Two and a half

Kosher food-cart vendor says he‘s blocked by ‘halal mafia’ in NYC


And the dimensions of the Aaron should be - two and half Amos its length, one and a half Amos its width, and one and a half Amos its height. Why are the dimensions of the Aaron in half Amos (by the Shulchan the dimensions are 2 Amos x 1 Amah)?

The Baal HaTurim says, Chazal teach that the Aaron represents Torah. The significance of halves is to teach us, one must break himself (half) over the Torah. In order to reach a high level in Torah, one can not sit back and relax. Rather, he must be "Maymis Atzmo Aleha" - kill himself over toiling in Torah.

Kli Yakar offers a different answer. Since the Aaron represents Torah, halves are representing the fact that even an accomplished Talmid Chachom is never finished learning. There is always more to learn and understand. A person is never more than a fraction of the way to completing the Torah.
http://www.thejewisheye.com/rev_ptrumah.html


A 2014 Jewish Press article begins with the words, "Secretary of State James A. Baker is surely one of the most reviled public figures both in Israel and among American Jews. "
http://www.jewishpress.com/sections/features/feautures-on-jewish-world/george-bush-james-baker-and-the-jews/2014/10/31/


The Algeminer reports that Secretary Baker will be a speaker at the J Street Conference to be held in March.


Below is an excerpt from a daily email I received from the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation.

Generally speaking, unless one is certain that a given statement is not in the category of forbidden speech, he should not utter it. Even if he is inclined to think that it is a mitzvah to utter the statement and that he will receive reward in the World to Come for it, nevertheless, he should refrain from doing so. In this way, he will be saved from Divine retribution.

For example, if in fact one was obligated to speak critically of a certain individual and did not do so out of uncertainty, he will be able to come before the Heavenly Court and say, “I was not sure whether or not I was permitted to criticize him to others; therefore I chose to remain silent.’’ Conversely, if he will speak critically of the person when in fact this was wrong, or if he will mistakenly initiate a quarrel out of the conviction that it is a mitzvah to do so — how will he exonerate himself before the Heavenly Court? How will he excuse his having spoken the forbidden and having been the cause of strife? He will not be able to say that his uncertainty impelled him to speak, for if he was uncertain he should not have spoken.