The left wingers are very loud but few in number. The right wingers are much much louder, have bigger audiences and have a much larger base, and they are the ones I would worry about.
I am upbeat about Israel and don't feel blue about all the goings-on. It is only child's play for the immediate time.
Regarding anti-Semitism in the world, I recall the words of Reb Shloma Akabitz, who wrote to the communities of Salonika and other places: "Why do you keep running from place to place where it is good for a while, in all these places eventually the other shoe will drop" The same is true here in America. They gave us a break for about 50-60 years after the devastating Holocaust, during which it was difficult for anyone to come out as a blatant anti-Semite. Now it’s moving back, not quite, but almost like Europe in the 1920s and 1930s.
Where do we go from here? More open anti-Semitism. How long before we can't ride a train or bus without many openly cursing us? There would be nothing we can do, as it is free speech, and they are exercising their rights.
Don't get so nervous. Israel, on the other hand, has many people who see the problem. The Charedim are becoming larger and larger, even potentially the majority. There is no doubt this will come to a head. Many will want to save what we have, to the point of picking up arms. We are still very far off from that (if nothing changes). My hope is that it will only be a coup and not a lot of Jewish blood lost. No, I don't want to see the Yarkon River overflow with blood. As the Dati-Leumi community is starting to see the light, they are the only ones who can fight back. They will sit it out, or maybe even join the saviors of Israel—our only country, and our only hope.
Please don't get so twisted up in worrying. We will survive and have a safe haven for the future..
"I'm often something of a Purim grinch, but this Purim I'm feeling particularly depressed.... And then maybe I'll get drunk enough to not be able to distinguish between those..."
Yippee-kay- yay to you too, gringo-hombre, you really understand Purim: we thank Hashem for half salvations; not callously pretending that the crisis has passed, yet still celebrating the partial victories. ודי לחכימא
דגם בימי עניינו וצרותינו ואכתי עבדי אחשורוש אנן, מ"מ לא הסיר השגחתו ממנו מלכלותו ח"ו, ולזה הטעם... בשתיית יין ...להורות לנו סי׳ שנהיה כיין הזה שאפ' בימי צרותיו של אדם משמחו ומשכחו דאגותיו כן אנחנו נשכח כל צרותינו ושעבודינו ונשליך כל יהבינו על ה' כי לא יטשנו ולא יעזבנו
-דרשות חתם סופר, פורים תק"ס, ד"ה חייב אינש לבסומי
(Elsewhere, the חת"ס explains that עד דלא ידע is not license to drink oneself senseless.)
When he won the election, his coalition was 48.38 of the vote. And no, the job of the MoD is not to defend the coalition. It's their job to be the civilian leadership of the IDF and doing the right thing even if it means dissolution of the govt.
The right thing to do is to investigate the failures leading to Oct 7th even if they might lead to PM having to step down. The right thing is to push for an equitable long term solution to the manpower issue of the IDF even if it will break the current coalition. The notion that the govt should do whatever it can to cling to power regardless of the consequences is a corruption of democracy. Also you don't even believe that. If Oct 7th happened on to a left-center govt, you'd be pushing for an immediate inquiry to hold those in charge responsbile.
Is your Michaela fixin' to follow in the footsteps of the illustrious (albeit fictitious) Colorado Springs physician, Dr. Michaela Quinn, Medicine Woman? 🤓
Every now and then I think that, upon being emancipated, Jews could have made an internal pact that basically said, "Thank you very much, world; we will work toward your betterment; but we will not seek any positions of authority, nor will we support any cause that doesn't have at least, say, 90% popular support."
The left wingers are very loud but few in number. The right wingers are much much louder, have bigger audiences and have a much larger base, and they are the ones I would worry about.
The squad sits in Congress.
That is a seriously rough looking bunch there.
Glad I no longer live on the Missouri/Kansas border.😳🤪
All we need is an “Esther” to seduce the gedolim to changing their minds…
I, too, struggle with Purim. May we all get something positive out of it this year, and move on in strength, determination, and hope.
Keep up the important work you do. We need more rational thinking.
Rabbi Slivkin,
I am upbeat about Israel and don't feel blue about all the goings-on. It is only child's play for the immediate time.
Regarding anti-Semitism in the world, I recall the words of Reb Shloma Akabitz, who wrote to the communities of Salonika and other places: "Why do you keep running from place to place where it is good for a while, in all these places eventually the other shoe will drop" The same is true here in America. They gave us a break for about 50-60 years after the devastating Holocaust, during which it was difficult for anyone to come out as a blatant anti-Semite. Now it’s moving back, not quite, but almost like Europe in the 1920s and 1930s.
