Tuesday, April 30, 2024

Fox News Quietly Deletes Hunter Biden ‘Mock Trial’ Series

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-quietly-deletes-hunter-biden-mock-trial-special-following-lawsuit-threat?ref=home?ref=home

Fox News appears to be taking Hunter Biden’s lawsuit threat quite seriously.

The network has quietly pulled down its six-part “mock trial” series from its digital streaming service Fox Nation after lawyers for the presidential scion warned the network of their intention to sue for defamation.

Besides quietly taking down The Trial of Hunter Biden from its streamer, the network also deleted a promotional video promising Fox News viewers an “inside look” at the “mock trial,” which was presided over by former reality-TV star Judge Joe Brown.

The scrubbing of the series, which debuted in October 2022, directly complies with the demand from Biden’s legal team—powerhouse celebrity law firm Geragos & Geragos—to delete the content immediately.

Why Are Prominent Republicans Who Despise Trump Voting for Him Anyway

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/why-are-republicans-who-despise-trump-voting-for-him-anyway?ref=home?ref=home

If you want to understand why Donald Trump could win in 2024, look no further than Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, former Attorney General Bill Barr, and New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu. These three top Republican voices who previously condemned Trump now say they plan to vote for him again this November.

G-d's partnership with tzadikim

 Da'as Tevunos (158) Partnership between tzadikim and G-d in the perfecting of the world. G-d effects the world only to the degree it is prepared. Therefore the tzadikim go about making small corrections in the darkness of this world, since according to their preparation G-d provides new influence and benefits to the world.

Tzadikim are like G-d!

 Bereishis Rabbah (77:01) AND JACOB WAS LEFT ALONE, etc.. It is written, There is none like unto G-d, O Jeshurun. There is none like G-d; yet who is like G-d? Jeshurun, which means the noblest and best among you. You will find that G-d anticipated in this world through the agency of the righteous everything that He will do in the Hereafter. Thus G-d will resurrect the dead, and Elijah resurrected the dead; G-d shuts up the rain, and Elijah shut up the rain; G-d will bless the little [in quantity], and Elijah blessed the little [in quantity]. God resurrects the dead and Elisha resurrects the dead; G-d remembered childless women, and Elisha remembered childless women. G-d blessed the little and Elisha blessed the little; G-d sweetened the bitter and Elisha sweetened the bitter; G-d sweetened the bitter through the agency of bitter, and Elisha sweetened the bitter through the agency of bitter.

Devarim Rabbah 10:3) The G-d of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: Ruler over men shall be the righteous, even he that ruleth in the fear of G-d And what means, ' The righteous, even he that ruleth in the fear of G-d’? The righteous have power over the same things as G-d, if one may say so. In which way? Everything that G-d does, the righteous do.3 How is this illustrated? G-d remembers barren women; Elisha, too, remembered the Shunammite woman. G-d quickens the dead; and Elisha, too, brought back to life the son of the Shunammite woman. G-d parts the seas, Elijah and Elisha, too, parted seas. G-d heals without emollients, and Elisha healed Naaman without emollients. G-d sweetens the bitter waters, and Elisha sweetened the bitter waters G-d withholds the rain, and Elijah withheld the rain.G-d causes rain to fall, and Samuel caused rain to fall,. G-d sends down fire, and Elijah brought down fire from heaven., 

Zohar (1:9b - 10a): R’ Shimon told his son that once a non-Jewish philosopher challenged him by saying: You claim that G d rules over the height of heaven and that all the angels cannot approach Him and don’t know His place. If so Yermiyahu (10:7): “Amongst all the sages in the world none can compare to You G d” does not constitute high praise since He is just being compared to mortal man? … Can I infer from this verse that only among the sages of the non Jews is there no one like G d but amongst the Jews there are those like G d? If that inference is correct that the Jewish sages are like G d - doesn’t that mean that G d is not omnipotent? If you look carefully at the verse you will see that my inference is in fact correct! R’ Shimon replied: Your deduction that some Jewish sages are comparable to G d is in fact true. Only G d can resurrect the dead - yet we find that Eliyahu and Elisha resurrected the dead. Only G d can make it rain - yet Eliyahu controlled the rain through his prayer. G d made heaven and earth - yet they were firmly established for the sake of Avraham. G d determines the course of the sun - yet Yehoshua made it stand still. G d makes decrees but so did Moshe and they were fulfilled. Furthermore G d makes decrees which are nullified by the tzadikim as we learn from Shmuel 2 23:3). In addition G d commanded them to literally follow in His ways and to be like Him in every way. The philosopher went and converted to Judaism at K’far Shekalim and he was given the name of Yossi Kattina. He studied Torah very diligently until he became one the leading sages and righteous people of that location.


Kollel required deserting family for years

 The original Kollel system in Europe required the scholar leave his family for years so he would not be disturbed in his learning. according to the biography of Rav Moshe Landynski who became rosh yeshiva in Radin before being replaced with Rav Naftoli Trop.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kollel

The first kollel – in the modern sense of the term – in the Jewish diaspora was the Kovno Kollel ("Kolel Perushim"[2]) founded in Kovno (Kaunas, Lithuania) in 1877.[3][4] It was founded by Rabbi Yisrael Salanter[5] and directed by Rabbi Isaac Blaser. The ten students enrolled were required to separate from their families, except for the Sabbath, and devote themselves to studying for the Rabbinate. There was a four-year limit on one's membership in the kollel.


The question is why the mitzva of marriage and family were displaced?

The Chofetz Chaim and the Eclipse

 https://torah.org/interest/chofetz-chaim-eclipse/

And the Chofetz Chaim taps again with his right hand on the table with an expression of victory, and smiling he adds, “They should come to see. It is a mitzvah to see the sun eclipsed, to actually see that a creation was actually formed [by the Creator] … And he taps lightly again with his right hand, a quiet smile …

Monday, April 29, 2024

Hunter Biden Threatens Fox News With Defamation Suit

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/hunter-biden-threatens-fox-news-with-defamation-suit?ref=home?ref=home

The notice demands that Fox News—whose obsessive coverage has mentioned Hunter Biden more than 13,000 times in the last four months alone—take immediate steps to remedy scads of coverage over the last five years that Biden’s attorneys say has falsely maligned him.

Star Scientist’s Claim of ‘Reverse Aging’ Draws Hail of Criticism

 https://www.wsj.com/health/wellness/david-sinclair-longevity-aging-criticism-645fddc5?mod=hp_trending_now_article_pos4

Dr. Nir Barzilai, the new president of the Academy for Health and Lifespan Research and the director of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, said Sinclair’s comment about the dog research and his commercial interest in Animal Biosciences crossed a line. “The data is not good, you’re calling it the wrong thing, and then you’re selling it,” he said. “The selling is a step too far.”

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Donald Trump is no saint, but I know why evangelicals love him

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/05/donald-trump-why-do-evangelicals-support-him

Justified or not, white evangelical Christians increasingly believe they are the most persecuted demographic in the US today. But I don’t believe that evangelicals are interested in rectifying their status as a hated demographic, and would never protest for better treatment (or consciously demonize any racial minority the way the white supremacists do). For them, being despised by the world is a badge of honor that will ensure them a heavenly reward.

No, ‘Russiagate’ Wasn’t the Hoax That Team Trump Claims It Was

 https://www.cato.org/commentary/no-russiagate-wasnt-hoax-team-trump-claims-it-was

The bottom line is that, as Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz concluded in his own 2019 probe—to Durham’s and Barr’s displeasure—the FBI investigation was amply justified. True, it ultimately found no evidence of acts that rose to the level of criminal conspiracy, and neither did the Mueller probe. But let’s not forget what did happen: Russian agents did conspire to influence the election, undermine Clinton and help Trump, and Trump as well as people close to him eagerly welcomed the help. (We didn’t need the FBI or Mueller to tell us that Trump was thrilled by the WikiLeaks disclosures of hacked documents from the DNC and the Clinton campaign: he said so openly and more than once.) What’s more, some people in the Trump campaign actively worked to take advantage of Russian meddling. Mueller’s indictment of Roger Stone states that after the first WikiLeaks dump, Stone and other “senior Trump campaign officials” made moves to find out what other compromising material WikiLeaks had. The charges against Stone, on which he was ultimately convicted, had to do with obstructing the investigation; but the only reason he couldn’t be charged with conspiracy for his attempts to establish contact with WikiLeaks is that WikiLeaks is not officially classified as a Russian asset.

Saturday, April 27, 2024

In war-battered Gaza, residents grow angry with Hamas

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/04/27/gaza-hamas-public-support-israel/

 More than six months into the war in Gaza and with dimming hopes for a cease-fire deal, Palestinians there are growing more critical of Hamas, which some of them blame for the months-long conflict that has destroyed the territory — and their lives.

