Hundreds of the U.S. military’s top leaders absorbed highly partisan addresses from President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday, with each harshly criticizing their predecessors and touting their agendas in a summit that was extraordinary in nature but ultimately broke little new ground.
Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Holocaust and Plague of Darkness
Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky (Emes L’Yaakov Shemos 10:22) Rashi asks, “Why did G-d bring about the plague of Darkness? Because the Jews in that generation were wicked and did not want to leave Egypt and therefore thousands died in the three days of darkness.” Even though that entire generation were not considered righteous (tzadikim) as we see the angels claimed that both the Jews and Egyptians were idolaters –why were the Egyptians killed to save the Jews. In other words the angels could not see the slightest difference between the Jews and the Egyptians and thought all should die. And thus the Jews that died were apparently killed entirely because they were preventing the other Jews from leaving Egypt because they had a tradition that the Jews must remain enslaved in Egypt for 400 years and since the time had not passed they were afraid that they would suffer the fate of the Ephraimites who left prematurely. They thus did not believe the words of Moshe and the Elders that G-d's calculation was based on the merit of their forefathers. Therefore G-d killed only those but not all the Jews even though in the eyes of the angels they were all idolaters. Only G-d was able to distinguish Jews from the Egyptians and know that the Jews would eventually be capable of accepting the Torah at Sinai. How did the Jews react to this mass death at the very time they were expecting to be redeemed? He says that this can be a source of comfort for the Holocaust in Europe that we are closer to the final Redemption
Largest Mass Resignation in US History as 100,000 Federal Workers Quit
Some 100,000 federal workers are set to formally quit the U.S. government in what will constitute the largest mass resignation of government workers in U.S. history.
The resignations—which come as part of a program drawn up by President Donald Trump at the start of his second administration—will happen on Tuesday as Congress is facing a deadline on the same day to authorize more funding or risk a government shutdown.
If there is no deal, the White House has ordered federal agencies to make plans for the large-scale redundancies.
White House in a Bind as Soybean Sales to China Plummet to Zero
https://www.newsweek.com/white-house-in-a-bind-as-soybean-sales-to-china-plummet-to-zero-10800487
“Finally – just a heads up, I’m getting more intel, but this is highly unfortunate,” read the message, which appeared to be sent from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. “We bailed out Argentina yesterday (Bessent) and in return, the Argentine’s [sic] are removing their export tariffs on grains, reducing their price, and sold a bunch of soybeans to China, at a time when we would normally be selling to China. Soy prices are dropping further because of it. This gives China more leverage on us.”
The missive has also drawn new scrutiny to the Trump administration’s pledge to support Argentina with a possible $20 billion swap line and direct U.S. purchases of government debt. Days after the deal, Chinese importers bought more than a million metric tons of Argentine soybeans just as the American harvest season began.
“This is a five-alarm fire for our industry,” said Caleb Ragland, a Kentucky farmer and president of the American Soybean Association, in an interview with the Associated Press. “We’ve had your back, President Trump. We need you to have ours now.”
China, once the largest buyer of American soybeans, has not purchased a single shipment since May, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data. In 2024, China bought $12.5 billion of the $24.5 billion worth of soybeans the U.S. exported globally—more than 50 percent. For months now, the figure has been zero.
Soybeans account for 14 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports, making them the top food export by value. Farmers and trade officials say the loss of the Chinese market is not only destabilizing current revenues, but also threatening the long-term viability of American farms built to meet Chinese demand.
Trump’s Gaza peace bid leaves Netanyahu cornered, Hamas on the spot
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sydahodhxg#autoplay
US president’s hastily unveiled plan promises full hostage release and Arab backing against Hamas, but forces PM into awkward concessions, including a rare apology to Qatar, while leaving Palestinian statehood unresolved and Hamas holding the next move
Trump’s plan was rushed and “half-baked,” possibly unveiled to boost his bid for a Nobel Peace Prize. The president pressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept it, while admitting it was unclear if Hamas would agree. Still, he predicted Hamas would, citing Qatari assurances to Washington.
