Tuesday, April 26, 2022

Drinking water at night?

 Avoda Zara (12b)  Our Rabbis taught: One should not drink water in the night; if he does drink his blood is on his head, for it is dangerous. What danger is there? The danger of Shabriri. But if he be thirsty, how can he put things right? — If there is another person with him, he should wake him and say: ‘I am a thirst for water’. If not, let him knock with the lid on the jug and say to himself: ‘Thou [giving his name] the son of [naming his mother], thy mother hath warned thee to guard thyself against Shabriri, briri, riri, iri, ri, which prevail in blind vessels.’

Rashi שברירי - שד הממונה על מכת סנוירים. לא גרס הכא לא מן הנהרות ומן האגמים דה"ה נמי מן הכלים:

איזדהר משברירי שברירי ברירי רירי ירי רי בכסי חיורי - לחש הוא ומתמעט והולך משם השד כאשר הוא שומע מיעוט תיבות אות אחר אות עד רי וכן הוא הלחש להבריחו משם. סנוירים תרגומו שברירי (בראשית יט):

Mishneh Torah, (Murderer and the Preservation of Life 11:6)  The rules are: A person must never put his mouth to a pipe spouting water and drink; he must not drink from rivers or ponds at night, for fear that he might swallow a leech without seeing; he must not drink uncovered water, for fear that a snake or any other reptile drank it, and he might die.

Shulchan Arukh (Yoreh De'ah 116:5) One must refrain from putting coins in one's mouth, lest it's covered with dried saliva of those afflicted with boils. He should not put the palm of his hand in his arm pit, lest his hand touched a metzorah or a harmful poison. He should not put a loaf of bread under his armpit, because of the sweat. He should not put a cooked item or drinks under the bed, since an evil spirit rests on them. He should not stick a knife in an esrog or a radish, lest one fall on its edge and die. Hagah: Similarly, he should be careful of all things that cause danger, because danger is stricter than transgressions, and one should be more careful with an uncertain danger than with an uncertain issur. They also prohibited to go in a dangerous place, such as under a leaning wall, or alone at night. They also prohibited to drink water from rivers at night or to put one's mouth on a stream of water and drink, because these matters have a concern of danger. It is the widespread custom not to drink water during the equinox, and the early ones wrote this and it is not to be changed. They also wrote to flee from the city when a plague is in the city, and one should leave at the beginning of the plague and not at the end. And all of these things are because of the danger, and a person who guards his soul will distance himself from them and it is prohibited to rely on a miracle in all of these matters.

Shulchan Arukh (Choshen Mishpat 427:9) The sages prohibited many things because of danger to a person. And some of them are explained in the Tur. Additionally, there are other things and these are they: A person must never put his mouth to a pipe spouting water and drink; he must not drink from rivers or ponds at night, for fear that he might swallow a leech without seeing. Rama: I have already written these in Shulchan Arukh, Yoreh De'ah 116:5

Cleveland rabbi arrested for soliciting an investigator who posed as an underage boy online

 https://forward.com/news/500182/cleveland-rabbi-stephen-weiss-arrested-soliciting-minor/

The United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the movement with which Weiss and B’nai Jeshurun are affiliated, launched an investigation into sexual harassment in its youth program last August after the Times of Israel reported three people came forward with claims against a former counselor with the program, known as United Synagogue Youth. The Union for Reform Judaism released the findings of a similar investigation in February, finding alarming incidents of sexual harassment at several of its summer camps.


Chocolate leaves stores as Strauss reports salmonella contamination

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-705019

In a public announcement on Monday morning, the company stated that “a number of samples containing salmonella were discovered in the factory’s production line and in the chocolate used as a raw material to create products,” adding that the food service department at the Health Ministry was immediately notified.

As a precautionary measure and out of a concern regarding the integrity of the products, Strauss has decided, in cooperation with the Health Ministry, to recall any products from specific batches that could contain the contaminated ingredients.

Outcry after Women’s Day magazine appoints a ‘rabbi in residence’ and chooses a man

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/outcry-after-womens-day-magazine-appoints-a-rabbi-in-residence-and-chooses-a-man/

In fact, while the majority of newly ordained Reform rabbis in recent years have been women, the vast majority of living rabbis affiliated with the movement are men, and the movement’s own analyses have found wide, and in some cases growing, pay gaps between women and men in synagogue pulpits.

The movement is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its first woman rabbi this year, making Woman’s Day’s decision all the more painful, Laufer said

Monday, April 25, 2022

The 'Lebanese Groom' arrives in Israel

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/326341

A Lebanese born man who found himself at the center of a scandal in Brooklyn’s Syrian Jewish community last year is in Israel now, and has declared his intentions to spend the rest of his life in the Jewish state.

