Now, a new study published in Current Neuropharmacology has sounded the alarm on potential mental health risks associated with GLP-1 agonists. The research shows how these drugs may interact with genes involved in mood regulation and dopamine signalling, including DRD3, BDNF, and CREB1—genes linked to depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.
Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Sharks drew crowds who swam with them off Israel’s coast — until one man disappeared
Israeli police on Tuesday scoured the Mediterranean coast for a swimmer they fear may have been attacked by a shark in an area that has long seen close encounters between marine predators and beachgoers who sometimes seek them out.
A shiver of endangered dusky and sandbar sharks has been swimming close to the area for years, attracting onlookers who approach the sharks, drawing pleas from conservation groups for authorities to separate people from the wild animal.
On Tuesday, the beach was closed as search teams used boats and underwater equipment to look for the man. His identity was not immediately known, but Israeli media said he had gone to swim with the sharks.
Jury finds New York Times did not defame Sarah Palin
A jury in New York ruled Tuesday that The New York Times did not defame former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) with an editorial about gun violence in 2011.
Tuesday’s ruling comes nearly three years after a separate jury found the Times not liable for damages over the op-ed, which linked her to the deadly 2011 shooting in an Arizona parking lot that injured then-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.).
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Death Halachic Definition
Igros Moshe (YD III #132) The definition of when a person is dead is stated explicitly in the gemora (Yoma 85a) in the case where a person is buried under a pile of rubble. It says he can be dug out even on Shabbos and then his nostrils are examined to determine if he is still breathing. Rambam and Shulchan Aruch rule that if breathing is not detected he is considered dead. Thus we determine death by the absence of breathing. Even if the breathing is very slight he is considered alive. This can readily be determined with the aid of a feather placed near the nostrils. If the feather or a small piece of paper doesn’t move at all, he is presumed dead. Nevertheless he should be examined a number of times as I have explained previously to ensure he hasn’t just fainted because it is impossible to live without breathing. This test is valid only if the person is under constant watching. However since this is not realistic and it is possible he regained his strength a bit and was able to briefly get a few weak breathes it is impossible to properly determine death except by repeated testing. If these tests reveal there is no breathing at all than that is a sign the person is dead. This is more fully discussed by the Chasam Sofer. This is also relevant with the typical sick person who is close to dying, but is not dependent on a respirator. However there are many sick people who can not breathe without a respirator. Thus it is possible with a respirator to continue breathing even after death and these people are not considered alive. If it is not clear that he is alive from other indicators e.,g. he doesn’t respond even if stabbed with a needle such as being in a state known as a coma. Then as long as the respirator is working it is prohibited to remove it from his mouth because he might be alive and by the removal he is being killed. However when the respirator stops working for example when the oxygen tanks are depleted, it is not required to put him back on the respirator when it starts working for a period of 15 minutes. If he is no longer alive as seen by the absence of breathing then it means he has died. IKn contrast if he is living as can be seen from the fact that he is breathing even without the respirator even if it is with difficulty and interruptions then he should be returned to the respirator immediately. This should be done a number of times until his condition improves or it is apparent that he can’t breathe on his own and is dead.
You say that now there is a test that allows the great doctors to determine by the injection of a special fluid into the veins that can show whether the connection of the body to the brain has been stopped If this fluid does not go to the brain it is clear that the brain is no longer attached to the body and it also indicates the brain is already completely rotted and the patient is considered functionally decapitated. If this is true then we should be strict with those, especially if they don’t feel anything anymore and don’t respond if stuck with a needle and they no longer can breathe independently .to not declare them dead without doing this test. . That means if we see that the brain is still connected to the body even though they can’t breathe without a respirator to keep them on the respirator even for a long time. Thus we should say that the test of independent breathing should be done in conjunction with this test to determine death. This might be relevant also for those who have taken an overdose of sleeping pills or other medication. Until all the medication gets out of the body they can not breathe. In such cases the respirator needs to be connected for longer periods in order to clarify if they are dead since death can not be determined readily as long as the drugs remain in the body.