Trump stressed that if Hamas rejects the plan, Israel will receive full U.S. backing to “finish the job,” while Arab and Muslim states would be expected to force Hamas out of Gaza, even by deploying troops. The proposal lacked a clear timeline or deadline for Hamas’ response or its implementation. Netanyahu’s apology to Qatar for an Israeli strike in Doha was seen as an effort to bring it back into the mediation process and push Hamas to the table.
The Trump Deal for Israel and Gaza
When will the Gaza war end? The answer remains: As soon as Hamas releases the hostages, lays down its arms and gives up power. Those are the core demands of the deal President Trump put on the table and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to on Monday.
Mr. Trump called Monday “potentially one of the great days ever in civilization.” Quests to solve the Middle East typically end in disappointment, but the Trump deal is better understood as a way to move the region past the Gaza war and shift pressure onto Hamas. After a modest Israeli withdrawal, the deal requires Hamas to free all 48 Israeli hostages, dead or alive, “within 72 hours” of acceptance.
Monday, September 29, 2025
I treat pregnant patients in the ER. Trump’s advice is ridiculous.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/09/28/trump-tylenol-autism-free-speech-israel
The science of determining medication risk during pregnancy is complex. Recommendations change over time as we accumulate more scientific evidence, and all health care providers agree that we should limit unnecessary medication use during pregnancy. But right now, there is no convincing evidence to support a causal relationship between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. On the other hand, there is plenty of evidence that physiological stress on a mother can be harmful to a developing fetus. High fevers can cause miscarriage, premature birth and birth defects. And even if we ignore fetal risk, women should not have to unnecessarily grit their teeth through fever and pain for nine months.
Trump set to bail out Argentina, irking some in ‘America First’ camp
Trump set to bail out Argentina, irking some in ‘America First’ camp
President Donald Trump’s decision to give Argentina a $20 billion financial lifeline has stirred anger among some of his most loyal supporters and raised questions about the limits of his “America First” approach to the global economy.
The president’s customary allergy to using taxpayer money to help other nations makes the Argentine rescue especially noteworthy. Since taking office in January, Trump has slashed U.S. foreign aid programs, slow-walked military assistance for Ukraine and demanded that close allies like South Korea and Japan pay for a greater share of their defense.
Argentina Took a Chainsaw to Its Economy. It Now Needs US Help
https://www.newsweek.com/argentina-took-a-chainsaw-to-its-economy-it-now-needs-us-help-10780008
Argentina’s economy, recently hailed by some as a poster child for radical free market reform, now finds itself seeking American goodwill to navigate its latest crisis.
Milei—whom Trump has previously dubbed his “favorite president”—was the first foreign leader to meet the president after his victory over former Vice President Kamala Harris, and the Argentine's radical reforms have been viewed as the inspiration for Elon Musk during his time as symbolic chief of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
Handling inflation has been Milei’s crowning achievement, with the monthly rate now sitting at 1.9 percent as of August, compared to 25.5 percent the month he took office.
But despite this, and Milei’s cost-cutting moves helping to bring the country’s budget back into surplus, Argentina once again finds itself in economic turmoil. The currency is under attack, foreign reserves are dangerously low, and the country’s benchmark index has now fallen over 30 percent in the year-to-date.
Friday, September 26, 2025
Is there a topic index for Igrot Moshe?
https://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/77634/is-there-a-topic-index-for-igrot-moshe
Is there a topic index, or even better an online search that I can do to locate specific topics in Igrot Moshe?
There is a very popular sefer called Yad Moshe which is an index for Igros Moshe. See here.
Yad Moshe, the classic index to Igrot Moshe, authored by Daniel Eidensohn now exists in English. It is printed on demand so shouldn't get out of stock.
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