Nothing To Do With the Jews

Mark Steyn has just done it again (link), explaining to us dullards how our European friends understand with decadent nuance that killing Jews has nothing to do with antisemitism.

antisemitism
europe
jews

Rav M. Solomon

Rav Mattisyahu Solomon, shlita, the respected Mashgiach of Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, has an article in the current Jewish Observer (JO has no website - probably so as not to endanger the internet. Some old JO issues are on this link on Shma Yisroel). The JO article is an adaptation of a speech Rav Solomon made at at what (apparently) was an assembly about the Lakewood Internet Edict (ban).

I grant that Rav Solomon made some knowedgeable, legitimate, and common sense points in his speech, and pleasantly surprised me with the extent of his knowledge about net use. Most notable in my mind is "I would suggest that a husband and wife should make an agreement never to clear the History (sic) on their Internet browser, and to make random checks of each other's History . . . " (p 28).
Now there's a fine suggestion!

But the technophobe aspect of the speech still disturbs me. In my opinion, it is counter to the broad sweep of Jewish history and hashkafa. (Yes, I recognize R' Solomon is far my superior in Torah knowledge.*) One major point of the speech was dedicated to a 'straw man' argument comparing opposition to the internet to opposition to automobiles, and then saying just as a car can be lethally misused, so can the internet.

In my humble, a more apt comparison of dangers and advantages of technology would be to printing, photography, telephony - communication advances extending the opportunity for both willful and inadvertent transgression.

But to adopt R' Solomon's analogy: Unsafe driving has been (by and large) successfully addressed by a 'drivers ed' course - not by a ban on driving.

Which has the potential to save more lives long term ? 'Drivers ed' for computer users, or a ban?
R' Solomon himself states: "For most of us, there are times when we have to step into the outside world,whether to earn a livelihood, or for some other purpose". If that is the case, and the dangers are present, protect us and teach us how to protect ourselves - don't ban what we all recognize as a necessity.

And Rav Solomon - please, please don't say "education for the outside world is not our job".

If you are indeed concerned about the very real threat and our and our children's future, that answer's a cop out.

Postscript: For the past 60 years, chareidi Judaism has been occupied with walling itself off from the outside world, and with success. There were, perhaps, excellent reasons why a post Churban Europa Orthodox community needed to incubate in this way to preserve Torah and yiddishkeit. But now, when magazine after magazine, newspaper article after article, and book after book are dedicated to 'kids @ risk', 'adults @ risk' etc, perhaps a slight expansion of educational scope is warranted . . . ?

* And if you feel I therefore should not speak out, tell me.

Technorati file under:Matisyahu Solomon
Rav Solomon
Jews Internet
Lakewood
Jewish Observer
chareidi

Pot Calling the Kettle

Whenever I see the Carl Levins, Ted Kennedys and Hillary Clintons of this world bloviating about security, I know that we're about to become a bit less secure.

Misplaced Worry

One simple question: If the UAE put in a bid to manage the ports of Haifa or Ashdod, would Israel accept?

Of course they would, because it would mean closer relations with the Arab states, and more reliance on interlinked economies.

And security? The Israelis would make sure security is good regardless of the manager.

Footnote: I presume that Thomas Friedman, who writes in today's Times that the 'root cause' (my words) for Muslim problems is economic hopelessness of the youth, would also advocate this type of non-oil based commerce for Muslims.
Right?

Technorati:port
ports
Friedman

A Liberal with Sechel

Although on most Jewish subjects I vehemently disagree with Alan Dershowitz, I have noticed over time that, unlike his landsman the distinguished senator from Massachusetts, on Israel and on security the civil libertarian takes an independent and common sense tack.

He advocates preemption of terror, even at the price of some civil liberties.

