Voting, chaos and destruction after Sandy

Click here for post-Sandy poll site changes for NYC.

New Jersey's decision to allow voters displaced by superstorm Sandy to cast ballots by email has prompted a flood of warnings over security, secrecy and a potential for legal entanglements.

...Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno said the move was designed "to help alleviate pressure on polling places."

But some experts say email voting, which is being allowed by some states for military and overseas voters, has not been tested on a large scale and opens up a host of technical and legal obstacles. http://www99.bangkokpost.com/tech/computer/319748/new-jersey-email-vote-rule-raises-storm-of-protest

One of the places hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy, was Staten Island. With 19 deaths and hundreds of homes destroyed, many people are dislocated and in need of basic human necessities.

Chabad has obtained a centrally located storefront to house the ‘Chabad Hurricane Relief Center.’ The center will serve as a warm spot for anyone to come inside and relax, get a hot drink or snack, recharge devices or receive emotional support.
http://www.crownheights.info/index.php?itemid=48035

The numbers

"And it was when the camels finished drinking, Eliezer took a golden nose ring, its weight a Beka, and 2 bracelets on her arms weighing 10 golden Shekel. Rashi tells us, the Beka weight was an allusion to the Shekalim of Klal Yisroel - the half shekel donated by Klal Yisroel for the Beis HaMikdash. The 2 bracelets were an allusion to the 2 Luchos - and the weight of 10 shekel, alluded to the Aseres HaDibros which were written on them.

Why was it necessary at this time for Eliezer to hint to Rivka concerning these future events? The Maharal answers that Eliezer was telling Rivka that the world stands on 3 things - Torah, Avodah and Gemilus Chasadim. I see that you are very accomplished in acts of Gemilas Chesed. However, to be one of the foundations of Klal Yisroel you must also excel in Torah and Avodah. Torah, which was represented by the 2 bracelets weighing 10 shekel - alluding to the Luchos. Avodah, which was represented by the Beka - used to purchase the Korbonos for the Beis HaMikdash.
http://revach.net/parshas-hashavua/quick-vort/Parshas-Chayei-Sarah-Maharal-MiPrague-Eliezer-Teaches-Rivka-There-Is-More-To-Life-Than-Just-Chesed/1233


Speaking about numbers, here are three people who supply the wrong result to the question, "how much is 100 times 100?"

Reaching the heavens

Rabbi Shlomo M. Brody asks:

Not long ago, much of the world watched as Austrian skydiver Felix Baumgartner—working for a project called Red Bull Stratos, sponsored by the eponymous energy drink company—jumped to earth from a 24-mile-high helium balloon in a record-setting free fall that broke the sound barrier. The feat set YouTube records and scored an advertising coup for Red Bull. Yet there remains a critical question about this performance by what one magazine called the "God of the Skies": did it violate Jewish theological or halakhic norms?

He concludes with the following paragraph:

Because of weather delays, the Red Bull Stratos launch was delayed until just a few days before the Shabbat when the world's Jews read about the Tower of Babel. That Torah reading, one hopes, reminded us that humanity's loftiness consists not in ascents to the Heavens but in dedicating our lives toward Heavenly actions on Earth.
http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/5283/features/did-red-bull-stratos-break-a-halakhic-barrier/?utm_source=jta_widget&utm_medium=jta_widget&utm_campaign=did-red-bull-stratos-break-a-halakhic-barrier&jtahome

Interesting thought, particularly this week when a dangling crane on a hi-rise building in New York made the news as Hurricane Sandy struck.

Vote by fax

After I read the article below, my first thought was RIPE FOR VOTING FRAUD.

My next thought was to members of my family who are still without electricity. How are they supposed to vote electronically?

Let's just announce the winner already.

