https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-757411
The arrest for Rabbi Yosef Paryzer was extended by five more days on Sunday as the police managed to collect 32 testimonies of women that he had deceived under the persona "Jake Segal," the police spokesperson said.
Rav Bluth told me that Rav Moshe had said to him, that the Mishna Berura was composed by a committee of talmidei chochomim and therefore it is more binding than if composed by an individual
I am not aware of any recognized sefer that was composed by a committee. The Rambam, Shulchan Aruch, Aruch HaShulchan, Tur, Beis Yosef etc etc were all composed by individuals and their authority comes because they were widely accepted. So why was this different?
Rav Bulman told me that the Mishna Berura was written because many cities in Europe had government appointed Rabbis who were often maskilim and were therefore largely ignored by the yeshiva world. If a bochur or avreich needed to know what the normative practice was he had no where to go. So the Chofetz Chaim created a source book listing various views and indicating normative practice
It was not immediately accepted and even in Radin they relied on the Aruch HaShulchan. Rabbi Heineman told me that post world war II with the loss of many poskim it was decided that there needed to be a common reference and the Mishna Berura was chosen. His rebbe, Rav Kotler always went around carrying a volume of Mishna Berura in order to increase its importance.
'Thirty years ago I first met Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld and his wife Rebbetzin Sara Freifeld I am dedicating the Yad Yisroel sefer to their memory as well as the memories of a number of members of the Shor Yoshuv community.
I once asked Rabbi Freifeld how he was able to provide proper guidance to so many people - all of whom. had a unique relationship with him. He answered, "'I do make mistakes. 'But: I am right more often than 'I am wrong. 'But more important than my judgment is the community that i have created. People grow more from this community than from me."
His huge stature and his warm smile have not diminished with time. 'Nor has his powerful voice urging timid souls to greatness, or his ability to make the abstract - real Like the prophets of the past, he had the ability not only to be inspiring but also to perceive what each individual needed in order to progress.
If Rabbi Freifeld can be described as the defining personality of Shor Yoshuv, the 'Rebbetzin can rightly be described as the spiritual force that energized the community. She was a full partner in ail that he did. I had the zechus of seeing how they inspired people in many different situations.
Rabbi Freifeld told me the following story during Shiva. "When Shor Yoshuv started I was extremely busy My wife was even busier raising a large family, teaching and preparing night and day for our many guests. One day someone told us of two children who had been abandoned. I was upset but had no time. Her response was simply' 'They are Jewish children. and we must help them'. She met with social workers, raised money for their education and arranged foster care. Her deep compassion for everyone, made her oblivious to the impossible difficulties that stopped others.
'The Rebbitzin’s mother, Rebbetzin Leah Cohen was a remarkable Yerushalmi. She shared her perceptive insights with me while 'I enjoyed many meals in her home. :Her words of "'Yeshuas 'HaShem Ke'heref Aiyen" still echo when times become difficult. _ _
Rebbetzin Freifeld once asked me to visit a woman hospitalized with terminal cancer. Mrs. Alice Dukoff, whom she described as her spiritual twin, made an indelible impression on me the way she faced death.
Mrs. Pauline Gingold was a tzadekes in her 90’s who was living in a nursing home. 'Rabbi Freifeld frequently commented that her conversations should be recorded. Her direct and intimate relationship with G-d, typical in 'Europe a century ago, is rare in the sophisticated and se(f conscious modern World. Her observations made from the perspective of a century of Avodas :Hashem were valuable gems. We completed Tzena 'U’Rena and the Menoras HaMeor together. She was the magnet that attracted many to visit the nursing home where they learned how to do 'Bikur Cholim. · Slier accomplished more Mitzvos in the nursing home than others accomplish in a lifetime.
Seffi Stefansky was another exceptional person of the Shor Yoshuv community. She was kept alive on(y by constant trips to the hospital for dialysis and many operations. She was a pure and natural personality who became excited when seeing a beautiful fIower or a golden sunset. A devoted student of Rebbitzen Freifeld, she had the same excitement when dealing Tehillim or a Malbim. 'This intense purity and pain existed side by side in the same remarkable person. She was described by one Rav as a living Shulchan Aruch of how to deal with suffering.
