tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51655882485563431852024-02-19T03:33:10.480+02:00VeHaShalom VeHaEmmetHaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.comBlogger62125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-61115573670735833322019-04-03T21:37:00.004+03:002019-04-04T15:02:57.861+03:00Assessing Lisa Liel’s Response to Benjamin Kerstein's Essay about "Zehut"
[This
essay has also been Posted on my
Times of Israel Blog]
Since the word "screed" has become so popular in discussions
of essays about the upcoming Israeli elections, this essay can be described as a response
to the screed
by Lisa Liel which attacked Benjamin Kerstein’s composition
and argued in favor of the Zehut Party!
First of all, Definitions (from Merriam-Webster online):
HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-8471303981372306942019-04-02T21:59:00.001+03:002019-04-04T15:03:11.487+03:00Food for Thought about the Zehut Party and Moshe Feiglin
[This
essay has also been Posted on my
Times of Israel Blog]
Moshe Feiglin’s Zehut Party has been discussed quite a lot,
especially recently, and I feel that it would be a public service to point out
the core reasons for being very wary of what the messages transmitted by Moshe
Feiglin and his Zehut party might mean, and to advise people not to vote for
Zehut – therefore, I shall work HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-2168614185866581212019-03-06T00:28:00.000+02:002019-04-02T21:53:09.414+03:00The 21st Knesset Elections and Netanyahu’s Crisis
This essay may also be found on my Times of Israel blog!
My Facebook Post from Sunday, 3 March, 2019, and the ensuing
discussion it caused with my friend Jason Elbaum, caused me to hone my thoughts
about Binyamin Netanyahu’s crisis, as a Prime Minister of Israel who is likely
to have a few indictments brought against him in the coming year, and as a
candidate to be Prime Minister again HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-30743896584037357752018-11-03T22:00:00.000+02:002018-11-23T12:47:03.139+02:00Feiglin Conspiracy to Support the Israeli Left - Satire
Moshe Feiglin the Shabak Agent – SATIRE!
DISCLAIMER: This is a SATIRE, written by a person who
doesn’t believe it at all!
This was written as a parody of conspiracy theories and conspiracy theorists.
However, you conspiracy theorists out there who want to believe it can go right
ahead – it is parodying your extremely exaggerated willingness to believe
ridiculous things, so it would HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-59930465329272676132017-08-01T18:34:00.005+03:002017-08-01T20:58:04.860+03:00Thoughts on Sovereignty and the Temple Mount, on Tish’a B’Av
As Posted on my Times of Israel Blog.
As the fast, and day of mourning (and, hopefully,
repentance), of the ninth of the Jewish month of Av (Tish’a B’Av) has drawn
near this year (2017 – 5777), I have seen a few Posts on FaceBook, and comments
elsewhere, proposing the thesis that our problems dealing with security and
other arrangements on the Temple Mount, which have heightened in the past
HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-25100681845910567952016-11-11T16:23:00.005+02:002016-11-12T20:06:24.793+02:00Thoughts about the Electoral College of the USA
As posted to TheTimes of Israel Blogs, and to FaceBook.
We have just completed
the process of electing a new President of the USA, and, as occurs every four
years, the Electoral College of the USA has again come under scrutiny.
As my friend Stuart Schnee has queried on FaceBook: Is there a good reason to keep the electoral college now?
Like Stuart I am
conservative about HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-83086161538807213922015-08-06T18:09:00.003+03:002015-08-06T18:15:09.737+03:00Shtikipedia 0001 - Internet Encyclopedia ParodyThis is an entry on my blog solely for the purpose of use for the "Shtikipedia" internet encyclopedia parody:
This an official Shtikipedia entry, which is ABSOLUTELY TRUE (since it says it is! ;-) ), verifying that:
1. Pittsburgh, when written on a birth certificate from the State of Pennsylvania, really means Zimbabwe!
2. Ally County, when written on a birth certificate from the State ofHaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-69005272972484824832015-07-03T11:27:00.001+03:002015-07-03T11:42:09.010+03:00The Confederate Flag RevisitedThis is an article of mine which appeared in the Times of Israel.
