DOGE’s Shocking $8 Billion Dollar Mistake Called Out

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/doges-shocking-8-billion-dollar-mistake-called-out/

Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency erroneously claimed a savings of $8 billion on a terminated contract this week that was actually worth just $8 million.

That gaffe isn’t the only head-scratching figure on DOGE’s site. Many, including the Times, noted that DOGE has been adding the full value of a contract into its total “savings” even if the majority of the contract had already been paid out and will not be recuperated.

DOGE also appears to be claiming credit for a pair of office closures that were announced when Joe Biden was still president. Those closures are the National Archives centers in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, and in Fairfield, Ohio. DOGE’s site claims the latter location was a “True Termination - Agency Closed Office.” No other details are offered.

Treifah – Man vs Animal

Igros Moshe (CM II #73.4) There is a big difference in the laws between the treifos of animals which involve the prohibition of eating them and the laws of treifos in man which involve the prohibition of murder and the obligation of medical cures. The fact is that the issues of medicine – disease and cures are not something which is static and unchanging for all time. Just as many things in nature change over time so do the nature of sickness and medicine. Thus the nature of Treifos which are described in the gemora as that which inevitably leads to death is not something unchanging over time. The fact however is that the definition of treifa in an animal which is relevant to the prohibition of eating was established during Talmudic times is fixed and unchanging forever at least from Talmudic times. What has been established in this is prohibited to change as it is viewed as Halacha L”Moshe M’Sinai. In fact in the gemora in Chullin (43a) that all the details were transmitted to Moshe at Sinai and they were not based on the views of experts that said what animals can not be eaten because they will not be able to continue living Even though it is true that many thing are found in the Torah that are stated only in general terms and we rely on experts to provide the details. However in regard to the principle that animals with this condition will not live much longer and is therefore a treifah, it clearly means at that time in history only they were not able to live. Thus when we prohibit treifos in animals we use the standard of Talmudic times. We do not say that if today such an animal will live that we change the laws of Kashrus. Nor do we say that since in modern times there are animals that can not live with a condition that was benign in Talmudic times that it is prohibited as a treifah. We rely totally on what was taught in Talmudic times. The Rambam clearly states this view

Rationality and Halacha: The Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai of Treifos

 Rationality and Halacha: The Halacha L’Moshe MiSinai of Treifos

https://hakirah.org/Vol%204%20Buchman.pdf

In his article justifying the ban on the works of Rabbi Nosson Slifkin, Rabbi Aharon Feldman1enlists the aid of two of our most influential Rishonim, Rashba and Rivash. He tells us that both of them insist that “it is forbidden to say that the Sages erred in matters of science.”Indeed, in the teshuva quoted, Rivash is quite explicit on this point with regard to hilchos treifos.2 If we accept what the doctors say, we will have overturned the laws of treifos which are a halacha l’Moshe misinai,and in fact we will be saying “that the Torah is not from the Heavens.” Rashba3 also insists that the doctors are absolutely unreliable with regard to their evaluations of treifos. One must totally ignore what they say, for the laws governing when we say an animal is destined to die from a wound are halacha l’Moshe misinai. To deny these facts is to deny our mesorah from Sinai.4

Seven hundred years later, the poskim of the previous generation had no intention of accepting this attitude of Rashba and Rivash. When confronted with a contradiction between what medicine tells us about wounded and sick animals and the treifos that Chazal have handed down to us, the Chazon Ish14 and Rav Moshe Feinstein zt"l15 never considered the possibility that the doctors were wrong. Rav Moshe notes the position of Rashba and explicitly explains that his attitude is incorrect. He tells us that in the days of Rashba, long distance communication between areas was so limited that Rashba was unaware of what had been proven elsewhere and thus was skeptical when told that certain wounds could be cured.16 According to Rav Moshe, Rashba is just wrong and today in gan eden he admits it.17 Although the present-day Talmudic student is trained to believe that a Rishon can never be considered wrong and our task is merely to explain the differing opinions, this is not Rav Moshe’s opinion. In this area, where a Rishon has predicated his position upon the stance that observable fact must be denied, the position of that Rishon must be rejected. It would be illogical to disagree with Rav Moshe, and the ramifications of this fact will be discussed in a future article. 18

Brain Death - Rav Bleich

 https://www.sefaria.org/Contemporary_Halakhic_Problems%2C_Vol_IV%2C_Chapter_XIII_Of_Cerebral%2C_Respiratory_and_Cardiac_Death.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Chapter XIII Of Cerebral, Respiratory and Cardiac Death

The conflict between authentic Jewish teaching and societal espousal of so-called "brain death" criteria involves no scientific or factual controversy whatsoever. It does involve disparate views regarding the sanctity of human life, regardless of its quality, and conflicting perceptions of duties owed to the moribund patient.

