Can your smartwatch predict a fall? New research points to early warning signs

 https://www.ynetnews.com/health_science/article/byo5i5m4ml

Smartwatches and smartphones may help identify early changes in walking patterns linked to fall risk among older adults; Research suggests the technology can track functional decline and support earlier intervention, though it does not replace medical evaluation

Although measurements taken by a smartphone or smartwatch are not as accurate as those performed in a professional gait laboratory, studies show they are accurate enough to track changes over time, identify deterioration in walking patterns and alert users when a professional evaluation or therapeutic intervention may be needed.

In other words, instead of relying only on a one-time clinic assessment, continuous monitoring can provide a broader and more realistic picture of how a person walks during everyday life — at home, on the street, while shopping or during other routine activities. Continuous monitoring in a person’s natural environment may reveal information that is not always visible during a short clinical examination.

The United States has a fundamental interest in relocating its Middle East bases to the Jewish state. But does Israel?

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/430058

srael’s enemies might think twice before striking a country that hosts hundreds of advanced U.S. warplanes, naval vessels and intelligence centers. But along with the advantages of building American bases in Israel come significant costs and risks.

As our neighbors in the Gulf painfully learned, the presence of such installations in their countries did not enhance their security but compromised it by drawing Iranian missile fire. The rows of U.S. fueling planes lined up wing-to-wing at Ben-Gurion International Airport present an attractive and convenient target for Iran, even more than Israel currently represents.

Most problematic for Israel, though, would be a situation in which American leaders limit our ability to defend ourselves with the claim that doing so would endanger U.S. forces stationed in the country.

ICE shot and killed a Colombian man in Maine. This is the 2nd time in a week the agency used deadly force

 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/ice-shot-and-killed-a-colombian-man-in-maine-this-is-the-2nd-time-in-a-week-the-agency-used-deadly-force

 A federal immigration officer fatally shot a Colombian man in Maine on Monday, marking the second time in a week that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have used deadly force.

Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin told him the officer opened fire after the man tried to use his vehicle as a weapon against officers who were pursuing him for deportation in Biddeford, a coastal city of about 23,000 people roughly 15 miles (24 kilometers) southwest of Portland.

ICE arrested 546 people in Maine between the start of President Donald Trump's second term and March 11, 2026, the most recent data available, according to ICE arrest data provided to the UC Berkeley Deportation Data Project and analyzed by the AP. About 45% of those arrested had criminal backgrounds. During the equivalent 416-day period before Trump took office, roughly 69% of those arrested had criminal backgrounds, the data show.

Could Taking a Popular Joint Supplement Be Risky for People With Dementia?

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/glucosamine-dementia-death-risk/

 New research suggests glucosamine may have unexpected effects in people with mild to severe cognitive impairment

A large study links regular glucosamine use to higher death risk in people with dementia.

People with mild cognitive impairment taking the supplement were slightly more likely to develop dementia.

The findings don’t prove cause, and factors like health and activity levels may play a role

4 surprising (and evidence-based) health benefits of drinking coffee

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/07/02/4-proven-health-benefits-drinking-coffee/

Most people drink coffee for a bit of buzz and a boost in their energy levels.

But coffee has wide-ranging effects on your health. Coffee is, arguably, the world’s most scientifically scrutinized beverage. Researchers have collectively carried out thousands of studies looking at its effects on lifespan, to cardiovascular health, blood sugar levels, weight loss, cancer risk and more.

Coffee contains more than 1,000 chemical compounds, many of which are active in the body, such as magnesium, potassium, niacin and other B vitamins.

For a while, scientists suspected that drinking coffee was hazardous to your health. In 1991, the World Health Organization listed coffee as “possibly” carcinogenic because of studies linking it to bladder cancer. Other studies suggested that drinking coffee might also increase the risk of lung cancer.

Trump says US will control Strait of Hormuz, get paid for it

 https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-902364

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the United States will probably take over the Strait of Hormuz and should be reimbursed for controlling the vital waterway.

"We're going to keep the strait, and we'll probably run it. We'll become the guardian of the strait. Maybe we'll call it the guardian angel of the strait. And we should be reimbursed for that," Trump said in a phone interview on Fox News's "Fox & Friends" program. "We're taking over the strait. They've got nothing."

"We're going to ​guard it. We're going to get paid for guarding it - a lot of money," he added. "We're going to be reimbursed, because the other nations are very wealthy. They're on our side, and we can't be expected to do that for nothing."

