day and night.
Back in Germany in the 1930's and 40's no conversation was complete without a couple of "Seil Heil" shout-outs. Failure to do that meant you would be suspected of disloyalty. Today for liberals, it's "I hate Trump". Failure to say that over and over again no matter what the topic of discussion calls into question your liberal credentials.

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-new-hampshire-rally-democrats-body-shames-protester-1454694

However, Trump said, "at the very moment when our country should be coming together to enjoy these wonderful blessings the radical Democrats are trying to tear America apart."

"They vilify anyone who doesn't share their extreme views," the president said, as the crowd booed.

"They slander our law enforcement heroes," he said, pointing to an incident that saw New York residents splash water on New York Police Department officers.

"I know a lot of New York's finest. They're not happy, they're not happy and they are great people...for that to be allowed to happen is a disgrace," Trump said.

Of the Democrats, the president said: "They view everybody as fascists and Nazis."

"They use the term 'Nazi'. This was a term, you couldn't even use it. now they use it like on a regular basis. 'A Nazi. He's a Nazi.' Think of that. 'He's a Nazi.' You couldn't use it. Now they use it."

Trump: I don't think the Israelis are spying on us

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/268829

The report said that an investigation by security forces in the United States has led to the suspicion that Israel is behind the placing of miniature surveillance devices, colloquially known as “StingRays,” in the vicinity of the White House.

The d

evices in question mimic regular cell towers to fool cell phones into giving them their locations and identity information. According to Politico, they also can capture the contents of calls and data use.

Based on forensic analysis, the FBI and other agencies working on the case felt confident that Israeli agents had placed the devices, according to the former officials, several of whom the report said served in top intelligence and national security posts.

Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu denied the Politico report as he landed in Sochi where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Netanyahu said, "Lies. Complete nonsense. I have a clear directive - no intelligence collections in the US, and this directive is completely enforced."