Daas Torah 
I am concerned with all issues that are related to Jewish identity. At the present time I am writing a source book dealing with the issue of child and wife abuse.
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American Jew teaches Gazans stress management
New York Times Tough-looking ambulance drivers in this central Gazan city are drawing images of their fears with crayons. In the northwestern village of El Atatra, in an overheated hall without electricity, 10-year-olds are closing their eyes and imagining a reassuring place. Read More »
Translating words – ×××’ ××ר
There has been a rather strange debate about the meaning of ×××’ ××ר which simply means milk from a male. It has been asserted that at least the Shach holds that it is not milk. I am simply posting the Shach. I can’t see any way of reading it other than that is is some form of milk associated with a male. Read More »
Reforming schools is not solution to lack of student motivation
Newsweek As 56 million children return to the nation’s 133,000 elementary and secondary schools, the promise of “reform” is again in the air. Read More »
Religious people have stronger yetzer harah
Avnei Milium (Introduction): … Our Sages say that whoever is greater his yetzer is greater. That is because there is no comparison of one who has bread in his basket to one who doesn’t. When the spirit is closed in, it makes a greater effort to break through the restrictions and escape. Read More »
Religion vs Science: Mystery and Evidence
New York Times There is a story about Bertrand Russell giving a public lecture somewhere or other, defending his atheism. Read More »
Rabbis should be free from police interrogation?
YNET A poll conducted by Ynet and the Yesodot Center for Torah and Democracy reveals that 58% of haredim and the religious public believe that rabbis should not be subjected to police interrogation. The majority of seculars and traditionalists, however believe that rabbis should report for questioning when called. Read More »
Child Abuse: Most people would not report abuse
The Age MOST Australians would turn a blind eye if confronted with clear signs that a child was being physically or sexually abused or neglected, a survey has revealed. Read More »
Tenacity – Failing driving test 959 times before succeeding!
New York Times A PERSON could know South Korea for a long time without knowing Wanju, an obscure county 112 miles south of Seoul. And, at least until recently, a person could know a lot about Wanju without ever hearing of Cha Sa-soon, a 69-year-old woman who lives alone in the mountain-ringed village of Sinchon. Now, however, Ms. Read More »
means skin contract ק×ר××’ גשר
the claim that I am mistranslating ק×ר××’ גשר is very interesting but is obviously mistaken. the language of Rambam and Shulchan Aruch is that the father and daughter can sleep together גק×ר××’ גשר however if she is embarrassed standing nude then they must sleep in their clothing. Read More »
Child abuse: Amish try to deal with it internally
New York Times hat tip Ben Torah A troubled young man from this remote stretch of eastern Missouri, Chester Mast had traveled north in the summer of 2004 to stay with his extended family in Wisconsin. Mr. Read More »
Languages shapes the way we think?
New York Times Seventy years ago, in 1940, a popular science magazine published a short article that set in motion one of the trendiest intellectual fads of the 20th century. At first glance, there seemed little about the article to augur its subsequent celebrity. Neither the title, “Science and Linguistics,” nor the magazine, M.I.T. Read More »
What does it mean when defense lawyers drop a case?
Free Advice Can my lawyer drop me as a client? Yes, but not because he or she is not making money, or because a better, more lucrative case just walked into his or her door, or because the matter is taking longer than anticipated. If your case is in active litigation, the lawyer can’t just hightail it out without the judge’s authorization. Read More »
Two injured in new attack
Jerusalem Post The day after deadly Kiryat Arba attack, shots were fired at a vehicle injuring two, one in critical condition; Security forces are on the scene searching for terrorist’s vehicle. Read More »
4 Israeli civilians killed in Palestinian ambush
YNET Four Israelis were murdered Tuesday evening after the vehicle they were traveling in was ambushed by terrorists in the Hebron region. At least some of the victims, who are all residents of Beit Hagai, are members of the same family. Read More »
Coverup in Belgium Church case
New York Times The former leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Belgium urged a victim of serial sexual abuse by a bishop to keep silent for a year, until the bishop — the victim’s own uncle — could retire, according to tapes made by the victim last April and published over the weekend in two Belgian newspapers. Read More »
The Life and Death of Yoseph Robinson z”l
Aish HaTorah The first time Yoseph Robinson z’l stared down the barrel of a gun was 15 years ago, when the Bronx drug dealer was betrayed by a colleague in crime. It changed his life. Read More »
Black & Jewish without contradiction
New York Times In yeshivas, they are sometimes taunted as “monkeys” or with the Yiddish epithet for blacks. At synagogues and kosher restaurants, they engender blank stares. Read More »
Shul janitor accused of abusing children
Jerusalem Post A cleaner who worked in a synagogue was indicted by the Jerusalem District Court on Friday on charges of sexual abusing at the place of worship minors between the ages of eight and thirteen. The suspect has also been charged with sodomy and attempted sodomy.[… Read More »
Illegal Immigrants – situation in Mexico
Wall Street Journal This week’s massacre of 72 Central and South American migrants in Mexico highlights a paradox the government here doesn’t like to talk about: While it complains about the treatment of its own undocumented workers in the U.S., Mexico can be a far worse place to be an illegal migrant. Read More »
Which Shul to choose
Five Towns Jewish Times When one visits Israel, one often faces a quandary: Which shul should one daven at on Erev Shabbos? The choices are often between nusach Sephard and nusach Ashkenaz, or one where there is a Friday evening speaker or not. Read More »
The problem of always doing something – hasmada
New York Times Cellphones, which in the last few years have become full-fledged computers with high-speed Internet connections, let people relieve the tedium of exercising, the grocery store line, stoplights or lulls in the dinner conversation. The technology makes the tiniest windows of time entertaining, and potentially productive. Read More »
