Fmr. Trump Press Secretary: I watched him show documents to people at Mar-a-Lago

Trump’s Law-and-Order GOP Sure Seems Confused by How Law and Order Works

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-law-and-order-gop-sure-seems-confused-by-how-law-and-order-works

 As too many conservatives have it, crime is something only bad people do and good people get falsely accused of by crusading haters.

Trump-Appointed Prosecutor Pushes Back on Republicans' Hunter Biden Claims

 https://www.newsweek.com/trump-appointed-prosecutor-pushes-back-republicans-hunter-biden-claims-1810570

"First, the Department of Justice did not retaliate against 'an Internal Revenue Service("IRS") Criminal Supervisory Special Agent and whistleblower, as well as his entire investigative team... for making protected disclosures to Congress,'" Weiss wrote.

He also disputed testimony from Shapley, who previously told the House Ways & Means Committee that U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was not telling the truth when he said Weiss had the authority to file charges against Hunter outside of his jurisdiction in Delaware.

Eliyau was always an angel according to Kabbala

 Ency Judaica According to *Moses b. Shem Tov de Leon, Elijah belongs to the angels who advocated the creation of man (Cordovero, Pardes Rimmonim, 24:14); accordingly, Elijah is an angel who dwelt only temporarily on earth as a human being, before again ascending to heaven. Moses *Cordovero compares Elijah's life with the fate of Enoch (ibid., 24:13), as the two are the only biblical personages who were carried off from earthly life in an extraordinary manner. The further fate of Elijah and Enoch in heaven is imaginatively described by Jewish mystics. While Enoch's body is consumed by fire and he himself is changed into *Metatron , the highest angel, Elijah remains after his ascension in possession of his earthly shape, which is why he can maintain his association with the human world and, when necessary, reappear on earth. Though his body is not made from dust like that of human beings but came from the tree of life, it enables him to carry out God's commands and miracles (ibid.; Zohar, 1:29a; 2:197a; Yalk. R. 27). Therefore, unlike Enoch who is known only as the archangel Metatron, Elijah keeps his name under which he intervenes in the fate of the Jewish people. The *Zohar , like the Talmud, tells of devout men to whom Elijah is supposed to have revealed himself. In the later mystic literature, Elijah's comments on the secrets of the Torah are extremely frequent. Elijah prophesied the births of Isaac *Luria and *Israel b. Eliezer Baal Shem Tov to their parents. He appeared frequently to Israel Baal Shem Tov, and also played an important part in the legends of the ẓaddikim. 

Varieties of hashgocha protis

 Netziv (Shemos 34:10): There are four varieties of hashgocha protis which are derived from two basic modes. There are two types mediated by an angel. 1) The angel is given the job of providing protection while on another mission… However this low level is not common for the Jewish people. 2) A particular angel is given the job to provide protection … In these two cases it is possible to make a request of the angel who was entrusted with the job - as we see happened with Lot. There are also two types involving G-d  directly. Concerning livelihood, G-d  is directly in control just as a father gives to his son. In contrast concerning protection and war - even though G-d  is involved - the actual deeds are carried out by an angel. In cases where G-d  Himself is involved, it is prohibited to make a request of Him. Nevertheless the two issues of livelihood and protection are independent of each other. This split has been from the days of Yehoshua - with livelihood arranged by G-d  and protection provided by an angel… It is also important to know that when an angel is in charge by himself, he has no power to alter nature - unless was part of his mission. On the other hand when G-d  Himself is involved, it can be either in a natural way e.g., the livelihood of Jews in Israel or it can be in a miraculous manner. Also the Jews were promised when they formed a covenant with G-d  that they would not be completely exterminated by another nation…

