Protean Masculinity, Hegemonic Masculinity

 https://www.jstor.org/stable/26567846#:~:text=Hegemonic%20masculinity%20in%20Nazi%20Germany,body%2C%20mind%2C%20and%20psyche.

Hegemonic masculinity in Nazi Germany, as well as in many militarized societies around the globe, meant physical, emotional, and moral “hardness.” The ideal man, embodied by the soldier, was tough and aggressive, in control of his body, mind, and psyche. He did not hesitate to sacrifice life and limb on behalf of the Fatherland, or to subordinate his individuality under the command of a conformist group of comrades. Whereas many scholars have already stressed these features of hegemonic masculinity, this article argues that the act of soldiering provided men with a male identity that was ultimately not defined by the repudiation, but rather integration, of what was (and is) often coded as feminine. In the social practice of male interaction, diversity and flexibility were needed, thus allowing for the display of femininely coded behavior like affection, tenderness, empathy, caring, and tolerance toward emotional breakdowns and moments of weakness in their midst. Thanks to its inclusive nature, such “protean” masculinity enabled different types of soldier-men to establish male identities; it also allowed them to switch among different emotional and moral states without losing their manliness. Yet, this was true only if the predominance of hardness was respected. Eventually, protean masculinity integrated diverse men and diverse emotional and moral conditions into a fighting unit, and, in the case of the Third Reich, into a genocidal society

Trump told Netanyahu he wants Gaza war over by time he enters office - Israel's friend?

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-told-netanyahu-he-wants-gaza-war-over-by-time-he-enters-office-sources/

The message was first conveyed when the Republican presidential nominee hosted the Israeli premier at his Florida Mar-a-Lago resort in July, according to a former Trump administration official and an Israeli official.

While Trump has publicly confirmed having told Netanyahu that he wants Israel to win the war quickly, the sources speaking to The Times of Israel are the first to reveal that a timeline was attached to that request.

The former US official stressed that Trump wasn’t specific in his appeal to Netanyahu and could well back “residual” IDF activity in Gaza, so long as Jerusalem has officially ended the war.

Freud Did Not Discover the Unconscious

 https://scholars-stage.org/freud-did-not-discover-the-unconscious/

The discovery that a dramatic amount of mental processing occurs outside our awareness is generally credited to Sigmund Freud (1856– 1939). However, this is a myth, crafted in large part by Freud himself. As noted by the historian and philosopher Marcel Gauchet, “When Freud declares, in substance, that prior to psychoanalysis the mind was systematically identified with consciousness, we have to declare this statement rigorously false.” 

Crude talk and the NFL: Trump doubles down on his lead with male voters

 https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/10/21/trump-macho-man-appeal/75776773007/

Young men are particularly unreliable voters. In the 2020 election, 55% of women age 18-29 voted compared to 44% of men, according to an analysis by the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University.

Getting them to cast ballots in high enough numbers could be a challenge, and Trump's campaign is facing questions from political observers about the strength of its get-out-the-vote operation, much of which has been outsourced to third-party groups. A super PAC financed by entrepreneur Elon Musk is leading part of the effort.

US presidential election updates: Polls show historic gender split between Trump and Harris voters

 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/25/us-presidential-election-trump-harris-updates

Donald Trump has been working tirelessly to win over male voters and by some measures his efforts appear effective, but it may have come at the cost of female support. According to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll, Trump is besting Kamala Harris among men by 53% to 37%, while the Democratic candidate is winning among women 53% to 36%.

A Special Monologue for the Republican in Your Life

"G-d does miracles even for the irreligious" - Criticism of the views of the Satmar Rebbe

One of the major theological controversies in recent years has been the validity of the Satmar Rebbe's claim that the Six Day War victory was ma'aseh Satan and whether miracles only happen to frum people. [There is of course Rav Moshe's teshuva (Y.D. 4:8.2) regarding the miracle of Entebbe which clearly disagrees with the Satmar. ] But there is a little known or  remembered event that happened shortly after the Six Day War which clearly defined the basis of dispute. This is the version I heard from Rabbi Gavriel Beer - a life long Aguda askan - who was there.

As is well known by now, the mood leading up to the Six Days War was very gloomy. Many in Israeli and in the Diaspora were anticipating a war which would be very costly in life - both for the soldiers and civilian population. The more optimistic view was that Israel would take a harsh beating but would survive. There is no need to mention the pessimistic view.

