A guest post by TikunOlam
Sent to me by email (I am guessing the email orginated with a Republican friend):
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all tencomes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, itwould go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1The sixth would pay $3
The seventh would pay $7
The eighth would pay $12
The ninth would pay $18
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.
So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar everyday and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, theowner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers', hesaid, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20.' Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.
The group still wanted to paytheir bill the way we pay our taxes so:
The first four men wereunaffected. They would still drink for free.
But what about the other six men - the paying customers, how could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% savings).
The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% savings).
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings)!
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).
Each of the six was better off than before and the first four continued to drink for free.
Once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.
'I only got a dollar out of the $20', declared the sixth man.
He pointed to the tenth man,' but he got $10!' '
Yeah, that's right', exclaimed the fifth man. 'I only saved a dollar,too. It's unfair he got ten times more than I!
''That's true!' shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!'
'Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!'
The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.
The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine satdown and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money among all of them for even half of the bill! And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how ourtax system works.
The people who pay the highest taxes get the mostbenefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they mightstart drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.
In the email this was attributed to David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D. Professor of Economics, University of Georgia, however, according to Snopes, he was not the author.
Search for more information about taxing the rich at 4torah.com.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Elevator Story
A guest post by E-Fink
In addition to my work as the Rabbi at Pacific Jewish Center at the Shul on the Beach I am also a Law Student at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. I am part of the evening program and completed my first year of evening classes in May.
In December I was subjected to mid-terms in each of my courses. Many Law School exams are long fact patterns that require the student to analyze the facts and apply all the law that is relevant to the facts and then argue why the law should or should not apply to those facts. Usually these fact patterns are fiction.
My torts professor gave us a very interesting fact pattern. The basics of the case were as follows: two young boys named Israel and Jacob enter an elevator on their way to school. Along the way the elevator malfunctioned and the boys were suspended between the 10th and 11th floor. The doors malfunctioned as well and opened. The younger boy, Jacob, age 5, tried to jump from the stuck elevator to the 10th floor below, but did not "stick the landing". Unfortunately, he stumbled off the 10th floor and plummeted 10 stories down the elevator shaft to his death.
Israel was eventually rescued.
There were many more legally operative facts in the fact pattern and our professor wanted us to analyze the claims against the building landlord, owner and elevator maintenance company. It was a pretty shocking case for all of us.
When we returned to school after the break our professor told us that the fact pattern was basically a true story with some of the facts changed to make a clearer essay. Immediately I "googled" "Jacob Israel Elevator". I found the original NY Times article with the tragic story.
Yesterday the Times had another article on the ongoing litigation. Apparently, the defense wants young Israel, who is 10 and traumatized to testify. This is horrible as any memories of the tragedy could alter his psychological well being tremendously. The case is being litigated as you read this.
I told this entire saga to two people I know. They are both very caring and sensitive people. They both had the same reaction and that reaction is what prompted this post.
When I told the story over, both people had serious looks on their faces and clearly empathized with the poor child.
Then I told them, by the way, the little boys were Chasidish children from Williamsburg.
They both had the same second reaction. Their jaws dropped and they exclaimed Oy! That's terrible! --a much emphatic reaction from before they knew the boys' ethnicity.
At first I was disturbed. Do we care more about some poor Chasidish kids from Williamsburg than anyone else? Is this tragedy worse to us because they are Jewish?
Is this a good attitude? Could this bother non-Jews and provoke anti-semitism?
Or, perhaps it is normal for us to care more about our Jewish brethren. Maybe, we should feel more compassion for our fellow Jews. After all, it is a rule of Jewish law that we are responsible for one another.
This has been gnawing at me for a little while now. Should we care more about a Jewish tragedy than a non-Jewish tragedy?
Even if we are allowed to care more about a Jewish tragedy should we try and mask our feelings to be more politically correct?
Aren't we outraged when non-Jews do not care about Jewish tragedy as much as non-Jewish tragedy?
In addition to my work as the Rabbi at Pacific Jewish Center at the Shul on the Beach I am also a Law Student at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. I am part of the evening program and completed my first year of evening classes in May.
In December I was subjected to mid-terms in each of my courses. Many Law School exams are long fact patterns that require the student to analyze the facts and apply all the law that is relevant to the facts and then argue why the law should or should not apply to those facts. Usually these fact patterns are fiction.
