by Joel Rich
Identifying Judicial Empathy: Does Having A Daughter Cause Judges to Rule for Women’s Issues? (link
[Me – Implication for poskim?]In this paper, we ask whether personal relationships can affect the way that judges decide cases.
Political science scholarship on the courts has mostly focused on the decision-making impact of two important attributes: preferences (e.g., ideology, partisanship) and ascriptive characteristics (gender). Less well-developed is the notion that personal relationships and experiences – including contacts with close family members – could help us understand how judges decide cases.
In this paper, we presented evidence that personal relationships can in fact affect judges’ voting.
This fact has broader implications for descriptive representation on the courts. Scholarship has demonstrated that women judges decide cases differently from men.
Q: Is there a problem with buying clothing and furniture for a baby before the birth, or is there a problem of the evil eye?
A: There are some who refrain from doing so, but there is absolutely no halachic prohibition. On the contrary, it is a sign of trust in Hashem (Ner Ne-Ishon Laila p. 123. Unlike what Ha-Rav Chaim Kanievski said: The world is particular [not to do so] because of the evil eye. She’eilat Rav vol. 2 p. 58).- Rabbi Uri Orlian -Chazara Shiur #2 for Contemporary Halacha Spring ’14: Wills & Inheritance, Ribbis, Contraception & Family Planning, Beis Din, Shechita,Hair Covering for Women, & Mezuza
Another good quick summary of the RIETS practical halacha shiurim, many of which have been reviewed in this space.
I. Inheritance and Dina D’malchuta (law of the land) – What workarounds are available to allow distributions other than the default halachic distribution formula. What are the rules for the first born’s inheritance? How much should one set aside for charity in their will?
II. Women’s hair covering – The whole data Yehudit thing with a defense of Sheitels included.
III. Pru U-rvu – Modern fertility technology issues, contraception issues (interesting R’SZA leniency based on mental pain being like giving up > 20% of your income).
IV. Secular courts – issues with going to one accepting general secular law application vs. a specific formula, exceptions to rule of not going to one and the status of mishpat Ivri (Israeli Law).
V. Kashrut – Schechita and treifot rules (not a fan of “regular Kosher” – arghhh).
VI. Mezuzot – minimum room size, leaving them up when vacating the premises.
VII. Charging interest – Torah vs. Rabbinical prohibited interest and implications of which category your case falls into. Banks/heter iska and other practical issues. - Rabbi Nosson Rich -Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Tzitzis 8-7a>
Talit falling off issues – provides a number of opinions as to why we shouldn’t follow the psak of the Shulchan Aruch that one makes a new bracha if the tallit falls off.
- Peter Singer-Practical Ethics-The Practice of Voluntary Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide (14:04)
A strict application of Mill’s approach would say there’s no problem with physician assisted suicide/euthanasia. Others say it’s a slippery slope and sometimes giving more options isn’t a good idea (he says it’s a cost/benefit analysis).
- Rabbi Adam Mintz-The Jewish publication Society Translations
History of US translations of the Bible focusing on the first and second JPS versions and the various (including Orthodox) inputs to them.
- Rabbi Adam Mintz-The Artscroll Translation
Interesting history of the Artscroll revolution. Nothing to complain about, they did what they set out to do – it’s not really a translation.
- Rabbi Nosson Rich -Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Tzitzis 9-1
Which materials require Tzitzit on a Torah basis? A rabbinic basis? Not at all? (and why should we care?)
- Jonathan Ziring -Intellectual Property and Copyright Law: How does Halacha deal with New Legal Categories?
How Halacha adjusts to new constructs (e.g. copyright law). Perhaps when confronted with an obvious “right” which the world accepts, we find a pre-existing category and expand it to include the new right. (Me – sounds a bit like the Supreme Court and the right to privacy)
One interesting issue – is a shiur subject to Chazal’s baal tomar (you shouldn’t say over what someone told you without their express permission)? - Rabbi Uri Orlian-Writing on Shabbos: Use of Baby Monitors & Closed Circuit TV
Some technical detail on prohibited writing on Shabbat (what’s considered writing). Issues include implements, ink, permanence…. With these basics moves on to security cameras, baby monitors and the like. Intention plays a key role.
