Was America Safer Under Donald Trump Than Joe Biden?

 https://www.newsweek.com/was-america-safer-under-donald-trump-joe-biden-1881831

President Joe Biden this week touted a "record decrease in crime" after the FBI released its quarterly crime data, sparking criticism from Donald Trump's campaign as he seeks to quell concerns about crime ahead of the November presidential election.

The FBI crime data released on Tuesday showed a drop in nearly every type of crime from the fourth quarter of 2022 to 2023, a victory touted by the White House, which attributed the decline to legislation signed into law by Biden, such as the American Rescue Plan.

Diaspora Jews rally around Eylon Levy, demand his reinstatement

 https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-792984

The group We Are Tov (the Hebrew word for good) launched a petition on Wednesday, calling for the reinstatement of the suspended Government Spokesperson Eylon Levy. 

The petition, made on Change.org, has a goal of 10,000 signatories and has already accumulated over 8,000. 

We Are Tov, addressing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, wrote, “We, the undersigned, urge the Prime Minister's Office to lift the suspension imposed on Eylon Levy, the Israeli Government's spokesman. 

Hostage families blast plans for first Jerusalem Purim parade in 40 years

 https://allisrael.com/hostage-families-blast-plans-for-first-jerusalem-purim-parade-in-40-years

However, the Jerusalem Municipality defended its decision, arguing that this year’s Purim parade would reflect the mood of a nation at war:

“The decision to hold the Adloyada was made with understanding and sensitivity to public discourse, especially the feelings of the families of the hostages, fallen and wounded. Unlike routine Adloyada parades, this event will reflect the current spirit and period. The Adloyada represents the legacy of the fallen, including many from Jerusalem who, in their bravery, instructed us to continue living our lives, which entail both sorrow and joy.

“The event will be dedicated to children, showcasing the courage of our military personnel, evacuees and heroes of the Gaza enclave, while raising awareness about the plight of the hostages."

Fox, Newsmax Losing Patience With GOP’s Biden Hearings

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-newsmax-losing-patience-with-gops-biden-hearings?ref=home

Wednesday’s hearing included testimony from Lev Parnas, a former associate of Rudy Giuliani, who said Republicans’ impeachment push is “predicated on a bunch of false information that is being spread by the Kremlin.”

“Eventually you’ve brainwashed yourself [in]to believing certain things that are not true,” Parnas said of his work with the longtime Trump ally ahead of the 2020 election. “I started thinking [to] myself that this can’t be true. And we were doing something wrong.”

Last month, one of the GOP’s key impeachment witnesses—who said he has ties to Russian intelligence assets—was arrested by the FBI for allegedly lying to the bureau about Biden and his son, Hunter. Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-KY) then tried to claim—despite his past comments—that Alexander Smirnov actually “wasn’t an important part” of his investigation.

Trump Claims 2024 Will Be Rigged, Putting Republican Turnout at Risk

 https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/trump-claims-2024-will-be-rigged-putting-republican-turnout-at-risk-830b213d?mod=hp_lead_pos2

After making years of unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, Donald Trump is dialing up warnings that there could be an even bigger theft this time around, a tactic that threatens to complicate Republican turnout efforts.

“Too Big to Rig.” That is the phrase Trump began unveiling in recent weeks, including in an appearance in Greensboro, N.C. His campaign also has printed signs with the slogan to hand out to supporters. The idea behind the pitch is this: Trump needs a lead so large that no one can take it away.

“We want a landslide,” Trump said at the rally. “We have to win so that it’s too big to rig.”

The line has garnered energetic applause from the Trump faithful, but it presents messaging challenges for Republicans. Even as the former president says the voting process could be rigged, he is urging GOP supporters to participate in it anyway. Trump also needs to woo moderate and swing voters, yet they could be turned off by his drumbeat of election-fraud claims.

Rabbi Eliyahu on war against sexual abuse: ‘Do not be ashamed, this is a holy mission,”

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/387055

Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfat (Safed) and head of the Rabbinical Court for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment in the Haredi-Religious Sector, spoke at a meeting of the Knesset Lobby for the Prevention of Sexual Abuse on the importance of dealing with and fighting sexual offenders.

"I didn't choose to deal with this story of sexual abuse," he shared. "We stumbled upon this, because of the Ezra Sheinberg case, and since then I've seen that it's really a matter of ‘saving lives.’ There is no other way to describe it."