My torts professor gave us a very interesting fact pattern. The basics of the case were as follows: two young boys named Israel and Jacob enter an elevator on their way to school. Along the way the elevator malfunctioned and the boys were suspended between the 10th and 11th floor. The doors malfunctioned as well and opened. The younger boy, Jacob, age 5, tried to jump from the stuck elevator to the 10th floor below, but did not "stick the landing". Unfortunately, he stumbled off the 10th floor and plummeted 10 stories down the elevator shaft to his death.
Israel was eventually rescued.
There were many more legally operative facts in the fact pattern and our professor wanted us to analyze the claims against the building landlord, owner and elevator maintenance company. It was a pretty shocking case for all of us.
When we returned to school after the break our professor told us that the fact pattern was basically a true story with some of the facts changed to make a clearer essay. Immediately I "googled" "Jacob Israel Elevator". I found the original NY Times article with the tragic story.
Yesterday the Times had another article on the ongoing litigation. Apparently, the defense wants young Israel, who is 10 and traumatized to testify. This is horrible as any memories of the tragedy could alter his psychological well being tremendously. The case is being litigated as you read this.
I told this entire saga to two people I know. They are both very caring and sensitive people. They both had the same reaction and that reaction is what prompted this post.
When I told the story over, both people had serious looks on their faces and clearly empathized with the poor child.
Then I told them, by the way, the little boys were Chasidish children from Williamsburg.
They both had the same second reaction. Their jaws dropped and they exclaimed Oy! That's terrible! --a much emphatic reaction from before they knew the boys' ethnicity.
At first I was disturbed. Do we care more about some poor Chasidish kids from Williamsburg than anyone else? Is this tragedy worse to us because they are Jewish?
Is this a good attitude? Could this bother non-Jews and provoke anti-semitism?
Or, perhaps it is normal for us to care more about our Jewish brethren. Maybe, we should feel more compassion for our fellow Jews. After all, it is a rule of Jewish law that we are responsible for one another.
This has been gnawing at me for a little while now. Should we care more about a Jewish tragedy than a non-Jewish tragedy?
Even if we are allowed to care more about a Jewish tragedy should we try and mask our feelings to be more politically correct?
Aren't we outraged when non-Jews do not care about Jewish tragedy as much as non-Jewish tragedy?
Mamzerut
A guest post by TikunOlam
A friend of mine is a writer with an interesting idea for a novel. She is interested in finding out more about the concept of "mamzer" and what halachot apply in the cases of "mamzerut." She is thinking about writing about a baalat teshuvah to OJ who is engaged to be married. The protagonist finds out that her grandparent was a mamzer and becomes concerned about her status and how it may affect whether or not she can marry her fiance.
I know nothing about this subject other than what I just looked at on Wiki. Can you educate my friend and me on this subject? Ideas for the plot line are also more than welcome.
Search for more information about Mamzerut at 4torah.com.
A friend of mine is a writer with an interesting idea for a novel. She is interested in finding out more about the concept of "mamzer" and what halachot apply in the cases of "mamzerut." She is thinking about writing about a baalat teshuvah to OJ who is engaged to be married. The protagonist finds out that her grandparent was a mamzer and becomes concerned about her status and how it may affect whether or not she can marry her fiance.
I know nothing about this subject other than what I just looked at on Wiki. Can you educate my friend and me on this subject? Ideas for the plot line are also more than welcome.
Search for more information about Mamzerut at 4torah.com.
Monday, June 15, 2009
He opened some minds in the Muslim world
Joe Leiberman, who opposed Obama's candidacy for president and is no fan of Democratic foreign policy, believes the Cairo speech, "opened some minds in the Muslim world."
Watch it:
This is why RW nitpicks and complaints about the speech miss the point. Obama wasn't speaking to RW Jews, or trying to to win their love and support. If he was, he'd have given a different speech.
The point of the Cairo speech, as Joe observed, was to open minds in the Islamic world, specifically among the close to 1 billion Muslims who may (or may not) hate America and Israel but won't ever get violent about it. The goal of the speech, and the reconciliation work behind it, is to marginalize the violent minority, and to show the majority that organizations like Hamas are dangerous to Muslim aspirations and unworthy of respect and support. One friend of a friend succinctly put it like this: the president's goal is to turn Hamas into Neturei Karta. I think he's right.
