If you want to have Pesach with your extended family, on Purim you should sit at home..

  -- Minister of Health Yuli Edenstein

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Laser or Lazer?

I feel somewhat irresponsible. I didn't make any laser jokes. 

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Picture of the Day

tens of thousands of people (I haven't seen an official number) paid last respects to Rav Meshulam Dovid Soloveitchik, who died this morning at age 99. Rav Soloveitchik was an elder Rosh yeshiva and was the last living son of the famed Brisker Rav, Rav Yitzchak Zeev Soloveitchik and the grandson of Rav Chaim "Brisker" Soloveitchik.

The regular complaints of this happening during a pandemic and lockdown have been heard. I guess we'll see in a week or ten days or so if there is a significant uptick of COVID-19 cases and deaths in Jerusalem. Hopefully there won't be.

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Lockdown coming to an end?

It looks like the lockdown is coming to an end. 

How do I know this?

Prices of gas are going up.

I noticed what i think is a trend. Whenever there was a lockdown, with basically nowhere to go, they announced a nice decrease in the price of gasoline. And whenever they lifted the lockdown and started to open things up again the price of gasoline went up.

As the lockdown officially comes to an end tonight (though it might still be extended), they just announced an increase in gasoline prices.

Tonight the price of gasoline will be going up by 21agorot per liter.

Please note that I have not performed any scientific study of this phenomenon.

Honestly, the lockdown seems pretty pointless. The enforcement is minimal with occasional random checkpoints on the highway. Stores are almost all open - though in some you have to stand at the door and request things form the shopkeeper. Within the city people can go pretty much anywhere unimpeded, no matter the distance from one's home. The only industry following the shutdown is the schools. I don't get the point of trying to extend a lockdown that isn't really a lockdown. 

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where will Rav Chaim Kanievsky NOT show up?

Things like this don't happen often, but Rav Chaim Kanievsky made it to the front page of the New York Times. I guess he is now on the map.

the topic under discussion is the friction between the Haredi community and the State over the CoronaVirus laws and appropriate behavior. The article itself declares him "the King of COVID".

I really wonder though about the article to the right of the picture in Rav Kanievsky's house - about one dose of the vaccine being enough to fight COVID-19.

Anyway, Rav Chaim K is big news nowadays. Even UTJ pulled its social media out of the mothballs recently for the new election campaign.

With Ron Huldai's "Hayisraelim" political party posting campaign billboards featuring Rav Chaim Kanievsky, UTJ posted that Huldai is financing the campaign for UTJ...

The question is, where will Rav Chaim Kanievsky NOT show up?

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Tweet of the Day

Just wow 😲

Members of secular Kibbutzim in #Israel's South sent these trucks filled with food, for free, to residents of the ultra Orthodox City Bnei Brak as a show of solidarity.#Kindnessmatters
🫂🤝❤️🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/KGpmaiK6px

— Rabbi E. Poupko- WEAR A MASK (@RabbiPoupko) January 29, 2021

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Headlines Podcast: 1/30/21 – Show 308 - To Vax or not to Vax – Debate about the Covid Vaccine - Halachic status of doctors (audio)

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Gideon Saar on Ofira and Berkovitch signs a political commitment (video)

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Bardak: Youth on the fringe (video)

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parody of the Bnei Braq hafganot (video)

I generally don't like parodies all that much but I thought this was funny...

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Sruli Broncher ft. Avrumi Weinberg \\ Shuvu Elay (Official Music Video)

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and the winner is....

Congratulations to the OLIVE TREE!

The olive tree is the winner of the KKL competition to determine the unofficial national tree of Israel. Announced today on Tu Bshvat, in celebration of 120 years of KKL, they have declared the olive tree the winner of the title of national tree of Israel.

The olive tree was in tight competition with the palm tree, the eucalyptus, the fig, the Tavor Oak, the pine tree (cypress) and the Pistacia Atlantica.

The olive tree took 32.94% of the vote.. The Tavor Oak came in second with the palm pulling in at third.

Congratulations!

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Oded Menashe street survey about closing Ben Gurion Airport for another month (video)

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Jeremy Saltan Election Debate Vs Meretz's Uri Zaki (Jan 26 2021) (video)

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Orthodox Jewish Baker Competes In Food Network’s “Candy Land” (video)

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MK Gafni on bus burning in Bnei Braq: we are guilty and must help them (video)

either mashiach is coming or elections are coming...

