https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/402333
The hostage deal between Israel and Hamas is expected to be signed as early as Wednesday night and the first hostages my be released on Sunday
Wednesday, January 15, 2025
The Hostage Deal Is the Price of Israel’s Failures
The sacrifices of this proposed agreement are the cost of Israel’s weakness on October 7, Michael Oren writes.
In first, researchers find where Jerusalemites prayed before Temple became only game in town
Researchers believe an ancient multi-room structure uncovered near Jerusalem’s Old City was likely used for ritual and worship nearly 3,000 years ago, the Israel Antiquities Authority said Tuesday, marking the first such find of a religious site practically down the street from the biblical First Temple while it still stood.
The 220-square-meter (2,370-square-foot) structure, dating from the 8th century BCE, “features eight rock-hewn rooms containing an altar, a standing stone, an oil press, and a winepress,” the IAA said in a statement about the well-preserved site, which was seemingly boarded up during an ancient crackdown on worship outside the Temple Mount. Standing stones are upright stones placed in the ground associated with religious ceremonies.
Puerto Rico asks Trump for help after Venezuela’s Maduro threatens invasion
Puerto Rico’s new Republican governor is drawing attention to Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro’s military threats against the U.S. island in the wake of President-elect Trump’s calls for U.S. territorial expansion
Sick consulting Diviners?
Teshuvos Maharshal (#3) Question Is it permitted for a sick person to consult with witches through non Jews? Answer This has already been answered by the Terumas HaDeshen who wrote that asking witches and diviners is not explicitly prohibited. The Torah only prohibited Ov or Yedoni since that is very severe but it doesn’t apply to other type of witches or diviners even as a chumra as can be seen from the gemorah in Yevamos concerning the death penalty for a witch and it doesn’t learn the halacha from Ov and Yedoni. It would seem that the prohibition is solely because of Tamim Teheyu as the Rambam writes. He claims that it appears from his words that there is no actual prohibition. With all due respects I think he misread the Rambam who says elsewhere that it is prohibited to ask a diviner and he receives makos mardus while the diviner who did an act of divination receives regular makkos. Obviously he holds that both violated a prohibited act. The asker since he didn’t do an act receives Makkos mardus. We learn this from Shaul’s asking the diviner and the gemora says it was a violation of Tamim teheyu. But that is only to believe completely in them and they are called fools. Even so the Ranbam states that only if they follow the advice of the diviner do they receive makkos. I have found that the Ramban claims that only Ov and Yedoni are prohibited to be asked by the Torah and not other types of diviners. He says asking other types of diviners is prohibited by Tamim teheyu as was the case of Shaul. It would seem that any sick person is not prohibited to consult a diviner according to the Rambam.. The verse of Tamim teheyu is to simply have faith in G-d and have trust in Him engraved in the heart, therefore a sick person need not be strict in the prohibition. However since the basic prohibition is because divination of all types is nonsense and stupidity and lacks a real basis,it should not be permitted at all to consult a diviner because of Tamim teheyu. So if the sick person is in danger it should be permitted even according to the Rambam since the diviner sometimes says things that are true. We say even a doubtful lifesaving permits transgressing Shabbos which would result in capital punishment so surely our case is permitted. However if he is not in danger it is not permitted even if he might lose a limb. Nevertheless there are times to permit it even when there is no danger to life but only to a limb. This is in cases where it is known that the sickness was caused by witchcraft or evil spirit it would be permitted to consult a diviner according to the Rambam. In these matters, most witches or diviners are knowledgeable and can provide genuine help possibly even according to the Rambam. And it is possible to say that the Torah did not prohibit diviners in that case where their only purpose is to drive away the evil spirit. The Torah seems to have only prohibited asking them or to pursue them and to believe in them but the gemora permits nullifying witchcraft with witchcraft and surely through a goy. But all this does not apply to a normal sick person who is not in danger. In fact there is no leniency for him at all.