Search for more information about Neturei Karta at 4torah.com.
Watch it:
This is why RW nitpicks and complaints about the speech miss the point. Obama wasn't speaking to RW Jews, or trying to to win their love and support. If he was, he'd have given a different speech.
The point of the Cairo speech, as Joe observed, was to open minds in the Islamic world, specifically among the close to 1 billion Muslims who may (or may not) hate America and Israel but won't ever get violent about it. The goal of the speech, and the reconciliation work behind it, is to marginalize the violent minority, and to show the majority that organizations like Hamas are dangerous to Muslim aspirations and unworthy of respect and support. One friend of a friend succinctly put it like this: the president's goal is to turn Hamas into Neturei Karta. I think he's right.
Search for more information about Neturei Karta at 4torah.com.
Chaplain...You're NO Rav Aryeh Levin
By the Bray of Fundie
(edited)
I am trying to make some sense of the latest scandal to hit Kharedi Jewry. While I have no illusions that Rabbi Leib Glanz was not shmeared at some point, perhaps quite handsomely, I speculate that this was not what he first set out to do. As the old saw goes "Many a young man went to Washington to do good but ended up merely doing well."
I surmise that Rabbi Glanz is a lev tov "ah gooter" but an intellectual lightweight. And like many mekhankhim mired in middle school today who set out on their long circuitous journeys through Bais Medrash and Kollel with dreams of becoming superb, influential Roshei Yeshiva, true molders of young men, I'd imagine that the young Leib Glanz first entered the NYC Corrections System with visions of the sainted Rav Aryeh Levin dancing in his head. "What a Tzadik. Helping Yidden when they're down. I think that I can do that too! What could be a greater Mitzvah? It's no kunst to extend khesed to the suffering innocent. But to the suffering guilty and obnoxious? That takes REAL ahavas Yisrael".
Well let me tell you...you're no Rav Aryeh Levine! First you can hardly compare the prisoners being ministered to. Those prisoners Rav Aryeh first dealt with who were incarcerated in the Russian Compound were political prisoners of the British Mandate i.e. freedom fighters for Israel as well as societal criminals. True, after the State was established and the political prisoners were freed, he remained at the prison, serving the murderers, thieves, etc. Yet I hold that Hiskatnu Hadoros applies even to criminals and that the denizens of "The Tombs" weren't put there on charges of habitually missing z'man Krias Shema.
Next Rav Aryeh influenced l'toiv through his radiant and noble personality not through delivering goodies and favors. Loving someone != enabling someone, and from all the reports it seems that Rabbi Glanz traipsed down a hellbent path paved with good intentions that was riddled with many instances of enabling those very middos and behaviors that got the prisoners incarcerated in the first place and that MAY have even been transgressions of lifnei eeveir. Rav Aryeh had a big head governing his big heart. I doubt that the same could be said of this sad chaplain.
The fallout, much unlike that of Rav Aryeh ZY"A is khilul HaShem, increased anti-Semitism and rougher conditions for those Rabbi Glanz sought to help in the first place.
Search for more information about Jewish Prison Chaplains at 4torah.com.
(edited)
I am trying to make some sense of the latest scandal to hit Kharedi Jewry. While I have no illusions that Rabbi Leib Glanz was not shmeared at some point, perhaps quite handsomely, I speculate that this was not what he first set out to do. As the old saw goes "Many a young man went to Washington to do good but ended up merely doing well."
I surmise that Rabbi Glanz is a lev tov "ah gooter" but an intellectual lightweight. And like many mekhankhim mired in middle school today who set out on their long circuitous journeys through Bais Medrash and Kollel with dreams of becoming superb, influential Roshei Yeshiva, true molders of young men, I'd imagine that the young Leib Glanz first entered the NYC Corrections System with visions of the sainted Rav Aryeh Levin dancing in his head. "What a Tzadik. Helping Yidden when they're down. I think that I can do that too! What could be a greater Mitzvah? It's no kunst to extend khesed to the suffering innocent. But to the suffering guilty and obnoxious? That takes REAL ahavas Yisrael".
