Defying fears of a pandemic-driven Great Depression and bucking Federal Reserve interest rate hikes as well, the U.S. job market closed out the Biden era at the cusp of full employment, if not beyond it, with steady job gains, growing wages, and enough momentum to possibly rekindle fears of overheating.
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Trump’s Bad Economy Is Even Worse Than It Looks
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/trumps-bad-economy-is-even-worse
But here’s the thing: As bad as the unemployment situation looks right now, last week the chairman of the Federal Reserve said that he thinks the real numbers are actually worse. . . .
Chofetz Chaim, Chazon Ish & Rav Kook
The Chofetz Chaim had a dream of making aliyah. He tried a number of times - but he wasn't successful. Toward the end of his life, there were again rumors that he was going to move to Israel. In fact someone came to the Chazon Ish and reported that he had inside information that the Chofetz Chaim would soon be landing in Yaffo. The Chazon Ish looked up from his gemora and said simply:
"It isn't true. The Chofetz Chaim will never come to Israel." He continued, "I don't say this because I am a navi with ruach hakodesh. It is simple logic. Everyone knows that there is a very close relationship between the Chofetz Chaim and Rav Kook. If the Chofetz Chaim came to Israel then they would visit each other. This would cause strong upset in certain circles. As a consequence of this backlash - the Mishna Berura would be abandoned and thrown in the trash. It is clear that G-d does not want this happen to the Mishna Berura. Consequently it is impossible that the Chofetz Chaim will be coming to Israel."====================
Regarding the Chofetz Chaim's attitude to Rav Kook. The following letter was written 3 years after the dedication of Hebrew University by the Chofetz Chaim's son-in law. It has been alleged that the Chofetz Chaim expressed contempt for Rav Kook as the result of the dedication. It is clear from this letter that the Chofetz Chaim had a very high opinion of Rav Kook even after the incident.
Rael Levinsohn suggested the following links to translations:
letter-from-the-son-in-law-of-the-Chofetz-Chaim-to-Rav-Kook-1928/
Rav-Kooks-relationship-with-giants-of-his-time/
the-view-of-the-Chazon-Ish-on-Rav-Kook-another-perspective/
The-relationship-between-Rav Kook-and-the-Chofetz-Chaim-part-2/
update-on-Rav Kook-letter/
history-of-the-Rav-Kook-Rav-Sonnenfeld-dispute-and-its-relevance-for-modern-times-part-1/
history-of-the-Rav-Kook-Rav-Sonnenfeld-dispute-and-its-relevance-for-modern-times-part-2/
Hamas still has 60,000 Kalashnikovs
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420151
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presented a new security assessment during a meeting with US President Donald Trump, according to which Hamas is holding approximately 60,000 Kalashnikov rifles in Gaza.
According to Channel 13 correspondent Moriah Asraf, Netanyahu conveyed a clear message to the American administration: without gathering the arms from the Gaza Strip, there is no room for considering the civil rehabilitation of the enclave.
The figure was gathered specifically ahead of the trip by IDF intelligence and the Shin Bet. “Without collecting these weapons, it is impossible to move on to the next stages,” was the central message conveyed to the Americans.
Idolatry Wisdom and Prophesy
Rav Tzadok (Poked Ikkarim page 51) When the Anshei Kenesses Hagadolah nullified the lust for idolatry it also ceased for the non-Jews. Thus our Sages stated that non Jews outside of Israel were not actual idolators but were simply keeping the customs of their ancestors and they also lost understanding and their wisdom was corrupted which was dependent on their desire and attatchment to idolatry. Similarly prophesy diminished. Correspondingly the Oral Torah developed and grew during the Greek rule.
IDF Reserve Officer: 'We're supporting an enemy army inside Israel'
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420140
Following the extensive military exercise conducted by the PA, which included seizures of towns and the use of RPG launchers, Brig.-Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi warns that the PA will soon turn on Israel.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) recently concluded a three-day military exercise that has drawn renewed scrutiny in Israel. According to multiple reports, the drill included simulated raids, the takeover of towns by commando units, and the use of RPG launchers and advanced military equipment. The developments were discussed on Arutz Sheva-Israel National News with Brig. Gen. (res.) Amir Avivi, chairman of the Israel Defense and Security Forum, who warned that the exercise highlights a growing and dangerous trend.
Avivi cautioned that Israel is effectively fostering “an enemy army within the State of Israel,” calling the situation “very serious.” Recalling his own experience as a deputy brigade commander during violent clashes in the mid-1990s, shortly after the PA was established, Avivi said that weapons transferred to Palestinian forces were later used in heavy attacks in Judea and Samaria and Gaza. “We already saw the potential back in 1996,” he said, noting that Israeli casualties were sustained during those confrontations.