Rabbi Aaron Dovid Cohen was a distinguished member of Shor Yoshuv. His Hasmoda and love of learning were a natural part of him. He was a role model in his devotion to the Rebbeim his .Ahavas Yisroel and his enthusiasm in sharing everyone's Simchos.
Yitzchok Tillem was propelled to discover tremendous energies within himself through the Freifeld's. He was an inspiring college instructor at Stern College, a lawyer who devoted much time to Jewish causes and a creative entrepreneur. His greatest concern was with helping others. His brief life ended in a plane crash on a mission of mercy in 'Ethiopia.
They will not be forgotten
ת.נ.צ.ב.ה.
Ukrainian forces have decisively breached Russia’s first defensive line near Zaporizhzhia after weeks of painstaking mine clearance, and expect faster gains as they press the weaker second line, the general leading the southern counteroffensive has said.
"However, as I hope you would agree, we cannot 'set a line' without the critical facts giving rise to bipartisan concern. The Committee cannot conduct credible oversight without examining the plethora of actual and potential ethical violations of the previous Administration, including the fact that Mr. Kushner, a senior White House official, received $2 billion from Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund shortly after leaving a position he used to reshape U.S. foreign policy toward Saudi Arabia."
Written by the late Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, this book explores the meditative methods of Kabbalah. In a clear English, the reader is exposed to a lucid presentation of the meditative methods, mantras, mandalas and other devices used, as well as a penetrating interpretation of their significance in the light of contemporary meditative research.
In this volume published by the OU and NCSY, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan asks hard questions about Judaism and its commandments, and he gives compelling answers that have broadened the horizons of countless people. Includes: If you Were G-d, The Infinite Light: A Book About G-d, The Real Messiah? Maimonides Principles: The Fundamentals of Jewish Faith.
https://seforimblog.com/2012/08/concerning-zohar-and-other-matters/?print=print
In the article I cited Bruriah Hutner-David who brings the following proof that R. Zvi Hirsch Chajes rejected the traditional authorship of the Zohar: In order to show that the Targum to Ecclesiastes should be dated to the geonic period, Chajes notes that while the angel Raziel is mentioned in this Targum, he is not mentioned in talmudic literature. Hutner-David notes that Raziel is mentioned in the Zohar, a fact that Chajes was presumably aware of, meaning that he was hinting that the Zohar is also a late work.
This is important information, as Emden confesses that his attack against the Zohar was only designed to pull the wool out from under the Sabbatians, whose ideology was linked to the Zohar. The man who wrote to Or Torah, not knowing anything about Rosenberg, asked for help from the readers. He tried to locate the book Tzur Devash quoted by Rosenberg, but was unable.
the following paragraph appears in an essay by R. Aryeh Kaplan
One of the first things I discovered was that it was written some 20 years after Rabbi Yitzchok investigated the Zohar. He openly, and clearly and unambiguously states that the Zohar was written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. This is something not known to historians, and this is the first time I am discussing it in a public forum. But the fact is that the one person who is historically known to have investigated the authenticity of the Zohar at the time it was first published, unambiguously came to the conclusion that it was an ancient work written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.
https://news.yahoo.com/scientists-theres-usually-telltale-sign-142836467.html
Women tend to have shortness of breath, while men experience chest pain, according to the researchers who published their findings in the journal Lancet Digital Health.
https://news.yahoo.com/judge-decries-trump-reference-scottsboro-192631937.html
Retired California Superior Court Judge LaDoris Hazzard Cordell told CNN that comparing the Scottsboro Boys case to Trump’s was “stunningly stupid” and “ridiculous.”
“If you want to alienate a judge in the case, this was exactly what to do,” he added, the network reported. “A female judge, a Black judge, and to talk about that case and compare it to Trump’s case was absurd.”
