One day before Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a decades-long genetic study revealed that explorer Christopher Columbus may have Jewish and Spanish heritage. The report, which says the explorer was born in Valencia, contradicts long-held beliefs that Columbus was Italian and from Genoa. According to the BBC, scientists in Spain are responsible for cracking the genetic bombshell and have been working on it since 2003. They theorize that Columbus hid his Jewish “background to avoid religious persecution.” In 1492, 300,000 Jewish people living in Spain were forced to convert to Catholicism, or else they would be booted from the country. The outlet reports that prior to this DNA discovery, Columbus’s origins have been debated for years, with different theories linking his birth to countries like Poland, Greece, and Scandinavia, to name a few. Researchers used DNA from Columbus’ tomb in Seville, as well as the graves of his son and brother, to conduct their research.
Monday, October 14, 2024
Unprecedented Lebanese drone attack wounds 67 near Binyamina, four in critical condition
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-824417
Two drones were launched toward Israel, but one of the UAVs penetrated deep into Israel, crashing in the Binyamina area. No alarms were activated.
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Rabbi Moshe Feinstein on What Makes America Great
https://thelehrhaus.com/timely-thoughts/rabbi-moshe-feinstein-on-what-makes-america-great/
Therefore, the United States, which established in its Constitution 150 years ago that it will not uphold any faith or any ideology, rather, that each person shall do as he desires, and the regime will see that people do not molest one another, is carrying out God’s will. It is for that reason that they have succeeded and become great in our times.
Captured documents reveal Hamas’s broader ambition to wreak havoc on Israel
Dozens of pages found by Israeli troops in Gaza detail a potential Hamas plan far bigger than the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, and show how militant leaders wanted Iranian funds and training.
They Came to Florida for a Slice of Paradise. Now They Are Packing Their Bags
Some Floridians are reaching a breaking point. For decades, the state has beckoned as something of a magical destination—a sunny escape for retirees and others seeking affordable waterfront living. But the parade of climate disasters, along with soaring home costs, skyrocketing home-insurance premiums and some of the highest inflation rates in the nation, is undermining that appeal. On Friday night, close to two million people were still without power and the state was just beginning to dig out of a wide swath of damage.
We watched 20 Trump rallies. His racist, anti-immigrant messaging is getting darker.
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/12/trump-racist-rhetoric-immigrants-00183537
His rhetoric has veered more than ever into conspiracy theories and rumors, like when he amplified false claims about Haitian immigrants in Ohio eating pets. And Trump has demonized minority groups and used increasingly dark, graphic imagery to talk about migrants in every one of his speeches since the Sept. 10 presidential debate, according to a POLITICO review of more than 20 campaign events. It’s a stark escalation over the last month of what some experts in political rhetoric, fascism, and immigration say is a strong echo of authoritarians and Nazi ideology.
Trump Campaign Responds to Mark Milley Reportedly Calling Him 'Fascist'
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-campaign-responds-mark-milley-calling-him-fascist-1968056
"He is the most dangerous person ever. I had suspicions when I talked to you about his mental decline and so forth, but now I realize he's a total fascist. He is now the most dangerous person to this country," Milley, who was nominated by Trump to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2018 and served in the role from 2019 to 2023, reportedly told Woodward.
Friday, October 11, 2024
When It is Medically Required to Eat on Yom Kippur
https://vinnews.com/2022/10/03/when-it-is-medically-required-to-eat-on-yom-kippur/
FOODS
Ideally, one should try to space them every nine minutes.
The view of Rav Chaim Na-eh for food is 8 minutes (See Shiurei Torah 3:15).
Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l writes (Igros Moshe OC IV #41) that b’dieved – in a case of need, they should have a gap of 4 minutes between them.
LIQUIDS
In regard to liquids one should shoot for a nine minute gap, but if not – a four minute gap.
If this is not possible, then, for liquids, one should try to fulfill the view of the Chasam Sofer (Responsa Volume VI #23) of a gap of at least two minutes.
The timing is based on the concept of the eating of a Pras – four eggs. The Mishna Brurah writes 618:20 that the shiur for this is nine minutes. These are the main views
Truth and Halacha
Rav Moshe Feinstein(Igros Moshe Y.D. 3:92): Our Sages describe the opposing views of halachic debate as both being “the words of the living G‑d.” This means that Torah study of the diverse views of Sages inherently does not contain something which is not true. Thus the opposing views of Beis Shammai and Beis Hillel are both true. This rule applies also to the disputes of R’ Eliezer and all the Tannaim and Amoraim. All of them were given from One Shepherd. Thus it was not untrue when the Heavenly Bas Kol announced that the Halacha was in accord with R’ Eliezer. His words were inherently true - even though in this world we decide practical Halacha on the basis of majority decision. Because of the inherent truth of all views of our sages, we say the blessing “Who gave to us the Torah of truth” even if we are only learning the views that have been rejected from practical Halacha such as Beis Shammai or minority opinions.
The miraculous rebirth of Benjamin Netanyahu
https://www.politico.eu/article/miraculous-rebirth-benjamin-netanyahu-israel-palestine-war/
A year ago, Benjamin Netanyahu’s long career at the top of Israeli politics looked like it was over. His government’s catastrophic failure to prevent the Oct. 7 attacks meant the only thing keeping him in office as prime minister, amid surging public grief and anger, was the need for stability in an emergency.
