On Your "Haredi Rabbis" The Quakers & Tremblers" - "It seems to me that the experience of knowingly doing wrong is all-too-common. The coward, the hypocrite, the sell-out, the swindler—these people generally know that they are violating every standard of goodness"

 

 

Whether this the current war is categorized under Jewish law as a “required war’ (milchemet mitzva) or an optional war (milchemet reshut) is almost irrelevant. It is a situation of pikuach nefesh — danger to life — on a national scale (see Rambam H. Shabbat 2:23). I can think of no greater kindness or chesed one can do for the Jewish people during this time of need than to serve in the IDF.

 

I enlisted in the IDF

 

The more haredim who join the army, the quicker the army will evolve into a haredi-friendly army. Opinion.

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IDFHaredimChaim Goldberg

• 2 minutes

It is my first day of training in the Israel Defense Forces. I’m in the IDF Shlav Bet program, primarily geared to haredi Jews who didn’t enlist in the army at 18, or to religious immigrants who came Israel after the exemption age. I am in the second category.

The first person I meet. I’m in shock. “Sonnenfeld,” he introduces himself. “Are you related . . . ?” I ask, hesitantly. Yes, indeed, he is a direct descendant of the saintly scholar, Rabbi Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld, founder of the anti-Zionist EidahHaredit community in Jerusalem over 100 years ago. I later find out that our logistics officer is Rabbi Sonnenfeld’s great-great-grandson-in-law. Other notable comrades included a well-known haredi author and two sons of a leading Beth Jacob (Bais Yaakov) haredi seminary principal.

Since December, I’ve engaged in numerous dialogues, including with Agudath Israel spokesmen, multiple kollel deans and others about the haredi refusal to serve in the IDF. We examine the Torah sources that are frequently cited as justifications for the haredi non-enlistment. After I point out that these justifications do not seem to be faithful representations of those sources — a discussion beyond the scope of this article — the bottom line issues I hear revolve around rabbinic leadership’s opposition to the Israeli army’s secular ethos*.

The religious Zionist hesder yeshivas go a long way toward meeting this concern, but they have also made various religious compromises. And philosophically, religious Zionist soldiers embrace certain nationalistic elements foreign to the haredi belief system. So the hesder yeshiva model isn’t a fully adequate response to the haredi concerns. I once had sympathy for such concerns, but based on my army service I have seen firsthand how these concerns do not represent an accurate understanding of what army service would look like for haredim today.

Here are some of the arguments I’ve heard against army service, along with my experience in Shlav Bet.

The army is secular. Haredi youth will be negatively influenced and become irreligious.

My experience?

• Every commander I had was haredi or devoutly religious.

• There was zero interaction between genders.

• There was time to study Torah each day.

• All food had a high-level kosher supervision widely accepted in haredi circles. For those who did not want to rely on them, pre-wrapped meals supervised by the Eidah Haredit itself were provided.

•There was davening (prayer) with a minyan three times a day. Many comrades, whose children are in haredi schools, remarked that they davened with a minyan more frequently in the army than they do in civilian life.

A couple of anecdotes.

Though everything in the army is done under precise timing, one day our company commander implored us to daven slower, noting that we can ask for time extensions if necessary.

One commander repeatedly stressed that our yirat shamayim (fear of Heaven) should not diminish one bit during our army service.

“And if we feel it does?” asked one soldier.

“Then leave your unit and find a different unit with a commander sensitive to your particular religious needs,” was the reply.

If a haredi youth would become secular in such an environment, that would be an indictment of the religious education they received prior to enlistment.

The Israel army’s agenda is to secularize everyone.

One of my commanders stressed that the IDF is no longer the melting pot that David Ben Gurion envisioned. Just as in the business world, the IDF now recognizes the value of diversity over homogeneity.

Another anecdote.

“Hatikvah.” Every morning we stand in formation and sing Hatikvah. Some in the haredi community take issue with Hatikvah’s lyrics, specifically the line “to be a free nation in our land.” The haredi understanding is that the composer’s intent was to be “free of mitzvah observance.” A comrade of mine raised an objection based on this.

“Not everything you say is a statement of ideology,” the commander reassured him. “However,” he added, “if you remain uncomfortable saying it, then don’t say it. Or, replace ‘free nation’ with ‘Jewish nation’ or ‘Torah nation.’”

Every day after Hatikvah, we sang “Ani Maamin” (“I believe in perfect faith . . . ” by Maimonides), which I understand frequently occurs in other units with religious, non-haredi soldiers.

The army is guided by an ethos of “kochi v’otzem yadi” (a biblical idiom that disapproves of attributing military success to human endeavor, leaving G-d out of the equation), and this too would imprint such an attitude on haredi youth.

We were in training the very nights that Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh and Hezbollah’s second-in-command Fuad Shukr were assassinated.

We were called to a special formation immediately upon waking. The message? To thank G-d for these miracles during the upcoming morning prayers.

