Opuscula Misconceptions About “opting out” And beni mitzvoth

CAVEAT: I am not a rabbi and I don’t play one on tv.
Recently, talking with a long-time (I don’t say”old” — that’s not “PC") friend, the talk tuned to confusion about opting out of being Jewish.
And, as usually happens, that topic led to others, including “What constitutes a bar (or bat) mitzvah.

SINCE I AM NOT a rabbi, I went to the search engines to look for rabbinical answers to my questions.
The answers to the “opt out” question are all from Ashkenazi Orthodox rabbis. I seriously doubt a Sefardi or Mizrachi hakham (learned rabbi) would respond any differently (other than pronunciation, e.g., koton vs. katan).

Rabbi Dovid Heber, Star-K Kosher Certification

Someone who converts before Bar or Bas Mitzva is known as a ger koton. Such a person can opt out at the time of his or her Bar Mitzva. If the person is aware that he or she is a Ger Koton and does not opt out at the time of the Bar or Bas Mitzvah, they can no longer opt out.

A child born to a Jewish mother or a person who converts as an adult cannot "opt out."

Rabbi Eliezer Zalmanov, Chabad.org

Someone that converted as a child can in theory "opt out" when they turn bar or bat mitzvah (12 years old for a girl and 13 for a boy). Once that age passes, there is no "turning back" so to

speak.

Rabbi Dovid Rosenfeld Aish.com

Only an adopted non-Jewish baby is given the option of regretting his conversion when he becomes Bar/Bat Mitzvah and old enough to decide for himself. Anyone who was born Jewish has that status for life.

* * * * * * *

Did Abram/Abraham have a bar mitzvah? Did Moses Rabbeinu? Pinchas or Caleb ben Nun?

In a word, “No.”

According to Jewish law, when a Jewish boy is 13 years old, he becomes accountable for his actions and becomes a bar mitzvah. A girl becomes a bat mitzvah at the age of 12 according to Orthodox and Conservative Jews, and at the age of 13 according to Reform Jews. After this age, the boys and girls bear their own responsibility for Jewish ritual law, tradition, and ethics, and are able to participate in all areas of Jewish community life.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_and_bat_mitzvah

The bar mitzvah is automatic, whether or not a celebration or special ceremony is held.

Source: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1912609/jewish/Bar-Mitzvah-When-It-Is-and-How-to-Celebrate.htm

(O)ne is a full-fledged member of the Jewish community, able to participate in all aspects of its religious expression and existence, even if one has never had a bar/bat mitzvah celebration. All that is necessary is that one be 12 years old if a female and 13 if a male.

Source: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/what-does-bar-mitzvah-mean/

A Jewish boy automatically becomes a bar mitzvah upon reaching the age of 13 years, and a girl upon reaching the age of 12 years. No ceremony is needed to confer these rights and obligations. The popular bar mitzvah ceremony is not required, and does not fulfill any commandment. It is certainly not, as one episode of the Simpsons would have you believe, necessary to have a bar mitzvah in order to be considered a Jew! The bar or bat mitzvah is a relatively modern innovation, not mentioned in the Talmud, and the elaborate ceremonies and receptions that are commonplace today were unheard of as recently as a century ago.

Source: http://www.jewfaq.org/barmitz.htm

A Jewish boy automatically becomes Bar Mitzvah when he turns 13 years old, and a girl at age 12.

Source: https://www.aish.com/jl/l/bm/ABCs_of_Bar_Mitzvah.html

ALL THAT NOT WITHSTANDING, originally, the determination of a bar or bat mitzvah was made based on the presence of a pubic hair. Obviously the fixed age, and one day, is less embarrassing for all concerned. Besides, tutors need the money.

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PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Opting Out

Opuscula Making minyan: Bring your gun With your tallit

THE MINYAN OF WHICH I am a member has been discussing guns at the minyan.

As Jews are targeted more and more, and as observant Jews, we are fairly obvious — who else walks in Florida’s summer heat and threats of storms? — the issue of self-defense has become a hot topic.

I HAVE A COPY of R. Mordechai Eliyahu’s kitzur and it states, clearly,

Beginning with “אסור להכניס פלאפון” the former Rishon l’Zion (Sefardi chief rabbi) rules that “IF there is danger outside, it is permitted to bring a cellphone inside. In the event of this (danger), a concealed (hand)gun is allowed; a rifle may be rested in a modest place. This also applies to a yeshiva. Page 63, Rules of Holiness of Synagogues and Study halls, footnotes ב and ג.

