Fears of 2nd virus wave rise as 300 arrested in Meron; 2,000 gather in Jerusalem

https://www.timesofisrael.com/fears-of-2nd-virus-wave-rise-as-200-arrested-in-meron-2000-gather-in-jerusalem/

About 1,000 residents of the ultra-Orthodox Jerusalem neighborhood of Mea Shearim crowded the city’s streets late Monday, ignoring the ban. Bonfires and gatherings were also reported in Beit Shemesh and the incidents drew an angry rebuke from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ordered a police crackdown on the illegal celebrations on Monday night.

'We sacrificed the economy on the altar of health'

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/280224

Outgoing Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon (Likud) was interviewed by Israel Hayom and questioned on his opinion of the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis.

"Even if there is a second wave of the coronavirus, there's no way we can go back to the way we did things until now," he said. "They were the right steps to take at the time, but bear in mind that we sacrificed the economy on the altar of health. It's not possible to shut down the economy again even if there is a second wave. It's not just impossible; it's dangerous."

 

Significance for all of history of Eve being taken from Adam

Alshech (Bereishis 2:24): It would appear that the lesson we learn from the verse “ to this one is called woman – that it applies specifically to Adam and Eve who was actually taken from his body but not to future couples that would be born from them. That is why the Torah states next “Therefore a man should leave … and cleave to his wife”. In other words that this relationship applies all couples of men and women  that would ever exist that they should leave….That is because Adam  contained all the souls that would eventually come into the world in potential as is noted in Shemos Rabbah (40:3) and Avos deRabbi Nosson (31:3) regarding the verse Job (38:4) “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Similarly Eve Adam’s wife contained the souls of all women who would ever exist. In other words Adam and Eve included all the souls of Mankind and thus all the couples. As a result of this, the unity that existed between Adam and Eve exists in all future couples. Because they all had  their souls together from the very beginning and they are only lacking becoming one flesh  . this is the lesson to be learned. You should also note that the reason G-d created Eve from Adam and not from dirt was in order that the man should leave his parents and cleave to his wife which would not be true if she was made from dirt. That is because they would not have the natural attachment as we mentioned before. Alternatively we can say that Adam prior to having Eve taken from him had potentially all the souls of males that would ever exist and all the souls of women were contained in the rib. And according to the view that man was created with two faces, women’s souls were contained within the female face. Either way Adam and Eve were connected to all future couples by being one body Secondly the souls of the males were related to the yud. which is nature of man and that is why the word ish (man) is spelled with a letter “yud” . In contrast Women and the feminine nature is hey which is why the word women (isha) is spelled with a letter “hey”. To get to the point, it is possible to give her a name based on the body that she was taken from or based on the soul.  From the aspect of the body she could have been called adamah (dirt) because she was taken from Adam. But that is impossible because she was not from the dirt but rather she was derived from Adam’s bone and flesh, Therefore she was  given the name because of the soul. That is because the souls of the males and females were together in the first creation, and then the female aspect was made into a new entity. So it is better to call her isha (woman) to indicate she had been taken from the ish (man)  thus indicating both aspects. The predominance of the male souls and that they constitute a couple  that is why the verse contines with “therefore a man should leave” because the soul of all men is united with her soul in man. Regarding her he will desire her that is because desire comes from the soul and not from the body. Or Alternatively it can be said “This time … that is to say don’t be surprised  that a male can come from a female  because now there is unity in that she is bone of my bone … However from the aspect of the female and not from the male  she is not from the male essence  because it doesn’t say that she was made from the man but that she was taken from the man. That is he had certain potentials relevant to her in him from which she was taken. Consequently  she was not made from his male essence but rather from the feminine essence that he contained. Thus she was not from the male but only from his  bone and flesh. But the meaning of that she was taken from the male means from the properties of the rib.  Or we can say “This time “ alone is needed to indicate that bone of my bone and flesh from my flesh makes a relationship  with Adam and she was not made from dirt but from him. All this relationship requires is the reality that she is bone of his bone. Otherwise why state “And to this one he called woman because she was taken from the man” It was because all future couples were present in me and in all couples the souls of the man and woman are bound together. It is because of that fact that with all couples the man should leave his parents.  But  if someone says he doesn’t want to leave his parents. He only needs to be told what it says in Nida (31a) that the father and the mother make the body of their child while G-d makes the soul.  So if he is claiming that only in the case of Adam and Eve that the man should cleave to the woman but all future cases  why should they leave their parents and cleave to a stranger (an unrelated woman)?  To this the reply is that the facts are the opposite so that he should leave his parents because of what we have already explained. The proof is that cleaving to his wife is not in order that they  to produce a soul but rather to produce one flesh. In other words, a  man and his wife produce the body  while G-d makes the soul.  Thus the three are partners in producing children. Therefore how is it conceivable that their son should  cleave to them  the parents and not with his true mate who is related by her soul, that was united in Adam before Eve was taken  from him as we explained. This relationship is alluded by the fact that men search for a wife while women don’t search for a husband. Because woman was taken from Adam  and thus she is something he lost.and he needs to search for her and then cleave to her. Thus she was always his wife but he temporarily lost her, Alternatively from the aspect she constitutes his lost property, that from the first couple and for ever after, we have the concept of bashert (the daughter of ploni is destined to him) and she was lost to him sometime after he was born and therefore he needs to search and find her