..Twelve months on, he has recovered his standing after ordering a series of audacious attacks on Iran-backed Hezbollah targets. The remote detonating of thousands of pagers and the assassination of the group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah, stunned observers around the world and boosted his popularity at home.
Thursday, October 10, 2024
Kremlin refutes Trump denial on sending Putin COVID tests
https://www.axios.com/2024/10/09/trump-putin-covid-testing-equipment-kremlin
Woodward reported in his book that during the early days of the pandemic, Trump sent scarcely available COVID-19 testing machines for the Russian leader's personal use.
Woodward also reported that Trump and Putin have had "as many as seven" personal conversations since Trump left office in 2021.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said Tuesday that the allegations were "made up stories" and called Woodward "a truly demented and deranged man."
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Torah starts with Bereishis - Why?
Chasam Sofer (Derasha to Simchas Torah page 57b #11) asks why did the goyim object that the Jews took the land away from the Seven Nations by military conquest. After all isn't this the normal way all people take land away from it current inhabitants. So why should the Jews be considered thieves more than any other nation? An explanation is that all the ancient people believed that each people had a spiritual representative in Heaven and who provided them with a homeland. The ancient people believed that G-d was just one of the national spiritual representatives and He was the representative of the Jews. They also firmly believed that G-d did not work in the normal natural manner but rather everything that He did was through miracles in a supernatural way. Consequently when they saw that the Jews were conquering the Land of Israel in a natural manner – rather than through miracles – they accused the Jews of unlawful seizure of the land and said that they were no more than thieves. That is because they knew that G-d only worked through miracles. It was to counter this mistaken understanding that the Torah begins with the story of G-d creating the world. This showed that G-d also works in a natural manner. If the Torah started with the Redemption of Egypt, that would serve to reinforce the mistaken view that G‑d only works through miracles. Therefore now that the Torah begins with Bereishis, the Jews were able to explain that they were not thieves. They conquered the Land of Israel in a normal manner through war, because G‑d wanted a natural conquest of the land rather than a miraculous conquest. However in truth this requirement of a natural conquest was not arbitrary but was the result of the sin of the Golden Calf and the breaking of the Tablets as is well known.
Rishonim are viewed as infallible - but Rambam erred?
Emes l'Yakov Bereishis (01:01) אבל כפי שאנחנו מתייחסים לדברי הראשונים שסוברים אנו בגדר של אלו ואלו דברי אלקים חיים א"כ אף על פי שבמקום זה אין הלכה כמותו אבל שיהיו דבריו דברי טעות לא יכולתי להשלים, ואם טעה הרמב"ם בהלכות יסודי התורה מדוע לא יטעה בהלכות שבת וכדומה?
והנראה בזה, דהנה לכאורה יש לתמוה על כל הענינים שכתב הרמב"ם בארבעת הפרקים הראשונים של הלכות יסודי התורה, הא כתב הרמב"ם בסוף הלכות אלו [פ"ד הלי"ג] וז"ל: ועניני ארבעה פרקים אלו הם שחכמים הראשונים קוראין אותו פרדס וכו', ובחגיגה [דף י"א ע"ב] איתא: אין דורשין במעשה בראשית כו' ולא במרכבה ביחיד אא"כ היה חכם ומבין בדעתו וכו', וא"כ בודאי לא נכתבו עניינים אלו אלא נמסרו בעל פה מפה לאוזן, וא"כ איך כתבן הרמב"ם בחיבורו ופירסמם לכל, ובפרט שהרמב"ם עצמו [בפ"ד הל"י] הביא הדין הזה שאין דורשין בדברים האלו ברבים וכו', וא"כ מדוע כתבן בספרו?
ובעל כרחנו אנו צריכין לומר שמה שמסר לנו הרמב"ם בפרקים אלו אין זה לא מעשה מרכבה ולא מעשה בראשית, אלא כתב כל הד' פרקים אלה מדעתו הרחבה מתוך ידיעות בחכמות חיצוניות, כלומר שלא מחכמת התורה, אלא הרי זה פיליסופיא בעלמא - ונאמר שכבר השיג עליו הגר"א ביו"ד סי' קע"ט סקי"ג שהפיליסופיא הטתו ברוב לקחה ועיי"ש, והרמב"ם כתב פרקים אלו רק בתור הקדמה לספר יד החזקה, ועיקר הספר מתחיל מפרק ה': כל בית ישראל מצווין על קידוש השם וכו', ואין לדמות טעויות בהלכות אלו לטעויות בהלכות שבת וכדומה, ודו"ק.
Emes l'Yakov Bereishis (01:01) According to our common understanding that the Rishonim are infallible. Even though only one view is regarded as halacha but the opposing view is not viewed as mistaken. So if the Rambam was mistaken in this matter of the nature of the heavenly bodies perhaps he was mistaken in hilchos Shabbos and other halachos?!
To answer this difficulty it must be noted that the Rambam states (Yesodei HaTorah (04:13) That the first four chapters in Mishna Torah are typically considered Pardes such as Meisa Bereishis and that our Sages (Chagiga 13a) prohibited public discussion of these matters. So why did the Rambam include them in his sefer which was meant for the masses!? We are forced to conclude that what the Rambam wrote in these first four chapters is not actually Pardes but his personal views based on philosophy and his own analysis. As is noted by the Vilna Gaon. In fact the fifth chapter is the actual beginning of the Torah viewpoint. Thus the material in the first four chapters can be mistaken while later chapters regarding halacha are infallible.