What about Shabatot and haggim?

If there is an eruv, there is no problem. The eruv¹ allows observant Jews to carry things on Shabat and holidays.

As for carrying something normally “muksay” (prohibited to handle on Shabat and holidays such as writing instruments and money) weapons could be exempted under the Torah statement to “choose life”² (that the rabbis interpret to mean it is permissible to defend yourself as best you can) and the rabbinic ruling that “if a person comes to kill you, kill him first.”³

That last admonishment must be applied most carefully else the threatened Jew could be facing a murder charge; if no life or extreme injury is at risk, run or call the cops even on Shabat and haggim.

A Jew may not ask a non-Jew to do what a Jew is forbidden to do. That sin is no less, and may be greater, than the Jew doing the task.⁴

A Sefardi synagogue near my house has — or at least had — a sign prohibiting guns on the premises. That was (a) before the recent spate of anti-Jewish attacks and (b) during the previous rabbi’s tenure.

The group with whom I “make minyan” is a mix of Ashkenazim and Sefaridim, with a number of ex-pat Israelis — modern (Israeli) Hebrew is as common as English.

A number of the men have concealed carry licenses, but to the best of my knowledge, so far no one is carrying. That may change as threats get closer to home.

It is a shame that anyone even contemplates having to defend themselves while at prayer, or, for that matter, any time.

Jews have to be on guard at all times.

Kosher restaurants have been targets — not here (so far), but in Israel.

Jewish schools are targets, as are schools with large Jewish populations. While the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas school in Parkland FL has a high concentration of Jews, the mass murderer apparently killed randomly, sans consideration of race, religion, ethnicity.

In Israel, and in (other) war zones, R. Eliyahu’s ruling is a necessity.

Sadly, it is becoming a necessity around the world.

Crazies are NOT limited to any particular group of people and many, most, crazies look like everyone else — until they act.

While the constabulary is doing a better job of identifying the crazies, they cannot all be removed from circulation before they act; the price we pay for having a nation of laws.

The bottom line: Sad as it is, congregations must consider how the members can best defend themselves. If bringing guns to prayers is the answer, then Jews have an authority who approves weapons at the minyan.

CAVEAT: Anyone who intends to carry must be proficient with the weapon. That means hours of practice. Anyone who fires a gun without having time on the range is in danger of maiming or killing someone he shooter intended to protect.

Sources

1. Eruv: http://tinyurl.com/y2j9ek6j

2. Choose life: http://tinyurl.com/y3nu8p2u

3. If someone comes to kill you: https://steinsaltz.org/daf/sanhedrin72/

4. Shabat work: http://tinyurl.com/yctj8jeu

עינים להם ולא יראו * אזנים להם ולא יאזנו

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

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Opuscula Meet The Squad: Women who prove They know nothing

EVEN IF YOU DEPEND ONLY ON LEFTIST media — and that is easy enough to do — almost every day there is a story about “The Squad” and how Israel is a horrible place for Muslims with an anti-Muslim government, police brutality, walls, apartheid, and whatever other lie the women can conjure up.

The “Squad” (L to R) AOC, Omar, Pressley, Tlaib

IT SEEMS THAT none of the “journalists” of the left bother to ask if any of “The Squad” — or their Democrat supporters — have ever BEEN to Israel or either the PLO or Hamas-occupied areas. I know some in congress HAVE been to Israel on a junket paid for by AIPAC. (Was that legal? They DID interview Israeli and PLO officials — why no Hamas leaders? — so perhaps it all was, excuse the expression, “kosher.”)

Israel bashing and Jew bashing is their forte’ and they do it well. The press hangs on, and reports sans challenge, every word.

President Trump and his puppet — or maybe stooge — Benjamin Netanyahu give the women plenty of verbal ammunition. Trump with his tweets and unscripted speeches and Netanyahu who flips and flops more than a fish freshly out of the water.

 

I am a dual-national who voted for Trump and I am a solid Beginite.

 

I could, but I won’t, create a blog entry everyday commenting on “The Squad’s” antics du jour and their fellow congress people — are they REALLY “Representatives” of the people? — who rush to follow their lead or to apologize for their behavior and ignorance.

Frankly I’m tired of writing about ignorant people. I am tired of trying to “keep up” with the Democrats’ stupidity.