Aguda's twisted path regarding abuse & calling police

There have been a number of anonymous individuals who have repeatedly insisted - without offering any evidence  - that the Aguda's policy on reporting child abuse is identical with Rav Eliashiv's written teshuva on the matter. For someone who has patience and a strong stomach - I would suggest rereading the posts linked below. 1) Rav Eliashiv deals with the issue of tikun olam as a justification for allowing things such as reporting molesters to the police. He mentions the issue of mandated reporting but then says that he is dealing with the issue of tikun olam. 2) He clearly states that if it is definitely a case of molesting that the police can be called. 3) He says the police can be called if there is raglayim ledavar ( reasonable evidence). The Aguda claims that only a rabbi can determine whether the level of raglayim ledavar exists (Rav Eliashiv does not write that). 4) He does say if there is no raglayim ledavar then the police can not be called. 5) The Aguda claims there is no conflict between having a rabbi decide whether you can go to the police and the requirements of mandated reporting. Rav Eliashiv does not say that and says that if there is justification from tikun olam to call the police one does not need the heter that the king ordered it (mandated reporting) in order to call the police. He indicates based on the Ritva that it is necessary to obey the mandated reporting law if it exists which is also the position of Rav Moshe Feinstein based on BM 83

Rav Eliashiv's position

Rav Eliashiv(Kovetz Teshuvos 3:231): We learn from the Rashba’s words that when action is needed for the well being of society (tikun olam), that the Jewish sages have the ability in every generation to act to preserve the society and to repair breaches – even when there isn’t a specific order from the king. The Ritva (Bava Metzia 83b) has stated that this order of the king is “if the king says to capture certain criminals, even though the government will judge without witnesses and warning [as required by Torah law] and there is no functioning Sanhedrin [as required by Torah law] – it is still permitted since he is acting as the agent of the king. Since it is the law of the land to execute criminals without the testimony of witnesses and warning - as it states [Shmuel 2’ 1:5-16] that Dovid killed the Amalekite ger who had acceded to Shaul’s request to kill him -the agent of the king is like him.”  However according to what has been said, in a matter which is needed for the well being of society

Rav Eliashiv(Kovetz Teshuvos 3:231): It is permitted to notify the government authorities only in the case which it is certain that the accused has been sexually abusing children. Informing the authorities in such a case is clearly something for the well being of the society (tikun olam). … However in a case where there is no proof that this activity is happening but it is merely a conjecture or suspicion, if we permit the calling of the authorities - not only would it not be an improvement (tikun olam) - but it would destroy society. That is because it is possible that allegations are being made solely because of some bitterness the student has against his teacher or because of some unfounded fantasy. As a result of these false allegations the accused will be placed in a situation for which death is better than life – even though he is innocent. Therefore I do not see any justification for calling the authorities in such circumstances.

Rav Eliashiv(Nishmas Avraham 4:208-211): Rav Eliashiv told me that there is in fact no difference in halacha between a teacher who is molesting boys or girls since in both cases we are talking about severe mental damages and danger to the public. He cited the Beis Yosef who cites the Rashba regarding R’ Eliezar ben Rav Shimon (Bava Metzia 83a) who reported thieves to the government… Regarding this Rav Eliashiv said that we learn from this that surely in the case of child abuse which is more severe then theft that it would be permitted to first report it to the principal of the school and if he doesn’t do anything to report the matter to the police even in the Diaspora.

Rav Eliashiv(Nishmas Avraham 4:208-211): Rav Eliashiv told me that it is permitted for a doctor to report the life threatening abuse to the authorities even when there is a possibility [in the Diaspora] that the child will be sent to a non‑Jewish family or institution. However the doctor is then required to the best of his ability to see that the child is transferred to a Jewish family or institution.

