Netziv:Why Rikva couldn't communicate with Yitzchok

Netziv(Bereishis 24:64): And Rivkah lifted her eyes – and she saw Yitzchok while he was still praying and he was at that moment like an angel of G‑d – extremely awesome. and she fell off her camel – Because of her great fear and awe. However she did not know who she was afraid of. If she had been sitting with Eliezer the servant on the same camel and she had been sitting behind him then she would have relaxed when she would have seen the man go and greet the servant and seen them talking together like all men. Then eventually when she would have been informed who it was – her fear would already have dissipated. But since she was sitting together with Eliezer she didn’t wait – but asked immediately who it was out of great fear. Who is that man - that makes me agitated and frightened? We see in Bereishis Rabbah that the term “that” implies someone fearsome and frightening. Therefore when she heard that it was her husband she took out her veil and covered her face out of her great fear and embarrassment because she realized she wasn’t fit to be his wife. From that moment on that fear was permanently planted in her heart and she was not able to have the relationship with Yitzchok that Sarah had with Avraham and Rachel had with Yaakov. In particular when the others objected to something their husbands had done they were not embarrassed to speak firmly with them.  Rivkah was different. All of this served as a necessary preliminary to the events that would follow in Parshas Toldos when Yitzchok and Rivkah had strongly different views. Nonetheless Rivkah could not find the courage to stand up to Yitzchok and defend her views – even though it was true that Esav was a fraud. The same thing happened at the time of giving the berachos. In fact all of this was the means by which G‑d caused the berachos to be given to Yaakov in this manner as we will explain later. All was done with Divine Providence from the beginning - that Rivkah should arrive when Yitzchok was praying and thus she should see him as an awesome and frightening spectacle – it all happened according to G‑d’s Will.

Who is Wealthy?

 Shabbos (25b) Who is wealthy? Anyone who gets pleasure from his wealth, that is the statement of Rabbi Meir. Rabbi Tarfon says: A wealthy person is anyone who has one hundred vineyards, and one hundred fields, and one hundred slaves working in them. Rabbi Akiva says: Anyone who has a wife whose actions are pleasant. Rabbi Yosei says: Anyone who has a bathroom close to his table…

Working Reduces Sinning

 Netziv (Haamek Davar Devarim 32:13) G-d established the land of Israel in a special way so that they would not come to sin. And this was primarily against the corruption that was in the second Temple that was the result of baseless hatred. And it is explained in the Tosefta that this was the because of their excessive love of money which was the consequence  of being too involved in commerce. And reality the love of doing business that we find in other countries is typically  either because of the scarcity of livelihood or on the contrary because of idleness when a person has nothing to do. Therefore G-d was good to the Jews and gave them a productive land which required a lot of work. This why the Torah says “He acquired for you a mighty harvest of grain and grapes and you will live securely in your land.” 

Detestable People

 Pesachim (113b) Four types of people cannot be endured by anyone: An arrogant pauper; a wealthy person who denies monetary claims against him; a lecherous old man; and a leader who lords over the community for no cause. And some say: Also one who divorces his wife once and twice and takes her back a third time. He should decide definitively whether or not he wants her.

Not ready for a knee replacement? You might be able to fix your cartilage instead

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/knee-replacement-cartilage-pain-coral-treatment/?itid=hp_better-living-desktop_p003_f002

But why replace a knee if just the cartilage can be repaired instead? That line of thinking has led to new techniques flipping the script on how to mend troublesome knees.

How the Trump Campaign Ran With Rumors About Pet-Eating Migrants—After Being Told They Weren’t True

 https://www.wsj.com/us-news/springfield-ohio-pet-eating-claims-haitian-migrants-04598d48?mod=hp_lead_pos7

That night, Nathan Clark—the father of Aiden, the boy who had been killed in the bus crash—spoke during the public-comment portion of the Springfield City Commission meeting. Visibly shaking, he referenced GOP politicians, including Vance, and said they had used his son’s death “for political gain.”

