Religious Tolerance- Netziv

 העמק דבר בראשית פרק יב פסוק ב (פרשת לך לך)

ואגדלה שמך. אפי' מי שלא יהיה באמונתו לעבוד את ה' המיוחד, לא יהיה כמו שארי אמונות שונות דכל כת מבזה ומכחיש ומקטין אמונה השניה, אבל לא כן תהיה אמונת אברם, דאפי' מי שלא ירצה לעמוד באמונתו, ידע ויבין כי אמונת אברם לאל עליון גדולה, אלא שטעונה פרישות מתאוה וכדומה שלא הכל נתרצו לכך, וא"כ נתגדל בזה שמו של אברם שזכה לאמונה ועבודת אל עליון:

Netziv (Bereishis 12:02) G-d said to Abraham I will make your name Great - Even among those who don't share your faith in serving G-d, This is not like the various other religions  which every one degrades and insults other religions, The religion of Abraham was different in that he did not attack those who did not accept his religious beliefs but even so they were all aware that Avrahan had a superior religion. In this sense his name was made great in that he had a superior religion in serving G-d

Spot cleaning on Chol Hamoed

 https://dinonline.org/2021/03/25/spot-cleaning-on-chol-hamoed/

What kind of cleaning clothing is permitted on chol hamoed?

1) Spot cleaning by hand with soap if there is dirt/grime? Does one have to take care just to wash that exact area and not any other parts of the garment?

2) What about cleaning the whole garment by hand for smell?

3) What is the difference between children and adults?

Economists Say Inflation, Deficits Will Be Higher Under Trump Than Harris

 https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/economists-say-inflation-deficits-will-be-higher-under-trump-than-harris-0365588e

“Both candidates have policies that are inflationary,” said Dan Hamilton, director of the center for economic research and forecasting at California Lutheran University. But in a change from their July forecast, Hamilton and his colleague Matthew Fienup now see a second Trump term producing faster price increases because of the former president’s tariff plans. “Since July, it became apparent to us that Trump is even more anti-free-trade than Harris,” Hamilton said.

Trump suggests Zelenskyy is to blame for the Russia-Ukraine war

 https://www.politico.com/news/2024/10/17/trump-zelenskyy-biden-russia-ukraine-war-blame-00184173

Donald Trump blamed Russia’s war on Ukraine on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — an escalation of a pattern of sympathetic rhetoric toward the war’s aggressor, Russian President Vladimir Putin.

‘Hezbollah’s best friend’: WSJ editorial slams UNIFIL for focusing energy on Israel, not terrorism

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-824967

Noting that UNIFIL “had one job: Keep armed terrorists out of southern Lebanon,” the editorial board attributed the new expansion of the war to UNIFIL’s failure to fulfil its duty. 

Harris Warned Israel Not to Invade City Where It Just Killed Hamas Chief

 https://www.newsweek.com/yahya-sinwar-rafah-gaza-kamala-harris-1970951

A White House official told Newsweek that the administration had only opposed a large-scale ground invasion.

"We opposed a large-scale invasion with heavy ground fighting in densely populated areas while there were so many civilians sheltering there given the high potential for civilian casualties," the official said in an email.

"Instead, we advised the Israeli government on a different approach, and it worked."

The Ins and Outs of Sukkah Observance Or Attending the Ailing and the Uncomfortable

 https://rabbikaganoff.com/the-ins-and-outs-of-sukkah-observance-or-attending-the-ailing-and-the-uncomfortable/

According to most poskim, illness does not excuse someone from observing a mitzvah unless it is potentially life-threatening (see Shu’t Rashba #238 and Shulchan Aruch Orach Chayim 472:10, based on Nedarim 49b). Moderate illness exempts one only from the mitzvah of sukkah, but not other mitzvos.

Sukka Exemption

 It is a clear halacha that a traveler is exempt

But this is not anyone on a Chol HaMoed trip but rather a serious business trip or other important travel

Rav Moshe even includes a tourist who strongly wants to see certain sites OCiv 72.8

A hospital patient or dialysis patient is also exempt from Sukka

שו"ת אגרות משה אבן העזר חלק ד סימן לב

ח. אם מותר לטייל בחג הסוכות ועי"ז יבטל ממצות סוכה. 

