Golden Calf

 Kuzari (01:97) The Rabbi: All nations were given to idolatry at that time. Even had they been philosophers, discoursing on the unity and government of God, they would have been unable to dispense with images, and would have taught the masses that a divine influence hovered over this image. which was distinguished by some miraculous feature. Some of them ascribed this to God, even as we to-day treat some particular spots with reverence, going so far as to believe ourselves blessed by their dust and stones Others ascribed it to the spiritual influence of some star or constellation, or of a talisman, or to other things of that kind. The people did not pay so much attention to a single law as to a tangible image in which they believed. The Israelites had been promised that something visible would descend on them from God which they could follow, as they followed the pillars of cloud and fire when they departed from Egypt. This they pointed out, and turned to it, praising it, and worshipping God in its presence. Thus they also turned towards the cloud which hovered over Moses while God spake with him; they remained standing and adoring God opposite to it. Now when the people had heard the proclamation of the Ten Commandments, and Moses had ascended the mount in order to receive the inscribed tables which he was to bring down to them, and then make an ark which was to be the point towards which they should direct their gaze during their devotions,[2] they waited for his return clad in the same apparel in which they had witnessed the drama on Sinai, without removing their jewels or changing their clothes, remaining just as he left them, expecting every moment to see him return. He, however, tarried forty days, although he had not provided himself with food, having only left them with the intention of returning the same day. An evil spirit overpowered a portion of the people, and they began to divide into parties and factions. Many views and opinions were expressed, till at last some decided to do like the other nations, and seek an object in which they could have faith, without, however, prejudicing the supremacy of Him who had brought them out of Egypt. On the contrary, this was to be something to which they could point when relating the wonders of God, as the Philistines did with the ark when they said that God dwelt within it. We do the same with the sky and every other object concerning which we know that it is set in motion by the divine will exclusively, and not by any accident or desire of man or nature. Their sin I consisted in the manufacture of an image of a forbidden thing, and in attributing divine power to a creation of their own, something chosen by themselves without the guidance of God.

Kuzari (01:97)  The whole affair of the Golden Calf is repulsive to us, because in this age the majority of nations have abandoned the worship of images. It appeared less objectionable at that time, because all nations were then idolators. Had their sin consisted in constructing a house of worship of their own, and making a place of prayer, offering and veneration, the matter would not have been so grave, because nowadays we also build our houses of worship, hold them in great respect, and seek blessing through their means. We even say that God dwells in them, and that they are surrounded by angels. If this were not essential for the gathering of our community, it would be as unknown as it was at the time of the kings, when the people were forbidden to erect places of worship, called heights.

Lacking money and support, Trump’s Board of Peace stalls in Gaza

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/06/01/trumps-board-peace-stalls-out-gaza-reconstruction/

Seven months after President Donald Trump announced his peace plan for Gaza and more than four months since he convened his Board of Peace to implement and pay for it, the plan is stalled and expected donations to the fund it created are nonexistent.

Disarmament negotiations with Hamas, a crucial part of the plan, have remained deadlocked. The heavily armed militants still control Gaza’s 2 million people, now confined to less than half of what was, before the war, already one of the most densely populated places on earth.

Israel’s military has expanded its occupation of 60 percent of the enclave that has been cleared of Palestinians and says it intends to take more. Despite the ceasefire declared on Oct. 9, Israel’s near-daily strikes have killed more than 900 Palestinians, according to Gazan health authorities.

90 percent of U.S. adults have this syndrome — but most have never heard of it

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/07/09/90-percent-us-adults-have-this-syndrome-most-have-never-heard-it/

CKM syndrome is not one disease but rather “a broad disorder that recognizes the overlap between cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic conditions such as diabetes and obesity,” said Muthiah Vaduganathan, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital who has conducted landmark studies on CKM syndrome. Doctors have long known that people often have more than one of these conditions at once. CKM syndrome reflects a newer understanding that the very same factors — specifically, extra weight, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol and reduced kidney function — can contribute to the onset and progression of all three types of disease, Vaduganathan said.

Researchers have defined CKM syndrome as a four-stage continuum, reflecting how symptoms and risk factors progressively pile up, raising the likelihood of a heart event or kidney failure.

CKM syndrome affects 90 percent of Americans because it’s broadly defined to capture everyone on the continuum from those who might feel well but have early metabolic risk factors, to those with full-fledged heart disease. “It doesn’t mean that 90 percent of Americans require treatment,” Vaduganathan said. The goal isn’t to overmedicalize but to push prevention: “It’s more that 90 percent of Americans should be aware that they are at least at risk for progression of one or more of these conditions — metabolic, kidney or heart — and that early lifestyle management can help.”

'Downright addled and CRAZY': Nicolle reacts to Trump's UNHINGED outbursts at NATO summit

US launches 2nd night of strikes against Iran, as Israel said bracing for war to restart

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/us-launches-second-night-of-strikes-against-iran-as-israel-said-bracing-for-war-to-restart/

The United States launched fresh strikes on Iran late Wednesday and into early Thursday morning after striking Iranian targets a day earlier in retaliation for attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, which the Islamic Republic responded to by attacking sites in Kuwait and Bahrain.