Trump says Dr Fauci's warning 'not acceptable'

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-52656959

US President Donald Trump has said a sobering warning by his top infectious diseases expert about lifting pandemic restrictions too soon was unacceptable.

He accused Dr Anthony Fauci of wanting "to play all sides of the equation" in his testimony to lawmakers on Tuesday.

The president said he was especially dissatisfied with Dr Fauci's caution around reopening schools too quickly.

Lawyer appointed by Judge Sullivan to offer arguments in Flynn case already has slammed Trump WH's 'improper political influence'

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-sullivan-appoints-third-party-to-present-arguments-against-flynn-consider-holding-him-in-contempt

D .C. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan issued an unusual order Wednesday appointing a law firm partner "to present arguments in opposition to the government's motion to dismiss" the matter -- and to consider whether the court should hold Flynn in contempt for perjury.

The partner, retired federal judge John Gleeson, has openly criticized the Trump administration's handling of Michael Flynn's case, raising concerns that he was selected to improperly bolster Sullivan's efforts to keep the Flynn case alive even though both the government and defendant want it dismissed.

Sullivan has previously suggested Flynn may have committed treason, in a bizarre 2018 courtroom outburst, and seemingly confused key details about Flynn's overseas lobbying work.

The precise reasons for the perjury review were not clear in Sullivan's order. Last year, Flynn abruptly abandoned his plan to provide testimony against a former associate, after admitting that he had lied on federal forms required under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Flynn has said he received constitutionally inadequate legal advice.

 

Trump clashes with Fauci over virus reopening as global death toll nears 300,000

https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-clashes-with-fauci-over-virus-reopening-as-global-death-toll-nears-300000/

US president at odds with top medical adviser over opening schools as US surpasses 83,00 fatalities; UN predicts worst global economic downturn since Great Depression

 Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House, said he found Fauci’s latest call for a highly cautious reopening “not acceptable.”

 

Federal judge mulls contempt charge against Michael Flynn

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/13/judge-appoints-retired-judge-to-represent-flynn-prosecution-256509

Judge Emmet Sullivan named a former judge to weigh the issue after the Justice Department filed a motion to dismiss the case against the former Trump national security adviser.

 

A federal judge is signaling that he might pursue perjury or contempt charges against former national security adviser Michael Flynn over his effort to abandon a guilty plea to a charge of lying to the FBI.

Sullivan’s order also directed the retired judge, John Gleeson, to recommend whether Flynn should face a criminal contempt charge for perjury — apparently for declaring under oath at two different court proceedings that he was guilty of lying to the FBI, before he reversed course in January and claimed he had never lied.

Devin Nunes Defamation Lawsuit Hits Snag as Judge Rules He Needs to Identify What's Actually Defamatory

https://www.newsweek.com/devin-nunes-defamation-lawsuit-hits-snag-judge-rules-he-needs-identify-whats-actually-defamatory-1503894

On Tuesday, a Trump-appointed Iowa federal judge threatened to dismiss a defamation lawsuit brought by the family of California Republican Representative Devin Nunes against Hearst Magazines, the publisher of Esquire, and journalist Ryan Lizza.

Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge C.J. Williams said he'll throw out the lawsuit if the family doesn't specify precisely how Lizza's article in Esquire magazine inaccurately portrayed the congressman and his family.

 

Breaking down 'Obamagate,' Trump's latest theory about the 'deep state' and Obama's role in the Russia investigation

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/13/politics/trump-obama-obamagate-russia/index.html

Trump's latest rhetoric about "Obamagate" matches a well-established pattern.

Some misconduct related to the Russia investigation has been uncovered, and several former FBI officials have been chided for their handling of certain aspects of the probe. But Trump has repeatedly exaggerated the breadth of the wrongdoing or latched onto unproven accusations that even some members of his own administration have struggled to publicly explain or defend.

The Justice Department's inspector general has detailed major problems with the FBI's use of Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act warrants against former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page. The inspector general also concluded that the most salacious claims about Trump and Russia, first made in the Steele dossier, had not been proved.

To Trump's credit, he said early on that there were improprieties with FBI surveillance. But when the watchdog report came out in late 2019, many of the President's specific claims were debunked, even if he was right about the big picture. (Much like his current messaging, Trump called this kerfuffle "Spygate," and said in 2018 that it "could be one of the biggest political scandals in history.")

For instance, the inspector general found that the FBI's decision to investigate several Trump campaign associates was legally justified and unaffected by bias. Yet even after the report came out in December, the President has continued to claim that the Russia probe was illegal and biased.

Attorney General William Barr also disputes that conclusion from the inspector general, and previously ordered a review of the Russia probe, led by US Attorney John Durham. That investigation is ongoing.

Donald Trump Trails Governors By Almost 30 Points in Coronavirus Approval Poll

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-trails-governors-30-points-coronavirus-approval-poll-1503705

President Donald Trump trails state governors by almost 30 points in a new coronavirus approval poll published Wednesday.

The latest survey from The Washington Post and the University of Maryland found that almost three-quarters (73 percent) of Americans felt their state governor had a "good" or "excellent" reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic.

By comparison, only 46 percent approved of the president's handling of the coronavirus outbreak—putting him 27 points behind state leaders.

 

Ignoring ban, hundreds of ultra-Orthodox crowd Lag B’Omer fires in Jerusalem

https://www.timesofisrael.com/hundreds-of-haredim-crowd-jerusalem-streets-to-illegally-mark-lag-bomer/

Prime minister orders police to crack down on gatherings in capital and Beit Shemesh amid warnings that incidents could lead to fresh outbreak of coronavirus

317 ultra-Orthodox men freed after breaking into holy site, defying virus rules

https://www.timesofisrael.com/317-ultra-orthodox-men-freed-after-breaking-into-holy-site-defying-virus-rules/

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men arrested Tuesday evening after breaking into a shuttered holy site at Mount Meron were released Wednesday morning to their homes.

Each of the 317 detainees received a fine for violating coronavirus regulations designed to prevent mass gatherings.

 

Israeli doctors using ventilators on virus patients sparingly, but split on why

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israeli-doctors-using-ventilators-on-virus-patients-sparingly-but-split-on-why/

Some experts maintain the machines can cause damage to a certain type of COVID-19 sufferers, while others say noninvasive measures were preferred all along

 Israeli doctors are increasingly sparing in the use of ventilators for coronavirus treatment, with some expressing fears that the breathing machines can cause harm. “There’s a sentiment that we’re trying to delay ventilation unless we really have to,” Eyal Zimlichman, chief medical officer at Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, told The Times of Israel, adding that this has been the case since mid-April.

 

 

‘A pretty scary thing’: NY on edge over mystery child illness tied to virus

https://www.timesofisrael.com/a-pretty-scary-thing-ny-on-edge-over-mystery-child-illness-tied-to-virus/

Some 100 kids in state are suffering inflammatory syndrome believed to be related to COVID-19; governor says parents ‘are very concerned about this, and they should be’

 

קורונה נדירה בארץ פגעה בילדים, אחד נפטר; 'כולם חרדים'

https://www.kikar.co.il/359724.html

התפתחות נדירה מאוד של נגיף הקורונה, הפוגעת דווקא בבני נוער, הגיעה לאחרונה לישראל; עד כה היא התגלתה בגופם של שישה ילדים - כולם חרדים - אחד מהם למרבה הצער אף נפטר (אקטואליה)

 

Breaking down 'Obamagate,' Trump's latest theory about the 'deep state' and Obama's role in the Russia investigation

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/13/politics/trump-obama-obamagate-russia/index.html

President Donald Trump and his allies added a new dimension this week to their "deep state" conspiracy theory, directly accusing former President Barack Obama of leading a supposed "coup" to sabotage the Trump presidency.

