What is a gadol?

Shabbos (3b) Rabbi Ḥiyya said to Rav, his sister’s son: Son of great men, didn’t I tell you that when Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is involved in this tractate do not ask him questions in another tractate, as perhaps it will not be on his mind and he will be unable to answer? The dilemma that Rav asked was not related to the subject matter of the tractate which they were studying. As, had it not been for the fact that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi is a great man, you would have shamed him, as he would have been forced to give you an answer that is not an appropriate answer. Now, he was involved in another tractate. Nevertheless, he answered you well,

Many years ago I was a student in Shor Yoshuv studying under Rav Freifeld. The highpoint of each week was his drasha Shabbos  morning after kiddush. One Shabbos he talked about this gemora in Shabbos which I had recently learned with my chavrusa and according to my understanding he was clearly  mistaken, I went to him when he finished and commented that I thought he had misunderstood the gemora,  His response was not defensive or even how dare I question him from my clearly inferior understanding. He instead said, "What to you expect when I haven't looked  at the gemora in 25 years."

The point is that the desirable quality is not being the greatest scholar but an awareness of one's limitation and a readyness to publically acknowledge it

Trump has been ‘way too eager’ for an Iran deal and 'has PAID for It'

Trump Needs a New Iran Strategy

 https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-iran-middle-east-israel-strait-of-hormuz-a4e249ca?mod=hp_opin_pos_1

After weeks of insisting a deal with Iran is around the corner, President Trump may be admitting the reality. The regime is “tapping the U.S. along” in negotiations, he said Wednesday. The President has given diplomacy a chance, but “they keep playing us for suckers,” he added. Is Mr. Trump ready at last for a new approach?

For nine weeks, the cease-fire has let Iran dictate events in the Gulf. The regime gets to start each “skirmish”—shooting at U.S. forces, U.S. allies, or commercial ships—and then decide when the exchange ends. Iran has also used Hezbollah to fire on Israel, only to cite the resulting fighting in Lebanon as an excuse to stall talks with the U.S

Knesset advances Basic Law bill equating Torah study with IDF service, despite coalition revolt

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-advances-basic-law-bill-enshrining-torah-study-despite-coalition-revolt/

The Knesset voted 56-43 on Wednesday in a preliminary reading to advance a controversial Basic Law declaring Torah study a foundational value of the State of Israel, and effectively equating the study of Torah with military service. The vote passed despite several coalition lawmakers breaking ranks to vote with the opposition against the divisive legislation, causing an uproar in the plenum.

Sponsored by ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism lawmakers MKs Moshe Gafni and Yaakov Asher, and backed by the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, the measure would recognize those who dedicate themselves to long-term Torah study as performing “meaningful service” to the state, effectively equating it to army service and conferring upon yeshiva students equal rights to those who serve in the army.

The bill will now be sent to the Knesset House Committee, which will determine which committee will prepare it for its subsequent readings. The coalition hopes to pass the bill before the upcoming national election in the fall.

After rabbis’ threat, IDF says men and women won’t serve in same tanks

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-rabbis-threat-idf-says-men-and-women-wont-serve-in-same-tanks/

The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday insisted that men and women won’t serve together inside the same tanks, in response to a threat by the leaders of 12 yeshivas who said earlier that they would no longer send their students to join tank units because of a pilot plan to integrate women into the Armored Corps.

Among the signatories to the rabbis’ letter were Rabbi Elyakim Levanon and Rabbi Shahar Imber, the joint heads of the Elon Moreh yeshiva, and Rabbi Baruch Wieder, head of Hakotel Yeshiva in Jerusalem.

The tentative coed pilot program in the Armored Corps — whose units are trained to enter deep into enemy territory — was originally scheduled to start in 2024. The IDF had previously deemed the program impractical. Its opening was delayed twice during the multifront war, and the IDF last said it was expected to begin in November 2026.

Agudah Sounds Alarm Over NJ Bill That Could Criminalize Religious Guidance on Gender, Family Issues

 https://belaaz.com/news/agudah-sounds-alarm-over-nj-bill-that-could-criminalize-religious-guidance-on-gender-family-issues/

Agudath Israel of America is urging New Jersey residents to contact their state Assembly members and demand a “no” vote on A2218/S2260, a sweeping bill aimed at furthering demands of groups opposed to the Torah’s definition of gender and other family issues passed out of committee Monday that religious-liberty advocates say poses an existential threat to the ability of frum Jews to live, speak and raise children in accordance with their beliefs.

The bill, which the Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced on June 8 by a 9-to-4 vote, is framed by its sponsors as a “shield law,” but a close reading of its text reveals language so broad and ill-defined that it could expose rabbis, teachers, school principals, and even parents to civil lawsuits or criminal prosecution for expressing Torah views on gender.