Why we must accept the views of gedolim?!

 https://mishpacha.com/just-plain-chutzpah/

Perhaps a brief review of Chazal’s description of the role of the gadol hador of each generation is in order.

The Ran in his derashos says that in every generation, Hashem puts His Shechinah on the gedolei hador. Just as the Shechinah was placed in the Beis Hamikdash and spread throughout Klal Yisrael, so too in every generation the Shechinah rests on the gadol hador and spreads from there to Klal Yisrael. Chazal in Masechta Bava Basra(12a) teach us that although nevuah was taken from the prophets when the Beis Hamikdash was destroyed, it was not taken from the scholars.

The Ponevezher Rav always taught his students that he lived with the words of this Chazal throughout his life. “In Europe, I accepted the words of my rebbi, the Chofetz Chaim ztz”l, as if they were the words of a navi. After coming to Eretz Yisrael, I accepted the words of the Chazon Ish ztz”l as a navi.”

He explained that he was capable of disagreeing with the Chazon Ish when it came to understanding Torah the same way he was able to disagree with Rav Akiva Eiger. But when it came to worldly matters, he said each and every word that issued from the Chazon Ish’s lips was pure brilliance and to him was “Torah miSinai.”

Friday, April 26, 2024

State Department reviewing plans to sanction IDF unit

 https://www.axios.com/2024/04/26/state-department-reviewing-plans-sanction-idf-unit

A senior U.S. official said Blinken's determination that the Netzah Yehuda Battalion committed gross violations of human rights in the West Bank has not changed, but a process of consultation with Israel on the issue is now underway to examine whether it is taking steps to address this.

The U.S. official said that if these steps are not satisfactory in accordance with the Leahy law and if it appears Israel has not held soliders and officers accountable and corrected the conditions that led to the violations, the U.S. will apply the law and withhold aid to this unit.

'Israel is not a banana republic,' official says amid Blinken-Halevi controversy

 https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/02/07/israel-is-not-a-banana-republic-official-says-amid-blinken-halevi-controversy/

On Tuesday Israel Hayom reported on Blinken making the unusual request to be briefed by Halevi one-on-one rather than as part of a meeting with the War Cabinet. 

An official told Israel Hayom that a meeting between a foreign minister and a military official without a civilian official present was not common practice in international relations and therefore Netanyahu's office refused to approve a private meeting between Blinken and the chief of staff. "Israel is not a banana republic," the official said.

Biden won't sanction Israeli military units accused of human rights violations in West Bank before start of war with Hamas

 https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-sanction-israeli-military-units-accused-human-rights/story?id=109651562

The Biden administration has determined that three military battalions with the Israel Defense Forces committed "gross human rights violations" against Palestinian civilians in the West Bank but will remain eligible for U.S. military aid regardless because of steps Israel says it's taking to address the problem, ABC News has learned.

The administration assessment, which has not yet been made public, was outlined in an undated letter by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to House Speaker Mike Johnson obtained by ABC News.

The U.S. determination "will not delay the delivery of any U.S. assistance and Israel will be able to receive the full amount appropriated by Congress," Blinken wrote.

Biden Admin. won't sanction Netzach Yehuda Battalion

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/389077

The Biden Administration has backtracked and will not impose sanctions on the IDF's Netzach Yehuda Battalion, ABC News reported this morning (Friday).

According to the report, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson explaining that the decision was made in light of Israel's commitment to addressing concerns over human rights violations by the IDF in Judea and Samaria.

..According to Blinken, the administration's concerns over alleged human rights violations by the Netzach Yehuda Battalion "will not delay the delivery of any U.S. assistance and Israel will be able to receive the full amount appropriated by Congress."

Thursday, April 25, 2024

Scientist Challenges David Sinclair’s Best-Selling Book on Aging

 https://www.nad.com/news/charles-brenner-critiques-david-sinclairs-best-selling-book-on-aging

Pointing out two questions on the back cover of Lifespan, Brenner answers them. The first is “is aging a disease?” Brenner’s answer is that aging is a risk factor for many diseases, but aging is not a disease itself. He follows by saying that the most powerful genetic mutations to extend lifespan in animal models have been in genes that control growth, establishing that growth and development are intricately linked with aging, suggesting that aging is inevitable. 

“Is aging treatable?” Yes, says Brenner, in the sense that genes can be modified to change the rate of aging. He says, however, that it is easier to accelerate aging — by doing things like smoking or becoming overweight — than it is to slow aging. He then comments on well-known studies showing that caloric restriction (consuming fewer calories) extends the lifespan of mice. These studies suggest that fasting can treat aging, but Brenner disagrees with their framing, saying, “Caloric restriction extends animal lifespan when compared to caged animals with constant access to food. However, it is more accurate to say that unrestricted access to food is a life-shortening condition that is unlike conditions in the wild to which animals are adapted.” 

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

A Science-Based Review of the World’s Best-Selling Book on Aging

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9669175/

Members of the general public and investment community have caught the longevity bug and appear to believe that major breakthroughs have been made in extending human lifespan

Lifespan, a book by Harvard scientist David Sinclair, has become an influential source of misinformation on longevity, featuring counterfactual claims about longevity genes being conserved between yeast and humans, the existence of supposed activators of these genes, and claimed successful age reversal in mice based on partial reprogramming

The book has popularized a stack of drugs and supplements with significant potential to harm the general public

The reviewer suggests that scientists and physicians emphasize to the general public that aging is known to be a highly polygenic developmental process and that the most important things that people can do to age better are to maintain high physical and mental activity

IDF rejects ‘baseless’ claim it dug mass graves at Gaza hospital; analysts also doubt charge

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-rejects-baseless-claim-it-dug-mass-graves-at-gaza-hospital-analysts-also-doubt-charge/

Hamas officials in Gaza claimed on Saturday to discover a mass grave with more than 200 bodies at a hospital in Khan Younis that was recently the target of a military raid.

The officials claimed the dead were buried in a mass grave by Israeli forces, but evidence suggested this claim was false, with the bodies having previously been buried at that same location by Palestinians amid the fighting between Israeli forces and terror operatives in the area.

The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday rejected Hamas’s allegation as “baseless.”

It said forces searching for Israeli hostages had examined bodies previously buried by Palestinians near Nasser Hospital and had returned the bodies to where they were buried after they were examined.

It has been documented that Palestinians buried their dead at the hospital grounds both before and while Israeli troops operated in the area.

Monday, April 22, 2024

Trump Is Flat-Out Lying About Having the ‘Most Secure Border in History’ as President

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-is-flat-out-lying-about-having-the-most-secure-border-in-history-as-president

In a Jan. 8, 2019, address to the nation, Trump described the border under his watch as a “crisis,” and pleaded with Congress to pass most of the exact same proposals that were in the bipartisan border bill in the Senate that was negotiated by Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) with Democrats earlier this year, but ultimately rejected by Republicans.

Dershowitz: Trump 'can call me crazy American Jew,' but he may vote for Biden

https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syzzmdqxc 

Dershowitz said that, despite his criticism of the current president, he may vote for Biden in the November elections and rejected Trump's description of any Jew that would vote for the president as crazy. "If he wants to call me a crazy American Jew, that's fine," he concluded.

Terrorist who murdered Jewish shepherd is arrested

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388892

On Sunday night, the ISA, Israel Police, and IDF arrested Ahmad Dawabshe, the terrorist who murdered Binyamin Achimeir, a Jewish shepherd, in a bloody and brutal terror attack last week.

How to Wish "Happy Passover"

 https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/3584633/jewish/How-to-Wish-Happy-Passover.htm#:~:text=But%20what%20to%20say%3F,sah-MAY-ach).

The traditional Ashkenazic greeting is “gut yom tov” (with “u” as in “put”). “Yom tov,” which literally means “good day” in Hebrew, denotes a holiday. In Yiddish, it is normally mangled into something that sounds more like “YON-tiff.” Thus, the greeting can sound like “gut YON-tiff” or even “gutJONtiff.” (Translated into English, the “gut yom tov” greeting is strangely redundant, meaning “good good day.”)

Sephardic Jews prefer the biblical term for a festival, “chag.” Thus, when wishing someone a joyous festival, they say “chag same’ach” (pronounced CHAG sah-MAY-ach). This greeting has its roots in the Torah, where forms of these two words are used in the commandment to rejoice on the festivals.1

Now, not all holidays are considered equal. The intermediate festival days of lesser sanctity, when many of the work restrictions are relaxed, are called Chol Hamoed. On those days, the traditional Ashkenazic greeting is “gut mo’ed” (or “gut MOY-ed”), and Sephardim say “mo’adim l’simchah,” to which some respond “chagim u’zemanim l’sason.” (As before, the Sephardic salutation has liturgical roots; these phrases are lifted straight from the holiday kiddush.)