Further, we were stopped later in the day — twice, by two separate commanders — to recite the Psalm of Thanksgiving, “Mizmor le-Todah.”

“We are not an army of kochi v’otzem yadi,” a different commander emphasized.

Now, some may say, all this is excellent, but it is not representative of the army as a whole. “Not every unit has these accommodations!”

Paradoxically, as I learned, that would be good for haredi soldiers. Because the only thing that matters is what your commanders say. It doesn’t really matter what other commanders might say. If your commander is haredi or supportive of your religious needs, as so many today are, you are good to go.

An equally critical takeaway is that the more haredim who join the army, the quicker the army will evolve into a haredi-friendly army.

A respected general has been tapped to build a haredi army base. He has an unlimited budget to build whatever haredi soldiers might need, be it a halakhically stringent eruv for Shabbat, a mikveh, a large shul, whatever. It is a male-only base. Its motto? “The way they come into the army — haredi — is the way they will leave the army.” No reeducation agenda. The brigade is called Hasmonean and it is waiting for haredi young men to enlist in large numbers.

Granted, this was not the case 20 or even 10 years ago. Haredi concerns were well founded. But times are changing. The reality is different. Will haredi leaders be a part of the change to a more Torah-observant army?

I was in Shlav Bet, not a full time army training. My framework was only two weeks. But alumni of this framework are found in critical roles such as Judea and Samaria patrols and logistics operations in Gaza.

This is extremely important not only intrinsically. Due to the unprecedented dimensions of the war Hamas began on Oct. 7, Israel’s reservist soldiers, and their entire families, are collapsing under the logistical, financial and emotional strain of being asked to go back into service again and again. I know many of them. They are proud, they are resilient and they are determined. But they are beyond exhausted.

This is to say nothing of those who, G-d forbid, develop PTSD, get injured or are killed.

Each and every soldier who joins the IDF now enables a reservist soldier to get a reprieve. To give a father back to his children, to enable a husband to return home to his wife.

Whether this the current war is categorized under Jewish law as a “required war’ (milchemet mitzva) or an optional war (milchemet reshut) is almost irrelevant. It is a situation of pikuach nefesh — danger to life — on a national scale (see Rambam H. Shabbat 2:23). I can think of no greater kindness or chesed one can do for the Jewish people during this time of need than to serve in the IDF.

*Another issue posed to me has been how can one be in an army where major issues of Jewish law, life and death issues, are decided by army personnel, and not rabbinic decisors? Chapter 4 of Tzavah K’halacha addresses this, a work written in full consultation with Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. I heard this directly from the author, Yitzchak Kaufman, and it has been confirmed by Rabbi Auerbach’s sons in the introduction to Shulchan Shlomo.

 

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406209

 

Top ultra-Orthodox rabbi orders yeshiva students to ignore IDF conscription orders

 

In letter published on front page of party newspaper Yated Neeman, Degel HaTorah spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando prohibits yeshiva students from reporting to recruiting office

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 Dov Lando

 

ANYONE SEE DOV? FORGOT HIS DIAPER!

One of the most prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbis in Israel publicly called on yeshiva students to ignore IDF conscription orders, writing that they “should not report to the recruiting office at all” after receiving summonses.

In an open letter published Friday on the front page of Degel HaTorah mouthpiece Yated Ne’eman, Rabbi Dov Lando — the chairman of the party’s ruling Council of Torah Sages and one of the most prominent rabbinic leaders of the so-called “Lithuanian” stream of ultra-Orthodoxy — issued a series of instructions aimed at minimizing contact between members of his community and the armed forces.

Alongside the Hasidic Agudat Yisrael, Degel Hatorah is one of two factions comprising the coalition’s United Torah Judaism party.

 MORE:

https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-ultra-orthodox-rabbi-orders-yeshiva-students-to-ignore-idf-conscription-orders/

 

 UOJ & Liberman calls for arrest of leading haredi rabbis

MK Avigdor Liberman, head of Yisrael Beytenu, UOJ

ראש מועצת גדולי האינטערנעט - call for arrest of former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, haredi leader Rabbi Dov Lando, for their anti-draft statements.

https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/406287

I’m at a stage in life when one imagines that one better understands, and accepts, human frailty. It is, therefore, startling to realize that the list of people with whom I can no longer safely share a dinner table is growing, rather than shrinking.

It seems to me that the experience of knowingly doing wrong is all-too-common. The coward, the hypocrite, the sell-out, the swindler—these people generally know that they are violating every standard of goodness, including their own.

