Russia's top diplomat reacts to peace deal reportedly floated by Trump team

 https://www.foxnews.com/world/russian-foreign-minister-blasts-ukraine-peace-deal-reportedly-floated-trumps-team-not-happy

"We are not happy, of course, with the proposals made by members of the Trump team to postpone Ukraine’s admission to NATO for 20 years and to station British and European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine," the foreign minister said, though that deal has not been announced by any American officials.

IDF downs ballistic missile from Yemen as sirens heard across central Israel

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-downs-ballistic-missile-from-yemen-triggering-sirens-across-central-israel/

Large debris fragment crashes into residential neighborhood in Beit Shemesh; Houthis claim responsibility for seventh nighttime attack in under two weeks

Doctor – heretic expert or frum less expert

Igros Moshe (YD IV #08.01 pg 166)  Is it preferable to use an expert doctor who is a heretic or a frum doctor who is not as excellent a doctor? This question does not need a psak since the Torah permits treatment by doctors, and the Rambam  and most of the Rishonim hold it is even an obligation, so surely one should go to the specialist doctor , even though he is a heretic or even non Jews  who are idolators in our time who are not suspected of killing on purpose, it is necessary to. And it is not appropriate to be concerned that G-d sent his cure through a heretic, because concerning cures we were commanded not to trust in a miracle.as long as it is possible to be cured with medicine that G-d created for the healing of the sick. This expert is more knowledable about the sicknesss and the medicines. However since it happens at times that a doctor errs, it is nessary to also pray to G-d that he won’t err and that he be the agent of cure.  We find in the gemora that our Sages went to non Jewish doctors and heretics who it was certain they would not kill them.  However if the doctor is a missionary then he is prohibited even if there is no other doctor.  In fact most doctors, even non Jews and heretics will simply do their job and not try to missionize and thus there is no need to be concerned with this . However if it is known that if he is a missionary it is prohibited to be cured by them,

Dating for marriage

 Igros Moshe (Y.D. 01:090): A boy and a girl want to get to know each other for the purpose of marriage to determine whether they will like each other. They want to know whether it is permitted to rent two separate bedrooms in one house where the owner and his wife also live. It is clear that if it is known to the owner and his wife that they are not husband and wife – there is reason to be lenient. However if they have  not informed then it is possible that they might mistakenly assumed that they are married and therefore it won’t help that the owner lives there. If the owner doesn’t know that they are not married it would thus be prohibited to rent the separate rooms because the owner is no longer a protection against sin because they are not embarrassed to be alone together and other similar problems. Regarding the issue of whether it is permitted for her to prepare meals for him, it seems that there is no concern that this is prohibited according to all authorities. That is because this is not included in the prohibition of utilizing a woman’s services. This type of service is permitted as is serving as a maid – even if she does it for free. All of this is permitted according to the strict letter of the law – however in actuality it is not worth doing. A person shouldn’t try to be too “smart” in these matters. It is sufficient if she finds favor in his eyes - regarding her appearance, her family and her reputation concerning her religious observance - that he can rely on that to get married with the hope that she was the one designated for him from Heaven. It is not necessary to examine her first. Furthermore this “test” is worthless to determine if she will be a good wife. Rather the Torah tells us to be “tamim” (to have simple trust) with G‑d.

Russia rejects Trump’s Ukraine peace proposals

 https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5059813-russian-minister-rejects-trump-proposals/

“We are not happy, of course, with the proposals made by members of the Trump team to postpone Ukraine’s admission to NATO for 20 years and to station British and European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine,” he said, responding to leaked reports of Trump’s proposals.

Rabbi Freifeld: The Plan to Make Gedolim

Appeals court upholds verdict finding Trump liable for sexually abusing E. Jean Carroll

 https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5059810-federal-appeals-court-panel-upholds-verdict/

A federal appeals court panel on Monday upheld a jury’s verdict finding President-elect Trump liable for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll and ordering him to pay $5 million. 

A three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit concluded Trump did not sufficiently show any claimed errors affected his rights or warranted a new trial.  