Israel passes quasi-constitutional law declaring Torah study a foundational value

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-passes-contentious-basic-law-declaring-torah-study-a-constitutional-value/

The Knesset voted 63-52 on Monday to pass a deeply divisive Basic Law declaring Torah study a “foundational value” of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, following 10 hours of speeches and opposition filibustering, and despite resistance from the opposition, legal officials, reservists and some coalition lawmakers.

The legislation makes Torah study the only value explicitly enshrined in one of Israel’s Basic Laws, giving it quasi-constitutional recognition. Haredi parties pushed to pass the law as part of their broader effort to preserve blanket military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, while opponents argue it effectively elevates Torah study above all other national values.

The law was framed to make it harder for the High Court of Justice to continue to rule that Haredi non-service is illegal and discriminatory, because it enshrines Torah study as an essential component of the state.

Vance’s tough talk on Israel is alienating some Jewish GOP donors

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/13/vance-israel-alienating-jewish-gop-donors-00994154

JD Vance has an Israel problem.

The vice president’s pugnacious defense of a ceasefire agreement with Iran that rattled Israeli diplomats — and his tough talk on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government — has damaged his standing with some pro-Israel GOP donors who have backed the party under President Donald Trump.

“It’s hard to find any support for him at all in the Jewish community,” said Eric Levine, a prominent GOP fundraiser and board member of the Republican Jewish Coalition, a group aimed at strengthening ties between the Jewish community and party leaders. Levine was speaking for himself and not the coalition.

Pro-Israel conservatives have cast doubt on Vance’s leadership — pundit Mark Levin blasted the Vance-negotiated memorandum of understanding with Iran, and former Auburn University basketball coach Bruce Pearl said he won’t support Vance in 2028 unless he breaks with Tucker Carlson. Duvi Honig, founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, penned a Jerusalem Post op-ed criticizing Vance’s stance toward Israel and Iran.

Soul Health

 Rambam (Shemoneh Perakim (03) The ancients maintained that the soul, like the body, is subject to good health and illness. The soul’s healthful state is due to its condition, and that of its faculties, by which it constantly does what is right, and performs what is proper, while the illness of the soul is occasioned by its condition, and that of its faculties, which results in its constantly doing wrong, and performing actions that are improper. The science of medicine investigates the health of the body. Now, just as those, who are physically ill, imagine that, on account of their vitiated tastes, the sweet is bitter and the bitter is sweet—and likewise fancy the wholesome to be unwholesome—and just as their desire grows stronger, and their enjoyment increases for such things as dust, coal, very acidic and sour foods, and the like—which the healthy loathe and refuse, as they are not only not beneficial even to the healthy, but possibly harmful—so those whose souls are ill, that is the wicked and the morally perverted, imagine that the bad is good, and that the good is bad. The wicked man, moreover, continually longs for excesses which are really pernicious, but which, on account of the illness of his soul, he considers to be good.  

Study Science

 Rabbeinu Bachya (Devarim 30:12) “it is not in heaven,” mean that Torah is not to be found amongst haughty, arrogant people. The words: “it is not beyond the ocean,” mean that Torah is not to be found among people who constantly journey from place to place to make their livelihood, i.e. hawkers. Samuel said that Torah cannot be found among astrologers or professional astronomers, seeing that the Torah writes: “it is not in heaven.” The Torah may be found only among people preoccupied with the pursuit of matters which are oriented toward heavenly concerns. People challenged Samuel, saying to him that seeing he himself was an astronomer how could he make such a statement? He answered: “in all my days I have never looked at science  except when I was relieving myself” 

Rabbeinu Bachya (Devarim 30:12)  Our sages said: “go and study Greek philosophy at a time which is neither day nor night.” What they meant was that preoccupation with any disciplines other than Torah study exposes the student to the danger of being influenced by the theologically unsound element, some of which is always found scattered in those texts. This is the reason these disciplines have been compared to silver, seeing that silver invariably contains some impurities unless it has been refined over and over again. Our Torah is compared to such silver, i.e. כסף צרוף. This is what David meant in Psalms 12,7 when he wrote: “the words of the Lord are pure words, silver purged in an earthen crucible, refined sevenfold.”

Menachos (99b) May one such as I who have studied the whole of the Torah learn Greek wisdom? He thereupon read to him the following verse, This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night. Go then and find a time that is neither day nor night and learn then Greek wisdom.

