Author Topic: Interesting Articles...  (Read 2348870 times)

Online ExGingi

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11780 on: October 03, 2021, 03:28:21 PM »
Is it so clear that Midyan was ארץ בני עמו? In parshas Ki Seitzei Moshe describes him as being called from פתור ארם נהרים.
Isn't פתור ארם נהריים just a little more descriptive than פתורה אשר על הנהר?
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11781 on: October 03, 2021, 03:30:46 PM »
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/10/03/andrew-yang-book-excerpt-campaigning-514967

I wonder how much exposure and traction this gets. My guess is that unfortunately it won't.

Quote
People talk about running for office or running for president as an act of leadership. I’m not so sure about that. I actually think that in many respects running for president requires qualities that would make you a terrible leader.

Reminds me of a quote I saw quite a few years ago (will need to jog my memory a little to figure out where it was) stating that running for election and actually serving in the position are two totally different skill sets (I think Netanyahu is one of the very few that posses both).

« Last Edit: October 03, 2021, 03:52:41 PM by ExGingi »
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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11782 on: October 03, 2021, 03:32:37 PM »
Isn't פתור ארם נהריים just a little more descriptive than פתורה אשר על הנהר?

See my ETA above, but naharayim is descriptive while the rest is a name.
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11783 on: October 03, 2021, 03:46:27 PM »
See my ETA above, but naharayim is descriptive while the rest is a name.

Actually upon further reading, it seems like the אבן עזרא says clearly regarding ארץ בני עמו: והם ארמים
yet Rashi unequivocally says about בלק that "מנסיכי מדין היה, וכיון שמת סיחון מינוהו עליהם לצורך שעה".
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11785 on: October 03, 2021, 05:09:20 PM »
Actually upon further reading, it seems like the אבן עזרא says clearly regarding ארץ בני עמו: והם ארמים
yet Rashi unequivocally says about בלק that "מנסיכי מדין היה, וכיון שמת סיחון מינוהו עליהם לצורך שעה".

You are confusing balak and bilam
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11786 on: October 03, 2021, 08:50:45 PM »
You are confusing balak and bilam

No. I am not.

Talking about בלק the entire time.
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11788 on: October 03, 2021, 09:55:59 PM »
No. I am not.

Talking about בלק the entire time.
The references to Peras are about Bilam
Feelings don't care about your facts

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11789 on: October 03, 2021, 11:51:18 PM »
The references to Peras are about Bilam

פְּ֠ת֠וֹרָה אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַל־הַנָּהָ֛ר אֶ֥רֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּ֖וֹ לִקְרֹא־ל֑וֹ

תרגום אונקלוס: וּשְׁלַח אִזְגַּדִּין לְוָת בִּלְעָם בַּר בְּעוֹר לִפְתוֹר אֲרָם דְעַל פְּרָת אֲרַע בְּנֵי עַמֵּיהּ לְמִקְרֵי לֵיהּ

רש"י: ארץ בני עמו. שֶׁל בָּלָק, מִשָּׁם הָיָה, וְזֶה הָיָה מִתְנַבֵּא וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ, עָתִיד אַתָּה לִמְלֹךְ
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11790 on: October 04, 2021, 08:39:19 AM »
פְּ֠ת֠וֹרָה אֲשֶׁ֧ר עַל־הַנָּהָ֛ר אֶ֥רֶץ בְּנֵי־עַמּ֖וֹ לִקְרֹא־ל֑וֹ

תרגום אונקלוס: וּשְׁלַח אִזְגַּדִּין לְוָת בִּלְעָם בַּר בְּעוֹר לִפְתוֹר אֲרָם דְעַל פְּרָת אֲרַע בְּנֵי עַמֵּיהּ לְמִקְרֵי לֵיהּ

רש"י: ארץ בני עמו. שֶׁל בָּלָק, מִשָּׁם הָיָה, וְזֶה הָיָה מִתְנַבֵּא וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ, עָתִיד אַתָּה לִמְלֹךְ

See Sifsei chachomim
https://www.sefaria.org/Siftei_Chakhamim%2C_Numbers.22.5.4?lang=he

מתנבא כו' עתיד אתה למלוך. ר"ל בלעם הי' מתנבא עליו ואף שהי' מנסיכי מדין, ארץ מולדתו הי' פתורה:

It is pretty clear from Ki Seitzei that Midyan sent messengers from Midyan to Pesor Aram Naharayim and they were not the same place. From the descriptions of the wars between Moav, Midyan and Sichon it seems that Midyan was near Moav. This makes much more sense with the midrash of Moshe's sheep.
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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11791 on: October 07, 2021, 10:17:33 AM »
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
-- Dan

Offline Euclid

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11792 on: October 07, 2021, 10:21:43 AM »
https://crownheights.info/crown-heights-news/747097/safrus-shortage-has-caused-serious-lack-of-mezuzos-and-sky-high-prices/

I have a few comments on this, but will hold them for a little later.
I'm so confused - is there too much business, or are sofrim leaving the industry because there's not enough money there? Which is it?