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Yonina- Shirat Ha'asavim (video)

Happy Tu Bshvat

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Gantz's new Draft Law proposal

The Draft law is expected to be a big issue very soon. No Draft law has been passed and the expiry date on it is coming up very quickly. An extension was requested from the Supreme Court in order to pass a new Draft Law in the next government, but that has been denied, as it has been sitting for too long with too many extensions granted already. It is coming to a head.

Just as the last government was in the process of falling apart, the Haredi parties wanted to get the Draft law passed. They claimed everything was ready and prepared and mostly agreed upon and approved by Defense Minister Benny Gantz and it could be passed pretty quickly. Gantz refused to pass it, as it was one of the last cards he had to play in his politicking with Netanyahu and the Haredi parties. 

I don't know if the Haredi parties were lying about that or if Gantz changed his tune now, but Benny Gantz has just proposed a new formula for the Draft law he plans to propose.

Gantz announced that he wants to establish an administrative body that will be staffed by both military and civilian representatives. Everybody, that is including Haredim and Arabs, coming to draft age will be sorted by this administrative body. The military, the IDF, will choose its soldiers form those that want to serve and everyone else will have to do two years of some form of civilian service.

Civilian service will include service to the community in hospitals, Magen David Adom, the Police, Firestations, education, helping the disabled, ZAKA, community centers, etc.

Gantz says this will increase the sense of equality in Israeli society and will mend the tears between groups and sectors of our society, along with helping improve service provided in all these civilian institutions. It will help the youth in their growth, will encourage excellence, and will improve societal infrastructure. 

People doing civil service will have to serve in this capacity for two years.

I don't know if this is a good plan or not, realistic or not, but presenting this plan now means that either the Haredi parties were lying about Gantz's ready agreement and approval of the original draft law with minor changes or Gantz is being vindictive, and maybe trying to get back a few voters, by changing his plan now when he already worked out a plan that he knew would be acceptable. unless this is that plan, but I dont think so - it is very different than what was being proposed previously, even though the public was never made privy to all the details of that plan. There is no way the Haredi parties would agree to this plan, nor would they have fought for it to be passed at the last minute in the previous government.

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is the whole of UTJ greater than the sum of its parts?

Kikar is reporting (based on a Channel 12 News report) that the Degel Hatorah faction is threatening to split off from UTJ and run separately from Agudath Israel. They throw their hands up in frustration and suggest that Agudah can run on their own or in a block with Smotritch and the Peleg people.

The threat is over the fight for which party should hold the number 1 position in the united bloc and which should get the first selection of jobs in the next government. Until now the arrangement has been a rotation between Degel and Agudah with 1 party taking the first spot and the other taking the first choice of position. Degel now wants both the first spot and the first choice. The first choice will ensure Gafni keeps the head of the Finance Committee (if they are part of the next government) and the first spot will mean a better chance of Degel getting a fourth MK (ie Pindrus) into Knesset. It also positions the other two Degel MKs to retain their influential positions rather than having less important ones next time. Why they think they deserve this I don't know, but that's the fight.

Nobody thinks they will carry out their threat, and that it is just flexing muscles. Both Degel and Litzman think that they can each cross the minimum threshold as independent parties. Gafni is threatening this now and he must clearly believe so. Litzman, head of Agudah, has threatened Eichler and Porush with splitting in their fight, saying that Gur is big enough to pass with Visznitz and without the smaller factions.

I don't see how they can each believe with full confidence that on their own they are big enough to pass. UTJ has barely achieved 8 seats. That is borderline. Degel has a better chance, I think, of passing, as internal polling between the groups in previous years has shown Degel to really hold a 60-40 advantage in size in UTJ. But with them barely achievig 8 seats together, it must be a concern if they would go off on their own. They have to get four full seats on their own to get into Knesset. Maybe, maybe not.

Anyways, we might get a chance to see if the sum of the parts are greater than the whole, or if the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Hat is something many people, within UTJ and without, have been wondering about for a while.

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Quote of the Day

In my opinion, Benny Gantz is not suitable to be Prime Minister, and also not to be a Member of Knesset

  -- MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ), in light of the fight over the stricter punishments for breaking the guidelines

I guess now we know why Gafni didn't vote for Kachol Lavan

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if just for this we had the closure, dayeinu

Walla has the story of a fellow who is a terminal patient and was planning to travel to Switzerland for euthanasia. They can't travel now because of the lockdown and the closed airport. They tried to apply for an exception but have so far been denied.

As sad as it is, as difficult as the situation is, Judaism doesn't believe in euthanasia, as far as I know. Perhaps the entire lockdown and closure of the airport was just to prevent this. Or at least worth it to prevent this. Dayeinu, as we say. I don't know.

