Avoda Zara has Real power?

Avoda Zara (55a) Rav Yehuda said to Rava bar Rav Yitzḥak: Now, were I dead I would not have been able to tell you the explanation of this matter. It is therefore good that you reminded me of this matter while I am alive. The explanation is as Rav says: What is the meaning of that which is written: “And lest you lift up your eyes to the heavens, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, even all the host of heavens, you are drawn away and worship them, and serve them, which the Lord your God has allotted [ḥalak] to all the nations under the whole heaven”. The verse teaches that God allowed the nations to be misled by matters that seemingly indicate that idol worship is effective in order to expel the nations from the world due to their decision to engage in idol worship.

 Emes LiYakov (Devarim 04:19) And lest you lift up your eyes to the skies, and when you see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, all the host of the skies, should you be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the Lord your God has allotted to all nations under the whole sky Looking at the Torah commentaries you will see two approaches to explain this verse. One says it means that the sun and the moon were given to all people to provide them with illumination and the Torah is prohibiting worshipping them. In contrast the Ibn Ezra and Ramban explain it to mean that each nation has its own unique star and mazzel. Likewise there is a unique mazzel for every city which is the conduit for the good. This is also the view expressed by the Ramban in explaining Bereishis (01:18). It appears that this reflects a basic disagreement about the nature of idolatry. The view of Rambam  which is expressed in a number of places is that Idolatry has no real power to influence or do anything so those who worship idols or pray to them not only are sinning but they are wasting their time. In contrast the view of Ramban is that G-d created in Nature that each people has a unique celestial conduit to provide benefit to that people  as long as it is not relevant to Jews. since Jews are not influenced by mazzel. However there is still a Torah prohibition to pray to this source of bounty since ultimately G-d is the source of all bounty and therefore prayer and devotion can only be directed to G-d not to His servant. However if this source is worshipped and prayed to it can actually provide benefit. Thus the verse is saying that G-d gave each nation a unique source of bounty and guidance.

Emes LiYakov (Devarim 17:03) turning to the worship of other gods and bowing down to them, to the sun or the moon or any of the heavenly host, something I never commanded—  Rashi explains “I never commanded to worship them” And that is also how the Rashbam Ibn Ezra explain a previous verse concerning the verse.  And perhaps you will lift your eyes to the Heavens and you will see the sun and the Moon and the stars and all the Heavenly Host which G-d distributed to all the nations. The plain meaning of “which G-d distributed to all the nations.” is like what Rashi explains there that the Heavenly bodies were distributed to all the nations to provide light for them. However as I explained there that many Rishonim disagree with this and says it means that each nation has a special heavenly power. I explained that this dependent on the dispute of the Rishonim whether idolatry has any actual powerwhole sky.

Rabbeinu Bachya (Devarim (04:19) “not to raise your eyes skyward.”Seeing that certain such constellations appear to presage certain happenings at certain times, some people err in ascribing powers to these constellations. This is why the Torah warns the Jewish people not to raise their eyes to such parts of the sky and the constellations visible there. The “seeing” the Torah speaks of is not with the physical eye but with the mental eye, i.e. the conclusions derived from this “seeing.” 

Rabbeinu Bachya (Devarim 04:19) A Midrashic approach: the word “allocated” is connected to the word smooth, slippery. G’d flattered the nations with words in order to eventually drive them out of the world..

Rabbeinu Bachya (Devarim 04:19) We have a similar statement by the sages in Avodah Zarah 55: Rabba bar Yitzchak said to Rabbi Yuda: “there is an idol in our town, and whenever there is a drought with us it appears to a priest in a dream and says: ‘sacrifice a human being to me and you shall have rain.’ When the people of the town offer a human being as a sacrifice to this idol it really does begin to rain.” Rabbi Yuda commented: ‘if I had already died I would not have been able to explain the matter to you.’ Rav explained the words of the verse, to mean that G’d misled these idol-worshippers by letting them think that their idols had some power. By making them fall victim to that illusion He expedited their disappearance from this world.

Rashi (Devarim 04:19) WHICH THE LORD ASSIGNED to give light to them to all peoples. — Another explanation: which God assigned to them as deities; He did not prevent them from going astray after them, but He allowed them to err  through vain speculations, in order to drive them out from the world. Similarly it states, " God made him err through his eyes until his iniquity be found and he be hated” 

US allies say they’re worried about Trump’s clout after Netanyahu rejected deal

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/11/americas-allies-doubt-us-negotiating-tactics-in-israel-after-netanyahu-rejected-peace-plan-01034498

U.S. allies see Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of Washington’s 15-point plan for Gaza as undermining confidence in the Board of Peace — and in the Trump administration’s ability to influence the Middle East more broadly.

It increasingly appears that the U.S. either doesn’t have — or isn’t willing to exercise — the leverage needed to deliver on Gaza, a number of diplomats and others familiar with U.S. strategy in the region told POLITICO. And that has them concerned about U.S. efforts at negotiations across the region.