Sciences lost

 Moreh Nevuchim (01:71) KNOW that many branches of science relating to the correct solution of these problems, were once cultivated by our forefathers, but were in the course of time neglected, especially in consequence of the tyranny which barbarous nations exercised over us. Besides, speculative studies were not open to all men, as we have already stated, only the subjects taught in the Scriptures were accessible to all.

Metaphysics is Difficult

 Moreh Nevuchim (01:34) THERE are five reasons why instruction should not begin with Metaphysics, but should at first be restricted to pointing out what is fitted for notice and what may be made manifest to the multitude.1) The subject itself is difficult, subtle and profound, 2) The intelligence of man is at first insufficient; for he is not endowed with perfection at the beginning, but at first possesses perfection only in potentiâ, not in fact. 3) The preparatory studies are of long duration, and man, in his natural desire to reach the goal, finds them frequently too wearisome, and does not wish to be troubled by them. 4) It has been proved that moral conduct is a preparation for intellectual progress, and that only a man whose character is pure, calm and steadfast, can attain to intellectual perfection: that is, acquire correct conceptions.5) Man is disturbed in his intellectual occupation by the necessity of looking after the material wants of the body, especially if the necessity of providing for wife and children be superadded: much more so if he seeks superfluities in addition to his ordinary wants, for by custom and bad habits these become a powerful motive. 

‘Islamic Republic of Japan’: Trump’s verbal flubs are piling up

 https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/12/politics/trump-gaffes-recap-nato

While recounting a clash in Iran, Trump inadvertently referred to the “Islamic Republic of Japan” — which isn’t a thing.

While seated next to Zelensky, Trump asked the reporters assembled if they had “a question for President Putin.”

Dangers of Metaphysics

 Moreh Nevuchim (01:33) You must know that it is very injurious to begin with this branch of philosophy, viz., Metaphysics: or to explain at first the sense of the similes occurring in prophecies, and interpret the metaphors which are employed in historical accounts and which abound in the writings of the Prophets. On the contrary, it is necessary to initiate the young and to instruct the less intelligent according to their comprehension: those who appear to be talented and to have capacity for the higher method of study, i.e., that based on proof and on true logical argument, should be gradually advanced towards perfection, either by tuition or by self-instruction. He, however, who begins with Metaphysics, will not only become confused in matters of religion, but will fall into complete infidelity. I compare such a person to an infant fed with wheaten bread, meat and wine; it will undoubtedly die, not because such food is naturally unfit for the human body, but because of the weakness of the child, who is unable to digest the food, and cannot derive benefit from it. The same is the case with the true principles of science. They were presented in enigmas, clad in riddles, and taught by an wise men in the most mysterious way that could be devised, not because they contain some secret evil, or are contrary to the fundamental principles of the Law (as fools think who are only philosophers in their own eyes), but because of the incapacity of man to comprehend them at the beginning of his studies: only slight allusions have been made to them to serve for the guidance of those who are capable of understanding them. These sciences were, therefore, called Mysteries (sodoth), and Secrets of the Law (sitre torah), as we shall explain.

Wisdom and Prophecy

 Bava Basra (12a) Since the day when the Temple was destroyed, prophecy has been taken from the prophets and given to the wise. Is then a wise man not also a prophet? What he meant was this: Although it has been taken from the prophets, it has not been taken from the wise. Amemar said: A wise man is even superior to a prophet, as it says, And a prophet has a heart of wisdom. Who is compared with whom? Is not the smaller compared with the greater? Abaye said: The proof that prophecy has not been taken from the wise is that a great man makes a statement, and the same is then reported in the name of another great man. Said Raba: What is there strange in this? Perhaps both were born under one star. No, said Raba; the proof is this, that a great man makes a statement and then the same is reported in the name of R. Akiba b. Joseph. Said R. Ashi: What is there strange in this? perhaps in this matter he was born under the same star. No, said R. Ashi; the proof is that a great man makes a statement and then it is found that the same rule was a halachah communicated to Moses at Mount Sinai. But perhaps the wise man was no better than a blind man groping his way through a window?  And does he not give reasons for his opinions

Bava Basra (12b) Since the Temple was destroyed, prophecy has been taken from prophets and given to fools and children.