4 women in intensive care with flu complications: 'Didn't vaccinate because of fake news'
https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/rkmgrnnw1x
The women, ages 22-50, are sedated and ventilated in intensive care; Only one of the four has been vaccinated against the flu; 'The flu vaccine is not 100% effective, but it will still prevent serious illness or prevent illness at all, so it is highly recommended to get vaccinated'
Growing number of military veterans committing extremist crimes
https://www.axios.com/2025/01/15/military-veterans-extremist-groups
Pete Hegseth, President-elect Trump's pick for Defense secretary, on Tuesday called the problem of extremism in the military "fake," but researchers warn there's a growing trend of military-linked terrorism.
Israelis head to streets to rally for and against brewing hostage deal
Thousands attend Tel Aviv demonstration in eager anticipation of Hamas’s response to proposal, while hundreds in Jerusalem fume at government over ‘surrender’ to terror group
In Trump we trust?
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/402295
No matter who is in the White House and the Knesset, no matter how much they disappoint us, the Jewish people only have one Leader.
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Republicans in Israel Chair: 'Netanyahu should politely tell Trump 'no''
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/402270
In an interview with Israel National News-Arutz Sheva, Republicans Overseas Israel Chairman Marc Zell calls on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to politely refuse the deal with Hamas that President-elect Trump is pressing on Israel to reach before he takes office. "Israel's interests must come first," Zell stated.
On the other hand, says Zell, "Israel has its interests, the destruction of Hamas, the release of the hostages, and so on." To meet these interests, according to him, Trump is offering Netanyahu a deal in which there will be a short ceasefire and the hostages will be released, and in return, Netanyahu will get important leverage in another important issue - the Iranian nuclear issue. "Trump is offering arms and military and diplomatic support, and Netanyahu will get a green light to destroy the head of the Iranian Kraken."
The selective DEI of Pete Hegseth
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/14/selective-dei-of-pete-hegseth/
In other words, Hegseth admits that he lacks the experience and qualifications of past secretaries. But he should get the job because he was a soldier, someone whose background gives him qualifications that don’t show up on his résumé.
That is precisely the sort of inclusion that the right excoriates when it is applied to Black people or women. But Hegseth is a White conservative man, seeking the sort of chance that White men have long been given but have never had to frame as “inclusion.”
It is unlikely that he recognizes the irony of his appeal. It is certain that his allies on the right will not suggest that he is simply using DEI tactics to try to replace the better-qualified Black man who currently holds the position.
Review and Evaluation Tulsa Race Massacre
https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1383756/dl
On the night of May 31, 1921, a violent attack by as many as 10,000 white Tulsan destroyed the thriving Black community of Greenwood, Oklahoma—a prosperous area often referred to as “Black Wall Street.” The attack, which lasted into the afternoon of June 1, was so systematic and coordinated that it transcended mere mob violence. White men murdered hundreds of Black residents, burned businesses and homes to the ground, and left survivors without resources or recourse. In the aftermath, authorities failed to offer meaningful help, and efforts to seek justice through the courts foundered.
The trigger for the violence of the Tulsa Race Massacre was the kind of unfounded condemnation that, at the time, commonly justified unspeakable treatment of Black men. The allegations of a white man led police to arrest 19-year-old Dick Rowland for allegedly assaulting a white woman who operated an elevator he used. A local newspaper then sensationalized the story, and soon a mob of white Tulsans gathered outside the courthouse, demanding a lynching.
