Interesting Posts and Articles #360

1) At Rationalist Judaism, Rationalism and Rabbinic Authority.

2) At Hirhurim, the Brisker approach to the Bible, with a review of Rabbi Yitzchak Etzshalom's Between the Lines of the Bible, on Shemos.


Clicking through to the blue one, on Bereishis, will allow you to read a little sample of the book. From Rabbi Gil Student's review:

With his captivating prose, penetrating depth and dazzling breadth, R. Etshalom analyzes topics in the Biblical in classical Brisk fashion. 

He starts with a text and asks one or more difficult questions on it. He then proceeds to another, unrelated text and similarly poses difficulties. Each step of the way, tensions between texts and ideas grow as the questions multiply. Conflicts within and between texts multiply as R. Etshalom builds his foundation. Then comes the big idea. With one global concept, a textual or theological insight, the bubble of tension is burst. All of the questions are neatly resolved. Indeed, with the new understanding of the “big idea,” they no longer seem like questions. 

Some of this is just a matter of presentation. Schooled in contemporary study of the Talmud, R. Etshalom knows how to “give a shi’ur” and arranges his Bible lessons with the same excitement and structure of a high-level Talmud class.

3) At Tradition, an article by Dr. Shnayer Leiman: The Adventure of the Maharal of Prague in London: R. Yudl Rosenberg and the Golem of Prague

4) In Beit Shemesh, Newspapers' Kashrut Supervisor Censor Faces Of Girls Purim Costumes. This was the doing of the newspaper rather than the stores.

5) At the Guardian, The Himalayas and nearby peaks have lost no ice in past 10 years, study shows.

6) The Rebbetzin's Husband is bothered by a story in which the Apter Rebbe makes peace.

7) Mekubal writes how the Nachalaot Nightmare Continues.

He says that the investigation has been “thoroughly botched”(his words).  He is supposed to get back to me in more detail if there is anything that can be done to save it.  However, he also said that the chief investigator is absolutely convinced that we(as in the residents of Nachalaot) are all crazy and/or hysterical.  Apparently rants about homosexual satanist conspiracies, which have been further illustrated by colorful collages have reinforced this belief.  Not only reinforced it, been enabled them to convincingly sell it to others as my friend said, “If I didn’t know you, and know you to been level headed under some extreme circumstances(those are stories for another time) I would believe it, as it is I have to ask, are you sure that the parents are [sic] just crazy/hysterical.”

He continues:

I understand that people may like to read or hear all of your homosexual satanist theories (and all of the other theories floating around) the span the spectrum, however, please stop and ask yourself, no better yet ask a level headed therapist, if when I say “x” does it sound a bit nutty.  If the therapist says, “Just a little” with that look on their face that says, “my word, why isn’t this person in a straight jacket” and they are only politely understating things because they are afraid of severe bodily harm if they were honest.  Then perhaps it would be best to keep it to yourself.

He makes a good point.

8) The Daily Caller: Maybe there’s something to the idea that Eastwood’s Chrysler commercial was an Obama campaign ad?

9) Here at parshablog, Calculations regarding stolen brachot and mitzvot.