This sign is in a supermarket hanging beside the bread slicing machine.

It takes for granted that people would not, or did not, trust them (by them I mean the proprietors of a frum-owned supermarket) to have done it, and were probably repeatedly bothering the store employees with questions as to whether or not they had been toiveled.

We, soldiers of the Shimshon Battalion of years past, and reserve soldiers of today, who wish to bring back the Shimshon Battalion, which is dear to us, to the days of its glory and courageousness, turn to [the commanders] to assist us in this important task...
We fought with the battalion in Gush Katif, in Netzarim, in Nisanit. We are part of the family of fighters, where everybody knew who was the enemy and how to relate to him. The occupation of Shimshon officers and its soldiers in recent months with political whims and impulses on the ruins of Chomesh in the Shomron, in outlooks and chases after Jews with war cries as if they were the greatest of terrorists - these cause us great shame.... It is no great wonder that soldiers complete basic training look with trepidation to their future in the army as they finish the course, as they are concerned their talents and skills will be used to perform politically based missions that they have no connection to security needs of the State of Israel. This causes us to take steps that are unusual, in an effort to fight against this trend.

----- soldiers of Shimshon Reserves in a letter to army commanders in support of the recent protest by Shimshon soldiers

I don't know what the story is with Jack Teitel. Did he do it or not? I have no idea. He was arrested for having weapons illegaly, and then it turned into charges of various murders and attempted murders of both Arabs and left-wing jews.

But did he do it? It seems it is not so clear. They have absolutely no proof that he was the murderer in any of the murders he admitted to. One might think his admission might be enough, but it might turn out to be not enough. He is starting to deny his involvement in some of the cases, claiming he lied (coerced?) under interrogation. I don't think he denied them all, but it might come to that.

Anyway, without proof they might not have much of a case. In the meantime, all they are charging him with, according to the article in todays newspaper, is bearing unregistered firearms, incitement, and threatening behavior.

As I said before, this story interests me because he was a former classmate of mine. If he doesn't get hit for the murders, he will no longer be my most infamous classmate, just the most famous.

I don't have time to translate this right now, but the group of rabbonim met to review the shabbos elevator situation.

Bechadrei has published a document with the protocols from the meeting. The committee of rabbonim, led by Rav Efrati, as decided that most shabbos elevators can be used, and for sure when the situation is elderly people, sick people or others who would have great difficulty using the stairs.

Rav Efrati even says that Rav Elyashiv has always supported the hetter, until recently, though he does not say why Rav Elyashiv's opinion recently changed. Perhaps it is because of the issues raised by the technician that started the whole debate.

Anyway, for more details, the original Hebrew article and document can be seen here...

video of the recent Sanz Klausenberg wedding. I didn't know they did the mixed dancing thing..

What do I have in common with US Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel? Aside from both of us being [originally] from Chicago, of course...

We are both making bar mitzvahs in Israel...

The newspaper reported that Rahm Emanuel will soon be coming to Israel - in about 2 months - for his sons bar mitzvah.

Mazel tov

1. A new blog by a kitchen/cooking hobbyist called Kishy's Kitchen has what looks to be like a great burger as his first post. Great start!

2. Aussie Dave reviews what Suha told Yasser Arafat according to most recent reports, and he considers what she likely did not say to him...

3. The Yeshiva Guy found holiness in Haifa.

4. Hadassah has an interesting question about how we would relate to someone like Avraham nowadays, and how they did then..

5. Not Brisker Yeshivish gives a bio on the recently deceased legendary Rosh Yeshiva Rav Elefant. Welcoming Olim gives a short bio on the Klausenberger Rav.

6. I naturally hate the NY Mets, as I am a Cubs fan. We will never forget 1969 (even though I was not yet even born). But this might be as close as they can get to making me forget it. Muqata points out the Mets will be hosting an evening for the Hebron Fund.

The latest pashkevils in Yerushalayim are supporting Elior Chen. They must believe only the graphologists who say his handwriting indicates he is a real swell guy.

This is the final round of the fight between David Haye and Nikolai Valuev. The size difference between them is amazing. This was billed as a fight between David and Goliath, and David won.



Another fight that was also billed as a fight between David and Goliath, and also featured a tremendous difference in size between the two contestants, was the fight between Rocky Balboa and Ivan Drago. The fights are very similar, with each one being won by the David.



My opinion is that the Rocky fight was much better. He actually beat Drago, and didn't just win by a couple of points.

There is something I don't understand about the planning for construction in RBS C/G/3.

