Brain of famous amnesiac dissected

CNN

Henry Molaison, known as H.M. in scientific literature, was perhaps the most famous patient in all of brain science in the 20th century.

"My daddy's family came from the South and moved North, they came from Thibodaux Louisiana, and moved north," Molaison would say. "My mother's family came from the North and moved South." Within 15 minutes he might repeat this exact statement twice more, unable to remember that he'd already said it. Scientists studied him for most of his adult life.

This week, researchers are dissecting his brain to figure out exactly which structures contributed to his amnesia, which he suffered for more than 50 years.[...]

Abuse: Single witness testifying?

Pesachim (113b): There are three types of people that G‑d loves, the one who does not get angry, the one who does not become drunk, and the one who does not insist on his full rights. There are three types of people that G‑d hates, the one says the opposite of what he thinks, the one who has testimony for someone and yet doesn’t testify for him and the one who sees something unseemly in another person and testifies against him as a single witness. For example, It once happened that Toviah sinned and Zigud came alone and testified against him before R’ Papa and R. Papa punished Zigud. Zigud said, “Toviah sinned and yet Zigud is punished?” Rav Papa replied, “Yes Zigud is to be punished because it says in Devarim (19:15), The truth of a matter is not to be established by a single witness. Therefore the only consequence of your testifying as a single witness is that you are slandering Toviah [since no legal action can be done with only a single witness].”  Even though as a single witness to another’s sinful behavior you can’t testify against him – but you are allowed to hate him [Rashi]. … But how is it permitted to hate him since Vayikra (19:17) says, “You shall not hate your brother in your heart?” If there are witnesses that he had sinned then everyone hates him – so why say that this person is allowed to hate him? Therefore the case must be that he alone had seen the person sinning and there were not two witnesses. R’ Nachman said that it is not only allowed to hate him but it is a mitzva… Rav Acha asked Rav Ashi, What about telling his teacher that he should hate him? Rav Ashi answered that if his teacher believes his words as if he were two witnesses than he should tell his teacher but if not he is not allowed to tell him.

Rav Sternbuch:Redemption through Prayer

Abuse - Testimony only to prevent future attacks

Shulchan Aruch(C.M. 28:1): Whoever knows testimony regarding another person and he is fit to testify and the other person would benefit the other person – he is obligated to testify if he is requested to testify by the court. It doesn’t matter whether there is another witness that will testify with him or not. However if he refuses to testify he is exempt from human punishment but he is liable to heavenly punishment. Rema: A single witness should not testify except regarding monetary issues which will bring about taking an oath or concerning something which is prohibited and it will cause the person to stop sinning. But if the person has already done the sin he should not testify because then it is simply motzi shem rah (slander). It is prohibited for a person to testify about something he doesn’t know directly even though the information was told to him by someone he knows does not lie. Even if someone asks him to stand next to a single witness and not to say anything in order that the one who owes him money will think that he has two witnesses and therefore confess – he should not listen to such a request.

Chalban: Kabbalist gives advice to Netanyahu

Haredim

בראיון מיוחד וחושפני שהעניק הרב חיים כהן, "החלבן", הוא מגלה כי יעץ לנתניהו "לא לחכות לאובמה בעניין אירן", ומקווה שגלעד יחזור חי "ולא כגופה". הוא סיפר גם על טהרתו, על הקשר עם האדמו"ר מלעלוב, ועל ל"ו צדיקים: "מכיר את כולם"

Polygraph used to determine infidelity

JPost

In an unprecedented move, the Haifa Rabbinical Court has ordered a woman to answer questions about her relations with men and alleged drug abuse while connected to a lie detector, Army Radio revealed on Thursday morning.

The woman has reportedly denied accusations by her husband, who told the rabbinical court his wife had been unfaithful and had smoked drugs.[...]

A Jew in England

NYTimes

NEW YORK — When my father was about to emigrate from South Africa to England in the 1950s, a friend of the family suggested that a change of name was in order because it would be unwise to pursue his career in Britain while called "Cohen."

My Dad, a young doctor, said he would think it over. A few days later he announced to the friend that he had decided to make the change.

"To what?" she asked with satisfaction.

"Einstein," he deadpanned.[...]