והא דמסתפק כתר"ה לענין מה שכתבתי בח"ג דאו"ח סימן צ"ג דלצאת לטיול ולתענוג בעלמא למקום שלא יהיה סוכה שאסור דל"ד זה להולכי דרכים אפילו לדבר הרשות שפטורין דהוא דוקא כשהוא לצורך שהיה יוצא מביתו אבל מה שהיה הולך מביתו לתענוג בעלמא אינו כלום מה שהיה יוצא מביתו בשביל זה, אם יש בזה חלוק בין א"י לחו"ל ולא כתב כתר"ה טעם לספקו דבלא טעם ודאי אין לחלק, אבל אולי כוונתו לאחד מחו"ל שבא על זמן קצר לא"י שכל טירחא הגדולה והוצאה הגדולה היתה בשביל שרוצה לראות כל א"י ואין לו ע"ז רק ימים מועטין שאולי אצלו הוא צורך ממש לא ענין טיול והנאה בעלמא שלא נפטר בשביל הנאתו יותר לישן בבית ובחוץ מבסוכה דראיית המקומות הוא לו צורך גדול, שלכן לזה מסתבר שמותר אם אינו יכול להיות עוד איזה ימים בשביל הטיול, והוא לאו דוקא א"י שיש אולי גם מצוה בזה אלא אף הנוסע למדינה אחרת שאיכא דברים שרוצין האינשי לראות יהיה רשאי אם לא יוכל להיות שם איזה ימים אחר הסוכות לראות זה. אבל לצאת לטיול ולתענוג היציאה לבד אסור כשלא יוכל לאכול ולישן בסוכה. וכן כשיש לו איזה ימים לטייל אחר הסוכות אינו רשאי אף בא"י לילך לראות במקום שלא יהיה סוכה כדכתבתי. 

Sinwar's death is serious blow to Hamas, but not the end of the war

 Bowen: Sinwar death is serious blow to Hamas, but not end of war (bbc.com)

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's prime minister, praised the soldiers and made clear that however big a victory, it was not the end of the war.

"Today we made clear once again what happens to those who harm us. Today we once again showed the world the victory of good over evil.

"But the war, my dear ones, is not over yet. It is difficult, and it is costing us dearly."

"Great challenges still lie ahead of us. We need endurance, unity, courage, and steadfastness. Together we will fight, and with God's help - together we will win."

Netanyahu and the overwhelming proportion of Israelis who support the war in Gaza needed a victory.

'It Is Bull': Fox News Anchor Calls Out Trump On Live TV Over Hurricane 'Misinformation'

 https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fox-news-neil-cavuto-donald-trump-hurricane-relief_n_6708a56ce4b0f3da645647e9

Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto knocked Donald Trump for being “wrong” in his attempts to push misinformation and lies about the Biden administration’s response to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton on Thursday.

“That kind of misinformation gets out there, and whether it’s perpetrated by a politician or someone you think is someone of note and authority, it is wrong and it is bull and it cannot be tolerated,” Cavuto said.

How Israel found and killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar

 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czj9zzz8xm7o

While Sinwar was not killed during a targeted operation, the IDF said that it had for weeks been operating in areas where intelligence indicated his presence.

In short, Israeli forces had narrowed Sinwar's rough location to the southern city of Rafah, and were slowly moving in to get him.

Sinwar had been on the run for more than a year. He had undoubtedly felt the Israeli pressure growing as other Hamas leaders, such as Mohammad Dief and Ismail Haniyeh, were killed, and as Israel destroyed the infrastructure he had used to prosecute the atrocities of 7 October.

Why you should care about JD Vance's real agenda

Kamala Harris, Joe Biden React to Yahya Sinwar's Killing: 'Good Day'

 https://www.newsweek.com/yahya-sinwar-dead-hamas-leader-israel-biden-harris-1970852

Harris hailed Israel's killing of Sinwar and said that "Hamas is decimated and its leadership is eliminated" during a Thursday campaign speech at a Wisconsin college campus.

"Justice has been served," Harris said. "And the United States, Israel and the entire world are better off as a result. Sinwar was responsible for the killing of thousands of innocent people, including the victims of October 7 and hostages in Gaza. He had American blood on his hands."

She went on: "This moment gives us an opportunity to finally end the war in Gaza. And it must end such that Israel is secure, the hostages are released, the suffering in Gaza ends and the Palestinian people can realize their right to dignity, freedom and self-determination."

Six days of Trump lies about the Hurricane Helene response

 https://edition.cnn.com/2024/10/06/politics/fact-check-trump-helene-response-north-carolina/index.html

While various misinformation about the response has spread widely without Trump’s involvement, the Republican presidential nominee has been one of the country’s leading deceivers on the subject. Over a span of six days, in public comments and social media posts, Trump has used his powerful megaphone to endorse or invent false or unsubstantiated claims.