New Jersey will allow residents displaced by Superstorm Sandy to vote by email or fax. Officials announced Saturday that registered voters can vote electronically. A resident must submit a mail-in ballot application by fax or email to the local county clerk.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/nj-residents-displaced-storm-vote-email-17634859

Election musings

Rabbi Moshe Grylak writes in Mishpacha Magazine, "it doesn’t matter who sits in the White House,..... we the people will get good or bad government commensurate with our deeds, and our deeds will be judged by the Ruler of all creation."
http://www.mishpacha.com/Browse/Article/2612/Yes-We-Can

In an article titled Some Thoughts on Early Voting, Rabbi Elchonon Oberstein explains why he voted the way he did.

But, what pushed me over the edge was what happened at the Democratic Convention when the majority of the delegates booed when the resolution that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel was pushed through on a voice vote that obviously went the other way.
Read more: http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=1&ARTICLE_ID=33403

The Right Scoop has a revelation about someone who allegedly voted four times already. Is ther any wonder as to the outcome of the election?

Thoughts on the hurricane

Professor Moshe Sokolow writes about "whether Judaism has anything instructive to say about hurricanes."

Rain, even in overabundance, is a blessing. Gloria, Katrina, Irene, and Sandy are reminders that the volume of rain, the force of the winds, and the height of the storm surge are out of our control. On the other hand, we get to choose where to build and where to live; we can assign priorities for the investment of our individual and collective resources; and we can exercise prudence in preparing for the proverbial “worst case scenario.”
Read full article: http://www.jewishideasdaily.com/5273/features/the-jewish-view-of-hurricanes/

After the destruction in Haiti, Rabbi Emanuel Feldman penned his thoughts.

The ways of G-d are hidden and mysterious; they have never been crystal clear to man. Only a finite and mortal god can be fully known and understood by finite and mortal man. But who will worship a mortal god? By the same token, only an infinite and immortal mind can fathom the infinite and immortal G-d. But who among us has an infinite and immortal mind?

Given these obvious facts, it is difficult for a mortal mind to fathom the ease and eagerness with which other mortal minds presume to reveal divine secrets. For whenever some major catastrophe strikes, there are always those who leap forward with reasons and explanations. Whether it be a bridge collapse, a massive air disaster or a plague, inevitably a religious leader stands up and tells the world precisely why this happened.
Read more: http://www.cross-currents.com/archives/2010/02/02/haiti-and-the-mind-of-g-d/

I couldn't help but notice that the Hebrew words for materialism (גשמיות) and rain (גשם) are derived from the same three letter root.
On the one hand, G-d can rain down material goods on us, only to have them rained away in a split second.

Breaking our nature

Rabbi Eli Mansour discusses the test of Avraham Avinu to offer his son as a sacrifice. The question arises as to why this command was a test for Abraham Abinu, but not for Yishak. According to tradition, Yishak was 37 years old at the time of Akedat Yishak. He was not a young boy forced into this by his father. Wasn’t this a test for him, as well? Why is Akedat Yishak presented as a test for Abraham, but not for Yishak?

One explanation is that this was a test specifically for Abraham because he had arrived at the belief in G-d on his own through logical reasoning. In a world that believed in idols, Abraham, in his profound wisdom and intelligence, recognized through logic that there must be a single Creator. Abraham’s great test was fulfilling G-d’s command that seemed wholly illogical. G-d had earlier promised to produce a great nation from Yishak, and now he tells him to kill him. This obviously defied all logic, and thus naturally challenged Abraham’s entire approach, of arriving at belief through logic. His obedience to the divine command demonstrated that he was committed to G-d not only when logic dictated following His laws, but even when His laws seem illogical.

But there is also another reason why this test was unique to Abraham. The Vilna Gaon taught that a person’s task in this world is to overcome his innate negative tendencies. We are to identify our areas of personal weakness and work toward improving ourselves in those very areas. Thus, for example, a person who is naturally a glutton and enjoys overindulging in food should focus the bulk of his attention on moderating his food intake. A person who is by nature short-tempered has the responsibility of fighting against this tendency and being patient and tolerant of other people. We are not here to just accept our nature, to resign ourselves to the character flaws with which we are created. Rather, our main job during our lifetime is to break our nature, to perfect the flawed areas of our personalities.
Continue reading: http://www.dailyhalacha.com/WeeklyParasha.asp

The aftermath

Below is an excerpt from an article published on December 19, 2011.