Well let me tell you...you're no Rav Aryeh Levine! First you can hardly compare the prisoners being ministered to. Those prisoners Rav Aryeh first dealt with who were incarcerated in the Russian Compound were political prisoners of the British Mandate i.e. freedom fighters for Israel as well as societal criminals. True, after the State was established and the political prisoners were freed, he remained at the prison, serving the murderers, thieves, etc. Yet I hold that Hiskatnu Hadoros applies even to criminals and that the denizens of "The Tombs" weren't put there on charges of habitually missing z'man Krias Shema.
Next Rav Aryeh influenced l'toiv through his radiant and noble personality not through delivering goodies and favors. Loving someone != enabling someone, and from all the reports it seems that Rabbi Glanz traipsed down a hellbent path paved with good intentions that was riddled with many instances of enabling those very middos and behaviors that got the prisoners incarcerated in the first place and that MAY have even been transgressions of lifnei eeveir. Rav Aryeh had a big head governing his big heart. I doubt that the same could be said of this sad chaplain.
The fallout, much unlike that of Rav Aryeh ZY"A is khilul HaShem, increased anti-Semitism and rougher conditions for those Rabbi Glanz sought to help in the first place.
Search for more information about Jewish Prison Chaplains at 4torah.com.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
What does Obama want to do?
I keep hearing from someone who isn't a fool, and often appears knowledgeable, yet keeps claiming Obama wants to recognize Hamas, uproot settlements, and divide Jerusalem. Part of me thinks he saying this only to bother me, because nothing I've seen backs up these claims, but maybe I'm wrong? If anyone has sources to support what my friend says please provide.
Search for more information about Obama at 4torah.com.
Search for more information about Obama at 4torah.com.
Netanyahu's big important speech
- Netanyahu's speech prompts anger from Palestinians, praise from the White House
- Netanyahu's speech: Yes to road map, no to settlement freeze
- Netanyahu speech 'an important step forward': White House
- Policy shift as Netanyahu backs two-state solution
I don't have much yet to say about the big Bibi speech aside from that its mighty, mighty odd that me, the White House AND the staunchest, craziest RW Zionist I know all think it was a good speech.
Here are (some of) my real time reactions, as posted on Twitter [all sic]
i hope bibi makes it clear that Obama doesnt despise Israel. (not that my omnicient rw blogging friends would bellieve him anyway)
I dont know why Obama needs to be *more* proIsrael than Bush was in order to win love from those who said Bush was Israels BF ever
Can we drink every time #netanyahu says "ribono shel olam"
I note the anti Israel Jew hating liberal humanist secular baby eating media isnt carring the netanyahu speech in the usa
I take it back FOX the only torah true station has it live.
Breaking!!!!! Netanyahu just said he agrees with Obama plan (per translator)
Netanyahi says he and Obama are in agreement! Wow
FOX now discussing the speech... their pundits seem stunned
Is Bibi embracing the two state solution? Boruch hashem Boruch hashem.
what will it take to make RW Zionists see that Obama is not out to get them?
so the biggest and most obnoxious rw zionist I know lso liked the bibi speech. hmm which one of us heard it wrong?
Friday, June 12, 2009
Moshe's Ethiopian Wife
The verse: Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Ethiopian wife, for he had married an Ethiopian woman.
Rashi: Tziporah wasn't really Ethiopian. Miriam and Aaron were just speaking in code. What they meant was that she was like, totally, beautiful.
Rashbam: Moshe took an Ethiopian wife during his long exile from Egypt, prior to the encounter with the burning bush:
Ibn Ezra: Tziporah wasn't Ethiopian, but Miriam and Aaron were not speaking in code. Euphemistically, they were saying that she was ugly, and that Moshe had therefore separated from her.
Related
What my kids said
What mephorshim say
What Josephus said
Search for more information about the Isha Cushis at 4torah.com.
Rashi: Tziporah wasn't really Ethiopian. Miriam and Aaron were just speaking in code. What they meant was that she was like, totally, beautiful.
Rashbam: Moshe took an Ethiopian wife during his long exile from Egypt, prior to the encounter with the burning bush:
Ibn Ezra: Tziporah wasn't Ethiopian, but Miriam and Aaron were not speaking in code. Euphemistically, they were saying that she was ugly, and that Moshe had therefore separated from her.
Related
What my kids said
What mephorshim say
What Josephus said
Search for more information about the Isha Cushis at 4torah.com.
