Why was Yisro needed?

  Or HaChaim(Shemos 18:21I) have given some thought as to the reason why Yitro merited that this whole portion bears his name. While it is true that inasmuch as Yitro paid honour to Moses the servant of G'd, G'd repaid him by honouring him, G'd could have found many other ways of compensating Yitro for his good deeds. Why did the Torah have to create the impression that if it had not been for Yitro a priest from Midian, Moses together with G'd's chosen people would not have known how to administer the Israelites' affairs?  believe the reason for all this is that G'd wanted to show the Jewish people already at that time and for all future generations that there are great and intelligent men to be found amongst the nations of the world. Vitro was an example of an enlightened Gentile who demonstrated this point beyond question. It is to teach us that if G'd chose the Jewish people as His people this is not because they possess superior intellectual qualities. G'd chose the Jewish people as a reward for the loyalty the patriarchs had shown Him and as an act of love towards this people.  Although the Gentiles number more wise men than the Jews G'd still decided to make us His pilot project. This imposes an additional duty on us to praise Him for having chosen us as an act of love.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders draws sharp contrast with Democrats in GOP rebuttal

 https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/07/politics/republican-response-sarah-huckabee-sanders-biden-sotu/index.html

Sanders called Biden “unfit to serve as commander in chief,” said his “weakness puts our nation and the world at risk” and described the political landscape in dire terms. “The dividing line in America is no longer between right or left. The choice is between normal or crazy,” she said.

Republicans Turn Themselves Into Props for Biden

 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/02/08/republicans-props-biden-state-of-the-union-00081774

This time, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene shouted out at least nine times, by the count of a POLITICO reporter in the gallery, that Biden was a liar. No one was surprised — certainly not Biden, who recognized an opportunity when it is delivered gift-wrapped before a nationwide audience.

No One With a Functioning Brain Sees the GOP as the ‘Party of Normal’

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/no-one-with-a-brain-sees-the-gop-as-the-party-of-normal?ref=home

Sanders’ speech seemed to be aimed almost exclusively at those Americans who are already voting Republican or who spend their day watching Fox News. Do most Americans think they are “under attack in a left-wing culture war”? Who outside the conservative fever swamp nods their head at the charge that the Biden administration "has been completely hijacked by the radical left" or that he’s “surrender(ed) his presidency to a woke mob”?

Sanders’ speech captures the Republican Party’s entire political problem in a nutshell—and it has nothing to do with Donald Trump. The GOP simply has no economic or cultural message that appeals to non-Republicans.

All its party members know how to do is preach to the converted. They have no policy agenda, it seems, other than divisive culture war issues or trying to own the libs. They have no economic agenda, no health care plans, and no ideas for easing the burdens on middle-class families.

How to translate?

 baal haturim (Bereishis 32 26) ויגע בכף ירכו לראות אם הוא מלאך כמותו אם היו לו קפיצים שהמלאכים אין להם קפיצים. א''נ לפוסלו מן העבודה לפי שקנה מעשו הבכורה שבהן העבודה: 

According to modern Hebrew he is saying angels don't have springs

Interlocking fingers: Halacha versus Kabbala & Rav Eliashiv does it

 There is a question regarding interlocking ones fingers. According to the halacha it is permitted but Kabbala says not to do it.

http://revach.net/article.php?id=4871

The Aruch HaShulchan brings L'Halacha (OC 91:7) that in times of Za'am or raging tzorus, one should daven with his hands clasped together and his fingers interlocking. However says the Aruch HaShulchan in times of peace you should not do so because it causes Din Shamayim to be brought down on you.

The Piskei Tshuvos (95:5) brings that Arizal was makpid that you should never hold your hands in that manner and it is bad Mazal. Rav Chaim Palagi writes that one should stop his wife or children from doing this, ever, and especially in times of sickness or the Aseres Yimei Tshuva.

The following video shows that Rav Eliashiv does in fact interlock his fingers.

Angels are jealous?

 Avos DeRav Nosson (12:06) Even the Holy Blessed One made peace in the heights, for He did not call ten angels Gabriel, ten angels Michael, ten angels Uriel, and ten angels Raphael, in the way humans do, calling ten people Reuben, ten people Shimon, ten people Levi, and ten people Judah. For if He had done as humans do, when He called one of them, they all would have come, and then become jealous of one another. So instead, He called only one angel Gabriel and one Michael, and when He calls any one of them, that angel comes before Him, and He dispatches the angel wherever He desires. And how do we know that they revere one another, and respect one another, and are humbler than human beings? Because when they open their mouths to sing a song, one of them says to the other: You should begin, for you are greater than I, and then the other one says: No, you should begin, for you are greater than I. This is not the way it is with human beings. Every person says to another: I am greater than you, and the other person responds: No, I am greater than you.

When is it Permitted to Tell a Lie?

 https://outorah.org/p/22794/

There is, for example, a famous argument between the schools of Hillel and Shammai as to what to say about the bride at a wedding.[4] The custom was to say that “The bride is beautiful and graceful.” Members of the school of Shammai, however, were not prepared to say so if, in their eyes, the bride was not beautiful and graceful. For them the supreme value was the Torah’s insistence on truth: “Keep far from falsehood” (Ex. 23: 7).

