Michtav M’Eliyahu (1:75): Our Sages have already told us to listen to the words of gedolim - “Even if they tell you that left is right.” Furthermore a person should not think, Gd forbid!, that they have certainly erred just because someone so insignificant as himself has perceived that they erred. In fact it is important to know that one’s perception of reality is totally null and void as the dust of the earth in comparison to the clarity of intellect and Divine assistance that they have. We have an important halachic principle that one beis din can not nullify the ruling of another beis din unless it is greater than the first in wisdom and number. Otherwise it is likely that that which he thought that he perceived is merely an illusion and distorted understanding of reality. This is what is meant by Daas Torah - which is an aspect of Emunas Chachomim (faith in the sages).
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Rav Dessler - Daas Torah means not only total obedience but an inability to judge gedolim
from Daas Torah - translation copyrighted
Rabbi Meiselman's Torah, Chazal & Science - Chazal are infallible even regarding Science
Jewish Press There is one area of agreement, though, between sophisticated scientists and Torah scholars: attempts to make “peace” between the two sides. As methodologies of both science and halacha demand precision in the formulation and application of their respective principles, Rabbi Meiselman writes that “Consequently, both scientists and Torah scholars bristle when amateurs make assertions about their areas of expertise based on superficial contact with the sources.” It is for this reason that Rabbi Meiselman, rosh yeshiva of the Yeshivas Toras Moshe in Jerusalem, has authored the book, Torah, Chazal & Science
Rabbi Meiselman is uniquely qualified to address the delicate topic of Torah and science. He was trained by outstanding academicians in a variety of disciplines – mathematics, philosophy and several of the natural sciences. Most importantly, however, he had unlimited access to his uncle and rebbe, Rav Yosef Dov HaLevi Soloveitchik, zt”l, who guided him in attaining a profound, thorough and Torah-true perspective on this topic. When reading this book, one will immediately notice the unique combination of vast Torah knowledge and extensive understanding of science from a sophisticated point of view. Those elements are brought to bear in this book.
One of the crucial aspects of the Jewish people’s belief, Rabbi Meiselman contends, is that the Torah was given by Hashem on Har Sinai and does not contain mistakes. The Torah is not a “primitive document,” and everything the Torah describes is absolutely truthful. Additionally, in this view, our mesorah of Torah She’be’al Peh is completely accurate. Therefore, to suggest that Chazal are full of mistakes has the potential to undermine our mesorah’s authenticity.
This new literature has disturbed many, who see it as radical. Conversely, many others oblivious to its danger warmly embraced its new ideas. Those concerned that this new thinking is dangerous have voiced their worries, while numerous others seem content with its unique approach. Torah, Chazal & Science was written for the benefit of both camps. Rabbi Meiselman satisfies both those who have been eagerly awaiting a proper response to the non-traditionalists as well as those unaware of the need for a response. Both can be satisfied with the sophisticated level of scientific expertise, coupled with a proficiency in Torah, which is apparent in this work. Thus, this book has the potential to unite Klal Yisrael pertaining to these issues.
Rabbi Meiselman begins Torah, Chazal & Science by explaining why it is that Chazal’s knowledge is superior to that of scientists – past, present and future. This is so because Chazal’s knowledge comes from the Torah. As Rabbi Meiselman writes: “The physical world is a manifestation of a completely separate underlying spiritual-metaphysical reality.” Everything occurring in our world, Rabbi Meiselman notes, is a reflection of realities and relationships existing there.This reality is not subject to change; accordingly all insights and conclusions derived from it are likewise immutable. Consequently, one who understands the spiritual world will also understand the resultant material world. [...]
Among the book’s goals is to demonstrate that there is no support in the classic sources for the approach that has recently surfaced, and to explain how it represents a deviation from the perspective that has been passed down throughout the centuries. In the book, Rabbi Meiselman examines many examples of how the chachmei hamesorah dealt with conflicts between Chazal and certain observable facts. His conclusion: Neither the integrity of the mesorah nor Chazal’s reliability was ever in question. One will come to the realization that Chazal’s mesorah and their definitive teachings represent absolute truth – even with respect to science.[...]
Maharal - Why a husband can go to Gehinom for listening to wife's advice about the world or spirituality
Without any doubt, this is the correct way of understanding the words of our Sages and not like those who explain the words of our Sages as being mere conjecture and guesses. That is because these things which we said are words of wisdom, we explain elsewhere concerning the words of our Sages. Bava Metzia (59a), “Whoever follows the advice of his wife will fall into Gehinom...But people say if your wife is short then bend down and hear her whisper? That is not a contradiction because the one that says not to listen to you wife is referring to worldly matters while the other is referring to household matters. Alternatively do not listen to your wife in spiritual matters but it is permitted concerning worldly matters.” Now I will explain with this the words of the Mishna which says that a man who follows the advice of his wife will fall into Gehinom.
The man who is compared to the Form, if he follows after his wife who is Substance and substance is inherently deficient and he obeys her advice then it is definitely fitting that he should fall into Gehinom. That is because as we explained before – Gehinom is complete deficiency – as the names of Gehinom teach... Therefore since the Form deviates from his proper level to be drawn after Substance he is attaching himself to deficit and falls into Gehinom as the Form is drawn to Substance.
The question was raised from, People say If your wife is short then bend down and hear her whisper. The answer was given that one should not listen to her for worldly matters only for household matters. The explanation of household matters is that the man is not deviating after his wife when he listens to her in thes matters since the wife is the foundation of the home. And that is the way it has been in the order of the world. And consequently if he follows the advice of his wife in household matters we don’t say that the man is like the Form following after Substance and thus deviating from his spiritual level. That is because in this that the wife is the foundation of the home, from that aspect he is not attaching himself to deficit. In fact the opposite is true since the wife is the basis of the existence of the home and therefore she should be listen to in household matters. However in all other matters in which the wife is not the prime figure, if the man follows after her advice then he will be in fact going after deficit and will fall into Gehinom.
And even according to the alternative answer of listening to worldly matters and not to spiritual matters – he should listen to her in worldly matters because that would not be deviating towards deficit. That is because this world is materialistic which is relevant to the woman who is Substance and therefore for advice in worldly matters he will not fall into Gehinom. In fact the opposite is true – he should follow her advice in worldly matters since that involves material things and that is the wife’s domain. It is only in spiritual matters that he should not listen to her because concerning spritual matters he is the Form and she is only Substance to which is associated the deficit. Consequently if he listens to her in spiritual matters he is deviating after the deficit and he will fall into Gehinom because he is being brought into a deficit and a state of lacking.
I am writing these things to explain to you that the words of the Mishna are clearly correct and are not mere conjecture.
