akuperma

Many people make a career studying children’s stories as well as folklore. When you investigate their origins, there is often much that we would find objectionable. There are Jewish stories for children which pose few shailos.

If you want to use “cleaned up” folk tales to teach Jewish children, you need to explain what the characters are doing from a halachic perspective (Goldilocks is a thief, but as she is a minor she probably isn’t liable, and if the bears and her are all Yidden, then perhaps it is a situation to discuss hachnasas orchim, and note the stories of rabbanim running after thieves to give them tsadakkah).

Neville Chaim Berlin: Christie is constantly criticizing Trump. Scott (and some others), are following the “old rule” attributed to Reagan, “Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.” A Republican who wishes to win in November 2024 must have Trump’s support, and you don’t get that through ad hominem attacks on Trump. Indeed, there are signs of a backlash building against the nastiness of both the MAGA and WOKE camps, suggesting that the way to win the national election is to stick to respectful disagreement with one’s opponent instead of insulting and mocking those one disagrees with.

Christie has no chance of winning. His whole campaign has focused on alienating Trump’s base (the populist base, often called the “deplorables”, who would abstain rather than vote for Christie).

To win, a Republican needs to unite the Republican party and appeal to independents and non-WOKE Democrats. While DeSantis has already alienated the populist wing, both Scott and Haley, both with good Reaganite/Tea Party backgrounds, are avoiding burning bridges to the MAGA wing of the party (though their best chance of winning the nomination is for Trump to drop out and endorse/anoint one of them).

The alternative to negotiations, including concessions, is a policy of telling the Palestinians, and through them the rest of the Arabic and Islamic world, that Israel will make no compromise and there is therefore no reason to even try to negotiate with Israel, and that they are better off concentrating on how they can best destroy Israel, so it is an “all or none, no compromise issue”. Should Israel tell the majority of the Arabs (who have made peace with Israel) that they deceived?

Of course, we can rely on the zechus of the zionists and hope Ha-Shem makes a miracle, but that might prove to be an unwise policy decision.

Israeli policy is to try to gain the support for those Arabs who choose to support Israel in its war against the Palestinians (and their allies, at this point that means the Syrians and the Iranians, with most other Arabs states being neutral). In practice, it means those Arabs who don’t want an “Islamic” state, are good candidates for recruiting. That is why you have found Arabs holding significant positions in Israel government (e.g commander of the Golani, jude of the Supreme Court, etc.–jobs that are closed to hareidim), and that most Arab countries are no longer supporting the Palestinians.

Given that the zionists reject a policy of turning the medinah into a Jewish (i.e. Torah-based, run according to halacha) political entity, which would solve all their problems – it makes sense for them to have “affirmative action” to enlist as many Arab allies as possible.

He has alienated the MAGA crowd and has no hope of getting Trump’s supporters to support him against Biden meaning that even with the nomination, he has no chance of winning. He might have a chance as a third party “Fusion” ticket with a prominent Democratic running mate.

If the Democrats would go back to being the party of the working class, rather than scorning the proletariat as a “basket of deplorables”, you wouldn’t need to ask the question. The elites should be very nervous when asking when the peasants will finally realize that obeying their betters is in their interests (consider what happened in France in the late 18th century, or Russia is the early 20th). A ruling class that believes that it is wise to oppresses the workers will usually come to a bad end. The Democrats should abandon cancel culture and pronouns and trying to impose LGBTQ values on the American working class.

They are both multinational publicly traded corporations that originated in Germany. If you have to describe their “nationality” (a problem with multinational corporations), you could say they are European (referring to the EU, not the continent).

If you want to boycott companies based on World War II, you probably should make all your own products from scratch, and avoid all retailers (remember, we now know that the Allies knew about the holocaust from the “get go” and avoided trying to interfere).

What matters most is what the Bnei Torah do, not the “wealthy and famous” who are rarely if ever Bnei Torah. The Baal ha-Battim in many cases are still recovering from the Holocaust (and from the last few millenia), and want to show off that they “made it” in spite of everything the goyim threw at us. While a Ben Torah has better things to do, and sees our current and probably temporary prosperity has coming from Ha-Shem rather than our own efforts, the perspectives of the Am ha-Haretz are understandable.

I don’t think I have ever deleted a post of yours, or even considered it,  but I was very surprised to see that those harsh stereotypes were written by you.

huju: The “right stuff” refers to the American space program. If Israel decides to launch a non-military program of space exploration, it will probably include Shomer Shabbos crew. The American “right stuff”, which in the 1950s was limited to military pilots which then (and now, for all purposes) did not attempt to reasonably accommodate religious practices, de facto excluded any frum Jews. Almost all military occupations in the United States are not open to frum Yidden. Today, there are opportunities to become astronauts that do not require having been a military pilot, though it is unlikely they could accommodate a frum candidate (or that a frum person could ever qualify as a scientist given the open prejudices against Orthodox Jews in American academia).