How dangerous is vaping, what is the disposable vape ban and what is the vaping tax?

 https://www.bbc.com/news/health-66784967

Is vaping dangerous?

Vaping is nowhere near as harmful as smoking cigarettes.

But health experts agree that anyone who doesn't smoke should not start vaping.

Children's doctors say vaping may cause long-term damage to young people's lungs, hearts and brains.

The vapour inhaled contains a small amount of chemicals, including the addictive substance nicotine.

More research is needed to fully understand the health effects.

Another issue is that illegal vapes are widely available and are much more likely to contain harmful chemicals or drugs, such as cannabis.

Never start vaping, says girl with lung damage

Vaping and yeshiva world

 https://mishpacha.com/smoke-screen/

The rosh yeshivah shook his head and said, “There have been a lot of cases of this with tall, skinny vapers in Lakewood this year.”

When we heard what Mordy’s rosh yeshivah had said, my husband and I were devastated. If this is such a pervasive problem, why aren’t we doing more to stop it? How did we get to a place where our son, who had been “harmlessly” vaping for the past four years, would end up in the ER with a collapsed lung? But even worse were other questions: Would Levi get it? How addicted was he? While everyone around him vapes constantly, how will he be able to handle that pressure and stay away?

English-language spokesman Eylon Levy said suspended after angering the UK

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/english-language-spokesman-eylon-levy-said-suspended-after-angering-the-uk/

Levy was since suspended and has been at home for more than a week, the report says, noting that he was unlikely to return.

News of his suspension comes on the same day that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bemoaned the fact that Israel had a dearth of spokespeople who could “string two words together” in English.

It also comes following reports earlier in the year that the prime minister’s wife, Sara Netanyahu, was reportedly seeking to have Levy fired over past criticism of the premier, as well as over his participation in protests against the judicial overhaul over the course of last year.

Dozens jailed in France's largest cyberbully case

 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68610123

Twenty-eight people have been jailed for up to 18 months for the harassment of an influencer in France's largest cyberbullying case to date.

Judges found the accused guilty of harassing Magali Berdah, spurred on by a campaign by the French rapper Booba against "thieving influencers".

The court in Paris heard that the harassment had "real consequences" to Ms Berdah's mental health.

Booba is facing a separate trail and denies aggravated harassment.

Trump just showed his endorsement power again. And his weaknesses.

 https://www.politico.com/news/2024/03/20/ohio-illinois-primaries-trump-takeaways-00147967

A number of Democratic incumbents in Illinois were challenged specifically for their positions on the Israel-Hamas war— and all survived easily, despite polls showing Democrats have become less comfortable with supporting Israel in the months since Hamas’ attack.

Biden Apologizes for Saying Black Voters ‘Ain’t Black’ if They’re Considering Trump

 https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7309929059139673041/2271714580922661724

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, apologized Friday afternoon for telling a radio host that black voters torn between voting for him and President Trump “ain’t black,” remarks that ignited a firestorm online.

The remark sparked immediate pushback on social media, with liberal activists and conservatives alike jumping on Mr. Biden, 77, for acting as the arbiter of blackness. His words also exposed wounds among Democrats that date to 2016, when many leaders felt the party took black voters for granted.

Canada to stop arms exports to Israel

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/387019

Canada will end arms exports to Israel, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told the Toronto Star today (Tuesday).

"It is a real thing," Joly said.

The announcement follows the approval by Canada’s parliament on Monday of a motion submitted by the New Democratic Party (NDP) on Palestinian statehood. The motion included calls for an immediate ceasefire to end Israel's military operations in Gaza and to end arms sales to Israel.

The motion was non-binding. Nevertheless, the Trudeau government intends to comply with it. When asked if the measures in the motion should now be considered the government's official position, Joly said it is "clearly the intent of this government."

Divination - when Permissible?

 Chullin (95b) An omen which is not after the form pronounced by Eliezer, Abraham's servant, or by Jonathan the son of Saul, is not considered a divination!

Malbim (Vayikra 19:26) And in what is written in Chulin (95), that every divination which isn’t like that of Eliezer is not prohibited., there is a dispute between the Rambam and the Ravad, and in my opinion also with the Rambam and those who say that the divination of Eliezer and Yonasan were prohibited actions. In fact they were not prohibited actions because they ascribed success to G-d’s providence. Since they knew G-d was with them in this matter they set a sign that G-d would notify them what to do or not to do.  There are a number of similar events described in the gemora and Zohar in which they relied on a sign from G-d and thus they are not prohibited as darchei Emori.