In which a liberal zombie enthralled by the magic charisma of The One breaks free
I realize that criticizing a sitting president at a time of war might get me water boarded, but let's roll the dice: I'm disappointed today with Barak Obama. Why? When it comes to gay rights, he's just as bad as Bush was.
Doing the brothers proud
Has a memo gone around announcing that Judaism will no longer accept influences from adjacent cultures? I ask because CorssCurrent's chief hip-hop correspondent says its improper for Yeshiva students to emulate urban dance styles, though he put it less delicately:
Frankly, the movements would have done the ‘bros’ in the ‘hood’ proud.
Ah yes, the ‘bros’ in the ‘hood'. Does anyone other than elderly white people feinting at relevancy still use that phrase? And why is is ok for Carlebach to speak of his "holy brothers" but still a source of Jewish bemusement that black people once used similar language? I still cringe at the memory of a seventh grade rebbe who thought it was hysterical to substitute a faux black ghetto accent for his natural Jewish ghetto accent and speak of "the brothers."
Anyway, along with making the racist suggestion that black people especially value dancing (done proud) Cross Currents is being stupid. Dance styles deemed kosher, like the tedious and ubiquitous circle dance, also are borrowed. Its not hard to imagine that 100 years ago, someone kvetched about how the young yeshiva boys were using movements that, frankly, would have done the local gypsies in the 'hood' proud.
(E_Fink wants me to mention that the rest of the article was good. He's right.)
Frankly, the movements would have done the ‘bros’ in the ‘hood’ proud.
Ah yes, the ‘bros’ in the ‘hood'. Does anyone other than elderly white people feinting at relevancy still use that phrase? And why is is ok for Carlebach to speak of his "holy brothers" but still a source of Jewish bemusement that black people once used similar language? I still cringe at the memory of a seventh grade rebbe who thought it was hysterical to substitute a faux black ghetto accent for his natural Jewish ghetto accent and speak of "the brothers."
Anyway, along with making the racist suggestion that black people especially value dancing (done proud) Cross Currents is being stupid. Dance styles deemed kosher, like the tedious and ubiquitous circle dance, also are borrowed. Its not hard to imagine that 100 years ago, someone kvetched about how the young yeshiva boys were using movements that, frankly, would have done the local gypsies in the 'hood' proud.
(E_Fink wants me to mention that the rest of the article was good. He's right.)
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Comment of the day (Obama's policies have not been radical)
HaloScan.com - Comments: "Obama's policies have not been radical. On foreign policy his approach is only marginally different from the approach of Bush 2007-2008. Many of Obama's domestic policies are the same or similar to Bush's. Many others differ, but tend to take a mainstream Democratic approach.
It is true that many people have the perception that Obama is America's and Israel's worst nightmare. And the blame for this lies squarely on the mainstream right wing media outlets (i.e. Fox News, Rush Limbaugh), which are constantly provoking anger, resentment, and hate by repeating and fabricating lies and distortions about Obama and his policies.
For a substantial amount of evidence for this, check Media Matters. Media Matters is a partisan source, but they tend to support their claims with evidence."
avian30 Email 06.11.09 - 4:22 pm #
Search for more information about the Truth at 4torah.com.
It is true that many people have the perception that Obama is America's and Israel's worst nightmare. And the blame for this lies squarely on the mainstream right wing media outlets (i.e. Fox News, Rush Limbaugh), which are constantly provoking anger, resentment, and hate by repeating and fabricating lies and distortions about Obama and his policies.
For a substantial amount of evidence for this, check Media Matters. Media Matters is a partisan source, but they tend to support their claims with evidence."
avian30 Email 06.11.09 - 4:22 pm #
Search for more information about the Truth at 4torah.com.
Egg on HIS face
David Limbaugh
I know I'm naive, but the only violent right-wing extremist groups I've ever seen are those played in Hollywood by uninformed, whacked-out leftist actors. I've always wondered where all these Hitler throwbacks live. I've also never seen any of their recruiting signs posted at the local supermarket trolling for right-wing nut jobs prone to "Clockwork Orange" ultra-violence.
Oopsie.