View in browser Failure of Character Sam Harris Mar 31 ∙ Paid   READ IN APP   In recent years, I’ve watched several friends who I once believed to be good, or at least good enough, become ethically grotesque. This has been disconcerting, for many reasons. I’m at a stage in life when one imagines that one better understands, and accepts, human frailty. It is, therefore, startling to realize that the list of people with whom I can no longer safely share a dinner table is growing, rather than shrinking. It says that one shouldn’t worry about the speck in another’s eye when there is a beam in one’s own. I admit that there is some generic wisdom in this, but I can’t pretend to believe that I have less integrity than the people I am now judging—for it simply isn’t so. These former friends are saying and doing things that are unethical. Knowing this, I believe I am right to find their behavior contemptible. It's possible, however, that my friends didn’t change, or didn’t change much, and that I just happen to be a terrible judge of character. If so, I’m not sure what to do with this bit of self-knowledge, apart from becoming slower to decide that I like people—which seems like a depressing lesson to learn. It would be tempting to simply ignore these developments, if it weren’t for the fact that some of these former friends have large public profiles and are actively poisoning our culture with lies. Most have joined the cult of venality and abject loyalty that surrounds President Trump. I won’t name them—though anyone who has followed my work over the years can probably read between these lines—apart from one, as he is now the primary offender on planet Earth: Elon Musk. I have discussed Elon’s unraveling several times already. And I admit that this is getting tedious. However, it is hard to think of a person who is doing more harm to global culture at this moment than he is. Invariably, one encounters in these MAGA cultists a brazen unwillingness or inability to explain themselves. Their poverty of language indicates, in almost every case, a poverty of ideas—of historical knowledge, moral imagination, and much else. Instead of explaining their actions, they grind down their critics with inane boasts and impossible lies. The result is that we are now witnessing a sordid parody of governance that doesn’t so much as nod in the direction of higher principles—neither toward a shared national destiny at home nor toward the defense of common humanity abroad. For these people, and for the America they now rule, nothing exists but leaden self-interest. I’m sure that everyone in Elon’s circle now recognizes that there is something seriously wrong with his ethics. However, I suspect that very few have said anything about this to him directly. Some are cowards, of course, but many probably realize that the man now lives in a digital oblivion, beyond reach of honest feedback. For months, Elon has been prowling the halls of American power like the High Sparrow, striking fear in public servants over whom he should hold no power. While no one is actually against cutting “waste, fraud, and abuse” from the federal budget, Elon and his Faith Militant aren’t nearly as good at detecting these sins as they pretend. They make absurd errors, which they then conceal or lie about. They have also cut many jobs and programs that no sane American would want to lose. And for all their vaunted commitment to efficiency, they may actually be increasing the federal deficit. In the end, it seems likely that DOGE will turn out to be a political and economic sham, an irresistible invitation to espionage, and a colossal act of national self-harm. Consider Elon’s gleeful dismantling of USAID, which may have violated the Constitution. Whether legal or not, there is little question that he and his DOGE minions now have blood on their hands. While they would surely deny this, the claim seems uncontroversial. One cannot suddenly suspend treatment for AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis to millions of people in Sub-Saharan Africa and not kill many of them as a result. At least a million are expected to die this year alone, if these programs are not reinstated. No doubt streamlining the federal government is hard work, and it would demand agonizing choices even if done with the best of intentions. But then, just think of how easy it would be for Elon to communicate his awareness of the moral complexity of the task. Instead of saying anything remotely sensible or compassionate, the man just vilifies our nation’s civil servants on X. It has become quite clear from all the pointless noise he creates, and from all the lies he tells while doing it, that Elon doesn’t care about the consequences of his actions. And now he has turned his attention to entitlements—which, admittedly, will have to be cut if DOGE is to realize any of its stated goals. Rather than say anything sane on this politically fraught topic, Elon is spreading the vulgar delusion that the Democratic Party has been using Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid to “attract and retain vast numbers of illegal immigrants and buy voters.” Someone should tell him that undocumented immigrants can’t vote and that naturalized immigrants represent no more than 10 percent of those eligible to do so. And then someone should remind him that a majority of these immigrants voted Republican in the last election. There’s a long tradition in philosophy, both western and eastern, which holds that virtue is a form of knowledge—and thus that evil can only result from ignorance. In Protagoras, Socrates claims that no one knowingly does what is morally wrong. A similar argument is central to the teachings of the Buddha. If true, we could say that behind every moral error lurks a cognitive one. The opinions of Socrates and the Buddha notwithstanding, it seems to me that the experience of knowingly doing wrong is all-too-common. The coward, the hypocrite, the sell-out, the swindler—these people generally know that they are violating every standard of goodness, including their own. Elon built his companies on federal loans and subsidies, and yet he now pretends that our government is nothing more than a trough of bad incentives. Surely he has caught a whiff of his own hypocrisy? I believe he knows that it is wrong—and, in fact, morally obscene—for the world’s richest man to personally revoke medical aid from the world’s poorest women and children, and to then publicly celebrate the resulting chaos, all the while securing billions of dollars in government contracts for his own businesses. He must know that it is wrong to amplify the delusions white supremacists, antisemites, and conspiracist loons to hundreds of millions of people, poisoning our politics in the process. The man is not a moron. He knows that by battering his way into the inner sanctum of the MAGA cult, he has allied himself with kooks, charlatans, psychopaths, and grifters—and with a president who is nothing if not the very avatar of personal corruption. Elon has now joined the ranks of those who are utterly incapable of self-scrutiny or compunction. These people do not admit their errors, much less apologize for them. And in response to criticism, however sound, they produce vicious absurdities that aren’t fit to be believed by even their most fanatical supporters. Rather, each lie is a test of loyalty. And Elon appears eager to pass them all. I think it is safe to say that Elon’s friends, colleagues, employees, and customers understand how ethically compromised he has become. One can only hope that it will eventually matter to them and that they can help bring the man back to Earth.