Common Law and Civil Marriage
Igros Moshe (EH I #74) Man and woman living together without Chupa and Kiddushin but are only registered with government in a civil ceremony Question Regarding the woman who came from Hungary, which is under the Soviet government, and says that she was living with a man for a long time without a Torah marriage, only what was recorded in the register of the government official in the city which is the standard marriage there. There was no act of acquisition or any symbolic act but only the registration of marriage. Later they agreed to separate and they went to the government office to register their separation and from then on they had nothing to do with each other. Neither knew about Jewish rabbis or Jewish law but conducted themselves in marriage and divorce according to the secular practices of the country which they followed as law abiding citizens. After they separated the man went away and she has no knowledge where he went while she moved to Canada. The question is whether she is free to get married since she is still young – aside from the issue of aguna that Chazal were greatly concerned for their welfare and there is also concern that she might lead a lawless life Answer And here, if the truth is as she says, there was no act of marriage done, even if it happens that there were kosher witnesses there when they were registered as man and a wife, it is nothing. But the only legal question is if they went lived together as a man and his wife in a place where there are kosher Jews to testify then we might say there is strong presumption that a person does not conduct himself in a lawless manner when it comes to marriage. But this issue is a major dispute amongst the Sages. Consequently in this case where it is clear that she never went to mikve because of Nidah because if she had she would have known about a rabbi or religious Jews and thus she would have had a religious ceremony since there are still a few religious Jews in every Hungarian city. My friend Rav Henkin claims that Jewish halachic marriage is primarily the intent of the woman to be the wife so even when there is no act of acquisition as long as she is brought into his house for the purpose of marriage as we know from their registration of the marriage it is considered a Torah marriage even it is less than a perutah Even though his explanation seems logical but it is difficult to justify it from the gemora. Consequently if it is possible to obtain a get it is good to be strict and get one out of concern for the view of Rav Henkin, nevertheless if it is impossible to obtain a get from the husband when his location is unknown she is still free to get married. Furthermore in our case that the civil marriage is dissolved according to the law of the land whenenever they wish to separate from each other, even Rav Henkin would agree that there is no marriage. Nevertheless it is necessary to investigate whether the facts are as she claims since Hungary has only recently become secularized so it can not be assumed that the new laws and customs have been accepted by all the inhabitants and most have a religious ceremony after the secular one this is true even in places that the communists have ruled for 40 years , so she might be lying about not having a religious ceremony. . In fact if she was not known in Canada as being ever married than she is believed, since her testimony is the sole basis that she might be prohibited as a married woman so she would be believed to permit her to get married. However if she is a registered or known communist it is unlikely she had a religious ceremony
Igros Moshe (IV #81) Question A single woman who came from Russia and lived with a man for about a year after a civil marriage. Answer It has no halachic significance. 1)My view is that the irreligious are not concerned with avoiding fornication even if the lack of concern is the result of ignorance of religious laws and thus there is no intent that intercourse is done with the intent of marriage. And those Jews who came from Soviet Russia the reasoning of Rav Henkin doesn’t apply since they live normally in a licentious manner since there is no concept of marriage as they think that the relationship ends by simply walking away from it for any reason. Sometime the government itself separates a couple if it thinks that the husband and wife needs to work in different cities. Thus the couple is not viewed as actual unit. Therefore if it is difficult to obtain a Get, or there are reasons not to wait for a Get. They are to be viewed as available for marriage. It is self understood there is no need to strive for a heter for to the licentious and surely not for those lacking in being serious in their commitment to marriage. You should only be interest in helping those who are committed to conduct themselves in the future according to the laws of the Torah and observe Nidah.
Civil Marriage
Igros Moshe (EH I #75) Question A woman who was only married by a secular procedure and she lived with him for two months in a place where there are no Jews and afterwards she lived alone for for three and a half years and then returned to her husband and lived for five years in a place where there were Jews but they had no interaction with religious Jews except for perhaps a few. Then he left her and she lived alone for half a year. Her husband returned and they lived in a place without religious Jews. They knew nothing about religion at all. Afterwards they lived in Los Angeles in a neighborhood that had some religious Jews for eight years in four places. A year in one place two years in a second place two years in a third and three years in a fourth. Every year he would leave her for an extended period of time. It is now a year that he has left her and she hasn’t heard from him. In this last year that he has deserted her she has come under the influence of Torah and she has become a religiously observant Jew and she can not possibly obtain a Get from her husband. Is it possible for her to remarry based on the fact she never was married according to halacha?
Igros Moshe (IV #80) Question In the matter of a woman who is known as a single and never married woman, she claims that she once got married on a trip to Florida to a man she was travelling with in a city in North Carolina which is populated entirely by non Jews. The marriage was civil. She lived with him for just two days, the time it took to get to Florida. When they reached Florida they separated from each other. Answer Since the entire question arises from believing her testimony; it is clear from that same testimony that there was no Marriage according to halacha. There is also no concern to be strict because of the claim that it wasn’t fornication since it was only two days and they obviously didn’t view it as marriage. In addition there were no valid witnesses. She is permitted to marry anyone without any concern.