But when the guns were silent after the incredibly short war in June 1967, Israelis discovered that not only had they survived but they had soundly thrashed the massive armies of the surrounding Arab countries and in addition had acquired the West Bank - which included the Old City of Jerusalem and the location of the Temple. Everyone seemed to say it was an open miracle. There was one major dissenting voice - the Satmar Rebbe - who insisted that it was not only not a miracle but the victory was in fact the work of Satan. He emphatically stated that miracles don't happen for the Zionist  - especially to support the theological crime known as the State of Israel.

Several months later at the annual Aguda Convention, this astounding event was the central topic of discussion  Speaker after speaker spoke on the topic and the gedolim were clearly divided on whether to agree or disagree with the Satmar position. One of those who publicly agreed with the Satmar view was Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky.

At the Melava Malka that weekend, the keynote speaker was Rav Itchie Meyer Levin - the Gerrer Rebbe's son-in-law. He of course spoke about the topic. After some introductory comments he made the following observation. "Not so long ago the Jewish people suffered the horrible loss of 6  million Jews in the Holocaust. When we went to the gedolim for an explanation we were told that we must be silent and accept this because it was G-d's will. Now we were just faced with another possible holocaust in the Land of Israel but the Jews were saved this time. We hear gedolim who say that these millions who were saved were saved by Satan. How is that when it comes to the death of Jews it is G-d's work but when it comes to rescuing them from death it is Satan? It can't be."

In response, Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky quickly wrote a note which he sent to be read from the podium. It said, "I want to publicly retract my previous statement supporting the view of the Satmar Rebbe and say that now I agree fully with what Rabbi Levin just stated." 

Rabbi Beer noted that this was Rav Yaakov's greatness. His only concern was truth and he wasn't afraid to publically admit that he had erred.

======================
Igros Moshe(Y.D. 4:8.2):Concerning the matter of the Jews who were hijacked in Uganda and then were saved by [Israeli] soldiers who went to Uganda. It is reasonable that this should be considered an open miracle. That is because in the normal course of events it would not be possible that such a thing be successful. Whatever is done in the world is only by the hand of G‑d – whether it is for the good or whether it is – G‑d forbid - ! the opposite. He causes the blow and the cure. He caused that these Jews be captured. But He also caused that they were rescued by means of giving these soldiers special courage and motivation so that they were able to save the captives. He also arranged circumstances so the soldiers in fact were successful. Nevertheless the reasons that G‑d did a miracle through sinners are hidden from us. Furthermore it is prohibited for any man to be “wise” and raise question against G‑d’s actions. Rather it is necessary for us to be innocent and accepting whatever G‑d does as it explicity says in the Torah (Devarim 18:13)

Yakov complained about Hard Life and was Punished

 Daas Zekeinim (Bereishis 47:08), “for how many years have you lived thus far?” Pharaoh was probably prompted to ask this unusual question of his guest as he looked as if he was exceedingly old. Yaakov, when replying, did not refer to his having “lived” at all, but described his sojourn on earth as something of a very temporary nature, , “the days of my being a stranger,” as opposed to , “the days of the years the life,” the way the Torah had described the life of his grandmother Sarah at her death, reported in Genesis 23,1. He indicated that as opposed to his forefathers, he had had a very troubled life thus far. This resulted in his features reflecting this. An explanation by the Midrash of this strange sounding conversation between the ruler of the civilized world at the time and Joseph’s father: As soon as Yaakov had uttered the words that his life compared unfavorably with that of his father and grandfather, G–d told him “I have saved you from Esau and Lavan, I restored your daughter Dinah to you, as well as your son Joseph, and you have the nerve to describe your life on earth in negative terms when speaking to Pharaoh? I am now forced to make sure that you did not tell a lie, by shortening your lifespan when compared to that of your father and grandfather. He therefore deducted a year for each of the words in this reply by Yaakov, i.e. 33 words, so that he died at 147 years, 33 years younger than the lifespan of his father who had lived for 180 years

What’s really behind America’s men v women election

 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjr430gry81o

With his almost intuitive grasp of people’s dissatisfactions, Trump has tapped into that male frustration, and in the final weeks of his campaign he has doubled down on masculinity. He reposted a warning on Truth Social claiming “Manhood is Under Attack.” Recently he joked about a famous golfer’s genitalia.

