Kli Yakar (Bereishis 1:1) Rabbi Yitschak said, "It was not necessary to begin the Torah, etc. but rather so that the nations should not say, 'you are thieves, etc.'" And it is difficult; and what about it, if they will say, "you are thieves," and because of this, the order of the Torah should be changed? The answer to this is that this matter brings heresy to the world, since they will say, "there is no law and no Judge" in the world and 'whoever is strongest prevails;' since if the world had a Ruler, who sets up its matters - it comings and goings - why did He not protest against you when you took by force - by way of theft - the lands of the seven Canaanite nations? Since it is for this reason that the judgment of the generation of the flood was not sealed except on account of theft, as it is stated (Proverbs 28:24), "One who steals from his father and mother and says 'it is not a transgression' is the companion of a destructive person;" since the reason this sin is greater than others is not because of the sin itself, but rather because of the evil that comes out of it; as the sinner who steals does not place guilt upon himself and says, "there is no transgression, since there is no God that judges in the world;" and therefore he is the companion of a destructive person, which means to say, he is a companion of the generation of the flood, as it is stated about them (Genesis 6:12), "since all flesh destroyed its way," since they also denied a principle of faith and said (Job 21:15), "What is the Omnipotent, that we should serve Him, etc." And this is what [brought] them to practice extortion and theft in the world. And because the prevention of theft is fundamental to all of faith, therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, made it come early and warned about it in the first commandment of (Exodus 12:2), "This month will be for you;" as over there, it is stated (Exodus 12:21), "And bring close and acquire for yourselves sheep," meaning from yours, and not from stolen ones; so explained the Ba'al HaTurim. And so too, Yitschak, when he commanded two kid goats to be brought to him, to make from them a Pesach sacrifice, he said (Genesis 27:3), "And hunt for me venison;" Rashi explained, from what is unowned and not from what is stolen, but since Esav's heart was not like that, it appeared to him that he could rather "hunt venison to bring," even from what is stolen; hence G-d caused that he should not bring it, but rather that Ya'akov should do so, as he was careful about theft. So too, the ox that Adam sacrificed, the Sages say that it had one horn on its forehead; to show that Adam too was one 'horn' in the world - meaning to say that he was by himself in the world - and did not steal from any creature; therefore, his sacrifice was accepted. And all this is in order to push away theft and robbery which brings heresy and apostasy.
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Parents of Michigan School Shooter Ethan Crumbley Sentenced to 10-15 Years in Prison
“These convictions were not about poor parenting,” said Judge Cheryl Matthews. “These convictions convey repeated acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train.”
Biden's Criticism of Israel Ignites Backlash From Republicans
https://www.newsweek.com/bidens-criticism-israel-ignites-backlash-republicans-1888738
A handful of Republican lawmakers have denounced President Joe Biden for criticizing Israel's handling of the war in Gaza, as some Democrats continue pressing him to shift his own approach to the six-month conflict.
Unmasking Lead Lurking in Herbal Medicine
https://scitechdaily.com/natures-betrayal-unmasking-lead-lurking-in-herbal-medicine/
An article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) highlights a case of lead toxicity from Ayurvedic medicines in a young woman, and the complexity in diagnosing the rare condition.
Biden urges Israel ‘to just call for’ 6-8 week ceasefire, slams PM’s handling of Gaza war
The Univision interview was taped last Wednesday — two days after the IDF’s deadly strike on a World Central Kitchen convoy and a day before Biden held a call with Netanyahu during which he reportedly threatened to cease support of Israel during the war unless Jerusalem made major changes to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Biden: I think what Netanyahu is doing is a mistake
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388226
Asked on Friday if he had threatened to stop the aid to Israel, the President would only reply, “I asked them to do what they’re doing.
Australia: Shocking details emerge of assault by pro-Palestinian activists
Two pro-Palestinian activists in Australia were charged on Tuesday with kidnapping and assaulting a victim for the perceived crime of being employed by a Jew.
Arizona bombshell tests Trump's abortion gamble
Why it matters: The swing-state ruling delivered a massive political gift to Democrats, who could not have asked for better timing to highlight the consequences of Trump's abortion position.
"This ruling is a result of the extreme agenda of Republican elected officials who are committed to ripping away women's freedom," President Biden said in a statement.