100 Years Of Medical & Scientific Progress In The Hands Of Conspiracy Theorists, Crackpots & Ignoramuses... אָך און װײ

 

Top Vaccine Official Resigns From FDA

 

— Peter Marks, MD, PhD, criticizes RFK Jr. for promoting "misinformation and lies"

The top vaccine official with the FDAopens in a new tab or window has resigned and criticized the nation's top health official for allowing "misinformation and lies" to guide his thinking behind the safety of vaccinations.

Peter Marks, MD, PhD, sent a letter to FDA Acting Commissioner Sara Brenner, MD, MPH, on Friday saying that he would resign and retire by April 5 as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

In his letter, which was obtained by the Associated Press, Marks said he was "willing to work" to address the concerns expressed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), about the safety of vaccinations. But he concluded that wasn't possible.

"It has become clear that truth and transparency are not desired by the Secretary, but rather he wishes subservient confirmation of his misinformation and lies," he wrote.

HHS did not respond to a request for comment.

Marks was offered the choice of resigning or being fired by Kennedy, according to a former FDA official familiar with the discussions, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he didn't have permission to discuss the matter publicly.

Kennedy has a long history of spreading anti-vaccine misinformation, although during his Senate confirmation hearings he seemed to say he would not undermine vaccines. He promised the chair of the Senate health committee that he would not change existing vaccine recommendations.

Since becoming secretary, Kennedy has vowed to scrutinize the safety of childhood vaccinations, despite decades of evidence they are safe and have saved millions of lives.

Marks oversaw the agency's rapid review and approval of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments during the pandemic.

Marks is credited with coining the name and concept for "Operation Warp Speed," the effort under President Donald Trump to rapidly manufacture vaccines while they were still being tested for safety and efficacy. The initiative cut years off the normal development process.

Despite the project's success, Trump repeatedly lashed out at the FDA for not approving the first COVID shots even sooner. Trump told confidants after his 2020 loss that he would have been re-elected if the vaccine had been available before election day.

Paul Offit, MDopens in a new tab or window, of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, criticized what he called the "firing" of Marks.

"RFK Jr.'s firing of Peter Marks because he wouldn't bend a knee to his misinformation campaign now allows the fox to guard the hen house," Offit said. "It's a sad day for America's children."

Robert Califf, MD, former FD commissioner, said the issues raised in Marks' resignation letter "should be frightening to anyone committed to the importance of evidence to guide policies and patient decisions."

"I hope this will intensify the communication across academia, industry, and government to bolster the importance of science and evidence," he wrote.

The resignation follows news Friday that HHS plans to lay off 10,000 workers and shut down entire agencies, including ones that oversee billions of dollars in funds for addiction services and community health centers across the country.

In a post on social media Thursday, Kennedy criticized the department he oversees as an inefficient "sprawling bureaucracy." He also faulted the department's 82,000 workers for a decline in Americans' health.

The resignation is the latest blow to the beleaguered health agency, which has been rocked for weeks by layoffs, retirements and a chaotic return-to-office processopens in a new tab or window that left many staffers without permanent offices, desks or other supplies. Last month, Jim Jonesopens in a new tab or window, the FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, resigned, citing "the indiscriminate firing" of nearly 90 staffers in his division, according to a copy of his resignation letter obtained by AP.

Marks, who could not be reached for comment, also raised concerns in his letter about "efforts currently being advanced by some on the adverse health effects of vaccination are concerning" as well as the "unprecedented assault on scientific truth that has adversely impacted public health in our nation."

He went on to detail the historic benefits of vaccinations dating back to George Washington and pointed to the ongoing measles outbreak as proof of what can happen when doubts about science take hold.

"The ongoing multistate measles outbreak that is particularly severe in Texas reminds us of what happens when confidence in well-established science underlying public health and well-being is undermined," he wrote.

The measles outbreakopens in a new tab or window, which could go on for months, has now spread to Kansas and Ohio after sickening more than 370 in Texas and New Mexico.

If it hits other unvaccinated communities across the U.S., as may now be the case in Kansas, the outbreak could endure for a year and threaten the nation's status as having eliminated the local spread of the vaccine-preventable disease, public health experts said.

https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/vaccines/114885?