I wish him a refuah shleima, or if that is impossible at least as painless and as quick a natural death as possible.

  

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fighting over new lockdown policies

I don't get what they are fighting about.

In the fight for extending the lockdown by at least another week or not, the Haredi parties are opposed to the doubling of the fines levied for violating the lockdown and the against the ability to issue closure orders against schools or other institutions (eg stores, shuls, restaurants, etc) that violate the closure. Kachol Lavan is insisting the law be passed as is with the fines doubled and closure orders possible. The Haredim have started to compromise, agreeing to the doubling of fines but only a senior officer would be able to levy it, and closure orders would only be possibly given after two increased fines. Kachol Lavan refuses to compromise on this.

We'll see what happens, but I don't even see why they are fighting about this.

Closure orders against schools? The schools that are open are already violating closure orders and don't seem to care or get punished seriously. So they are fighting over whether or not second closure orders can be issued against these schools? Just enforce the lockdown itself! Everyone knows that even if it passes it will never be enforced on any of these schools. Double fines? How about start with the fines already approved in law?

This fight makes no sense, as everything being fought abotu seems irrelevant and pointless in light of the current level of enforcement.

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Yair Cherki: Haredi rules of the game, part 2 (video)

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MK Bennett: current situation is from fear of equal enforcement (video)

on the one hand Bennett is becoming a bit of a nudnik crybaby, on the other hand he is staying on message very well.

If not for his party, Bennett would really be a great candidate, also if not for hi regular answer of not being willing to say he won't sit under Bibi. Not because he needs to invalidate bibi but because if he really intends to win he shouldnt be talking about what will happen if he doent. He should be responding that he intends to be Prime Minister, and when they ask him what happens if, he should just say he plans to be prime minister and if that doesnt work out he'll figure it out then.

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Likud's Unity of the Nation campaign (video)

I dont really post election campaign videos anymore like I used to, mostly because it has become kind of muddled what to consider a campaign video and there are so many, but when one is so unique and deserving of commentary I can make an exception.

Here is a new campaign video from the Likud and Benjamin Netanyahu. His theme is unity and working together and the success we can achieve by working together.

I suspect this is really part of his latest attempt at garnering more support from the Arab population. I find it amusing that after doing everything possible to destroy a unity government (yes, Gantz also bears responsibility for that but this is a Netanyahu campaign video so we are talking about him) that more than 2.5 million voters supported, he can talk about unity...

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Lenny Solomon Live (video)

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Moti Weiss - Chai Chai Chai (video)

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Interesting Psak: women can take the vaccine against husband's wishes

Kikar is reporting that a group of fertility experts and others went to Rav Chaim Kanievsky to discus the issue of women getting vaccinated. Initially it was thought that the vaccine might cause fertility problems - I think this was debunked, but I am not sure how much they really know at this point. Still, with several pregnant women going into critical condition from the virus over the past week or two, it has become crucial to come to a decision as to how women should proceed .

Rav Kanievsky paskebned for this group of questioners that nursing women should get vacicnated. Pregnant women should get vaccinated, even if they had CoronaVirus already more than 6 months prior. Anyone who does not take the vaccine is considered to be causing danger to others.

A wife can take the vaccine even if her husband does not want her to.

Women who do not want to get vaccinated should understand it is pikuach nefesh and must get vaccinated.

I haven't brought the various piskei halacha on getting vaccinated. Most rabbis seem to be saying to take the vaccination while those who do not are mostly pointing to the conspiracy theories rather than actual good reasons. Rav Chaim Kanieevsky's psak here isn't the standard "take the vaccine" psak but relates to women specifically ignoring their husbands wishes and taking it anyway because of pikuach nefesh. That makes this psak special.

Wishing good health to all and hopefully the vaccine will help the world put the pandemic into the history books.

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calming Bnei Braq down

Rav Chaim Kanievsky and Rav Gershon Edelstein have called on the Haredi community to avoid participation in any protests and definitely not to join with reckless people who use violence.

They also say not to get close to any place where such protests are happening, and one should control his sense of curiosity - seeing such events is damaging to the soul.

After expressing my hope that community and police leadership try to find ways to lower the flames, I think it is important to note this call by Bnei Braq leadership. it might not help with the troublemakers, but if the crowds are smaller because the curious bystanders are staying away because of this call, the tensions will not get as high either. I hope the police also put forth similar efforts to calm the situation

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the Torah scroll wallet

Ynet has the story of an amazing, yet troubling, artifact that was discovered in Poland.

A family from Israel went to Poland 3 years ago on a "roots" trip - looking for family history, visiting the Jewish cemetery and looking for records, information, and items in the town they descended from.