Concerning the woman who came to you to be married. She had been married for 13 years to another man and then he deserted her and left her an aguna. According to your investigation, the witnesses on the kesubah were invalid. The marriage was performed by a Conservative Chazon who is therefore presumed to be a heretic . There were no valid witnesses at the wedding except the grandfather of the groom and the brother in law. The caterer was also a Shabbos transgressor and for the 13 years they lived together it was amongst goyim and they didn’t know observant Jews. Thus there is no problem if you perform the marriage. Regarding the question of allowing a Reform rabbi to say a beracha under the chupa? His beracha is nothing since he is a heretic . Thus one should not even say amen to it.
Igros Moshe (EH I #75) Question A woman who was only married by a secular procedure and she lived with him for two months in a place where there are no Jews and afterwards she lived alone for for three and a half years and then returned to her husband and lived for five years in a place where there were Jews but they had no interaction with religious Jews except for perhaps a few. Then he left her and she lived alone for half a year. Her husband returned and they lived in a place without religious Jews. They knew nothing about religion at all. Afterwards they lived in Los Angeles in a neighborhood that had some religious Jews for eight years in four places. A year in one place two years in a second place two years in a third and three years in a fourth. Every year he would leave her for an extended period of time. It is now a year that he has left her and she hasn’t heard from him. In this last year that he has deserted her, she has come under the influence of Torah and she has become a religiously observant Jew and she can not possibly obtain a Get from her husband. Is it possible for her to remarry based on the fact she never was married according to halacha? Answer Since she lived for five years in a place she had Jewish neighbors who knew that she and her husband were Jews, even though they didn’t interact with religious Jews, but there is a concern that there were religious Jews in the neighborhood who knew they that they were living together in their house as husband and wife. Additionally they had dependent children and all their neighbors knew that they were her children and that her husband was their father and she was called Mrs ploni with his last name in other words the wife of ploni. Furthermore afterwards she lived in Los Angeles for a time in a neighborhood that had religious neighbors. So even though he deserted her many times, it is reasonable that the neighbors knew when he returned to live with her and that she was always called by his name. This is obviously true since it is unusual that a husband regularly deserts his wife every year for an extended time and then comes back. So they obviously were aware of his return. Consequently if there were religious Jews She needs to obtain a Get based on the concept that people usually aren’t involved in fornication and thus they intended all intercourse to be part of marriage. If it is possible we require a Get even for the irreligious. However if it is impossible to obtain a Get and she would be an agunah it seems we can rely on the views regarding those that are irreligious, that they are not concerned with fornication and thus don’t require a Get. However Rav Henkin requires a Get. But as I have explained elsewhere I disagree with him and don’t require a Get. Therefore in this case where you have not been able to obtain a Get, She can remarry without a Get. But you should know my friend that if she will not agree to keep the laws of Nidah you should have no further involvement with her since you are assisting her violation of the laws of Nidah. In addition all the leniencies allowed for Agunah probably would not be valid for her but are only for the religious why should there be leniencies to enable transgressions?. This issue needs additional investigation. But clearly if she agrees to keep Nidah you can be involved if you have established the fact that there was no Torah marriage but only a civil ceremony.
Igros Moshe (IV #81) Question A single woman who came from Russia and lived with a man for about a year after a civil marriage. Answer It has no halachic significance. 1)My view is that the irreligious are not concerned with avoiding fornication even if the lack of concern is the result of ignorance of religious laws and thus there is no intent that intercourse is done with the intent of marriage. And those Jews who came from Soviet Russia the reasoning of Rav Henkin doesn’t apply since they live normally in a licentious manner since there is no concept of marriage as they think that the relationship ends by simply walking away from it for any reason. Sometime the government itself separates a couple if it thinks that the husband and wife needs to work in different cities. Thus the couple is not viewed as actual unit. Therefore if it is difficult to obtain a Get, or there are reasons not to wait for a Get. They are to be viewed as available for marriage. It is self understood there is no need to strive for a heter for to the licentious and surely not for those lacking in being serious in their commitment to marriage. You should only be interest in helping those who are committed to conduct themselves in the future according to the laws of the Torah and observe Nidah.
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