 

NIH Cuts Will Devastate Disease Research, Say Senators and Scientists

 

— "Without the NIH, there would be no cancer immunotherapy ... and no cutting-edge treatments"

 https://www.medpagetoday.com/publichealthpolicy/publichealth/114882?

Devastating Horror In Brooklyn - Rabbi Poses For Photo Shoot With Matza Tool In Hand! Confused Frum News Outlets!

This Mechutzef (Wise Guy) From Yeshiva Torah Vodaath Looking To Establish His Charedi Credentials in "Yiddish" Of Course * Slamming The Views of His Grandfather & Father - Rav JB Soloveitchik & Rav Aron Lichtenstein Zichronim Levracha

Over the next decade, advances in artificial intelligence will mean that humans will no longer be needed "for most things" in the world, says Bill Gates.

 

בס”ד--קול קורא

📜 Official Rabbinical Decree 📜
🚫 ChatGPT is hereby BANNED! 🚫

Why?

• It answers faster than a yeshiva bocher on caffeine ☕📖

• It doesn’t argue back like your chavrusa 🤷‍♂️

• It knows all the commentaries... even the ones not yet written! 😲

Exceptions:
✅ If your grandmother asks, ChatGPT is just a very knowledgeable shadchan. 💍
✅ If your rebbe asks, it’s just a digital sefer. 📚
✅ If your mother asks, no, it cannot find you a nice Jewish doctor. 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

🔯 Final Verdict: Better stick to your Gemara! But if you must, at least ask it in Aramaic. 🤣

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From Chat GPT

​"Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into Torah study, offering innovative tools to enhance engagement with Jewish texts. By leveraging AI's capabilities, scholars and learners can access, analyze, and understand Torah literature more effectively.​Jewish Action

Applications of AI in Torah Study: For instance, platforms like RavGPT utilize AI to provide insights and interpretations, merging traditional Jewish wisdom with advanced computational techniques. ​RavGPT

1. Textual Analysis and Interpretation: AI models can process vast corpora of Jewish texts, identifying patterns, themes, and intertextual connections that might be challenging for individuals to discern. For instance, platforms like RavGPT utilize AI to provide insights and interpretations, merging traditional Jewish wisdom with advanced computational techniques. ​RavGPT

2. Translation and Language Processing: AI-powered translation tools have significantly improved, enabling more accurate translations of complex Hebrew and Aramaic texts. This advancement makes ancient scriptures more accessible to a broader audience, facilitating deeper understanding and study. ​

3. Enhanced Searchability and Accessibility: Collaborations between organizations like the Orthodox Union and AI research centers have led to the development of models that enhance the transcription and searchability of Torah texts. These initiatives aim to make Jewish teachings more accessible and navigable for learners worldwide. ​Smart Challenges

4. Educational Support: AI can assist educators and students by providing summaries, explanations, and answering complex philological and grammatical questions. By integrating AI into study routines, learners can engage with challenging materials more effectively, fostering a deeper connection with the texts. ​Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools

Considerations and Challenges:

While AI offers numerous benefits, it's essential to approach its integration into Torah study thoughtfully:​

• Balancing Technology and Tradition: Maintaining a harmonious balance between utilizing AI tools and preserving traditional study methods, such as hevruta (partnered study), is crucial to retain the depth and communal aspects of Torah learning. ​Future of Life Institute

• Ethical and Interpretative Accuracy: Ensuring that AI-generated interpretations align with authentic Jewish teachings and values requires careful oversight. Collaborations between AI developers and Torah scholars are vital to uphold the integrity of the study. ​Medium

Incorporating AI into Torah study represents a continuation of the Jewish tradition of embracing new technologies to deepen engagement with sacred texts. As these tools evolve, they hold the potential to enrich the study experience, making Torah learning more accessible and insightful for future generations."

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Bill Gates: Within 10 years, AI will replace many doctors and teachers—humans won't be needed ‘for most things' 

 

Bill Gates

Over the next decade, advances in artificial intelligence will mean that humans will no longer be needed "for most things" in the world, says Bill Gates.

That's what the Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist told comedian Jimmy Fallon during an interview on NBC's "The Tonight Show" in February. At the moment, expertise remains "rare," Gates explained, pointing to human specialists we still rely on in many fields, including "a great doctor" or "a great teacher."

But "with AI, over the next decade, that will become free, commonplace — great medical advice, great tutoring," Gates said.

In other words, the world is entering a new era of what Gates called "free intelligence" in an interview last month with Harvard University professor and happiness expert Arthur Brooks. The result will be rapid advances in AI-powered technologies that are accessible and touch nearly every aspect of our lives, Gates has said, from improved medicines and diagnoses to widely available AI tutors and virtual assistants.

"It's very profound and even a little bit scary — because it's happening very quickly, and there is no upper bound," Gates told Brooks.

The debate over how, exactly, most humans will fit into this AI-powered future is ongoing. Some experts say AI will help humans work more efficiently — rather than replacing them altogether — and spur economic growth that leads to more jobs being created.

