Tzadik is required (Besht)

 זאת תהיה תורת המצורע ביום טהרתו והובא אל הכהן: יש להעיר בזה לשון תורת מצורע כי היה ראוי לומר משפט המצורע: ולקח למטהר שתי צפרים חיות טהורות ועץ ארז ושני תולעת ואזוב ושחט את הצפור האחת על כלי חרש על מים חיים ואת הצפור החיה ושלח על פני השדה: לפע"ד יש בכאן רמז איך שהתורה הקדושה נותנת עצה להצדיק איך להעלות נשמות של ישראל ולקרבם לה' וע"ד אנכי ארד עמך מצרימה ואנכי אעלך גם עלה כי כשאדם נופל ממדריגתו ויורד ח"ו לבחי' מצרים אז כל הבחי' שלו יורדים עמו הן תורתו וכל המעשים שלו וכן כשיש לו עליה אזי עולין עמו כל המדריגות שלו הן תורתו עם מעשים טובים שלו וכל העולמות שהוא דבוק בהן יש להם ג"כ עליה עמו וזהו זאת תהיה תורת המצורע היינו מי שנפל ח"ו ממדריגתו וגם תורתו היא ג"כ בבחי' מצורע וכן כל הבחינות שלו: ביום טהרתו כשהוא מטהר עצמו אז והובא אל הכהן היינו ממילא והובא תורתו אל הכהן דא קב"ה ויש לה עליה וכן לכל המדריגות שלו ממילא נמשכים עמה ואח"כ מפרש אופן טהרתו שיתדבק אל הצדיק ובמה יטהרנו הצדיק ולק' למטהר שתי צפרים חיות טהורות: כי כן שמעתי מאא"ז זללה"ה כי כל עליות של האד' א"א להיות כ"א ע"י ראשי וצדיקי הדור הן המדות של האדם הן דיבורים שלו הכל הצדיק יכול להעלות ויש שני בחי' בזה יש אנשים שהצדיק מעלה אותן בתורתו ותפלתו ויש אנשים שאינו יכול להעלותן כ"א בשיחה שלו ע"ד ועלהו לא יבול אפילו שיחת חולין שלו יש בו צורך אף שנראה שהם דברים בטלים ובאמת הצדיק מעלה אותו ע"י דיבורים שלו שמדבר עמו וכן שמעתי מאא"ז זללה"ה ולאו כל אדם זוכה לזה כמו שאמר אא"ז זללה"ה על המשנה ראוה מדברת עם אחד ודי בזה: וזה י"ל שמרמז הפסוק ולקח למטהר שתי צפרים לשון פיטפוטי דברים והיינו שתי צפרים פי' ב' מיני דבורים כנ"ל שבהם הוא מטהר לנשמות ישראל כ"א לפי בחינתו: חיות טהורות והיינו רק שיהיו הב' מיני דבורים הנ"ל בחיות ודביקות להשם ב"ה וטהורות מכל הפניות ועץ ארז ושני תולעת ואזוב ע"ד שכתוב אצל דוד המל' ע"ה עדני עצני כשהיה יוצא למלחמה היה מקשה עצמו כעץ וזהו עצני לנקום נקמתו וכשהיה עוסק בתורה היה מעדן עצמו כתולעת כן דרשו חז"ל נמצא היה לו ב' בחינות בחי' גבורה וגדלות ובחי' שפלות וזהו בכל צדיק שני בחינות אלו שנראה לבני העולם שמתנהג בבחי' גבורה וגדלות וזהו עץ ארז ארז הוא מספר יצחק שהוא בחי' גבורה ובאמת הוא אזוב היינו שפל ושני תולעת היינו כבחי' דוד מעדן עצמו כתולעת: ושחט את הצפור האחת היינו בחי' דיבור א' שהוא בתורתו ותפלתו על כלי חרש היינו לשם השכינה שנקרא כלי חרש יעסוק בתורתו ותפלתו על מים חיים היינו התורה שנקראת מים חיים מים נובעי' וע"י התורה מעלה אותם שהם אחוזים בשורשם בתורה ואת הצפור החיה היינו הדבור השני: ושלח על פני השדה היינו לעלות אנשים ריקים הנקראים איש שדה שאינו יכול להעלותם בתורתו כ"א בסיפורי דבריו כנ"ל: וזהו שהתורה הקדושה בנועם אמריה יהיבת עצה לחכימי דרא איך להעלות ולקרב נשמות ישראל להשם יתברך והבן:

Chabad - Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky & Messianic aspects

Yom Kippur as a vending machine

 I have been recently researching the issue of Avoda Zara. Contrary to popular believe it doesn't just mean avoiding bowing down to idols. It primarily means not ascribing the ability to grant benefit independent of G-d. 