Now that in my previous post I noted that display of the Confederate flag
(clearly an anti-USA symbol, though an
historical artifact) is totally inappropriate in official
government buildings, I find that an exaggerated version of the thoughts I expressed has led
to&HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-21465986209127552912015-06-28T12:29:00.002+03:002015-07-03T11:40:07.114+03:00Deliberations on the Confederate Flag
This is an article of mine which appeared in the Times of Israel:
With all of the discussion of the Confederate
flag that I see on the internet, I would like to point out a few things:
1. I think that the most cogent comment
about the Confederate Flag issue that I have heard was, surprisingly, made by a
politician! It was when Jeb Bush said that in Florida the Confederate Flag had
been HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-32367949963040486822012-09-02T12:20:00.000+03:002012-09-02T21:44:07.741+03:00Clint Eastwood’s Speech at the Republican National Convention, Summer, 2012<!--[if gte mso 9]>
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HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-45257184936329745042012-06-18T12:13:00.000+03:002012-06-18T12:14:17.878+03:00Great Video about All of Am Yisrael Singing Hatikvah
Here is a link to a great video about all of Am
Yisrael singing Hatikvah, with a
beautiful surprise ending, which I saw on my
friend Rafi's blogsite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uT7iabmnvY8&feature=player_embedded#!
Rafi's blogsite address is: http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.co.il/
HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-60031775095557043022012-05-21T08:37:00.002+03:002012-05-21T08:38:30.727+03:00Analysis of the Challenges of Orthodox Judaism in the Modern WorldI just saw a very good blog post on the challenges of Orthdox Judaism in the modern world. Here is a link to it:
http://finkorswim.com/2012/05/16/judaism-of-the-future-my-response-to-klal-perspectives-spring-2012/
HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-19126443715541231212011-03-13T13:15:00.003+02:002011-04-09T21:59:53.520+03:00Serious Corruption Charges Against Bet Shemesh Mayor AbutbulBet Shemesh Mayor Moshe Abutbul from the Shas party has been accused of serious political corruption, including pressuring a Yeshivah to fire a teacher who was also a political activist in opposition to the Mayor! The political activist, Dov Lipman, filed a Police complaint, and a complaint to the National Auditor of Israel (Mevaker HaMedinah), charging that the Mayor had interfered in the HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-32507810315027530362011-03-11T08:42:00.001+02:002011-03-11T14:10:49.195+02:00A Clearly-Stated, Well-Explained Condemnation of the Rabbi Who Encourages Jews to Shoot Jewish Soldiers with Plastic BulletsThanks to a link on Rafi G.'s "Life in Israel" blog (http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com/), I saw this well-phrased, and well-explained, clear condemnation of the Rabbi who encouraged Jews to shoot Jewish soldiers with plastic bullets:http://www.crossingtheyarden.com/2011/03/right-wing-lunatics/
Bravo to someone who is from the "right wing" side for issuing a clear condemnation of this HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-40859121463433116722011-03-08T12:42:00.003+02:002011-03-09T13:12:08.123+02:00Gilad Shalit Solidarity Event; He has Spent Almost Five Years in Captivity!On Tuesday, the 15th of March, at 11 AM, there will be a Gilad Shalit solidarity event to remind us all that it has been almost five years since Gilad Shalit was taken captive by the Hamas (on June 25th, 2006).
UPDATE ADDED ON Wednesday, the 9th of March: This morning I spoke to Kobi Sidi (050-222-2622) the initiator of this entire Solidarity Event, and I asked him the BIG question (which is HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-69534578532818231092011-03-07T23:15:00.003+02:002011-03-08T08:20:30.361+02:00A Sad Day for Am Yisrael: Hearing a Rabbi Who Encourages Jews to Shoot Jewish Soldiers with Plastic BulletsUnfortunately, there is a Rabbi, though he is far from mainstream Judaism, who is now encouraging Jews to shoot Jewish soldiers with plastic bullets, as a response to the reputed behavior of certain soldiers reacting to the behavior of demonstrators against the dismantling of buildings at Chavat Gilead.