Furthermore in Berachos (61a), They say that it is better to go behind a lion and not go behind a woman. In other words even though a lion can maul a person, nevertheless one who goes behind a lion is not in as much danger as one who goes behind a woman. That is because the lion is not deficit as is a woman. Because going after a woman is the Form following the Substance which causes completely loss to the Form when he deviates to follow after Substance. There is no question that it is worse for him then what the lion can do to him. Because even if the lion harms him, the lion’s main concern is to maul to eat and is nothing personal. But the deficit which is attached to Subtance - that involves his essence. Thus a lion will sometimes damage and sometimes not as is in all cases of accident which is not the case of following after a woman. I will offer addition explanations of this with G-d’s help.
Deja vu! - Conservative & Reform attack Israeli rabbinate for being more concerned with halacha than social reality
The following describes the problem from a different perspective. It is an exceprt of an article which appeared in The Associated of the Baltimore community. It is not a current article - but it does indicate clearly that the claims the RZ/MO have against the Chareidi view are exactly the claims of the Conservative movement against the RZ/MO view.
This illustrates that ultimately the issue is how to strike a proper balance between concern for halachic integrity and social needs/reality. What kind of consequences can we live with? What are our options?
This illustrates that ultimately the issue is how to strike a proper balance between concern for halachic integrity and social needs/reality. What kind of consequences can we live with? What are our options?
On Eve of Shavuot, Conversion Still is a Divisive Issue in Israel
Dina Kraft TEL AVIV, May 18 (JTA) — As Jews around the world prepare for Shavuot and its reading of the Book of Ruth — which features the Moabite woman's famous conversion with the words, "Your people shall be my people and your God my God" — Israel continues to grapple with the highly charged subject of conversion.
Long a battleground between Israel's Orthodox establishment and the Conservative and Reform movements, the issue took on urgency with the mass wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. "I think Ruth and her conversion should indeed set the model for the current challenge of converting the Russians who live among us," said Rabbi Ehud Bandel, president of the Masorti-Conservative movement in Israel. "Once they identify with Israel and the Jewish people and society and accept the Jewish faith, they must be embraced exactly as Naomi embraced Ruth, who became the grandmother of King David." Bandel and others claim that Israel's chief rabbinate makes conversion especially difficult for those they suspect may not lead an Orthodox lifestyle. "The real challenge is that unfortunately, the Orthodox establishment does not convert for Judaism but for Orthodoxy," Bandel said. The rabbinate is "reluctant to open its arms to Russian converts because everyone knows they will not be Orthodox." Rabbi Eliyahu Ben-Dahan, general director of the rabbinical court of Israel — which oversees conversions — says there can be no shortcuts when it comes to following halachah, or Jewish law, with regard to conversions. Orthodox authorities say Jewish law requires that converts undergo traditional ritual conversion and commit to adhering to all the precepts of Jewish law, or halachah. Non-Orthodox streams contend that these authorities inevitably interpret halachah as Orthodox observance. "If they think we will give up on halachah, then of course we cannot," Ben-Dahan said. "At the end of the day, the ones who want to convert, do convert," he said. "We are doing all we can do." As many as 300,000 of the nearly 1 million immigrants who came to Israel in the 1990s from the former Soviet Union are not considered Jews under Jewish law. They pay taxes and serve in the army, but can't marry Jews in Israel or be buried in Jewish cemeteries. On their Israeli identity cards, the category for religion is left blank. It's a void that activists from the non-Orthodox streams of Judaism are trying to fill by lobbying for broader acceptance in conversion processes. "They live as Jews but are not considered Jews," Gilad Kariv, a lawyer and ordained Reform rabbi who works for the movement's lobbying arm, said of the Russian immigrants. Prevented from converting, the immigrants' level of identification with the Jewish state eventually goes down, he said. "They feel less Israeli, less Jewish, and this is a problem in Israel — this lack of accessibility to Judaism," he said. Kariv cites statistics from the Jewish Agency for Israel showing that close to half of the non-Jewish immigrants when asked before they moved to Israel said they wanted to convert. Asked after their move to Israel, only 10 percent to 20 percent said they still wanted to convert. Rabbi Chaim Druckman, who served in the Knesset as a member of the National Religious Party, has just taken up a new post as director of conversion affairs in the Prime Minister's Office. The position was established largely to deal with immigrants who may have Jewish ancestry but are not Jewish according to Jewish law, which accepts as Jews only those with Jewish mothers. "Those who want to convert need to be helped," Druckman told JTA. "We need to help these people and let them know we do want them." In 1998, a government commission on conversion, headed by then-Finance Minister Ya'acov Ne'eman, issued recommendations to the government. They included the establishment of a joint institute for conversion taught by a combination of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform rabbis. The liberal streams agreed that those wishing to convert would then go to a Beit Din, or Jewish law court, for an Orthodox ceremony that would be universally recognized. Orthodox representatives did not sign on to the final recommendation, but the conversion institute has been established since, with branches across the country. Currently, it serves 2,500 students and is funded by the Jewish Agency and the government. Catering to immigrants, most classes are run in Russian. Some are conducted in Spanish for South American immigrants. The institute's executive director, Nehemia Citroen, said he thinks the government realizes how critical it is to facilitate the conversion process for new immigrants. "I believe the leadership here in this country in all realms understands the enormity of the problem, understands the situation by which hundreds of thousands of immigrants are brought here and told they are not Jewish," he said. "All those in leadership positions, including religious positions, have to see the reality of the situation today and allow for answers." In the four years since the institute was founded, 3,256 people have finished their conversion studies and 1,367 have been converted. But Bandel bemoaned the figure as "just a drop in the ocean." He and others say there's a backlog at the rabbinical courts for students from the institute. Critics also claim that those who study in Orthodox-run conversion classes have an easier time being converted by the rabbinical courts.[...]