Igros Moshe (YD II #146) This that doctors say that the sign of of whether a person is alive or dead is in the brain In other words if according to their evaluation of a person if his brain is not working properly then he is considered that he is dead even though he is still breathing. You discuss this at length and try to refute this claim. You also say that the brain does not mean the brain stem at the top of the spine which you claim is irrelevant to this issue. I don’t understand your point. Since you are referring to the brain stem at the top of the spine in your discussion of the gemora in Chullin while the doctors are referring to the brain in the head. Furthermore the gemora is describing a case of where the brain stem is detached while the brain itself remains intact and healthy. If in fact the brain decomposes the animal is a treifa. Similarly if the brain dissolves and flows like water. Even though in general the status of treifa is because eventually the brain cover will be perforated, nevertheless the status of treifa occurs for other conditions both the actual brain and the brain stem. Thus it is possible to say like the doctors if the damage prevents the body from functioning properly it means death. Nevertheless it is certainly true that the brain stopping from working is not what we define as death since as long as there is breathing he is considered alive. It just means that when the brain stops working it will lead to death which is defined as the cessation of breathing. It is possible that since such a person is still alive and that there are known or yet to be discovered medicines that will restore the function of the brain. It is also possible in this case to pray to G-d to cure him. Thus he has the status of a seriously ill person whose life is in danger but he is not considered dead. If he were dead it would be prohibited to pray for him since it is considered a meaningless and worthless prayer. It is also obvious that anyone who killed such a person is considered a murderer and is subject to the death penalty. All this is because there is no mention in the classic sources of the gemora and poskim that the brain status determines whether the person is considered alive. It is not relevant to claim that nature has changed in this issue because even in Talmudic times the brain functioned then as it does now and all of man’s functioning depended on it. Nevertheless it was not considered that the person was considered dead with the cessation of functioning of the brain and so today we don’t either.
This that you say to be lenient if the doctors see the response of the heart in an electric radiogram and declare death.Death is determined solely by the stopping of breathing. You say this is like the situation that we don’t use a microscope to determin the existence of worms in food and we declare kosher food that has worms that are found with a microscope. To utilize the EKG to decide death is wrong. Even though the Chasam Sofer was concerned to observe the body for three days because there was a case of someone who was thought to have died but recovered and lived for 25 years. That is a very rare case. In fact a person can be buried immediately after death after he stops breathing and we don’t concrern ourselves with very rare cases.
It is very clear and obvious that the nose is itself not the source of life and breathing doesn’t depend on the nose. In fact it is the brain and heart that are the source of life. The nose is simply where the breathing takes place and thus it is just a sign og life not the cause. Similarly the heartbeat is only a sign of life. Thus detecting heart activity is not proof of life against the absence of breathing.
Death: Halachic definition
Igros Moshe (YD III #132) The definition of when a person is dead is stated explicitly in the gemora (Yoma 85a) in the case where a person is buried under a pile of rubble. It says he can be dug out even on Shabbos and then his nostrils are examined to determine if he is still breathing. Rambam and Shulchan Aruch rule that if breathing is not detected he is considered dead. Thus we determine death by the absence of breathing. Even if the breathing is very slight he is considered alive. This can readily be determined with the aid of a feather placed near the nostrils. If the feather or a small piece of paper doesn’t move at all, he is presumed dead. Nevertheless he should be examined a number of times as I have explained previously to ensure he hasn’t just fainted because it is impossible to live without breathing. This test is valid only if the person is under constant watching. However since this is not realistic and it is possible he regained his strength a bit and was able to briefly get a few weak breathes it is impossible to properly determine death except by repeated testing. If these tests reveal there is no breathing at all than that is a sign the person is dead. This is more fully discussed by the Chasam Sofer. This is also relevant with the typical sick person who is close to dying, but is not dependent on a respirator. However there are many sick people who can not breathe without a respirator. Thus it is possible with a respirator to continue breathing even after death and these people are not considered alive. If it is not clear that he is alive from other indicators e.,g. he doesn’t respond even if stabbed with a needle such as being in a state known as a coma. Then as long as the respirator is working it is prohibited to remove it from his mouth because he might be alive and by the removal he is being killed. However when the respirator stops working for example when the oxygen tanks are depleted, it is not required to put him back on the respirator when it starts working for a period of 15 minutes. If he is no longer alive as seen by the absence of breathing then it means he has died. IKn contrast if he is living as can be seen from the fact that he is breathing even without the respirator even if it is with difficulty and interruptions then he should be returned to the respirator immediately. This should be done a number of times until his condition improves or it is apparent that he can’t breathe on his own and is dead.