Telling the Truth ...and When It Is Permissible to Be Less Than Honest

 https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1049008/jewish/Telling-the-Truth-and-When-It-Is-Permissible-to-Be-Less-Than-Honest.htm

One may "change the truth" for reasons of peace.16 We derive this from a conversation between G‑d, Sarah and Abraham in Genesis.17 Sarah said to herself: "After I have withered will I get smooth skin, and my husband is old." When G‑d repeated her comments to Abraham, he said that Sarah had said: "How can I give birth when I am old." As Rashi18 explains, G‑d changed Sarah's words so that Abraham would not realize that Sarah had made a denigrating remark about him.

The head of the Yeshiva shouts: "Chabad is in an educational emergency"

 https://www.bhol.co.il/news/1497848

The head of the Chabad yeshiva in Safed, Gari Wilshansky , in a shocking conversation about the state of education in Hasidism: "We must not try or even think about 'finding out the good ones' as is perhaps accepted in the wider world. This is not the Lubavitch way!". In a rare reference he added: "Hiding traumas and vulnerability is not a method!". 'In the ultra-Orthodox rooms' with part of the transcript of his words

Jim Jordan Showed on His First Day How Unfit He Is To Lead the Judiciary Committee

 https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/02/jim-jordan-first-day-unfit-judiciary-committee.html

Jordan is a classic demagogue. When presented with facts or evidence which plainly debunk his position, he doesn’t concede or even attempt to further inquire into those truths. He instead seems content with pretending as though he was never presented with the truth at all, repeating his talking points incessantly without even acknowledging contradictory facts presented to him. This was seen most recently in an appearance on NBC’s Meet the Press, during which Jordan just flat-out ignored his interlocutor, Chuck Todd. Under his leadership, the committee’s aim to “fix” anything is a false premise, as Jordan has made clear he is out to get President Biden and his administration.

Biggest challenge today

This Shabbos I was in Beis Shemesh for a grandson's bar mitzva. Got to speak with an expert on Chareidi society. What is the biggest challenge?.

It seems psychology has penetrated and caused great damage. Children have been raised by parents who have intervened at the slightest hint of a problem or potential problem. Theses children are now parents and teachers or other positions of authority and don't understand how to deal with life's problems and challenges

Social deficit with Autism

 On Shabbos one of my granddaughters was visiting She is studying teaching social skills to autistic children. I asked what she was currently learning? She replied that the biggest social problem was that they did't know how to lie!

Intermarried Jew seeks advice on Jewish path

I received this letter yesterday and received permission to post it.

Dear Rabbi;

   I came across an older posting on intermarriage, and have yet to find a discussion that addresses my particular case (if indeed one believes there are distinctions).  I grew up in a loving Jewish home, but my parents were rapidly discarding observance as I was growing up.  I had a wonderful Orthodox grandfather z"l who is my inspiration to this day, who passed away when I was 13.  I was tutored by a good Orthodox man in Hebrew and Tanach. I was one of those that after my Bar Mitzvah in Conserv. shul was handed tallis and tefillin (without even a lesson in using them) and waved goodbye.  Along came the 60's and I left home at 17 to join in the Hippie movement.  Before leaving home, many of my cousins were marrying or in relationships with non-Jews, and no one in my family batted an eye (though looking back there was an "oy" and a sigh here and there).  Everyone was trying so hard to accept everything back then (at least where I grew up).  Strangely, no one in all my life (I am 57 now) told me that if I married a non-Jew, my children would not be Jewish, and that that might matter.  

 

  I met a very good woman who saved me from the excesses of the "free" lifestyle; we have been married for 35 years. We have 3 grown children and grandchildren. It is only 6 years since I made a return to Judaism.  It all began with picking up my Grandfather's old siddur and beginning to pray, and I have been wonderfully immersed in Torah ever since. What I never see addressed is that there must be others like me that never were able to make a conscious choice not to intermarry.  I have seen sites where people say you owe it to Judaism to divorce your wife immediately - I don't think so.  this is the woman that made me even begin to act moral enough to be able to approach Torah teachings; who nursed me through open heart surgery and much more. My children are eager to learn Noahide teachings, possibly to go further towards conversion - I can't see where divorce would help Ha-Shem's plan for all of us. And she is a great cook of Jewish foods! 

 

   We began in a Reform Temple together as the only place we could be accepted, but soon even my wife could see the compromises  with real Judaism.  She is a G-d-fearing woman, but isn't going to convert Orthodox just for me.  She loves Judaism, but also respects it enough to know how much is involved.  On the other hand, I haven't been able to expose her to enough Orthodox community so that she could be more inspired.  I consider myself Modern Orthodox in outlook, but Chabad is the only place I would consider beginning to take her, to avoid hurtful situations.  In fact, we are going to the Upshernish ceremony of a very good friend and Rabbi's son this week as a start.  

 

   One in my position cannot help but notice that all our great leaders in Tanach married Gentile women!  I realize this is before our great Sages, but it does make one wonder about some people's open hostility. So I wonder if you might address those of us that were ignorant before intermarrying, and any advice on my Jewish path would be greatly appreciated.

 

  Wishing you a productive and meaningful New Year