Long a battleground between Israel's Orthodox establishment and the Conservative and Reform movements, the issue took on urgency with the mass wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s. "I think Ruth and her conversion should indeed set the model for the current challenge of converting the Russians who live among us," said Rabbi Ehud Bandel, president of the Masorti-Conservative movement in Israel. "Once they identify with Israel and the Jewish people and society and accept the Jewish faith, they must be embraced exactly as Naomi embraced Ruth, who became the grandmother of King David." Bandel and others claim that Israel's chief rabbinate makes conversion especially difficult for those they suspect may not lead an Orthodox lifestyle. "The real challenge is that unfortunately, the Orthodox establishment does not convert for Judaism but for Orthodoxy," Bandel said. The rabbinate is "reluctant to open its arms to Russian converts because everyone knows they will not be Orthodox." Rabbi Eliyahu Ben-Dahan, general director of the rabbinical court of Israel — which oversees conversions — says there can be no shortcuts when it comes to following halachah, or Jewish law, with regard to conversions. Orthodox authorities say Jewish law requires that converts undergo traditional ritual conversion and commit to adhering to all the precepts of Jewish law, or halachah. Non-Orthodox streams contend that these authorities inevitably interpret halachah as Orthodox observance. "If they think we will give up on halachah, then of course we cannot," Ben-Dahan said. "At the end of the day, the ones who want to convert, do convert," he said. "We are doing all we can do." As many as 300,000 of the nearly 1 million immigrants who came to Israel in the 1990s from the former Soviet Union are not considered Jews under Jewish law. They pay taxes and serve in the army, but can't marry Jews in Israel or be buried in Jewish cemeteries. On their Israeli identity cards, the category for religion is left blank. It's a void that activists from the non-Orthodox streams of Judaism are trying to fill by lobbying for broader acceptance in conversion processes. "They live as Jews but are not considered Jews," Gilad Kariv, a lawyer and ordained Reform rabbi who works for the movement's lobbying arm, said of the Russian immigrants. Prevented from converting, the immigrants' level of identification with the Jewish state eventually goes down, he said. "They feel less Israeli, less Jewish, and this is a problem in Israel — this lack of accessibility to Judaism," he said. Kariv cites statistics from the Jewish Agency for Israel showing that close to half of the non-Jewish immigrants when asked before they moved to Israel said they wanted to convert. Asked after their move to Israel, only 10 percent to 20 percent said they still wanted to convert. Rabbi Chaim Druckman, who served in the Knesset as a member of the National Religious Party, has just taken up a new post as director of conversion affairs in the Prime Minister's Office. The position was established largely to deal with immigrants who may have Jewish ancestry but are not Jewish according to Jewish law, which accepts as Jews only those with Jewish mothers. "Those who want to convert need to be helped," Druckman told JTA. "We need to help these people and let them know we do want them." In 1998, a government commission on conversion, headed by then-Finance Minister Ya'acov Ne'eman, issued recommendations to the government. They included the establishment of a joint institute for conversion taught by a combination of Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform rabbis. The liberal streams agreed that those wishing to convert would then go to a Beit Din, or Jewish law court, for an Orthodox ceremony that would be universally recognized. Orthodox representatives did not sign on to the final recommendation, but the conversion institute has been established since, with branches across the country. Currently, it serves 2,500 students and is funded by the Jewish Agency and the government. Catering to immigrants, most classes are run in Russian. Some are conducted in Spanish for South American immigrants. The institute's executive director, Nehemia Citroen, said he thinks the government realizes how critical it is to facilitate the conversion process for new immigrants. "I believe the leadership here in this country in all realms understands the enormity of the problem, understands the situation by which hundreds of thousands of immigrants are brought here and told they are not Jewish," he said. "All those in leadership positions, including religious positions, have to see the reality of the situation today and allow for answers." In the four years since the institute was founded, 3,256 people have finished their conversion studies and 1,367 have been converted. But Bandel bemoaned the figure as "just a drop in the ocean." He and others say there's a backlog at the rabbinical courts for students from the institute. Critics also claim that those who study in Orthodox-run conversion classes have an easier time being converted by the rabbinical courts.[...]
What is the justification for the Torah saying lashon harah about our deceased ancestors: Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky
The issue of speaking lashon harah about the deceased comes up over and over again. Recently I was challenged why I publicized the fact that Shlomo Carlebach sexually abused women. After all he was a great tzadik and even though he did disgusting things - why should his name be disgraced by telling people the bad things that he did. Why should people have their enjoyment of his music be interfered with by the disturbing reality of what he did?
There are a number of reasons for being concerned with the Truth. Of course if he were still alive - it would allow people to protect themselves so he would not molest them. But there is also a benefit for the victims - even after his passing. According to those who insist that rose colored glasses must always be worn and that we should not think bad thoughts about rabbis and tzadikim. According to those who insistent we should suppress all information about disgusting deeds so that rabbis and tzadikim are always perceived in a good light there is definitely a problem. But that suppression of the truth means that the victims need to suppress their humiliation and shame. They can not mention the outrage that was done to them. In fact if they say anything they would be told that they should shut their mouths - how dare they say anything about the Great Man. Therefore by telling the truth, it helps these victims to be able to talk about what happened and hopefully help them recover.
It also is important that the reality of the nature of abusers be publicized. People need to know that an abuser is not only the twisted sick monster of nightmares - but that they might not only be normal people but even tzadikim. That a distinguished rav or talmid chachom can be a molester. That a friend of the family, a neighbor or uncle or brother or even a father. By mentioning the names of those who have done disgusting things - even if they are deceased - it protects people from becoming additional victims. There is much to talk about the importance of knowing reality - but that will be for another time.
Here is a relevant comment made by Rav Yaakov Kaminetsky in Emes L'Yaakov (Bereishis 34:37):
I was asked by a student how to explain the fact that the Torah includes descriptions of what happened with Yosef and his brothers. Isn't this a violation of the prohibition of the laws of lashon harah? Initially I answered that in truth the prohibition of lashon harah only applies when mentioning the living. Talking lashon harah about the dead is permitted according to Torah law and is prohibited only by an ancient cherem [see Orech Chaim 606:3]. However the prohibition of the cherem is only against saying false slander (motzi shem rah) and doesn't apply to negative true statements (lashon harah). However in truth this question of lashon harah in the Torah simply isn't a question. That is because Yosef's brothers in fact judged Yosef and sentenced him to death following the correct legal procedure. They paskened this way because they thought that that in fact was the law of the Torah and not because they were perverting the law...The cherem is mentioned here:
Berachos(19a): R. Joshua b. Levi said: Whoever makes derogatory remarks about scholars after their death is cast into Gehinnom, as it says, But as for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. Peace be upon Israel: even at a time when there is peace upon Israel, the Lord will lead them away with the workers of iniquity. It was taught in the school of R. Ishmael: If you see a scholar who has committed an offence by night, do not cavil at him by day, for perhaps he has done penance. ‘Perhaps’, say you? — Nay, rather, he has certainly done penance. This applies only to bodily [sexual] offences, but if he has misappropriated money, [he may be criticised] until he restores it to its owner.
שו"ע אורח חיים סימן תרו:ג
תקנת קדמונינו וחרם, שלא להוציא שם רע על המתים
The Truth About Hamas
Reading “Silenced No More,” the new report by the Civil Commission on October 7th Crimes by Hamas Against Women and Children, we were transported back to Oct. 27, 2023, and a screening of the raw footage of Hamas’s atrocities. The mouths of journalists were agape, but time dulls horrific reality.
The new report is a catalogue, for memory’s sake, of Hamas depravity. Testimony from site after site attests to rape and assault. Screams and pleas. Gunshots to the face and genitals. Mutilation. Burning. Bodies naked, legs spread. Grotesque scenes staged. All forming an evidentiary record, the result of more than 10,000 photos and video segments and more than 430 interviews, testimonies and meetings with survivors, witnesses and experts.