You say that now there is a test that allows the great doctors to determine by the injection of a special fluid into the veins that can show whether the connection of the body to the brain has been stopped If this fluid does not go to the brain it is clear that the brain is no longer attached to the body and it also indicates the brain is already completely rotted and the patient is considered functionally decapitated. If this is true then we should be strict with those, especially if they don’t feel anything anymore and don’t respond if stuck with a needle and they no longer can breathe independently .to not declare them dead without doing this test. . That means if we see that the brain is still connected to the body even though they can’t breathe without a respirator to keep them on the respirator even for a long time. Thus we should say that the test of independent breathing should be done in conjunction with this test to determine death. This might be relevant also for those who have taken an overdose of sleeping pills or other medication. Until all the medication gets out of the body they can not breathe. In such cases the respirator needs to be connected for longer periods in order to clarify if they are dead since death can not be determined readily as long as the drugs remain in the body.
MAGA Makes Racist Attacks Against JD Vance's Wife
https://www.newsweek.com/jd-vance-wife-attacks-maga-trump-running-mate-1926194
In the wake of Trump's vice presidential announcement on Monday, numerous conservative and far-right figures have taken to social media to launch racist attacks against Usha Vance because of her Indian heritage and the assumption that her influence on her husband's political career means the Republican Party will be softer on immigration.
Nick Fuentes, a white supremacist who visited Trump at his Mar-a-Lago home along with rapper Kanye West in November 2022, suggested that Vance would not be a "defender of white identity" because of his wife's Indian heritage.
"Who is this guy, really?" Fuentes said on his podcast. "Do we really expect that the guy who has an Indian wife and named their kid Vivek is going to support white identity?"
Death: Hospital declares death not according to halacha and orders doctor to stop treatment what does doctor do?
Igros Moshe (YD IV #54.2) Question If hospital or government declare a patient dead though according to halacha he is still living and demands that the doctors stop treatment and take him off the respirator, should the doctor refuse to comply and not tell the nurses? Answer In reality telling the nurses to disconnect the respirator which involves them sinning, is not prohibited because of lifnei Iveir since there are other doctors (non Jews and irreligious Jews) who will tell them to disconnect the respirator. Nevertheless it is best if the religious doctors should no longer be involved in this patients treatment. .However if it is a case that it is a Jewish patient then he has an obligation to do everything in his power to save the patient even if it is only for a few days as the patient is now considered a gosais even though he is not actually dead. This means even if it costs the religious doctor a lot of money to pay to have the treatment continued according to what I wrote (YD I #223; YD II #174.4) If following this causes aivah (hatred) because he only seems concerned with Jew, then he is obligated to try and save non Jews also.
US stocks and dollar plunge as Trump attacks Fed chair Powell
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce92y3j9v34o
US stocks and the dollar plunged again as President Donald Trump intensified his attacks on the US central bank boss calling him "a major loser" for not lowering interest rates.
In a social media post, Trump called on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates "pre-emptively" to help boost the economy, saying Powell had been consistently too slow to respond to economic developments.
"There can be a SLOWING of the economy unless Mr. Too Late, a major loser, lowers interest rates, NOW," he wrote.
Trump's criticism of Powell's handling of the US economy comes as his own plans for tariffs have driven a stock market sell-off and raised fears of economic recession.
The Hegseth Pentagon Chronicles
The Defense secretary is validating the concerns of his critics.
No doubt the Beltway press would love to knock Pete Hegseth out as Defense secretary, but that doesn’t come close to explaining the mess at the Pentagon. The staff infighting, dismissals, and leaks over Signal app chats look to be the self-inflicted mistakes of a management neophyte.
Three advisers were dismissed last week and hit social media to claim ill-treatment. Another departed adviser published an account of what he called “a month of total chaos at the Pentagon” in Politico. According to multiple media accounts, Mr. Hegseth ran a chat on the Signal messaging app that discussed a military strike and included his wife and other associates.
Dow Headed for Worst April Since 1932 as Investors Send ‘No Confidence’ Signal
https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/dow-jones-stocks-worst-april-1932-74fe82ac?mod=hp_lead_pos1
Few think administration’s negotiations with trade partners will yield results soon enough to ease the strain
The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed almost 1,000 points on Monday and is headed for its worst April performance since 1932, according to Dow Jones Market Data. The S&P 500’s performance since Inauguration Day is now the worst for any president up to this point in data going back to 1928, according to Bespoke Investment Group.
Trump Administration Sued by Harvard in Federal Court Over Frozen Funds
https://www.newsweek.com/trump-administration-sued-harvard-federal-court-over-frozen-funds-2062300
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump's administration sent a letter to Harvard outlining its demands, which included increased disciplinary actions against campus protesters, screening international students for "hostility to American values," and requiring audits to assess ideological diversity among faculty and students. The letter also called for broad leadership changes and the derecognition of some student clubs. Harvard President Alan Garber pushed back strongly, declaring that the university would not "bend to the government's demands."
