‘Witkoff Misunderstood Putin’s…’: U.S’ Shocking Blunder Ahead Of High-Stakes Trump-Putin Talks - Incompetent lackey

 https://www.oneindia.com/videos/witkoff-misunderstood-putins-u-s-shocking-blunder-ahead-of-highstakes-trumpputin-talks-4258133.html

Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff has come under fire after reportedly misinterpreting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ceasefire terms, according to German outlet BILD. Sources say Putin demanded full control of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson while offering only a limited halt to attacks on energy sites and major cities—not a full ceasefire. Witkoff allegedly believed Putin was proposing a withdrawal from Ukrainian territories, a misunderstanding that baffled both European partners and members of Trump’s own team.

Vance: ‘We’re done with the funding of the Ukraine war business’

 https://thehill.com/homenews/5445500-vance-done-funding-ukraine-war-business

Earlier this week, the Kremlin shared a ceasefire deal with the Trump administration, asking for control of Eastern Ukraine in exchange for a halt in hostilities. 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky adamantly opposed the deal, stating on the social platform X, “Ukraine is ready for real decisions that can bring peace. Any decisions that are against us, any decisions that are without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace.”

Donald Trump Gets Even More Bad News on US Economy

 https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-bad-news-us-economy-jobs-2108440

Pollster Nate Silver, in a Sunday newsletter, wrote: "Firing the BLS commissioner won't prevent the effects of tariffs. But it will reduce American economic leadership and increase uncertainty for businesses, workers and investors."

Trump Is Offering Putin Another Munich

 https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/03/putin-hitler-munich-parallel/681973

itler regretted the deal he made with Neville Chamberlain at Munich in 1938. What he actually wanted was war—his goal was to conquer all of Czechoslovakia by force as a first step toward the conquest of all of Europe.

He didn’t imagine that the British and French governments would be so craven as to give him everything he publicly asked for, including the dismemberment of Czechoslovakia and the occupation of the Sudetenland by the German army. When they did, Hitler found himself trapped into accepting, but he was unhappy. Within five months he ordered the military occupation of all Czechoslovakia, in violation of the Munich Agreement, and six months after that, he invaded Poland.

'TACO' Trump appears to surrender to Putin in advance; replaces ultimatum with concession meeting

Israel and Anti-Semitism

 Historically the state of Israel was founded because there seemed no other defense against Anti-Semitism. This was primarily secular activists with the vast majority of Orthodox views against it.  However we see in our times that Israel is the main justification for anti-semitism or hatred of the Jews. It seems rather ironic that the drafting of the Orthodox is viewed as a critical element in preserving the secular state which clearly has failed to validate the vision of the founders. Should the government simply declare defeat and walk away?

Zelensky Rejects Trump’s Suggestion That Ukraine Should Give Up Territory to Russia in Peace Talks

 https://time.com/7308658/zelensky-trump-putin-peace-talks/

Zelensky appeared to bristle at both the suggestion of ceding territory and at the prospect of talks being held without Ukraine.

“Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace. They will bring nothing. These are dead decisions; they will never work,” Zelensky said in a video address. He added that Ukraine "will not give Russia any awards for what it has done."

Richard Feynman’s Love Letter to His Wife, Sixteen Months After Her Death

 https://fs.blog/richard-feynman-love-letter

Richard Feynman was an amazing character mastering physics, thinking, life, and as we shall soon see, love. Richard and Arline Greenbaum were soul mates. They were a perfect symbiotic pair, each completing the other. They shared the love we all seek.

Feynman was fond of writing love letters to Arline. Many of them appear in Perfectly Reasonable Deviations from the Beaten Track.

None is more beautiful than the one Richard wrote to Arline sixteen months after her death.

Avoda Zara has real power?

Devarim (4:19) And lest you lift up your eyes to the skies, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all the host of the skies, should you be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord your God has allotted to all nations under the whole sky.