Protest NJ Bills S2260/A2218
BS"D
May 13, '26
NJ Legislative Alert
Rabbis, leaders, and all,
NJ Bill 2260, seeking to criminalize efforts to stop transing kids and abortion, is linked below.
An alternate variant of this predatory, antireligious persecutory bill stealthily passed the NJ Senate Health Committee Monday May 11, '26.
The next action is expected on the Assembly bill this Thursday, May 14, 10AM (room 16), in the Health Committee. NJ residents are urged to show up to expose and protest this anti-Jewish persecutory
Thank you!
Rabbi Noson Shmuel Leiter,
Executive Director,
Help Rescue Our Children
845.642.1679
Direct: 771.215.8892
Israeli Helpline: 03.721.3337
Tomim Tih'yeh [countering "New-Age" infiltration]:
Presentations on New-Age dangers: 605-313-6831 ext. 2
Heard weekly on New Jersey's WSNR Radio 620AM, co-hosting the renowned Levin At Eleven program, every Thursday evening, 11pm to midnight (ET).
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Resurrection is a Miracle that we must Believe
Menoras HaMe’or (04:02:03:01) The matter of the resurrection of the dead is not like the reward of the world to come, which is a natural thing for the perfect soul, but it is a matter of miracle and a very wonderful one of the great miracles that G-d has done and will do, and since it is something outside of nature, like the pregnancy of a woman who is born to be barren, and also the rains that come as a reward for a mitzvah... And this is what they alluded to when they said, Rabbi Yochanan said, "Three keys were not delivered by the hand of a messenger, and these are the keys of life, of rains, and of the resurrection of the dead...". Therefore, we must believe that this is one of the great miracles written in the Torah, and that the souls of the righteous will return to their bodies and eat, drink, and beget children. This is a matter outside the nature of reality, and there is no proof for it from rational analysis, but is something miraculous. We must accept it by faith.
Menoras HaMeor (04:02:03:02) All those who deny the Resuerrection of Dead or anyone of the other miraculous matters which are written in the Torah is as if he denies the entire Torah and he has no portion in the World to Come.
Resurrection is Not only for Torah Scholars
Maharal (Be’er HaGolah 7:03) In Kesubos it says that the ignorant will not be resurrected. Some find this fact that only Torah scholars will be resurrected and the rest of mankind is lost forever to be very upsetting. They say it is too much that not only are Jews the only ones resurrected but only the elite are ultimately successful and thus the majority of mankind is no different than animals. In fact this gemora should not be understood this way. The gemora itself clarifies that Rav Yochanon was upset with this declaration until it was explained that what was meant was not only Torah scholars but also those closely associated with Torah scholars will be resurrected. Thus the solution is very simple. It is clear that when G-d gave the Torah to the Jews it was mainly in order that it should be beneficial. Therefore any person who is not a Torah scholar and can not become one, can at least be of assistance to a Torah scholar. This is a great kindness for them from G-d. In fact a careful search reveals that the ignorant are not actually prevented from acquiring this high level nor are non-Jews since they also can obtain a portion of Olam HaBah as is stated in that Gemora which states that the pious of the nations can acquire Olam HaBah. In fact it is known from the gemora of Avoda Zara in the discussion of Antoninos and Rebbe that also the descents of Eisav who are enemies of the Jews can acquire Olam HaBah if they behave properly. Thus ultimate it depends entirely on a person’s deeds.
Resurrection Purpose
Sefer HaIkkarim (04:35) Hence Maimonides agrees that the main reward that God bestows upon man is conferred upon the soul and not upon the body. It seems, therefore, that the purpose of resurrection is not in order to reward the body, but either to give the individual an opportunity to acquire greater perfection than he acquired before, prevented as he was by external hindrances, exile, poverty and the like, and not through evil choice or any condition in the individual himself; or to make known in the world the great power of God and to publish the true faith. In this case resurrection may be confined to the righteous alone, as the Rabbis say, and will take place in the Messianic age.
How the New York Times Laundered Dubious Sexual Abuse Claims Against Israel
The New York Times opinion piece alleging sexual abuse against Palestinian prisoners relied on sources with documented pro-terror sympathies and failed to disclose crucial background information that would have helped readers assess their credibility.
Several of the article’s central allegations appear to have evolved significantly over time, with major inconsistencies left unexplained or unchallenged by the paper.
The timing of the story’s publication immediately before a major report on Hamas’ October 7 sexual violence raises serious questions about narrative framing and editorial priorities.
The issue is not whether Israel should face scrutiny. Democracies should be scrutinized, especially during wartime. The issue is whether that scrutiny is applied consistently, fairly, and proportionally.
When the New York Times repeatedly amplifies the weakest allegations against Israel while approaching Hamas atrocities with hesitation and skepticism, it stops looking like rigorous journalism and starts looking like narrative activism.
‘Gang rape, forced stripping and humiliation’: New report documents 10,000 findings on Oct. 7 sexual crimes
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyf00rqljmx
Spanning roughly 250 pages, with hundreds of footnotes and references to more than 10,000 documented items, a new report lays out what it describes as a systematic pattern of sexual violence, humiliation and abuse committed by terrorists and civilians who infiltrated from Gaza during the Oct. 7 massacre and throughout the captivity of hostages held in Gaza.
The report, the product of more than two years of work, was compiled by members of the Civil Commission on Oct. 7 Crimes by Hamas Against Women, Children and Families. The civil society organization was established shortly after the outbreak of the war.
Researchers identified 13 patterns of sexual and gender-based assault, including rape and gang rape, assault before and during murder, forced stripping, threats of forced marriage and assaults committed in front of victims’ relatives. According to the report, these patterns recurred across multiple locations, indicating that the use of such practices was intentional, widespread and systematic, “carried out with particular cruelty in order to maximize the pain, humiliation and suffering of the victims.”
Israel slams NYT opinion article on Palestinian abuse, ignoring Oct. 7 sexual violence
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895908
The Foreign Ministry on Tuesday denounced the timing of an op-ed published in the New York Times, while the outlet decided not to publish the findings of Israel's Civil Commission into Hamas's systemic violence during, and since, the October 7 massacre.
The commission approached NYT "months ago" with the outlet saying it "was not interested" in reporting it, the ministry noted on X/Twitter.
The outlet posted the opinion piece on Monday, featuring it prominently on its homepage, along with an accompanying video, deciding to publish it the day before the Commission's findings were released.
"In an unfathomable inversion of reality, and through an endless stream of baseless lies, propagandist Nicholas Kristof turns the victim into the accused," the ministry wrote.
"Israel - whose citizens were the victims of the most horrific sexual crimes committed by Hamas on October 7, and whose hostages were later subjected to further sexual abuse - is portrayed as the guilty party," the ministry continued.