 

Seizing on a viral hashtag, Trump dubbed the alleged scandal "Obamagate" and has been flooding the zone promoting exaggerated theories and false claims since the weekend. In the President's view, he was the victim of the "biggest political crime in American history" and the Obama appointees who he claims tried to undermine his administration deserve jail time for their misdeeds.

Trump ramped up his rhetoric over the weekend after Obama criticized the Justice Department for dropping its criminal case against former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. Trump's new focus on Obama also served as a diversion from the coronavirus pandemic, as the nationwide death toll passed 80,000 and the unemployment rate tripled to a staggering 14.7%.

Conspiracy theorists are falsely claiming that the coronavirus pandemic is an elaborate hoax

https://theconversation.com/conspiracy-theorists-are-falsely-claiming-that-the-coronavirus-pandemic-is-an-elaborate-hoax-135985

Since March 28, conspiracy theorists — “coronavirus deniers” — have been using the hashtag #FilmYourHospital to encourage people to visit local hospitals to take pictures and videos to prove that the COVID-19 pandemic is an elaborate hoax.

The premise for this conspiracy theory rests on the baseless assumption that if hospital parking lots and waiting rooms are empty then the pandemic must not be real or is not as severe as reported by health authorities and the media.

 

Why a Second Wave of Covid-19 Is Already a Worry

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-24/why-a-second-wave-of-covid-19-is-already-a-worry-quicktake

3. So how does a virus come back?

There are a number of possibilities. In the case of influenza, there’s the onset of cool weather, a factor that may affect the coronavirus, too. Or the pathogen can mutate. This is another feature of flu, which mutates more or less constantly. In the fall of 1918, a second wave of the historic influenza outbreak occurred and caused most of the deaths in the pandemic. Some researchers believe it was brought about by a mutation that made the virus again unrecognizable to most people’s immune systems. Another important variable is the movement of the virus to populations that haven’t been exposed before and don’t have immunity. In addition, the World Health Organization said on April 24 that there’s no evidence yet that people who have recovered from Covid-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection.

 

1918 Pandemic Influenza: Three Waves

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-commemoration/three-waves.htm

 There were 3 different waves of illness during the pandemic, starting in March 1918 and subsiding by summer of  1919. The pandemic peaked in the U.S. during the second wave, in the fall of 1918. This highly fatal second wave was responsible for most of the U.S. deaths attributed to the pandemic.

Are the Jews racist?

