by Joel Rich Anyone think about the relationship between the observer effect and the leidat hasafeik in the 10 store cases (kavua vs kol dparish mruba)? The term observer effect in quantum physics means that the act of observing something will influence the thing being observed and by the observation, waves turn into particles. Observer Effect.The observer effect was validated ...

by Joel Rich During a recent talk to gap year students, the speaker praised their courage in deciding to remain in Israel. I’m sure the language was appreciated by the students and their parents, but I cannot help but think that it’s only courageous if you take the western liberal view of the primary importance of the individual. There is, ...

by Joel Rich Anan sahadei (we testify) generally appears in the gemara as an ironclad presumption that defines an event (eg if a lender says to a borrower not to pay back unless there are witnesses, he won’t pay back without witnesses) or an intent (eg a seller making aliya intended to sell only if he made aliyah). Is anyone ...

by Joel Rich A 5 towns rabbi recently recounted a question asked of him in the sukka “Do you think that maybe like a jew in the 5 towns not the way God intended it, like we’re supposed to be like they are in Williamsburg or Geulah or something like that”. My comment: it seems to me many MOprax jews ...

by Joel Rich Dr. Marc Shapiro-Letters from The Rav – Final Sessions   Part 17 https://torahinmotion.org/tim-torah/letters-from-the-rav-part-17 Topics include: women learning torah (yes), Einstein medical school (kiddush hashem), and updating the classical yeshiva curriculum.   Part 18 https://torahinmotion.org/tim-torah/letters-from-the-rav-part-18 Starts with some general follow up topics: cohen becoming a doctor, women’s organized learning, yosher in choshen mishpat and RBYS’ candidacies for various ...

by Joel Rich thoughts: At the beginning of Parshat Haazinu, the heavens and earth are called upon to listen to the covenant made between HKBH and the Jewish people. Rashi explains that the reason Moses did not ask this of humans is that he understood that humans are only temporary dwellers in this world. The heavens and earth, however are ...

by Joel Rich There’s a halacha I’ve heard stated many times that it’s better to stay in bed all day on yom kippur in order to be able to complete the fast rather than to go to shul (tfila btzibur et al) and have to have even a small break (ie shiurim). How would you analyze a similar question on ...

by Joel Rich To a maggid shiur: Just wanted to tell you that I very much appreciated your bringing in the social sciences to your discussion of tzedakah. Blum’s work on empathy is especially interesting, I always find it fascinating that people think that pure logic can answer moral questions. Anyway, that’s the tora umada I was raised on and ...

by Joel Rich   Kollel Iyun Halacha-ELUL 2023   https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kollel-iyun-halacha/episodes/08-20-2023-Rav-Shlomo-Gottesman—Introduction-To-Mitzvas-Shiluach-HaKan-e28apnn/a-aa8prob 08-20-2023-Rav-Shlomo-Gottesman—Introduction-To-Mitzvas-Shiluach-HaKan Introduction to the new zman’s topic – shiluach hakan. Is it a mitzva chiyuvit or kiyumit? Is its focus on the impact on us or on HKBH? (Rambam v Ramban)   https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/kollel-iyun-halacha/episodes/08-20-2023-Rav-Asher-Weiss—Mitzvas-Shiluach-HaKan-e28appe/a-aa8prsk 08-20-2023-Rav-Asher-Weiss—Mitzvas-Shiluach-HaKan R Weiss paskins shiluach hakan as a mitzva kiyumit (only if you want the eggs?) but ...

by Joel Rich Two (IMHO) great quotes from the Aruch Hashulchan (C”M 149:22) discussing an individual having a chazaka in a mitzva (my rough translation) 1 “all of this is discussing a chazaka that has an associated claim such as the community granted him the mitzva in perpetuity. But if he appropriated it for himself without the community’s assent, there’s ...