Shoftim (06:36-37) 36. And Gideon said to God, If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said, 37. Behold, I will put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; and if the dew is on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground elsewhere, then shall I know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said.

Netziv (Devarim 18:14): According to our explanation of Temimos as feeling completely secure and not worrying, why does the Torah recommend that one should be temimos and not go to astrologers but yet should consult instead the prophets about the future? The answer is that in general a person’s conduct in this world should be with simple trust in G-d  and not to investigate the future - …. Nevertheless at a time of war when it is not clear what to do and it is a life threatening situations one must search to know what to do. … However it is obvious that at a time when there is no prophet it is necessary to use divination techniques….However not everything that an individual wants to know can he receive answers from a prophet. We see even for Moshe Rabbeinu (Moed Koton 16) that he only learned of the negative comments of Dasan and Aviram because of the messenger but not from his powers of prophecy. So surely this limitation on knowledge is true of other prophets. … .In contrast there is no such limitation for magic and divination which is the result of hidden natural processes and when someone uses them to know that which he needs he is merely using these natural processes which were produced by G-d .

Ohr HaChaim (Devarim 18:14): Jews were given prophets so that they would not be in an inferior to non Jews in terms of knowing the future. Perhaps that was Shaul’s understanding when he made inquiries of a diviner (Shmuel I 28:7) because G-d  did not prohibit using diviners except when there are prophets. However when there are no prophets and there is a need to know diviners can be consulted.

Derashas HaRan (12:16) And if one would ask: if one is forbidden to resort to these signs and is called an augurer if he does so, how are we to understand (Chullin 95b): "Rav would test propitiousness by means of a ferry" if it came towards him, he would see it as a propitious sign. What difference is there between a ferry and a deer crossing one's path? — the answer is: though Rav tested propitiousness by means of a ferry, he did not make his future action entirely dependent upon the result of that test, but only sought some indication of whether he would meet with success; and even if the sign was that he would not, he would not, because of this, abandon his undertaking, knowing as he did that the Blessed One can change everything according to His will. Augury is forbidden only to him who relies upon it implicitly, as is made clear there (Ibid): "And even so [even though the meat in question had been under constant surveillance], Rav did not eat of that meat. Why not, if it had been under constant surveillance? It must be because he had unlawfully resorted to augury and therefore banned to himself the fruits, as it were, of that augury. But did not Rav himself say that any augurer who is not like Eliezer the servant of Abraham and Jonathan the son of Saul is not an augurer?" That is: if he does not rely implicitly upon his augury as did Eliezer the servant of Abraham, who said (Genesis 24:14): "And it will be that maiden to whom I say: 'Hand down your pitcher that I may drink' — and who answers: 'Drink, and I will also give your camels to drink' — she is the one whom You have designated for your servant Isaac," and as Jonathan the son of Saul, who said (I Samuel 14:10): "And if they say thus: 'Come up to us' — then we shall go up, for the L-rd has given them into our hand" — if one does not rely implicitly upon his augury as these did, then he is not considered an augurer. And Rav did not rely implicitly upon his augury but only said: "A ferry is coming towards me — it is a good day for wayfarers." He did not say that if a ferry came towards him he would go, and that if it did not, he would not. 

Shemuel (1 14:08-10) 8. Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over to these men, and we will reveal ourselves to them.9. If they say thus to us, Remain until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up to them.10. But if they say thus, Come up to us; then we will go up; for the Lord has delivered them into our hand; and this shall be a sign to us.