US intelligence showing Iran retains substantial missile capabilities
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426980
Classified US intelligence regarding Iran's current military strength from earlier this month suggests that Tehran has successfully restored operational access to the vast majority of its strategic missile infrastructure, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
Among other things, according to the report, the intelligence reveals that Iran has regained access to 30 of its 33 primary missile sites situated along the vital Strait of Hormuz. These facilities, equipped with mobile launchers, pose a direct threat to the more than 20 American warships currently enforcing the blockade in the waterway.
The classified data stands in direct contrast to assurances provided by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In March, the President claimed that Iran's military had "nothing left," while Hegseth asserted in April that Operation Epic Fury had rendered the regime "combat-ineffective for years."
Donald Trump’s Golden Statue: Critics’ Biblical Comparisons Explained
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-golden-statue-biblical-comparisons-explained-11940790
A 22-foot golden statue of President Donald Trump is riling some observers who claim the "golden calf" clearly represents idol worship expressly forbidden in the Ten Commandments, religious scholars told Newsweek.
The bronze effigy covered in gold leaf, dubbed "Don Colossus," depicts Trump, 79, with a raised fist similar to the gesture he made following the July 2024 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Pastor Mark Burns, an evangelical minister and spiritual adviser to the president, led last week's unveiling ceremony at Trump National Doral Miami and insisted the likeness represented "gratitude, honor and remembrance" rather than deification.
"Evangelical Christian leaders literally gathering around a gold statue of the president and celebrating it, all while raging against any accusation of idolatry," Cremer posted Friday on X. "This is what idol worship looks like."
Trump Says His Goal Is to Stop Iran Getting a Nuclear Bomb. But the Result Might Be Lots More Nukes Across the Globe
https://time.com/article/2026/03/27/us-iran-war-nuclear-weapons-proliferation-deterrent-trump/
Of all the reasons proffered for the Iran war—and there’ve been a few—probably the easiest for Americans to get behind is that striking the regime was necessary to permanently derail its nuclear weapons program.
After all, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last May revealed Iran had stockpiled 408.6 kg of 60%-enriched uranium, which with further refinement could potentially fuel nine warheads. The nation’s inventory of some 2,500 ballistic missiles—the largest in the Gulf—and support for terrorist proxies across the region added to the security migraine. Iran “can’t have nuclear weapons,” President Donald Trump said in February. “It’s very simple. You can’t have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon.”
But while the strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites and scientists will no doubt slow Iran’s atomic ambitions in the near-term, analysts say the regime—providing it survives, which all signs suggest it will—will now be even more set on acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Indeed, given Iran’s ballistic missile infrastructure has been badly degraded by U.S. and Israeli attacks, a nuclear bomb may prove “a faster route to restore deterrence for a regime that is now more radical and has been attacked twice in the midst of negotiations,” says Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis for the Washington-based think tank Defense Priorities.
But it’s not just Iranian nuclear weapons that the U.S. and world must worry about going forward. On Tuesday, North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un left little doubt he was referencing Iran when he said the “present situation clearly proves” his country was correct to hang onto its nuclear arsenal, which he termed “irreversible,” while accusing Washington of “state sponsored terrorism and aggression.”
Iran Nuclear Talks: Three Lessons From the War for Negotiators
Lesson one: Military strikes are not decisive
The first lesson negotiators should draw is that air wars alone cannot counter proliferation or eliminate a nuclear program. It is possible to stall, delay, or obliterate enrichment facilities, but even a tactically effective, full-scale air war cannot destroy Iran’s vast nuclear program without ground troops.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors have not been able to access major nuclear sites since before the Twelve Day War in 2025, when the U.S. Air Force dropped the world’s largest conventional bomb on Iranian nuclear enrichment sites—creating a blackout the current conflict has only deepened and that world leaders know exposes gaps in enforcing nonproliferation.
That is why the Trump administration’s counter-proliferation-through-force approach could backfire: it encourages those who want to develop nuclear programs to hide their activities rather than adhere to the successful nonproliferation approach of diplomacy and transparency that the P5 representatives of the UN Security Council have used since the signing of the NPT fifty-eight years ago. The Iran war could have a chilling effect on inspections and international engagement among states hedging with some nuclear materials—maintaining the materials and capacity to weaponize but staying below the weaponization threshold. Iran’s nuclear program is symptomatic of inherent disparity embedded into the NPT, which does not permit countries that did not test nuclear weapons before 1967 to ever have them. But will the other states be content to live without their own nuclear weapons now?
Iran’s next steps will likely be unclear during a ceasefire or even after the war concludes. The Islamic Republic could decide to shift to a North Korean model of proliferation, hiding some activities until it decides to unveil its capabilities in the form of nuclear tests and ballistic missile firings. If NPT member states can no longer gain as much transparency into Iranian nuclear program developments because negotiations do not establish invasive inspections, Iran’s path will be less predictable. And with a new leader at the helm of the Iranian regime, its nuclear strategy could be distinct from that of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was recently killed in the U.S.-Israeli attacks.
Iran retains enough nuclear material, enriched to 60 percent capacity, for roughly twelve nuclear weapons if the regime decides to use its remaining nuclear facilities and know-how to sprint to weaponization. As IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has said, the negotiators will “have to address all of this if they want to have a comprehensive agreement” to stymie the Iranian nuclear program.
The Art of the Ceasefire
https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/the-art-of-the-ceasefire
Historically, negotiating a ceasefire to end an international conflict of this magnitude would have involved months, even years, of talks led by skilled negotiators with large teams of experts, the help of credible mediators such as the United Nations, and armies of diplomats shuttling between the different sides to build trust. Peace proposals are usually negotiated behind closed doors; threats are seldom made publicly. With the Trump Administration, none of this appears to be happening. Ceasefires are not treated as avenues to solve political contradictions and pave the way to a lasting settlement, Bhamidipati said. Instead, they have been reduced to tools of conflict meant to speedily manage escalation, contain risk, limit spillover, and restore short-term stability—a version of kicking the can down the road. Ceasefires don’t end wars; they only interrupt them. And, the longer they continue without a real political resolution, the higher the risks of even greater violence in the future. This is especially true in the Iran war. “The situation is very unstable, and every escalation can lead to a massive deterioration,” Danny Citrinowicz, a former Israeli military-intelligence officer and Middle East expert at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, told me. “Instead of the ceasefire becoming some sort of platform for a new negotiation and agreement, because of the mistrust of the sides and the fact that they cannot reach an agreement, the ceasefire is actually some sort of situation before renewed escalation.”
Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Cost of Trump’s reflecting pool repairs balloon by $11.3 million, to $13.1M
“The Failing New York Times, which is one of the worst newspapers anywhere in the World, and is losing subscribers on an hourly basis, is now at it again,” Trump wrote in a lengthy, early-morning Truth Social post.