One of the themes of the rav's Shabbos Shuva drasha was that tshuva means to return to G-d i.e. that He one alone provides us with what we need. 

 שׁ֚וּבָה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַ֖ד יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ כִּ֥י כָשַׁ֖לְתָּ בַּעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃ Hoshea 14:2

איכה ה׳:(כא) הֲשִׁיבֵ֨נוּ יְהוָ֤ה ׀ אֵלֶ֙יךָ֙ ונשוב [וְֽנָשׁ֔וּבָה] חַדֵּ֥שׁ יָמֵ֖ינוּ כְּקֶֽדֶם׃

Even though this seems obvious.,however today there is a competing understanding. 

Acquiring enough zechusim so that G-d must give us what we want. This means by giving tzadaka to one  of several  particular causes, receiving a blessing from a pariculat tzadik or gadol or through segulos in particular saying Nismas for 40 day .

 This latter approach is basically viewing tshuva as a vending machine, once enough coins are inserted the desired result will happen. There is no concern or involvement of G-d.

Conservatives accuse Biden of lying about visiting Tree of Life Synagogue

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/conservatives-accuse-biden-of-lying-about-visiting-the-tree-of-life-synagogue/

The New York Post, a conservative outlet, seized on the moment with a headline reading: “Tree of Life synagogue disputes Biden’s claim he visited after massacre.” It included a statement from the synagogue’s executive director saying Biden did not visit the synagogue.

But Biden did not precisely say he visited the synagogue, because he never finished his sentence. He seemed to start out recalling visiting the synagogue, but mid-sentence changed his recollection to speaking with someone.

90% of Israel's most serious COVID patients are unvaccinated - Health Ministry

https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/coronavirus/90-percent-of-covid-ecmo-patients-are-unvaccinated-health-ministry-679207

 CDC shows unvaccinated individuals are 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19 * Vaccines likely to be approved for kids 5-11 before the end of the year

Tshuva possible only with help of tzadik hador

• ספר מאור ושמש - פרשת שופטים
  שום תשים עליך מלך אשר יבחר ה' אלהיך בו מקרב אחיך תשים עליך מלך וגו', .... הגם שאדם ילמוד כל התורה וילמוד כל ספרי קודש ודברי חז"ל אינו מועיל לו לתשובה שלימה ולהסיר ממנו כל המסכים המבדילים אם אינו מתדבק לצדיקי הדור וקדושי ה'. וכן שמעתי מאדמו"ר איש אלהים מורינו אלימלך זצוק"ל כי בחר לו צדיק אחד בדור שהיה לו רבו. ואת מי יבחור לרבו אלופו ומיודעו כשיראה צדיק שהנהגותיו ביציאתו ובביאתו הוא מתנהג על פי התורה הקדושה ואינו מיקל כלום חלילה הן בדאורייתא והן בדרבנן, ובתוך לבו הוא יקד יקוד אש ביחודים ומחשבתו ניכר מתוך מעשיו זה יבחור לו לרבי:

After 9/11, the U.S. Got Almost Everything Wrong

 https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/09/after-911-everything-wrong-war-terror/620008/

 A mission to rid the world of “terror” and “evil” led America in tragic directions.

 At the time, some commentators politely noted the danger of tilting at such nebulous concepts, but a stunned American public appeared to crave a bold response imbued with a higher purpose. As the journalist Robert Draper writes in To Start a War, his new history of the Bush administration’s lies, obfuscations, and self-delusions that led from Afghanistan into Iraq, “In the after-shocks of 9/11, a reeling America found itself steadied by blunt-talking alpha males whose unflappable, crinkly-eyed certitude seemed the only antidote to nationwide panic.”

When was Adam created?

 The Zohar (1 37a) is the source that says on Rosh HaShanna. 

 R. Judah said: ‘Cain rose up against Abel and killed him because he inherited his nature from the side of Samael, who brought death into the world. He was jealous of Abel on account of his female, as indicated by the words, “and it came to pass when they were in the field”, the word “field” signifying woman.’ On R. Hiya objecting that, according to the text, Cain was wroth because his offering was not accepted, R. Judah answered that this was a further reason. R. Judah further expounded the words, “If thou doest well, shall there not be an uplifting?” ‘The word “uplifting”,’ he said, ‘means the dignity which is due to a first-born, provided his actions warrant it. In the next clause, “If thou doest not well, sin coucheth at the door”, this dooris the door on high from which issue the chastisements for evil deeds in this world. The “sin” which couches at that door is the angel of death, who is ready to punish thee. The word “door” (petah, lit. opening) further contains an allusion to the New Year, the day of judgement, on which Adam was born.