The Israeli defense establishment was reportedly keeping a close eye on the rising tensions, amid concerns the fighting could quickly escalate and draw Israel back in.

Israeli television also reported the US was returning its refueling planes to the region, after they were removed during the ceasefire that began in early April. Some of the planes, whose presence is a potential signal of the war restarting, were previously parked at Ben Gurion Airport.

Scandal-plagued Graham Platner drops Maine Senate bid

 https://thehill.com/

Democratic strategist David Axelrod, a former adviser to President Obama, said on X that Platner had “built a powerful movement among voters hungry for change, and that’s why many Mainers were willing to look past previous stories about him” but that the latest allegation “can’t be explained away or excused.”

With Platner off the ballot, Democrats in the Pine Tree State have to act quickly in the must-win race. 

Meanwhile, Republicans have seized on Platner’s controversial background as a boogeyman in their fight to protect Collins, the longest-serving Republican woman in the Senate who has held on for five terms despite the state’s overall blue lean. 

Trump returning to US on old Air Force One amid Iran threats

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5959582-trump-air-force-one-turkey/

The U.S. Air Force said it spent less than $400 million on security upgrades for the plane.

The Associated Press reported last week that the new plane appears not to be equipped with some of the same missile detection and countermeasure systems as the older planes, and one expert told the outlet the Qatari plane seemed better for domestic trips.

Trump warns US will 'probably strike Iran' on Wednesday night, following recent attacks

 https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-901872

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he would "probably hit Iran tonight" during a press conference following the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey.

"I'll give a little warning: We're going to hit them hard tonight," Trump told reporters at the NATO summit in Turkey before his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Trump later said that the Iranian regime has been "killing soldiers, killing people for 47 years," and that because of that, the US has "a score to settle.

Trump: MoU with Iran is dead, they are crazy

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/429834

At the NATO summit, Trump was asked whether the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran had ended. He respondd, "To me, I think it’s over. I don’t want to deal with them any more."

He added, "As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. I’ll speak to our negotiators, they want to negotiate. As far as I’m concerned, it’s just a waste of time dealing with them."

Regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump said that although he "loves" Netanyahu, the Israeli leader "said bad things about Turkey" on Tuesday. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erodgan, Trump added, is "great."

Trump Calls Iran Leaders ‘Scum’ and ‘Evil’ As He Calls Off Ceasefire

 Trump Calls Iran Leaders ‘Scum’ and ‘Evil’ As He Calls Off Ceasefire

President Donald Trump has said the interim peace agreement between the U.S. and Iran is "over" and branded the leaders of the regime in Tehran as "evil, sick people."

In comments made on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara in Turkey on Wednesday, Trump said he did not want to deal with Iranian officials anymore, labeling them "scum" and "liars," and adding U.S. negotiators are "wasting their time."

His remarks came just hours after the United States launched strikes on Iran, in what Washington said was retaliation for attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday.

Reincarnation

 Emuna v’De’os (06:8): There are people, who call themselves Jews, who believe in the reincarnation of souls. They assert that the soul of Reuven is transferred to Shimon and afterwards to Levi and after that to Yehudah. Some, perhaps the majority of them, assert that the soul of man can be transferred into an animal or that of an animal into man and many other nonsensical and stupid things. I have investigated the reasons that they use to justify their acceptance of this theory and have found four mistaken premises. 1) The adherence to certain mistaken theories of spirituality… 2) Their observation that there are similarities between the traits of some people and that of animals e.g., sheep like passivity, aggressiveness of the predators, dog like lowliness, birdlike quickness… and their conclusion that they are the result of possession by animal souls. This just shows their great lack of common sense…3) They argue from logic that since G d is just, it is inconceivable that babies would suffer without cause. Therefore their suffering must be for sins committed by their souls in a previous existence. There are many refutations of this argument. They seem to have forgotten that there is an alternative compensation in the World to Come….4) They misunderstand Biblical verses…

Mishna Berura (Shaar HaTziyun 622:6): A person many times despairs of correcting his faults and concludes that if G d decrees that he dies because of his failure there is nothing he can do about it. However this is a mistaken attitude because in the end, G d will get the correction of the soul that He wants. The soul will be reincarnated over and over again into this world until the correction is achieved. Consequently why should the soul repeatedly suffer death and the anguish of the grave and other things? Proof of this is from Yonah whom G d wanted to prophesize for Nineveh and he tried to escape to the sea where prophesy does not occur. We see that he sunk into sea and was swallowed by the great fish and was in its belly many days where it seems that it was impossible to fulfill G d’s command. Nevertheless we see that at the end G d’s will was fulfilled and he went and prophesized. Thus it is with everyman according to his Divinely ordained task. Therefore as it says in Avos (4:22): Don’t view the grave as a refuge - because you were born against your will, you live against your will, you die against your will and against your will you will have to justify all your actions to the Heavenly court.