Then why do people opposed to “LOBBYISTS, CORPORATIONS, AND INTEREST GROUPS” frequently win elections. How is it that “progressives” (really anti-democratic totalitarians) and “populists” (with a strong authoritarian streak) frequently win elections. The results of elections in many countries show that the anti-elites frequently win. This suggests that those arguing that the government stinks are likely to really be complaining that they were outvoted and they are just sore losers.

The fact is the Palestinians have been the majority group in Eretz Yisrael for over a millenia, long before the arrival of the Zionists (who are persons with Jewish ancestry but who have rejected Torah and Mitsvos). Humash makes it very clear that Ha-Shem’s grant of Eretz Yisrael to the Yidden was based on the Yidden accepting Torah, whereas the Zionists have the policy of “We won’t listen, and we don’t do”. Jews who reject Torah, can not logically avoid the fact they are rejecting the idea of a divine right of Jews to Eretz Yisrael.

One should note that the zionists who took control of the Yishuv after World War I, and went on to drive out the British and take control of the country, were in fact secular Europeans who as a matter of “faith” reject the idea the Ha-Shem has any say in what happens in Eretz Yisrael. The Yidden in Eretz Yisrael would be able to make a much stronger argument against the Palestinians if they evicted the Zionists and sent them back to Europe (or America), and then claim rights to Eretz Yisrael based on Torah, backed up by a state in which the Jews were all Bnei Torah (and a state known for its piety and Torah learning, rather than one known for its military prowess, tech startups and the many things we can’t discuss on YWN but for which Tel Aviv is world-famous). Of course that would deprive the Medinah of the ability to rule over the Palestinians, since a community of Bnei Torah would lack the economic and military means of exercising political control.

Except for a bunch of fanatical Hareidim, most persons of Jewish descent (including most who still keep Torah) support the idea that zionism and being Jewish are interchangeable, so one can hardly blame Wikipedia for confusing the terms. And in truth, the zionists who displaced the Palestinians, were and still are almost all secular Europeans so the statement isn’t all wrong other than confusing “zionism” with “Judaism”.

A “win” in a case against the Federal government, may, but not necessarily, would affect the private sector. Remember that the private sector is only restricted by statutes enacted under the commerce clause – whereas the Federal government is also restricted by Constitutional provisions (such as the First Amendment and the Test Act clause) which do not affect the private sector.

If they decide the case under the Civil Rights Act (enacted under the Commerce clause), holding it applies to the Federal government, the precedent would bind private companies. However if they decide the case based on Constitutional restrictions impose on the Federal government, the precedent only affects Federal (or at least, government) employers.

To clarify, if a private company decided it will discriminate on the basis of political ideology(which is not covered by the Civil Rights Act), they can do so – though the Federal government doing so would violate the First Amendment.

A precedent would not be that significant since the employer (defendant/appellant) is the Federal government, which is not merely subject the the employment discrimination laws, but is also subject to a constitutional prohibition against “religious tests” as a condition of employment.

Because Trump is a LOSER who threatens to create a situation of a radically left-wing, and therefore anti-Semitic and especially anti-frumkeit, government with those who don’t like us controlling the legislature and the executive branch (and soon thereafter the judiciary). Trump is constantly attacking pro-faith conservatives. He is the WOKE’s best home to take over America.

No more than any man you meet is a propertied member of the gentry and thereby deserving the title Mister, Monsieur or Herr. Almost all cultures have courtesy titles (more obvious in England where they still use titles for nobility, but most countries kept the title for respectable commoners even when they abolished fancier titles for nobility). Note that all person can use the title for “respectable commoners” even if they wouldn’t not have qualified (based on property ownership) in the past. To the extent we use “Ha-Rav Ha-Gaon” as a courtesy title for rabbanim is indicative that we still keep the concept of an aristocracy, albeit one based on Torah rather than wealth or military skill.

lakewhut: It isn’t for me to question what Ha-Shem does. Ha-Shem runs the world, I don’t.

The Americans elect their leaders, and the last few are probably responsible for giving the Russians and the Chinese idea they if they say “boo” the US will runaway and give them what they desire. To a certain extent, the responses to the Ukrainian invasion may have convinced them to reconsider.

At my age, it doesn’t really affect me.

Just when Russia (and its Chinese overlord) are getting ready for the big rumble (third of its kind, first in the lifetime of anyone who is not pre-boomer), Putin convinces the two most powerful neutrals in the world to give up neutrality. Sweden and Finland both have “history” with Russia, and there was no rational reason for Russia to want them joining the west. Russia may want its former territories back (e.g. Poland, Finland, the Baltics, and even Alaska) but unless they can convince the US to “stand down” and acquiesce to Russia conquering Europe (possible perhaps with Trump as president, but still unlikely) the Russians have been painting themselves into a corner and even the Chinese won’t be able to save them.

American exceptionalism is dead. All the other superpowers use the legal system to crush the opposition. Why should American be any different. As Obama said, American exceptionalism is bad. If countries like China and Russia through opposition leaders in jail, why should the United States be any different.