Judaism regards every life as being endowed with infinite value; Judaism also regards every moment of life, regardless of its quality, as endowed with infinite value. Until all vital forces ebb from the body, as evidenced by total cessation of both respiratory and cardiac activity, human life must be treasured as a sacred gift. The adamancy of halakhic authorities in their refusal to accept "brain death" criteria is not at all an instance of other-worldly patriarchal figures refusing to acknowledge demonstrable scientific verities; it is entirely a matter of insistence upon the sanctity of every moment of human life. 

A person unfamiliar with the extensive rabbinic literature concerning this topic may well ask whether Judaism cannot accommodate a neurological definition of death. Support for such a position might be adduced from a superficial reading of the Mishnah, Oholot 1:6: "And likewise cattle and wild beasts … if their heads have been severed, they are unclean [as carrion] even if they move convulsively like the tail of a newt (or lizard) that twitches spasmodically [after being severed from the body]." Destruction of tissue as the result of liquefaction, it may be argued, is tantamount to severance or excision of such tissue. Consequently, there is indeed a measure of cogency in the argument that total liquefaction of brain tissue is tantamount to physiological decapitation. 

For halakhic purposes, dysfunction of an organ is not the equivalent of its destruction or excision. A male whose testes have been removed is forbidden to cohabit with a Jewess of legitimate birth; a person whose testes remain intact but have been rendered dysfunctional suffers no such liability. Similarly, an animal whose liver has been removed is a treifah and its meat is forbidden; the meat of an animal whose liver performs no physiological function is permissible. Excision is defined as removal, either as a result of trauma or surgical procedure. Alternatively, it is defined as degeneration of tissue either through necrosis to the degree that it becomes "tissue which crumbles in the finger" (basar she-nifrakh be-ziporen) or through "decay" to the degree that it becomes "tissue which a physician scrapes away" (basar she-ha-rofeh gorero), e.g., gangrenous tissue. The brain tissue of a patient pronounced dead on the basis of neurological criteria does not match, or even approximate, those levels of degeneration. 

Chris Christie: Eric Adams and Equality Under the Law

 https://www.thefp.com/p/chris-christie-eric-adams-and-equality-under-law?utm_campaign=260347&utm_source=cross-post&r=3q7hun&utm_medium=email

The administration has an obligation to work as hard as they can to implement the policies the American people voted for in November. They also have an obligation to assure the public that the criminal law will be administered fairly and not used as a carrot or a stick to achieve any goal other than to have the guilty held to account for their conduct and the innocent free of unwarranted criminal charges.

This is an embarrassing episode for the Department of Justice and further undercuts the public confidence in our system of justice. Congress and the courts must play their constitutional role as well and not sit as idle bystanders while our system of justice is not de-weaponized, but just weaponized in a different direction. Either dismiss forever an indictment Mr. Bove characterizes as politicized and tainted, or let the charges proceed and let a jury of his peers judge the allegations against Mayor Adams.

Trump is asking for FAR too much ‘payback’ from war-torn Ukraine

 https://nypost.com/2025/02/18/opinion/trump-is-asking-for-far-too-much-payback-from-war-torn-ukraine/

President Trump’s demand that Ukraine sign over a huge chunk of its economy as repayment for help fending off Russia is flat-out wrong. Period.

The proposed contract, which reportedly hit Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky’s desk last week, demands half the country’s revenues from natural resources, ports and infrastructure indefinitely as payback for US military aid since the war began.

Rabbi Kaminetsky-Rabbi Greenblatt Heter: Rav Dovid Feinstein says it is worthless

Matzav  just published the following letter from R Sholom Kamenetsky acknowledging and accepting that Rav Dovid Feinstein's beis din had declared the heter totally worthless. He also indicated that his father has already stated that he would accept the ruling of Rav Dovid Feinstein.

Unfortunately I have not seen the psak itself. It had been expected that Rav Dovid Feinstein would reject the heter - after all it was obvious that it was a sad joke. The question remains did Rav Dovid Feinstein criticize those who had said the heter was valid? In addition will Rav Nota Greenblatt accept the psak? 

Without the criticism of those who produced the heter and without the retraction of Rav Greenblatt - the heter now becomes simply a dispute between poskim and Tamar obviously will chose Rav Greenblatt. 

Of greater importance, without the criticism of those who produced the heter  and its retraction - the heter will remain a viable option for all those who want a quick and simple end to a marriage without having to worry about the Get process. All they need is to pay a therapist to declare their husband to have an incurable personality problem i.e., to certify they don't like them and that they can do better with another husband. The therapist doesn't have to even waste his time talking to the husband - he will simply accept what the wife tells him.