Where do we go from here? More open anti-Semitism. How long before we can't ride a train or bus without many openly cursing us? There would be nothing we can do, as it is free speech, and they are exercising their rights.
Don't get so nervous. Israel, on the other hand, has many people who see the problem. The Charedim are becoming larger and larger, even potentially the majority. There is no doubt this will come to a head. Many will want to save what we have, to the point of picking up arms. We are still very far off from that (if nothing changes). My hope is that it will only be a coup and not a lot of Jewish blood lost. No, I don't want to see the Yarkon River overflow with blood. As the Dati-Leumi community is starting to see the light, they are the only ones who can fight back. They will sit it out, or maybe even join the saviors of Israel—our only country, and our only hope.
Please don't get so twisted up in worrying. We will survive and have a safe haven for the future..
"I'm often something of a Purim grinch, but this Purim I'm feeling particularly depressed.... And then maybe I'll get drunk enough to not be able to distinguish between those..."
Yippee-kay- yay to you too, gringo-hombre, you really understand Purim: we thank Hashem for half salvations; not callously pretending that the crisis has passed, yet still celebrating the partial victories. ודי לחכימא
דגם בימי עניינו וצרותינו ואכתי עבדי אחשורוש אנן, מ"מ לא הסיר השגחתו ממנו מלכלותו ח"ו, ולזה הטעם... בשתיית יין ...להורות לנו סי׳ שנהיה כיין הזה שאפ' בימי צרותיו של אדם משמחו ומשכחו דאגותיו כן אנחנו נשכח כל צרותינו ושעבודינו ונשליך כל יהבינו על ה' כי לא יטשנו ולא יעזבנו
-דרשות חתם סופר, פורים תק"ס, ד"ה חייב אינש לבסומי
(Elsewhere, the חת"ס explains that עד דלא ידע is not license to drink oneself senseless.)
A special note that now draftees with a profile as low as 67 will be eligible for krav.
Love the photos.
https://matzav.com/community-expresses-outrage-as-effigy-of-chareidi-soldier-hanged-in-mea-shearim/
No words for the idiocy
Can you explain why you put "Minister of Defense" in quotes? Is it because you spelled it with an American s instead of a British c?
Because he is not defending the country. He is defending Bibi's coalition.
Since Bibi's coalition comprises the majority of the country, this is obvious! And together with them, he is defending the rest of the country.
When he won the election, his coalition was 48.38 of the vote. And no, the job of the MoD is not to defend the coalition. It's their job to be the civilian leadership of the IDF and doing the right thing even if it means dissolution of the govt.
"doing the right thing even if it means dissolution of the govt." ????
What do you mean by "the right thing"?
There is a system whereby "the right thing" for a minister to do is what the government decides!
And this sytem is called "democracy"!
Dissolution of the government unless brought about by democratic elections is called a coup, and is the antithesis of democracy.
The government and its coalition are the collected will of the people - in other words - democracy.
Maybe you should take some lessons in civics.
The right thing to do is to investigate the failures leading to Oct 7th even if they might lead to PM having to step down. The right thing is to push for an equitable long term solution to the manpower issue of the IDF even if it will break the current coalition. The notion that the govt should do whatever it can to cling to power regardless of the consequences is a corruption of democracy. Also you don't even believe that. If Oct 7th happened on to a left-center govt, you'd be pushing for an immediate inquiry to hold those in charge responsbile.
What exactly do you mean?
Yes, Correct
Is your Michaela fixin' to follow in the footsteps of the illustrious (albeit fictitious) Colorado Springs physician, Dr. Michaela Quinn, Medicine Woman? 🤓
Nice!
Awesome pics!
Why a distinct possibility?
By the way, I imagine you know this, but no way you get charedi stipends, no matter how you dress.
I duff my hat to you for being on the board of Albert Einstein college of Medicine for so long. We now have to respect you when you write.
Like I claim we got a 50 - 60 year break after the holocaust, but now it is right back to square one.
Every now and then I think that, upon being emancipated, Jews could have made an internal pact that basically said, "Thank you very much, world; we will work toward your betterment; but we will not seek any positions of authority, nor will we support any cause that doesn't have at least, say, 90% popular support."
Wasn't the KKK in the 1920s more aligned with Democrats?
Like most fascists of the 1920's, they saw themselves as "progressive."