See Rav Sternbuch (1:454) תשובות והנהגות (חלק א' סי' תנד) מפורש בכתוב (דברים יח יג) 'תמים תהיה עם ד' אלקוך', ובפירש"י שם 'התהלך עמו בתמימות ולא תחקור אחר העתידות, ואמנם נראה דיסוד האיסור הוא רק כשתולה עתידו בדבר אחר וכדאיתא בפסחים (קיג:) 'מנין שאין שואלין בכלדאים (חוזי כוכבים) שנאמר 'תמים תהיה עם ד' אלוקיך', וכ"ה בשו"ע יו"ד סי' קע"ט אין שואלין בחוזים בכוכבים ולא בגורלות [וכ' ברמ"א] משום שנאמר תמים תהיה עם ד' אלוקיך ומשמע שהאיסור דוקא כשתולה עתידו בזה ולא בעצם החקירה אחר העתידות, וא"ש לשון הרמ"א באו"ח סי' תרס"ד שכתב 'ואינו ראוי לדרוש ולחקור אחר העתידות כלל, ומשמע שאינו איסור תורה אלא הוא בגדר אינו ראוי וכ"ה בספר חסידים תר"ה דמשמע שם שאינו איסור גמור ורק שומר נפשו ירחק מזה ע"ש. ועיין בהרמב"ן בהשגות לסה"מ עשה ח' שמנה עשה זו דתמים תהיה ביארה וז"ל, 'וענין הצוואה שנייחד לבבנו אילו לבדו יתברך ושנאמין שהוא לבדו עושה הכל וכו', וממנו לבדו נדרוש הבאות מנביאיו או מאנשי חסידיו ר"ל אורים ותומים ולא נבטח מהוברי שמים ולא מזולתם ולא נבטח שיביואו דבריהם עכ"פ אבל אם נשמע דבר מהם נאמר הכל בידי שמים כי הוא משנה מערכת הכוכבים והמזלות כרצונו, ונאמין כשל הבאות תהיינה אלינו כפי התקרבותינו לעבודתו יתברך, ע"ש. ונראה דכל האיסור לבטוח בהם אבל כשינו בוטח בהם אלא רוצה לידע מזלו כדי להתחזק בתשובה ומעש"ט, אינו אסור מן הדין אך מ"מ אין ראוי לעסוק בזה וכמו שביארנו. ועיין ירושלמי שבת (פ"ו ה"ט), שכל המנחש סופו לבא עליו שנא' כי לא נחש ביעקב, קרי לו נחש ומי גרם לו שינצל לפי שבטח בקב"ה, וע"ע נמוק"י סנהדרין סוף פרק ז' ושו"ת הרמב"ן סי' רפ"ב. 

וכן במה שדרשו בספרי מנין שאין שואלין בגורלות שנאמר תמים תהיה עם ד' אלוקיך היינו ג"כ עד"ז כשתולה בגורל" העתידות, אבל כשעושה גורל להכריע בין שני צדדים שאין לו הכרעה שרי. וכעת הראוני ב"כרם שלמה" שציין להפוסקים בנקטו כן, האלף לך שלמה או"ח תס"ב חוו"י סי ס"א, תשובות גאוני קדמאי סי' ס'. ושמעתי מחמי זצ"ל שבכל דבר שהיו לו שני צדדים היה עושה לפי הגורל והיה אומר ד' מנת חלקי וכוסי אתה תומיך גורלי, ושאל לרבינו החזו"א אם מותר, והשיב לא דמותר ואין בזה חשש שאינו מקבל הדברים אלא כעצה. 

וכתבו באחרונים דכיון שישראל אינם תחת המזלות רק בהשגחה מיוחדת מהבורא ית"ש, ולכך אפילו רואים במזלות אי אפשר לסמוך אצלם אלא בההווה ולא בהעתיד, אם כן אף שיכולים לפעמים לכוון ההווה, בישראל אי אפשר בעתידות, ואם הוא מאמין בה' ומתפלל אילו משנה גם מזלו, וכמבואר בשבת (קנו:) וא"כ באופן דאין שואלים לקבל תשובת הרואים כאמיתית לסמוך אל זה אין איסור מדינא.

לכן נראה שאין איסור לשאול ולחקור אצל המסתכל בכף היד, שיש יסוד בזוה"ק פרשת יתרו 'ואתה תחזה' שבגוף האדם בכפות אצבעותיו רמזים למעמדו ולמזלו, מ"מ עליו לידע שאצל עם ישראל הכל תלוי בתפילה ומעשים טובים, וגם נכריות אלו ידיעותיהן לא ברורות ולא מבינות בכף היד לגמרי, ומבלבלות בדברים שהם אמת ושקר יחד, וראוי שלא לשאול בהן כלל רק לסמוך על הקב"ה בעתידו, וברבוי תפלה צדקה ומעשים טובים ירחם עלינו בעולם הזה בבני חיי ומזוני ונזכה לחיי עלום הבא.