Rav Yakov (Emes LYakov 4:19) And lest you lift up your eyes to the skies, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all the host of the skies….which the Lord your God has allotted to all nations under the whole sky. There are two different understandings found in the commentaries, The first says this verse is simply saying that the purpose of these heavenly bodies is to provide light to the entire world and the Torah is prohibiting worshipping them. However the Ibn Ezra and Ramban say it means that each nation has a unique star or mazel as does each city.  They provide genuine benefit and bounty.  It would seem that this is a fundamental disagreement as to the nature of idolatry.  The view of the Rambam is clearly that idols have no power at all and therefore prayer to idols not only violates the Torah prohibition but wastes his time and effort. In contrast the Ramban claims that G-d implanted in Nature that each nation would have a unique source of bounty from the higher worlds as long as it didn’t have relevance to Israel since Jews are not determine by mazel. However there is still a Torah prohibition to pray to this source of bounty since ultimately G-d is the source of all bounty and therefore prayer and devotion can only be directed to G-d not to His sevant. However if this source is worshipped and prayed to it can actually provide benefit. Thus the verse is saying that G-d gave each nation a unique source of bounty and guidance. 

Moshe's request to go into Israel was answered when he Prayed

 The gemora (Berachos 32b) says Moshe's request to go into \Israel  was answered when he prayed. Though this seems to contradict the Torah which says G-d did not agree with him  “Enough! Never speak to Me of this matter again! Devarim (3:26). The Chasam Sofer explains that Moshe asked for two things 1(To see all of Israel  2) To enter into Israel. He was granted the first request only. 

Berachos (32b) R. Eleazar said: prayer is more efficacious even than good deeds, for there was no-one greater in good deeds than Moses our Master, and yet he was answered only after prayer, as it says, Speak no more unto Me, and immediately afterwards, Get thee up into the top of Pisgah.

Trump yelled at Netanyahu over PM’s denial of hunger in Gaza; PMO: ‘Fake news’

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/report-trump-yelled-at-netanyahu-in-recent-phone-call-over-pms-denial-of-gaza-hunger

According to NBC News, which cited unnamed senior US officials, the fiery phone conversation took place on July 28, after Netanyahu said at an event that, despite widespread reports of hunger and starvation in the Strip, “there is no starvation in Gaza.”

Trump publicly responded the next day that he was “not particularly convinced” by Netanyahu’s assurance, saying there was “real starvation” in the Strip and adding: “You can’t fake that.” 

“The claim that there was supposedly a ‘shouting match’ between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump is complete fake news,” the Prime Minister’s Office wrote in a brief statement.

The Sin of Adam - inaccurate self-assessment

Rav Tzadok (Machshovos Charutz #1):.. The sin of Adam was in thought rather than deed…These are the thoughts that the Serpent gave him when he told him, “You will be like G‑d.” The source of all vain and empty thoughts is that a person errs in self‑assessment. He mistakenly thinks that he is on a higher level than he is actually is or is even capable of reaching. Adam who had reached the pinnacle of perfection as a man, mistakenly started thinking that he was in fact on the level of G‑d. Therefore the Torah warns that while a person should be holy he can never reach G‑d's level of holiness (Vayikra Rabbah 24:9). When he had in fact reached the level of the angels, his evil inclination did not leave him alone and deceived him into thinking that he could be as holy as G‑d. A person can thus achieve the pinnacle of greatness and yet fall to the deepest depths – as we see what happened to Yeshu and Shabtsai Tzvi. Their great asceticism and separation from the material world distorted their perception of their true spiritual level until they thought that they were the source of holiness…" This is the way of the seduction of the Serpent (evil inclination). He begins with something small and progresses. He begins with thoughts and imaginations which seem external and superficial but in fact touch all levels of thought in an essential manner.