“I wish that my son Aiden Clark was killed by a 60 year-old white man,” he said. “I bet you never thought anyone would ever say something so blunt.” 

Microsoft says Russian operatives are ramping up attacks on Harris campaign with fake videos

 https://edition.cnn.com/2024/09/17/politics/microsoft-russian-operatives-harris/index.html

Russia’s preferences for the presidential race haven’t shifted since 2020 or 2016, when Moscow conducted a range of influence operations aimed at denigrating Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, respectively, according to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Tzadik - Why Rich or Poor?

 Lekutei Moharan (200:1) The reason the tzaddikim of today are rich whereas in previous times most of them were poor and poverty stricken, is hinted at in the Mishnah: Whoever fulfills the Torah in poverty, will ultimately fulfill it in wealth. For the tzaddikim of today are the very same tzaddikim that lived in previous times—in the mystery of reincarnation. They already fulfilled the Torah in poverty, and therefore now merit to fulfill it in wealth. 

Wealth required for Torah Understanding

 Lekutei Moharan (060:1)Know! there are paths of Torah that involve very great contemplation, such contemplation that can be attained only by means of wealth. Just as with the Torah’s elementary interpretations, “If there is no bread, there is no Torah”, and at the very least one must have a livelihood, so too, for this contemplation, which is very great, a person must have very great wealth. One must possess bounteous riches from which nothing is lacking, since this contemplation requires having all the wealth of the world…

G-d gave Israel to Jews

 Ibn Ezra (Shemos 03:22) And of her that sojourns in her house. For the Jews owned land. Some complain and say that our ancestors were thieves. Can’t these murmurers see that this was a command from on high? There is no sense in asking why? G-d created everything. He gives riches to whom He desires to give it, and when He wishes to, He takes the very same riches away. There is no evil in this, as everything is His.

Honoring the Wealthy

 Eruvin (86a) Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi would honor the wealthy, and Rabbi Akiva would likewise honor the wealthy.

Koheles (10:20) Don’t revile a king even among your intimates. Don’t revile a rich man even in your bedchamber; For a bird of the air may carry the utterance, And a winged creature may report the word.

Sprituality and Wealth

 Akeidas Yitzchak (69:1)Being given the land of Israel and all the material wealth that this entailed, was a prerequisite for Israel to attain its spiritual objectives both nationally and individually. Cleaving to one's piece of land as a basis for one's financial security therefore, became very important. Pious people's habit of jealously guarding what is rightfully theirs, is understandable for that very reason. Also, the Torah seems especially protective about the material wealth of religious leaders. The reason is to shield them against temptation to acquire wealth by dubious means…

 Sotah (22b) King Jannai said to his wife, Fear not the Pharisees and the non-Pharisees but the hypocrites who ape the Pharisees; because their deeds are the deeds of Zimri but they expect a reward like Phineas.

Beware of those who act like Zimri and request a reward like Pinchas!

Counting Non-Observant Jews Towards a Minyan

 https://dinonline.org/2015/06/18/counting-non-observant-jews-towards-a-minyan/

Since the spies were clearly wicked people, and according to the Sages they were even heretics (claiming that Hashem did not have the power to bring the nation into the Land of Israel), it emerges that even the wicked can form an eidah.

Based on this, Rav Moshe Feinstein (Shut Iggros Moshe Vol. 1, no. 23) writes that the same condition applies to saying Kedushah with a minyan. According to many opinions, the only requirement is that the ten people should be Jewish. There are no further conditions, and even secular Jews, who have no connection to the Torah, can count towards a minyan for Kedushah if they are participating in the prayers.

From where do we know that ten men constitute a minyan?

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/en/news/390123

I find it absolutely extraordinary that we learn about a minyan from two historic events.

One is the Korach rebellion, and the other is the story of the spies.

