Hegseth rules out NATO membership for Ukraine in peace deal with Russia

 https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5140389-hegseth-nato-membership-ukraine-russia/?tbref=hp

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Wednesday that he does not believe Ukraine joining NATO is “realistic,” as the Trump administration looks to broker an end to Russia’s war in the country. 

Speaking ahead of a meeting of the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group in Brussels, Hegseth also indicated Washington will no longer prioritize European and Ukrainian security.

“The United States does not believe that NATO membership for Ukraine is a realistic outcome of a negotiated settlement,” Hegseth said, adding U.S. troops will not be involved in securing a post-war Kyiv. 

Hegseth said Wednesday he wanted to “directly and unambiguously express that stark strategic realities prevent the United States of America from being primarily focused on the security of Europe.”

Donald Trump's Pledge to Lower Costs on 'Day One' is Unravelling

 https://www.newsweek.com/us-inflation-rate-january-federal-reserve-trump-2029916

Inflation quickened in January, according to data released on Wednesday morning, putting pressure on the new administration to honor its key campaign pledge to bring down prices "on day one" amid uncertainty over the anticipated impacts of President Trump's economic policies.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased by 0.5 percent month-over-month in January 2025, up from 0.4 percent in December and well ahead of consensus forecasts of 0.3 percent. The all-items index edged up to 3.0 percent for the 12 months ended January. Analysts had penciled in 2.9 percent in line with December's reading.

"BIDEN INFLATION UP!" President Trump posted to Truth Social minutes after the inflation reading.

Trump’s ultimatum is directed at Hamas, but it’s also a direct rebuke of Netanyahu

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-ultimatum-is-directed-at-hamas-but-its-also-a-direct-rebuke-of-netanyahu/

Trump has now rejected the phased deal that he and his Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff pushed through. This cumbersome approach had been initiated by Netanyahu, who sought to avoid confrontation with Smotrich and former minister Itamar Ben Gvir — both of whom have threatened to bring down Netanyahu’s coalition if the war ends without Hamas being vanquished.

How Long Until We Get the Heavenly Message?

 BS"D

How Long Until We Get the Heavenly Message?

13 Shvat 5785/ Parshas Yisro/ January 11, '25

How many more of these appeals - such as this one, for eighty-six war-widows - need we see before we get the Heavenly message?

https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NYDqY6fjlK0ESz3U6yBMyRKOEs1pN-7dJNeYSW8U_rkiXqY4ql52ym8lnXjUZNgavHCxzFGmaUy8RMJev33jqAydbT7Udi4_HGmZnuoHLGPwFUTNTppOvuMKu1gdqihzOj5AhghmbaTxp0jIsLXvZ-rNo2_iNRAp4g=s0-d-e1-ft#https://d1yei2z3i6k35z.cloudfront.net/2707724/67a893b2ab799_WhatsAppImage2025-02-06at8.47.24AM.jpeg

Do we really care about Israeli boys - and girls - getting killed? Do our actions truly reflect that?

For one example, has the widely-touted manpower shortage in Israel prompted those clamoring for expansion of the military draft to - extremely belatedly - even reconsider the world's most successful Jew-Vs.-Jew Genocide Policy, namely Israel's abortion-on-demand law (two million plus preborn infants killed, with no end in sight, R"L)?  Where are all of the right-wingers when you really need them?

In general, how should a Torah-adherent Jew look at the current plight in Eretz Yisroel, and our role? 

Let's just start with this humble suggestion:

To better defend against the myriad of never-ending physical attacks from Arab surrogates - and their western enablers - we would be advised to gauge the severity of the risking of innocent life from Dovid HaMelech's reaction to the risky efforts to obtain water for him, in Shmuel II 23:16-17 (see Metzudas Dovid*).  

* "הדם האנשים ההולכים בנפשותם..." מצודת דוד: "... הלא דם יחשב!"