Last Thursday, the White House honored Brooklyn activist, Linda Sarsour, and nine others with the Champion for Change Award for their advocacy work in their communities.
...The Champion of Change Award, which is part of President Obama’s Winning the Future initiative, is one of number of awards that Sarsour has received which includes the Brooklyn Do-Gooder Award from the Brooklyn Community Foundation.
http://www.illumemagazine.com/zine/articleDetail.php?White-House-Honors-Arab-American-Activist-Linda-Sarsour-13890

Today IPT reported that Ms. Sansour tweeted, "Nothing is creepier than Zionism. Challenge racism."

Click here to read full article.

Seems to be a depressing news day. I just finished watching a video on CoolJew about a rabbi's house which was destroyed in Long Beach. May he and all the others who were hit hard by the storm get help in a speedy manner.

18 people busted for looting at Key Food in Coney Island

A St. Albans, Queens man has been charged with menacing and criminal possession of a weapon after he attempted to cut a line at a gas station and pointed a pistol at another motorist who complained.
Read more: http://www.myfoxny.com/story/19980450/arrests-made-in-post-storm-incidents#ixzz2B1R4zyiu

The rainbow

Con Ed said today it’ll take until the weekend of Nov. 10 to restore power to a “vast majority” of its customers.
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/power_restored_to_con_ed_customers_VVVuQ58feKcmiXaPo6w1dO

What about electronic voting in those areas on November 6?????

Double Rainbow Over Manhattan After Sunday Storm (PHOTOS)

A question posed about a rainbow brought about an interesting discussion at judaism.stackexchange. Below is an excerpt.

There is a popular idea that seeing a rainbow is a bad sign, as if the world is deserving of a deluge (c"v) and the only reason Hashem does not do so is because of His promise. Is there any source for this? And if so, how does that square with the fact that rainbows are a natural occurrence caused by the refraction of light (as noted by Ramban in Parshas Noach 9:12)?

•The Midrash (Bereshit Rabba 35:2) tells us that there were two generations that did not see a rainbow. Rashi (Ketuvot 77B) explains that when the generation has leaders who are perfectly righteous, the generation does not need a rainbow so that G-d can remind himself not to destroy the world.
http://judaism.stackexchange.com/questions/10065/rainbow-as-a-bad-omen



R' Pinchas Eliyahu Horowitz of Vilna z"l (19th cent.) writes: There is no reason why parties who wish to make a sign between themselves cannot choose an existing natural object to be that sign. Something is a "sign" because people decide to treat it as such. There are three reasons why a rainbow is a fitting sign that G-d will not bring another flood:

1. Since the rainbow appears near the end of the rain, it reminds us that G-d will soon stop the rain because of His kindness, even if we are not deserving.
2. The rainbow represents G-d's glory, as it is written (Yechezkel 1:28), "Like the appearance of a bow that would be in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of brilliance all around. That was the appearance of the glory of Hashem." A king does not show his glory when he is angry.
3. The rainbow represents a warrior's (G-d's) bow turned away from the enemy (man), showing that the battle is over. (Sefer Haberit, Part I, Essay 10, Ch. 12)

http://www.torah.org/learning/hamaayan/5758/noach.html#

Suffering

Those living in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy, please check whether the eruv in your neighborhood will be operational on Shabbat.


Yesterday I spent some time with a friend of mine who is on a high spiritual level. There is no internet in her home and I happened to bring up an article I had read on the internet by a rabbi who had written about the hurricane. I told her that I didn't agree with something that he wrote and she asked me why I bothered to read his articles. She told me that just as Guardian readers get a skewed view on Israel after they read article upon article containing anti-Israel bias, so too, will I be affected by reading articles which contain distorted views.

Later that evening I was quite upset to read another article by the same individual in which he wrote about the hurricane and where personal responsibility was dismissed in terms of why bad things happen.

So, for those who read the article, click here to listen to Rabbi Eliezer Lerner's lecture which is titled Yisurim Shel Ahava: A Glimpse into the Meaning of Suffering in order to get an additional view.