If you want to greet someone, but are not sure what to say, just let the other person greet you first, and then repeat the greeting. Works every time.

Lastly, have you ever wondered what to wish people after Passover has ended? The traditional Yiddish Post-Passover greeting is for “a gezuntn zumer,” a healthy summer.

NYC Mayor on Columbia protests: 'We will not be a city of lawlessness'

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-798189

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he is “horrified and disgusted” with the antisemitism being spewed at and around Columbia University’s campus, according to a statement from the mayor’s office on Sunday night. 

Adams said he condemns the hate speech heard during the protests such as a woman who yelled ‘We are Hamas’ and another woman who held a sign with an arrow pointing to Jewish students stating ‘Al-Qasam’s Next Targets.’

Adams said supporting an organization that threatens to kill Jews is “sickening and despicable.”

‘Antisemitic, unconscionable, and dangerous’: White House responds to chaos at Columbia

 https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/21/chaos-columbia-jewish-moskowitz-santos-white-house-00153545

“Silence is complicity,” Biden’s statement read. “Even in recent days, we’ve seen harassment and calls for violence against Jews. This blatant Antisemitism is reprehensible and dangerous — and it has absolutely no place on college campuses, or anywhere in our country.”

Biden denounces antisemitism in Passover message: Reprehensible and dangerous

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388878

“My commitment to the safety of the Jewish people, the security of Israel, and its right to exist as an independent Jewish state is ironclad. My Administration is working around the clock to free the hostages, and we will not rest until we bring them home. We are also working to establish an immediate and prolonged ceasefire in Gaza as a part of a deal that releases the hostages and delivers desperately needed humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians. We will continue to work toward a two-state solution that provides equal security, prosperity, and enduring peace for Israelis and Palestinians. And we are leading international efforts to ensure Israel can defend itself against Iran and its proxies, including by directing the U.S. military to help defend Israel against Iran’s unprecedented attacks last weekend.”


Infected houses never happened?

 The Netziv notes that we have the famous statement of the Rashby that houses were infected as a present from G-d to reveal the hidden treasures and we have the contrary statement from his son that there never was an infected house

He concludes that this halacha is actually concerned with describing the proper foundation of a Jewish home, the Caanites were merchants who as a class are prone to lashon harah, slander etc etc - as opposed to farmers. So their houses were built on immoral foundation also on idolatry. The halacha advises removing (when possible) the moral decay and replacing it with a holy foundation. However sometimes the structure needs to be totally replaced. That is why only a cohen can decided whether the infection is impure and not a talmid chachom


Interestingly the Rambam also says it is a miraculous sign indicating spiritual impurity

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Number of people seeking conversion to Judaism surges amid Gaza war

 https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sknsriqgc?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=internal

In the aftermath of these developments, a notable number of Israelis, including a substantial portion of the roughly 560,000 "unaffiliated" people in the country, reported feeling a deeper affinity to their Jewish heritage and traditions. A significant segment of this secular population, who identify as Jews but aren't recognized as such by Halacha, initiated a conversion process.

Israel aghast as US said poised to sanction IDF unit with history of abuses

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-aghast-as-us-said-poised-to-sanction-notorious-idf-unit-netanyahu-a-moral-low/

Centrist war cabinet minister Benny Gantz joined the criticism, saying the infantry unit was “an integral part of the IDF” and was bound by military and international law. He added that Israel has “strong and independent” courts capable of dealing with alleged violations.

“We have great respect for our American friends, but imposing sanctions on the unit is a dangerous precedent and sends the wrong message to our shared enemies at a time of war,” Gantz said, while pledging to “take action so this decision does not pass.”

Saturday, April 20, 2024

The US is expected to announce sanctions against IDF unit for human rights abuses

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-798035

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is expected to announce sanctions against the IDF’s Netzah Yehuda Battalion in the next few days, according to three American sources.  

The sanctions are a result of human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank. 

This will be the first time that the United States government has imposed sanctions on an Israeli military unit for its activities in the West Bank.

Fred Neulander, rabbi serving life sentence, dies in prison at 82

 https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-797974?obOrigUrl=true

In a case that riveted the Philadelphia area and American Jewry for years, Neulander, the founding rabbi of the 1,000-family M’kor Shalom in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, was convicted in 2002 of paying confessed killers Len Jenoff and Paul Michael Daniels to murder his wife so that he could freely carry on a love affair with former Philadelphia radio personality Elaine Soncini.

Israeli weapon damaged Iranian air defenses without detection - NYT

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-798022

An Israeli weapon launched in the strike against Iran on Friday damaged a defense mechanism responsible for detecting and destroying aerial threats near Natanz without detection, The New York Times (NYT) reported on Saturday, citing two Western and two Iranian officials.

The weapon struck an S-300 antiaircraft system at a military base in Isfahan province. Natanz is a central city in Iran and a base for Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

What the data says (and doesn’t say) about crime in the United States

 https://www.pewresearch.org/short-read/2020/11/20/facts-about-crime-in-the-u-s/

Both the FBI and BJS data show dramatic declines in U.S. violent and property crime rates since the early 1990s, when crime spiked across much of the nation.

In 20 of 24 Gallup surveys conducted since 1993, at least 60% of U.S. adults have said there is more crime nationally than there was the year before, despite the generally downward trend in national violent and property crime rates during most of that period.

While perceptions of rising crime at the national level are common, fewer Americans believe crime is up in their own communities. In all 23 Gallup surveys that have included the question since 1993, no more than about half of Americans have said crime is up in their area compared with the year before.

The Making of a Hetter

 Kuntress Kedushas Yisrael

The Making of a Hetter

An Analysis of the Recent

Hetter of a Giyores to a Kohen

Click Link to download 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sj37JRqPHzoAoTbMNSH1w3-SpxfZQxk2/view

kedushasyisrael7@gmail.com

Recently, many Gedolim and Roshei Yeshivos signed letters opposing a hetter that was given to allow someone who was muchzak as a kohen to marry a giyores. The Rabbonim did not mince words and blatantly called this hetter a great pirtzah in kedushas yisroel. Unfortunately, the wedding has already taken place, however the primary pirtzah is not merely the specific details of this particular hetter, rather the Rabbonim felt that the entire approach upon which the hetter was based was disturbing.

This presentation is being made in an effort to bring the details of this story to light. We welcome any response or feedback, and we would be grateful if this kuntress would provide the impetus for further clarification of the issues being raised. Much effort has been made to document factual and verifiable information, and to source the information as much as possible. The information presented is based on documents from the Beis Din being mattir, conversations with Rabbonim involved in the issue, and independent investigation of the facts presented.

We will begin with a timeline of events, after which we will present the written hetter of the Beis  an analysis of this information

Friday, April 19, 2024

Iran’s State TV Laughs Off Israel’s Retaliation Attack

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/irans-state-tv-laughs-off-israels-retaliation-attack?ref=home?ref=home

As reports of the Israeli attacks grabbed world headlines, an extraordinary segment unfolded on Iran’s pro-regime Press TV, where correspondent Gisoo Misha Ahmadi totally dismissed Israel’s retaliation.

“I would suggest our viewers—if they want to have a good laugh—they can check social media reports from citizens who are there, who are actually making fun of all the commotion that was made by Israeli media about a possible attack,” she said.

Ahmadi conceded that Iran is on a high state of alert and took down a series of drones that were approaching Iranian airspace but she claimed that was the extent of the threat.

“Everything is completely normal,” she said. “And people are enjoying the weekend.”

Sinai is hollow?

 The gemora says that G-d held Mt Sinai over the Jews like a barrel and threaten to kill them if they didn't accept the Torah

Shabbos (88a) And they stood under the mount:15 R. Abdimi b. Hama b. Hasa said: This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He,  the mountain upon them like an [inverted] cask, and said to them,’If ye accept the Torah, ‘tis well; if overturnednot, there shall be your burial.

Rashi  says a barrel is lethal because of the gas it contains

Sanhedrin (77a) It has been stated: If one overturned a vat upon a man who then died of suffocation, or broke open a ceiling above him, Raba and R. Zera differ One ruled that he is liable, the other that he is not. 