“This is a guy that was all man,” said Trump, referring to golfer Arnold Palmer. “When he took showers with the other pros, they came out of there – they said, ‘Oh my God. That’s unbelievable.’”

Trump took the locker room talk out of the locker room - and his audience loved it. Riffing about penis size at a political rally, it was the ultimate pushback against stifling political correctness.

Nikki Haley Says Trump’s Messaging Is Turning Off Women Voters

 https://www.forbes.com/sites/markjoyella/2024/10/29/nikki-haley-says-trumps-messaging-is-turning-off-women-voters/

Former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley says Donald Trump’s campaign may be alienating women voters in the final days before Election Day. “They need to look at how they’re talking about women,” Haley told Fox News Tuesday night. “This bromance and this masculinity stuff, it borders on edgy to the point that it’s going to make women uncomfortable.”

Donald Trump Is a Clear and Present Danger to American Jews

 https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-clear-present-danger-american-jews-opinion-1976837

People have forgotten the immense rise in antisemitic acts under Trump's administration, the great emboldening of American antisemitism that began long before the student protests on quads across America. The desecration of gravestones around the country. The deaths of Jews trying to celebrate God in Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, 2018. If you're looking for a fuller list of Trump's antisemitic tropes, I recommend reading here.

Donald Trump may support Benjamin Netanyahu, but when the support of the worst of his supporters is on the line, he won't be there for you.

Donald Trump Could Be His Own 'October Surprise,' Analysts Warn

 https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-october-surprise-puerto-rico-joke-1976864

Gustavo Torres, the executive director of Latino advocacy group CASA, told Newsweek in a call with national Latino leaders on Tuesday that Trump's rally would not win him back any votes that he may have lost over the Puerto Rico remarks.

"He needs to apologize to the Puerto Rican community, to the Latino community, and he's not doing that," Torres said. "Even if he apologizes, I guarantee you that the Puerto Rican community, our members in Pennsylvania and in Georgia, are never going to forget."

"I believe that that was the October Surprise for the Latino community," he added. "That is the October Surprise for the Puerto Rican community. And we are going to communicate that every single day from now until November 5."

Abuse - Torah knowledge alone is not sufficient to safeguard society

Rashi(Bamidbar 10:31):And you [Yisro] will be our eyes - This is past tense according to the Targum. Others say it is future tense. Every matter that is concealed from our eyes you will illuminate our eyes.

Ohr HaChaim (Shemos 18:21): Why did Yisro deserved being the source of the information about forming the judicial system - especially when it implies - chas v'shalom - the ignorance of G-d's people prior to his suggestions? It seems that G-d wanted to teach the Jewish people a fundamental lesson for all generations. The lesson being that there are among the nations of the world men of great intelligence and understanding and these nations have awareness of important and valuable information. G-d's intent was to show through Yisro that the election of the Jews was not because their knowledge and insight was greater than other nations. They were not chosen because of their superior wisdom and knowledge. Their election was the result of G-d's supreme kindness and His love of the Patriarchs. This explanation is more appropriate according to the view that Yisro came prior to the Revelation at Sinai. Accordingly G‑d's message was that even though there are amongst the Nations greater wise men than amongst the Jews - the Jews were nevertheless chosen. We are those to praise Him for choosing us because of his Kindness. However, even according to the view that Yisro came after the Revelation at Sinai - a similar lesson can be learned by the fact that Yisro is mentioned in the sequence of events of the Torah prior to the giving of the Torah.

R. S. R. Hirsch (Shemos 18:24): Nothing is so instructive for us, as this information regarding the first legal institution of the Jewish State, coming immediately before the chapter of the law-giving. So little was Moshe in himself a legistlative genius, he had so little talent for organizing that he had to learn the very elements of state from his father-in-law. The man who tired himself out to utter exhaustion and to whom of himself did not occur to arrange this or some similar simple solution, equally beneficial to himself and his people, the man to who it was necessary to have a Jethro to suggest this obvious device,that man could never have given the People constitution and laws out of his own head, that man was only, and indeed just because of this the best and most faithful instrument of G-d.

Here are four campaign promises from Trump. What are their chances if he wins?

 https://www.jpost.com/us-elections/article-826170

During his third campaign, Trump promises tax cuts on Social Security, increased tariffs, mass deportations, and improved California water access, but faces significant challenges.