Chasam Sofer (Orech Chaim 1:208): Bava Basra (12a) even though prophecy was taken from the prophets but not from the sages. However, your understanding of this gemora to be that wisdom was not taken from the sages is incorrect. Rather it is that prophecy was not taken from the sages. In other words, that type of prophecy which is attainable through the wisdom of one who studies Torah for pure motivation merits many things [Avos 6:1] with his intellect and his wisdom even though he doesn’t have the natural ability for it. The gemora wants to prove this from the common fact that a talmid chachom comprehends something on his own which in fact is according to the understanding of Rabbi Akiva. We know that this person’s level is not up to Rabbi Akiva’s heels. This proves that it happened by the prophetic ability we mentioned. Moreover, we also find that he says things which in fact are Halacha L’Moshe m’Sinai. The gemora questions this proof by saying that perhaps this occurs by chance like a blind person groping through a window. However, the gemora concludes that it is not by chance since he gives justifications for his views and thus it is like a prophetic form of wisdom.

Chasam Sofer (Orech Chaim 1:208): This idea can explain the gemora in Megila (16a): “Whoever says wisdom even if he not Jewish is called a wise man.” The obvious question is why shouldn’t he be called a wise man? Don’t we in fact even say a beracha on the wise men of the non Jews “who gives of His wisdom to human beings” (Berachos 58a)? The answer is that without this gemora we would have mistakenly thought that Divinely inspired wisdom only comes to Jews while if a non Jew said something brilliant that seems to transcend his intellectual capabilities - we would have thought it was just blind chance….

Golden Opportunities To Save Neshomos In E"Y!

Untold numbers of girls in EY are crying out for help in fighting off the Army

Draft Office and Courts seeking to force them into the exploitive Army environment!

As Rav Yosef Altman Shlita writes in a letter, when you save a girl from falling into the Army,  besides הצלת נפשות - you;re also saving their zivug*!  Middah-Keneged Middah, thats a tremendous zechus to for Shidduchim (and childbirth, and success in raising children as Yirei Shomayim)!

{* their ideal match)

LevinAt11 Matos: Identifying Da'as Torah

 Sun., July 12, 2026

‪Linked below is this past week's LevinAt11 radio broadcast of July 9, '26.

 תכנית ראדיו הרב יהודה לעוין, מטות מסעי תשפו

Topics covered include:

• מושג דעת תורה - DA'AS TORAH IDENTIFIED - see Chiddushei Rav Michel Feinstein ZT"L on Negayim 11:7.

• Wicked legislation

 ומלחמת התורה נגד גזירות רציחה והשחתה 

• Perfidy In NJ: Are we not better off without Aguda INTERFERING in efforts to combat anti-Torah antireligious edicts?

~~~`

Contact Information to urge the Governor of NJ to veto the antireligious abortion-at-whim/transgender-tyranny edict S2260/ A2218, ASAP:

Gov. Mikie Sherrill

Governor of New Jersey

V: 609-292-6000 (9-5PM) {in case you manage to actually get through...}

E: constituent.relations@NJ.gov

W: www.NJ.gov (go to contact page)

~~~~~~~

• The 250th Anniversary of America should direct national attention to this prescient warning of Rav Shamshon R. Hirsch OBM (D. 1888CE) --

 "... Woe to the time when sexes do not keep themselves holy! Countries and states in vain seek for the cause of their decline and do not see that they cease to be states as soon as their homes are ruined."

(-- Rav Shamshon Refoel Hirsch (Germany, 1808-1888 CE), "Horeb" (translated by Isidor Grunfeld, 1962, Soncino Press, Eleventh impression 2016), Section 4, "Chukim," Chapter 65, p.307, paragraph 1)

• Here's a pre-passage Open Letter to NJ Pediatricians, still relevant to said legislation:

https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2026/06/open-letter-to-nj-pediatricians-to.html

Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter,

Executive Director,

Help Rescue Our Children

Email:  torahjewsfordecency@gmail.com

845.642.1679

Direct: 771.215.8892

Israeli Helpline: 03.721.3337

Heard weekly on New Jersey's WSNR Radio 620AM, co-hosting the renowned Levin At Eleven program, every Thursday evening, 11pm to midnight (ET).

~~~~~~   ~~~~~~   ~~~~~~

Previous Broadcast and Wrap-Up:

https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2026/07/july-4-urge-nj-gov-veto-s2260.html