אמת ליעקב בראשית פרק ט פסוק כה
(כה) ויאמר ארור כנען עבד עבדים יהיה לאחיו51.
הנה ישנן משונאינו מאומות העולם הטוענים שכלל ישראל היא אומה גזענית, שהרי התורה אומרת שכנען ארור והוא יהיה עבד עבדים לאחיו, הרי שהשפילה התורה את גזע כנען למדרגת עבד. אבל האמת ודאי היא לא כן, דהא זה ברור שדעת התורה היא כנגד גזענות, וכבר הוכחתי זה בחידושי לעיל בפרשת בראשית [א' פכ"ב] מלשון המשנה בסנהדרין [דף ל"ז ע"א]: מפני מה נברא האדם יחידי שלא יאמר אדם לחבירו אבא גדול מאביך, הרי שבדוקא שינה הקדוש ברוך הוא במין האדם משאר המינים וברא רק אדם יחידי כדי שלא יבואו בני האדם לידי מדה מגונה זו. אלא שלפ"ז צריכים לבאר את פעולתו של נח במה שהוריד את כנען למדרגת עבד והשפילו משאר מין האדם, והרי זה לכאורה פעולה גזענית טהורה.
אבל באמת אין לזה שום שייכות עם גזענות, דגזענות פירושה שגזע אחד מתנשא מעל גזע אחר בגלל מוצאו ויחוסו וכאילו שהוא נוצר "מחומר" עילאי וטוב יותר וכדומה, אבל כאן הטעם שחילק ביניהם נח היה משום מדותיו המושחתות של חם ובנו כנען, ומדות אלו הנחיל הוא לבניו אחריו וכמו שאמרו חז"ל [פסחים דף קי"ג ע"ב]: חמשה דברים צוה כנען את בניו כו' אהבו את הגזל ואהבו את הזימה ושנאו את אדוניכם ואל תדברו אמת, ומכיון שראה נח מדות כאלו אצל משפחת כנען, מאז קילל אותם שישארו עבדים כל ימי חייהם ולא יבואו בקהל ישראל.
וכמו כן הוא מה שאנו אומרים "אתה בחרתנו מכל העמים", ששונאי ישראל טענו שמזה אנו מראים כאילו אנו חושבים את עצמנו למיוחסים יותר מאומות העולם, ודאי אין זה משום שדת ישראל גזענית היא חס ושלום, אלא שאנו אומרים שמכיון שאנו ירשנו מדות מהוגנות וישרות מאבירי דעה כאלו כמו אברהם יצחק ויעקב, ואנו עמדנו בהר סיני וקבלנו תורת ה' מפי משה רבינו, ממילא אנו בני מעלה יותר משאר העמים, כי הרי אנו שיפרנו את עצמנו במדות טובות ובהתקרבות להשי"ת, אבל הרי כל מי שרוצה יכול להתגייר ולהצטרף אלינו ואז גם הוא יכול לומר על עצמו "אתה בחרתנו מכל העמים", מה שאין זה אמת בשאר האומות הגזעניות שלא מרשים לאחד מן החוץ להצטרף אליהם.

Homosexuality - a heter?

Taz  (Bereishis 2:24):And therefore a man leaves…… The Holy spirit said this because if you say that Adam said it together with “This time …” .That can’t be since it serves no purpose to finish off his statement in that manner. .In contrast if it were said by the Holy spirit and then it is understood as a warning as Rashi explains. And they become one flesh – the Rambam asks “even animals become one flesh  in their offspring?”And in truth this is not really a problem at all because this verse is stated only to prohibit certain sexual relations such as bestiality as is stated in Sanhedrin 58a),”Rabbi Akiva said and cleave to his wife and not another male or the wife of another man and they shall become one flesh means only those sexual relations that result in one flesh through the offspring which excludes with animals because intercourse with them does not produce offspring. And this is what Rashi meant when he was explain the phrase “one flesh” teaches that intercourse with animals is prohibited But we rely on the gemora that “cleave” excludes homosexual relations  because the recipient gets no pleasure as Rashi notes. But why not learn this from “one flesh”because it cant produce offspring but then why is  the word cleave (davak) needed if everything is learned from “one flesh”? it appears to me that without the word “cleave” I would have explained the prohibition of bestiality as because it is lacking in unity. In other words with an animal there is a lack of constant togetherness and that is the reason that they are not one flesh  being together today but tomorrow the animal is with someone else. The Ramban says something a little bit similar concerning cleaving. Therefore I would have mistakenly thought that homosexual relation would be permitted because exclusive loyalty is possible between two males. Something similar is alluded to in the gemora noting that the Persians don’t write a Kesubah for a homosexual couple. Therefore the Torah states and cleaves to exclude homosexuality since the recipient does not get pleasure. But I might mistakenly think that if the prohibition is because of the lack of pleasue and the animal does get pleasure it  is therefore permitted! Therefore we learn from “one flesh” that it is prohibited. And this appears to me to be correct

Flynn judge to allow 'amicus' submissions, delaying immediate resolution and drawing planned ethics complaint

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/judge-in-flynn-case-to-open-up-case-for-amicus-submissions

D.C. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan issued an order Tuesday indicating he'll soon accept "amicus curiae," or "friend of the court" submissions, in the case of former national security adviser Michael Flynn -- drawing immediate scrutiny and a planned ethics complaint against Sullivan, who had previously refused to hear amicus briefs in the case.