Perhaps, as I heard one wag suggest, it’s all a plan by Trump to assure his re-election. The more “The Squad” rants and raves, and the more the Democrats either praise them or fail to chastise them, the more American voters MAY realize the Democrats have fallen off the left side, albeit it is not a “given.”

I remain confused.

How is bashing an ally (Israel) and being blatantly anti-Semitic “progressive.” If anything, that seems REgressive.

What I find of particular interest is that when Obama did what Trump is trying to do, the Democrats and the media were silent.

When the Democrats’ tin god with feet of clay, FDR, sent Jewish refugees from nazi murderers back to their deaths, no one said anything. When FDR, by executive order, forced U.S. citizens into concentration camps, few people complained and the media were silent.

“The Squad” puts me in mind of “Chicken Little” who cried “The Sky is Falling” or the “Little Boy who cried Wolf” too many times. Unlike “Chicken Little” of the boy, the sky is not falling and the wolves are at bay. We need to believe as the characters who heard the bird and the boy and ignore "The Squad” and their ilk.

They are ignorant and, through their stupidity, liars.

And they seem to be leading the Democrat leadership.

When will it end?

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

עינים להם ולא יראו * אזנים להם ולא יאזנו

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Opuscula Trump, Netanyahu: Not the sharpest Crayons in the box

NETANYAHU IS, IMO, A TWO-FACED, opportunistic politician who would be King for Life. An Israeli “FDR.”

Trump, while I agree with much of what he does — his “tweets” often are abominable — I cannot understand at all with regard to Tlaib, Omar and Israel.

Trump and Netanyahu (No credit given at http://tinyurl.com/y3wpte4e)

WHO AM I TO TALK?

I’m a dual national, and like many American Jews, I have kin in Israel. I am politically conservative.

Admittedly, the Powers That Be failed to ask me for my not-at-all-humble opinion, but if they had, I would have told them to welcome the Israel bashers.

Let them SEE the reality of Israel and let them SEE the reality in the PLO and Hamas-controlled areas.

Provide the visitors with Israeli Muslim escorts whenever they are in Israel. Take them to Muslim communities and let them talk to local Israeli Muslims. Take them to meet Druze. Let them talk to Israeli Muslims in the Army, on the Supreme Court, and even in the Knesset.

Escort them to the borders of the PLO and Hamas-controlled areas and turn them over to PLO and Hamas escorts. Let them (try) to see life in areas controlled by people who practice terrorism, apartheid, and misogyny as a way of life. Look at the mall in Gaza; compare the houses in the PLO and Hamas-controlled areas: look at how the leadership lives and also how the average person lives. NOW, compare that to the lifestyle of Muslims in Israel.

Why Netanyahu would, by fiat, deny the Israel bashers into Israel to SEE THE REALITY ON THE GROUND, other than to flatter Trump, is beyond my ken.

Why Trump should interfere in another country’s business likewise is unfathomable to me.

Maybe Trump wants to keep “The Squad” in the headlines; their outrageous behavior is one of the GOP’s best tools to keep control of the White House and Senate, and to regain control of the House.

Obama tried to influence Israeli elections (and failed).

That was enough interference from America to last for decades.

* * * * * * * *

Tlaib (left) and Omar (Photo Erin Scott for Reuters)

It's a small thing, but bothersome.

"The Squad"'s ignorance of Israel, the PLO, and Hamas.

The "Squad" claims Israel occupies Gaza.

According to multiple web sources — left, right, and center — Israel pulled out of Gaza on 15 August 2005, 14 years ago.

Does that mean members of "The Squad" are stupid, too stupid to read (or have reports read to them), too stupid to acknowledge history.

Maybe it means their constituents are stupid for electing such bigoted and ignorant people to federal office.

I suppose that Tel Aviv — a city built on the dunes by Jews, not Palestinians — is "occupied land."

If that's the case, then members of "The Squad" need to write bills to return occupied Indian lands held as part of the U.S.

The "Squad" rattles on and on about inequality of non-Jews in Israel, but ignores survey after survey by independent organizations that clearly show-ALL CITIZENS are equal in every way to Jews in Israel; which might explain why many Muslims prefer life in Israel to life in either PLO or Hamas-controlled areas.

"The Squad" talks about apartheid but ignores the apartheid in the PLO and Hamas-controlled areas; they talk about apartheid but ignore the Indian reservations in the U.S.