They met up with a local Polish fellow named Martin who had taken it upon himself to clean up and refurbish the old Jewish cemetery in the town.

They made a good connection and Martin became their tour guide, helping them plan where to go, tips where to find family history, etc.

The family finished the trip and stayed in touch with Martin who would occasionally let them know about new things he discovered..

Martin eventually made a trip to Israel. He met with the family and gave them an unusual artifact. 

Martin had been interviewed on Polish television about his work with the Jewish cemetery. Someone else, Arthur, from a different town had seen the interview and arranged a meeting with Martin.

When they met, Arthur told Martin that his grandfather had worked with leather and used to sew and sell leather wallets and satchels. A fire had broken out in his grandfathers home and when they went through the remains they discovered  a wallet that had survived undamaged. Opening it up they had seen that the leather had Hebrew letters on it. After doing some research they discovered the wallet was decades old and was made from the parchment of a Torah scroll. Arthur also told Martin that there were other scraps of similar material from a Torah in his grandfathers shop that he would use for repairs and patches.

Arthur had decided that he needed to return the wallet to the Jewish people but did not know how to do that. After seeing Martin's interview, he figured he would contact Martin to discuss it with him. Martin eventually convinced Arthur that the right thing to do would be to give the wallet to Martin who could get it transferred to Israel.

Martin brought it to Israel and gave it to his friends. Open receiving it they saw that the portion of the Torah sued for this wallet was from the portion of akeidat yitzchak. She gave the artifact to an institution that works on commemorating the Holocaust named the Shem Olam Institute.

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Yair Cherki: Haredi rules of the game, part 1 (video)

Yair Cherki, a reporter, filmed this fascinating report on Haredim and the State, learning vs working, relating to the army... it was mostly filmed a year ago, and later in the clip he revisits the people he met with earlier to get updates from what they said... looking forward to part 2

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MK Bennett: we protected our grandparents, now we need to protect our kids (video)

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the Haredim who are upset about the violation of health guidelines (video)

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Rak Techayech - Ariella Zeitlin Violin Cover (video)

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the boy that cried wolf

One of the big questions surrounding the violence in Bnei Braq last night with the bus going up in flames is why it took nearly an hour for the fire station to respond and arrive on scene?

According to Kan News, the initial investigation has found that there was an order at that time to not respond to calls in Bnei Braq because of everything that had happened and the escalation of violence. They were instructed to wait until they would have police escort.

It is not really the boy that cried wolf, but like that boy they did it to themselves. Some people created a situation of violence and security forces felt it was dangerous and risky to go in and provide service in that area. When a real situation required their services, they already had a policy to not enter the danger zone.

I don't know if the policy was justified or not or if someone needs to be held responsible for it. But it existed because of the violence perpetrated by some people. And ultimately their own people suffered because of it.

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Quote of the Day

fringe youth led the riots yesterday in Bnei Braq, and I am guilty? My children are guilty? Why are we getting this image? The Haredi community has suffered the most from the pogroms this week and the people meant to deal with them are the police of Amir Ohana... Suddenly now the morbidity rate is high, so they have started to attack us again. We are not guilty. You made us go live in these crowded conditions, you are guilty.

  -- MK Moshe Gafni (UTJ)

who "made" them go live in these ocnditions?

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Picture of the Day

As tensions continue to escalate in Bnei Braq, last night a group of young men assaulted a bus driver and then lit the bus on fire. That damaged an electricity line causing a blackout in the entire area, along with damage to the building next to the bus. And the conflagration continued and burned even higher.

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Goodbye, Malka Leifer, and don't let the door hit you on the way out

With the airports being shut down today for at least the coming week, Malka Leifer made it onto one of the last flights out of Israel.

Leifer was extradited to Australia and banished from the country early this morning. 6 long years of trial after trial and appeal after appeal and protection from the highest levels of government. The Israeli chapter of this story has finally come to an end and now Leifer will have to fight for her claim of innocence in Australia rather than fighting for her claim of illness in Israel.

Good riddance to Malka Leifer, even if only to get her and the danger she presents away from Israel. Israel does not need to be a safe haven for people like her.

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MK Pindrus: the police are running a power struggle with the Haredi public (video)

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Palestinian refugees: What do you know about the villages you come from? (video)

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Behind the Bima - Special Guest: Sivan Rahav Meir (video)

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Lenny Solomon Live (video)

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8th Day - Rollin (Official Music Video)

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The Boyaner Rebbe and Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky

After posting the story of Rav Ahron Kotler and mafia boss Joe Bonanno, someone sent me another fascinating story of a connection between a rav and the mafia used to save Jews.