Jacob vs. Esau, Part 1: The Two Roles

https://aish.com/jacob-vs-esau-part-i-the-two-roles/?utm_source=googlegrants&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=19561819333&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrp-3BhDgARIsAEWJ6SwO1prCClHUFOnslQRRo4mw_fhw48lggCY-rCgKzoCye0l8FfLfwusaAm3rEALw_wcB

The answer is that the nation of Israel really has two roles in the world – a “Jacob” role and an “Esau” role. The Jacob role is to be internally righteous people – to study Torah, to become more spiritual, and to develop a relationship with God. The studious, tent-dwelling Jacob was clearly grooming himself for such a role from his earliest years.

הרב קידש בחתונה לפי ‘היתר מאה רבנים’ – ונעצר ביציאה מהארץ

 https://www.jdn.co.il/j_world/2266071/

מקורביו טוענים כי הרב לא היה מעורב כלל בהליך ההיתר, וכי תפקידו הסתכם בכיבוד בלבד. עם זאת, נציגי האישה הראשונה הצליחו להשיג את צו עיכוב היציאה בטענה כי הרב תומך בסרבני גט ומסייע להם להינשא באמצעות היתר מאה רבנים

Trump Posts Disdain for Taylor Swift, Vance Defends Pet-Eating Claims

 https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-vance-abandon-policy-attack-springfield-migrants-and-taylor-swift-3c082a28?mod=hp_lead_pos11

The controversy around an unfounded Republican talking point about immigrants eating cats and dogs in Springfield, Ohio, shadowed Donald Trump’s campaign over the weekend, with the state’s Republican governor on Sunday calling the pet-eating rumor “garbage,” and Trump running mate JD Vance defending his circulation of the claims.

“This is a piece of garbage that was simply not true,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Sunday during an appearance on ABC News’s “This Week.” 

Crime down under Biden: Steve Rattner fact-checks Trump's latest claims

Modern Orthodox Rabbis Are Struggling — Even As The Community Gets Wealthier

 https://forward.com/news/394408/modern-orthodox-rabbis-are-struggling-even-as-the-community-gets-wealthier/

Modern Orthodox Rabbis Are Struggling — Even As The Community Gets Wealthier

Lost Millenial Rabbis

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/en/news/395942

The declining demand for rabbis leaves many highly gifted and qualified Modern Orthodox would-be-pulpit-rabbis seeking employment options that are non-rabbinic, or moving to Israel.

Woman Behind Springfield Haitian Immigrants 'Eating Pets' Rumor Speaks Out

 https://www.newsweek.com/springfield-woman-erika-lee-haitians-eating-pets-rumor-speaks-out-1953851

According to NewsGuard, an organization dedicated to combating internet misinformation, Lee was one of the first to spread the baseless rumor on social media, the screenshots of which were widely shared. The neighbor, identified as Kimberly Newton, reportedly got the information about the alleged incident from a third party, as per NewsGuard's findings and reported by NBC News.

Top MAGA Republican Calls Laura Loomer ‘Disgusting Garbage’

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/top-maga-republican-thom-tillis-calls-laura-loomer-disgusting-garbage?ref=home

In a Friday post on X, Tillis shared a withering takedown, writing: “Laura Loomer is a crazy conspiracy theorist who regularly utters disgusting garbage intended to divide Republicans. A DNC plant couldn’t do a better job than she is doing to hurt President Trump’s chances of winning re-election. Enough.”

New Sefer Igros Moshe on the Parsha

 I wa approaced this Shabbos and asked to produce a sefer that brings Igros Moshe that is connected with the Parsha. As I am almost finished with the sefer on Parnossa and Luck it looks like a useful challenge

Any material or issues you think should be included - please notify me by email

Donald Trump and Loomer Tunes

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-laura-loomer-conspiracist-2024-campaign-54e13cf8?mod=hp_opin_pos_1

Donald Trump likes to call his political opponents nuts, as in “crazy Nancy Pelosi,” so then why is he hanging with the 9/11 conspiracist Laura Loomer? Is he trying to lose the election?

We can’t believe we have to write this about a presidential candidate, but then Mr. Trump seems to like the company of Ms. Loomer, the 31-year-old online provocateur. She was backstage with the Trump team during this week’s debate with Kamala Harris and was in the spin room with the former President afterward.

