https://pro.morningconsult.com/trackers/public-opinion-us-state-of-affairs
More than 2 in 5 Americans (44%) say the country is headed in the right direction. That number was as high as 48% last week following a reprieve in President Donald Trump's trade war with China, only slightly down from 49% in mid-March — the current high for optimism during his second presidency.
https://www.realclearpolling.com/polls/state-of-the-union/direction-of-country
Right Direction | Wrong Track | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44.0 | 50.7 |
Emes L’Yakov (Bamidbar 1:11) Question Why was the division into different groups only done a year after they left Egypt In addition the banners served to divide the nation into unique groups and thus undermine unity?Answer The counting was to arrange the tribes according to their banners. However since they now had a common center – the Tabernacle there was no longer a danger of factionalism as there would have been when they first left Egypt. This is like a person who in spite of having specialized parts such as ears and eyes remains a single entity.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byduenimee
Dismissals of top pro-Israel officials in Washington spark Israeli concern as Trump’s 'America First' agenda sidelines allies; Netanyahu allies say figures like Donald Jr. and JD Vance now shape US policy, deepening rift over Iran and Gaza
https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-856767
Agudat Yisrael, the hassidic faction of the haredi United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, announced on Thursday that it would submit a bill to dissolve the Knesset.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/the-trump-musk-war-of-the-roses-543065a0?mod=hp_opin_pos_1
It certainly makes for entertaining political theater, at least for Democrats. First came Mr. Musk’s broadside against the One Big Beautiful Bill Act as an “abomination.” Mr. Trump replied that he was disappointed but that his buddy Elon knew what was in the bill all along.
Mr. Musk raised the bidding with a demand sent to his followers on X.com to “KILL the BILL.” The President suggested Mr. Musk suffered from “Trump derangement syndrome,” to which Mr. Musk replied that the President wouldn’t have won without him.
Since these guys only know how to escalate, Mr. Trump then posted on Truth Social that “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts.” Tesla shares plunged. Defcon 2.
https://www.newsweek.com/elon-musk-says-donald-trump-epstein-files-2081653
Musk, in a post Thursday on X, wrote, "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" He followed with, "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out."
The most explosive charge in the feud came with Musk's claim that Trump is listed in Epstein-related files that have not yet been made public. While it is known that Trump and Epstein were acquainted and photographed together in the early 2000s, Trump has long denied any involvement in Epstein's criminal conduct.
Igros Moshe (OC IV 75.3) Question Can women carry guns in those Israeli settlments close to Arab who hate Jews or is it prohibited as being male items being used by women? Answer It would seem clearly appropriate in this life threatening situation to carry a pistol. However if the Arabs are afraid of Jews and it is not viewed as life threatening or it is possible to travel safely in Israeli controlled areas or it is possible to be accompanied by an armed escort perhaps not, Nevertheless since it is difficult for them to act differently then what is considered normal it can be permitted since it clearly serves a purpose other than decoration and it is not for going to war.
https://mishpacha.com/everywhere-and-nowhere/
And then we can ask harder questions: What happened when the ghetto gates swung open? Which centrifugal forces splintered communities, and which held them together? Why was it that by the year 1900, only 15 percent of Jews in Central Europe were shomer Shabbos? What went wrong then? And what can hold us together today, when we fight assimilation not only of the Jewish People at large, but the drifting away that takes place within our neighborhoods, schools, communities, our very homes?
When equipped with a substantial dowry and trousseau, a young woman could expect to have her future — that is, her marriage — arranged for her. But what of those who were not so blessed? In 1895, an editorial in the Orthodox family weekly Die Laubhütte stated: “Dowries are getting higher every year…. Soon middle-class girls will no longer be able to buy men and poor girls already have no chance to get married.”
President Donald Trump's first four months in office have brought a whirlwind of unprecedented actions. There have been so many missteps, fumblings, cruel implementations, and pure folly, it would take an entire column to list them all.
While this column has often analyzed methodologically precise polling data, today I set out to synthesize, very unscientifically, what I've been hearing from business and legal colleagues, along with social contacts, about the Trump presidency's most consequential—and egregious—actions to date. The following list is by no means exhaustive of this administration's horrendous policies and ridiculous conduct. But these six items are perhaps the most destructive of our country's image, economy, and contributions to the rest of the world.
Igros Moshe (YD IV #9) Question Drafting Women Answer Drafting women – whether it is is for military service or other types of service is against G-d’s Torah. Therefore if any government passes such a law it is prohibited for women to obey such a law. It is basically a decree against Judaism which can not be obeyed. Therefore since it seems that there are those in America who want to pass such a law,it is obligatory to do all that is possible to inform everyone that this is against the Torah , and that therefore all Jewish women are forbidden to comply with it. I am certain that we will be heard and such a law will never happen in this country that we love and thus we will remain faithful citizens as we have been.
Igros Moshe (YD IV #36.9) Question: Is it an obligation to learn the entire Torah? Answer It seems from the Rambam that there is a mitzva for everyone to learn the entire Torah. However this is just a superficial knowledge such as we find with daf Yomi.
Igros Moshe (YD IV #36.10) Question What is the mitzva of Torah study? Answer There is also an obligation to know the entire Torah and be a genuine talmid chachom and to be able to decide halacha. This applies to all Jews so that every generation will have many great talmidei chachomim that know all of the Torah.and be able to poskim even for those things things which aren’t relevant today such as kodshim and taharos and new moon as well as sanhesdrin and kings. .