 Pele Yo’etz: (48) The concept of reincarnation serves to awaken the person who wishes to take to heart the fear of God—specifically the fear of punishment. One should consider that the wicked suffer many agonies; indeed, the ordeal of reincarnation is far more bitter than death itself or the torments of Gehenna. In this process, the soul transmigrates through the stages of inanimate matter, vegetation, animal life, and the speaking being, passing from one state of suffering to another across various forms of reincarnation, as explained in the Kabbalistic texts. This applies even to transgressions that appear minor and are commonly committed—such as speaking *lashon hara*—which can result in reincarnation as a barking dog; a mnemonic for this is the name *Navach* (meaning "he barked"), where the letters *Lamed-He* (spelling "*Lah*") allude to *Lashon Hara*. Similarly, one who gazes lustfully at forbidden sexual targets may be reincarnated as the bird known as the *Re'ah* (vulture/kite), which commits "adultery" through its gaze; a scriptural allusion to this is the verse: "and that you do not follow your own heart and your own eyes, after which you go astray. Then he won’t complain about Hashem’s qualities, as many in the nation are accustomed to do. When difficult yissurim come upon them, they open their mouths upwards and demand — “Ribono shel What is my crime? What is my transgression? Are my aveirot greater than those of the whole world? Why have you done this to your servant?”

Ramban (Koheles): The truth is that the words of Elihu to Job were ideas that were received by tradition from men of the Torah. Therefore when it says that Elihu was descended from ’the family of Ram” - it is a reference to Avraham. Therefore the principle that is proper to believe is that there is no death without sin and no suffering without transgression. A person should not assume that he is righteous but should carefully examine his deeds and repent for those sins he is aware of and he should confess about the sins he is not aware of. He should believe that this principle of our sages is true and that G d conducts His world with this principle. Don’t try to refute my assertions with the concept of Suffering of Love that is mentioned by our sages. However in addition to this basic principle that suffering is the result of sin there is in addition a great secret which is impossible to know without kabbala [i.e. reincarnation]. It is a very clear answer which removes all intellectual doubts. This solution which Elihu offers is alluded to in Tehilim (73:20) and is hinted in the words of Shlomo (Koheles 8:17)..... 

Sefer Bahir (195) Why is there a righteous man who fares well and a righteous man who fares poorly? Because the latter righteous man had previously been wicked and is now being punished. But is one punished for the deeds of one's youth? Did not Rabbi Simon say that the Heavenly Court does not mete out punishment until a person is twenty years old or older? He replied: "I did not speak of his lifetime; when I said he had 'previously been' wicked,.." 

Revenge

 Minchas Chinuch (241:1–2): Contrary to the view of the Chinuch that the prohibition of revenge applies to all matters, we find in the Rambam(Hilchos De’os 7:7) and Yoma(23a) that it only applies to monetary issues. In contrast suffering is not governed by the prohibition of revenge or bearing a grudge. Not to take revenge concerning suffering from others is only recommended as an aspect of piety and not halacha according to Yoma(23a) while the Rambam doesn’t mention it even as an aspect of piety. The Chinuch does not mention the distinction between money and physical suffering and apparently holds that all issues are governed by the prohibition against revenge - in direct contradiction to the gemora. Furthermore it also seems from the Semag(11th prohibition) that there is no prohibition against revenge concerning physical suffering…

Principles of Reincarnation (Gilgulim) – Part 5 – Addressing the Righteous that Suffer, Wicked that Prosper

 https://outorah.org/p/112452/

In order to resolve the question of Tzadik v’Ra lo, Rasha v’Tov lo with a tzadik gammur [like Iyov] who never transgressed, the Ramban explains: In this matter there is a great secret among the secrets of the Torah…which was given over to the experts of Torah and the Kabalah. Included within this is the Sod Ha’Ibur (i.e., gilgulei neshamot) which the Sages passed down to their reliable students. And this is actually the answer which Elihu gives to address the complaints of Iyov.

Graham Platner Rape Allegation Leaves Progressives Holding the Bag

 https://www.newsweek.com/graham-platner-rape-allegation-leaves-progressives-holding-the-bag-12167132

For nearly a year, progressives cast Graham Platner as the future of the Democratic Party, a plainspoken oyster farmer and combat veteran who could do what establishment candidates could not: energize working-class voters and unseat Susan Collins, a five-term Republican incumbent in Maine.

On Monday, that project was left hanging by a thread after a woman told Politico and CNN that Platner sexually assaulted her in 2021 and that she "absolutely" considered it rape. The allegation from Jenny Racicot, who said a heavily intoxicated Platner forced her to have sex with him after she told him not to come to her home, triggered an immediate collapse in Democratic support that had survived months of earlier controversies.

That support held through Platner's June 9 primary victory. It unraveled Monday as top Democratic endorsers abandoned Platner. By Tuesday, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who had never endorsed him but whose senior aides helped run his campaign, said Platner should end his candidacy