I am posting it here with his permission:

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Quote of the Day

Gentlemen, I am putting this on the table. Everything the media is doing now against the Haredim is purely to disconnect the Haredim from Netanyahu at any price. We are the last parties that continue to support Netanyahu, so this is what we are seeing happen.

  -- Minister Aryeh Deri

interesting perspective

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and this is why it is so hard to beat an incumbent

It is not impossible, but it is often difficult to beat an incumbent. An incumbent has a distinct advantage of havig the system to use almsot at will for his benefit. It isn't impossible, but it takes much more effort to beat an incumbent.

The vaccine campaign in Israel until now has been one example. No matter how lousy the past year has been for so many people, form a health perspective, from a social perspective and form a financial/employment perspective, Netanyahu has a distinct advantage heading towards the elections with the vaccine campaign running very efficiently. Many people will forget all the complaints of the past year and only remember the latest thing which is the vaccines.

And now here comes the Prime Minister today and announces a new financial plan to help those hurt financially by COVID-19, and to give the economy a boost by helping businesses get back on their feet. The stimulus package will include grants of 750nis per adult/parent, plus 500nis per child - fort eh first four children in a family. From the fifth child and more, 300nis per child. This would be in addition to other grants for those unemployed due to Corona and grants for businesses  whose businesses were hurt.

Despite the Attorney General warning Netanyahu that this might be considered election economics and he should consider it carefully before doing so, Netanyahu said he is going to proceed with the plan. Netanyahu compared it to the vaccinations wondering if he should not provide vaccinations to people either because of the upcoming elections.

Right? Wrong? I don't know. But the ability and resources to put together plans like this does give the incumbent a distinct advantage over those trying to unseat him.

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out of control!

Back in the day people (myself included) used to comment on wild protests held by Jews and would say that the police should shoot, if they feel threatened, if things are getting out of control. Not to kill, but in the air, at legs or at property in a very bad situation. Just like they do at Arab protests. I remember when I went to Hebron, probably for the first time, as a yeshiva student, a soldier told me that they shoot at the tv antennas on the roofs and at the water tanks on the roofs if they need to get the Arabs under control because that means they need to spend money to fix and replace the damaged tanks and antennas. Once it costs them good money, especially more than once, it reins them in.

It is easy to say when the protesters are somewhat out of control. 

Things seem to be getting out of control in Bnei Braq.

And today the police shot in the air at a protest by the Peleg Yerushalmi people as things were getting out of hand.

Once it happens, it is not quite as easy as when it was just talk.

Once things escalate, once guns are pulled, once violence is used by the protesters and it leads to the police pulling guns, emotions and nerves are running high. Who knows what could happen at that point? Any little slip up. A nervous policeman. A mistake.

Things should never get to that point.

And this is just after some crazy violence in Bnei Braq between the police and the Visznitzer chassidim, after some chassidim attacked the police and damaged a car and hurt a cop, and then the police went in with large forces and went on a rampage.

Things in Bnei Braq are getting out of control. I hope the leadership there reins the people in and police leadership rein in the police forces. It is definitely time to deescalate the situation. Before any more people get unnecessarily hurt.

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airport in lockdown

Today the government is scheduled to hold a discussion regarding the closure of the airport for the next two weeks. This has become a big debate whether it should be closed or not, whether it should have been closed long ago, or not. PM Netanyahu now supposedly wants it completely shut down, especially now because of the mutations, and the government will be deciding today what to do about this.

Personally I think that during a lockdown the airport should be shut down. During normal Corona life perhaps not. Maybe the government should have insisted on testing before flights and upon arrival, but the airport need not be shut down. But during a lockdown when everything else is shut down? Shut the airport as well. People in Israel can't go to restaurants and sporting events and shuls and yeshivas and concerts and whatnot so as to not spread the virus further, why should they be able to go to Dubai or Paris or New York and back and spread the virus there or get it and bring it back with them?

During a lockdown the airport should be shut as much as everything else.

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confused by Rav Chaim Kanievsky on schools opening

Haredi reporter Yisrael Cohen brought a quote from Rav Chaim Kanievsky on Twitter. To clarify, Rav CHaim Kanievsky did not say it, or anything on Twitter, but the reporter did :-)

According to the report, someone asked Rav Kanievsky about people who snitch to the authorities about schools that are illegally open and operating during the lockdown. Supposedly Rav Chaim Kaievsky said that anyone doing so should be cursed.