~~~~~~   ~~~~~~ 

PS: Horrific News from UK: English MP Life- Advocate Murdered:

https://lifenews.msnd41.com/tracking/lc/086d520b-7200-447c-8ebc-4e6ad9086557/8b0bc9c2-d73c-4e00-8805-935978fcf386/4493e4d8-5762-2bf6-d318-a3e37b755744/

  ~~~~~~

From Agudath Israel, again downplaying anti-Torah antireligious edicts vis-a-vis government funding:

---------- Emphasis added by me, NSL

"... Schorr also thanked Senator Joe Lagana and Assemblymembers Gary Schaer, Lisa Swain and Chris Tully for their longstanding support.

"These legislators have consistently been champions for ensuring that nonpublic school students receive the services they need to succeed,” Schorr said. "We sincerely appreciate their partnership and continued commitments to these vital programs."

1) Absent is any hint that Aguda cares if the NJ Gov. signs S2260/A2218. Certainly there's no urgency - or even awareness - being conveyed to the tzibbur to call her to urge a veto.

2) Aguda's praise for some terrible reps includes supporters of said bill A2218/S2260,  who seem to have atoned for their support of anti-Torah, anti-baby, anti-child, anti-parent and pro-Death legislation - by facilitating government cash flow towards receipts of preference for Agudath Israel.

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: The Agudah <news@agudah.org>

Date: Wed, Jul 8, 2026, 11:46 AM

Subject: Bi-Weekly News From Agudah Update

July 8, 2026 - 23 Tamuz, 5786 In today's newsletter; Agudah Legal: The Supreme Court to hear a case about an at home minyan, and Agudah's statement on a Supreme Court decision in a religious liberty case. New Jersey: Senator Andy Kim visited the Agudah's New Jersey office and Agudah's statement on the NJ budget for the upcoming year. Torah Projects: Bringing Chullin to life with nationwide tour featuring Rav Amitai Ben-David’s live Shechitah demonstrations. Upcoming Events: Zahav/BHI Halachic Will events next week in Chicago; and save the date for the Agudah Action Summit 2026!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The LevinAt11 program is broadcast weekly over: Davidzon Radio davidzonradio.com / 718) 303-8000

 Levin 07-09-2026_HQ.mp3

Trump promotes ‘Freedom Fuel’ stations that sell cheap gas. How they’re able to do so is unclear

 https://edition.cnn.com/2026/07/09/business/trump-freedom-fuel-stations

Station owners set their own fuel prices, and the overwhelming majority of gas stations in the country are small businesses that run on thin margins, not the major oil companies that often have their brands on the stations. Many make most of their money on the convenience store items sold inside, like snacks and drinks.

There is no way the stations can be profitable – or even sustainable – charging that much below cost, according to Jeff Lenard, spokesperson for the National Association of Convenience Stores, which represents stores that sell about 80% of the fuel sold nationwide.

“There’s no way those stations could operate the way a traditional retailer would, without at least breaking even on fuel,” said Lenard.

Elder fraud is surging. Here are three simple steps to combat it.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/07/07/three-step-fix-halt-epidemic-elder-fraud/

In 2025, according to the FBI, Americans 60 and older reported a total of $7.7 billion stolen. That is roughly eight times the 2020 figure. Older adults filed 20 percent of internet-crime complaints last year but absorbed 37 percent of the losses. And research cited by the Federal Trade Commission suggests that only about one in 20 fraud victims ever even reports it.

If our ledger proves anything, it is that awareness of elder fraud is the one thing the U.S. does not lack. There is no shortage of warnings from sheriffs, attorneys general and agencies. What older Americans need — and what can make the difference — is one number to call, one rule to remember and one day on which the system moves as fast as the money does.

Bipartisan housing bill becomes law after Trump’s signature snub

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5963773-bipartisan-housing-bill-now-law-donald-trump-signature-snub/

“I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” Trump wrote Friday on Truth Social.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is a comprehensive measure aimed to address housing affordability by increasing the supply of homes and lowering costs by limiting major investors from purchasing single-family homes, among other aspects.

His inaction was largely symbolic. The Constitution allows a bill that has passed both chambers of Congress to automatically become law if the bill is not signed or vetoed by the president within 10 days, excluding Sundays.

Army service

Bamidbar (32:7-8) Moses replied to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here?  Why will you turn the minds of the Israelites from crossing into the land that GOD has given them?

Trump Brushed Off His Scandals. Here’s Why Platner Couldn’t.

 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2026/07/10/platner-trump-scandals-rules-democrats-00992633

The Platner drama, in fact, is a vivid illumination of the distinctly different ways that the two major political parties respond to an era in which prevailing standards of acceptable conduct by politicians are in a state of radical flux.

Platner is a flamboyant anti-establishment disruptor accused of a lengthy roster of personal behavior that he declared irrelevant (his swastika-like “Totenkopf” tattoo) or false (Jenny Racicot’s allegation of rape.)