Sullivan's order indicated that an upcoming scheduling order would clarify the parameters of who specifically could submit the amicus briefs, which are submissions by non-parties that claim an interest in the case. Sullivan specifically said he anticipated that "individuals and organizations" will file briefs "for the benefit of the court," as he prepares his response to the government's motion to dismiss the case.

"Judge Sullivan, who denied leave to file amicus briefs when he knew third parties would have spoken favorably of Flynn, now solicits briefs critical of Flynn," independent journalist Michael Cernovich wrote on Twitter Tuesday evening. "This is a violation of the judicial oath and applicable ethical rules. We will be filing a complaint against Sullivan. ... [He] is acting as a politician, not a judge."

 

Judge slows down effort to drop Flynn case

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/05/12/judge-slows-effort-drop-flynn-case-252725

Judge Emmet Sullivan said he’ll receive written arguments that are likely to oppose Justice’s bid to abandon the high-profile prosecution.

 

Somber warnings temper hopes about a fall return to school -- and normalcy

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/13/politics/coronavirus-schools-education-donald-trump-fauci/index.html

The contentious nature of school closures -- effective in 48 states and the District of Columbia, according to a CNN count -- exploded in a Senate hearing Tuesday after Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul warned Fauci he wasn't the "end-all" authority on issues like when kids should go back to class.

Paul pointed out that mortality rates for young people were comparatively low and misleadingly suggested that outside New England, the virus had been relatively "benign."

"I think the one-size-fits-all -- that we're going to have a national strategy and nobody's going to go to school -- is kind of ridiculous," Paul said. "We really ought to be doing it school district by school district. And the power needs to be dispersed because people make wrong predictions.

"If we keep kids out of school for another year, what's going to happen is the poor and underprivileged kids who don't have a parent that's able to teach them at home are not going to learn for a full year ... I think it's a huge mistake if we don't open the schools in the fall."

Fauci warned Paul that the country needed to be "very careful" about underestimating the effect of Covid-19 on young people, specifically citing the inflammatory syndrome that has killed a number of children in the United States and Europe.

 

Mitch McConnell's deeply disingenuous call for Barack Obama to keep 'his mouth shut'

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/12/politics/mitch-mcconnell-donald-trump-barack-obama/index.html

Taken broadly, what McConnell is doing here is what Trump and his party have been doing for the last three-plus years: Shattering every possible presidential norm with glee while also demanding that political opponents adhere to those same norms. I've lost count at the number of times Trump expresses faux shock at the language used by one of his rivals even as he curses and impugns them without a second thought. Or demands that someone be fired for making a mistake or airing an incorrect claim even as he has racked up literally thousands of misstatements and falsehoods during his time in office.

 

Fauci tells Congress that states face serious consequences if they reopen too quickly

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/12/politics/anthony-fauci-congress-hearing/index.html

 Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key member of the White House's coronavirus task force, warned senators Tuesday that states and cities face serious consequences if they open up too quickly, urging states not to reopen until they know they have the capabilities to handle an inevitable uptick in cases once they relax stay-at-home orders.

In a high-profile hearing where witnesses and many lawmakers joined via video conference, Fauci also told a Senate committee on Tuesday it was a "bridge too far" for schools to expect a vaccine or widely available treatment for Covid-19 by the time students return to campuses in the fall, though he expressed optimism a vaccine would be developed in the next year or two.

 

Alexander and other Republicans on the panel viewed Tuesday's hearing as a showcase for what the administration has been working on, hoping that the reputations of scientists like Fauci would lend credibility to the work that is occurring. In his opening statement, Alexander urged senators not to engage in "finger-pointing" when the entire world underestimated the virus.

 

 

"As much as I respect you, Dr. Fauci, I don't think you're the end-all," Paul said. "I don't think you're the one person that gets to make a decision. We can listen to your advice, but there are people on the other side saying there's not going to be a surge and that we can safely open the economy. And the facts will bear this out."