Ben Yehoyada (Shabbos 88a) מְלַמֵּד, שֶׁכָּפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הָהָר כְּגִיגִית. יש להקשות למה עשאו 'כְְּגִיגִית' שחפרו ועשה בו בית קיבול כמו גִיגִית, ודי להניחו כמו שהוא למעלה מראשיהם? ואם כדי שלא יברחו וינוסו מתחתיו, מי זה יברח מיד ה'? שאם יצאו מתחתיו גם ההר ילך על גבי ראשיהם! ועוד יש כאן קושיא ידועה הלא הם קבלו ברצון לב את התורה שהקדמו נעשה לנשמע? ועוד יש להקשות אומרו שָׁם תְּהֵא קְבוּרַתְכֶם, והוה ליה למימר 'כַּאן' דהא עומדים תחת ההר? ונראה לי בס"ד כי הם קבלו תורה שבכתב כפי מה שיגידו המקראות כמו הקראין דאזלי בתר פשט המקרא, ולא היו רוצין לקבל תורה שבעל פה אשר בכל תיבה ותיבה של המקרא תולה בה תלי תלים של הלכות, ולכך אמרו 'נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע' רצונו לומר נַעֲשֶׂה כפי אשר נִשְׁמָע מן פשט המקראות. והוא יתברך כָּפָה אותם על תורה שבעל פה, ולכן עשה את הָהָר לעיניהם חפור בתוכו כמו 'גִיגִית' לרמוז להם שכל תיבה ותיבה של המקרא היא כמו גיגית שיש לה בית קיבול ומטילים לתוכה יין אשר תכיל אלף אלפים טיפות יין בקרבה, ועל מנת כן אתם חייבים לקבל את תורה שבכתב. וידוע כי המאמין בדרשות של תורה שבעל פה ורמזים אשר בזה הוא מבין דבר מתוך דבר ומוציא הלכה מתוך הלכה, הנה זה הוא 'בן עולם הבא' שהיא סוד בינה, יען כי משמעות בינה הוא כך שיבינו דבר מתוך דבר, מה שאין כן מי שאינו מודה בכך הרי זה אין לו חלק לעולם הבא! ומפורש בדברי רבינו האר"י ז"ל על מה שנאמר 'אין לו חלק לעולם הבא' היינו שישאר במלכות שהיא סוד העשיה. וזה שאמר כָּפָה הָהָר כְּגִיגִית שיש לה בית קבול, לרמוז על תורה שבעל פה שעושה לכל תיבה בית קבול שתכיל בקרבה כמה אלפים הלכות שבזאת תהיה עיקר קבלת התורה, ואמר להם אִם אַתֶּם מְקַבְּלִים הַתּוֹרָה, הידיעה היא תורה שבעל פה שעליה נאמר (איוב יא, ט) וּרְחָבָה מִנִּי יָם, מוּטָב, אִם לָאו, שָׁם, במלכות הנקראת 'שם' שה"ס [שהוא סוד] עשיה, בסוד (שמואל ב' ח, יג) וַיַּעַשׂ דָּוִד שֵׁם תִּהְיֶה קְבוּרַתְכֶם, כלומר מקום שלכם שלא תזכו לעולם הבא שה"ס בינה, אלא תשארו במלכות שנקראת 'שם'. 

What's safer? Jerusalem and Tel Aviv or NYC, Chicago and San Francisco?

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388767

Terrible and terrifying for Jews. Israelis are overwhelmingly not leaving Israel for many reasons, including the fact that many are scared to travel to the US, especially to New York City and San Francisco.

Anti-Israel Protesters Confused About Meaning of 'Ceasefire'

 https://www.newsweek.com/anti-israel-protesters-confused-about-meaning-ceasefire-opinion-1891343

As a Palestinian human rights activist who supports the peaceful coexistence of Israelis and Palestinians, I am deeply troubled by the reactions of certain anti-Israel groups in the United States to the Islamic Republic of Iran's recent attack on Israel. Their exuberant celebrations and justifications for such aggression starkly contradict their professed commitment to peace and reveal a profound hypocrisy that undermines diplomacy and dialogue in the Middle East.

This weekend's Iranian attack was a calculated military aggression involving more than 300 projectiles, with around 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles, and more than 120 ballistic missiles aimed and fired directly at Israeli territory. The assault is simply a more overt continuation of the war that Iran has been waging since the 1979 seizure of power by the jihadist Ayatollahs, which it promotes in the chant: "Death to America, Death to Israel."

Iran asserts that the attack was an act of "revenge" or "punishment" against Israel for its targeted killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guard General Mohammad Reza Zahedi in Damascus in recent weeks. The truth is that Iran launched this round of violence: Zahedi is known for his involvement in orchestrating the Oct. 7 massacre of more than 1,200 Jews in Israel by Hamas, including 30 Americans.

Biden urges Congress to act on Israel aid, says Iran aims ‘to destroy Israel forever’

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/biden-urges-congress-to-act-on-israel-aid-says-iran-aims-to-destroy-israel-forever/

 US President Joe Biden called on Congress to immediately pass an aid package for Israel and Ukraine, in an op-ed published in The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.

Legislation has been stalled for months amid opposition from House Republicans fueled by former US president Donald Trump. House Speaker Mike Johnson, however, informed GOP lawmakers on Wednesday that he will begin the days-long push to hold votes on the funding packages for Israel and Ukraine, as well as one earmarked for allies in the Indo-Pacific.

While both Israel and Ukraine “can capably defend their own sovereignty, they depend on American assistance, including weaponry, to do it, and this is a pivotal moment,” Biden wrote, pointing to strikes by Iran and Russia on Israel and Ukraine over the weekend.

US and Israel meet on Rafah days after Iran’s attack

 https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/18/us-israel-rafah-meeting-00153043

The U.S. and Israel are holding another tense meeting on a future Rafah operation Thursday, a sign that Iran’s attack isn’t halting negotiations over Israel’s conduct in the war against Hamas.

Both sides are attending a virtual session, a senior Biden administration official and Israeli official told POLITICO, where senior leaders discuss how to target Hamas’ roughly 3,000 fighters in Rafah while protecting the city’s 1.4 million Palestinians. National security adviser Jake Sullivan is expected to lead the conversation for the Biden administration. Sullivan’s Israeli counterpart, Tzachi Hanegbi, is heading his nation’s delegation.

Russia Calls on UN to Sanction Israel

 https://www.newsweek.com/russia-calls-un-sanction-israel-1891924

Russia is urging the United Nations (U.N.) to sanction Israel for failing to comply with a resolution that demanded a Gaza cease-fire during Ramadan.

U.N. Security Council Resolution 2728, which was passed by the council amid the Muslim holy month on March 25, called for an immediate halt to the hostilities, which began following the October 7 surprise attack by Hamas.

The resolution was passed by a 14-0 vote, with the United States abstaining over the omission of a clause condemning Hamas. Israel ignored the cease-fire demand, continuing its assault on Gaza through the end of Ramadan on April 9 and beyond.

Russia, which remains buried under an avalanche of its own international sanctions due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, objected to the lack of punishment for Israel during a U.N. Security Council meeting on Thursday.

America's zombie "crime wave"

 https://popular.info/p/americas-zombie-crime-wave

But is there a crime wave in America? Without a doubt, people believe that crime continues to surge. A Gallup poll found that 78% of Americans believe that there was more crime in 2022 than in 2021. (Only 13% believed it declined.) 

US vetoes, Security Council resolution accepting PA as full member fails to pass

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388754

The US on Thursday vetoed a Security Council resolution to admit the Palestinian Authority as a full member state of the United Nations.

12 countries voted in favor of the resolution: Slovenia, Sierra Leone, Russia, South Korea, Mozambique, Malta, Japan, Guyana, France, Ecuador, China, and Algeria.

Two countries abstained – Britain and Switzerland.

Israel Launches Retaliatory Strike on Iran

 https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-activates-air-defenses-and-cancels-flights-27b6d416

Israel retaliated overnight against Iran’s massive drone and missile attack on its territory, people familiar with the matter said—with what appeared to be a limited strike aimed at avoiding an escalatory cycle that could push the countries closer toward war. 

The strike targeted the area around Isfahan in central Iran, one of the people said. Iranian media and social media reported explosions near the city, where Iran has nuclear facilities and a drone factory, and the activation of air-defense systems in provinces across the country after suspicious flying objects were detected. 

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Senate squashes historic impeachment charges against Mayorkas

 https://www.axios.com/2024/04/17/senate-dismisses-historic-impeachment-mayorkas-border-immigration

Senate Democrats on Wednesday quickly squashed impeachment charges against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, a swift end to the GOP's attempt to oust him.

Why it matters: 

Killing the charges without a full trial highlights how Democrats saw the impeachment as political theater, but Republicans argue it sets a dangerous precedent.

Senators voted along party lines to rule the articles of impeachment unconstitutional for not meeting the standard of high crimes and misdemeanors.

MAGA Media Learns in Real-Time That NYC Isn’t a Dystopian Hellscape

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-media-learns-in-real-time-that-nyc-isnt-a-dystopian-hellscape?ref=home

While speculating about the jury selection and how Trump faces an uphill climb with the largely Democratic base of New York, Glenn suddenly admitted that the city wasn’t quite what he expected based on what he’d been fed by conservative media.

In a clip flagged by journalist Jacqueline Sweet, Glenn noted that he and his crew had driven in from Philadelphia on Sunday and spent the day “exploring” New York and came to the stunning realization that the city was fairly peaceful.