Dershowitz: "The shift from responding to past events to preventing future harms is part of one of the most significant but unnoticed trends in the world today. It challenges our traditional reliance on a model of human behavior that presupposes a rational person capable of being deterred by the threat of punishment. The classic theory of deterrence postulates a calculating evildoer who can evaluate the cost-benefits of proposed actions and will act — and forbear from acting — on the basis of these calculations. It also presupposes society's ability (and willingness) to withstand the blows we seek to deter and to use the visible punishment of those blows as threats capable of deterring future harms. These assumptions are now being widely questioned as the threat of weapons of mass destruction in the hands of suicide terrorists becomes more realistic and as our ability to deter such harms by classic rational cost-benefit threats and promises becomes less realistic."


That makes (with Sen Lieberman), two normal Democrats dedicated to the continuity of Western civilization.

Almost a trend.

Hat tip: Jewish World Review, and Tony Blankley.

Dershowitz
preemption

Quote of the Day!

"Hardly worth rioting over, in my opinion. But the people who do this sort of thing don't care much about my opinion. So why should I care about theirs?"
-Glen Reynolds

cartoon

Why are Frum Bloggers Liberal?

The substantial majority of chareidi and halachic thinking Jews find themselves aligned with conservative thinking in a general sense. The preponderance of opinion is that on social issues conservative thought is closer to (though not identical with) both the Torah's imperatives and the self interest of our community.

So why is it that it seems more than 50% of my fellow frum bloggers and commenters are liberals, even in areas clearly labelled 'abominations' in the Torah, and even coming down against a clearly pro-Israel administration and clearly pro-Israel political movements in America?

Later update (post from a frum blogger who would love for me to link to him, but I can't because of this stuff): "Demolishing dumb arguments (The mass revelation argument for the Torah's Historical Veracity)"
While I may have the some of the same questions this fellow does, knowing what not to talk about is a part of maturity and responsibility. Plus, a Rishon like the Kuzari and other Rishonim who may hold similar views deserves the basic respect of not using dumb language.

New Directions in Postermania

I've noticed an interesting trend in BP posterland. It's no longer internet. It's no longer even kosher cellphones (a real non-issue in America I think, except in the eyes of certified nut cases).

It's computers in general - even for Magidei Shiur (Rov Rosenbloom per poster).

It seems to be any computer in the house, even unconnected (R' Solomon per poster).

Would anyone use an MD or JD (attorney) who didn't utilize a computer?

Is Torah less important?

And before you tell me Torah was learned before computers - of course it was. But law and medicine were practiced before computers, too!

So why not use a 1950's hospital?

Consistency

Brave watchdogs of Western democracy.

cartoons

Pent Up Anger?

The news and blog worlds are buzzing about the provocative, hostile, and unprofessional behavior of the White House Press corpse (sic) at the Wednesday press conference about the Whittington shooting.

Juan Williams of NPR characterized it as pent up anger over Cheney's reticence to the press harking back to the prehistory of the undisclosed attendees at the Energy Policy meetings.

While it is evident by our supine posture to the Arab world today that the energy policy was flawed, that does not excuse these journalistic dilettantes.
Bloggers like Powerline are far more professional, even in person interviewing newsmakers.

How can these 'reporters' claim to be professionals and yet harbor grudges?
Are they married?

Of course, if the 'missing day' really is a conspiracy, and that's why they're all worked up, they'll have to admit that Cheney's aim has sure deteriorated since he was the unidentified second shooter in the Kennedy assassination!


cheney

Halevei !!

Cross-Currents released the following press release on their results in the Jewish & Israeli Blog Awards (first paragraph only):

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Orthodox Blog Takes Top Awards

Countering all stereotypes, Orthodox writers nab top honors in the newest of new media.

BALTIMORE, MD – February 9, 2006 – Cross-Currents, a “blog” written by traditional Orthodox Rabbis and teachers, today took first place honors in the Second Annual Jewish and Israeli Blog Awards, sponsored by the IsraellyCool blog and the Jerusalem Post. Countering portrayals of the Orthodox as technological Luddites who have banned the Internet, Cross-Currents, sponsored by the Jewish outreach organization Project Genesis, won the gold as both the Best Group Blog and Best Designed, while finishing second only to the Jerusalem Post’s own Dry Bones cartoon in the Best Overall category.