HT @jilevin
I know I'm naive, but the only violent right-wing extremist groups I've ever seen are those played in Hollywood by uninformed, whacked-out leftist actors. I've always wondered where all these Hitler throwbacks live. I've also never seen any of their recruiting signs posted at the local supermarket trolling for right-wing nut jobs prone to "Clockwork Orange" ultra-violence.
Oopsie.
HT @jilevin
ברוך אתה ה'...מתיר אסורים
by the Bray of Fundie
Click.
Truth is REALLY stranger than fiction. My only question is how many hands had to be shmeared before the jailbird could celebrate a simkha b'meono ?
Search for more information about Jewsih Convicts at 4torah.com.
Click.
Truth is REALLY stranger than fiction. My only question is how many hands had to be shmeared before the jailbird could celebrate a simkha b'meono ?
Search for more information about Jewsih Convicts at 4torah.com.
Overreaching and Understating
by The Bray of Fundie
Yesterday I managed the neat trick of overreaching and understating in the same post. I'd like to correct both of my errors/sins/ crimes against humanity.
In that post I maintained that receiving an Orthodox Jewish Day School education WOULD have prevented a girl like Laura Miller from converting to Islam. DovBear provided ample historical examples of Jews steeped in Torah education and culture who had, nonetheless, converted to other faiths. IMO many of his example were "apples and oranges" comparisons and, to borrow a page from his book, products of the times and places in which those apostates lived. As such they were utterly irrelevant to the discussion of a non-affiliated twenty-something Jewess in 21st century USA. Still, I must admit that I overreached.
Let me restate and revise my position; receiving an Orthodox Jewish Day School education MIGHT have prevented a girl like Laura Miller from converting to Islam. IMO it WOULD have greatly reduced the chances of such a conversion occurring.
I also overreached when I dismissed the capacity of non-Orthodox Jewish education to prevent conversion. If nothing else it would have given Laura some identification with the Holocaust and the State of Israel and some visceral fear and loathing for all things Arabs and Islam. At the very least she would probably have developed her fathers sensibility that such a conversion is "worse" than a conversion to Buddhism or Catholicism (see 1:16-1:20 of the clip). Yet I still maintain that the more intense and "total-immersion" the type of early-childhood-on Jewish education one receives, the greater the chances of it inoculating the student against conversion.
I understated here when I flippantly dismissed the historical example of Elisha ben Avuyah /Akher (the Tanna NOT the very talented Blogger) as a graduate of a Solomon Schechter Academy. In so doing I missed an opportunity to raise Qedusha consciousness that I will now avail myself of. (Parenthetically, other than DB is there anyone else out there so completely oblivious of my sarcasm as to suppose that I did NOT know that Elisha Ben Avuyah was a Tanna???)
Elisha was an iconic heretic, renegade and collaborator. Per Tosafos in Chagiga 15A citing a Yerushalmi, among the causes of his eventual apostasy were Avuyahs ulterior motives in dedicating his son Elisha to a life of Torah study and his in-utero experience of imbibing some scintilla of the idolatrous as his pregnant mother passed by a Pagan temple and smelled a savory aroma (presumably of sacrifices to the pagan deities).
Point being that Torah Scholarship, and in particular the spiritual edification that accrues from Torah study, depends on more than "what" and "how much". It depends on "why" and "how" as well. Torah being sikhliyus elokus= Divine Wisdom sets it apart from ALL other disciplines and intellectual pursuits. And while all humans, even great Torah Scholars, are endowed with free will, including the free will to freely opt out of Judaism for other faiths or no faith at all, the Milkhemes haYetzer = battle with the Evil Inclination that culminates in so dramatic a wrong, bad choice is usually a war of attrition היום אומר לך עשה כך ולמחר אומר לו עשה כך עד שאומר לו לך עבוד עבודה זרה= "Today he (the inclination to evil) tells you 'do this' and tomorrow he tells you 'do that' until (ultimately, bit bu bit) he tells you 'go worship false gods' ". For former Talmidei Khakhamim like Akher, Spinoza or Mendelssohn to fall precipitously from the proverbial "high roof to the deep pit" there may have been nothing defective in the what" and "how much" of their Torah scholarship but , more than likely there was something wrong with the "why" and "how" of their Torah study.
Torah Study worthy of it's name demands awe, trembling, kavod and eventually the pure motivation of it being studied lishmah = for it's own sake.
Search for more information about Elisha ben Avuyah at 4torah.com.