Netanyahu’s defiance adds to the growing list of woes Washington faces as it struggles to reshape the Middle East, from ending the Iran war to winding down the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Diplomats fear Trump is losing influence

 https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/08/12/diplomats-fear-trump-is-losing-influence/

According to Politico, diplomats warn that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of the 15-point plan could undermine confidence in the Board of Peace and US President Donald Trump's ability to exert influence. The concern is that the Trump administration has lost leverage and may be unable to influence Israel and other nations in the Middle East.

US allies fear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of the American plan for Gaza is undermining confidence in the Board of Peace and the Trump administration's ability to shape developments in the Middle East, Politico reported.

Meanwhile, Israeli public broadcaster Kan's Reshet Bet radio reported that the Board of Peace had decided to provide Hamas with $400 million to "cover debts" to suppliers and other expenses. According to the report, the board insisted that the money would not be used to cover debts stemming from corruption within the terrorist organization.

Voting in a Church

 Teshuvos V’hanhagos (2:410) Question: Is it permitted to vote in a room associated (a hall or basement) with a church? Answer: The Shulchan Aruch says not to enter a house of worship of idolatry. The commentaries say to avoid even the direction of idolatry 4 amos. So it would seem that a room of a church is prohibited as well as the usage for all types of gatherings  which have nothing to do with idolatry, However in our case where one can only vote there and there is no intent of idolatry there would seem to be no basis to prohibit voting there especially since the entrance to voting is not the same as the church. Nevertheless it would seem best to try and convince the  government to change the location since it is problematic for us. However in the present case since it is too late to change it would be permitted to vote there ,since it is clear that it is only for voting 

Church Clock

 Teshuvos Vhanhagos 02:412) Question: Is it permitted to look at a clock on a Church for the correct time? Answer: It would appear that there is no problem with this since is was not made for the sake of idolatry but because many people pass by and it is on a high place so that it is easily seen. And therefore it was placed there as a public service and thus it would not be considered as serving idolatry or even drawing attention to idolatry. Though the Minchas Eliezar is lenient in such cases he nonetheless says it is best to be strict in practice. However it really should be prohibited according to halacha since it draws attention to idolatry as it is referred to as the Church clock. Our Sages learn from the verse, Do not to mention the name of other gods that it is prohibited to say “Wait for me next to a certain avoda zara.”as that gives it significance so surely one should not use something attached to idolatry. But perhaps in modern times when a clock is very common and everyone wears a watch, a clock on a church provides no attention to idolatry. However since it is still associated with idolatry it should still be prohibited. In addition if the clock is viewed as useful than that means that people want to preserve the church in order to be able to see the clock which is a separate prohibition Perhaps that doesn’t make it associated with idolatry but is merely a desire to have a clock in a high structure> Nevertheless there is a clear requirement to destroy idolatry and that which serves it but perhaps that only applies to |Israel where it is a mitzva to active search and destroy idolatry. In conclusion it is best to prohibit the use of a church clock since it is a separate mitzva to despise idolatry and when one benefits it is harder to despise

Rabbis Mamdani invited to City Hall tell him his Israel rhetoric is ‘causing harm’

 https://forward.com/news/844343/mamdani-rabbis-new-york-jews-israel/

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani heard a clear message Monday from rabbis with widely different views on Israel: His public statements denouncing Israel and its prime minister are hurting Jewish New Yorkers and making it harder for them to work with him on shared priorities.

The message came during an hour-long, closed-door roundtable at City Hall that included 10 rabbis from Reform, Conservative, Reconstructionist and Modern Orthodox congregations invited by Mamdani to share their perspectives on how to combat antisemitism.

Many of the rabbis, she noted, are themselves “highly critical of Israel,” but approach that criticism from a connection to the country. They urged Mamdani to highlight Israelis and Palestinians working together, acknowledge greater complexity in the situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, and consider moving the public conversation toward issues where City Hall and Jewish leaders can work together.

Trump redoubles effort to shrink recommended vaccines ahead of midterm elections

 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/10/trump-childhood-vaccine-executive-order-01031314

The move comes months ahead of the midterm elections on an issue that Trump’s own pollsters have warned is unpopular, but that the president has long shown a personal interest in. The president’s endeavors have been thrown into high gear by his allegiance with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has questioned vaccine safety for decades.

Kennedy’s January overhaul to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s schedule — which mirrored the changes in Monday’s executive order — was quickly blocked by a federal district judge in Boston, who said the administration didn’t follow proper procedure when Kennedy replaced an independent panel of vaccine experts with his own picks.

Though many in the Trump administration believe there is a connection between vaccines and autism, decades of scientific research has found no such link. Last year, a nation-wide cohort study of more than a million children in Denmark found no link between aluminum-adsorbed vaccines and a host of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder.

As he signed the order, Trump described the combination MMR vaccine as “quite lethal.” Asked by a reporter whether he had any evidence to back up his claim, Trump said no.