Trump is a flamboyant anti-establishment disruptor accused of a lengthy roster of personal behavior that he declared irrelevant (defying the decades-long principle that presidential candidates release their tax returns, to cite one of dozens of examples) or false (E. Jean Carroll’s allegation of rape.)

Platner was forcibly stripped of the Senate nomination voters handed him just last month when a chorus of Democratic leaders loudly and near-unanimously said he must go. Trump, by contrast, has ignored and in most cases humiliated Republicans who claimed his personal and political behavior is unacceptable.

Those different outcomes in turn suggest wide differences in the coalitions and prevailing mindsets that sustain both parties. Simply put, on questions of political accountability, the parties live in different universes.

Golden Calf

 Kuzari (01:97) The Rabbi: All nations were given to idolatry at that time. Even had they been philosophers, discoursing on the unity and government of God, they would have been unable to dispense with images, and would have taught the masses that a divine influence hovered over this image. which was distinguished by some miraculous feature. Some of them ascribed this to God, even as we to-day treat some particular spots with reverence, going so far as to believe ourselves blessed by their dust and stones Others ascribed it to the spiritual influence of some star or constellation, or of a talisman, or to other things of that kind. The people did not pay so much attention to a single law as to a tangible image in which they believed. The Israelites had been promised that something visible would descend on them from God which they could follow, as they followed the pillars of cloud and fire when they departed from Egypt. This they pointed out, and turned to it, praising it, and worshipping God in its presence. Thus they also turned towards the cloud which hovered over Moses while God spake with him; they remained standing and adoring God opposite to it. Now when the people had heard the proclamation of the Ten Commandments, and Moses had ascended the mount in order to receive the inscribed tables which he was to bring down to them, and then make an ark which was to be the point towards which they should direct their gaze during their devotions,[2] they waited for his return clad in the same apparel in which they had witnessed the drama on Sinai, without removing their jewels or changing their clothes, remaining just as he left them, expecting every moment to see him return. He, however, tarried forty days, although he had not provided himself with food, having only left them with the intention of returning the same day. An evil spirit overpowered a portion of the people, and they began to divide into parties and factions. Many views and opinions were expressed, till at last some decided to do like the other nations, and seek an object in which they could have faith, without, however, prejudicing the supremacy of Him who had brought them out of Egypt. On the contrary, this was to be something to which they could point when relating the wonders of God, as the Philistines did with the ark when they said that God dwelt within it. We do the same with the sky and every other object concerning which we know that it is set in motion by the divine will exclusively, and not by any accident or desire of man or nature. Their sin I consisted in the manufacture of an image of a forbidden thing, and in attributing divine power to a creation of their own, something chosen by themselves without the guidance of God.

Kuzari (01:97)  The whole affair of the Golden Calf is repulsive to us, because in this age the majority of nations have abandoned the worship of images. It appeared less objectionable at that time, because all nations were then idolators. Had their sin consisted in constructing a house of worship of their own, and making a place of prayer, offering and veneration, the matter would not have been so grave, because nowadays we also build our houses of worship, hold them in great respect, and seek blessing through their means. We even say that God dwells in them, and that they are surrounded by angels. If this were not essential for the gathering of our community, it would be as unknown as it was at the time of the kings, when the people were forbidden to erect places of worship, called heights.

Lacking money and support, Trump’s Board of Peace stalls in Gaza

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/01/trumps-board-peace-stalls-out-gaza-reconstruction/

Seven months after President Donald Trump announced his peace plan for Gaza and more than four months since he convened his Board of Peace to implement and pay for it, the plan is stalled and expected donations to the fund it created are nonexistent.

Disarmament negotiations with Hamas, a crucial part of the plan, have remained deadlocked. The heavily armed militants still control Gaza’s 2 million people, now confined to less than half of what was, before the war, already one of the most densely populated places on earth.

Israel’s military has expanded its occupation of 60 percent of the enclave that has been cleared of Palestinians and says it intends to take more. Despite the ceasefire declared on Oct. 9, Israel’s near-daily strikes have killed more than 900 Palestinians, according to Gazan health authorities.

90 percent of U.S. adults have this syndrome — but most have never heard of it

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/07/09/90-percent-us-adults-have-this-syndrome-most-have-never-heard-it/