OK, let's see this again. "Countering portrayals of the Orthodox as technological Luddites who have banned the Internet".

You mean, all those posters, the edicts of every chareidi Bais Din, the Lakewood Ban - all figments of Leapa's imagination. Uh-huh.

Cross Currents, I don't want to get personal - but . . . are you Orthodox?

luddites
jews and internet

Cartoon Jihad or How We Learned to Love the Bomb

Well, the Jews have nothing to do with this one.

Just a few musings:

1. Where are the free speech advocates on the left who are always bloviating about administration 'intimidation' of free speech. Isn't burning embassies a form of intimidation?

2. Why aren't we realizing the nature of the threat? I.e., when Iranian Pres Mahmoud Ahmaggettinoutahere gets his infidel fumigator, and somebody cracks a joke on blogger about running out of shaheed reward fodder, where will the dead roaches be? (Clue: Not Tel Aviv)

3. How much sensitivity is enough?

4. Why are we ultra-orthodox but the shahidis are not ultra-islamic?

5. What should we ultras do about the Michelangelo pictures (of G-d in 'Creation') on the roof of the Sistine Chapel? After all, Israel already has the Bomb! Any Israeli pilots read this blog?


Footnote: Iran's biggest-selling newspaper has chosen to tackle the West's ideals of "freedom of expression" by launching a competition to find the 12 "best" cartoons about the Holocaust, the Associated French Press reported on Monday.


cartoon
Ahmadinejad

And The Chechen Child Butchers Are Freedom Fighters

"Russian President Vladimir Putin] said Russia would not support any efforts to cut off financial assistance to the Palestinians....The Russian Foreign Ministry has never regarded Hamas as a terrorist organization"
(Washington Post)

Putin
Hamas

NYT: They're Not As Demented As We Think - They're a Lot Worse

NYT Editorial Thurs 2/2/06 (Subcription needed for this idiocy):

" . . . So far, the Bush administration has made the right moves. The statement issued earlier this week by the so-called quartet of the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia calls for Hamas to "be committed to nonviolence, recognize Israel and accept the previous agreements and commitments," like the Oslo accords and the "road map" peace plan, which calls for dismantling of armed groups like, well, Hamas. That's a good start. The quartet also stopped short of immediately cutting off aid to the Palestinians, which would undoubtedly serve to push the Palestinians further into the arms of Iran. Presumably that decision can be made later — when a Hamas-dominated government is formed.

The United States should continue to press Israel to hand over the $50 million a month in tax and customs receipts it collects for the Palestinian Authority, if for no other reason than this is money that belongs to the Palestinians. The acting Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, may be trying to win an election by appearing tough, but pouring gas over an inflamed situation is not the way to go. . . ."


Hamas
New York Times
NYT

Daf Yomi and Internet

In the midst of struggling with the sugya of Rabbi Chanina Sgan Hakohanim one's mind drifts to easier times - namely Pesachim Daf 10b.

There, the gemara discusses the necessity of removal of various caches of chometz - i.e., a loaf of bread on a rafter or in a well.

The general conclusion is, if it's difficult to get at, we don't assume that desire or craving will result in the Jew retrieving the chometz from difficult to reach locations. This in the time of Chazal when hunger was presumable much more prevalent than satiety. (Kosher L'Pesach rainbow cookies had not yet made their appearance.) And judging by the tenor of the gemaras, the am horatzim of that time were not averse to cutting corners.

Nevertheless, added difficulty deflects sin.

With a filter as a barrier, and a computer in a visible location , might this gemara not apply to the internet as well ...?

C'mon pro-ban chevra - are the lusts of the net worse than the need and drive for basic nourishment? Worse than the lure of the forbidden (chometz in Passover)?