The real question is to ask supporters if they are willing to support the judicial reform if the price is the destruction of the Israeli economy and a severe undermining of the the zionist military capacity.

Like it or not, the hilonim (who hate us, much more than they hate the Arabs) are what makes Israel a modern industrialized nation whose technological advantages and strong economy are what make Israel a significant regional power (and whose secular leadership is strongly supported by most Americans of Jewish descent and by the largest political party in the USA).

Only a haredi who is willing to live in an autonomous community within an Islamic state (cf: the late Ottoman Empire) would see any viable alternative to the status quo.

If we had continued doing korbonos, the Christians probably would have done so as well, so it wouldn’t be an issue. When korbonos are resumed, it will mean the Bayis was rebuilt, the medinah closed down for good and a Jewish malchus restored, and we won’t be having any problems from the goyim.

YU and Touro were set up to meet the demands for a frum college.

Given the increase of distance education, it seems there is little need for a frum kid to go to goyish university if they don’t want to (and there are many advantages of going to a goyish university if you are planning to work among goyim).

Do those who don’t trust any framework with the IDF truely support the zionist state. If you believe the the Muslims are a true threat, you should be willing to fight them, and rely on well established heterim to do so. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, you have no halachic objections to army service.

If you would prefer an autonomous frum (Hareidi) kehillah in which Yidden live by their own laws under their own governance and have nothing to do with the goyim and their wars, and see that as preferable to the zionist state, you are ideologically much closer to people such as Jacob De Haan, the Satmarer (the original) and Neturei Karta – and you can clearly claim conscientious objector status

You are confusing many different issues.

First, conscientious objection is refusing to serve in the military on religious or moral grounds, either because you hold a particular war is objectionable, or that all war is objectionable. Medinat Yisrael has been very reluctant to acknowledge the idea of conscientious objection (international law not withstanding) since to do so would be acknowledge the possibility that the zionist war with the Yismaelim is not justified. There are some secular Israelis who have announced they are pacifists, or that the conduct of the Israeli army is objectionable, and they are mildly persecuted. Frum Jews can never claim to be pacifists (halacha is clear on that), and those who object on the grounds that the Israeli government is either totally illegitimate or acting in a de facto halachically unacceptable manner have been exempted on the grounds (sometimes stretched) that they are busy learning Torah (which allows for being “deferred”, rather than “exempted” from army service, as in the case in most western countries, largely since most Christian sects traditionally prohibited clergy from bearing arms or killing people). Under international law, Hareidim who oppose the Medinah (e.g. Satmar and Neturei Karta) are probably conscientious objectors regardless of whether they are learning Torah or working for a living, but as I mentioned above, the Medinah prefers to defer them until they are too old to serve in the army rather than confront the halachic issues raised be recognizing them as conscientious objectors. From a Hareidi halachic perspective, the zionist state have no rights to control Eretz Yisrael, and whenever they kill a Palestinian in support of their goal, they are spilling innocent blood, and if you help them you are guilty of murder (remember that in Jewish tradition there is no defense of “following orders”). One reason the zionists have been reluctant to crack down on Hareidim opposed to the medinah is the fear of the public relations disaster if Jewish asylum seekers show up in foreign countries as refugees from zionist oppression (remember that the goyim supported establishing the medinah in order to be a homeland for Jews they didn’t want, so having Jews seeking refuge abroad when fleeing from the zionists would seriously undermine the medinah).

Refusing to serve in the army because you don’t like the lifestyle is a common complaint in all countries. Frum Jews who support the zionists can ask to be assigned to a “frum” unit. Refusing to serve in the army for political reasons, e.g. you support the zionist movement but not the government’s policies, is NOT conscientious objection, whether it is a secular Jew opposed to Israel becoming a Jewish state, or a religious zionist opposed to policies such as territorial concessions.
It is a political statement, and one that in many countries would be considered treason (and if done by a soldier, mutiny).

One needs to remember that the “judicial reform” is really about the replacement of a secular zionist state, preserved by a judiciary that has been a self-continuing clique since the 1950s, with one reflecting the views of the religious zionists. The elites who have been losing power, like any elite being forced to give up power, will fight tooth and nail (and they do control the economy, the universities and most of the military’s officers).

The bank failed since the Federal Reserve raised interest rates to discourage inflation, which was caused by the decision of the Congresses to spend money without raising taxes (or to be more precise, a view of all Congressmen not to cut funding for programs they favor, and not raises taxes on their supporters, which ends up as a bipartisan consensus to do nothing other than make rude noises when they should be cutting spending and/or raising taxes).

It is highly unlikely that inflation will rise to the level that Israel had in the late 20th century, or Germany during the Weimar Republic period. A crash requires unemployment, and the shortage of workers as current exists (due to low fertility since the mid-20th century among secular Americans) limits the growth of unemployment.

The goyim do have an inclination to assume that the “sky is falling” and we should not let their delusions influence us.