CKM syndrome is not one disease but rather “a broad disorder that recognizes the overlap between cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity,” said Muthiah Vaduganathan, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital who has conducted landmark studies on CKM syndrome. Doctors have long known that people often have more than one of these conditions at once. CKM syndrome reflects a newer understanding that the very same factors — specifically, extra weight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol and reduced kidney function — can contribute to the onset and progression of all three types of disease, Vaduganathan said.

Researchers have defined CKM syndrome as a four-stage continuum, reflecting how symptoms and risk factors progressively pile up, raising the likelihood of a heart event or kidney failure.

CKM syndrome affects 90 percent of Americans because it’s broadly defined to capture everyone on the continuum from those who might feel well but have early metabolic risk factors, to those with full-fledged heart disease. “It doesn’t mean that 90 percent of Americans require treatment,” Vaduganathan said. The goal isn’t to overmedicalize but to push prevention: “It’s more that 90 percent of Americans should be aware that they are at least at risk for progression of one or more of these conditions — metabolic, kidney or heart — and that early lifestyle management can he

'Downright addled and CRAZY': Nicolle reacts to Trump's UNHINGED outbursts at NATO summit

US launches 2nd night of strikes against Iran, as Israel said bracing for war to restart

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-launches-second-night-of-strikes-against-iran-as-israel-said-bracing-for-war-to-restart/

The United States launched fresh strikes on Iran late Wednesday and into early Thursday morning after striking Iranian targets a day earlier in retaliation for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which the Islamic Republic responded to by attacking sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.

The Israeli defense establishment was reportedly keeping a close eye on the rising tensions, amid concerns the fighting could quickly escalate and draw Israel back in.

Israeli television also reported the US was returning its refueling planes to the region, after they were removed during the ceasefire that began in early April. Some of the planes, whose presence is a potential signal of the war restarting, were previously parked at Ben Gurion Airport.

Scandal-plagued Graham Platner drops Maine Senate bid

 https://thehill.com/

Democratic strategist David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, said on X that Platner had “built a powerful movement among voters hungry for change, and that’s why many Mainers were willing to look past previous stories about him” but that the latest allegation “can’t be explained away or excused.”

With Platner off the ballot, Democrats in the Pine Tree State have to act quickly in the must-win race. 

Meanwhile, Republicans have seized on Platner’s controversial background as a boogeyman in their fight to protect Collins, the longest-serving Republican woman in the Senate who has held on for five terms despite the state’s overall blue lean. 

Trump returning to US on old Air Force One amid Iran threats

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5959582-trump-air-force-one-turkey/

The U.S. Air Force said it spent less than $400 million on security upgrades for the plane.

The Associated Press reported last week that the new plane appears not to be equipped with some of the same missile detection and countermeasure systems as the older planes, and one expert told the outlet the Qatari plane seemed better for domestic trips.

Trump warns US will 'probably strike Iran' on Wednesday night, following recent attacks

 https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-901872

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he would "probably hit Iran tonight" during a press conference following the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

"I'll give a little warning: We're going to hit them hard tonight," Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in Turkey before his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump later said that the Iranian regime has been "killing soldiers, killing people for 47 years," and that because of that, the US has "a score to settle.

Trump: MoU with Iran is dead, they are crazy

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/429834

At the NATO summit, Trump was asked whether the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran had ended. He respondd, "To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them any more."

He added, "As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. I’ll speak to our negotiators, they want to negotiate. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them."

Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said that although he "loves" Netanyahu, the Israeli leader "said bad things about Turkey" on Tuesday. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erodgan, Trump added, is "great."

Trump Calls Iran Leaders ‘Scum’ and ‘Evil’ As He Calls Off Ceasefire

 Trump Calls Iran Leaders ‘Scum’ and ‘Evil’ As He Calls Off Ceasefire

President Donald Trump has said the interim peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran is "over" and branded the leaders of the regime in Tehran as "evil, sick people."

In comments made on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara in Turkey on Wednesday, Trump said he did not want to deal with Iranian officials anymore, labeling them "scum" and "liars," and adding U.S. negotiators are "wasting their time."

His remarks came just hours after the United States launched strikes on Iran, in what Washington said was retaliation for attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday.