Israeli Muslims have full citizenship and the rights that go with it. They can live where they wish, pray (or not) as they wish, work wherever there is a demand for their skills, travel without restrictions, own businesses — just like Jews. Muslims are exempt from both military and national service, although they are encouraged to do national service.

Muslims from the PLO and Hamas-controlled areas are treated at Israeli hospitals without distinction or restriction. (PLO leaders send their kin to Israeli hospitals for the treatment unavailable in their own area.)

Muslims from the PLO areas once worked at Jewish owned companies such as SodaStream until BDSers such a Tlaib and Omar forced SodaStream to relocate, putting the PLO residents out of work.

They talk about the alleged cruelty of Jews against Muslims, but ignore U.S. history and subjects such as the Cherokee Trail of Tears1. They also ignore on-going pogroms against non-Muslims in Muslim-controlled countries (Somalia 2, Kenya 3 come to mind.) Never mind attacks by the PLO and Hamas on Israelis and visitors to Israel of all ages, colors, and religion. Tlaib and Omar will be protected during their stay in Israel by the very people they love to hate.

It IS true that many Israelis look with suspicion on Muslims, and why not?

Muslims from PLO and Hamas-controlled areas attack and kill Jews AND ARE PAID FOR IT by the PLO.

There are Jews with Muslim friends and co-workers.

There are Muslims in the Knesset, Israel's parliament.

There are Muslims in the Army.

There are Muslims sitting as judges on Israel's highest court.

Are there ANY Jews — even far leftist — in either the PLO or Hamas governments?

Are there ANY Jews who live as citizens in either PLO or Hamas-controlled areas?

Are there ANY Jews who own businesses or work in in either PLO or Hamas-controlled areas?

Not because they won't but because they are forbidden.

Apartheid.

Sources

1. Tears: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_of_Tears

2. Somalia: https://www.refworld.org/docid/551d0a5b4.html

3. Kenya: http://tinyurl.com/y2p2jakb

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

עינים להם ולא יראו * אזנים להם ולא יאזנו

Comments on Tlaib & Omar & Israel

Opuscula Israel bashers Avoid chance To see reality

ISRAEL BASHERS, A/K/A “THE SQUAD,” passed on the AIPAC-funded junket to Israel according to the Anti-War.com web site.¹

Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are not attending the trip, citing their criticism of AIPAC and the Israeli occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. Omar and Tlaib have both announced plans to visit Israel and the West Bank, separate from the AIPAC trip.

 

Israel bashers Ilhan Omar, D-MN & Rashida Tlaib, D-MI (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

 

There are 41 Democrat members of the U.S. House of Representatives slated to visit Israel and to meet with with senior Israeli and Palestinian government officials, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, opposition leader Benny Gantz, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, according to House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer’s web site.²

A similar AIPAC-funded junket will follow for GOP freshmen members of the House.

Why the ladies of the far left passed on the free trip, AND a chance to meet their hero, Abbas, is beyond my ken.

However, according to The Times of Israel web site, Israel will allow BDS-backing congresswomen Omar, Tlaib to enter country.³

This scrivener believes allowing Israel bashers to enter the country is a wise move, providing the women see everything, including their personal destination to PLO (and maybe Hamas)-controlled areas.

Israel should provide the bashers with Israeli MUSLIM escorts from the time they enter Israel until they exit the country. The PLO and Hamas can provide tour guides for the representatives while in their areas.

It will be interesting if the women are allowed to talk privately with residents of the PLO and Hamas areas sans their handlers. Israel MUST allow the women unfettered access to Israelis of all religions and political leanings. (They will find leftist Israelis who will support the visitors’ anti-Israel positions.)

Perhaps the Israel bashers will have an opportunity to visit the Knesset; but would they want to? The Knesset includes Muslim Arabs. Would they find a Jew in either PLO or Hamas governments? A Jew can’t even reside in PLO or Hamas-controlled areas.

 

Former Knesset Member Hanin Zoabi rails against Israel at every chance. View her bio at http://tinyurl.com/y3a5nqh5

 

If “The Squad” ever becomes as anti-America as Zoabi is anti-Israel, even the “progressives” in the House might find a way to send them packing.

Perhaps the Israel bashers should visit a prison where murderers from the PLO and Hamas-controlled areas are housed; see how they are treated and how they spend their “slay for pay” salaries from Abbas . . .  while the people in the PLO area suffer hardships.