Abuse : Rabbis must decide whether to go to police
Asbury Park Press One man’s criminal accusation that a teacher molested his young son has widened the rift in the Orthodox Jewish community over where religious rights stop and the justice system begins. Read More »
Changing sexual attitudes – normalizing the profoundly perverse
Guardian It was a Friday night a few months ago. Rob was standing on my doorstep, ashen and trembling. He still couldn’t speak even as he sipped at a mug of tea after my flatmate and I had ushered him into our front room. Read More »
New sex laws will help abuse prevention
Delmarva Uncle John has been taking his nephew Steve on camping trips every weekend. The family knows John has a history of being a sexual predator, and they suspect he may be grooming the child for abuse. In the recent past, Social Services could only help that child once it suspected he had been mistreated. Not anymore. Read More »
Abuse book – Dedication & synopsis
There are those of you who are still skeptical and cautious about approving or supporting a book that you haven’t read. Despite the many posts about abuse that I have posted – you still are not sure what I am doing and what my message is – or that I have the competence to produce an appropriate book on the topic. Read More »
Nefesh B’Nefesh & Aliyah
Five Towns Jewish Times I personally witnessed them. They were two men sitting in the first class section of an El Al flight headed toward Israel. Between the two of them they were holding on to some very small items with an illegal street value of well over one million American dollars. They were both busy. And working through the night. Read More »
Shavei Israel – outreach to Poles who cliaim Jewish roots
YNET A group of 22 young Poles who recently discovered their Jewish roots arrived in Israel on Sunday for a special three-week educational seminar organized by the Shavei Israel non-profit organization. Read More »
Abuse book – Dedication & synopsis
There are those of you who are still skeptical and cautious about approving or supporting a book that you haven’t read. Despite the many posts about abuse that I have posted – you still are not sure what I am doing and what my message is – or that I have the competence to produce an appropriate book on the topic. Read More »
Europe and illegal immigrants
NYTimes About 100 French riot police officers swooped down on an encampment of Roma here at 7 a.m. Thursday, taking names and filling out expulsion orders. Fully padded, but without helmets, the officers were aggressive but polite, accompanied by a Romanian policeman and three interpreters. Read More »
Abuse Book: Last Appeal for Support
As you know the book is almost finished – I am still waiting for three essays and I have about another week of editing left. I am going to ask one more time for financial assistance (previous requests were largely ignored). Anyone who wants to contribute can simply use the button on the blog which is linked to my PayPal account. Read More »
Saudi judge seeks to paralyze assailant as punishment
Associated Press A Saudi judge has asked several hospitals in the country whether they could damage a man’s spinal cord as punishment after he was convicted of attacking another man with a cleaver and paralyzing him, the brother of the victim said Thursday. Read More »
Cigarette Smoking & Orthodox World
Yehuda Mond Foundation Who Wants Life? from Yehuda Mond Foundation on Vimeo . Read More »
Alcoholism & the Orthodox world
Yehuda Mond Foundation The dangers and pitfalls of alcohol from Yehuda Mond Foundation on Vimeo . Read More »
Attitude towards gay rights shifting worldwide
CNN In signing Argentina’s same-sex marriage law, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said debate over the issue would be “absolutely anachronistic” — archaic, out of date — within a few years. Read More »
Time Magazine Poll: Mosques & Muslims
Time Magazine Poll While the poll revealed that prejudice toward Muslims is widespread, respect for other religions traditions remains sturdy. Respondents held the Jewish faith in the highest regard, with 75% professing to hold a favorable impression-just slightly higher than attitudes toward Protestants and Catholics. Read More »
Tai Chi Reported to Ease Fibromyalgia
NYTIMES The ancient Chinese practice of tai chi may be effective as a therapy for fibromyalgia, according to a study published on Thursday in The New England Journal of Medicine. Read More »
Acupuncture & placebo effect
NYTIMES Fake acupuncture appears to work just as well for pain relief as the real thing, according to a new study of patients with knee arthritis. Read More »
Nigerian hacker’s IP Nigeria (ipnxtelecoms.com: 41.184.6.35)
I was notified by my gmail account that I was visited recently by a Nigerian hacker – Nigeria (ipnxtelecoms.com: 41.184.6. Read More »
Yofas To’ar: Fight yetzer harah by removing prohibition
כסף משנה הלכות מלכים פרק ח הלכה ב וכן בועל אשה בגיותה אם תקפו יצרו וכו’. Read More »
Re: Final Cover – 3 variations
I like the third one. On Wed, Aug 18, 2010 at 2: 13 AM, Daniel Eidensohn wrote: Here are three variations. Two are similar except for how dark the cover is. The third version has the subtitle with a different font and without slant I prefer the lighter version with the slant. My eye gets stuck on the subtitle when it is not slanted. Read More »
Final Cover – 3 variations
Here are three variations. Two are similar except for how dark the cover is. The third version has the subtitle with a different font and without slant I prefer the lighter version with the slant. My eye gets stuck on the subtitle when it is not slanted. Read More »
ADHD – 1 million kids misdiagnosed?
Newscore ALMOST one million American children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have been misdiagnosed, scientists revealed today. Read More »
Gamil account hijacked!
Please ignore bizarre messages sent from my gmail account. the account was hijacked Read More »
Brain death – major collection of sources/videos
Halachic Organ Donor Society I am not going to attempt a review of the literature on brain death and transplants – that has been done many times. Read More »
Abuse book – Cover 4
This is a compromise between those who want an emotional eye catching covering and those who want a dignified scholarly cover Read More »
Brain death: Sacrificing the individual for the sake of others
I was discussing the principle this morning with a talmid chachom – that an innocent person is not sacrificed for the good of others. This is a major principle in halacha which is obviously relevant to the issue of child abuse. Rema(Y.D. 157: 1): … Read More »