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11793 on: October 07, 2021, 10:41:50 AM »
I'm so confused - is there too much business, or are sofrim leaving the industry because there's not enough money there? Which is it?

A promotional article to justify higher prices by merchants.
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11794 on: October 07, 2021, 11:02:04 AM »
I'm so confused - is there too much business, or are sofrim leaving the industry because there's not enough money there? Which is it?

A promotional article to justify higher prices by merchants.

I didn't read the article, just glanced at a couple of lines, but based on a couple of conversations I had - STA"M prices were rising pre-Covid. There are fewer Israelis becoming sofrim due to government subsidies and efforts to get Chareidm into the regular workforce, and so there are more lucrative opportunities outside of "frum" markets such as STA"M. The remaining sofrim are taking better-paying jobs like Sifrei Torah and upscale Tefillin and Mezuzos, lowering the supply of cheap options.

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11795 on: October 07, 2021, 02:46:16 PM »
I've heard that because of the many niftariom of Covid rch"l many people are ordering Sifrei Torahs for their loved ones, driving demand to a historic high. And since the real money in the Stam business is in writing ST, most of the sofrim now are writing primarily ST.

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11796 on: October 08, 2021, 12:02:19 AM »
I've heard that because of the many niftariom of Covid rch"l many people are ordering Sifrei Torahs for their loved ones, driving demand to a historic high. And since the real money in the Stam business is in writing ST, most of the sofrim now are writing primarily ST.

IDK if that's where the real money is (for the סופרים, for the סוחרים it definitely is by virtue of it being a big ticket item with various extras such as the atzei Chaim, mantel, kesser, etc. Each of which have a profit margin for the סוחר). IINM for sofrim checking (tefillin and mezuzos) is most profitable.

Earlier this weak I leined in a ST that was recently completed. After leining I told the gabai that it seems to me like Sefer bereishis was written by a different Sofer than Sefer devorim (in which we leined since the ST was dedicated a several weeks ago), as the ksav looked very different. Someone came to me and told me that while the sofrim present their nicest work at the start (and at the end) where the client actually looks at it at length, the rest is written more hastily, since they get paid for the Sefer, and not by the hour.

I decided that in lieu of writing a ST for my parents, I will pay a year's salary of a melamed or kindergarten teacher. I think that there's more "bang for the buck" in that as it has the potential for פירות ופירי פירות instilling Yiddishe chinuch to many young children who will then carry it on for generations. (I've also made my wishes clear to my family, that if a ST would be written for me, it will only be during my lifetime. If c"v we don't merit the גאולה האמיתית והשלימה sooner, I would rather a year's salary of a melamed be paid, than write a ST).
« Last Edit: October 08, 2021, 12:11:13 AM by ExGingi »
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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11797 on: October 08, 2021, 12:13:44 AM »
I decided that in lieu of writing a ST for my parents, I will pay a year's salary of a melamed or kindergarten teacher. I think that there's more "bang for the buck" in that as it has the potential for פירות ופירי פירות instilling Yiddishe chinuch to many young children who will then carry it on for generations. (I've also made my wishes clear to my family, that if a ST would be written for me, it will only be during my lifetime. If c"v we don't merit the גאולה האמיתית והשלימה sooner, I would rather a year's salary of a melamed be paid, than write a ST).
Wow!

(Isn't a ST like 1/3 of the cost of a year's salary?)

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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11798 on: October 08, 2021, 12:17:11 AM »
Wow!

(Isn't a ST like 1/3 of the cost of a year's salary?)

Depends which ST (don't forget all the extras and ceremony that go along, and the shipping cost  ;D) and depends where the salary is paid. I am sure there are STs where the all-in cost is more than double the annual salary of a melamed. For my parents I am doing it where they lived. I think that's about 2/3 of what it would be here. I also think there's a benefit in signaling what I believe to be right priorities to my own kids.
« Last Edit: October 08, 2021, 12:28:30 AM by ExGingi »
I've been waiting over 5 years with bated breath for someone to say that!
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Re: Interesting Articles...
« Reply #11799 on: October 08, 2021, 07:55:55 AM »


There are fewer Israelis becoming sofrim

There was a big מס הכנסה crackdown on them a few years back.
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