Yesterday I managed the neat trick of overreaching and understating in the same post. I'd like to correct both of my errors/sins/ crimes against humanity.
In that post I maintained that receiving an Orthodox Jewish Day School education WOULD have prevented a girl like Laura Miller from converting to Islam. DovBear provided ample historical examples of Jews steeped in Torah education and culture who had, nonetheless, converted to other faiths. IMO many of his example were "apples and oranges" comparisons and, to borrow a page from his book, products of the times and places in which those apostates lived. As such they were utterly irrelevant to the discussion of a non-affiliated twenty-something Jewess in 21st century USA. Still, I must admit that I overreached.
Let me restate and revise my position; receiving an Orthodox Jewish Day School education MIGHT have prevented a girl like Laura Miller from converting to Islam. IMO it WOULD have greatly reduced the chances of such a conversion occurring.
I also overreached when I dismissed the capacity of non-Orthodox Jewish education to prevent conversion. If nothing else it would have given Laura some identification with the Holocaust and the State of Israel and some visceral fear and loathing for all things Arabs and Islam. At the very least she would probably have developed her fathers sensibility that such a conversion is "worse" than a conversion to Buddhism or Catholicism (see 1:16-1:20 of the clip). Yet I still maintain that the more intense and "total-immersion" the type of early-childhood-on Jewish education one receives, the greater the chances of it inoculating the student against conversion.
I understated here when I flippantly dismissed the historical example of Elisha ben Avuyah /Akher (the Tanna NOT the very talented Blogger) as a graduate of a Solomon Schechter Academy. In so doing I missed an opportunity to raise Qedusha consciousness that I will now avail myself of. (Parenthetically, other than DB is there anyone else out there so completely oblivious of my sarcasm as to suppose that I did NOT know that Elisha Ben Avuyah was a Tanna???)
Elisha was an iconic heretic, renegade and collaborator. Per Tosafos in Chagiga 15A citing a Yerushalmi, among the causes of his eventual apostasy were Avuyahs ulterior motives in dedicating his son Elisha to a life of Torah study and his in-utero experience of imbibing some scintilla of the idolatrous as his pregnant mother passed by a Pagan temple and smelled a savory aroma (presumably of sacrifices to the pagan deities).
Point being that Torah Scholarship, and in particular the spiritual edification that accrues from Torah study, depends on more than "what" and "how much". It depends on "why" and "how" as well. Torah being sikhliyus elokus= Divine Wisdom sets it apart from ALL other disciplines and intellectual pursuits. And while all humans, even great Torah Scholars, are endowed with free will, including the free will to freely opt out of Judaism for other faiths or no faith at all, the Milkhemes haYetzer = battle with the Evil Inclination that culminates in so dramatic a wrong, bad choice is usually a war of attrition היום אומר לך עשה כך ולמחר אומר לו עשה כך עד שאומר לו לך עבוד עבודה זרה= "Today he (the inclination to evil) tells you 'do this' and tomorrow he tells you 'do that' until (ultimately, bit bu bit) he tells you 'go worship false gods' ". For former Talmidei Khakhamim like Akher, Spinoza or Mendelssohn to fall precipitously from the proverbial "high roof to the deep pit" there may have been nothing defective in the what" and "how much" of their Torah scholarship but , more than likely there was something wrong with the "why" and "how" of their Torah study.
Torah Study worthy of it's name demands awe, trembling, kavod and eventually the pure motivation of it being studied lishmah = for it's own sake.
Search for more information about Elisha ben Avuyah at 4torah.com.
Holocaust Museum Shooting: At least partially Obama's Fault
Well, score another one for me, (unless scoring one for me makes me appear egomaniacal, in which case don't bother.)
Yesterday: Someone will claim that something about Obama (his manner, his speech, his ears, something) "emboldened" the shooter.
Today: The "Obama effect ... [has] generated a backlash of white supremacy," Northeastern criminologist Jack Levin told CNN Wednesday. "Jews and blacks in the White House – that's threatening to someone who believes that blacks are subhuman and Jews are the children of the devil."
A valid point. If only Obama was whiter, and surrounded by fewer Jews, all the RW crazies would throw away their guns and join library societies.
