Interesting Posts and Articles #170

1. I discuss how there are clear instances in the gemara in which sod Hashem liyreav is not operative and in which Chazal explicitly consulted doctors. In the comment section, the discussion gets a bit heated, but that it my own fault.
   
   
2. Hirhurim and HaEmtza on chassidic drug mules. Should we make them heroes? Is there a problem with the background that treats gezel akum as unproblematic. Hirhurim's take gets Hirshel Tzig upset. He also has a PDF of the Mishpacha article, if you are interested.
   
   
3. At Hirhurim, a clarification about a post. Should some topics not be discussed? Are they overshare? I agree somewhat with Joel Rich who notes in the comment section:
   

   Yes, but then when you tell people that maybe we need to think about the boundaries between the ratzon hashem and some things that may have crept in despite the gedolim always being on patrol, they think you are from Mars because they have never had to grapple. I wouldn't force but I wouldn't take down a post either.

   Maybe a post addressing the actual topic later. Perhaps after the reworked article hits Hirhurim.
   
   
4. At Jewish Worker, what did Rav Aharon advise talmidim to do before World War II? And if I understand him correctly, he asserts that when categorically stating chadash asur min haTorah, Rav Kotler envisioned a different world state.
   
   
5. Kallah Magazine notes a strange ceremony taking place in Kew Gardens Hills, for men who were nichshal in gilui arayot. Having a basis in kabbalah does not make it less weird, IMHO. What did the Chida say about marrying widows?
   
   
6. Blog in Dm is upset about the Beis Yaakov elimination of dance routines.
   
   
7. On the Main Line explores how they used to set the time of Shabbos, in the absence of household items like clocks and watches, in 30 minute increments. This continues Lion of Zion's post on the same subject.
   
   
8. Yeranen Yaakov mentions how sefer Zerubavel placed Aharon's staff in Teverya, with the interesting caveat of:
   

   (Also, I'm aware that these late Midrashim like Sefer Zerubavel were written in anticipation of the Ge'ula in the 7th century, (or perhaps, the 11th century) and the Ibn Ezra was against relying on it.)

9. At Rationalist Judaism, Rabbi Slifkin expands upon a point I made about Chazal relying on science, and this being a good thing, which should cause us to respect them. He links the statement to a similar one made by Rav Shamshon Refael Hirsch.