Slammed by COVID-19, ultra-Orthodox Jews try to understand what God hath wrought

https://www.timesofisrael.com/slammed-by-covid-19-ultra-orthodox-jews-try-to-understand-what-god-hath-wrought/

Why would the heavenly power permit such evil? Posters see punishment for gossip and women’s immodesty; rabbis spy signs of messiah’s coming; others say they just don’t know

 

Dr. Fauci: Reopening early could have 'really serious' consequences

Rand Paul says Fauci isn't the 'end all'. See Fauci's response

“Obamagate” conspiracy theory falls apart after a reporter asks President Trump one question

https://www.salon.com/2020/05/12/obamagate-conspiracy-theory-falls-apart-after-a-reporter-asks-president-trump-one-question/

"It is true that the investigation into ties between Russia and the Trump campaign, and into Russia in particular, began during the Obama administration. But it continued well into Trump's own administration. The investigation into Flynn was taken over by a special counsel who was appointed by Rod Rosenstein, Trump's own deputy attorney general," the outlet explained. "The internal FBI correspondence that has emerged in the last two weeks also doesn't reveal agents saying that the goal of the investigation was to take down a president."

 

Despite a lack of evidence to support the conspiracy theory, Fox News quickly became an echo chamber for Trump's attacks.

Fox News Judge Jeanine Pirro accused former Vice President Joe Biden of participating in a "bloodless coup" in the Obama administration to overthrow Trump.

Fellow host Sean Hannity claimed that Obama's leaked comments showed that he was "sending a message to deep state operatives to go out and do more dirty work."

Fox Business host Lou Dobbs went all-in on the conspiracy theory on his show.

"We know that the whole thing was not only a conspiracy to overthrow a president, but it was a web of deceit and lies that were the basis for the special counsel and all of the nonsense that the radical Dims, the deep state, and yes, the Obama administration put in motion," he alleged. 

But outside of that Fox echo chamber, Trump and his allies were accused of using the conspiracy theory to distract from his bungled coronavirus response.

Cooper: Trump's testing claim is not and has never been true

Is 'Obamagate' A Phrase With Any Meaning? | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Donald Trump Tweets Video of 'Ask China' Press Conference Clash, Says Reporters Were Conspiring Against Him

https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-ask-china-clash-media-1503298

Donald Trump has branded the media "out of control" after walking away from a press conference in which he told a reporter to "ask China" when she questioned his comments on coronavirus test levels.

The president left Monday's COVID-19 briefing after clashing with journalists, following a query from CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang which he branded "nasty."

Sharing a video of the exchange on Twitter, Trump wrote: "The Lamestream Media is truly out of control. Look how they work (conspire!) together. They are the Enemy of the People, but don't worry, we will WIN in November!"

Fauci Warns Premature Reopening Could Trigger an Uncontrollable Outbreak Leading to 'Suffering and Death'

https://www.newsweek.com/fauci-warns-premature-reopening-could-trigger-uncontrollable-outbreak-leading-suffering-death-1503477

 Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious disease expert at the National Institute of Health, on Tuesday cautioned that states which circumvent the White House's criteria to relax social distancing guidelines could result in a second outbreak that overwhelms society.

 

Trump goes on wild tweetstorm to distract from Fauci testimony

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/12/politics/donald-trump-coronavirus-reelection/index.html

 Hours before his top medical adviser is expected to contradict his assurances that it's safe to reopen America, President Donald Trump is on a Twitter tear amplifying conspiracy theories and covering up for his own racially-tinged rhetoric to distract from his failures during the pandemic.

Trump is making unfounded charges against his predecessor Barack Obama and wading into the row over his treatment of an Asian American journalist ahead of an appearance before a Senate committee by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government's top infectious disease specialist, and oral arguments before the Supreme Court about Trump's attempt to keep his financial information and tax returns from Congress and New York prosecutors.

 

Trump on Monday accused Democratic-led states of deliberately slowing openings of their economies to hurt him politically in an election year and is ignoring warnings of global health experts that reopening societies will spark new spikes in infections without the massive testing and tracing program that he has failed to put in place.

Fauci testifies on Trump's coronavirus response

https://edition.cnn.com/politics/live-news/fauci-testifies-coronavirus-05-12-2020/index.html

He was responding to GOP Sen. Mitt Romney's question about President Trump's recent suggestion that Obama was responsible for the lack of a vaccine.

"The President said the other day that President Obama is responsible for lack of vaccine. Dr. Fauci, is President Obama — or by extension President Trump — did they do something that made the likelihood of creating the vaccine less likely?" Romney asked.