“Just like they covered my Landslide 2024 Presidential Election Victory inaccurately, and without shame, constantly making major mistakes and incorrect predictions at every path along the way, they are now trying to justify Obama and Biden’s expensively botched attempt at fixing the long broken, unsightly, and unsanitary Reflecting Pool that NOW sits majestically between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial,” he continued.
It was originally announced with an estimated cost of $1.8 million, but the Times cited federal records showing the actual cost has jumped by more than $11 million to an anticipated $13.1 million.
The Interior Department reportedly added $6.2 million to the previous cost of the no-bid contract on Friday, which was awarded to a Virginia firm called Atlantic Industrial Coatings
Checkmate in Iran
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/2026/05/iran-war-trump-losing/687094/
It’s hard to think of a time when the United States suffered a total defeat in a conflict, a setback so decisive that the strategic loss could be neither repaired nor ignored. The calamitous losses suffered at Pearl Harbor, the Philippines, and throughout the Western Pacific in the first months of World War II were eventually reversed. The defeats in Vietnam and Afghanistan were costly but did not do lasting damage to America’s overall position in the world, because they were far from the main theaters of global competition. The initial failure in Iraq was mitigated by a shift in strategy that ultimately left Iraq relatively stable and unthreatening to its neighbors and kept the United States dominant in the region.
Defeat in the present confrontation with Iran will be of an entirely different character. It can neither be repaired nor ignored. There will be no return to the status quo ante, no ultimate American triumph that will undo or overcome the harm done. The Strait of Hormuz will not be “open,” as it once was. With control of the strait, Iran emerges as the key player in the region and one of the key players in the world. The roles of China and Russia, as Iran’s allies, are strengthened; the role of the United States, substantially diminished. Far from demonstrating American prowess, as supporters of the war have repeatedly claimed, the conflict has revealed an America that is unreliable and incapable of finishing what it started. That is going to set off a chain reaction around the world as friends and foes adjust to America’s failure.
Death is not always from G-d?
Kuzari (05:20) David laid down three causes of death, viz. 'God may slay him,' i.e. divine cause; 'Or his day shall come to die,' i.e. natural cause; 'Or he shall descend into battle and perish,' i.e. accidental cause. He omits the fourth possibility, viz. suicide, because no rational being seeks death voluntarily. If Saul killed himself, it was not to seek death, but to escape torture and derision.
Sefer HaIkkarim (4:21): This death that You have decreed upon me can only be one of three types. 1) Punishment for sin 2) Decree of the constellations 3) Natural death. These three types of limits to one’s life are mentioned by Dovid (Shmuel 1 26:10)…. As Divine punishment, natural death or premature accidental death which happens even without sin as the result of the stars or general decree. … Dovid did not mention suicide since no one freely chooses to die….
Kuzari (5:20): … The Prime Will is manifest when the Divine Presence is amongst the Jews. However after the destruction of the Temple it became doubtful - except in the hearts of those who have faith - whether specific events were the result of the direct command of G d or the Heavenly spheres or were accidents. There is no definitive way to resolve this issue. Nonetheless it is best to attribute everything that happens to G d, especially major things such as death, victory, war, success and bad fortune.
Menoras HaMeor (#298): When a person has a calamity happen to him he should not think that it was just by chance. Because whoever mistakenly believes that is punished measure for measure and is deserted to chance without any protection… This is a very great punishment because there are many opportunities for accidents to happen and if one is deserted by Heaven he has no protection at all… This verse that says that evil doesn’t descend from Heaven is because a sinner doesn’t need to be harmed from Heaven it is sufficient that his protection is removed and then he vulnerable to accidents and suffering since there is no suffering without sin… Therefore a person must believe with solid faith that G d knows the secret matters and He is the true judge and judges the entire world …
Shomer Emunim (2:81) Nothing occurs by accident, without intention and Divine Providence. This is learned out from the verse; ‘And I will walk with you in chance (be’keri).’ From this we see that even the state of apparent ‘chance’ is actually Providence. “But that does not apply to the non-human species...whether this ant will be trodden upon or saved. There is no special Providence for animals and certainly not for plants and minerals, as they are governed by species and not individuals. Whatever occurs to individual animals, plants and objects is purely by chance, and not by Divine Decree – unless it is ultimately connected to humankind
Trump remains silent as Gulf fears grow: 'They’ve thrown us under the bus'
Iran has resumed missile launches without facing retaliation, raising concerns across Gulf states about further escalation from Tehran, while US President Donald Trump signals interest in ending the war; some in Dubai describe the situation as a 'unilateral ceasefire,' and Gulf officials warn that the lack of an American response could weaken deterrence
Diplomats and analysts told the Wall Street Journal that after this week’s Iranian strikes, a sentiment has re-emerged in the region echoing former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s remark: “Those who wrap themselves in the U.S. are naked.” Iranian officials have repeated similar claims since the start of the war, and now, following the lack of an American response to renewed fire, the idea is gaining renewed attention.
Mahdi Ghuloom, a research fellow at a Dubai-based think tank, said: “Iran seems ready for the cease-fire to be broken down, and the U.S. is not, so it is a unilateral cease-fire at this point.” Dania Thafer, director of the Gulf International Forum, added that from the Gulf states’ perspective, “it looks like the U.S. is not prioritizing their security and basically threw the Gulf states under the bus,” said Thafer. “If the U.S. doesn’t respond, then the Iranians will conclude that the U.S. doesn’t want to go back to war—and this affects deterrence.”
Antisemitism in Britain: Man whips haredi women with belt in London
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/426898
A man attacked Haredi women at a bus stop in Stamford Hill and cursed at them. A Jewish child was assaulted in another attack.
According to the organization’s statement, the incident occurred during the afternoon hours at a bus stop in the Hackney area. After attacking the women, the suspect later spat at one of the organization’s volunteers who arrived at the scene. It was further reported that the suspect shouted curses, racist insults, and threats at the women and the volunteers.
Shomrim volunteers detained the suspect until police forces arrived and arrested him on suspicion of assault offenses and public order violations under racist circumstances. According to the report, he remains in custody and is expected to be brought before a judge.
Hours later, a Jewish child was assaulted in a separate antisemitic incident outside a school in Amhurst Park. A woman screamed antisemitic abuse and punched the child.
Last week, London fire crews were called to a blaze that broke out at an abandoned synagogue on Nelson Street in the eastern part of the city. Minor damage was caused to the gates and lock at the entrance to the building. The incident is being investigated alongside a series of other incidents in the capital, including attempted arson attacks and stabbings targeting members of the Jewish community.
Israel passes law to allow death penalty and public trials for those linked to 7 October
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c202ngg45x8o
Israel has passed a new law to impose the death penalty and conduct public trials for those involved in the unprecedented Hamas-led attacks and mass hostage-taking in Israel in October 2023.
