https://www.newsweek.com/could-biden-ukraine-missile-move-trigger-world-war-experts-verdicts-1987468
Americans may not have noticed—nor, shockingly, have many Europeans—that World War III has already begun. On one side are Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. The Russian war in Ukraine is being fought with Chinese support for Russian industry, Iranian drones, and North Korean ammunition and missiles, which kill Ukrainian civilians every night, and now North Korean troops.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/18/trumps-cabinet-picks-morality-problem/
“With some of these nominees — Gaetz, Hegseth, RFK Jr. — I wonder, does it matter anymore for Republicans to think of leaders as people who are moral in their personal lives?” CNN host Jake Tapper asked. “Is that still important to the Republican Party?”
Ms. Gabbard, a Democrat until 2022, shares Mr. Trump’s skepticism toward U.S. military involvement abroad. But she stands out as a troubling choice to manage intelligence because her views on the use of force and U.S. foreign policy mark her to the left of even dovish voices in the Democratic Party.
Netziv (Shemos 13:9): Don’t be surprised that G d requires us to do so many mitzvos and techniques to acquire bitachon and emuna in G d’s Providence. The fact is that it is known that the Jews do not readily accept authority until they are forced as we see by the plagues. That is why G d took us out of Egypt with a strong hand because it was not easy for us to accept His dominance. This is seen in the medrash which discusses, “The Jews did not listen to Moshe because of their irritability and stress of their enslavement.” The medrash explains that they didn’t want to listen because they were immersed in idol worship. In other words, the medrash means that in fact they did not want to be redeemed.
Igros Moshe (O.C. 6 5.2): [Menachos 43b It was taught: R. Judah used to say, A man is bound to say the following three blessings daily: who has made me a Jew’, ‘. . . . who hast not made me a woman’; and ‘ . . . who hast not made me a brutish man’. R. Aha b. Jacob once overhead his son saying the blessing … who hast not made me a brutish man’, whereupon he said to him, ‘And this too!’ Said the other, ‘Then what blessing should I say instead?’ [He replied,] . . . who hast not made me a slave’. And is not that the same as a woman?[Rashi explains because in terms of the obligation of doing mitzvos – a woman and a slave are equal]— A slave is more contemptible.] Look at Rashi (Menachos 43b) who explains in his first explanation to the question of saying a beracha “who has not made me a slave” is the same saying “who has not made me a woman", that “the wife is also a slave to her husband as a slave is to his master.” If I weren't afraid I would say that it is necessary to erase the first explantion of Rashi. Because G-d forbid for Rashi to say this ridiculous statement. That is because according to the Torah there is no obligation for the wife to do anything for the husband except for having normal marital relations. And even in regard to intercourse, he is in fact more obligated to her because he also has a negative Torah commandment not to deprive her of sexual satisfaction. In fact it is only a decree of the Sages that requires that her work belongs to her husband. Corresponding to this requirement to work for him, he is required to feed her. But the only work she is obligated to do is house work and not to work in the field. She also has some obligation regarding wool - which is an easy job that women typically do. See Shulchan Aruch EH simon 80. Her meals are his obligation since she should not have it any worse than her family and his family and certainly not less than what she typically eats. Similarly he is obligated to provide her clothing according to what the women of that city typically get as well as according to the standard of his and her family. That is because she is to go up in her standard of living with him and not go down. In addition he is obligated to honor her and he cannot leave the house without her permission except to go to his job that is known to her. In fact we see from all this the opposite of her being his slave. He is obligated to do all the work to earn a living as is stated in the Kesubah. Even if it means hiring himself out according to Tosfos (Kesubos 63). Thus we see that the husband is more of a slave to her then she is to him. This Rashi requires further study (tzorech iyun gadol).
https://www.jpost.com/health-and-wellness/article-829480
In 2023, 10.3 million measles cases were reported globally, marking a 20% increase from the previous year. The WHO attributes this rise to insufficient vaccination coverage, leading to outbreaks.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syz6f00qm1g#autoplay
Trump’s solution—deport millions of illegal immigrants. That’s it. Round them up and deport them. Yes, it’s a despicable approach that soundly crosses the threshold into the realm of “inhumane," not to mention would likely slam into many legal and constitutional boundaries, but it was also something else - simple. Just so simple. That is why that approach caught on. Swing voters wanted a simple policy they understand, that will provide the veneer of safety, even if it’s based on an illusion. It's a campaign. It doesn't matter if it's feasible or not.
The email, dated Jan. 14 and sent from a former Washington, D.C., Guard member, included an attachment showing a shirtless Hegseth with a tattoo on his bicep inscribed, “Deus Vult.” A quick google search told Gaith/er the Latin phrase means “God wills it,” which served as a battle cry for Christians during the Crusades and has become associated with white extremist groups, he told The Wall Street Journal. The pictures also showed that Hegseth has a large Jerusalem cross tattoo. Gaither said he was not concerned about the cross—it was the “Deus Vult” that worried him.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkmyoalgjx#autoplay
Opinion: US voters barely give Israel a thought when voting for president; Jewish and Muslim votes remain the same and only about 1% cited the war among their considerations when voting
There is mounting evidence vaccines can reduce the rates of dementia, but one GP says ‘the jury is still out’ on which ones are best.
https://matzav.com/rav-yehoshua-kalish-ztl/
Rav Kalish was a gaon in Torah, a talmid chochom of extraordinary depth who completed Shas over 40 times during his lifetime.
As a maggid shiur and rebbi, he educated and inspired thousands, shaping the lives of countless talmidim with his brilliance, warmth, and heartfelt hadracha.
In his role as a rov, Rav Kalish was a pillar of strength and leadership, offering chochmas haTorah to his kehillah and the broader community. His sensitivity, clarity in psak, and boundless ahavas Yisroel left an indelible mark on all who were privileged to know him.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/11/16/trump-transition-cabinet-controversy/
“It’s hard to argue that a Putin apologist who is friends with Assad represents conservative foreign policy. It’s hard to argue that someone who wants to get rid of fluoride in your water and favors abortion for all nine months is a conservative family pick,” said Marc Short, a longtime adviser to Pence, referring to Gabbard and Kennedy, respectively, before saying that the Gaetz choice “makes a mockery of the whole Department of Justice — which could be what Trump wants to do — but it’s not really advancing law and order.”
In his 2024 book, The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free, Hegseth, who is a New York Times bestselling author, spoke out against the military's drive to increase diversity among higher-ranked officers.
"Take it to the racist bank: Black troops at all levels will be promoted simply based on their race," he wrote in a section cited by The Washington Post. "Some will be qualified; some will not be."
Hegseth left the Army in 2021, according to Reuters, after being labeled an "extremist" he said, and that the Army did not want him. In his book, Hegseth also wrote that the feeling was mutual, "I didn't want this Army anymore either."
Gabbard has shared content suggesting that the U.S. was involved in Ukraine developing biological weapons. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) said at the time that she was “parroting Russian propaganda” and that her “treasonous lies may well cost lives.”
In 2022, she also knocked the Biden administration for failing to address Russian concerns amid its invasion of Ukraine.
