Blog/June 2023/Jun 16th

Jun 16th

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Quite busy this week, getting prepared to make another trip to visit the Grands.

On a friend’s recommendation, we went to a place called “Beגוּד” (a play on the Hebrew word for clothing) and were able to find clothes for the Grands for very (!) reasonable prices. Thank you, friend!

We also attended the opening blast of “Hebrew Book Week”, an annual event. There was a huge crowd of people, and an astonishing variety of kids’ books. Of course we got books for the Grands, as well as for ourselves!

I also engaged in Very Manly Work, and reshaped and welded our front gate. Now it closes and latches in a normal manner, without squeaking and banging about. It still needs to be painted,though… next week, B”H!

Sundries:

• Latest Palestinian poll shows they still love terrorism. By a large majority, in fact.
• Ben Shapiro asks how screwed is Trump?. Quite a bit, actually.
• Prof Hossenfelder on “transhumanism” — are they the future of humanity?
• And the Critical Drinker opines as to why modern movies suck.

There was a big kerfuffle on “JTwitter” (Jewish Twitter), when the photographer at a “Frum Lesbian Wedding” released photos. “Frum” meaning “Religious Orthodox Jewish”, if you weren’t aware. As someone without a dog in that fight, so to speak, I wasn’t interested but for the insane reactions.

Let it be known (in case you had doubts) that by definition, a “Frum” wedding is solely between a man and a woman, both Jewish. Nothing else can, by definition, be called a “wedding” in (traditional) Judaism. Someone pointed out that non-controversial fact in a fairly neutral manner.

Of course the immediate reaction was calls of “homophobe” and “bigot” and various appeals to emotion. What bothered me, specifically, was those calls from people who “identify” as “frum”.

You’re free to live your life however you see fit, but you’re not free to redefine words to suit your own predilections. Emotions play no part in what is, in fact, a legal definition. And if you consider yourself “frum” in any degree, you surely must adhere to the definitions laid out in the extensive corpus of halakha (Jewish Law)!

What seems clear to me is that the “liberal” extremes of what’s known as “modern orthodoxy” will split off, Reform fashion, from the main body of “orthodoxy” and create yet another schism in the Jewish world. As if we really needed that. We truly do need “mashiach now”!

This shabbat’s weather is summer-hot (33C), which is hotter than it’s been this week, but consistent with the pattern of the past few weeks. Truly not a fan, but it is the beginning of summer, after all.

This shabbat we’re on our own. The menu will contain:
home-made ḥalla, meatballs, potatoes, ribs, various salatim, and mango sherbet.

Until next time,
shabbat shalom!

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