"This is what leaving it to the states looks like," tweeted Biden campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa.
US woman who stole Ashley Biden's diary sentenced to a month in prison
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68776262
Ashley Biden stored a diary and other items at a house that she had stayed at in Delray Beach, Florida, in 2020.
The property's owner later allowed Harris to stay at the house. She found Ms Biden's items and, along with a co-defendant, Robert Kurlander, attempted to sell the diary to Donald Trump's presidential campaign.
When the Trump campaign didn't bite, the pair approached Project Veritas.
Kurlander has also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at a later date.
As part of its investigation into the charges, FBI agents searched the homes of Project Veritas founder James O'Keefe and two employees. Mr O'Keefe and Project Veritas have not been charged in the case, and Mr O'Keefe later left the organisation.
Democrats Play Into Hamas’s Hands
https://www.wsj.com/articles/democrats-play-into-hamass-hands-israel-war-weapons-c079fb94
The latest sunshine ally is Nancy Pelosi. The former House Speaker joined a letter signed by 40 House Democrats urging President Biden to stop transferring weapons to Israel. In the wake of the mistaken bombing on a relief convoy, the Members write, “we strongly urge you to reconsider your recent decision to authorize the transfer of a new arms package to Israel, and to withhold this and any future offensive arms transfers until a full investigation into the airstrike is completed.”
You’d think the U.S. never made a mistake that killed civilians in wartime. They ignore the Hellfire missile attack that killed seven children as the U.S. sought to avenge the deaths of 13 Americans in Kabul as Mr. Biden pulled U.S. forces from Afghanistan in 2021.
Who tried to steal the election?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/09/settlement-new-york-robocalls-black-voters/
Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman, who have a history of concocting conspiracy theories to try to smear Democrats, were found liable last March of orchestrating a robocall campaign that reached about 5,500 predominantly Black New Yorkers in the summer of 2020. Targeted voters received automated calls — purportedly from a “civil rights organization” founded by Wohl and Burkman called “Project 1599” — that sought to dissuade them from mail-in voting.
Wohl and Burkman have also been charged in other states for launching similar robocall schemes targeting Black voters in 2020. In 2022, an Ohio judge ordered the pair to each pay a $2,500 fine and to work 500 hours registering voters in Washington. Wohl and Burkman have also been charged with felonies in Michigan for targeting predominantly Black voters in Detroit with the same robocalls.
Donald Trump Faces Backlash for Comments on Black and Jewish Voters
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-faces-backlash-comments-black-jewish-voters-1888693
Former President Donald Trump is facing backlash after offering his opinions on why Jewish and Black voters largely favor Democratic political candidates.
During an interview with right-wing radio host Wayne Allyn Root on Monday, Trump argued that "any Jewish person" who votes for President Joe Biden "does not love Israel" and "should be spoken to." He then suggested that most Black and Jewish voters choose Biden and other Democratic candidates because they have "a bad habit."
"Any Jewish person who votes for Biden does not love Israel and frankly should be spoken to," Trump told Root, who once described himself as a Jewish convert to evangelical Christianity. "He is totally on the side of the Palestinians and frankly it's incredible that, historically, Jewish people vote for Democrats."
"Maybe its just a bad habit when you vote for a Democrat," he added. "A lot of its habit. Jewish people, by habit, they vote for the Democrats. And Black people, by habit, vote for the Democrats."
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Do Arab American and Muslim voters really want to elect Trump in November?
The Oct. 7 attack and the Israel-Hamas War has been so personal, so emotionally wounding for anyone with a stake in it, as to leave no space to consider “the lesser of two evils.” Of course, that is the only choice that the Middle East ever offers. Unless Biden abandons Israel, which is not going to happen, the Abandon Biden Arab and Muslim Americans may simply be emotionally unable to support him. If they write in “uncommitted” or stay home in November, and the Michigan presidential race is tight, they could hand the presidency back to Trump.
Before the Abandon Biden groups punish Biden, they should think long and hard about who will really suffer if that happens.
US has seen no evidence that Israel has committed genocide, Austin says
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Tuesday rebuffed arguments that Israel is committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, saying he’s seen no evidence to suggest it.
“We don’t have any evidence of genocide being [committed]” by Israel in Gaza, Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee during a budget hearing, where his testimony was interrupted several times by protesters.