Year: 2017

The ‘Ayn Rand Institute’ Is Neoconservative (Denials Notwithstanding)

Ayn Rand’s Political Label

In 1985, three years after Ayn Rand’s death, some of her former associates founded what they called the Ayn Rand Institute. It soon became apparent that the views of these “official” Objectivists on many of the most important issues of the day were indistinguishable from those of the Neoconservatives. For example, in response to Iranian clerics’ 1989 attack on Salman Rushdie and his publishers – an attack that proved ineffectual in the U.S. and was primarily an immigration problem – Leonard Peikoff urged that the U.S. take military action against Iran (“Religious Terrorism vs. Free Speech” New York Times 30 March 1989).  In “What to Do about Terrorism” (The Intellectual Activist May 1996) – that is, what to do about terrorism overseas – Mr. Piekoff wanted President Clinton to threaten Tehran with “the most massive air and missile attack that our military can launch.” [1]

In response to 9/11 Ayn Rand Institute writers immediately urged bombing Iran, with the rallying cry “We are all Israelis now.” Quickly realizing the political inexpediency of bombing Iran they switched their target to Iraq. After getting that war they’re back to bombing Iran.

ARI writers support the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act and other rents in the American fabric, by a refined silence. They demand that the U.S. government support Israel unquestioningly. They advocate U.S. torture as a moral imperative. Name a particular political stand of theirs and chances are you’ll find it in Norman Podhoretz or Irving Kristol.

Thus going on thirty years leading Objectivists, unmoored from what they claim is their source (Ayn Rand believe it or not), have been following the Neocon path in foreign policy and related domestic policy. An entire generation has grown up thinking Objectivists must be little better than Neoconservatives, because these days the leading, self-proclaimed, Objectivists are little better than Neoconservatives. [2]

Continue reading…

From ARI Watch, here.

Dismissing Another Fraudulent Pamphlet against ‘Kedushas Tziyon’

Seeing as we upload the Kedushas Tziyon newsletters here (though not uncritically), various contacts keep sending me the purpose-made oppositional literature (I am grateful, though, thank God, I usually locate these myself). Now I have happily uploaded such material (with rebuttals) in the past and would do so in the future, as well. But not unconditionally: the materials must be at least minimally scholarly and minimally non-fraudulent (my standards aren’t that high for anti-Zionists..!).

There is an example of something which isn’t even up to their camp’s usual (low) standards, an anthology (yet again?) ironically named: דברים על דיוקם. At least it’s mercifully brief. In passing, note how Rabbi Brand, Nachlas Hashem, Kedushas Tziyon et alii are continually generating new Torah insights, while their nearly sterile opponents resort to rehashing cheap anthologies (אשר זה סוד אל אחר אסתרס ולא עביד פירין, דלית ליה מגרמיה כלום וכולי).

Since late Chodesh Sivan, I have refused to upload and rebut this anthology because this site discriminates against shoddy content. Anthologies ideally ought to quote lesser-known information, and minimally, must avoid utter lies and misrepresentations. I now make an exception, by reproducing my letter to the latest request. Note: this comes from the same Jews who published the previous pamphlet (self-styled: “מצודת ציון”).

Here is the back-and-forth on the above policy with one of our honorable readers (page numbers added):

Answer to קדושת ציון
דברים על דיוקם
Dear…,
See this on the like:
I would upload and respond here, too, but it must have at least some scholarly value and honesty.
My dear interlocutor:
The words of the חפץ חיים etc. have no value by you?!
The second response:

Dear…,

With all due respect, I doubt you read/understand what I said in the earlier link. Please read it:

https://www.hyehudi.org/%d7%99%d7%91%d7%a9%d7%95-%d7%a9%d7%a0%d7%90%d7%99-%d7%a6%d7%99%d7%95%d7%9f/

The Chazon Ish quote (p. 7) is known to be fake, Rabbi Meir Simcha (p. 5) later said there is no longer a “3 oaths” problem, quoting sources describing “Galus” (in tutto) are “begging the question”, etc. etc. And quoting those who spoke before central events which change the Halachic status of Israel (in tutto) is plain silly.

Read this well: http://www.rabbibrand.022.co.il/BRPortal/br/P102.jsp?arc=1312507

Regarding Ya’acov Avinu mentioned by the Chafetz Chaim (p. 4), kindly see this: https://www.hyehudi.org/time-war-time-peace/

And why would I regard the words of those who refused to reopen issues supposedly and eternally “decided” by their teachers as adding any additional weight? Rabbi Wosner (p. 10) and Rabbi Greinemann (p. 11) (N.B. he is the “gaon acher” mentioned below) refused to reexamine the Heter of “selling” Chametz when approached by God-fearing Rabbi Yitzchak Brand, either.