 

"תבוא עליהם קללה" כך אמר מרן שר התורה הגר"ח קניבסקי על מי שמנהלים מרדף נגד תלמודי התורה, בתיעודים ופרסומים כדי למנוע לימוד של ילדי תשב"ר (מתוך מאמר חריף שפורסם במוקד הלילה) pic.twitter.com/kTfKb7tGEO

— ישראל כהן (@Israelcohen911) January 23, 2021

 

 That is a pretty harsh statement.

I am not even quite sure how this works. Rav Chaim Kanievsky himself gave orders to shut the schools during this lockdown. It should be noted that most Haredi schools, especially among the communities that treat Rav Chaim Kanievsky as their leader, have been shut until now (though there are reports of some starting to operate). But, I do not get the instructions. The schools are closed on Rav Chaim's orders, but the ones that are operating against his instructions - nobody else should try to shut them down? Does he think they should be closed now or not? I am confused by this.

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Headlines Podcast: 1/23/21 – Show 307 – Midwinter Vacations - Flaunting our wealth (audio)

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Mayor of Charish Yitzchak Keshet on the Shabbos law facts (video)

interesting. Keshet, the mayor of Charish, explains how the passing of the allowance of certain things being open on Shabbos in Charish happened. Since he passed these laws allowing things to be open, this has been a central controversy and fight in the Haredi community

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The HatzalaCast Episode 6 | Matan Nitzky | The Difference Between Paramedics and EMS (video)

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Bardak: using the Internet (video)

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Nissim Black - The Hava Song (Official Video)

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Lecha Dodi- By Ari Green (video)

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Have you put on tefillin, brother?

Two secular Israeli internet stars, whatever that means, have put out a new smartphone app to help people put on tefillin.

Sounds strange? It does to me, but they say that because they are secular, they talk to the Israeli general public in their language. Being secular, one with tattoos and the other with piercings and still able to do this mitzva, the young people see that and decide they also can and there is nothing wrong with it.

They decided to do this to bring people closer to Hashem, to say thank you. Nowadays we connect quickly to things that are not important but forget to take the five minutes just to say thank you.

The new app, called הנחת אחי? - have you put [tefillin] on yet today, brother? - can be set to remind you at whatever frequency you wish to put on tefillin - daily, weekly, specific days, how many reminders and warnings to get... The app also has other features and challenges, and it can be used to help find a nearby shul, it connects you with friends and other people who also put tefillin on from whom you can borrow tefillin if you don't have your own, etc.

very cool

Here is a link to the app on Google Play Store

I am sure the Chabadniks would not mind this competition

sources: Kipa, INN

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VERY powerful interview with Eli Beer and Eden Harel on Israel National TV (video)

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Avremy Kap in Bet Shemesh says to be careful (video)

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Nissim Black on Hamevaker (video)

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Lenny Solomon Live (video)

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Yonina- Here Comes The Sun (video)

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Lawsuit over a pot of leftover cholent

There was a court case in Northern Israel that was the result of a fight that broke out in shul over a pot of cholent.

According to the reporter on Twitter, the fight started over a pot of leftover cholent after Shabbos that the Gabbai threw in the garbage. For some reason, this led to fisticuffs and smashed eyeglasses and a broken cellphone, and approximately two years later ended in court with the judge writing an 18 page decision and concluding it with a song.

Sounds weird. It really does. And the details are sketchy.

According to Ynet, the judge decided that the incident had not been investigated properly and the evidence and testimony is clearly not accurate. The case seems to be the result of a fight in the shul between two "camps" - the newer members against the older members.

The judge left it with a no decision, but was highly critical of their behavior in shul and her dismay at the turning of a shul into a battleground when it is supposed to be a "mikdash me'at". She included a song or poem written by a legal academic about the situation of fights in shul as food for thought.