Others, like Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman, counter that continued technological advancements over the next several years will change what most jobs look like across nearly every industry, and have a "hugely destabilizing" impact on the workforce.

"These tools will only temporarily augment human intelligence," Suleyman wrote in his book "The Coming Wave," which was published in 2023. "They will make us smarter and more efficient for a time, and will unlock enormous amounts of economic growth, but they are fundamentally labor replacing."

AI is both concerning and a 'fantastic opportunity'

Gates is optimistic about the overall benefits AI can provide to humanity, like "breakthrough treatments for deadly diseases, innovative solutions for climate change, and high-quality education for everyone," he wrote last year.

Talking to Fallon, Gates reaffirmed his belief that certain types of jobs will likely never be replaced by AI, noting that people probably don't want to see machines playing baseball, for example.

"There will be some things we reserve for ourselves. But in terms of making things and moving things and growing food, over time those will be basically solved problems," Gates said.

AI's development does come with "understandable and valid" concerns, Gates wrote in a 2023 blog post. Today's top-of-the-line AI programs are rife with errors and prone to enabling the spread of falsehoods online, for example.

But if he had to start a new business from scratch, he'd launch an "AI-centric" startup, Gates told CNBC Make It in September 2024.

"Today, somebody could raise billions of dollars for a new AI company [that's just] a few sketch ideas," he said, adding: "I'm encouraging young people at Microsoft, OpenAI, wherever I find them: 'Hey, here's the frontier.' Because you're taking a fresher look at this than I am, and that's your fantastic opportunity."

Gates predicted AI's potential years ago

Gates saw the AI revolution coming nearly a decade ago: When asked which industry he'd focus on if he had to start over from scratch, he quickly chose AI.

"The work in artificial intelligence today is at a really profound level," Gates said at a 2017 event at Columbia University alongside Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. He pointed to the "profound milestone" of Google's DeepMind AI lab creating a computer program that could defeat humans at the board game Go.

At the time, the technology was years away from ChatGPT-style generative text, powered by large language models. Yet by 2023, even Gates was surprised by the speed of AI's development. He'd challenged OpenAI to create a model that could get a top score on a high school AP Biology exam, expecting the task to take two or three years, he wrote in his blog post.

"They finished it in just a few months," wrote Gates. He called the achievement "the most important advance in technology since the graphical user interface [in 1980]."

 

https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/business/money-report/bill-gates-within-10-years-ai-will-replace-many-doctors-and-teachers-humans-wont-be-needed-for-most-things/3828282/

“For these things I weep…” Though written 88 years ago, Rabbi Amiel’s essay continues to resonate in our time.

 

Mizrachi and Agudat Yisrael: Enemies or Allies?

 

 Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel

One of the first rabbis to join the Mizrachi movement, Rabbi Moshe Avigdor Amiel (1882–1945) was one of the great writers and public preachers of his time, whose oratorical skills could move even the most hardened hearts. In 1920, he was elected as one of the delegates to represent Mizrachi of Poland at the Mizrachi World Convention in Amsterdam. He made such an impression upon the Jewish community that he was soon appointed Rabbi of Antwerp, one of the largest and richest Jewish communities at the time.

In 1936, Rabbi Amiel made Aliyah in order to serve as Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, the largest Jewish community in the Yishuv, where he worked to improve relations between the religious and secular segments of the community. As Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Amiel founded Yeshiva HaYishuv HaChadash, a yeshiva high school which combined religious and secular studies. This yeshivah, later named in Rabbi Amiel’s memory, was used as the model for the Bnei Akiva high schools later established throughout Israel. 

One of Mizrachi’s most penetrating thinkers, Rabbi Amiel was troubled by the often contentious relationship between Mizrachi and Agudat Yisrael, founded in 1912 to strengthen Orthodox institutions in opposition to the Zionist movement and Mizrachi. In this powerful 1934 essay, Rabbi Amiel senses the impending destruction of European Jewry and calls upon Mizrachi and Agudat Yisrael to find common ground in a spirit of brotherhood. Though written 88 years ago, Rabbi Amiel’s essay continues to resonate in our time.

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Anyone who desires to speak the truth is forced to admit that we at Mizrachi, with our limited strength, will not accomplish very much if we act alone. If we wish to avoid the fate of יִרְעֶה עַד שֶׁיִּסְתָּאֵב (an animal that becomes unfit for a sacrifice and is sent out to pasture until it dies [Mishnah Temurah 3:3]), we must seek out partners to assist us in our holy work – whether we want to or not.

Where will we find these partners? Will we find them among those on the left who continue to distance themselves from us and our values? It is clear that there is only one source to which we can turn: to those on the right.

“A partnership with Agudat Yisrael?” you will ask with skepticism, “Is such a thing possible?” The truth is that the time has come to rethink our relationship with Agudat Yisrael.