Anyway... the Obama Effect? I smell a new meme, which comes right on time given how stale and putrid the "he relies too heavily on his teleprompter meme" has become. I think "Obama Effect" is a very slick way to place the blame for everything and anything squarely where it belongs: On the shoulders of Barak Hussein Obama. Lost your job? Obama Effect. Got Dumped? Obama Effect. Hit the 1 million visitor mark? Obama Effect.
Here are some more:
-- Suddenly find yourself doubting long held and deeply cherished ideals like "personal responsibility?" Totally the Obama Effect.
-- Believe your macho prime minister is too much of a spineless wimp to stand up to a little diplomatic gamesmanship? Big time Obama Effect.
-- Driven to the heights of frantic terror over an unsourced Galei Tzahal report of what is obviously an absurd and impossibly stupid "mideast peace plan?" Total Obama Effect.
-- Epileptic about a photograph in which the president appears to be relaxing with his feet on the desk? You got it. Obama Effect.
(Is this a good time to remind everyone about the Bush Effect? You know, when those crazy liberals went around shooting up the Reagan Museum, and murdering anti-abortion ministers? Oh wait. That didn't happen.)
Yesterday: Someone will claim that something about Obama (his manner, his speech, his ears, something) "emboldened" the shooter.
Today: The "Obama effect ... [has] generated a backlash of white supremacy," Northeastern criminologist Jack Levin told CNN Wednesday. "Jews and blacks in the White House – that's threatening to someone who believes that blacks are subhuman and Jews are the children of the devil."
A valid point. If only Obama was whiter, and surrounded by fewer Jews, all the RW crazies would throw away their guns and join library societies.
Anyway... the Obama Effect? I smell a new meme, which comes right on time given how stale and putrid the "he relies too heavily on his teleprompter meme" has become. I think "Obama Effect" is a very slick way to place the blame for everything and anything squarely where it belongs: On the shoulders of Barak Hussein Obama. Lost your job? Obama Effect. Got Dumped? Obama Effect. Hit the 1 million visitor mark? Obama Effect.
Here are some more:
-- Suddenly find yourself doubting long held and deeply cherished ideals like "personal responsibility?" Totally the Obama Effect.
-- Believe your macho prime minister is too much of a spineless wimp to stand up to a little diplomatic gamesmanship? Big time Obama Effect.
-- Driven to the heights of frantic terror over an unsourced Galei Tzahal report of what is obviously an absurd and impossibly stupid "mideast peace plan?" Total Obama Effect.
-- Epileptic about a photograph in which the president appears to be relaxing with his feet on the desk? You got it. Obama Effect.
(Is this a good time to remind everyone about the Bush Effect? You know, when those crazy liberals went around shooting up the Reagan Museum, and murdering anti-abortion ministers? Oh wait. That didn't happen.)
Have you found this mattress?
A Guest Post by Rafi G
The story of the lady in Israel who wanted to surprise her mother with a nice gift but ended up causing a disaster has been picked up by news media all around the world, even CNN.She bought her mother a new mattress and threw out the old one, hoping to surprise her mother. When dear mother came home and saw the new mattress, she freaked out, as she had been socking away her life's savings in her mattress - to the tune of $1,000,000!
Needless to say, the mattress by then was gone and they could not find it.
The story stopped there, with a nice quote from the daughter about how one must accept the good and the bad.
The story, however, does not really end there. The papers and radio discussed the situation with her. She has not given up and accepted the bad. She is looking for the mattress and money.
She has gone down to the dumping ground for the area, where the municipalities dump all the trash, and she has been searching for it. Knowing people would come looking for it, the administrator placed security guards there to keep them out. Unable to find it, but still looking, the woman said dejectedly that she probably will never find it - a security guard told her that had he found it he would just have pocketed it, walked away and not said a word to anybody, and she realizes that that is probably what happened.There are two questions this raises in my mind:
- If I was the security guard (or even if not - if I found the money), would I do the same? Would I just take the money and disappear, or would I return it? $1,000,000 is a lot of money, but it is also a lot of guilt to live with...
- I wonder halachically if the person who finds it would be allowed to keep it. Clearly there is a siman - it is in a mattress stored in a certain way, which we know is a good siman even for money which usually has no siman. Also, she is looking for it, so there is no yi'ush. But on the other hand, despite the fact that she is looking for it, she has expressed yi'ush saying that she will probably never find it.
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