Trump order calls for fewer childhood vaccines

 https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/6021147-trump-executive-order-mmr-vaccine/

Without evidence, Trump also claimed that the MMR vaccine could be “quite lethal” in its combined form, despite decades of evidence showing otherwise. Trump said the three vaccines are very effective when separate.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), a physician who voted to confirm Kennedy last year despite his uneasiness over Kennedy’s history as an anti-vaccine activist, immediately criticized the order.

“This executive order is wrong. The President does not have the expertise to make these changes. Vaccines are overwhelmingly safe. Vaccines are effective. Vaccines DO NOT cause autism,” Cassidy wrote on X. “Breaking up vaccines will mean children have to get more shots to get the same protection, not fewer shots. It will increase hesitancy and make children less safe.”

Trump demands major changes to childhood vaccine recommendations

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/08/10/trump-administration-order-would-upend-nations-childhood-vaccine-schedule/

President Donald Trump on Monday made his most significant attempt yet to reshape how Americans vaccinate their children, signing an executive order that called for cutting the number of recommended childhood vaccines, spacing out those shots and making other changes that would upend decades of federal guidance.

Speaking in the Oval Office, the president reiterated his long-held claim that childhood vaccines have led to a rise in U.S. autism cases, an idea that outside researchers have largely debunked. Trump also mused on the current number of childhood vaccines and said reducing their frequency was “common sense.”

“Large amounts — like vats — of vaccine are currently pumped into your child’s body,” Trump said in the Oval Office, flanked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other administration officials.

The president’s plan was immediately criticized by scientists, physicians, Democrats and some congressional Republicans, who said the order was dangerous and warned that it could lead to fewer children receiving vaccines against preventable diseases.

Basketball in Church Hall

 Igros Moshe (OC4:40:26) Question: Is it permissible for children to play basketball in a hall which is part of  a church? Answer. It is certainly prohibited even if it doesn’t have images since we are to distance far from anything connected to idolatry. It is important to teach our children to stay away from such a disgusting place. Even if this is needed for a Jewish school even if it requires spending more money for another place

Trump Claim That Muslims Don't Assimilate Is 'False,' PolitiFact Finds

 https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/orlando-nightclub-massacre/trump-claim-muslims-don-t-assimilate-false-politifact-finds-n594686

Hannity said that Muslims have different religious and cultural practices than many Americans. He asked Trump, “If you grow up (as a Muslim overseas) and you want to come to America, how do we vet somebody's heart and ascertain if they're coming here for freedom or if they want to proselytize, indoctrinate and bring their theocracy with them?”

Trump responded, “Assimilation has been very hard. It's almost — I won't say nonexistent, but it gets to be pretty close. And I'm talking about second and third generation. They come — they don't — for some reason, tWe concluded that the implication of what Trump said — that Muslims want to isolate themselves from the mainstream American culture — is flat wrong. However, we also learned that the question involves some important nuance. In particular, the task of “assimilation” facing post-1960s immigrants to America is more complicated than, and thus distinct from, what it was for white, Christian, European immigrants who came to the United States in prior generations.

We concluded that the implication of what Trump said — that Muslims want to isolate themselves from the mainstream American culture — is flat wrong. However, we also learned that the question involves some important nuance. In particular, the task of “assimilation” facing post-1960s immigrants to America is more complicated than, and thus distinct from, what it was for white, Christian, European immigrants who came to the United States in prior generations.

The data and the experts agree that Trump is wrong. Substantial evidence confirms that Muslim Americans want to have an American identity and think that doing so is achievable. In fact, their preferences for self-identification mirror those of Christian Americans.

The data and the experts agree that Trump is wrong. Substantial evidence confirms that Muslim Americans want to have an American identity and think that doing so is achievable. In fact, their preferences for self-identification mirror those of Christian Americans.

Do Today's Immigrants Refuse to Assimilate? Data Shows They're Integrating Faster Than Ever!

The immigrants you fear are just like your ancestors. Don’t fall for political scare tactics.

 https://thehill.com/opinion/4882760-immigrant-assimilation-america/

Growing up in New Jersey as an Indian-American kid during the 1980s and 1990s, I dealt with bigotry and prejudice. But the person who understood most what I was going through was my 80-year-old Italian American piano teacher, Mrs. Baldino. 

Talking to her, I realized that what I endured was remarkably similar to what she had gone through through growing up in the 1920s and 1930s. It was confusing to me, however, because some of the kids who gave me a hard time were Italian Americans. Mrs. Baldino explained to me, “They always forget what their grandparents went through.”

15 Myths About Immigration Debunked

 https://carnegie.org/article/15-myths-about-immigration-debunked/

Garnel IronheartAugust 9, 2026 at 8:21 PM

But whereas 100 years ago people washed up on America's shores and said "I want to be American!", they now say "I want to change America into the hellhole I just left!"

MYTH #6: “Today’s immigrants don’t assimilate as immigrants from previous eras did.”

FACT: Immigrants to the United States — including Mexicans — are assimilating as well as or better than immigrant groups from Europe over a hundred years ago.