Many people from our camp mistakenly believe that Mizrachi was established primarily to battle against the Agudah; that this milchemet mitzvah (obligatory war) is not merely a means to an end but rather an end in itself and the central purpose of Mizrachi’s existence. I know it is true that there are many groups within Agudat Yisrael who feel that the entire purpose of the Agudah is to battle against Mizrachi, but one wrong does not justify another.

Though Mizrachi and the Agudah disagree on several matters, both parties fly the flag of Torah and the spirit of Torah. Unfortunately, the relations between them are not at all in the spirit of Torah, whose “ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace” (Mishlei 3:17), nor do these battles add to the glory of Torah. The battle with the Agudah is not a milchemet mitzvah, nor is it even a milchemet reshut (optional war)! The fighting between us brings destruction to the entire Torah world, degrading the glory of Torah and our community and thereby strengthening those on the left who oppose us and laugh as we fight amongst ourselves. 

Did we at Mizrachi not publicize, soon after our founding, the following platform: “The purpose of our association is to draw close and not to distance, to build and not to destroy, to walk in ways of pleasantness and peace, to respect the honor of our opponents and to make peace among the various parties.” Did we intend for these words to guide only our relationship with those on the left? Was our intention regarding Agudat Yisrael to distance and not to draw close, to reject even those views of theirs that are correct and to judge them always unfavorably? Is there really nothing positive that we can learn from the Agudah?

On the other hand, does Agudat Yisrael not see that in the new Yishuv of Eretz Yisrael, Mizrachi alone bears the burden of battling for the glory of Torah against our [internal] enemies, “those who ravaged and ruined you who come from you” (Yishayahu 49:17), who wish to uproot the Torah from Israel? How can the Agudah watch all this from afar and sit on its hands, content with doing nothing? Has the Agudah given notice that it cares not for what happens in the broader Jewish community of Israel? The Agudah restricts its focus to Poland, but if, G-d forbid, Eretz Yisrael is built according to the spirit of the secular camp that seeks to uproot Torah, will this not detrimentally impact the Jews of Poland? Ultimately, Eretz Yisrael will become the center of worldwide Jewry, and if Eretz Yisrael is not ours, what will become of the exile?

If Eretz Yisrael is built in the spirit of Torah it will be the greatest possible sanctification of G-d’s name. And if, G-d forbid, it is built in the spirit of idolatry, it will be the greatest desecration of G-d’s name since the destruction of the Beit HaMikdash. Does the responsibility for the future of Eretz Yisrael not fall upon all of the faithful believers of Israel?

“We toil and they toil, we awaken early and they awaken early…” (Berachot 28b). Mustn’t we learn from those on the secular left who used to be divided into different groups like Tze’irei Tziyon and Poalei Tziyon, but for the good of the movement gave up their unique names and united to become one federation of workers for the Land of Israel? Why are only the Torah Jews torn into different factions that cannot work together? Why can’t we join together to form a federation to build a holy Eretz Yisrael? We do not have to combine into one organization in order to work closely together!

A section in “Hahed” newspaper (December 1932 edition) covering Mizrachi and Agudah news. Hahed was published in Eretz Yisrael between 1926 and 1952, and tried to encourage a Zionist spirit among Charedi Jews.

I am reminded of a sad story shared by the rabbis (Gittin 58a): “There was an incident involving the son and the daughter of Rabbi Yishmael ben Elisha the High Priest, who were taken captive and sold into slavery to two different masters. After some time the two masters met in a certain place. This master said: I have a male slave whose beauty is unmatched in all of the world, and that master said: I have a female slave whose beauty is unmatched in all of the world.

“The two masters said: Come, let us marry these two slaves to one another and divide the children born to them between us, as they will certainly be very beautiful. They secluded them in a room. The young man sat in one corner and the young woman sat in the other corner. He said: ‘I am a priest and the descendant of High Priests. Shall I marry a female slave?’ And she said: ‘I am the daughter of a priest and the descendant of High Priests. Shall I be married to a male slave?’ And they wept all through the night. When dawn arrived they recognized each other and fell on each other and wept until their souls departed. And with regard to them, Yirmiyahu lamented: ‘For these things I weep; my eye, my eye runs down with water, for my comforter is far from me’ (Eicha 1:16).”

How painful is this story! A brother and sister, both suffering and both the children of the same father and mother, find themselves together in a room. But instead of working together to find a way to escape from their suffering, “this one sat in one corner and that one sat in the other corner,” each one taking pride in their own yichus (genealogy) and demeaning the other. Ultimately they recognize each other, but only after it is too late to escape. The only thing left for them is to weep together until “their souls departed.”

Mizrachi and Agudat Yisrael, the two halves of the religious community in our time, are threatened with destruction by both our external enemies and the evil winds that blow within our own nation. But instead of working together to ensure the Torah is not forgotten among the people of Israel, G-d forbid, each camp sits in its own corner, insulting and degrading the other. I fear that when the time comes and we finally recognize that we are brothers, there won’t be anything left to save.