Hitting Children – Corporal punishment

Michtav M’Eliyahu (3:361): My nephew told me that he saw in a sefer that even if the child obeys his parents it is still proper to find an excuse in order to hit him at least a small amount. … the Ibn Ezra (Shemos 20:14) has written that it is not relevant to talk about the love of a peasant to the king’s daughter. Also when the king punishes the peasant with a beating the peasant never thinks about taking revenge against the king and the only lesson he learns from being punished is to be more submissive. That is because it is obvious that he is totally subordinate to the king and the king has the right to punish - but not him. Similar when it is ingrained in a child’s heart the idea that the father is the ruler and total master over him and that he is subservient to his father then because of this subservience he will never learn to hit others just because his father hits him. However our education has become corrupted because the teachers now think that they need to be friends of their students and parents also think this and everything centers on the independence of the children. Because of this, when a father beats his son, the son will retaliate and hit his father or his small brothers… However the secular researchers in their search for new understanding and their desire to destroy the principle of education which were known even by non‑Jews and whose source is in G‑d’s Torah and Prophets - produce things which bring about a reversal of all these basic principles. They are educating future Nazis and brazen people. From this we see to what degree it is necessary to be careful with all aspects of innovation of the secular researchers concerning psychology and education and it is necessary to evaluate and ascertain whether their approach contradicts the words of Chazal and the Rishonim or Jewish practice which itself is Torah. If contradictions are found it is necessary to reject complete all their filthy innovations and not accept anything from them without first examining it with sharp examination and to evaluate it in the light of Torah and Chazal and the words of the gedolim of the Rishonim and Achronim.

Rambam (Talmud Torah 2:2) A teacher may employ corporal punishment to cast fear upon [the students]. However, he should not beat them cruelly, like an enemy. Therefore, he should not beat them with a rod or a staff, but rather with a small strap.

Makkos(8a): Although the son is already taught, it is still obligatory on the father to chasten, because it is written, Correct thy son and he will give you rest, yea he will give delight to your soul.

Igros Moshe (YD IV #30.4) Question: Is it permissible to hit students? Answer  In my humble opinion it is obvious that this should not be done with a cane or anything that can seriously hurt rhe child. It is prohibited for a teacher to hit a student even a light blow or even to threaten to beat him with such or even for a teacher to hold a cane in his hand. . He should have available only a small strap which a father and a teacher are allowed to use when the child misbehaves or isn’t learning properly. (Rambam (Talmud Torah 2:2). It is correctly said that one who hits with a cane violates the Torah prohibition against hitting and this is even for a light blow.that does no damage. It is also obvious that severe beating from anger is prohibited even with a strap or stick  The teacher and father have the same restrictions in general. They differ in that a teacher can only hit for issues of learning while the father can hit even for issues of character and similar things and sometimes for minor issues. Obviously this is only when there is some minor complaint – a father can hit but not a teacher 

Absolute Truth

 I'm reading "Stranger Than We Can Imagine: Making Sense of the Twentieth Century" by John Higgs and wanted to share this quote with you.

Start reading this book for free: https://a.co/e4Y75q3

 "The existence of absolute truth has also been declared by neoliberalists and socialists, by terrorists and vigilantes, and by scientists and hippies. The belief in certainty is a broad church indeed. All these people disagree on what form this absolutism takes, unfortunately. But they’re pretty sure that it exists. This faith in absolute certainty is not based on any evidence for the existence of certainty. It can sometimes appear to stem from a psychological need for certainty which afflicts many people, particularly older men. Cultural debate in the early twenty-first century has, "as a result, descended into a War of the Certain. Different factions, all of whom agree about the existence of absolute truth, are shouting down anyone who has a different definition of that absolute truth. Fortunately, true absolutism is rare. Most people, scientists and non-scientists alike, unconsciously adopt a position of multiple-model agnosticism. This recognizes that we make sense of the world by using a number of different and sometimes contradictory models. A multiple-model agnostic would "not say that all models are of equal value, because some models are more useful than others, and the usefulness of a model varies according to context. They would not concern themselves with infinite numbers of interpretations as that would be impractical, but they understand that there is never only one interpretation. Nor would they agree that something is not “real” because our understanding of it is a cultural or linguistic construct. Things can still be real, even when our understanding of them is flawed Multiple-model agnostics are, ultimately, pretty loose. They rarely take impractical, extreme positions, which may be why they do not do well on the editorial boards of academic postmodern journals. Multiple-model agnosticism is an approach familiar to any scientist. Scientists do not possess a grand theory of everything, but they do have a number of competing and contradictory models, which are valid at certain scales and in certain circumstances."