In its 51-page complaint, filed in U.S. district court in Boston, Harvard accuses the Trump administration of retaliatory overreach, stating, "The Government has not — and cannot — identify any rational connection between antisemitism concerns and the medical, scientific, technological, and other research it has frozen that aims to save American lives, foster American success, preserve American security, and maintain America's position as a global leader in innovation."
Monday, April 21, 2025
Cremation
Igros Moshe (YD III #147.2) Question Is it permitted to bury the ashes of someone cremated in a Jewish cemeyery?Answer A person who was cremated either because of the evil request of the children or his own sinfulness it is not allowed that the ashes are to be buried in a Jewish cemetary and in fact the ashes of a corpse do not need to be buried
Igros Moshe (YD IV #56.1) Question A Jewish man died and was buried in Russia in a cemetary which is for all Russians including non Jews since the Soviets do not allow a cemetary exclusively for Jews.Later the family was allowed to leave Russia to go to America and the family doesn’t want to leave him buried in the public cemetary with non Jews but the Russians don’t want him to be taken from the cemetary. Therefore the family disinterred the body and cremated it and took the ashes to America with them. And they want to bury the ashes in a Jewish cemetary. Should the ashes of a cremated corpse be buried even though this is not required by the children to show respect for their father. Answer The ashes from cremation do not require burial. However if they want to bury the ashes to honor his memory, they should not be stopped and it even might be good to do.especially for their father even though the halacha does not require it since the world considers this the respectful thing to do. And there is no actual prohibition. From the aspect of those buried in the Jewish cemetary there is no problem to bury the ashes even if the cremated person was wicked, so that even if he were not cremated he would not be buried next to a pious person. That is because the ashes are not the same as a corpse. However the relatives of those buried in the cemetary can try and prevent the burial by claiming that this might give the rest of the Russian’s family the right to be to be buried there and that in general Russians are not pious Jews. If that happens the family of the Russian should give a document saying they are not assuming the right to be buried there by the burial of the ashes.
Igros Moshe (YD IV #56.3) Question: Does the family need to ask forgiveness from the deceased for disinterring the body and cremating it? Answer It seems that that according to halacha the family has done something improper enen though that was the only way to take him from the public cemetary. and to take the deceased to America . However while what they did was prohibited they only did it out of respect for the deceased and there were no rabbinic authority to ask. Since most people would consider that they acted to show respect to the deceased and what they did was they mistakenly viewed as a mitzva and this is considered more lenient than a sin done by mistake. It would seem that the children do not need to ask for forgiveness while if non children were involved they do need to ask forgiveness.
Clothing – Modern permitted?
Igros Moshe (YD I #81) Question Concerning modern clothing in which there is no difference in America between Jewish and non Jewish clothing. Does a person coming from Poland which has distinctive Jewish clothing and his children born in America have an obligation to wear the clothing that was worn in Poland because of the prohibition of wearing non Jewish clothing? What if the father already has changed to modern clothing even though that was prohibited? The universal practice is to wear modern clothing, even very pious individuals. Is this permitted?Answer The Maharik says that there is not any obligation to wear different clothing than non Jews unless their clothing is immodest or arrogant. Similarly it is prohibited if the modern clothing is worn soley in order to appear more like non Jews or there is a concern for idolatry. . This is also the view of the Remah. The Maharik indicates it is permitted even for the slightest benefit or honor That is why doctors typically wear a special garment and it is not consider prohibited as a non Jewish garmemt since there is a benefit. In conclusion there is not the slightest prohibition wearing normal contemporary clothing in America. . Furthermore who says that the Non Jews wore these garments originally and only later were they worn by Jews? Perhaps initially everyonre wore them and thus even the Gra would permit them and it would be permitted also for those that came from Poland as they would not be considered non Jewish clothing
What’s the Truth About . . . the Jews in Egypt Keeping Their Jewish Names, Language and Dress?
Misconception: The Midrash states that after centuries of servitude, G-d redeemed the Jews from Egypt in the merit of the rigorous preservation of their own names, language and mode of dress.
Fact: While these three factors certainly would have contributed to the Jews maintaining an independent identity, and some of them are mentioned in various midrashim, there is no known classical midrash that presents a list of exclusively these three points of merit.
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