One of the major problems of relying on authorities is the problem of false or made up sources
The Chasam Sofer once had a problem of a local rabbi making claims which he said falsely in the name of the Chasam Sofer
The Chasam Sofer said to him, "I dont care if you cite my views in your name but I do mind if you say your views in my name."
Rav Hillel Zacks (Grandson of Chofets Chaim said most stories about the Chofetz Chaim are not true.
http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2014/06/stories-of-gedolim-are-often-fabricated.html
Rav Moshe complained about things falsely attributed to him. In fact one of the main consequences of my Yad Moshe index was the increased accuracy of citations by Rabbis.
Igros Moshe (OH 4: 31 page 46)
"Many things are said in my name that I didn't say"
The Satmar Rebbe opposed the creation of Chassidic tales to reinforce views of Theology and halacha
As noted elsewhere stories are made up about famous Rabbis to "prove" certain views.
http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2013/09/a-tzadik-is-born-because-of-clothes.html
Pesachim (112a): [R’ Akiva told R’ Shimon bar Yochai]: If you want to be strangled be hanged on a tall tree.
Rashi (Pesachim 112a): Be hanged on a tall tree - ascribe your views to a great authority
Shevuos (30a): Our Rabbis taught: In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour: that one should not sit, and the other stand; one speak all that he wishes, and the other bidden to be brief. Another interpretation: In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour: judge thy neighbour in the scale of merit.
Meiri (Shavuos 30b): Even though the majority of what I have written are laws learned directly from the Vayikra (19:15) "b'tzedek tisphot amisecha" [which are laws of beis din] there is also something which is learned indirectly from this verse by asmachta and allusions. That is the principle that a person should judge others favorably giving them the benefit of the doubt (l'kaf zecus) when the case can legitimately be understood in two opposing ways and the only way to decide between them is to rely on what is reasonable. ...
Rambam(Sefer haMitzvos 177):... Aside from the laws dealing with beis din, it is also learned from this verse of B'Tzedek that it is proper to judge his fellow man as innocent and not to understand his deeds and words other than being good.
However in Avos he makes distinctions based on the type of person - it is no longer "all men"- but judgments of innocence are an act of piety - not obligation. He does however omit the average person and lists 1) unknown person 2) tzadik 3) rasha.Rambam(Hilchos De'os 5:7):A talmid chachom should have the midos that he does not scream and yell when he is talking to other like a bull or wild animal....and he should judge all men as being innocent and speak of their praise and not degrade them at all. He should love peace and pursue peace...
Rambam(Avos 1:6): Judge all people as innocent. This means that if there is a man that you don't know whether he is righteous or wicked and you see him do something or say something that can be interpreted either as good or bad – you should understand it as good and not bad. However if you know the person to be an established tzadik and his deeds are good and he apparently does something that is bad and only by using a far fetched explanation can it be justified – then it is proper to assume that in fact it was good and do not suspect him of evil.... On the other hand a person well established as evil then it is best to avoid such a person and not to believe he is capable of doing anything good – if there is anyway of interpreting it as evil behavior. So if the person is not known to you and his deeds have not been determined to be good or bad – then it is necessary as an act of piety to judge him favorably.However here in Mishneh Torah the Rambam again states all people
It would thus seem that the Rambam views dan l'chaf zechus as a principle of midos rather than halachic obligation.Rambam(Sanhedrin 23:10): When litigants are before the beis din they should be viewed as wicked and with the presumption that both sides are lying and judgments should be based on what seems correct. However when the trial is over and the litigants leave beis din they should be viewed by the judges as righteous people since they have accepted the judgmet of the court. And all people should be judged as innocent.
Rabbeinu Yonah(Shaarei Teshuva 3:218): A person who says something or does something and it is possible to judge his words or his actions either as being good or bad. If he is a G-d fearing man then truth demands that he be judged favorably even if his words or actions are reasonably closer and inclined to being bad.