Without doubt, many of our brothers (of whatever level of religious observance) are, willing to not only risk - but even sacrifice - their very lives to rescue hostages and protect fellow Jews. However, how seriously are we communally taking their safety?  We all know that immorality - and (how much more so) its' governmental legitimization - repels the Divine Presence, thereby endangers lives (Dvarim 23:15), and leads to expulsion from Eretz Yisroel (VaYikra 18; see Ramban 18:25). Yet, we persist in allowing - often even enabling - institutionalized depravity to march onward in the ostensibly Jewish State.

So, precisely what does it say about the country if these boys and men are being sent into grave danger - without doing everything we can to end the ongoing Heavenly accusations against us over our communal failure to combat the governmental sanctioning and promotion of sexual immorality, and its' associated pandemic of abortion-on-demand?  Pervasive examples of Israeli institutionalization of immorality include:

° LGBTQ legislation, including the post-Oct.7th bill recognizing surviving same-sex "spouses" of Sodomist Israeli soldiers;

° drafting girls and women - especially non-observant ones (held by the Brisker Rov as even worse than drafting Torah-observant girls, both requiring sacrificing one's life to avoid transgression thereof, Yai'horaig ve'al Ya'avor);

° massive abortion-on-demand, including "free" Army abortions;

° co-ed Army units; 

.° Army exposure of Hesder boys/men (single or married) to girls exercising, singing, etc;

° and government funded and facilitated propaganda targeting spiritually vulnerable high school girls (generally associated with  the "national religious" camp), proselytizing enlistment in the Army.

How many more sons, husbands and fathers "need" (sic) to be lost R"L to barbarians before we finally stop the bleeding of our People? And all of this - after 16 months of constant funerals - in a war fought under a government that markets itself as both "religious" and "rightwing"?

Should our communal role here be to indulge ourselves in virtue-signalling - by praising others for endangering their lives to protect ours - while we're being communally derelict in not genuinely, properly protecting theirs?  Instead, should we not, at least, exit our comfort-zone just enough to raise awareness of how WE need to do our part to meet our obligations to those who are being sent into grave danger for us - by vigorously protesting the tolerance and promotion of anti-morality policies - policies that, according to the Torah, come with a 3,300-plus-year guarantee of bringing down Divine Judgment on violators?

Additionally, the recent Mediterranean tsunami alert should logically draw our communal attention towards communal repentance, away from the self-adulatory, hollow, bravado bluster about military "victory" over the Arab surrogates of billionaire western genocidalists. More specifically, our Sages (Talmud Yerushalmi, tractate Brachos 9:2) identify the abomination of sodomy as one of the causative factors behind earthquakes.

Instead of prompting us to proper communal  repentance, Israeli soldiers killed in the war have tragically become fodder for virtue-signalling fundraising emotives like this:

https://thekosherguru.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=f96642e9739bc61f926b7d7ef&id=08f2288efc&e=83878f9cbf

Is this the best we can do? Instead of making yourself feel good by paying good money for decoy* causes, like planting trees for deceased soldiers - why not do something genuinely meaningful to protect the lives of the living - like protesting and otherwise combating the Israeli mainstreaming of depravity and abortion-at-whim?

Those who would like to help raise awareness about such issues may contact us (see below).