The vote is expected to come before the full Assembly this Thursday, and Agudah is urging New Jersey residents to act immediately.

The civil liability exposure is not the only danger. Section 5 creates a new criminal offense – “interference with reproductive health care services” – and includes within its scope any person who, “by force or threat of force,” intimidates, threatens, or coerces any person “in order to intimidate a person or entity, or a class of persons or entities, from becoming or remaining a patient, provider, volunteer, or assistant of reproductive health care services.”

The organization’s suggested message to Assembly members reads: “I am your constituent and urge you to vote NO on A2218/S2260. This bill’s vague and overly broad language could expose religious leaders, educators, counselors, and parents to lawsuits based on subjective claims of emotional or reputational harm. The legislation threatens religious liberty, free speech, and parental rights. Please oppose A2218/S2260.”

New Jersey residents are urged to contact their Assembly members today. To find your representative, visit the New Jersey Legislature’s website at www.njleg.state.nj.us.

Trump Says ‘I Love the Inflation’ as Approval Rating Sinks to Record Low

 https://www.newsweek.com/trump-says-i-love-the-inflation-approval-rating-sinks-record-low-12056206

President Donald Trump appeared to downplay a Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report finding rising inflation on Wednesday, telling reporters in the Oval Office: “I love the inflation.”

Gasoline is up 41 percent over the past year, with fuel oil—used for heating homes and buildings—having risen 59 percent. Data from the American Automobile Association shows that gas prices remain above their pre-war averages but have dropped in recent weeks. As of Wednesday, prices averaged $4.151 per gallon nationwide, down from $4.522 one month earlier but still higher than $3.122 one year ago.

“No. I love it. The numbers were great. You know what I really love? I love the inflation," he said. "You know why? Because as soon as this war is over, you know I can say it now. Something you didn’t know—did you know we’ve been taking out millions of barrels of oil? Nobody knows it. You know who doesn't know about it? Iran, until right now. We took out the other night 22 ships, late at night, with no lights because they don’t have any radar because we blasted the crap out of it. That’s why oil is $85 a barrel."

Trump seeks to tie Netanyahu’s hands, as the partnership that went to war 100 days ago collapses

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-ties-israels-hands-as-the-partnership-that-went-to-war-100-days-ago-collapses/

Telling Israel it had better not respond to an Iranian missile attack, the US president — desperate for a deal with the devilish Tehran regime — presented the PM with a stark dilemma

In another of his Sunday interviews, with the Financial Times, Trump said that if he couldn’t reach a deal with Tehran, he might either “go in and take care of the rest of the place that we didn’t take care of militarily,” or maintain the current blockade.

But he was certain about one thing: Netanyahu would have to accept any deal he agreed with the regime. “He won’t have any choice,” Trump said of Netanyahu. “I call the shots. I call all the shots.”

Not in Iran, he doesn’t.

Rambam and Christianity

 Rambam (Melachim 11:4) Jesus of Nazareth who aspired to be the Mashiach and was executed by the court was also alluded to in Daniel's prophecies, 'The vulgar among your people shall exalt themselves in an attempt to fulfill the vision, but they shall stumble.'Can there be a greater stumbling block than Christianity? All the prophets spoke of Mashiach as the redeemer of Israel and their savior who would gather their dispersed and strengthen their observance of the mitzvot. In contrast, Christianity caused the Jews to be slain by the sword, their remnants to be scattered and humbled, the Torah to be altered, and the majority of the world to err and serve a god other than the Lord.

Rambam (Melachim 11:7)  Nevertheless, the intent of the Creator of the world is not within the power of man to comprehend, for His ways are not our ways, nor are His thoughts, our thoughts. Ultimately, all the deeds of Jesus of Nazareth and that Ishmaelite who arose after him will only serve to prepare the way for Mashiach's coming and the improvement of the entire world, motivating the nations to serve God together as Tzephaniah 3:9 states: 'I will transform the peoples to a purer language that they all will call upon the name of God and serve Him with one purpose.'

Rambam (Melachim 11:8)  How will this come about? The entire world has already become filled with the mention of Mashiach, Torah, and mitzvot. These matters have been spread to the furthermost islands to many stubborn-hearted nations. They discuss these matters and the mitzvot of the Torah, saying: 'These mitzvot were true, but were already negated in the present age and are not applicable for all time.'

Can Jews Still Trust Their Doctors?

 https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/can-jews-still-trust-their-doctors/

Imagine being a visibly Jewish person in the Netherlands today. Or imagine being an Israeli living, working, or traveling here. One day you need urgent medical care. You need a doctor. You need someone whose profession is built on trust, neutrality, and the commitment to save lives.