Trump Embrace of Laura Loomer Adds New Figure to Controversial Entourage

 https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/donald-trump-connections-republicans-election-2024-3f520567?mod=hp_lead_pos4

Donald Trump’s press conference Friday at his oceanfront golf club near Los Angeles was meant to highlight public-safety problems in California that he blamed in part on his election opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

Instead, he spent much of the time fielding questions on his relationship with Laura Loomer, a right-wing conspiracy theorist who was part of his entourage this past week.

“I know she’s a big fan of the campaign,” Trump said, adding that with regard to some of her controversial and racist statements, “I don’t know what she said.”

I asked criminologists about immigration and crime in the US. Their answers may surprise you

 https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/15/us/border-migrants-crime-cec/index.html

Kubrin: Across a variety of studies that use different years of data that focus on different areas of the United States — with some exceptions, there’s some nuance there. I don’t want to deny the nuance — in general, on average, we do not find a connection between immigration and crime, as is so often claimed. The most common finding across all these different kinds of studies is that immigration to an area is either not associated with crime in that area, or is negatively associated with crime in that area. Meaning more immigration equals less crime. It’s rare to find studies that show crime following increases in immigration or with larger percentage of the population that are immigrants.

Immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than U.S.-born Americans, studies find

 https://www.npr.org/2024/03/08/1237103158/immigrants-are-less-likely-to-commit-crimes-than-us-born-americans-studies-find

During the current presidential campaign, the vitriol has been intense. Just in the last few months, former President Donald Trump has spoken of immigrants as criminals and mentally ill people who are "poisoning the blood of our country." Florida Gov. (and former presidential candidate) Ron DeSantis said migrants suspected of carrying drugs across the border should be shot, without specifying how drug smugglers could be told apart from other migrants.

However, research indicates that immigrants commit less crimes than U.S.-born people.

Opposition to Tzadikim

 Lekutei Moharan (208:1) That the wicked afflict the righteous and pursue them is brought about by G-d in order that the tzadik should consider and examine his deeds. Thus it is that the wicked man is like a watchman, like the guard of the city, who is called a tzopheh. So too, the wicked man guards the tzadik from succumbing to physicality. Another explanation: Some of the opposition that tzaddikim face is for their benefit. This is because opposition is like a cover, keeping them from being discovered and becoming famous more than is necessary. This is the explanation of:…

Nobody Is Eating Our City’s Dogs Mr. Trump—I’d Know, I’m the Dog Warden

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/nobody-is-eating-our-citys-dogs-mr-trumpid-know-im-the-dog-warden?ref=home?ref=home

The Clark County dog warden has refuted viral pet-eating allegations in Springfield, Ohio, after Donald Trump regurgitated unfounded claims that the city’s pets were being poached by Haitian immigrants on Tuesday.

“Nobody has any proof of anything,” Sandi Click told the Daily Beast. “It’s all just a bunch of hearsay.”

Trump ally Laura Loomer swatted down after posting bigoted attack on Harris

 https://www.politico.com/news/2024/09/11/laura-loomer-trump-mtg-00178815

Two loyal allies of Donald Trump are feuding over a bigoted post about Kamala Harris’ Indian heritage, the latest sign of discord among MAGA surrogates as the former president seeks to regain his lead in the presidential race.

Putin Pals Eat Crow as ‘Complete Fool’ Creams ‘Our Donald’

 https://disqus.com/profile/login/?next=/admin/moderate/pending

In the run-up to this presidential debate, Russian state TV propagandists constantly predicted that the “charismatic” Trump—previously described as “our Donald”—would resoundingly defeat his opponent. They’ve consistently described Harris as a stupid, inexperienced newcomer, who simply cannot function without a teleprompter, even citing ridiculous conspiracy theories from the likes of Alex Jones to assert that the Vice President has a severe “performance anxiety” and would show up to the debate high on drugs