Rav Avigdor Miller on Hirschian community

"There was a small voice in Germany, Rav Samson Raphael Hirsch and he had a little group of people, excellent group..." 

Rav Avigdor Miller #347 40:30

modesty

 

מ

[Balaam said] How goodly are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!

(Bamidbar 24:5)

 

The lesson for us here is that we must never think that it is important to be concerned only about the “larger” issues of modesty and intimacy, but that we can be lax about the “smaller,” “innocent” details. Even the smaller details are important – important enough to be able to transform a curse into a blessing (or an accursed situation into a blessed one).

Lest we think that this alertness to the details of modesty is only required in our day-to-day behavior but not in temporary situations (such as when we are on vacation), we see here that the tremendous power of even the minor details of modest conduct was demonstrated when our forefathers lived in tents, their temporary homes in the desert.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Likutei Sichos, vol. 13, p. 84.

Hitchen's Razor

 "What can be asserted without evidence can be dismissed without evidence." Hitchen's Razor

real job

"What you're doing instead of your real job IS your real job."

Specific to the physical make-up

[Rambam] “He writes that a medical treatment must be specific to the physical make-up of the patient at that particular time. (Moreh Nevuchim, Chailek Gimmel, perek 34). In other words, not only do different patients require different prescriptions for the same ailment, but even the same patient may require different treatment when any of the factors impinging upon his constitution have changed.” 

Rabbi Moshe Meiselman, Torah and Science, 2013, Israel Bookshop, Lakewood, p. 227.

There's a thing called too much safety and care.

"My game in my life is to stay interesting to myself. So I keep looking to not repeat myself, to stay alive, what's going to be a reach for me, what's gonna get me a little scared. Because anything worth doing starts with that. I'm just the right amount of risky on this." Art Garfunkel

"If we use the theory of let's be careful for everybody we water down anything that makes any statement out of too much care. We see this in the insurance business now. The doctor can't touch you because there's a potential lawsuit. And this flattens out any intelligence. There's a thing called too much safety and care." Art Garfunkel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mKCUKwvgy0  around 20:00

free enjoyment of all religious sentiments

No religious test as a qualification for office shall be required; and no preference shall be given by law to any religious sect or mode of worship; but the free enjoyment of all religious sentiments and the different modes of worship shall be held sacred. The rights hereby secured shall not be construed to justify acts of licentiousness injurious to morals or dangerous to the peace and safety of the state, or to exclude the Holy Bible from use in any public school of this state. MISSISSIPPI CONSTITUTION 

 It is the right as well as the duty of all men in society, publicly, and at stated seasons to worship the Supreme Being, the great Creator and Preserver of the universe. And no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession or sentiments; provided he doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their religious worship. Massachusetts Constitution 

No person shall be deprived of the inestimable privilege of worshipping Almighty God in a manner agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; nor under any pretense whatever be compelled to attend any place of worship contrary to his faith and judgment; NEW JERSEY STATE CONSTITUTION

PREAMBLE: We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure and perpetuate its blessings, do establish this Constitution.

The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed in this State: and no person shall be rendered incompetent to be a witness on account of his opinions on matters of religious belief; but the liberty of conscience, hereby secured, shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace or safety of this State. CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

Learn whatever you want

 

I hope very much that you also listen to someone who is experienced. I know what you are talking about. But I wish to Hakodesh Baruch Hu that you will know what I’m talking about. Look into the Torah. Have something stable in learning every day. And don’t learn what you don’t feel you are close to. Learn whatever you want. אין אדם לומד תורה אלא ממקום שלבו חפץ  You learn what your heart pulls you to learn. It can be halacha. It can be Chumash. It can be Gemarah. It can be Mishnayos. It can be Midrash. Whatever. But don’t leave the Torah. This is life. Torat Chaim.

Rabbi Uri Zohar, interview on “From Israeli Film to Bnei Brak Gadol - Rabbi Uri Zohar | Meaningful People #45,” 20:20-20:56

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2spVmpkrYFE

Torah Im Derech Eretz in Chabad

Respect for the dignity of humankind and compassion for gentiles by the 7th Lubavitcher Rebbe and a Lubavitcher Chossid.

The Backstory of the Chassidim Who Got Criminal Justice Reform Done

Inspired by the Lubavitcher Rebbe, a group saw prison reform through from proposal to law

By Dovid Margolin

"The U.S. Senate’s overwhelming 87-12 approval last week of the First Step Act, the most sweeping package of criminal justice reform in a generation, was lauded by those on the right and the left as a much-needed step in the right direction for the U.S. criminal justice system. The bill will expand early transfer to home confinement via participation in job training and re-entry programming designed to reduce recidivism; modify some mandatory sentencing laws; and ensure that the incarcerated stay more closely connected to their families by placing them within 500 miles of their homes, among other steps."

read more

Key quote:

“If a person is being held in prison, the goal should not be punishment but rather to give him the chance to reflect on the undesirable actions for which he was incarcerated,” the Rebbe said in Yiddish in a 1976 talk. “He should be given the opportunity to earn, improve himself and prepare for his release when he will commence an honest, peaceful, new life, having used his days in prison toward this end.

“In order for this be a reality a prisoner must be allowed to maintain a sense that he is created in the image of God; he is a human being who can be a reflection of Godliness in this world. But when a prisoner is denied this sense and feels subjugated and controlled; never allowed to raise up his head, then the prison system not only fails at its purpose, it creates in him a greater criminal than there was before. One of the goals of the prison system is to help Jewish inmates and non-Jewish inmates ... to raise up their spirits and to encourage them, providing the sense, to the degree possible, that they are just as human as those that are free; just as human as the prison guards. In this way they can be empowered to improve themselves ... ”

questioning and analysis are critical

"In truth, the entire basis of our permission to ask questions and analyze the Torah is because the Torah was given in this manner, that questioning and analysis are critical to comprehending the depths of the Torah. Therefore, the question is itself made part of the Torah. Consequently, if a question is valid then both the question and the answer are inherently part of the truth."

Rav Chaim Brisker (Ma'atik Shemuah, Brisk, Chelik beis, parshas Ha'Akeidah, p. 135 in Daas Torah, p. 190

Part 2 of discussion with Steve Hassan, cult expert

 https://www.jordanharbinger.com/steven-hassan-combating-cult-mind-control-part-two/