Would you feel completely safe?

This is why the recent controversy in Rotterdam was so disturbing. Reports emerged about an out of hours medical clinic near Zuidplein where videos were displayed on a large screen. The lyrics reportedly included phrases such as “Boom boom Tel Aviv”, “Humanity expects no good behavior from you Jews”, and “It is your time to bleed.”

Whether one supports Israel, Palestine, or neither side should be irrelevant. A medical facility should never be associated with messages that glorify violence against civilians or target people because they are Jews.

A century-old Jerusalem photo album sparks search for forgotten images of the Western Wall

 https://jewishchronicle.timesofisrael.com/a-century-old-jerusalem-photo-album-sparks-search-for-forgotten-images-of-the-western-wall/

Freedman’s pictures of the Western Wall has inspired a public appeal by the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, which is asking people to look through old albums and attics for photographs, postcards and other visual material that could help expand the historical record of Judaism’s holiest site.

The request comes ahead of a major exhibition opening in 2027 marking 60 years since the 1967 Six-Day War brought the wall, known in Hebrew as the Kotel, under Jewish control for the first time in nearly two millennia.

Next year’s exhibition, titled “Eyes on the Wall” and curated by Shimon Lev and Yael Brandt, will be the first large-scale exhibition dedicated entirely to the Western Wall, the museum said, and will trace its transformation over nearly 2,000 years. It will be one of the major exhibitions staged by the Tower of David Museum since it reopened in 2023 after a $50 million renovation of its ancient citadel complex.

Elon Musk took out his chainsaw. Government took out its checkbook.

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/06/09/spacex-trillion-dollar-ipo-reveals-elon-musks-greatest-contradiction/

Investors pondering whether to pay for a piece of the action this week — at the unheard-of initial public offering valuation of $1.77 trillion — would do well to consider how important governments are to SpaceX. That’s because Musk is adept at taking money from the public sector even as he disparages how it spends that money elsewhere. Through his brief tenure atop the U.S. DOGE Service — a name derived from a joke that grew into an agency that was anything but — Musk did more than perhaps any single individual in history to dismantle crucial functions of the U.S. government.

A great thing about Securities and Exchange Commission requirements for companies that want to sell shares to the public is the information these previously private companies are required to disclose. SpaceX lays out for all to see just how important Washington is to its fortunes: “In 2025, approximately one-fifth of our revenue was attributable to agencies within the U.S. federal government.”

That means that contracts granted by the federal bureaucracy, the same one that Musk so thoroughly maligned in his DOGE days, accounted for about $3.75 billion of the company’s $18.7 billion in 2025 revenue.

Most Israelis no longer think Israel’s security a main concern for Trump, poll finds

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/most-israelis-no-longer-think-israels-security-a-main-concern-for-trump-poll-finds/

Survey says just 29% of Jewish Israelis believe ending war with Iran through a deal is in Israel’s interests, with most doubting it will address missile threat or weaken regime

There has been a sharp decline in the percentage of Israelis who believe that Israeli security is a key concern of US President Donald Trump, according to an Israel Democracy Index Survey released on Tuesday, as Jerusalem finds itself locked out of negotiations between the US and Iran for a permanent end to the war that began in February.

Among Jewish Israelis, 41% said they believe Israel’s security is a key concern for Trump, down from 64% in March. By contrast, the belief that Israel’s security is a key concern for Trump rose to 59% among Arab Israeli respondents, up from 43% in March.

Trump’s advisers are letting Tehran play him for a sucker

 https://nypost.com/2026/06/09/opinion/trumps-advisers-are-letting-tehran-play-him-for-a-sucker/

President Trump claimed earlier Tuesday that his administration is close to making a deal with Iran.

A country that’s “very close” to sealing a deal in good faith doesn’t escalate against its negotiating partner.

By one count, he’s said “nearly there” 38 times since he announced that “almost all” of the points of contention “have been agreed to” and that a “two-week period” should allow the deal to be “consummated.”

We’re now 10 weeks into that “two-week period,” and everything’s going backward.

Back then, those final issues were: 1) setting verifiable procedures for the end of Iran’s nuke program, and 2) securing permanent free passage through the Strait of Hormuz — with any benefits to Iran (beyond the end of US-Israeli bombing) to come later.

Now, suddenly, getting to the deal somehow has Washington telling Jerusalem it can’t respond to Hezbollah’s missile attacks out of Lebanon.

Bare minimum, Trump’s public bragging about ordering Israel around sure makes it look like he’s appeasing Iran’s outrageous demands.