Ukraine and Europe made to sit outside as US and Russia sharpen their carving knives

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/feb/18/ukraine-and-europe-made-to-sit-outside-as-us-and-russia-sharpen-their-carving-knives

In this back-to-the-future world, Russia is fully restored to the top table, while the US envoys outdo each other to praise Trump

Rubio is the most traditional foreign policy Republican in the Trump team, and he seemed anxious throughout. Notably, the former Florida senator did not repeat pledges he had made two days earlier in Jerusalem, that Ukraine and Europe would have to be at the table for any substantive talks, and that a settlement would respect Ukrainian sovereignty.

As the chairs were being put away and the floors mopped in the Diriyah Palace, a new paradigm seemed to be coming into focus, one that was familiar from the 19th century and the cold war: great powers will make the decisions, while lesser states will anxiously wait for the big boys’ meetings to finish, and then call Riyadh to find out what has been decided.

In this back-to-the-future world, Russia is fully restored to the top table, its status assured by the size of its nuclear arsenal. Lavrov was delighted with the outcome of Tuesday’s meeting, noting the two sides “did not just listen to each other, but heard each other”. He predicted that follow-on talks would begin “as soon as possible”.

Trump Signs New Order to Vastly Expand His Presidential Powers

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-signs-new-order-to-vastly-expand-his-presidential-powers/

The move is unprecedented. Past presidents have rarely tried to challenge the independence of these agencies and some have gone so far as to avoid even suggesting a hint of interference through their actions.

But Trump last week made the stunning claim: “He who saves his Country does not violate any Law.”

Trump says Zelensky ‘should have never started’ war with Russia

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5151545-trump-ukraine-zelensky-war-russia/

Trump vowed to end the war during his presidential campaign and on Tuesday repeated his claim that the war would never have started if he had been president. He spoke after U.S. and Russian officials met in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine officials.

“I think I have the power to end this war. And I think it’s going very well,” Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago on the heels of the meeting between U.S. and Russian officials.

“But today I heard, ‘Oh, well we weren’t invited.’ Well, you’ve been there for three years,” Trump continued. “You should’ve ended it in three years. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal. I could have made a deal for Ukraine that would have given them almost all of the land, and no people would have been killed, and no city would have been demolished and not one dome would have been knocked down. But they chose not to do it that way.”

Trump went on to rail against former President Biden as “so pathetic” before again criticizing Zelensky.

“Look, you have leadership — and I like him personally. He’s fine. But I don’t care about personally. I care about getting the job done. You have leadership now that’s allowed a war to go on that should have never even happened, even without the United States.”

The Rapid Rehab of Vladimir Putin

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/vladimir-putin-donald-trump-negotiations-russia-ukraine-marco-rubio-8a2c0a17?mod=hp_opin_pos_2#cxrecs_s

President Trump campaigned on ending the war in Ukraine, and his negotiators on Tuesday began the process with a meeting in Saudi Arabia between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and his Russian counterpart. Global politics can be an ugly business, but the looming rehabilitation of Vladimir Putin is especially hard to take.

Mr. Trump said last week after a phone call with Mr. Putin that he’s convinced the Russian dictator wants “peace.” He didn’t say what kind of peace Mr. Putin has in mind, though if history is a guide it won’t be what most Americans understand by the word.

Trump delivers another blow to Ukraine and a new boost to Putin

 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/18/politics/donald-trump-putin-ukraine-analysis/index.html

It looked like things couldn’t get any darker for Ukraine. Then President Donald Trump spoke up.

After cutting President Volodymyr Zelensky out of the first US talks with Russia on ending the war, Trump on Tuesday falsely accused Ukraine of starting a conflict that has ravaged its land and killed thousands of its people.

And in his most hostile comments toward the Ukrainian leader yet, Trump voiced yet another of President Vladimir Putin’s talking points — that it was time for an election in Ukraine — in an apparent bid to begin the process of pushing Zelensky aside.

Trump Says Ukraine 'Should Have Never Started War With Russia'

 https://www.newsweek.com/trump-says-ukraine-should-have-never-started-war-russia-2033014

At a news conference Tuesday, President Donald Trump blamed Kyiv for the Russia-Ukraine war.

Speaking on his peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump told reporters that Ukraine did not need a seat at the negotiating table because it "should've ended [the war] in three years. You should have never started it. You could have made a deal."

Kennedy says panel will examine childhood vaccine schedule after promising not to change it

 https://apnews.com/article/childhood-vaccines-schedule-kennedy-trump-hhs-4d5e6c52c602f5edbcd837748605e9d0

To earn the vote he needed to become the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a special promise to a U.S. senator: He would not change the nation’s current vaccination schedule.

But on Tuesday, speaking for the first time to thousands of U.S. Health and Human Services agency employees, he vowed to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule that prevents measles, polio and other dangerous diseases.