In October 2021, Eliya Hawila married a young Syrian-Jewish woman in Brooklyn, New York in an Orthodox Jewish ceremony – despite having been raised in a Shi’ite Muslim family in southern Lebanon.

Shortly thereafter, Hawila’s bride and her family discovered his background, with the couple separating and news of the ‘Lebanese groom’ sending shockwaves through the Orthodox community.

Hawila later apologized for the deception, but insisted he is sincere in his desire to live as an Orthodox Jew, and said he hopes to reconcile with his estranged wife.

In early April 2022, however, a Brooklyn rabbi who investigates questions regarding Jewish ancestry found that Hawila was in fact born Jewish.

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Pam Shriver had ‘traumatic’ relationship with 50-year-old coach when she was 17

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/20/pam-shriver-had-traumatic-affair-with-50-year-old-coach-when-she-was-17 

The 22-time grand slam doubles champion Pam Shriver says she had an “inappropriate and damaging relationship” with her coach which started when she was a teenager, and has warned that similar scenarios are commonplace in tennis.

Fallen angels?

 Yoma (67b) The School of R. Ishmael taught: Azazel —it was so called because it obtains atonement for the affair of Uza and Aza'el.-

Rashi (Yoma 67b) עוזא ועזאל - מלאכי חבלה שירדו לארץ בימי נעמה אחות תובל קין ועליהם נאמר ויראו בני האלהים את בנות האדם (בראשית ו׳:ב׳) כלומר על העריות מכפר:

Maharsha (Yoma 67b) עזא ועזאל כו'. פרש"י מלאכי חבלה שירדו כו' ועליהן נאמר ויראו בני האלהים את בנות וגו' ע"ש וכה"ג פרש"י במס' נדה פ' האשה גבי סיחון ועוג אחי הוו בני שמחזאי כו' וקרא נקט הני שאפשר שהם היו עיקר:

Ritva (Yoma 67b) על מעשה עזה ועזאל. פרש״י ז״ל שני מלאכי חבלה שירדו לארץ בימי נעמה אחות תובל קין ועליהם נאמר ויראו בני האלקים את בנות האדם ע״כ. ולזה רמז הרמב״ן ז״ל בפי׳ התורה שלו במה שכתב הנפילים היו בארץ שאמר ז״ל שהענין ההוא מתפרש במסכת יומא:

Otzar Medrashim אגדת עוזא ועזאל נזכרת בגמרא בשם דבי ר׳ ישמעאל אמרו, עזאזל היא שעיר המשתלח מכפר על מעשה עוזא ועזאל (יומא ס״ז:), ופירש״י מלאכי חבלה שירדו לארץ בימי נעמה אחות תובל קין ועליהם נאמר ויראו בני האלהים אה בנות האדם כי טובות הנה וגו', כלומר על העריות מכפר. ועזאל הוא קיצור מעזאזל, והוא מדרש בדברים רבה (בסוף): אמרה (נשמה של משה) לפניו, רבש״ע מֵאֵצֶל שכינתך ממרום ירדו שני מלאכים עוזא ועזאל וחמדו בנות ארצות והשחיתו דרכם על הארץ עד שתלית אותן בין הארץ לרקיע (עי׳ זהר בראשית נ״ה ע״א). ושעיר העזאזל בא לכפר על מעשי עוזא ועזאל שהיו מתעים בני אדם בתאות המשגל והעריות, ואפשר שזה הטעם שקורין פרשת עריות ביוה״כ למנחה. במדרש אבכיר נזכרת האגדה בשם שמחזאי ועזאל, והובאה גם בילקוט שמעוני על הפסוק ויראו בני האלהים וגו׳.

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Madison Cawthorn photos reveal him wearing women’s lingerie in public setting

 https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/22/madison-cawthorn-photos-00027286

 Cawthorn, who was paralyzed from the waist down as a passenger in a car accident in Florida in 2014, in recent months has called Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy a “thug,” suggested teetotaling Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has a drinking problem, and racked up a collection of traffic transgressions including speeding, driving with expired tags and driving with a revoked license. He has court dates in May and June.

Kuzari wasn't familiar with Yerushalmi?