Here is a link to an article in Hebrew about that Rabbi's comments (including a recording of HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-25253405933695124862011-03-06T08:35:00.001+02:002011-03-06T08:35:26.469+02:00No-nonsense Reply to Rabbinical FoolishnessRav Yoel Bin-Nun has publicized an article on ynet (in Hebrew) which points out many of the problems with the Rabbis' letter supporting former President Moshe Katsav who was convicted of rape, and why that letter should never have been written:http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4036743,00.html
Yasher Koach to Rav Bin-Nun for presenting clear, no-nonsense responses to Rabbis whose naivety or HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-21417051610469199772011-03-05T20:27:00.002+02:002011-03-05T20:27:49.080+02:00A Tzaddik Believing in the Spirituality of the Simple JewAmong the congregants of my childhood synagogue, Beth Abraham in Baltimore, MD, in the USA, it is generally recognized that the late Rabbi (and founder) of the shul, Rav Tzvi Elimelech Hertzberg, zt"l, was a great Tzaddik. He was a Belzer Chassid who reached America before World War II, and, among other things, he brought holocaust orphans (children whose entire families perished in the holocaustHaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-62263901962189283742011-03-02T13:41:00.000+02:002011-03-02T13:41:39.176+02:00The Rule of Law in Israel, and Protests in Favor of Building for JewsRafi G. posted on his Life in Israel Blog an excellent post about this subject, and I agree with everything he said, and believe that he put it very fairly, properly and clearly.
Here is a link to the post:http://lifeinisrael.blogspot.com/2011/03/stopping-anarchy-establishing-rule-of.html
As he pointed out in a comment, people need permits to construct buildings (or to add onto existing buildingsHaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-44339895043672440142011-02-08T19:45:00.001+02:002011-02-28T06:55:34.292+02:00Regarding the Book "Torat HaMelech" and the Arrest Warrant Issued to Rav Dov LiorThe issue of the possibility of incitement to violence by Rav Yitschak Shapira in his book "Torat HaMelech" is certainly not so clearly one of "silencing the right" or "silencing Jewish religious leaders" as many people wish to believe, and, in fact, as Rav Yoel Bin-Nun has pointed out, actually that is not at all the issue.
Everyone who wants to truly understand this issue should read Rav Yoel HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-33568688431839780972011-02-02T14:20:00.000+02:002011-02-02T14:20:49.886+02:00Kashrut and SpiritualityAs far as Kashrut and spirituality, in food and in the other parts of our lives, goes, we (and especially certain Rabbis in Bet Shemesh) should keep in mind the following facts:
1. Almost all of food Kashrut relates to some Lavim (prohibitions) in the Torah which, while important, are NOT extremely serious Torah violations.
2. Almost all of the "Kashrut exposés" which have been publicized in HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-88883755659541613132010-11-07T14:48:00.001+02:002010-11-08T14:34:22.445+02:00Rav Ahron Batt, zt"l, Yehi Zichro Baruch [May His Memory be a Blessing for Us All]Rav Ahron Batt, who was the Mankal [Director] of Machon Lev at one point, and then, later, SaMankal [Assistant Director] of the Talmudic Encyclopedia, passed away just before Shabbat, on the 6th of November, 2010 (28 Marcheshvan, 5772); and I felt that I had to post something about this wonderful man who was a blessing for all who knew him.
Rav Batt studied in Yeshivah University with my HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-74512057051184941392010-10-14T16:26:00.001+02:002010-10-14T16:26:59.864+02:00The Debate about a "Pledge of Allegiance" in IsraelIt seems to me that the debate being held in the state of Israel these days about a proposal to require a "pledge of allegiance" to the Jewish state as a requirement for those who want to acquire Israeli citizenship is, in most cases, "dancing around the issue" rather than dealing with it forthrightly, as often occurs in debates about issues of public interest.
My proposal would be that EVERYONE HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-26977581613063420912010-09-25T23:32:00.002+02:002010-09-25T23:32:19.251+02:00A Funny, but Meaningful, Satire by Jon Stewart about Demonstrations<!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
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mso-padding-alt:0in HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165588248556343185.post-60783762691821769402010-09-20T23:01:00.001+02:002010-09-20T23:03:29.559+02:00The Most Moving Anecdote from Rav Chaim Soloveichik's Shavuot, 5770, ShiurIn my opinion, the most moving anecdote, including a powerful message for this time of year when we are attempting to correct our Middot (character traits), in Rav Chaim Soloveichik's Shiur from Shavuot was the story which he told of being at a Simchah (celebration of a joyous occasion) in America with his father, Rav Aharon Soloveichik, Zecher Tzaddik LiVrachah (of blessed, saintly memory).
Rav HaEmmet VeHashalomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14823912801674003698noreply@blogger.com7