Hopefully they will visit a university in the PLO-controlled area, and then visit Israeli hospitals where their doctors train; perhaps visit some Israeli companies that are helping the residents of the PLO areas catch up in high tech.

Compare Haifa University’s leftist faculty with any of the many colleges and universities listed for PLO and Hamas-controlled areas. Any vocally pro-Israel instructors (of any rank) at any of the schools listed by Wikipedia?⁴

According to Wikipedia, the schools are located in the “Palestinian state,” a place that as of today exists only as a pipe dream.

---

Sources

1. Anti-War site: http://tinyurl.com/y3kajbl5

2. Hoyer site: http://tinyurl.com/yx96qbpc

3. Times of Israel site: http://tinyurl.com/y268jknb

4. Wikipedia site: http://tinyurl.com/y6sk53de

עינים להם ולא יראו * אזנים להם ולא יאזנו

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

Comments on Israel bashers’ trip

Opuscula Bring your gun To the minyan

IT IS A “SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS” when people feel they must bring guns into places of worship.

The U.S. is truly in “a sad state of affairs.”

I WAS VISITING MY SON, the police detective, the other day.

He had a visit from a neighbor, a police sergeant and my son ‘s mentor.

The sergeant is Greek Orthodox, not uncommon where my son lives.

I mentioned that members of my minyan are considering carrying concealed weapons to prayers.

His response: I always carry (a concealed weapon) to church.

In my area we have lots of (Jewish) congregations — Sefardi, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform, and “other.”

Recently there have been shootings in front of synagogues and of obvious Jews walking to minyan or just standing outside the “shul.” The local police “show the flag” for a few days and then the incident is often forgotten (except by the survivors).

We have a eruv where I live so carrying is permitted.

Some of us have concealed weapons licenses.

All of us know
If someone comes to kill you, kill him first¹ and
“I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse — therefore choose life!” ² so even sans the eruv carrying a weapon along with a tallit could arguably be “mutar” (permitted) by most rabbis.

None of the people who join me at minyan are blood thirsty; we really don’t WANT to use a gun.

Carrying a weapon — on a normal day or a Shabat or holy day — makes a lot of demands, both financial and time consuming.

Time consuming Shooters need to be proficient with their weapons. That means time at the range. No one wants a stray bullet to injure an innocent bystander.

Expense Cartridges, right — “bullets” are at the tip of the cartridge that is filled with propellant (gun powder) — are not free, even for people who load their own. (We don’t.)

My policeman son routinely fires 100 or more rounds during a proficiency practice. (Fortunately for him, his department pays for the ammunition.)

 

Above image for 50 rounds from one dealer for one brand on one day; everything is “subject to change.”

 

Range time also comes at a (per person/hour) price.

Range time is CRITICAL. No one wants a bullet to hit anything but the target.

Paper targets are the least expensive investment.

Safety glasses and ear protection — demanded at better ranges and just good sense otherwise — are one-time purchases; while not inexpensive, they can last a long time.

Then there is the concealed carry license.

In my state applicants must prove they have shooting experience. That can be military service. Another option is to take a state-approved course. Course fees range from less than US$50 to more than US$100.

The initial fee for a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) License is $102 which includes a $42 fingerprint processing fee and a $60 initial license fee. Renewals cost $50.³

Even with all the time at the range, there is no way anyone will know if they will shoot when there is a threat on their or others lives. Still, with multiple people carrying, there is a better chance that someone will shoot.

My son reminded me when funding my CCW license that it takes awhile for the police to respond to a call; during that time, he said, “you’re on your own.”

I would rather not carry a sidearm, but as my son told me, until the police arrive, I’m on my own.

There are strict laws about firing a gun in public; laws by which I must abide if I don’t want to be a guest at the local “crossbar hotel.” I know those laws and intend to obey them.

I hope I never have even to display the weapon, let alone use it. But “until the cops arrive,” I know I have the option.

---

Sources

1. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 72:1, cited at http://tinyurl.com/y4bcfs6d

2. Deuteronomy 29.:9-30:20, cited at http://tinyurl.com/y3nu8p2u

3. http://tinyurl.com/yy82jhph

PLAGIARISM is the act of appropriating the literary composition of another, or parts or passages of his writings, or the ideas or language of the same, and passing them off as the product of one’s own mind.

Truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Defamation is a false statement of fact. If the statement was accurate, then by definition it wasn’t defamatory.

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