 אמת ליעקב ויקרא פרק טז פסוק יז

עיין תוס' מנחות [דף ק"ט ע"ב ד"ה נזדמן וכו'] שהביאו מהירושלמי ד"וכל אדם" היינו אפילו המלאכים [וע"כ צריך לפרש הכי שהרי כל עבודות היום הן בכה"ג, וא"כ אסור לכל אדם להכנס בכדי לאהל מועד4], והרי מוכח מכאן שהמלאכים מצויין היו בבית המקדש. ועיין בכוזרי [מ"א סי' ק"ט] שחפשו הקול יהודה והאוצר נחמד מקור למה שכתב כי השכינה והמלאכים היו ביניהם, ולא מצאו סמך מפורש בנוגע למלאכים, ולפמש"כ שפיר מוכח מהירושלמי הנ"ל, והוא מוכרח מהמקרא, ודו"ק.


Matt Gaetz Mulls Jim Jordan as New GOP Leader Following McCarthy Audio Leak

 https://www.newsweek.com/matt-gaetz-jim-jordan-gop-leader-kevin-mccarthy-donald-trump-1700297

 Representative Matt Gaetz appeared to mull Representative Jim Jordan as a possible replacement for House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy following the release of audio where McCarthy said he was considering advising then-President Donald Trump to resign.

Thursday, April 21, 2022

Turn the other cheek?

 

Lamentations (3:30) Let him offer his cheek to the smiter; Let him be surfeited with mockery.

Palgei Mayim יתן למכהו וגומר. כיון שיאמין שהכל מהקב"ה לא יקשה עליו מאומה משום יסורין:

Ben Yehoyada (Sanhedrin 91a)אָמַר לֵיהּ: אִם אַתָּה עוֹשֶׂה כֵּן, רוֹפֵא אֻמָּן תִּקָּרֵא, וְשָׂכָר הַרְבֵּה תִּטֹּל. נראה לי בס"ד על דרך מה שאמר הכתוב יִתֵּן לְמַכֵּהוּ לֶחִי יִשְׂבַּע בְּחֶרְפָּה (איכה ג, ל) וכתבו המפרשים ז"ל הכונה שלפעמים ימצא פוגע עכו"ם בישראל וסוטרו על לחייו, הנה כל זה נעשה לטובת ישראל והיינו שהיה באותו ישראל חלק רע הראוי לאותו עכו"ם והיה באותו עכו"ם חלק טוב שהוא ראוי לאותו ישראל ובאותה הכאה שסוטרו על לחייו יוצא אותו חלק הרע מישראל ונכנס בעכו"ם ויוצא חלק הטוב מן עכו"ם ונכנס באותו ישראל. וזהו שנאמר יִתֵּן הישראל לְמַכֵּהוּ זה העכו"ם לֶחִי לסוטרו אז אותו העכו"ם יִשְׂבַּע בְּחֶרְפָּה שיקבל חלק הרע מישראל ויוצא ממנו חלק טוב ונמצא הוא שבע בחרפה הוא הרע וכנזכר בגורי האר"י ז"ל.

Wednesday, April 20, 2022

Jared Kushner’s Saudi Scam Is the Swampiest Thing He’s Ever Done

 https://newrepublic.com/article/166137/jared-kushner-mbs-saudi-corruption

The latest incident of the Trump coterie casting new light on previously routine corruption in Washington came earlier this month, courtesy not of Trump himself but of his oleaginous son-in-law. Last week, The New York Times broke the news that Jared Kushner had successfully landed billions in Saudi funding for his new private equity firm. While the deal itself may appear predictable—Kushner is hardly the only Washington insider to be showered in Saudi funding—the details were staggering and point directly to the rot at the heart not only of the broader Trump machine but of the entire edifice of Washington influence-peddling writ large.

Corruption

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption#:~:text=Corruption%20is%20a%20form%20of,power%20for%20one%27s%20personal%20gain.

Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted with a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption may involve many activities which include bribery and embezzlement, and it may also involve practices which are legal in many countries.[1] Political corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain. Corruption is most common in kleptocracies, oligarchies, narco-states, and mafia states.[citation needed]

Tuesday, April 19, 2022

Putin demands Russia gain control of Jerusalem church as promised

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-704490

Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded that Israel grant his country control of the Alexander Courtyard in Jerusalem as the previous Israeli government had promised, in a letter delivered to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Sunday.

Putin’s letter came barely a day after the Foreign Ministry in Moscow slammed Foreign Minister Yair Lapid for accusing Russia of war crimes in Ukraine, saying that Israel is using Ukraine to cover up for its own conflict with the Palestinians. The Russian Foreign Ministry also summoned Israeli Ambassador Alexander Ben Zvi for a reprimand on Sunday.

Transferring the ownership of the church land could cause diplomatic trouble for Israel at a time when its Western allies have been sanctioning Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.