ועוד הלכתי לאחד מגדולי וזקני הרבנים, הגאון האדיר הרב שמואל הלוי וואזנר שליט”א (זצ”ל), אחר ששלחתי לו הספר, והשיב לי שאינו יכול לומר שאני צודק ואינו יכול לומר שאני לא צודק, והסביר הטעם שאינו יכול לומר שאני צודק, כיון שיש הרבה רבנים ששומעים לו, ואם יאמר שמכירת חמץ אין לו ערך, יצעקו עליו שהוא יפסיד הפרנסה שלהם, כי מכירת חמץ נותן פרנסה מכובדת להרבה רבנים. והייתי המום מן התשובה שלו, וכשראה אותי כך, אמר לי בתקיפות “האם אתה לא מבין סברה זו?!”

ואחר הרבה זמן של עיכול התשובה שלו, הבנתי שהוא נמצא במצב של אין בידו למחות, כי חושש ממרד הרבנים, כי מצד עמדה הגדולה שלו בכלל ישראל, אינו מסוגל להכריז בפומבי שמכירת חמץ אין לו ערך, כי יפסלו אותו ויאמרו שהוא חולק על כל גדולי הדור של דורות שעברו, (אף שהוא אחד מגדולי הדור שבדורינו).

אולם למדתי ממנו שהוא בעצם מסכים עם הטענה שלי, רק אינו יכול לומר זה מפורש.

עוד הלכתי אצל גאון אחר בדורנו, והשיב לי על הספר שלי ‘חזקה על חבר שאינו מוציא מתחת ידו דבר שאינו מתוקן’, ושאלתי אותו, ומה יגיד בלי החזקה הזו, ולא רצה להשיב.

Link for the above: http://www.rabbibrand.022.co.il/BRPortal/br/P102.jsp?arc=25555

Likewise see the link here: http://www.rabbibrand.022.co.il/BRPortal/br/P102.jsp?arc=1656599

וכן אמר הג”ר חיים גריינימן זצ”ל, בסיבת ההתנגדות לתכלת, כדי שלא יבואו לעשות דברים אחרים שהם נגד ההלכה. ועי’ במאמר “החרימו עולים להר הבית קבלנו ריפורמים“.

What does that tell his esteemed scholarship?

Http://hyehudi.org/ “values” a forgotten religion called Judaism. If you desire to fool yourself and others, feel free to open yet another such medium; the target audience is surely larger.

With affection,

Hyehudi.org Editor

Afterthoughts (not sent):

Note the absurdity in retrospect (lost on the anthologists) of quoting the Minchas Elazar making the following false prophecy (page 5):

ויאמר משה למה זה אתם עוברים את פי ה’ והיא לא תצלח: אל תעלו כי אין ה’ בקרבכם ולא תנגפו לפני אויביכם וכו’: ויעפילו לעלות אל ראש ההר וארון ברית ה’ ומשה לא משו מקרב המחנה: י”ל דהוא נבואה על מה שיהיה ועל מה שהיה בזמנינו על ידי הציאניסטען והדומים להם, כל שום וחניכא דאית להו להכתות והמפלגות שעלו לארץ ישראל בחוזק יד לעשות קאלאניען וללחום עם העמים, “ויעפילו לעלות אל ראש ההר” כנגד ציווי השי”ת על ידי חכמינו ואבותינו, שהזהירונו שלא זו הדרך, ומרה תהיה אחריתם ר”ל, והלכו בדרך חוזק ועזות כפירוש רש”י בזה.

This reminds me of another irresponsibly false prophecy made by his epigone, Rabbi Yoel Teitelbaum, referenced earlier here.

As for the Brisker Rav (pp. 7-8), see Rabbi Brand’s essay brought here.

Assorted leftover points and personalities were and are refuted over and over all over this site; search a little!

Enough.

Rabbi Anava on Wealth in Judaism

Will observing the Torah make me rich? – Rabbi Alon Anava

Published on Jun 8, 2017

Everyone wants to be rich. Is it in our hands? can we all be rich? is it even worth being rich? and what does it really mean to be rich? – all this and much more in this lecture

To listen on SoundCloud with the option to download the MP3 file
https://soundcloud.com/rabbialonanava

This class was taken in Be’er Miriam women’s institute of Tzfat. For more info visit http://www.beermiriamsafed.org

Rabbi Anava’s lectures are available to listen on iTunes.

You can see the entire Near Death Experience story at http://www.alonanava.com

For more interesting videos and torah classes by Rabbi Alon Anava visit http://www.atzmut.com

Please subscribe to our channel for updates https://www.youtube.com/user/alonanava

Continue reading…

From YouTube, here.