 Neither President Trump nor his predecessor President Obama are responsible for the lack of a coronavirus vaccine, Dr. Anthony Fauci said.

Sages not concerned with absolute truth but rather correct procedure

אמת ליעקב ויקרא פרק כא פסוק ב

ונראה בביאור דבריהם, ע"פ מה שביארתי באריכות בחידושי לעיל בפרשת בראשית [א' פכ"ו] דהתורה מסרה לנו את המדות שהתורה נדרשת על ידיהן, ועל ידי אותן המדות אנו פוסקין כל ספק שנולד לנו באיזו הלכה - ואין לו לדיין מה שעיניו רואות, וכשהללו מזכין - אף שהאמת לאמתו שהוא חייב, מ"מ אם הרוב מזכין הרי הוא זכאי על פי דין תוה"ק דאחרי רבים להטות, ואף שאפשר שהמיעוט כיון לאמיתת האמת מ"מ התורה מסרה לנו את הדין איך שנדרוש עפ"י השכל האנושי, ועיי"ש5. ועיין בים של שלמה [בהקדמתו למסכתות ב"ק וחולין] איך שביאר הא דאמרו בגמ' אלו ואלו דברי אלקים חיים.

והנה בעירובין [דף י"ג ע"ב] איתא: ג' שנים נחלקו ב"ש וב"ה הללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו והללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו יצאה ב"ק ואמרה אלו ואלו דברי אלקים חיים הן והלכה כב"ה, ועיי"ש. ולכאורה מאי שנא מכל פלוגתא דתנאי או אמוראי שודאי כל אחד אומר שהלכה כמותו, ומאי שנא מחלוקת ב"ש וב"ה דמשמע דכאן היתה מלבד כל מחלוקתם גם מחלוקת אחרת שהללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו והללו אומרים הלכה כמותנו. והנראה לבאר הגמ', דבאמת היתה כאן מחלוקת חדשה - והיא כללית - מלבד כל פרטי דינין שנחלקו בכל התורה כולה, שב"ש אומרים הלכה כמותנו וב"ה אומרים הלכה כמותנו, כלומר שנחלקו היכא דישנו רוב ומיעוט אלא שהמיעוט הוא חריף טפי - דב"ש אזלי בתר החריפי ומשום דהחריף יכול לכוון יותר אל האמת לאמיתו, וב"ה סברי דאזלינן בתר השכל האנושי - ואף שזה אינו אמיתת האמת, אבל מכיון שלפי השכל האנושי נראה שכן הוא האמת הרי הדין כאותו הרוב. ולפ"ז נמצא דלב"ש לעולם יש להשגיח בב"ק, שהרי הב"ק בודאי הנהו האמת האמיתי, וכיון שבפלוגתא זו נפסקה ההלכה דאזלינן בתר השכל האנושי גם לדעת ב"ש, א"כ ע"כ אית לן למיפסק כדברי ב"ה בממה נפשך - דלדידהו הא לעולם הילכתא כוותייהו, ולב"ש הא לדידהו משגחינן בב"ק, ודו"ק.

ואפשר6 דלפי מושגם באמת נחלקו ג"כ בפרק האשה שנתארמלה [כתובות דף י"ז ע"א] בענין כיצד מרקדין לפני הכלה, דב"ה סברי דיאמר כלה נאה וחסודה, וב"ש ס"ל דיש בזה חשש שקר, והיינו דב"ש סברי שבשום אופן אסור לשנות מהאמת לאמיתה, ולכן אפילו אם אחד קנה מקח רע מן השוק אסור לשבחו - שהרי לפי האמת האמיתית הרי זה מקח רע, וב"ה סברי דכיון דלעולם בעינן שתהיה דעתו של אדם מעורבת עם הבריות א"כ אין זה נחשב לשקר, והיינו שצריך להתחשב עם האמת של רגשי האדם, ודו"ק היטב.
ונבין לפ"ז מה דאיתא בספרי קבלה דלעתיד לבוא תיפסק ההלכה כבית שמאי, והיינו משום דרק בעולמנו צריכים אנו להתחשב עם האמת הנראית לרוב בני אדם, אבל לעתיד לבוא שאז תתגלה האמת האמיתית בודאי תהיה ההלכה כב"ש, ודו"ק.