The legislation was passed by 93 votes to 0 in Israel's parliament - the Knesset - and was unusually jointly sponsored by government and opposition politicians.
Although Israel's parliament passed the Death Penalty for Terrorists Law in March, aimed at Palestinians convicted of terrorism offences, it does not apply retroactively. This meant that separate legislation was required to deal with those alleged to have carried out the assault.
While Israel has for years been a de facto abolitionist state, recent polls have indicated growing support for the death penalty among Jewish Israelis - particularly when it comes to Nukhba fighters convicted of terrorism.
The Long-Term Measles Complication Most People Don't Know About
https://time.com/article/2026/05/11/measles-complication-immune-system/
Measles, largely gone for decades in the developed world, has come roaring back. In January, the U.K. lost its status as a nation that had eliminated measles when the number of people vaccinated against the disease dropped below 95%, the threshold required to keep the highly contagious virus in check. The U.S., where outbreaks this year continue, may be on the same track.
Vaccine hesitancy is behind the resurgence of disease—but measles is not, as anti-vaccine activists claim, a short-lived respiratory virus whose effects are over in days. Scientists now understand that measles’ primary target is in fact the immune system. In addition to causing rare but slow-burn, fatal neurological disorders that can kill a child years after a measles infection, the virus can also wipe the immune system’s memory, destroying cells that fight off other infections.
Most people recover from measles. But even then, “their immunity to very common infections that they encounter, maybe on a daily basis, is weakened,” says Rik de Swart, a virologist at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam in the Netherlands who has studied the phenomenon, which is sometimes known as immune amnesia. In some cases, it can take years to get back to normal.
Trump is stuck in an Iran trap of his making — with only two options
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/05/11/iran-war-is-trap-trump-built-himself/
President Donald Trump is caught in an Iran war trap of his own making. He has for weeks been all-too-visibly eager for a deal allowing him to declare “victory” for … something. Conversely, he seems to deeply fear making a Barack Obama-like nuclear deal, and the inevitable (and justifiable) criticism. Good answers seem scarce, reinforcing his frustration. That was evident on Sunday when, posting online, he denounced as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!” Iran’s response to a U.S. framework to end the war. He must feel like George H.W. Bush, who once described himself as “one lonely little guy down here” at the White House.
Much of the trap’s construction depended on what Trump didn’t do. Before launching U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, he never explained to Americans why military force was justified to help achieve regime change, eliminate Tehran’s nuclear weapons and terrorist threats, or eviscerate its military capabilities. He apparently did not brief members of Congress. He seemingly did not consult U.S. allies, neither in NATO nor the Persian Gulf, nor America’s Indo-Pacific friends, who depend heavily on Middle Eastern oil. George H.W. Bush did all these things before launching Operation Desert Storm in 1991.
But Trump did stop, and he now seems lost, in effect hoping Iran’s Revolutionary Guard gives him a diplomatic exit, which it has so far declined to do. Instead, the regime’s remnants seek time to emerge from Iran’s rubble, reconsolidate their rule and rebuild their military capabilities, including their nuclear-weapons and ballistic-missile programs and their terrorist networks and proxies. They see correctly that Trump’s domestic political troubles vex him far more than the distant threat of a reconstituted Iranian militarized theocracy. Thus, even if Tehran appears to accept Trump’s proposed ceasefire as a basis for future negotiations, the regime will take its time doing anything substantial, including opening the Strait of Hormuz.
Most important, military action is necessary to restore deterrence. Tehran must learn with certainty it would suffer severe consequences for later trying to close the strait. Allowing merely a diplomatic end to this crisis, particularly under the “gradual” process apparently contemplated by Trump’s latest offer, would set a ruinous precedent. Emboldened as it now is, Iran’s regime would probably conclude it would face only diplomatic, not military, consequences for again closing the strait. Entirely predictably, Tehran could then open and close it like flipping a switch, raising or lowering the pressure as it saw fit.
Get a Gun
https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/get-gun-liel-leibovitz-jews
We are, as the writer Louise Perry pointed out this week, increasingly in a world of anarcho-tyranny, wherein governments fail “to enforce or adjudicate protection to its citizens while simultaneously persecuting innocent conduct.”
“Even in a society that functions well, there are microbursts of that society failing,” Kareen Shaya, cofounder of Open Source Defense, said in an interview a few years ago. “If someone breaks into your house in the middle of the night, that’s society failing for a few minutes. If someone stops and mugs you in the street, that’s society failing for a few minutes. If your spouse beats you, that’s society failing for a few minutes. Society, if it’s functioning well, is going to have your back most of the time. In those moments where it fails, I would ask: Do you have society’s back? Are you ready to fill that gap for those few minutes until society can recover and come to help you? That’s how I view gun ownership.”
The Jewish way of gun ownership is more about responsibility than power. It doesn’t flex its muscles or measure its worth in calibers. It’s precisely what the license says it ought to be: concealed, there when you need it and unobtrusive when you don’t. You can see it on display—or, rather, you can’t—when you visit Crown Heights: Every store, more or less, has a little notice in the window informing you that if you’ve got a piece and a permit, you’re very welcome to walk right in. Which tells you that the men and women you see going about their day, while far from your stereotypical image of gun-toting berserkers, are staying subtle and staying safe.
Lox & Loaded: Antisemitism spurs Jewish gun club, despite strict NY laws
https://san.com/cc/lox-loaded-antisemitism-spurs-jewish-gun-club-despite-strict-ny-laws/
But a rise in antisemitism, along with the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks in Israel, has spurred the growth of organizations like Lox & Loaded, which describes itself as a “Jewish Owned and Operated Shooting Club.” It has opened three chapters in New York and plans another later this year, responding to a growing demand in the Jewish community for using guns for self-defense. One poll found that 56% of Jewish people said they have altered their behavior out of fear of antisemitism and hate crimes.
Werner, one of the Westchester chapter’s first members, recalled an antisemitic experience that shaped him as a 12-year-old boy waiting for a school bus in Queens, New York.
“There is a quiet shift,” she continued. “A lot of people from all ages, mostly the older generations, are saying now is the time. People are scared. People are scared to go to synagogues. People are scared to be in Jewish communities. … A lot of people right now need to think of themselves and their families, and they’re looking for a safe way to protect themselves.”
When they’re armed, she said, “they feel safe and they feel empowered.”
Hegseth’s latest attack on Kelly underlines alarm over US weapons stockpiles
https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5873093-kelly-hegseth-feud-weapons-stockpiles-iran/
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s latest attack against Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) is underscoring the alarm over the state of the U.S. military’s weapons stockpiles more than two months into the war with Iran.