Reincarnation

 Emuna v’De’os (06:8): There are people, who call themselves Jews, who believe in the reincarnation of souls. They assert that the soul of Reuven is transferred to Shimon and afterwards to Levi and after that to Yehudah. Some, perhaps the majority of them, assert that the soul of man can be transferred into an animal or that of an animal into man and many other nonsensical and stupid things. I have investigated the reasons that they use to justify their acceptance of this theory and have found four mistaken premises. 1) The adherence to certain mistaken theories of spirituality… 2) Their observation that there are similarities between the traits of some people and that of animals e.g., sheep like passivity, aggressiveness of the predators, dog like lowliness, birdlike quickness… and their conclusion that they are the result of possession by animal souls. This just shows their great lack of common sense…3) They argue from logic that since G d is just, it is inconceivable that babies would suffer without cause. Therefore their suffering must be for sins committed by their souls in a previous existence. There are many refutations of this argument. They seem to have forgotten that there is an alternative compensation in the World to Come….4) They misunderstand Biblical verses…

Mishna Berura (Shaar HaTziyun 622:6): A person many times despairs of correcting his faults and concludes that if G d decrees that he dies because of his failure there is nothing he can do about it. However this is a mistaken attitude because in the end, G d will get the correction of the soul that He wants. The soul will be reincarnated over and over again into this world until the correction is achieved. Consequently why should the soul repeatedly suffer death and the anguish of the grave and other things? Proof of this is from Yonah whom G d wanted to prophesize for Nineveh and he tried to escape to the sea where prophesy does not occur. We see that he sunk into sea and was swallowed by the great fish and was in its belly many days where it seems that it was impossible to fulfill G d’s command. Nevertheless we see that at the end G d’s will was fulfilled and he went and prophesized. Thus it is with everyman according to his Divinely ordained task. Therefore as it says in Avos (4:22): Don’t view the grave as a refuge - because you were born against your will, you live against your will, you die against your will and against your will you will have to justify all your actions to the Heavenly court.

 Pele Yo’etz: (48) The concept of reincarnation serves to awaken the person who wishes to take to heart the fear of God—specifically the fear of punishment. One should consider that the wicked suffer many agonies; indeed, the ordeal of reincarnation is far more bitter than death itself or the torments of Gehenna. In this process, the soul transmigrates through the stages of inanimate matter, vegetation, animal life, and the speaking being, passing from one state of suffering to another across various forms of reincarnation, as explained in the Kabbalistic texts. This applies even to transgressions that appear minor and are commonly committed—such as speaking *lashon hara*—which can result in reincarnation as a barking dog; a mnemonic for this is the name *Navach* (meaning "he barked"), where the letters *Lamed-He* (spelling "*Lah*") allude to *Lashon Hara*. Similarly, one who gazes lustfully at forbidden sexual targets may be reincarnated as the bird known as the *Re'ah* (vulture/kite), which commits "adultery" through its gaze; a scriptural allusion to this is the verse: "and that you do not follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you go astray. Then he won’t complain about Hashem’s qualities, as many in the nation are accustomed to do. When difficult yissurim come upon them, they open their mouths upwards and demand — “Ribono shel What is my crime? What is my transgression? Are my aveirot greater than those of the whole world? Why have you done this to your servant?”

Ramban (Koheles): The truth is that the words of Elihu to Job were ideas that were received by tradition from men of the Torah. Therefore when it says that Elihu was descended from ’the family of Ram” - it is a reference to Avraham. Therefore the principle that is proper to believe is that there is no death without sin and no suffering without transgression. A person should not assume that he is righteous but should carefully examine his deeds and repent for those sins he is aware of and he should confess about the sins he is not aware of. He should believe that this principle of our sages is true and that G d conducts His world with this principle. Don’t try to refute my assertions with the concept of Suffering of Love that is mentioned by our sages. However in addition to this basic principle that suffering is the result of sin there is in addition a great secret which is impossible to know without kabbala [i.e. reincarnation]. It is a very clear answer which removes all intellectual doubts. This solution which Elihu offers is alluded to in Tehilim (73:20) and is hinted in the words of Shlomo (Koheles 8:17)..... 

Sefer Bahir (195) Why is there a righteous man who fares well and a righteous man who fares poorly? Because the latter righteous man had previously been wicked and is now being punished. But is one punished for the deeds of one's youth? Did not Rabbi Simon say that the Heavenly Court does not mete out punishment until a person is twenty years old or older? He replied: "I did not speak of his lifetime; when I said he had 'previously been' wicked,.."