Interesting Posts and Articles #290

1. Is it insulting to say that the Avos were human? I suppose it depends on what one maintains regarding midrashic literalism, yeridas hadoros, etc. See the discussion in this parshablog post.
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2. Also on parshablog, my discussion of how there are not 613 seeds in a pomegranate. With good thoughts, as well, in the comment section.
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3. This week's Haveil Havalim.
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4. Recall how Matzav acted in publishing a protest on the occasion of the petira of Rabbi Dr. Bernard Lander? It seemed petty, at the time. Now, they are condemning Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz on the occasion of his completing his monumental work. See what Circus Tent has to say.
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5. An unfortunate, and mistaken, question at mi yodeya. But the answerers set him straight.
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6. Elder of Zion on setting Arab science back 500 years:
   

   Arab world’s most prominent space scientist working in NASA believes in supernatural creatures, but admits he has no evidence to prove [it] except for his faith in the Quran. 
   
   Dr Farouq al-Baz, who worked 43 years in NASA, told Alarabiya.net thathe was sure that the ghouls, Jinns and demons live among us and said that he came to the conclusion through his scientific predisposition meshed with his complete believe in Quran verses signifying their existence. 
   
   Quran denotes to Jinn as creatures created from fire, while humans are created from mud.

7. An interesting piece at On The Main Line about 100 Jewish boxers threatened with cherem.
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8. At PaleoJudaica, how Rachel's Tomb became the mosque of Bilal Ibn Rabah. Also, how they are considering destroying pre-Islamic artifacts in Saudi Arabia.
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9. Are Lubavitchers working the subways equivalent to other crazy subway preachers?
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10. This is cool. We have taste receptors in our lungs. And it seems like they can even serve a rather good purpose.
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11. A Mother In Israel on the changing cost of shidduchim in the Chareidi world.
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12. A new article by Rabbi Natan Slifkin, about approaches to the gemara about the Sun's Path at Night, throughout Jewish history.
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13. Bet Yaakov expels 9 girls for using non-kosjer cell-phones. Or, apparently not.