Hegseth accused Kelly, a Navy veteran and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), of divulging classified information regarding key U.S. munitions during his appearance on a Sunday news show, putting a spotlight not only on his ongoing feud with the Arizona Republican but also on the high-usage rate of premier munitions against Tehran and the time it will take to replenish them.
Rachel E. VanLandingham, a national security law expert and former Air Force active duty judge advocate who has been critical of Hegseth’s leadership of the Pentagon, said Hegseth’s threat is part of an “ongoing campaign” against Kelly and the Pentagon’s potential case against the senator has “no legal leg to stand on.”
Experts, former defense officials and lawmakers have warned that the war with Iran has depleted the U.S.’s global supply of munitions, with the Pentagon having to pull weapons from other regions to ensure there’s an ample stash in the Middle East.
Monday, May 11, 2026
Rambam accused in Denying Resurrection
Rambam (Tshuva 08:02)In the world to come, there is no body or physical form, only the souls of the righteous alone, without a body, like the ministering angels. Since there is no physical form, there is neither eating, drinking, nor any of the other bodily functions of this world like sitting, standing, sleeping, death, sadness, laughter, and the like.
Raavad (Hilchos Teshuva 8:2) In Olam Habah there will be no physical body The Rambam’s view appears to me as not much different than those who deny physical resurrection of the body but only to the souls. I swear this is not the view of our Sages. It clearly states in Kesubos (111b) In the future the tzadikim will be resurrected in their clothing and this is deduced from wheat. In Shabbos (114a) Rav Yannai commanded his children not to bury him in white or black clothing. . In Sanhedrin (91b) it states that resurrection will occur with physical blemishes from which they will be cured. All these sources clearly show that resurrection of the physical body will occur. However it is possible that G-d will provide strong and healthy bodies like those of angels or Eliyahu. Furthermore they it is possible that they will literally have crowns and that is not a metaphor.
Kesubos (111b The just in the time to come will rise apparelled
in their own clothes. This is deduced a minori ad majus from a grain of wheat.
If a grain of wheat that is buried naked sprouts up with many coverings how
much more so the just who are buried in their shrouds.
Shabbos (114a) But R. Jannai said to his sons, My sons, bury me neither in white shrouds nor in black shrouds, White, lest I do not merit, and am like a bridegroom among mourners: black, in case I have merit, and am like a mourner among bridegrooms. But bury me in court garments that come from overseas. This proves that they are coloured.
Sanhedrin (091b) It is written, I kill, and I make alive; whilst it is also written, I wound, and I heal! — G-d said, What I slay, I resurrect i.e.,in the same state, and then, what I wound, I heal after their revival.
Sanhedrin (091b) I kill, and I make alive. I might interpret, I kill one person and give life to another, as the world goes on: therefore the Writ states, I wound, and I heal. Just as the wounding and healing obviously refer to the same person, so putting to death and bringing to life refer to the same person. This refutes those who maintain that resurrection i not intimated in the Torah.
Resurrection of the Dead
The Rambam’s position on this issue, however, is very unclear. He believes that the greatest pleasures can be achieved only by disembodied souls. Having a body is a disability that prevents the soul from achieving full closeness to God. Why, then, would a righteous person ever want to be resurrected? If his soul goes directly to olam ha-ba when he dies, then it would have to leave the ultimate bliss of olam ha-ba in order to be resurrected. How could leaving ultimate bliss and regaining the disability of physical existence be considered a desirable reward? This conundrum has puzzled the interpreters of the Rambam from his lifetime until this very day.
There are two general approaches to understanding the position of the Rambam. The Raavad (glosses to Hilkhot Teshuva 8:2) accuses the Rambam of maintaining that there is no such thing as physical resurrection of the dead.[2] Other contemporary thinkers also interpreted the Rambam this way, but unlike the Raavad, they agreed with this position and preached publicly that there would be no physical resurrection, invoking the authority of the Rambam.[3] According to this interpretation, the Rambam never explained the details of techiyat ha-meitim because he did not actually believe in physical resurrection. Rather, whenever techiyat ha-meitim is mentioned in Tanakh or Chazal, it is a metaphor for the continued existence of the soul after one’s physical death. Resurrection means not that the dead will come back to life, but rather that their souls will continue to live eternally in olam ha-ba.
In Iggeret Techiyat Ha-Meitim, the Rambam's essay about the resurrection of the dead, he expresses surprise at the accusation that he does not believe in physical resurrection. How could he not believe in resurrection if he counted it as one of the thirteen principles of faith?! Why, then, does he not explain it thoroughly or give it prominence in his works?
Resurrection of the Dead
Ohr Hashem (03:04:01) Resurrection of the Dead There are 4 issues that need to be clarified 1) Whether there will be a total or partial resurrection. If it is partial than what part? 2) When is Resurrection of the Dead? 3 ) Will those resurrected use their natural senses and die a second time after they have been resurrected? 4)Will there be a Day of Judgment after resurrection as the Sages’s tradition says? Our only valid sources of information is either from Tradition or Biblical verses and careful analysis and deductions made from them. From what the Bible states explicitly, , "And many from the dust of the earth shall awaken, these to eternal life," etc., it will already be seen that it will not be a general resurrection comprehensive, and this is also what our Sages have also taught. The question is who will be resurrected? The clear answer of the Sages is that only the completely righteous will be resurrected. But that leaves unanswered whether Resurrection is for Eternity? In order to answer this is to first clarify the reason for this amazing miraculous resurrection. There seems to be differences of opinion amongst our Sages in Yoma regarding the time of the Resurrection and it seems from there that it will occur when the Temple exists in Messianic times. However from the words of Shmuel that there is no difference between this world and Messianic Times except servitude to the government, it seems clear that the Resurrection will not take place in Messianic times. Thus if there was also Resurrection there would obviously be a huge difference. However this statement of Shmuel is disputed by other Sages. So what we can conclude is that Resurrection will occur soon after the rebuilding of the Temple 3) Will a person use his natural senses and die again after resurrection? I seems from the Tambam’s essay on Resurrection that Olam Habah mentioned by ou Sages is Olam Habah for everyone and it happens immediately after death. In that world our Sages say there is no eating or drinking or other natural activities but that the tzadikim sit with crowns on their heads and enjoy the presence of G-d. In contrast after Resurrection there will be eating and drinking and pleasure and thwe tzadikim will obtain incredible pleasure that they never had before and then they will die while their souls will be in Olam Habah on a higher level than previously Tyhis is not just the view of the Rambam but of many Sefardi scholars.
Abarbanel (Daniel 12:13) Those who are resurrected will recive their reward which is appropriate for their deeds. How many years after Moshiach comes will there be resurrection?Rabbi Eliezar says 400 years/ Ibn Ezra says 70 years. Rabbi Elizer says 40 years while Rebbe says 365 years. The bottom line is G-d has not revealed the exact time to anyone.
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