89.02/ #NachasAlert: my son has a piece (pgs. 2-3) in his high school's Torah journal. The final draft was 3 pages long so this published version was cut down significantly. (Now I get to teach him the academic trick of publishing 'chapters' as articles). parshasheets.com/newsletter/bko…
89.03/ This is such a good video, it can be played on an endless loop and it brings a big smile to my face whenever I see it. It's fine while silent but the sound makes it a masterpiece
89.05/ Just got handed a memo that I must make an #Oscars hot-take or I lose my account. Sigh. OK:
I believe the Academy should be ashamed for demoting the technical awards from the telecast. In doing so, they've demeaned these integral artistic fields. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/94th_Acad…
89.06/ As for the #OscarsSlap, besides giving me "Tom Cruise Jumping on Oprah's Couch" vibes, I must profess my cultural ignorance. Halakhically, didn't Smith just challenge Rock to a duel? Does it count if you don't say the words "I demand satisfaction?" I cite Charlie Murphy:
89.07a/ Since I'm ignorant of how you're supposed to fight in public, I'll link below some of the reactions I appreciated:
89.08/ #Mets represent! I remember when Burkhardt was the sideline reporter, and this is such a huge upgrade over the terminally torpid Buck, it's nuts. Mazal tov to KB.
89.09/ #NachasAlert: link to my brother @acypess MD PhD's lecture last night about the science behind the bracha of "Asher Yatzar." Listening to it, I felt simultaneously both smarter AND dumber. Smart b/c I learned a lot; dumb b/c he's way smarter than me
89.10/ I'm learning a lot about people's character from the continuing Slap Discourse; how they frame things & shame others for not agreeing with them. Note, it's the same basic thing I learned from people who defend spanking & those who endorsed Chris Cuomo 'helping his brother'
89.11/ 29-8? I mean, I know it's pre-season baseball, but that's gotta be humiliating.
89.12/ Right now, again, the #NYM#NYR and #Knicks are all on TV simultaneously, which 2020 taught me not to take for granted. And seeing Alonso hit a 3 run homer, yeah even in preseason, is ALWAYS fun.
89.14/ So many terrible people, true to form, have taken the opportunity of The Slap to try to sieze the high ground and we can't let them. Case in point: When OJ thinks he should lecture people about marriage and violence.
89.15/ What Dr. Lebovits describes is one reason why I implore every Orthodox shul to employ a Yoetzet Halacha. The chiyuvim of Kavod ha-Briyot and Tzniut alone make it necessary! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoetzet_H…
89.16/ This is in general true as a dynamic found in many 'posturing' mystical-ideology groups. The leaders are often, especially over generations, money & power driven hypocrites. When a true-believer takes over, watch out.
89.17/ The animus vs LGBTQ, esp. the current deadly focus on trans people, is from two main sources: biological essentialism (which is scientific racism & should be opposed by all people of conscience) or religion (which shouldn't be enshrined in US law). #TransDayOfVisibility
89.18/ And the Jews all said with one voice "Finally!" BTW, it's still Adar; this is the month when, historically, antisemites were exposed. Let that be a sign for the future. #Lipstadt
89.19/ The #MarchMadness Cinderella story of the St. Peter Peacocks was fun while it lasted but the reason those stories are so special is that they're rare. This fellow had a sharp quip for when they were ultimately defeated:
89.22/ This is from yesterday so I don't think it's #AprilFools but I so very much wish it would be. This is why we can't have nice things, right? #LGM
89.23/ #NachasAlert: My daughter scored (a) winning goal in her soccer team's first game. (One of the joys of having a local newspaper is that I can link to these fun things) jewishlink.news/sports/50174-r…
89.25a/ On a totally different note @MuppetRabbi loves #Tazria b/c he'll take any excuse to blather on about #LoshonHara. See this thread but especially this sermon topic which may be the finest entry (if I do say so myself):
196.03/ #NachasAlert: My son has a big article (pages 4-6) in this week's Torah journal from his high school #Metzora-#HaGadol. Enjoy! drive.google.com/file/d/1uNKU5O…
195.02/ Happy #Eclipse2024 Day for all who celebrate. Here's an interesting article about the halakhic implications of an eclipse by Rabbi Dov Linzer: blogs.timesofisrael.com/solar-eclipse-…
195.03/ #Eclipse2024 My extended family went to a place of 100% totality and took this picture a few minutes ago. For me its 90% and can't be photographed (which is one reason I said shehechiyanu). Not paskening for anyone else, but for me this is a religious experience.
194.02/ #ChochmatNashim for #Shemini 5784.
@ChochmatNashim
Downloadable PDF with working links to Divrei Torah by Orthodox women scholars on the parsha and other topics of the week. #Shmini #HaChodesh drive.google.com/file/d/1bFHTfW…
193.03/ #NachasAlert: Final (so far) tally of times my son leyned Megillah seven times; 3 last night, four times today. Including once for a home-bound Shoah survivor. So proud.
192.02/ So today is #ZayinAdar and Saint Patrick's Day during Ramadan. What could go wrong?
192.03/ There's a resonance in having a fast that commemorates a community sacrifice for soldiers fighting a defensive war against raging antisemites. #TaanitEsther
191.02/ Last #MotzeiShabbatMovieNight of the season. How to top last week, and with a movie my youngest hasn't seen yet? "Fletch (1985)" en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fletch_(f…
191.03/ I agree with Prof. Simkovich, re: the Oscar guy.
Also, I see people wrestling to make sense of his convoluted phrasing, but I'm not inclined to give the benefit of the doubt to a declaration that inherently refuses to give others the same benefit.