And if he is of the average class of men, who guard themselves from sinning, but who occasionally succumb. then it is appropriate to cast aside the doubt and decide in favor of his worthiness. As our Sages of blessed memory have said, "One who adjudges his friend as worthy will himself be adjudged worthy by God" (Shabbath 127b). This is a positive commandment of the Torah, as it is said, "In righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor" (Leviticus 19: 15). And if the deed points to the side of incrimination, let it be doubtful in your eyes, and do not decide it in favor of incrimination.
Thus it is only for the gadol/tzadik/talmid chachom is one obliged to believe - even reasonable - not not conclusive evidence of wrong doing.But if most of the man's deeds are evil. or if you have established that the fear of God is not present in his heart. incline his deeds and his words to the side of incrimination. as it is said, "The righteous one considereth the house of the wicked, overthrowing the wicked to their ruin" (Proverbs 21 : 12). We have already interpreted this verse.
Rabbi Dovid Castle [To Live among Friends] notes (page 790) If a teacher was caught child molesting, you should not give him the benefit of the doubt and decide that he probably will not do it anymore. That would be at the expense of others. Similarly if someone has a history of violent behavior or mental illness, when it comes to shidduchim, you may not hide such information and give him the benefit of the doubt about his future behavior. If someone is suspected of swindling people you should not give him the benefit of the doubt and suggest to someone else to go into business with him. We should not over-emphasize our obligation not to speak lashon hara in situations where we are obliged to speak.7) Chofetz Chaim strongly disagrees that dan lchaf zechus is only midos chassidus for the average person. He says that is a misunderstanding of the Rambam. Problem is that if the Rambam (Avos 1:6) is talking about the case of an unknown person which is midos chassidus - why doesn't the Rambam mention the normal case? Furthermore Rabbeinu Yonah's language also indicates that it is midos chassidus for the average person - while he says it is a Torah obligation only for the Tzadik.
Chofetz Chaim (Essen 3 Be'er Mayim Chaim 3): My good reader, don't try to refute my understanding by saying that the Rambam definitely disagreed with Rabbeinu Yonah, the Semag and the Semaj – and held that "judging favorably" is only a proper personality trait but not a Torah mitzva. Don't insist that the Rambam held that judging favorably is only a good personality trait and not a Torah obligation based on the fact that the Rambam wrote at the end of his comment to Avos (1:6) that it was only midos chassidus (piety). That is in fact a mistaken understanding of the Rambam's view. The Rambam (Avos 1:6) there is only referring to the case where it is unknown whether the person is righteous or evil. In such a case it is clear that I have no obligation from the Torah to judge him favorably and if I do so it is only a good personality trait – not a Torah obligation. This also explains the Rambam (Hilchos De'os 5:7) where he says it is one of the characteristics of the talmid chachom to judge favorably. The clear inference is that is only a sign of good personality and is not obligatory. But the answer is that (Hilchos De'os 5:7) is also only describing the case of an unknown person.
In the text of the Chofetz Chaim (Essen 3) I quoted the language of Avos (1:6) "Judge everyone favorably" which seems to mean that everyone – even those who are strangers. In fact however it is only a Torah obligation in the case where we know the person is not evil but is an average person. Proof for this understanding comes from the Rambam himself in Sefer HaMitzvos (177) who explicitly states, "Included in this verse (Yakira 19:15) is also the obligation to judge his friends (chaver) favorably. The clear implication of the word "obligation" is that we are dealing with the case when all men are obligated in this mitzva (not just talmidei chachomim) - since the 613 mitzvos the Rambam is describing applies to all Jews. We can see that our explanation is true from the Rambam in Avos (1:6) and in Hilchos De'os (5:7), that we mentioned above which mentions midos, simply says to "judge all men favorably" - even if they are strangers. In contrast Shavuos (30a) and Sefer Mitzvos (177) which are describing the Torah obligation of the verse "With righteousness judge your fellow" say "judge your friends favorably". The word "friends" implies that you recognize that he isn't a wicked person.