“I gotta say, I thought I would see more [of a] homeless situation here,” he said. “I thought I would see a little more chaos on the streets than, um, from what I’ve been told. And I didn’t see as much as I thought I would.”

The MAGA pundit went on to speculate that New York City Mayor Eric Adams may have “cleaned up certain parts of the city” in anticipation of the press coverage Trump’s trial would bring, adding that Adams could have “shifted” undesirable elements to “other parts of the city.”


Senate dismisses Mayorkas impeachment without trial

 https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/4600362-mayorkas-impeachment-dismissed-trial/

The Senate voted Wednesday to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, shutting down the possibility of a lengthy Senate trial, which Republicans had demanded to bring attention to the Biden administration’s record on immigration and border security.

It marked the first time in 225 years the Senate voted to immediately dismiss impeachment charges approved by the House instead of holding a floor trial or referring the matter to a special committee to review it.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Demands Space Lasers To Combat Migrants

 https://www.newsweek.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-demands-space-lasers-migrant-crisis-border-israel-1891563

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling for the development of "space laser technology" at the U.S.-Mexico border.

"Israel has some of the best unmanned defense systems in the world," the controversial Republican congresswoman wrote on X, formerly Twitter, alongside a proposed amendment to legislation.

"I've previously voted to fund space lasers for Israel's defense. America needs to take our national security seriously and deserves the same type of defense for our border that Israel has and proudly uses," she added.

US approves Rafah op. in exchange for no Israeli counterstrikes on Iran - report

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-797675

The US has approved a potential Israeli Rafah operation in exchange for the Jewish state not conducting counterstrikes on Iran, according to a Thursday report from the Qatari newspaper The New Arab.

A senior official told The New Arab that "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to obtain American approval for a military operation in Rafah, in exchange for [Israel] refraining from carrying out a wide military operation against Iran in response to its recent attack."

He claimed that "discourse of an Israeli response to Iran contradicts  the desires of the American administration, and is not realistic, given the Israeli claims that the United States played the major role in repelling the Iranian attack and preventing its success."

Egyptian sources: US agreed to Israel's plan for Rafah operation

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/388699

Egyptian sources told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the US agreed to accept Israel's plan for an operation in Rafah - so long as Israel does not carry out a widescale strike on Iranian soil.

The source said that his country's military is on high alert along the Gaza-Egypt border, in preparation for a potential ground incursion by the IDF into Rafah.

According to the source, Egypt raised its alert level following a lengthy conversation with Israel and the understanding that the IDF is carrying out intensive preparations for a widescale operation in the area.

On Wednesday, ABC News quoted three Israeli sources as saying that Israel prepared for and then aborted retaliatory strikes against Iran on at least two nights this past week.

Moment of Truth on Ukraine and Israel

 https://www.wsj.com/articles/moment-of-truth-on-ukraine-and-israel-war-ammo-aid-package-iran-russia-7ed30288

Iran launched an unprecedented attack against Israel this weekend, with a barrage of missiles and drones. Around the same time, some 1,500 miles north, Russia continued its bombardment of Ukraine, which has intensified dramatically in the last month.

Both Ukraine and Israel defended themselves against these attacks, holding the line and protecting their citizens. And both did it with critical help from the U.S.

Now is not the time to abandon our friends. The House must pass urgent national-security legislation for Ukraine and Israel, as well as desperately needed humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Frum Talk is prohibited?

 Bava Metzia (58b): If a person is overcome by calamity is visited by suffering, afflicted with disease, or has buried his children, one must not speak to him as his companions spoke to Iyov , is not your fear of G d your source of bitachon, And and your hope that you will lack nothing? Please remember that the innocent don’t perish

Ramban (Sales 14:13) If a person was afflicted by illness and suffering or he is forced to bury his children, one should not speak to him in the manner that Iyov 's friends addressed him "Your fear of G-d was for your own security.... Can you recall anyone who was innocent who perished?"

Shulchan Aruch (CM 228:04) If a person was suffering a person may not tell him what Iyov was told by his friends, “is your fear of heaven not your confidence? Do you remember, please, anyone innocent who was destroyed?”

Punishment resulting from circumstantial evidence

 Bava Metzia (83b) R. Eleazar, son of R. Simeon, once met an officer of the Roman Government who had been sent to arrest thieves, How can you detect them? he said Maybe, you take the innocent and allow the guilty to escape? The officer answered, What shall I do? It is the King's command. Said the Rabbi, Let me tell you what to do. Go into a tavern at the fourth hour of the day. If you see a man dozing with a cup of wine in his hand, ask what he is. If he is a learned man, you may assume that he has risen early to pursue his studies; if he is a day labourer he must have been up early to do his work; if his work is of the kind that is done at night, he might have been rolling thin metal. If he is none of these, he is a thief; arrest him. The report of this conversation was brought to the Court, and the order was given: Let the reader of the letter become the messenger. R. Eleazar, son of R. Simeon, was accordingly sent for, and he proceeded to arrest the thieves. Thereupon R. Joshua, son of Karhah, sent word to him, Vinegar, son of wine! How long will you deliver up the people of our God for slaughter! Back came the reply: I weed out thorns from the vineyard. Whereupon R. Joshua retorted: Let the owner of the vineyard God come and weed out the thorns. One day a fuller met him, and dubbed him: Vinegar, son of wine. Said the Rabbi to himself, Since he is so insolent, he is certainly a culprit. So he gave the order to his attendant: ‘Arrest him! Arrest him! When his anger cooled, he went after him in order to secure his release, but did not succeed. Thereupon he applied to, the fuller the verse: Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles. Then they hanged him, and R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon stood under the gallows and wept. Said his disciples to him: ‘Master, do not grieve; for he and his son seduced a betrothed maiden on the Day of Atonement Yet in spite of this, his conscience disquieted him. Thereupon he was given a sleeping draught, taken into a marble chamber, and had his abdomen opened, and basketsful of fat removed from him and placed in the sun during Tammuz and Ab, and yet it did not putrefy

Respect the Rich

 Pele Yoetz (Chanufa): It is in fact proper and fitting to show respect to the wealthy – as we see that Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi and Rabbi Akiva honored the rich (Eiruvin 86a). The reason is that because G-d desires that this man be valued and He therefore has bestowed upon him an abundance of blessings from Above – we are also obligated to honor him. This is especially true for any person who has been the beneficiary of the rich person that he is clearly obligated to honor him. Furthermore the rich person since he has more possessions he is more likely to increase the amount of mitzvos and good deed that he does – compared to the less wealthy and this in turn reverses the spiritual damage done by his sins. Therefore it is appropriate to show him some respect - even if he has done something inappropriate and has deviated slightly from the correct path - and consequently he shouldn't demean the rich man as much as a poor man. 

Beis Din can have Layman as a Judge?

 Shulchan Aruch (CM 3) A Court of Law must consist of not less than three [Judges]1 and every [group of] three [Judges] is called a Court of Law even if they be laymen.2 For it is impossible that there should not be among them [at least] one who has a knowledge of logical inferences in [civil] laws.3 However, if there is not among them [at least] one [who has such knowledge], they are disqualified to judge.4 Nevertheless, they may receive the pleas [of the contesting parties] and forward them to one who is qualified to render legal decisions.5 They may try the defendant6 against his will7 if the latter8 declines to come down before Court,9 or he is not willing to attend the Court with the plaintiff in his10 home town.11 But if he is willing to attend the Court with him12 in his10 home town, only that he is not pleased with the three [Judges] whom the plaintiff has chosen, — then [the law is that] each [litigant] chooses one [Judge and the two Judges together choose a third].13 Gloss: As stated infra § 13. It seems to me [that this applies] only to Judges who are not permanent, but if there are permanent Judges in town he cannot say, 'I will attend Court in their presence only on [the condition that] each [litigant] chooses [one Judge and the two Judges together choose a third]'.14 Thus is the accepted custom in our town. , infra § 22, par. 1 end.


Beit Din and Dayanim

A bet din can’t function with less than 3 judges. These 3 judges can be any 3 people even if they’re not knowledgeable as long as one of them is familiar with the laws of judging.[32]

If none of the judges are knowledgable, the bet din doesn’t function unless they are the communally accepted bet din.[33]

Even though theoretically one expert judge can judge cases without any other judges, nowadays we don’t have an expert judge of that caliber.[34] However, if the one expert judge was accepted by the disputants and the case is simple, he can judge the case, otherwise an individual judge should not judge alone.[35]

The more judges on a bet din the better, though, the judges need to be fit to be judges.[36]


After Iran's attack repelled, Zelensky demands same defense alliance as Israel

 https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjy11zhhla

Israel's alliance with the U.S. helped it defeat missiles and UAVs from Iran, and now Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expects to receive similar assistance against the Russians: 'Israel is not a NATO member, yet they helped save lives, Moscow, like Tehran, spreads terror'

Emboldened Iran Makes Dangerous Gamble on Open Confrontation

 https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/iran-emboldened-israel-confrontation-dd7136b7?mod=hp_lead_pos1

Still, in contrast to previous rounds of escalation, the scale of the attack suggested an attempt to inflict real damage inside Israel, military analysts said, with more than 300 total missiles and drones of various types deployed. It took a complex joint operation with the U.S. and Arab neighbors to down most of the projectiles.