A New Approach To Modern Orthodoxy

https://www.academia.edu/15326360/A_New_Approach_To_Modern_Orthodoxy

For some, Modern Orthodoxy is a movement with a problem. It lacks a definitive identity which has caused many of its facets to suffer. Many of its schools are populated with Torah teachers that do not reflect its specific values because the movement does not seem to produce a sufficient body of educators for its institutions. Its adherents are dwindling in numbers as its children and young adults migrate to the left and, even more so, to the right. Its influence in the general Jewish community and in the general Orthodox community is waning; its voice is not heard. The intent of this article is to approach the subject of Modern Orthodoxy and its difficulties from a point of view different than that found in the mainstream literature. I will examine the various definitions of Modern Orthodoxy, summarize what distinguishes it from Chareidi Orthodoxy, note the concerns with its viability and suggest solutions to help the movement continue forward until such time as Hashem sees fit to reveal his Moshiach and return us to our homeland in Israel.

Childbirth – Husband Present

Igros Moshe (YD II #75) Can the husband be present at the childbirth to ensure that things are done properly and to provide encouragement To provide his wife with support, if there is an actual need I don’t see that is is prohibited also if there is no need I don’t see that it is prohibited. However it is prohibited to watch the actual birth of the child since it prohibited to look at the places that she normally covers when she is a Niddah. And looking at her genitals is always prohibited even when she is not a Niddah. Therefore if he is careful to avoid looking at that which is prohibited it is not prohibited.  It is also prohibited to watch using a mirror. To lift a heavy object together with his wife when she is Niddah or to push the bed together or any other heavy object. Even though there is no clear proof it is best to be strict and not do it.  The gemora only mentions unloading or loading a donkey. because of concern the impure person might lean on the pure person so this might apply also to a Niddah

Ben or Bas Niddah - Marriage

Igros Moshe (E.H. 4:14) Avoiding marrying a woman over concerns that she is a bas nida as her parents are not observant Jews, even though she is modest and a good person is G-d fearing and loves Torah,. The Rambam (Issurei biah 15) and Shulchan Aruch (E.H. 4:13) state that the child of a nida is blemished but is not a mamzer. All the commentaries state that the child is fit to marry even a cohen but the problem is he is blemished and therefore best to avoid.  Therefore the question is whether to avoid marrying them because of this blemish? In particular this woman even though she is modest and a good person and refined and apparently has overcome the spiritual damage - that perhaps her chidren  will be bad. However it is also possible that the mother was not actually a nida because she mght have gone swimming in a lake - and even a bathing suit does not prevent her from becoming purified. Furthermore our Sages (Kallah) Rambam and Shulchan Aruch described the blemish of ben nida as being bad personality traits such as brazzeness. And even though we have authorities that a mamzer is a brazen person, we don’t rely on that to say that if the person is not brazen  he can’t be a mamzer The Nachlas Yakov said that this just means if a person is brazen he should be suspected of being a mamzer and needs investigation. However since a ben nida is not prohibited to marry either by the Torah or rabbis it is possible to rely on the existence or absence of bad personality traits to determine whether she is a bas nida,and in this case with her good midos to assume she is not a bas nida and that the mother must have gone swinming in a body of water simiar to a mikve. Similary the son of sinners who is modest and refined can be assumed not to be a ben nida. 

Common Sense medicine vs Evidence Based Medicine

 It was asserted recently that common sense needs to be used in medical decisions. There is a long list of common sense leading to major problems 

Bypass surgery, lobotomies hormone replacement therapies knee surgery, Prostate cancer screening etc etc

all of which were popular but no are longer done on a regular basis as in the past

Musk calls some MAGA supporters ‘contemptible fools’ as visa row intensifies

 https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5058355-elon-musk-visa-debate/

The tech mogul, who dropped at least $250 million backing Trump’s second White House run, then clarified that “the ‘contemptible fools’ I’m referring to are those in the Republican Party who are hateful, unrepentant racists. They will absolutely be the downfall of the Republican Party if they are not removed.”

Cracks appear in Maga world over foreign worker visas

 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyv7gxp02yo

Supporters of President-elect Donald Trump clashed online over a visa programme intended to bring skilled workers to the US - showing possible cracks in the upcoming administration.

Out: Trump’s campaign promises. In: War with Panama and Denmark?

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/12/27/trump-backtracking-campaign-promises/

Trump’s demanding routine of rhetorical reverse-lunges has worried MAGA hard-liners, particularly when it comes to his signature promise to carry out “the largest deportation operation” in U.S. history. “Trump Allies Fear Watered Down Deportation Efforts,” announced the Wall Street Journal. These allies are apparently shocked to discover that Trump does not always keep his word. They must have fallen for his “we will never back down” rallying cry as he closed his campaign speeches.