And Don’t You Dare Come Back!

Historic Change on the Temple Mount: By Moshe Feiglin

Jul-27-2017

Although I anticipated that Netanyahu would remove the metal detectors from the Temple Mount,  and although I very much hoped that I would be proven wrong, things are developing in such an amazing and fascinating manner, that you cannot but think that perhaps we are on the threshold of an historic change of direction. I will even take the bold step and say that I am not certain that the Arabs will return to the Temple Mount.

Everything happening today on the Temple Mount is the opposite of what you would expect. After Israel liberated the Temple Mount in the Six Day War, then Defense Minister Moshe Dayan returned the keys to the Temple Mount to the Moslem wakf. They were in shock. Fifty years later, Netanyahu is begging the wakf to take the Mount back, and they are simply not willing to do so. This is inexplicable. Israel has already removed the metal detectors and has even taken down the security cameras. My feeling is that no matter what Netanyahu will do to try to get them to come back to the Temple Mount, they will not return.

The forces that rule Israeli society sincerely do not want the Temple Mount. Eight days ago, I wrote on my Facebook page: Did you really think that the person who prevented Trump from moving the US embassy to Jerusalem will insist on safeguarding the Temple Mount for the Jewish People? If the US had moved its embassy to Jerusalem, it would have been a major strategic coup for Israel. When the world’s superpower would have officially recognized that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, there would have been far-reaching, historic implications. But Israel’s current strategy is to get to 12 o’ clock at night with no major incidents. Deep down, Israel’s leadership is afraid of Jerusalem, afraid of Jerusalem’s message, of the connection between the Nation of Israel and its identity, its destiny and its vision.

Just as Moshe Dayan didn’t want Jerusalem, Netanyahu doesn’t want it, either. Jordan’s King Hussein forced Six Day War Prime Minister Levi Eshkol to liberate Jerusalem against his will – and all the stenographic records show that Dayan offered Hussein the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood. “Take it and just stop shelling us. We will be out of here in no time.” Actually, just as Hussein forced Israel to liberate Jerusalem, so the Moslem wakf  is forcing Netanyahu to apply Israeli sovereignty to the Temple Mount. What the wakf is actually saying to Netanyahu is, “I will shoot at you and I will not allow you to protect yourself.” This historic change can only happen to the Nation of Israel. It is simply amazing.

The problem is that Am Yisrael does not have leadership that is capable of understanding these historic processes and translating them into practical strategy: to a different strategic direction that translates into different tactics – leadership that is capable of taking advantage of the wondrous opportunities that have now arisen.

The Temple Mount is empty. After fifty years, it is in our hands. The Arabs are not there. Only Jews are on the Temple Mount. This is absolutely amazing.

The Moslem wakf is completely right about the metal detectors. For years, Israel has been saying that the Temple Mount belongs to the Arabs. So if it is theirs, why are we putting metal detectors at the gates of their home? The Arabs understand very well that the metal detectors are a flag that symbolizes sovereignty.  The entire situation on the Temple Mount revolves around sovereignty – not prayer. When Netanyahu folded and agreed to remove the metal detectors, he cut the rope that ties us to this Land precisely at that stake to which everything else is tied. All of the rights on this Land, all of our connection to this Land, to Zionism (Mount Zion – the Temple Mount), everything from which we draw our identity, all revolve around the Temple Mount.

From the moment that Netanyahu folded and indicated that the Mount is theirs, not ours, he opened the door, G-d forbid, to ever-increasing pressure on Israel. The US, which wanted to stand with us on this issue, will turn against us. Trump will turn against us now. It is not his fault – it is ours. We have just missed an extraordinary opportunity.

In my estimation, Israel’s weakness on the Temple Mount will bring a very serious conflict upon us with much more difficult starting conditions because, with the metal detectors, we have lost the sense of the justice of our cause. A nation that has lost its sense of justice cannot win – even if it has the most sophisticated army, the smartest submarines, the F-15, the F-16 and the F-35. A young Arab girl with a pair of scissors who knows what she is doing here will defeat an Israeli soldier with the most sophisticated weapon. Ultimately, justice is the best weapon of all. We have lost our justice on the Temple Mount.

I can only hope that Jews who were apprehensive about visiting the Temple Mount will now visit there. It was not very pleasant to have the wakf following every movement of one’s lips on the Temple Mount to make sure no Jew would pray there. Even now, the government has instructed the police to conduct the Jewish visits to the Temple Mount as if the wakf is still there.  Jews are still not allowed to move their lips in prayer on the Temple Mount. The police still watch their every move as if the Arabs were still there. They have not yet freed themselves of the servile, exile mentality that has prevailed there until now. Nevertheless, it is much more pleasant to be on the Temple Mount without all the violent Arab groups who would scream at and threaten the Jewish visitors. I can only hope that the Nation of Israel will vote with its feet and restore our sovereignty to the Temple Mount and to our justice, saving us from paying the price that we pay when the world sees that we are incapable of connecting to the most sacred place for the Jewish Nation.