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Contradicting Tanach
Radak (Shmuel 1 28:24) The act of necromancy is nonsense, lies, and ridiculous…the story of Samuel and Saul never was real, and Samuel never rose from his grave. The woman did it all through trickery…" This is the commentary of the gaon Rav Shmuel the son of Chofni, and he said this even though it can be implied from the words of the sages in the Gemara that the woman truly did revive Samuel. He did not accept what was written there, for there are those who use reason to deny it.”
Today is the Fast of the Tenth of Tevet
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/420116
On Asarah B’Tevet in the year 3336, Nevuchadnetzar, king of Babylonia, laid siege to Yerushalayim, marking the beginning of the events that led to the destruction of the First Temple, the exile of the People of Israel from their land and soon after, the last vestiges of self rule for those who remained. The story is recounted at the end of the Book of Kings, Chap. 25:
To commemorate the tragic day when the siege began, the Nevi’im (Prophets)[1] instituted the ta’anit tzibbur (communal fast day) of Asarah B’Tevet.
The Israeli Chief Rabbinate ruled that the Tenth of Tevet be considered Holocaust Martyr's Day, the general memorial day, Yom Hakadish Hakllali, for those who perished in the Holocaust but whose yahrzeit is unknown. Relatives may recite the kaddish prayer for them on this day and it is customary for the synagogue service to include the "El Malei Rachamim" prayer, said at funerals, on yahrzeits and on the days when Yizkor is said, in memory of all the victims.
Angels and religion
Yoma (19b) There was a Sadducee who had arranged the incense without, and then brought it inside. As he left he was exceedingly glad. On his coming out his father met him and said to him: My son, although we are Sadducees, we are afraid of the Pharisees. He replied: All my life was I aggrieved because of this scriptural verse: For I appear in the cloud upon the ark-cover. I would say: When shall the opportunity come to my hand so that I might fulfil it. Now that such opportunity has come to my hand, should I not have fulfilled it? It is reported that it took only a few days until he died and was thrown on the dungheap and worms came forth from his nose. Some say: He was smitten as he came out of the Holy of Holies. For R. Hiyya taught: Some sort of a noise was heard in the Temple Court, for an angel had come and struck him down on his face to the ground and his brethren the priests came in and they found the trace as of a calf's foot on his shoulder, as it is written: And their feet were straight feet, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot.
Religious Medical Research
I'm reading "Religion and Medicine: A History of the Encounter Between Humanity's Two Greatest Institutions" by Jeff Levin, Stephen G. Post and wanted to share this quote with you.
."In 1988 an unusual study appeared in the Southern Medical Journal. San Francisco cardiologist Randolph C. Byrd published results of a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) of distant intercessory prayer for hospitalized patients in the coronary care unit at San Francisco General Hospital.1 Between 1982 and 1983, 393 cardiac patients were randomly assigned by computer-generated list to either a treatment or control group, the former receiving prayer from Christian groups outside the hospital. Each patient received prayer from three to seven intercessors. Blinding meant that neither doctors and nurses nor patients, nor even Byrd, knew what group each patient was assigned to, and intercessors received only the first name of a respective patient and his or her diagnosis. Pray-ers included born-again Christians and religious Roman Catholics active in a church or fellowship. What was the result? According to Byrd’s analyses, prayer worked. At follow-up, analyses showed that prayed-for patients had significantly less congestive heart failure, pneumonia, and cardiopulmonary arrest; required fewer antibiotics and diuretics and less intubation/ventilator assistance; and received a lower severity score based on a measure of the course of their postentry hospital stay.2 In the acknowledgments at the end of his paper, Byrd humbly added the following: “In addition, I thank God for responding to the many prayers made on behalf of the patients.”3 Publication of Byrd’s study created a firestorm of comment and critique.4 Fallout included denunciations from secular skeptics5 and devout Christians6 alike. But there was also an emerging apologetics from secular physicians and proponents of a more welcoming role for spirituality in healthcare.7 Notably, the response from readers of the SMJ was mostly positive, with one exception—a letter to the editor accusing the journal of an “attempt to return medicine to the Dark Ages” by publishing a study that sought “to undermine reason.”8"
Start reading this book for free: https://a.co/fd3uXDn
"Tefillin and cardiovascular function. A controlled study of twenty Jewish men, conducted at the University of Cincinnati, found that use of tefillin (nonocclusive leather straps attached to the arm during morning prayer, also known as phylacteries) appeared to have an ischemic preconditioning effect.173 Long-term daily use among Orthodox Jews was associated with an anti-inflammatory response (decreased levels of circulating cytokines and attenuated monocyte chemotaxis and adhesion), while acute use in both religious and nonreligious Jews was associated with improved vascular function (greater brachial artery diameter and flow volume) after thirty minutes of use. I must admit that I am not sure what to make of these results, but as a practicing Jew I find the possible implications fascinating and encouraging."
Start reading this book for free: https://a.co/6RXdNdN
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