What was Rav Soloveitchik’s halachic position regarding electricity?

 https://613tube.com/watch/?v=TeMrYf4d7ek

then ignore it

 You don't have to out argue them. If what they are saying seems wrong to you, messes you up, then ignore it. 

Jews without mitzvos

 

What actor was a nightmare to work with?

…..Zero Mostel….

Got to the point no one wanted to work with him……producers were shunning him…..

As an actor…..no one could touch him……as a human being……no one wanted to touch him….

https://www.quora.com/What-actor-was-a-nightmare-to-work-with

get your tin hat

 Don't let the aliens take your brain.

Magic Jesus

 Journalist Chris Hedges, who himself is an ordained minister, criticizes the Christian right which he deems nationalistic and even fascistic. He says that the billionaire class funds them because they don't make economic demands. 

"With magic Jesus, you don't need labor unions. With magic Jesus, you don't need healthcare. Because magic Jesus is going to give you a Cadillac and make all your dreams come true. And that is that shift, from a reality based world, into the world of magical thinking. And once people shift into that world of magical thinking, you can't reach them through rational argument." 

He adds that these people don't like discussing the Bible because they don't know it. They know enough to buttress their theology. 

[Democracy doesn’t exist in the United States: Chris Hedges | UpFront, 22:02, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EDKRGkgLsI, Al Jazeera English]

Isn't the Haredi world a bit like this? Just study Torah. It's all you need. The Gemara is their magic Jesus. And it's like the Modern Orthodox too. Israel is their magic Jesus. 

If middos matter

I had four yeshivish bochurim over my house for Shabbos. They were decent American kids and it went well for the most part. But over time, arguments developed, at times they got fierce, even nasty. They were not hearing each other, not learning from each other. Each was locked in a position. The goal was to defeat the other. 

One of them didn't join in the arguments. He even said to me privately that he appreciated hearing my perspective as he hadn't heard it before. What was different about him? He was from Los Angeles. They were all from the New York area, Lakewood and Monsey.

I think back on that NY rabbi who told me not to live in Los Angeles because it was tuma par excellence. He didn't tell me not to live in New York. 

We don't see our own flaws. We don't see the shortcomings of our group and our city.

At the end of Shabbos, the guy from Los Angeles apologized to me if he said anything to which I could take offense. I told him, "I can't think of anything. In fact, I was thinking this guy is so thoughtful in what he says to people. Those are the ones who apologize."

New York frummies see New York as the best place to raise children, the most religiously devoted place. I beg to differ. If middos matter then New York might be the worst place. 

Rabbi Melamed on the Divine Spark in other religions - Alan Brill

 

Read on blog or Reader The Book of Doctrines and Opinions: Read on blog or Reader Rabbi Melamed on the Divine Spark in other religions By Alan Brill on June 30, 2025 Continuing my discussion about Rabbi Melamed on Other Religions. I started with his statements on Hinduism and will now look at his broader premises- see “The Divine Spark among Other Religions” and here “Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook on Different Religions.” Once again, I will use the posted selective English translation because it is accessible; however, I do have the Hebrew original marked up with marginal notes and a full response. For Rabbi Melamed, all religions have a spark of the divine, some of the light of the divine, and help the world advance toward its moral perfection. The religions of the world educate towards the moral foundations, “each religion according to its level.” Through accepting these points, Rabbi Melamed removed any stigma of other religions as needing to be negated or the need to call other religions as demonic, entirely false, or to teach a restrictive exclusivism where only Jews have religion. Rather, for most people in the world, Melamed thinks that “it is right for every person to continue in the faith of their fathers, because with the loss of faith, moral corruption increases.” Rabbi Melamed also thinks that the religions of the world are progressing toward deeper and more abstract forms of understanding their religions, thereby removing “the dross of the crude material elements within it” allowing them to elevate their souls “to higher faith and morality.” Jews should not follow these religions; however, the religions of the world “serve as a moral and faith compass for all peoples.” Rabbi Melamed acknowledges that religious ideas are evolving and progressing to deeper understandings, the ancient and medieval forms of the religion that most people know from textbooks do not reflect current ideas in those religions. He has spoken with many people and read many books to overcome the essentializing of religions in ancient forms. I am always surprised at people who think other religions are where they were in 500 CE or even 1700 CE, but at the same time have a modern understanding of Judaism. continue