May we see nechamos and yeshuos in the merit of doing that which the Torah demands.

~~~

* Even if there is a place for such tree- replenishment campaigns, let's not cheapen them by utilizing the deaths of soldiers as a campaigning technique. It distracts the tzibbur from what they should be prioritizing.

Ozempic and Blindness: What We Know About Weight Loss Side Effects

 https://www.newsweek.com/ozempic-blindness-weight-loss-side-effects-2029517

A 2023 study from JAMA found that drugs like Ozempic are associated with an increased risk of serious medical conditions, including stomach paralysis, pancreatitis, biliary disease and bowel obstruction.

Now, JAMA has released a new study that aims to ascertain: "What are some of the ophthalmic complications that have been observed in patients using the drug semaglutide or tirzepatide?" It found that of nine patients, seven had nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, one had papillitis and another had patient is described with paracentral acute middle maculopathy.

Bas Mitzva Celebration

Igros Moshe (O.C. 02:097): comments regarding (OH I # 104) Question You asked why there is no meal for a bas Mitzvah who is 12 years old like is made for a bar mitzvah since she is now obligated to keep mitzvos? Answer Let me add and reinforce the question. Even though the girl does not give a speech and even if she did it means nothing since she is exempt from Torah Study nevertheless on the day of a bar mitzva the meal is a meal of mitzva even if the boy does not give a speech so it should also should be considered a meal of mitzvah on the day of Bas Mitzva? A possible answer is that it is not obvious with a girl that her status has changed and she is no longer a child.  With a boy he is now counted as part of a minyan and is counted as part of three that require Zimun. In general If it not obvious that a change has taken place we don’t make a festive occasion or meal. Since the boy can now also say Berachos and prayers as well as the Hagada for others it is obvious his status has changed and that justifies making a festive meal. In contrast with a girl it is not obvious that her status has changed and thus we don’t make a festive meal.

Cosmetics on Shabbos

 Igros Moshe (OC I #114) Is a woman allowed to beautify herself with lipstick on Shabbos?  It is prohibited for two reasons. The prohibitions of memachek (smoothing) and coloring. If it is wet than there is no prohibition of memachek.  Similarly it is prohibited to color her face because of the prohibition of coloring. However this does not prohibit using  white powder which does not remain very long.   

Mechitzah In Shul: Why And How?

 https://torah.org/torah-portion/weekly-halacha-5766-noach/#:~:text=*%20The%20mechitzah%20must%20reach%20the,of%20the%20mechitzah(18).

Harav M. Feinstein(10), however, after establishing that the basic requirement for separating men and women during prayer services is a Biblical obligation, holds that the basic halachah follows the second approach that we mentioned earlier. Although he agrees that it is commendable and praiseworthy to maintain the age-old traditional mechitzah, he nevertheless rules that the widespread practice of many shuls to lower the mechitzah somewhat is permitted according to the basic halachah. As long as the mechitzah is high enough to effectively block out any communication or interaction between the men’s and women’s sections, it is a halachically valid mechitzah. Accordingly:

* The minimum height for a mechitzah is shoulder-high, which the Talmud (11) calculates to be 17 to 18 tefachim high. Allowing for a difference of opinion concerning the exact size of a tefach, Harav Feinstein rules that a 66-inch mechitzah is permitted(12), while in extenuating circumstances 60 inches will suffice(13). Any mechitzah lower than that, however, is not considered a mechitzah at all.

An invitation to corruption

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/11/trump-corruption-fcpa-adams-blagojevich/

On Monday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to pause enforcement of the federal law that makes it a crime for U.S. businesses to bribe foreign officials. The same day, he issued a full pardon to former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich for trying to sell a U.S. Senate appointment, and the Justice Department ordered that public corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams be dropped. Taken together, these moves signal the new administration’s intention to tolerate corruption — at least by the president’s allies.

Most seismic of all, however, is Trump’s order that Attorney General Pam Bondi stop bringing prosecutions under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act until she formulates new enforcement guidelines. This post-Watergate reform measure has been called the “crown jewel” in America’s fight against global corruption, but Trump has long criticized it. In his first term, he mused about repealing the law, but then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson — who had been chief executive of ExxonMobil — voiced his opposition.

Trump fills administration with 'big team of losers' that voters have already rejected

Wall Street Journal: Trump repeating first-term ‘blunder’

 https://thehill.com/homenews/media/5138024-wall-street-journal-trump-tariffs-trade-war/?tbref=hp

The editorial board of The Wall Street Journal is warning President Trump is making similar mistakes on trade to those during his first term in the White House.

Monday’s editorial is the latest in a slew from the Journal knocking the president and his policies on trade, the economy and a number of other issues.

Mechitza in Shul