“If they wanted to stage a symbolic strike, why use so many systems? If it’s just symbolic, what does the real strike look like? They can’t launch a thousand missiles at once,” said Fabian Hinz, an expert on Iranian missiles and drones with the International Institute for Strategic Studies. 

Tuesday, April 16, 2024

Is Lonna Kin trying to get an annulment?

GUEST POST: by Shmuel Halevi

After many years of producing many false Seiruvim against Meir Kin, and after her using the Social Media and ORA to condemn Meir, Lonna has appealed to a new Bais Din, “The International Beit Din” of Rabbi Simcha Krauss and Rabbi Ronnie Warburg. This Bais Din was specifically formed for the purpose of issuing annulments. The Frum Orthodox world has never accepted annulments; but only under very rare and exclusive conditions. See: Jewish Week and  Jewish Weekly a letter from the Rogatshover below, strongly condemning annulments.


However a recent Summons to Meir Kin from this Bais Din hints to the upcoming annulment.



After Meir Kin  left her a Get in 2008, see Mishpat Tzedek and Mishpat Tzedek. Lonna still wants to remain obstinate and continue to pretend that she is an Aguna. Meir has remarried with a Heter Mea Rabbonim after years of her prosecuting him in the civil courts and obtaining a Gag-order prohibiting him from divulging certain facts to a Bais Din that would of awarded him custody in a Bais Din. In the next few weeks their son Moshe will be Bar_Mitzva and thanks to Lonna, she had arranged once again in the courts that Meir cannot attend  the Bar Mitzva celebration .  It is after seeing  Lonna for years  maliciously prosecuting Meir in the civil courts, coupled with her muzzling him via the Gag-Order, and refusing to come to Din Torah to dissolve their marriage, did the Bais Din issue a Heter Meah Rabbonim to remarry. Boruch Hashem the new couple seem to be very happy together. While most women after seeing their ex-husbands remarry, end their conflicts and move on, Lonna has refused to do so and instead chooses to pursue  an annulment. Unfortunately ORA has empowered these women to never “NEGOTIATE” a divorce but believe in hard-line arm-twisting, Hamas-style tactics to achieve their goals. Lonna and ORA have even succeeded in getting Meir expelled from Shul. (This in  itself is a future topic for discussion if the Chabad rabbis were justified in doing this to a man who has A Bais Din justifying his position.) 

We have seen these similar social media  tactics play out before, in the Rivky Stein  and Gital Dodelson . see: Youtube   and Youtube    (see the segment at 21:38 minutes where Lonna hints to wanting an annulment.)    One can notice from Rabbi Ronnie Warburg’s letter that   a) his demeanor diminishes any right of Meir in choosing a Bais Din.  Also notice that he doesn’t offer an alternate Bais Din or Zabla option   b)  it shows clear and concise refusal of Lonna to accept his executed GET   c) He declares without ever seeing the GET or hearing testimony from anyone at the GET writing, that it’s a “gerushin al tenai” D) He  clearly acknowledges that A  GET has been prepared on her behalf and if in fact he issues her an annulment despite the GET,  it would be the first time that an orthodox Bais Din would issue an annulment EVEN AFTER LEARNING THAT  A GET HAS BEEN EXECUTED!   

Rabbi Ronnie Warburg, will you be issuing an annulment or another false Seiruv #4 , against a man who responded to your summons? Why would Lonna Kin after issuing Meir 3 false Seiruvim, using strong arm ORA tactics for 10 years with multiple ORA rallies , condemning Meir in the public eye,  suddenly go to a different  Bais Din?

The unfortunate case of Meir and Lonna Kin - the perspective of Meir Kin

The following documents were sent to me by a supporter of Meir Kin - I am willing to publish a similar post from Lonna Kin's perspective. 

THE HIPPOCRISY AND THE LIES FROM THE RABBIS AND ORA  AS WELL AS THE TRUE CREATORS OF AGUNOT :   By Akiva Wasserstein

It is astounding and disgusting how the Rabbis and ORA are knee deep in their corruption as well as their hippocrisy.  Daattorah has covered extensively the fake heter issued to Tamar Friedman to remarry without a Get  by Shmuel Kaminetsky and Nota Greenblatt. Then we see that Aharon Friedman, Tamar’s husband, is still barred from entering shuls in his area despite the fact that she is remarried! Then we have the Bais Din of Rabbi Dovid Feinstein that has ruled that The Kaminetsky heter was erroneous but failed to instruct the couple to separate. They also failed to publish their ruling for public viewing,  after all this can create confusion in the public eye whether a future child is a Mamzer?  Now lets move to a different case where the similar has occurred with Halacha on the mans side but with hippocritical and vicious condemnation of the man. I’m referring to the divorce between Meir and Lonna Kin. Meir has been seeking a Bais Din resolution all along, and Lonna Kin immediately sued him in Divorce court and Family court against halacha! Meir deposited a GET in 2008 at his Bais Din but Lonna has not come to his Bais Din. Meir remarries with a Heter from 100 rabbis and lo and behold the masses came to his own wedding to shame him and his new wife for remarrying with a heter?!

Why is Meir Kin’s Halacha allowed remarriage condemmed, yet  Tamar Friedman s remarriage which was  disallowed  by a Bais Din of the choosing of Kaminetsky and that marriage was accepted without public condemnation?! According to the Torah Tamar has violated a serious Aveira, yet Meir Kin has not?! Why has ORA not organized rallies at Tamar and Adam Fleischer’s home? Why have Tamar and Adam not gotten  kicked out of their local shuls and Aharon Friedman and Meir Kin have? Ladies and gentlemen, this is  A DOUBLE STANDARD, DISTORTION AND CORRUPTION  IN HALOCHO !!!

Now , Lets begin to analyze the Meir/ Lonna Kin case. Most people are ignorant of the facts and do not understand why Lonna Kin has not picked up her Get. The reality is that the Rabbis in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, as well as ORA have essentially “blocked” her from receiving the GET as their continuous aggressive measures against Meir constitutes “kefiya” (coercion)and  according to most poskim, such a GET would be invalidated as active coercion is ongoing. The rabbis and ORA have unsuccessfully ejected him from his local synagogues,  and continue to defame him using the internet and other publications . Rabbi Gestetner, Meir’s Bais Din in Monsey Ny, has repeatedly asked Lonna herself as well as her emissaries who have called him to remove all acts of coercion prior to negotiating an end to this saga. According to Rabbi Gestetner, Halacha dictates that this be a precursor to negotiating delivery of a kosher Get.  Lonna, the Rabbis and Ora have refused to make this first step and therefore 12 years later still have  no Get.  The Rabbis, Lonna Kin, and Ora have essentially assured themselves that Lonna Kin will remain “stuck” so long as the harassment, intimidation and humiliation continues.  How stupid can they be to continue the same strategy for 12 years which yielded no results!   After Meir was expelled from all of las Vegas shuls, the Rabbis and Ora have expended their last bullet and now have no new strategy to end this case. Lonna as well as her 3 daughters have on a ORA website video admitted that their shidduchim have been adversely affected by this  acrimonious divorce.  If Lonna  Kin would stop listening to the bad advice that the rabbis and Ora are giving, and begin to make the necessary steps as outlined by Rabbi Gestetner to remove coercion tactics, then a resolution can be achieved. In the meantime no resolution is possible so long as the rabbis and Ora continue the status quo .  Therefore what we see here is that the very same Rabbis and Ora that shout loud about Agunas,  are in fact the very ones that enable them and prevent the resolution as they seek only methods that empower the feminist women with disregard to a man’s halachic rights.  Until the masses will wake up and stand against these evil Rabbis and Ora , we will see countless women paraded as “Agunot” where in fact they are not Agunot but have statuses as “Moredet”- rebellious women who have violated the Torah on many fronts. Ironically, these women have no right to even receive a GET for their audacious and atrocious crimes committed against their husbands. In the meantime, Meir is happily married while Lonna and her daughters appear stuck in their quest to move on with their life.  In my next article I will explain and cite sources that forbid the expelling of a man from a shul which the rabbis and Ora have been instituting against innocent men.
 ============================================================
From: Shmuel Attal
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2014 5:47 PM
To: israkin@hotmail.com
Subject: Confidential only for Israel kin


Israel

Due to your present situation,
I would just like to clarify that you are not welcome at our Shul until:

You sign a notarized letter that you are willing, and accept to go to a Beit Din ( besides Rabbi Gestetner/Rabbi Abrahams) to discuss the get with your ex wife.