The war for the existence of the Nation of Israel is first and foremost spiritual. It revolves around the question of the ownership of this Land. This war is not being fought today by the IDF, not the police, the Shabak or the Mossad. It is being fought by those Jews who are not willing to surrender their connection to the holiest place on earth.

From Jewish Israel, here.

דרוש לתשעה באב

כתיב סוף איכה, השיבנו ה’ אליך וגו’. כי אם מאס מאסתנו קצפת עלינו עד מאד. וכתב רש”י, “בשביל שחטאנו לא היה לך להרבות קצף עד מאד כאשר קצפת”. ונשמע כהטחת דברים כלפי מעלה, תחת להצדיק דין שמים. וי”ל, דר”ל אדרבא שהכל מאהבה, כי אילו מאסתנו לא קצפת כולי האי, רק הנחת מידך.

וכן איתא בכתובות ס”ו ב’, ת”ר מעשה ברבן יוחנן בן זכאי שהיה רוכב על החמור והיה יוצא מירושלים והיו תלמידיו מהלכין אחריו ראה ריבה אחת שהיתה מלקטת שעורים מבין גללי בהמתן של ערביים כיון שראתה אותו נתעטפה בשערה ועמדה לפניו אמרה לו רבי פרנסני אמר לה בתי מי את אמרה לו בת נקדימון בן גוריון אני, כו’. אמרה לו רבי זכור אתה כשחתמת על כתובתי אמר להן לתלמידיו זכור אני כשחתמתי על כתובתה של זו והייתי קורא בה אלף אלפים דינרי זהב מבית אביה חוץ משל חמיה. בכה רבן יוחנן בן זכאי ואמר אשריכם ישראל בזמן שעושין רצונו של מקום אין כל אומה ולשון שולטת בהם ובזמן שאין עושין רצונו של מקום מוסרן ביד אומה שפלה ולא ביד אומה שפלה אלא ביד בהמתן של אומה שפלה.

וכתב מהרש”א שם:

גמ’ מעשה בריב”ז כו’ והיה יוצא מירושלים כו’. אחר החורבן היה שחזר ויצא ממקום שהיה לירושלים שכבר יצא מירושלים קודם החורבן כדאיתא פרק הניזקין שהרי נקדימון מג’ עשירים שקודם החורבן היה בירושלים כדאיתא שם… ואמר אשריכם ישראל בזמן שאתם עושין רצונו של מקום כו’ ובזמן שאין עושין רצונו כו’. אמר אשריכם על שני הצדדים כי באמת שני ההפכיות הם למעלות ישראל כי כל אומה ואומה יש לה שר ומזל בשמים משא”כ ישראל שאין להם שום מזל אבל הם חלק ה’ כי יעקב חבל נחלתו. וע”כ כשעושין רצונו הם למעלה מכל האומות ושריהם כמ”ש הבט נא השמימה וגו’ שדרשו שהוציא את אברהם החוצה למעלה מכל צבא השמים דאין הבטה אלא מלמעלה למטה, אבל כשאין עושין רצונו כו’ הקב”ה מסלק שכינתו מהם והרי הם שפלים ונבזים מכל האומות שיש להם שר ומזל ולישראל אין שר ומזל.

וכבר הבטיח (ויקרא כ”ו מ”ד) ואף גם זאת בהיותם בארץ איביהם לא מאסתים ולא געלתים לכלתם להפר בריתי אתם כי אני ה’ אלקיהם. (אגב, זהו ק”ו לא”י, דלא כשוטים הללו של סאטמר.)

יהושע אמר (כ”ג י”ד – ט”ז), והנה אנכי הולך היום בדרך כל הארץ וידעתם בכל לבבכם ובכל נפשכם כי לא נפל דבר אחד מכל הדברים הטובים אשר דבר ה’ אלקיכם עליכם הכל באו לכם לא נפל ממנו דבר אחד. והיה כאשר בא עליכם כל הדבר הטוב אשר דבר ה’ אלקיכם אליכם כן יביא ה’ עליכם את כל הדבר הרע עד השמידו אותכם מעל האדמה הטובה הזאת אשר נתן לכם ה’ אלקיכם. בעברכם את ברית ה’ וגו’.

וה”ה להיפך כאשר החלות להראות את עבדך את גדלך ואת ידך החזקה וגו’, בב”א.

(יחד עם חכ”א)