Igros Moshe (OH I #39) Question To clarify the question the nature of the mechitza which is required in the synagogue between men and women, in particular the required height. That is because there are places in America where the observance of this halacha is deteriorating even though it is important for the sanctity of the synagogue. It is possible that this is not the result of a desire to sin but rather ignorance of the true nature of the obligation and its importance. Therefore it is important not only to know the details of the mitzva but its significance and nature. Answer  The actual law is that even if men are in one section and women in another it is prohibited that they not have a physical barrier between them and this in my view is a Torah law as can be seen from the gemora Sukkah (51b) that says that in the Temple that women were placed in a balcony over looking the court yard in order to separate the men and women. It is known that that no additions or modifications are allowed to the Temple. So obviously this balcony was an inherent part of the Temple as if it were written explicitly in the Torah and not Rabbinic or from the Prophets.  This is also alluded to in the Yerushalmi.  We see from the gemora Sukkah (51b) that even if there was a physical barrier between the men and the women but it was still possible that there would be levity between them there is still a Torah prohibition being violated. Don’t make the mistake to think the mechitza is needed just to prevent yichud (seclusion) of a man and a woman because with the large number of women present there was not a problem of yichud according to both Rambam and Rashi and in addition both areas were open to people entering which is better than a house that is open to the street. The main concern of the mechitza was to prevent levity between the men and women as the result of talking and contact between them. This was dealt with in the Temple by making a balcony above and behind the men  for the women. 

We can conclude from this that the synagogues where both men and women come to pray, it would be best to make balconies for the women so the women can be above. But if this is a problem for some reason it is necessary to make a mechitza (barrier) to prevent levity between the men and women. And It is not adequate just to have the doors always open.  This clearly means that a mechitza which is 10 tefachim high is not valid because it doesn’t prevent levity or prevent talking between the men and women or even contact. .In my opinion that it is sufficient if the mechitza is shoulder height . The prohibition is not to prevent the men seeing the women. Therefore a mechitza that is shoulder hight since it prevents the problem of lalos rosh (levity) is valid and this is 18 tefachim.Nevertheless it is desirable to be stricter and one who makes it so not even the head is visible will be blessed. That is because many women in America are not careful to cover their head. However the Aruch HaShulchan has already ruled that in modern time due to our many sins that there are many women who don’t cover their head and it is permitted to pray before them and thus there is no objection if the mechitza is only shoulder hight but below 18 tefachim it is not valid and one needs to strongly protest if it is lower than 18 tefachim since this is a Torah requirement. This requirement of a mechitza applies in all situations where men and women gather  Either there should be a balcony reserved for women only in shul or a proper mechitza of 18 tefachim  – even if the women can be seen. 

Netanyahu: Saturday noon deadline for hostages' return, or war resumes

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-841691

"If Hamas does not return our hostages by noon on Saturday, the ceasefire will end, and the IDF will resume intense fighting until Hamas is decisively defeated," Netanyahu said, adding the decision had been reached unanimously by cabinet members.

Explanations that differ from Chazal

 Michtav M’Eliyahu (4:353): 5) It is important however to distinguish between those explanations which are basically interpretation of the verses and those of our Sages which are the actual meaning of the verses. Given this clear distinction it is puzzling why many Rishonim strive to follow a different understanding than the true explanation given by our Sages? We find such tendencies in the commentary of the Rashbam, Ibn Ezra and other Rishonim. What is the purpose of offering explanations which differ from the definitive true ones? I think that they offer these alternative explanations for the sake of confused people. In other words, these Rishonim want to show that there are many different aspects even in the simple understanding of the verses and that it is permissible for a person to create new interpretations according to what makes sense to him. (Of course, any alternative explanations which contradict foundation principles of faith are prohibited.) This is consistent with our understanding of R’ Shmuel HaNagid. This advice is very critical in order to save the souls of the confused people. Such an approach is similar to that of the Rambam who wrote so much for the confused. We see this from the fact that many difficulties that exist in what he wrote could have been explained in a much clearer fashion. However, since he was addressing confused people he provided alternative explanations which they could accept - as long as it didn’t contradict the Halacha. Using this approach, I have been able to understand the difficult comments of the Radak who was a very holy person and one of the great members of the period of the Rishonim. In particular, it justifies his comments concerning the disparity of the text of the Torah and how it is to be read in a number of places (kri v’kesiv)….