With regard to them, Yirmiyahu lamented: “For these things I weep…”

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Crisis Unites Mizrachi, Agudah

February 23, 1939

See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date

United action on behalf of Palestine has been agreed upon by the Mizrachi, religious Zionist organization, and the Agudath Israel, religious non-Zionist body, it was announced here today by the leaders of the two groups. A joint proclamation issued by Rabbi Meir Berlin, for the Mizrachi, and Dr. Jacob Rosenheim, for the Agudath Israel, declared: “In these critical times, when the fate of the Jewish nation hangs in the balance and the future of the homeland is a matter of grave concern, we have resolved to unite in great emergency efforts for strengthening the influence of the Torah tradition in the Holy Land.”

https://mizrachi.org/hamizrachi/mizrachi-and-agudat-yisrael-enemies-or-allies/

 

Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik Leaves Agudath Yisrael for Mizrachi

For the first time in the annals of ‎our ‎exile, Divine Providence has amazed our enemies with the astounding discovery that Jewish ‎blood ‎is not cheap!… If we want to courageously defend our continued national and ‎historical ‎existence… The Torah has always taught that a man is permitted, indeed, has a sacred obligation, to ‎defend ‎himself… ‎Public and private honor is ‎dependent upon the possibility of defending one’s life and one’s honor. ‎A people that cannot ‎defend its freedom and tranquillity is neither free nor independent. The third ‎of the phrases of ‎Divine redemption is “And I shall redeem you with an outstretched hand and ‎with great ‎judgments” (Shemot 6:6). Thank G-d we have lived to see the day when, with the help ‎of G-d, ‎Jews have it within their power to defend themselves.‎

Let us not forget that the poison of Hitlerite antisemitism (which made Jews fair game to all) ‎still ‎permeates this generation, which looked with equanimity upon the horrible scene of ‎the ‎suffocation of millions in gas chambers as a normal event that need not be challenged. ‎The ‎antidote for this venom that poisoned minds and dulled hearts is the readiness of the State ‎of ‎Israel to defend the lives of its citizens. Listen! My Beloved Knocks!

● Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, Kol Dodi Dofek, Yom HaAtzmaut 1956.

In 1935, Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik submitted his candidacy to become the Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv as the representative of Agudath Yisrael. Less than a decade later, in 1944, Rabbi Soloveitchik was the chairman of the Central Committee of the Religious Zionists of America. Rabbi Soloveitchik’s shift in allegiance from Agudath Yisrael to Mizrachi resulted from a frank and painful reevaluation of his philosophy in response to the Holocaust. Witnessing the destruction of European Jewry, Rabbi Soloveitchik came to believe that Mizrachi’s activist approach to building a Jewish future in the Land of Israel had saved Judaism and the Jewish people from extinction.

In a 1962 address to the Religious Zionists of America, Rabbi Soloveitchik explained:

I was not born into a Zionist household. My parents’ ancestors, my father’s house, my teachers and colleagues were far from the Mizrachi Religious Zionists… My links with Mizrachi grew gradually; I had my doubts about the validity of the Mizrachi approach… I built an altar upon which I sacrificed sleepless nights, doubts and reservations. Regardless, the years of the Hitlerian Holocaust, the establishment of the State of Israel, and the accomplishments of the Mizrachi in the Land of Israel, convinced me of the correctness of our movement’s path. The altar still stands today, with smoke rising from the sacrifice upon it… Jews like me… are required to sacrifice on this altar their peace of mind as well as their social relationships and friendships.

● Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik, The Rav Speaks: Five Addresses on Israel, History and the Jewish People (Judaica Press, 2002) pp. 34–36.

https://mizrachi.org/hamizrachi/rabbi-joseph-b-soloveitchik-leaves-agudath-yisrael-for-mizrachi/

 

Two Giants &  Visionary Fervent Zionists - Both Were Nifter (Passed Away) the Third Day Of Elul.

אין בדעתי כמורה וכמחנכת להשכיח מלד תלמידינו את כל אשר באתנו, לא את גזרת תתנ"ו, ולא את ספרד. ולא את גזרת ת"ח ובודאי לא את השואה של זמננו ולא את דברי ר' יהודה הלוי: יונה נשאת על כנפי נשרים...

 

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 Boys Town Jerusalem was founded in 1949 by Rabbi Alexander Linchner (1908–1997),^[10] a native of Brooklyn, New York, and son-in-law of Rabbi Shraga Feivel Mendlowitz.^[11] Linchner sought to establish a home for child Holocaust survivors,^[12] war refugees, and impoverished immigrants.^[13] He was encouraged by his father-in-law, who urged him from his deathbed in 1948 "to do something for the chinuch (education) of children in Israel".^[14] Linchner based his educational model on the Torah im Derech Eretz (Torah study combined with work) approach articulated by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch.^[3][10]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boys_Town_Jerusalem

https://boystownjerusalem.org/