 But that makes the first day of creation on the 25 of Elul.The Gemora Rosh HaShanna brings two views of creation Tishrei and Nisan. According to Rabbi Eliezer the first of Tishrei is the first day of creation and that means the 6th of Tishrei is when man was created.

Rosh HaShanna (10b)  Rabbi Eliezer says: In Tishrei the world was created; in Tishrei the Patriarchs were born; in Tishrei the Patriarchs died; on Passover Isaac was born; on Rosh HaShana Sarah, Rachel, and Hannah were remembered by God and conceived; on Rosh HaShana Joseph came out from prison;

So who says Rosh HaShanna is when man was created? It is argued that the reason Rosh HaShanna is the day of judgement is either because man was created or man was first judged

Leading Rabbi Deals Big Blow To Agunah Court

 https://jewishweek.timesofisrael.com/leading-rabbi-deals-big-blow-to-agunah-court/

 “From start to finish, this is a mistake,” Rabbi Schachter wrote in a three-paragraph letter, posted on an anonymously sponsored Torah website. The letter, written in Hebrew, says that only “great scholars of the generation” should be dealing with these sensitive matters. Rabbi Gedalia Dov Schwartz, head of the Beit Din of America, (the largest rabbinical court), and three other prominent rabbis also signed the letter.

Rav Herschel Schacter: A ridiculous heter/ Freeing agunah by mekach taus

Rav Schachter - the posek for ORA - provides a cogent discussion of the pitfalls of using mekach taus to free an aguna. 

It is important to keep in mind that Rav Moshe Feinstein clearly states that the negative condition must be preexisting and so severe that no reasonable person would tolerate it - and the spouse must leave immediately upon discovering it. In addition a psak of mekach taus based entirely upon negative reports from the wife - without the husband being directly evaulated by a neutral expert therapist - is clearly invalid and indicative of biased poskim. 

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Making a Farce of the Halacha

Torah Web.org   The Ramban writes (in the introduction to his sefer Milchamos Hashem) that the study of Talmud is not like mathematics. In Talmud study, a halachic analysis is not a geometric proof and its validity need not be contingent upon accurate application of hard logic to unassailable axioms; nor is a halachic analysis deemed invalid only upon demonstration of incontrovertible logical errors or fallacious assumptions. What is significant in halacha is the approval or disapproval of halachic experts, implying the reasonableness or unreasonableness of the argument. One must have a strong tradition in psak halacha (rendering of legal decisions) or one can float so far off as to develop the most ridiculous ideas, all in the name of halacha.

The Torah prescribes the divorce procedure such that the husband must participate voluntarily. When he refuses to participate, his wife has no other means to be free of her husband, and while she remains legally married to him she may not marry another man. This situation, though unfair and tragic for the wife, is essentially the creation of a man who has shown himself to be an evil criminal, and is abusing his wife in this contemptible way. He has made her a virtual agunah as the husband alone has the authority to free her. Over the many years of our history the rabbis have done whatever they could for any woman so trapped in this lamentable predicament. Unfortunately, no categorical or general solution to the problem emerged.

About forty years ago an Orthodox individual proposed a solution. He reasoned that the woman requires a divorce only if she is married. Although annulment is not an option, it may be possible to find cause to invalidate her marriage by finding a fatal flaw in her wedding. For example, the wedding requires that the groom give the bride an object of sufficient value, one that the groom is entitled to give, while declaring his intent to thereby marry her, without deceit in any of the particulars, all under the watchful eyes of legitimate witnesses. If any of these conditions are not met then the wedding is fatally flawed. Likewise, if the bride or groom deceives the other in a material way, the other may legitimately claim that the entire wedding was under false pretenses and thus void. Thinking along these lines, the individual referred to above argues that if the bride and groom had realized that their personalities were incompatible, they would never have agreed to get married. Hence, the marriage was effected in error, lacking the requisite da'as (awareness) for a wedding, and no Get is needed to separate them because they were never married. At the time, Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik declared this suggestion ridiculous. As the years went by, the ridiculous has become the sublime. [...]

To declare a marriage a kiddushei ta'us because the wife didn't realize that the husband would be unsuccessful in holding down a job and earning a living is simply unacceptable. To invalidate a kiddushin due to ta'us the halacha requires an extraordinary mum gadol (very significant defect), with a very obvious umdana d'muchach (compelling assumption) that no reasonable woman would agree to marry such a man (see Teshuvos Beis Halevi, vol. 3, pg. 23). [...]