I don't want to be Mebaysh Pene Chavero Berabim, and this is why I did not ask you to leave the Shul last night, but from today if you come either by yourself, or with others, during weekday, Shabbat or Yom Tov, I will have no other choice but to ask you to leave the Shul.

Rabbi Attal
........................................................
From: Chabadofsummerlin
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2014 11:44 PM
To: israel kin
Subject: Confidential - for Isreal Meir Kin

Dear Isreal Meir,

Due to the fact that you have entered a new marriage without giving a universally recognized Get, you are no longer welcome in Chabad ofSummerlin and may not attend. I have heard your side of the story and the unfortunate situations that you endured, yet Torah dictates the necessity of a bringing disputes to a proper Beis Din. Once you resolve this issue with a reputable and recognized Beis Din in both Isreal and the US we will be happy to have you back.

Wishing you Haztloch to overcome your obstacles and do what is proper in the eyes of HaShem and in the eyes of man.

Sincerely ,
Rabbi Yisroel Schanowitz

WHY IS IT FORBIDDEN TO EXPEL A MAN FROM A SHUL :   By Akiva Wasserstein


In Shulchan Oruch Orach Chaim , Siman 153 , Seifim 16-22, it discusses halochot pertaining to davening in a shul. In seif 16, the Shulchan Oruch (SA) rules that even in a shul belonging to a private individual, the owner cannot decide to exclude a particular person. This is mentioned in Orchot Chaim as one of the Cherems(ban) of Rabbeinu Gershom.  Rabbeinu Gershom instituted many bans and this was one of them. You can learn more about Rabbeinu Gershoms bans from the Beer Hagolah on the SA at the end of a section on “Nidui Vecherem” (Yoreh Deah 334).  The Mishna Berura s.k.88 cites the Gemara Gittin which talks about the story of Kamtza Bar Kamtza as a reason why it is forbidden to expel someone from a shul. The expelling of Bar Kamtza led to the destruction of the Bais Hamikdosh.  The Tashbetz IV:7 brings another reason. The Rema rules in accordance with his contemporary, Maharam Padua 85, that the Cherem Rabeinu Gershom can be circumvented by arranging an advance stipulation. Essentially, the owner of the shul can first exclude EVERYBODY and afterwards readmit them on condition. However this ruling would be problematic to the Mishne Berura as how can a stipulation be permitted to be used to humiliate a neighbor? The Tashbetz explains that the reason one may exclude an ENTIRE congregation is that we may assume that the congregation as a whole will manage to find another place to daven, whereas an individual does not have this option if there is no other shul as is in the case of Meir Kin who has just 1 shul in his area.  Therefore we see that the evil rabbis today make up halacha as they go, and choose to expel men from shul as they see fit, disregarding the poskim and Cherem Derabeinu Gershom. They continue to  invent the Torah as they go. The sin of expelling a man not only violated the Cherem Rabbeinu Gershom, but causes these men untold public shame which we know the Gemoro states that a person who shames one in public loses their share in Olom Haba. It is my sincere hope that my articles penetrates the hearts of these rabbis/activists and lend them understanding that not only are they guilty of heinous crimes in the eyes of Hashem, but that their tactics have served no purpose as kicking out Meir Kin and Aharon Friedman have not helped achieve a Get on behalf of Tamar Friedman or Lonna Kin.  Attempting to extort a Get  from a man by violating the Torah is like going to the Mikva while holding a dead insect in your hand.  After the conclusion of the Mendel Epstein debacle, the world can see that these rabbis have been committing fraudulent acts under the “DISGUISE” of helping women receive a GET. The time has come to change gears and approach hilchot Gittin the correct way by using Torah principles and by approaching resolution using Darkei Noam.

TJC Inteview with Lonna Kin - one side of a two sided story

Lawsuit Targeting Jewish Organizations in Agunah Case Dismissed

 https://jewishlink.news/lawsuit-targeting-jewish-organizations-in-agunah-case-dismissed/

In October 2023, Ari Satz sued ORA, its executive director Keshet Starr and The Jewish Link, as well as a Bergenfield rabbi who had been involved with advocating for the get. Ari Satz claimed that the photograph that was printed in ORA’s flyer violated his privacy, and that those who shared the flyer had defamed him and purposely made him appear “disheveled.” The lawsuit sought $30 million in damages.

Ari Satz

 https://www.getora.org/satz

FACTS:

● Ari and Chavi married in 2006 and separated

in 2018.

● Ari has been refusing to give Chavi a get, a

Jewish bill of divorce.

● Without a get, Chavi is unable to remarry and is

left an agunah, chained to a dead marriage.

● Vaad Hadin of New City issued a psak

against Ari, stating that he is a sarvan ladin

(recalcitrant to submit to beis din) and that he is

obligated to give Chavi a get

Vaad Hadin V'Horaah Rabbinical Court of New City

 https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/7309929059139673041/7957025664687320385

OUR HISTORY

Vaad Hadin V’Horaah Bais Din has established a strong reputation for conducting its affairs permeated with the highest levels of the Torah based integrity in all matters of adjudication concerning commercial, communal, and matrimonial conflicts.  Vaad Hadin V’Horaah was founded by Rabbi Avraham Kahan. The Bais Din’s operations originated in Eretz Yisroel and have since moved its prime location to New City, NY. At the present time Rabbi Tzvi Gartner, shlita is the leading Dayan of the Eretz Yisroel branch.

Complaint,Petition: Avraham Kahan v. Allen J. Satz a/k/a Ari Satz

Just received the following email I know nothing about the case

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Hi,


I am being sued by Avi Kahan for posting factual information about his involvement in the divorce industry.


I thought you might be interested to know

https://trellis.law/doc/201235453/complaint


Rabbi Avi Kahan

Rabbi Avi Kahan - Amudim Livestream Sep 17, 2019 from Amudim on Vimeo.

Are the Jews all right? US retailers puzzled as kosher goods gather dust ahead of Passover

 https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryfx9sfl0?utm_source=taboola&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=internal

The reason for the early sales has less to do with retailers aligning with the Jewish faith and more with a case of "mistiming." In the United States, operations are guided by the Gregorian calendar, where most non-Jewish holidays occur on fixed dates that repeat annually. When one holiday ends, grocery stores stock up for the next one on the list. 

For instance, as the unsold Easter chocolate eggs are cleared, matzah arrives on the shelves, regardless of whether it's too early to purchase them or not.

Leap years, like this one, are a concept most retailers have never heard of. Hence, Shani Seidman, the chief marketing officer of Kayco, the largest distributor of kosher food in America, found her phone ringing nonstop. "Supermarkets are calling me, worried and wondering why the products aren't selling,” she says.

Dems roast Trump for appearing to sleep in court

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4595663-trump-appearing-sleep-court-ny-hush-money/

Others on X argued that if Biden appeared to sleep during a similar moment, it would be a major story. Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of the progressive group Indivisible, posted on the social platform X, “you know what this means: it’s time for another round of stories about Biden’s age.”

Additionally, journalist Jemele Hill argued in a post, “Now had this been Biden, it would have been the lead story on every newscast and Fox News would have talked about this for weeks.”

Rachel Maddow, MSNBC Anchors Laugh it Up Over ‘Sleepy’ Trump at Trial

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/rachel-maddow-and-msnbc-anchors-laugh-it-up-over-sleepy-trump-at-trial?ref=home

Following Hayes, MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace commented on how those in right-wing media would react if Monday’s situation were reversed and it was Biden in court.

“The entire crux of the campaign against Joe Biden…is about his feebleness, and Donald Trump fell asleep on the first day of his criminal trial,” she said matter-of-factly. “If the parties were flipped, that would be everywhere.”

Chanifa: Acting differently than what you feel is viewed by Chazal as a serious sin - So why do they require being me'urav im habrios (acting like everyone else) even while your true thoughts and feelings are never revealed?