2008/09/child-abuse-calling-police-rav-eliashiv.html

2010/02/rav-eliashiv-calling-police-for-theft.html

2008/11/child-abuse-callling-police-harav.html

2009/11/rav-eliashivhis-rabbinic-authority.html

Agudah's Position

/2011/07/aguda-attempts-to-clarify-views-on.html

2012/05/aguda-forced-to-eat-its-words-no.html

2012/05/ny-sun-defends-rabbis-as-police.html

2012/06/da-hynes-aguda-on-collision-course.html

2013/06/missing-boat-consequences-of-rabbinic.html

2010/11/novominsker-rebbe-publicly-discusses.html

2011/08/reporting-abuseat-last-r-zweibel.html

2012/06/saving-kids-lashon-harah-high-price-to.html

2009/06/abuse-calling-police.html

2012/06/pure-torah-law-vs-pragmatic-weeding-out.html

2012/06/rabbi-zwiebel-aguda-child-abuse.html

2012/06/4-views-of-rabbinic-role-in-abuse-cases.html

2011/06/reporting-even-suspected-abuser-to.html

2012/11/r-avi-safranoffensive-article-regarding.html

After taking down Pride flags at request of 2 synagogues, NJ town puts them back up

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/after-taking-down-pride-flags-at-request-of-2-synagogues-nj-town-puts-them-back-up/

For decades, the Orthodox world has struggled with whether and how to accept LGBTQ people. Nearly all modern interpretations of Orthodox law forbid same-sex relations, though recently a number of Orthodox public figures have come out as queer. On the other side of the coin, some of the most prominent anti-LGBTQ voices on the internet, including Chaya Raichik, creator of the social media account Libs of TikTok, are also Orthodox Jews. Raichik is one of the most prominent purveyors of the slur that LGBTQ people seek to “groom” or otherwise harm children.

IDF launches large-scale op. in Jenin, 7 suspected terrorists killed

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-748598

The IDF on Sunday night launched its largest operation in Jenin since the Second Intifada with a series of airstrikes and moving brigade-level forces into the northern West Bank Palestinian city.

GOP’s ‘dereliction of duty’ impeachment argument gets skeptical reviews

 https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/4076596-gops-dereliction-of-duty-impeachment-argument-gets-skeptical-reviews/#:~:text=GOP%27s%20%27dereliction%20of%20duty%27%20impeachment%20argument%20gets%20skeptical%20reviews,-by%20Rebecca%20Beitsch&text=Republicans%20eager%20to%20impeach%20a,of%20“dereliction%20of%20duty.”

“It sounds quasi-official — it has a sort of military ring to it. But it’s not as though high crimes and misdemeanors and dereliction of duty go together. … It’s not traditionally one of the impeachment concepts that you would find in the panoply of presidential mistakes,” said Claire Finkelstein, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania who specializes in national security law and democratic governance. 

Shame Went to Die at Moms for Liberty’s Philadelphia Summi

 https://ca.style.yahoo.com/shame-went-die-moms-liberty-123420653.html

“I’m telling you these people are sick,” former President Donald Trump said, earning laughter from the audience. “Moms for Liberty is no hate group… You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to America.”

Forget Hunter Biden, what about Jared and Ivanka’s grift?

Prosecutor: Malka Leifer faked mental illness to avoid extradition to Australia

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/prosecutor-malka-leifer-faked-mental-illness-to-avoid-extradition-to-australia/

She is convicted of six charges of rape, each carrying up to 25 years in prison. She was convicted of three charges of sexual penetration of a child, each carrying a potential 10-year sentence, and six charges of indecent assault, which also carries a 10-year sentence. She was convicted of three charges of committing an indecent act with a child, which is punishable by 5 years in prison. There are no minimum sentences.

Demons destroyed before sleeping

 Rashi (Bamidbar 23:24) HE LIES NOT DOWN at night on his bed until he consumes and destroys the demons which come to prey upon him. How so? He reads the Shema at his bedside and commends his spirit into the hands of the G-d 

Parental alienation in frum divorces

 https://mishpacha.com/two-part-harmony-2/

“I’m not saying that breaking apart a family is never an option. It happens, it sometimes has to happen, and Hashem Himself gave us the tool for it in the Torah,” Reb Yonasan clarifies. “But even when it comes to divorce, when there’s no other option, there is no reason for parents to lose their human dignity and turn on each other like predators, and there’s no greater damage to a child than one parent alienating the other.”