Interesting Posts and Articles #242

1. The Rebbetzin's Husband on whether Judaism is a cult (part one, two). What are the limits placed on inquiry?
   
   
2. A bet din ordering, and paying heed to, a polygraph, but within precise limitations.
   
   
3. Jewish Worker points out a discussion at Matzav about the propriety of having Santa Coke on the table.
   
   
4. On the Main Line on just how Rav Kanievsky approved of Artscroll gemaras, and whether it was the same way rabbis approved of Pinner's Talmud. And he cites a 5TJT interview, put up at Matzav.
   
   
5. Urgent Kinos to address Shaatnez issues? It sounds strange to have kinos on something entirely within human control, and the result of human negligence. But apparently the word was kenos, a gathering.
   
   
6. Mere coincidence or divine truth? I favor the former, but don't have time or space to go into the why in great detail. But quickly, do we even know the colors corresponding to the Biblical terms. What about how Ibn Ezra and Rav Saadia Gaon claim tzahov is off-white, or gold? Is yerakon indeed green, or is it yellow? What about other colors besides these hand-picked five? Do they also fit on his chart? And how can he speak about a particular wavelength when he does not know the precise definitions of these Biblical terms. Such as techelet. Did he use the precise wavelength of the blue of my tzitzit-strings? If a span, then it might be linearly related but not that one is precisely a function of the other. And his explanation of Lavan seems more like ex post facto reading and relating of one idea into the other. But not endorsing one person's theories of gematria does not mean a denial of divine truth in the general case.
   
   
7. Rav Aviner about vaccinating against swine flu. He seems to advise following the majority medical opinion. Personally, I am not for the swine flu conspiracy theorists, but can see how on an individual basis, swine flu vaccinations might indeed not be the best thing to do. Consult your doctor.
   
   
8. HaEmtzah on supporting Spikna institutions. I disagree. One person did something wrong. But we should get over it, and not allow it to tarnish our view of basically unrelated and fine institutions.
   
   
9. Optimization for bein adam lamakom (but certainly not so in actuality!) over bein adam lachaveiro, an incident on a bus in Israel.
   
   
10. Here at parshablog, posts so far for parshat Vayeshev.