Ksav Sofer (Bereishis 28:20): If You give me bread to eat and clothes to wear…Medrash Rabba (70:5) explains this verse in various ways. For example “bread” is referring to Torah, while “clothing” is referring to a talis. Meaning that if a person merits Torah he will also merit a talis. See Yafes To'ar which says that the garment referred to here is the rabbinic clothing which had tzitzis in it. In my opinion it is best explained according to Shabbos (114a), “Who is a talmid chachom? One who knows he should always wear his garments right side out. This is in accord with the view of the Chovas HaLevavos (Shaar Prishus 4), “Intelligent people have joy on their face while they mourn in their heart.” That is because those who are intelligent despise the nonsense of this world. Nevertheless it is necessary that they mingle well with others and are not isolated and therefore they have to show a cheerful face to the world and not reveal their inner feelings of mourning. Thus we see a talmid chachom has to appear properly to others but he should not reveal what is truly in his heart. This is actually the intent when Chazal said, “Who is a talmid chachom? One who knows to reverse his clothing i.e., that he should be different and separate from those who are invested in the mundane world and he should keep his heart away from them. Thus his thoughts are not their thoughts and he needs to be able to reverse his garment (exterior) so that it doesn’t reveal what is in his heart before the masses and they should not even be aware that he thinks and feels differently than them – as the Chovas HaLevavos has explained. This is the explanation of the medrash, “When a person merits Torah he merits a talis.” He learns to conceal his true feelings so that others have no idea what is going on in his deepest thoughts – in order that he can participate in human society (me’urav im habrios). G-d in fact helps him that he should not be influenced by them but rather his heart should be completely with G-d and His Torah. This in fact is what Yaakov was asking from G-d, “If You give me bread to eat and clothing to wear.” Bread is referring to Torah. However you must understand that it is impossible to be isolated from other people when you are with them. That is why Yaakov also requested “clothing to wear” as we mentioned before. Perhaps we can use this to explain the words of Hillel (Sukka 53a), “If I am here then everyone is here.” In other words one should not separate himself or act differently in the presence of others. He should not look depressed and bitter so that others avoid him. However when he is by himself he should think “Who am I? What is this worthless life? And when I am by myself what am I truly?” There is much more to discuss on this topic.

Good Chanifa (chanufa) - the basis of personal mental health and a healthy society


update see talmid chachom should conceal his true feelings
Last week Dr. Shulem I were discussing the issue of Psychology and Judaism. The question was raised regarding the mental dynamics that a rabbi and a psychologist have to assess and prescribe changes when a person reports not functioning well.

One of the issues that I have noted is the ignorance of the multiple roles that a healthy and successful Jew lives with. For example Rabbi Yitzchok Berkowitz once discussed the condemnation by Rav Schach of Rabbi Steinzaltz when he described certain Biblical figures as having human motivations. He noted that this was an example of not knowing, "what issues to discuss over chulent at a Shabbos seuda and what should be published in a book." It is not that the issues raised were wrong - but they were brought up in the wrong forum. Of course this is issue applies also to non-Jewish groups also when dealing with a wide range of information.

Another example is the kollel avreich who commented to me that he was in major trouble with his wife. The day before he had had a rough day in kollel. The gemora didn't make sense to him. His chavrusa was in an antagonistic mood and in general the day hadn't worked out. He went home and lamented that fact that "his learning wasn't working out and he felt in a rut." His wife went ballistic and said, "I have been slaving and sacrificing for 20 years so you can learn in kollel and now you tell me you are not getting anything out of it!"

רע"ב על מסכת אבות פרק א משנה ה
 מכאן אמרו חכמים - רבינו הקדוש בסדר המשניות כתבה מדברי חכם זה שאמר ואל תרבה שיחה עם האשה למדו חכמים לומר כל זמן שאדם מרבה שיחה עם האשה גורם רעה לעצמו. מצאתי כתוב כשאדם מספר לאשתו קורותיו כך וכך אירע לי עם פלוני היא מלמדתו לחרחר ריב. כגון קרח שספר לאשתו מה שעשה משה שהניף את הלוים תנופה והביאתו בדברים לידי מחלוקת. א"נ מתוך שהוא מספר לה שחבריו גנוהו וביישוהו אף היא מבזה אותו בלבה וזה גורם רעה לעצמו:


Another example is the man who came to me with a destroyed marriage. It turns out he was very insistent on total honesty. His marriage was destroyed from the beginning when he told his new bride in the yichud room that she was so wonderful - "that she was almost everything he had spent 20 years looking for in a wife."

These examples are indicative that it is important not to present information in many situations without considering the consequences. This spin or modification of presenting the truth is described by our sages as chanifa (translated as hypocrisy or false flattery or saying one thing with your mouth but thinking something different in your heart). Most people think that chanifa is bad. In fact Chazal tell use that it is permitted to say lashon harah about those who are engaged in chanifa. That they lose their olam habah- in fact Rabbeinu Yonah describes 9 examples of chanifa.

But in fact there is good chanifa and bad chanifa. Kesubos (17a) is another example of good chanifa. "The gemoras asks praise should one say before a kallah at the wedding. And Beis Hillel answers that you should say that she is wonderful and kind. Beis Shamai asks , "But what if that is a lie." Beis  Hillel persists and says that this is the way that any normal member of society should react to the choice that another persons makes - whether it is buying a car or chosing a wife." The Sages say we learn from this that a person should always be me'urav im habrios [which seems to be chanifa]. So even though geneivas daas is prohibited, it is in fact required in some situations.

Good chanifa is widely used in education.



Bava Metzia (85a): Rabbi chanced to visit the town of R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon.14 ‘Did that righteous man leave a son?’ he inquired. ‘Yes,’ they replied; ‘and every harlot whose hire is two [zuz], hires him for eight.’15 So he had him brought [before him], ordained him a Rabbi,16 and entrusted him to R. Simeon b. Issi b. Lakonia, his mother's brother [to be educated]. Every day he would say, ‘I am going to my town; to which he [his instructor] replied, ‘They have made you a Sage, spread over you a gold trimmed cloak [at the ceremony of ordination] and designated you "Rabbi", and yet you say, I am going back to my town!’ Said he, ‘I swear that this [my desire] has been abandoned.’ When he became a great [scholar], he went and sat in Rabbi's academy. On hearing his voice, he [Rabbi] observed: ‘This voice is similar to that of R. Eleazar son of R. Simeon.’ ‘He is his son,’ they [his disciples] told him. Thereupon he applied to him the verse, The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.17 [Thus:] ‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life’ — this refers to R. Jose, the son of R. Eleazar, the son of R. Simeon;18 ‘And he that winneth souls is wise’ — to R. Simeon b. Issi b. Lakonia. When he died, he was carried to his father's burial vault, which was encompassed by a snake. ‘O snake, O snake,’ they adjured it, ‘open thy mouth and let the son enter to his father;’ but it would not uncoil for them. Now, the people thought that one was greater than the other,19 but there issued a Heavenly Voice, proclaiming: ‘It is not because one is greater than the other, but because one underwent the suffering of the cave, and the other did not.


Menoras HaMe'or(Chapter 20 Derech Eretz): A person should always mix properly with others. That means rejoicing with those who are celebrating, worrying with those who are upset, and suffering with the sufferers. He should not jest with those who are crying nor cry with those who are jesting. He should not be awake amongst those who are sleeping nor sleep amongst those who are awake. He should not stand amongst those who are sitting not sit amongst those who are standing. The general rule is that a person should not exhibit characteristics that differ from others if his intent is for good and for the sake of heaven. He should be tolerant and forbearing and nullify his will before the will of others.

תולדות יצחק בראשית לז

הספק השלישי, מה הכוונה במה שאמר כי בן זקונים הוא לו, שאם הכוונה שנולד לעת זקנתו, גם כל בניו נולדו לזקוניו, ויששכר וזבולן אינם גדולים מיוסף רק בשנה, וכמו שהקשה הרמב"ן, ואם הכוונה בר חכים הוא ליה, למה אמר "לו", שמי שהוא חכם לכל העולם הוא חכם:

התשובה שרז"ל אמרו לא יהא אדם עומד בין היושבים ולא יושב בין העומדים ולא עצב בין השמחים ולא שמח בין העצבים אלא לעולם תהא דעתו של אדם מעורבת עם הבריות [עי' כתובות יז א, דא"ז ה], לזה אמר שיוסף היה גאה עם הגאים ונער עם הנערים וחכם עם החכמים, וזהו היה רועה את אחיו שהיו גאים היה רועה ומנהיגם ומשתרר עליהם והם אחיו בני לאה, ועם בני בלהה ובני זלפה שהיו עושים מעשה נערות היה נער עמהם ומסלסל בשערו:

וישראל אהב את יוסף מכל בניו כי בן זקונים הוא לו שהיה זקן עמו, וזהו לו שעמו היה חכם:

There are many other examples of good chanifa - and in fact it seems that society can  not function without it. Even G-d is reported to have lied for the sake of Avraham's shalom bayis. A person who doesn't know how and when to be involved in "presentational spin" will not be a successful or healthy member of society. If a person mechanically reports the same facts to his kids as he says to his wife or the same facts to a stranger that he shares with his wife - he is in big trouble.

What we both realized is the bizarre fact that neither of us was aware where the importance and centrality of good chanifa is discussed in the Torah literature or in the psychological literature. Sources would be greatly appreciated.