9 Dead, At Least 300 Injured After Second Wave of Device Explosions in Lebanon

 https://www.newsweek.com/more-wireless-devices-hezbollah-explode-beirut-lebanon-1955747

Reports say that the second day of the attack included devices like handheld, walkie-talkie portable radios and solar equipment, rather than pagers—the devices involved in the previous wave of explosions.

Netziv:Why Rikva couldn't communicate with Yitzchok

Netziv(Bereishis 24:64): And Rivkah lifted her eyes – and she saw Yitzchok while he was still praying and he was at that moment like an angel of G‑d – extremely awesome. and she fell off her camel – Because of her great fear and awe. However she did not know who she was afraid of. If she had been sitting with Eliezer the servant on the same camel and she had been sitting behind him then she would have relaxed when she would have seen the man go and greet the servant and seen them talking together like all men. Then eventually when she would have been informed who it was – her fear would already have dissipated. But since she was sitting together with Eliezer she didn’t wait – but asked immediately who it was out of great fear. Who is that man - that makes me agitated and frightened? We see in Bereishis Rabbah that the term “that” implies someone fearsome and frightening. Therefore when she heard that it was her husband she took out her veil and covered her face out of her great fear and embarrassment because she realized she wasn’t fit to be his wife. From that moment on that fear was permanently planted in her heart and she was not able to have the relationship with Yitzchok that Sarah had with Avraham and Rachel had with Yaakov. In particular when the others objected to something their husbands had done they were not embarrassed to speak firmly with them.  Rivkah was different. All of this served as a necessary preliminary to the events that would follow in Parshas Toldos when Yitzchok and Rivkah had strongly different views. Nonetheless Rivkah could not find the courage to stand up to Yitzchok and defend her views – even though it was true that Esav was a fraud. The same thing happened at the time of giving the berachos. In fact all of this was the means by which G‑d caused the berachos to be given to Yaakov in this manner as we will explain later. All was done with Divine Providence from the beginning - that Rivkah should arrive when Yitzchok was praying and thus she should see him as an awesome and frightening spectacle – it all happened according to G‑d’s Will.

Who is Wealthy?

 Shabbos (25b) Who is wealthy? Anyone who gets pleasure from his wealth, that is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Tarfon says: A wealthy person is anyone who has one hundred vineyards, and one hundred fields, and one hundred slaves working in them. Rabbi Akiva says: Anyone who has a wife whose actions are pleasant. Rabbi Yosei says: Anyone who has a bathroom close to his table…

Working Reduces Sinning

 Netziv (Haamek Davar Devarim 32:13) G-d established the land of Israel in a special way so that they would not come to sin. And this was primarily against the corruption that was in the second Temple that was the result of baseless hatred. And it is explained in the Tosefta that this was the because of their excessive love of money which was the consequence  of being too involved in commerce. And reality the love of doing business that we find in other countries is typically  either because of the scarcity of livelihood or on the contrary because of idleness when a person has nothing to do. Therefore G-d was good to the Jews and gave them a productive land which required a lot of work. This why the Torah says “He acquired for you a mighty harvest of grain and grapes and you will live securely in your land.” 

Detestable People

 Pesachim (113b) Four types of people cannot be endured by anyone: An arrogant pauper; a wealthy person who denies monetary claims against him; a lecherous old man; and a leader who lords over the community for no cause. And some say: Also one who divorces his wife once and twice and takes her back a third time. He should decide definitively whether or not he wants her.

Not ready for a knee replacement? You might be able to fix your cartilage instead

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/knee-replacement-cartilage-pain-coral-treatment/?itid=hp_better-living-desktop_p003_f002

But why replace a knee if just the cartilage can be repaired instead? That line of thinking has led to new techniques flipping the script on how to mend troublesome knees.

How the Trump Campaign Ran With Rumors About Pet-Eating Migrants—After Being Told They Weren’t True

 https://www.wsj.com/us-news/springfield-ohio-pet-eating-claims-haitian-migrants-04598d48?mod=hp_lead_pos7

That night, Nathan Clark—the father of Aiden, the boy who had been killed in the bus crash—spoke during the public-comment portion of the Springfield City Commission meeting. Visibly shaking, he referenced GOP politicians, including Vance, and said they had used his son’s death “for political gain.”

“I wish that my son Aiden Clark was killed by a 60 year-old white man,” he said. “I bet you never thought anyone would ever say something so blunt.” 

Microsoft says Russian operatives are ramping up attacks on Harris campaign with fake videos

 https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/17/politics/microsoft-russian-operatives-harris/index.html

Russia’s preferences for the presidential race haven’t shifted since 2020 or 2016, when Moscow conducted a range of influence operations aimed at denigrating Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, respectively, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Tzadik - Why Rich or Poor?

 Lekutei Moharan (200:1) The reason the tzaddikim of today are rich whereas in previous times most of them were poor and poverty stricken, is hinted at in the Mishnah: Whoever fulfills the Torah in poverty, will ultimately fulfill it in wealth. For the tzaddikim of today are the very same tzaddikim that lived in previous times—in the mystery of reincarnation. They already fulfilled the Torah in poverty, and therefore now merit to fulfill it in wealth. 

Wealth required for Torah Understanding

 Lekutei Moharan (060:1)Know! there are paths of Torah that involve very great contemplation, such contemplation that can be attained only by means of wealth. Just as with the Torah’s elementary interpretations, “If there is no bread, there is no Torah”, and at the very least one must have a livelihood, so too, for this contemplation, which is very great, a person must have very great wealth. One must possess bounteous riches from which nothing is lacking, since this contemplation requires having all the wealth of the world…

G-d gave Israel to Jews

 Ibn Ezra (Shemos 03:22) And of her that sojourns in her house. For the Jews owned land. Some complain and say that our ancestors were thieves. Can’t these murmurers see that this was a command from on high? There is no sense in asking why? G-d created everything. He gives riches to whom He desires to give it, and when He wishes to, He takes the very same riches away. There is no evil in this, as everything is His.

Honoring the Wealthy

 Eruvin (86a) Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi would honor the wealthy, and Rabbi Akiva would likewise honor the wealthy.

Koheles (10:20) Don’t revile a king even among your intimates. Don’t revile a rich man even in your bedchamber; For a bird of the air may carry the utterance, And a winged creature may report the word.

Sprituality and Wealth

 Akeidas Yitzchak (69:1)Being given the land of Israel and all the material wealth that this entailed, was a prerequisite for Israel to attain its spiritual objectives both nationally and individually. Cleaving to one's piece of land as a basis for one's financial security therefore, became very important. Pious people's habit of jealously guarding what is rightfully theirs, is understandable for that very reason. Also, the Torah seems especially protective about the material wealth of religious leaders. The reason is to shield them against temptation to acquire wealth by dubious means…

 Sotah (22b) King Jannai said to his wife, Fear not the Pharisees and the non-Pharisees but the hypocrites who ape the Pharisees; because their deeds are the deeds of Zimri but they expect a reward like Phineas.