בית כְּנֶסֶת / דורון מנשה כֵּן, לִפְּעָמִים אֲנִי רוֹאֶה אֶת הַקּוֹלוֹת אֶת נְּשִימַת הַדּוּכָן וְּהַפָרֹכֶת וְּאוֹתִיּוֹת הַסֵּפֶר וְּתִינוֹקוֹת שֶל בֵּית רַבָן שֶלאֹ זָכוּ שֶתְּפִלָתָם תֻּלְּבַש כְּגוּף חַי וְּהֶבֶל פִיהֶם מִתְּנוֹצֵּץ בְּשַוְּעַת הַחַזָן כְּבִנְּשָמוֹת מְּהַדּר כְּמוֹסִיף עַל הַמִנְּיָן וּבֶחָלָל הַמָקוֹם מִלוֹת תוֹרָה פוֹרְּחוֹת בָאֲוִיר מַחְּכִימוֹת אֶת הָאַהֲבָה חוּץ וּפְּנִים וְּלא לִפְּעָמִים הַבַיִת נֶחְּתַךְ לִמְּחוֹזוֹת קַנָאִים וְּשִנַיִם מְּסַנְּנוֹת טֶרֶף מִתוֹךְ פְּסוּקֵּי דּזִמְּרָא אָז, אִיּוּמִי הַצֶדֶק מִתְּעַרְּבְּבִים בְּאִזְּמֵּלֵּי הָעָוֶל צֶבַע זָר נִדְּחַס בָאֲוִיר וּבְּנֵּי הַסַמְּכָא עוֹשִים יָד אַחַת, הַשָב מִתְּשוּבָה עִם הַחוֹזֵּר בְּשִטְּנָה עַד שֶהַמָקוֹם כְּמוֹ אוֹרֵּחַ מִזְּדַּמֵּן לאֹ מוֹצֵּא מְּנוּחָה וְּהַשְּכִינָה נִמְּלֶטֶת בַחֲשַאי מִדֶּלֶת צְּדָדִית לַבַל יִקְּרְּאוּ לִשְּמָהּ וּבִשְּמָהּ, לִפְּשֹט אֶת עוֹרָם הַחַי שֶל צַלְּמִי אֱלֹקִים וּלְּכַסוֹת בָהֶם טַלִיתוֹת וְּסִדּוּרִי תְּפִלוֹת גְּלִילָה אַחַר גְּלִילָה, סִלוּף אַחֵּר סִלוּף מַכָה עַל חַבוּרָה וְּהִיא חוֹרֶטֶת בְּלִבָה כֹל אֲשֶר קָרָה, אֵּיךְ שֶכִמְּעַט נִשְּאֲבָה לִתְּהוֹם טֶרֶם בְּרִיאָתָהּ

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Hagit Moshe wins primary of party that should just go away

Congratulations to Hagit Moshe on winning the primaries for the head of the Habayit Hayehudi party yesterday.

I do not know much about Hagit Moshe but I am sure she is talented and experienced, coming from the City Council of Jerusalem and expect she will leave her mark on Habayit Hayehudi and lead them well in the coming period. Her victory is especially notable as she is currently the only woman heading a political party for the upcoming elections. I say "currently" because Merav Michaeli might soon join her as head of a party if she wins the upcoming Labor primaries.

The unfortunate reality of Habayit Hayehudi (not of Hagit Moshe) is that they have no real purpose in politics or in government, and do not even have any real independence, and maybe not even much of an identity any longer. 

There are 3 mainstream National Zionist parties (Habayit Hayehudi, Ichud Leumi and Yamina - if Yamina counts) that will be splitting the vote, along with Likud and maybe Tikva Chadasha.

How true it is I do not know, but all the reports about the Habayit Hayehudi primaries, in advance and after, all spoke about How this was really a contest between Bennett and Netanyahu, with Bennett pushing his guy Nir Orbach and Netanyahu pushing Hagit Moshe (as more likely to merge or form a bloc with Smotritch and support Netanyahu for PM). The entire playing field of Habayit Hayehudi was really just a playground for external forces.

I feel bad for the,, but by now Habayit Hayehudi really seems to have no role to fill other than to siphon voters for a couple other politicians. They are one of these parties, along with perhaps Labor, that should be relegated to history.

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Quote of the Day

Yes and Yes

  -- incoming Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, upon being asked if he sees Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and if he commits to keeping the US Embassy in Jerusaem

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Gideon Saar interview on Channel 12 (video)

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Israelis: Do you keep kosher? (video)

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Behind the Bima (S2E15, 1/13/2021) - Special Guest: Joey Rosenfeld (video)

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Oded Menashe street survey about closing Ben Gurion airport (video)

I always like street surveys...

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"World Of Good" Arranged and Performed by Tali Yess, (Feat. Aryeh Kunstler) Lyrics by Moshe Yess OBM (video)

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Corona Private Home-Care system collapsing

The news is reporting that not just are the hospitals overwhelmed with the increase in Corona patients, but the organization in Mea Shearim that provides home care (oxygen hookups and home doctor visits) is also overwhelmed now.

Chasdei Amram, the organization that does this, has now submitted a request to the Ministry of Health to import doctors from abroad to help with the home care. According to Chasdei Amram, they have a shortag eof oxygen machines, though they are buying more every day - the real shortage is in available doctors. the doctors are already swamped up to their necks with providing official care in the hospitals, and then these home patients get added on top of that.