- Peter Singer-Practical Ethics-Small Group Discussion 3 (55:36)
Group discusses beginning and end of life decisions. Who has moral status and which decisions should be allowable.
- Rabbi Jeremy Wieder -Niddah Shiur: Sunday Introduction to Tur
Did the Tur have an overarching codification vision? Introductions to the 4 volumes seem to point to no.
- Rabbi Shalom Morris -History of Halakhah #3/4 – Tur and Shulhan Arukh
Review of the Tur’s approach and organization. Then on to approaches of R’Yosef Karo and R’Moshe Isserles.
- Rabbi Gershon Meisel-The Deleted File of the Chasam Sofer
The Chatam Sofer on Yishuv Eretz Yisrael and then on to viewing all of Klal Yisrael as a single unit.
- Rabbi Chayim Soloveichik -Daas Torah revisited
Who is entitled to an opinion? Whose opinion must/should you follow? Analysis of Lo Tasur (don’t deviate) issues and how they apply when there’s more than one community (tzibbur). R’YBS’s thinking changed on the matter after the holocaust.
- Rabbi Nosson Rich -Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Tzitzis 9-2
Issues with linen, wool and color permutations of strings and garments. [plus why I wear a plain white talit without stripes]
- Rabbi Nosson Rich -Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Tzitzis 10-1
Tzitzit placement issues on folded garments.
Rules of open and closed sided garments. - Rabbi Nosson Rich -Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Tzitzis 10-2
What to do if more than 4 corners on a garment. Then on to issues with certain garment materials.
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz -Tekios D’muemad and Tekios D’meyushav – Improving on Past Mitzvos
Several examples from R’Asher Weiss where we seem to do a mitzvah and then redo in a “better” way. What exactly is the status of the second doing if we got credit for the mitzvah the first time.
- Peter Singer-Practical Ethics–Global Poverty and the Pond Story (20:35)
“Everyone” agrees (me – but U.S. law doesn’t force) that if a child were drowning in a pond and all you had to do was dirty your shoes up a bit to save him, you must. So shouldn’t we extend this to spending a few dollars to save a child in Africa?
- Peter Singer-Practical Ethics-Objections to the Pond Analogy (15:18)
Reasons why the pond analogy might fail (not as easy, far away, not one time only…). Interesting – he questions why emotional attachment to the victim should make a difference while we’ve never defined any basis other than libi omer li in defining why yes or no!
- Peter Singer-Practical Ethics- The Effectiveness of Aid (6:42)
Discussion of organizations (not governments which will effectively use aid).
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz -Ten Minute Halacha – When a Woman Goes Into Labor on Shabbos
Discussion of halacha l’maaseh (practical law) regarding Shabbat maternity situations.
- Rabbi Nosson Rich -Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Tzitzis 10-2
Rules for tzitzit when garment has sides which are later closed up. What about rounded corners? Full body towels?
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz -Priorities in Talmud Torah
How should one apportion their Torah study time? Practical applications of a difference of opinion between Rashi and Tosfot.
- Rabbi Michael Taubes -Parshas Bamidbar Restrictions Concerning Speech on Shabbos
What type of talking is forbidden on Shabbat? (not my favorite question – during the week?) is dependent on why the talking is prohibited.
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz -Priorities in Talmud Torah 2
More on the components necessary to fulfill the mitzvah of Talmud Torah. Positions of the Rambam and Ran discussed.
- Rabbi Shalom Morris -History of Halakhah #2/4 – Geonim to Rambam
Post Talmudic law included commentaries, Sh”ut (Q&A’s) and codes. Codes come in different flavor including Bahag, Rif and Rambam.
- רב אשר וייס – פ׳ נשא -הרמב׳ם ידע קבלה?
Did Rambam know Kabbalah? (Perhaps he figured it out on his own?) Importance of learning Torah and loving it.
- Rabbi Nosson Rich -Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Tzitzis 10-3
Tzitzit and issues with corners (e.g. blankets). Then on to strings requirements.
- Rabbi Nosson Rich -Mishna Berura Yomi: Hilchos Tzitzis 10-4 and 11-1
Who can make or tie strings? Women? Non-Jews?
Please direct any informal comments to [email protected].