Moreover, even in the case of a sale that was canceled because of a mum, the Rambam wrote (Mechira 15:3) that if the purchaser continued to use the item after having discovered the mum, he cannot later claim mekach taus. Continued use of the item indicates that the level of the ta'us is insufficient to warrant voiding the transaction. Likewise, it is transmitted in the name of Hagaon Rav Moshe Feinstein zt"l, that even in the rare case of an unusual mum gadol, through which the wife would be able to remarry without a get because of the ta'us on her part at the time of the wedding, if the woman didn't walk away from the marriage immediately upon discovering the mum, the halacha of ta'us cannot be applied.

Rabbi Eliyahu Ben Chaim (Yeshivas Rabbeinu Yitzchak Elchanan) published an essay in the Yeshiva publication, Beis Yitzchak (5758), explaining the mistakes of these "batei din", and cautioning the agunot not to rely on such meaningless "heterim". In his essay he quotes Chacham Ovadia Yosef as having said the same.

It certainly is a great mitzva to help an aguna escape her plight, but issuing a heter nissuin (permission to get married) to a woman along the lines of heter nedarim is simply a farce. Let us not make a joke out of the Halacha.

The Chief Rabbi's Annual Ellul Lecture

Enoch was judged on Rosh HaShanna

Bereishis Rabbah (25:1). AND ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD, AND HE WAS NOT; FOR GOD TOOK HIM (V, 24). R. Hama b. R. Hoshaya said: AND HE WAS NOT means that he was not inscribed in the roll of the righteous but in the roll of the wicked. R. Aibu said: Enoch was a hypocrite, acting sometimes as a righteous, sometimes as a wicked man. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said: While he is righteous I will remove him.’ R. Aibu also said: He judged [i.e. condemned] him on New Year, when he judges the whole world. Some sectarians3 asked R. Abbahu: ‘We do not find that Enoch died?’ ‘How so?’ inquired he. ‘"Taking" is employed here, and also in connection with Elijah,’ said they. ‘If you stress the word "taking",’ he answered, ‘then "taking" is employed here, while in Ezekiel it is said, Behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes,’ etc. (Ezek. XXlV, 16). R. Tanhuma observed: He answered them well. A matron asked R. Jose: ' We do not find death stated of Enoch?’ Said he to her: ‘If it said, AND ENOCH WALKED WITH GOD, and no more, I would agree with you. Since, however, it says, AND HE WAS NOT, FOR GOD TOOK HIM, it means that he was no more in the world, [having died,] FOR GOD TOOK HIM.’

 e Judaica

Enoch was among the nine righteous men who entered paradise without suffering the pangs of death (DEZ 1, end). "He ascended to heaven on God's command, and was given the name *Metatron the Great Scribe" (Targ. Yer. to Gen. 5:4). During his lifetime Enoch was the guardian of the "secret of intercalation" and of the "miraculous rod" with which Moses later performed the miracles in Egypt (PdRE 7:40). He is the central figure in some late Midrashim, such as Sefer Ḥanokh and Ḥayyei Ḥanokh (which are related to the legends found in the various pseudepigraphic Books of Enoch and other apocryphic works). Enoch lived in a secret place as a hidden righteous man and was called by an angel to leave his retreat to go to teach men to walk in the ways of God. He taught for 243 years, during which peace and prosperity reigned in the world. He made a powerful impression on all he taught, including kings and princes, and they acclaimed him as their king. As a reward for instructing mankind, God resolved to install him as king over the angels in heaven too. He ascended to heaven in a fiery chariot drawn by fiery chargers. When Enoch arrived in heaven the angels exclaimed: "How comes a man born of a woman amid the fire-consuming angels?" To which God replied: "Be not offended, for all mankind denied Me and My dominion and paid homage to the idols; I therefore transferred the Shekhinah ['Divine Presence'] from earth to heaven, and this man Enoch is the elect of men." God arrayed him in a magnificent garment and a luminous crown, opened to him all the gates of wisdom, gave him the name "Metatron," prince and chief of all heavenly hosts, transformed his body into a flame, and engirdled him by storm, whirlwind, and thundering (Sefer ha-Yashar to Genesis, p. 11a–13a). Notwithstanding these legends, third-century Palestinian rabbis deny the miraculous translation of Enoch, and state that he vacillated all his life between righteousness and sinfulness, whereupon God removed him from the world before he relapsed again into sin (Gen. R. 25:1). This derogatory evaluation of Enoch was, at least in part, a reaction against the use made by Christians of the legend of Enoch's ascension to heaven.

Florida Grapples With COVID-19's Deadliest Phase Yet

 https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2021-09-04/florida-grapples-with-covid-19s-deadliest-phase-yet

 Gov. Ron DeSantis has strongly opposed certain mandatory measures to keep the virus in check, saying people should be trusted to make decisions for themselves. He has asserted, too, that the spike in cases is seasonal as Floridians spend more time indoors to escape the heat.

Covid-19 Message From Our Local Rabbanim: Get Vaccinated