Chasdei Amram says they have been trying to convince patients to go to the hospitals for the necessary care, but many refuse because of rumors they hear about poor care int he hospitals. Chasdei Amram says they try to dispel the rumors, but many still refuse to go..

The project would be funded by an anonymous donor. As of now, the Office/Ministry of Pirate Medicine is opposed and is refusing the request.

Perhaps the most interesting point in all this is that there is an office of pirate medicine.

Refuah Shleima to all.

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prioritizing small business owners for vaccination

PM Netanyahu made a campaign stop yesterday in RBS. Bibi went to the Meuhedet clinic in RBS where vaccinations against COVID-19 are being given. He and Health Minister Yuli Edelstein spoke and congratulated the patient being vaccinated at the time.

Here are some highlights from Bibi's speech:

Srugim is reporting that Mayor of Bet Shemesh, Dr Aliza Bloch, spoke with the Prime Minister and the Health Minister requesting that small business owners should be prioritized for the vaccinations.

Corona and the lockdowns have brought about a serious situation for the economy and especially for small business owners. Bloch said that the need to vaccinate small business owners is critical and will be oxygen for hundreds of thousands of people.

I like the out of the box thinking, but I don't see the need in general.

At this point, the Ministry of Health has lowered the vaccination age to anyone 40 years and up. We are well past the elderly and 60+. We have blown through 55+ and 45+.

At 40+, many small business owners who want  it can get it, and that is in addition to pretty much anyone who wants it having already been able to walk in and ask for it and get it, with very few being turned away. And for those who cannot yet get it, we went in about a week from 60+ to 40+, so surely the age will drop further again soon.

Besides for that, how exactly will the kupot cholim know who is a small business owner to invite them to make an appointment for vaccination? If someone is a small business owner, how are they supposed to show that to the health clinic?

I like the out of the box thinking, but I don't see this as overly practical, if even necessary at this point.

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Tweet of the Day

had a debate which of Zalman Wolff's tweets would get the award for today..

יהודים יקרים.

אתם שם שלא רואים את מגיפת הקורונה ממטר, ורוקדים בחתונות כאילו אין מחר, אני רוצה להזכיר לכם, שבכל שנה בספירת העומר אתם לא הולכים לאירועים ולחתונות, רק כי לפני כמה אלפי שנים הייתה מגיפה ומתו תלמידי רבי עקיבא.

אז מגיפת הקרונה ואלפי המתים בחוץ, תנסו לעשות ״קל וחומר״.

— זלמן וולף (@zalmanwolff) January 19, 2021

Translation:

Dear Jews,

You do not give a hoot about Corona and dance at weddings like there is no tomorrow. I just want to remind you that every year during Sefiras Haomer you do not go to events and weddings because a couple thousand years ago there was a plague and the students of Rabbi Akiva died.

So, there is a plague of Corona and thousands outside have died. Try to come up with a "kal v'chomer"..

This was a point made in the second lockdown as well, and I think it is a good point, when everyone complained about weddings being stopped during the lockdown or made very small with no guests.

the second tweet was a funny one, saying that peace with Dubai has caused more deaths (because of people infected with Corona coming back refusing to take any precautions and then spreading it)  than we had during the previous of war with them...

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Facebook Status of the Day

great story!

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Quote of the Day

For nearly a year we protected our parents like an esrog. My mother was healthy and essential, but she couldn't overcome this and was not able to breathe. It is unbelievable what is happening here in the hospital. I invite people to come see the pain and anguish of the families.. I see people walking around regularly and each one is a ticking time bomb. We need to write in the death announcements, HYD (Hashem Yinkom Damo - May God avenge his death, said in reference to someone who was murdered). Are people blind? Who cares what parties other people are having? We are paying in blood

  -- Yehuda Meshi Zahav, Director of ZAKA, after his mother died of Corona

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LIVE STREAM ABOUT THE HASIDIC SERIES (final celebration!) (video)

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Ayala Hasson reports from Rav Kanievsky's house (video)

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Should Israel prioritize vaccination doses to the Palestinians over Israelis? Jan 18 2021 (video)

I agree with Jeremy on this. The Palestinians should get vaccinated like every other country should ensure its citizens are vaccinated, but that is on them, not on us. After Israel finishes, if we have extra doses remaining, we can sell to them or to any other country. Or even give it for free.

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Recreating Salt Bae's $1000 Gold Cowboy Steak | Eitan Bernath (video)

I never understand why someone would put gold leaf on food and eat it. seems like a pointless waste to me. 

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Shimi Spitz - Ana Melech (video)

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