Many groups are no vying and positioning themselves for winning the rights to build on various plots. The haredi media ran many articles in the recent weeks about the issue, and this one item is quoted by all the askanim and rabbonim involved in discussing the issue of preparing for the tenders.

That is, they have all said that if any kablan thinks he is going to make money off the backs of haredi avreichim, they will end up with no houses sold. The haredi housing crisis is not just a business, but is a national mission to be resolved. They will not accept anybody trying to make a buck off their backs.

I don't understand why a kablan would build knowing that the community he is building for has no intention of paying him any reasonable level of profit. No kablan builds as charity. This is their business.

I don't know if anyone has the power to stop it from happening, but just the attempt seems unreasonable.

Bibi's speech at the General Assembly yesterday

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While it seemed like the elevator issue was pretty final, with some technician raising some issue with rabbonim including Rav Elyashiv, claiming that because of the issue shabbos elevators should be assur to use.

Based on that, the rabbonim came out with a conclusive psak completely banning the use of shabbos elevators, even in the most b'dieved situations saying that it is pure chillul shabbos.

It turns out it is not so clear cut and we might not yet have heard the final word.

Bchadrei is aware of a meeting of rabbonim, instigated by a concerned rav who is director of the Technological Institute for Halacha. Rav Halperin is concerned with the severity of the psak, considering as he says, the technician who raised the issue "does not know his right from his left".

A team of rabbonim have been meeting to go over and analyze the variou sissues of the elevators and their ramifications. The team is headed by Rav Efrati, Rav Elyashiv's right hand man and a leading Rabbi in Jerusalem.

There are 3 main concerns being discussed:

1. the question of pikuach nefesh. People who are not well who relied on the elevators and are now physically walking up flights of stairs putting their health in danger.
2. bein adam l'chaveiro - people bought apartments based on the knowledge that they had working, kosher, shabbos elevators. The fact that they will no longer be allowed to use them is a serious damage to them.
3. Rabbonim who have previously paskened the elevators were kosher might have liability because of changing their psak. Supposedly Rav Elyashiv would be immune from this because he is like a "free craftsmen" offering his opinion, but others who receive salaries will likely be legally liable for any monetary damage caused by their changing their opinions.

Rav Shubaks, a dayan involved with the team of rabbis, has requested based on the 3 reasons listed above that the psak be changed back to allowing the use of shabbos elevators. Rav Elyashiv agreed to convene the group of rabbis to meet and analyze all the issues, and come out with a final decision in the coming days.

A cynic would wonder which of the 3 reasons mentioned above is really the one that got them to reconsider....

The GOP is attacking the Obama Health Care plan as presented by Nancy Pelosi - the thing is a whopping 1990 pages long. Or as they are putting it, it is 5 times as many words as the Torah.

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In the latest edition of the publication "Dvar Hashem - Zu Halacha", there are a number fo questions that were asked to, and answered by, Rav Elyashiv.

One of those questions is if there is anything to the common custom of somebody in need of salvation davening 40 days in a row at the Kotel - is there any inyan in doing this?

Rav Elyashiv's answer is that there is no basis for this. Any time, and every time, one goes to the Kotel to daven his prayers are accepted.

Gotta love it. Let's see how long it takes until the tzedaka organizations force the ladaat website to take this psak down, and whoever else published it as well....

There was a great and very moving story in the Mishpacha newspaper that I want to share with you.

The article was about how more and more doctors are performing bris mila in hospitals, and how it is a dangerous but growing phenomenon.

They spoke to a young mohel (23 yrs old) who works as a mohel in the army. Many of the circumcisions he performs in the army are for soldiers of Russian background who are uncircumcised who now want to get their bris.

The mohel told a story about a recent bris he performed on a Russian.

The soldier tells him that in the Soviet Union there was a mohel who was moser nefesh to perform the bris on as many children as he could, secretly of course, putting his life in danger. if he would be found out, it would be a death sentence for him.

One day he receives a message telling him to arrive to a certain building at a certain address.

he thought to himself that the gig is up. he has been found out and he is about to receive his punishment for the crime of performing bris mila in the Soviet Union.

He goes on the designated day to the address specified. He is met in the building by a senior KGB officer. The officer tells him we know what you have been doing, performing bris mila on Jewish children. We have brought you here because we are a group of officers who want bris mila performed on our children.

The officer brought the stunned mohel into a room where there were 10 other officers and a bunch of children and babies).

The soldier concluded the story in tears saying he is the child of one of those babies who had been circumcised in that room by the mohel who was moser nefesh for mila, and now he wants a bris.

Mi K'amcha Yisrael!