Parashat Shemini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47)

Posted on March 22, 2011 by Luke Ford

I discuss the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Rabbs every Monday at 7pm PST on my live cam and on YouTube.

This week’s we study Parashat Shemini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47).

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The Art Of Running

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Luke Ford

I took a great running workshop this morning from coach Malcolm Balk, author of the book The Art Of Running. This guy is hilarious and a wealth of information. We were off like the bride’s pajamas!

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Converting To Orthodox Judaism Is Hard

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Luke Ford

How come a lot of people — maybe most people — don’t find converting to Orthodox Judaism more difficult than getting an AA degree from a community college? I think it depends a lot on a person’s temperament. You can take the process as a tremendous burden or you can enjoy it. It’s up to you.

From FrumSatire.net:

It’s awful that my life is on hold for 2 years. That I can’t date. That I can’t move. That I can’t be a part of my old community but I am not allowed to really be a part of the one I am in (though I’m told I need to be in order to finish the conversion). I can’t even travel as much as I’d like because I need to be “around” for shabbos.

It sucks to have to explain to everyone new that I meet that I am converting and why. It sucks to hear everyone tells me that I’m crazy. Yes, they actually say that. Over and over I hear that. It gets old after a while.

It irks me to be asked to donate money to the shul. Sure, I’ve been attending for a few years now. But its not my problem they won’t let me be a member. I’d be happy to pay dues, volunteer, sponsor a kuddush… But don’t ask me to give money to a group that doesn’t want me yet.

Yet. That’s the real kicker. They are going to finish this conversion eventually. I’ve even been given a timeline (we are down to just a few months now). So what are they waiting for? For me to put on a pair of jeans and eat a cheeseburger? Already happened! For me to tell them how much I hate everything about them and this process? Already happened. And after all that, they said “We want you. You are special and would make an amazing addition to this community”. So, what are you waiting for.

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Disaster Averted In Japan

Posted on March 21, 2011 by Luke Ford

From DennisPrager.com:

Monday, March 21, 2011 Radio Show
20110321 -1 Disaster Averted
Prager H1: The worse fears about the nuclear power plant disaster in Japan appear to have been averted… What’s the mission in Libya? Does anybody know? Who’s in charge?

Monday, March 21, 2011 Radio Show
20110321 -2 Shores of the Tripoli
Prager H2: The Arab League which begged us to intervene is now unhappy we’ve intervened… Are we going to depose Kaddafi? Let him stick around? This confusion can’t be helpful to anyone.

Monday, March 21, 2011 Radio Show
20110321 -3 Halls of Montezuma
Prager H3: Dennis talks to Max Boot, senior fellow at the Council for Foreign Relations about the Libya situation… Why do mothers (and fathers) let their daughters leave the house dressed like that?.. Hit seventy, get sick and you’re pretty much on your own in the UK. Here’s a possible solution in the US — let the states take care of the problem and find their own fixes.

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The Itamar Massacre & Its Portrayal in American Media

Posted on March 21, 2011 by TheJewishChannel

Click here to watch in High Definition (HD)

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Deposition Testimony Training Videos

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Luke Ford

I’ve been sued for libel five times. I know a thing or two about lawsuits from firsthand experience.

I can’t get over how inadequately attorneys prepare their clients for deposition. Big bucks, reputations, lives are often on the line and people just go into depositions without sufficient preparation.

Here are five rules for giving deposition testimony from a training program called Deposition Testimony: 5 Simple Rules:

* Don’t volunteer. Only answer the question you are asked. You’re not having a conversation with the other side’s lawyer.

* Don’t speculate. Testify only about what you actually recall about what you knew or did.

* Avoid soundbytes. Don’t inject humor or sarcasm to lighten the mood. Those comments, taken out of context, can be used to put you and the company in a bad light.

* Read the documents. Witnesses often fail to read carefully documents they are shown before they start answering questions.

* When your lawyer objects to a question, listen to the objection because in that objection, your lawyer may be able to give you clues to what the problem with that question may be.

Here are some training videos for giving deposition testimony.

Here’s some advice for giving deposition testimony:

Always remember that you are only required to give the facts as you know them. You do not have to give opinions.
KEEP IT SIMPLE.
DO NOT REFER TO ANY NOTES OR BRING ANY DOCUMENTS WITH YOU TO THE DEPOSITION UNLESS YOU ARE SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO BY YOUR ATTORNEY.
DO NOT reach in your pocket for any documents unless your attorney asks you to. If the opposing counsel is interested in obtaining any documents from you, there are other legal procedures with which to obtain them. LEAVE YOUR DRIVER’S LICENSE IN YOUR CAR AND DO NOT BRING IT TO THE DEPOSITION WITH YOU.
Do not allow the opposing attorney to make you feel angry or excited.
If your attorney begins to speak, stop whatever answer you may be giving and allow him or her to speak.
Take your time in answering a question.
ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH.
Never joke in a deposition.
DO NOT VOLUNTEER ANY INFORMATION THAT IS NOT REQUESTED.
Be very careful with estimates of time, speed and distance.
If you can’t estimate distance well, just say so.
After your deposition is over, do not chat with the opponent or their attorneys. Remember, the other attorney is your legal enemy. Do not let a friendly manner cause you to drop your guard and become chatty.

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This Week’s Torah Portion – Parashat Shemini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47

Posted on March 20, 2011 by Luke Ford

I discuss the weekly Torah portion with Rabbi Rabbs every Monday at 7pm PST on my live cam and on YouTube.

Monday night I discuss the parasha at The House of Rabbs.

Watch the videos.

This week’s we will study Parashat Shemini (Leviticus 9:1-11:47).

* Discuss my Purim. Got a hard time on my Los Angeles shul reviews. Hit the sack early Saturday night despite my honorable intention to hear the Megillah read. Listened to the Megillah Sunday morning while reading up on the book of Esther on Wikipedia and reading the New York Times Sunday magazine. Was I yotzi the mitzvah?

* What did God create on the Second Day? Separation. Separation is essential to the Torah. Separation between humans and God, man and woman, adults and children, Jews and Gentiles. God wants an ordered universe. Birds that don’t fly and fish that walk are not kosher.

* “Unblemished” is a big deal with sacrifices. No cripples serving as priest. Don’t give God your second best.

* Since the destruction of the temples, the aesthetic has lost out in Judaism. Musical instruments and art used to be important in the worship of God. You couldn’t have a crippled priest officiate in the sanctuary. Now the aesthetic in Jewish life is almost solely secular.

* If you don’t have beauty serving God, it will serve secularism. We are hard-wired to be attracted to beauty. If more beautiful unmarried women would go to shul, more men would go to shul. My primary determinant for where I pray is — are there hot single chicks around? This kept me going to yoga for years.

* What does it mean where it says God will show you His glory? (Lev. 9:6)

* I often encounter people who have no interest in God and religion. One think I notice is that they rarely if ever place themselves in a place to feel God and the profoundity of religion. If you hang out in churches or shuls or mosques, you’ll be more likely to feel the divine. If you hang out in bars, you’ll be less likely. If most of your friends are religious, you’ll likely be affected by that, and if most of your friends are secular, you’ll most likely be affected by that. I am often moved when I simply step inside a religious home and I am often moved in the opposite direction when I step inside a resolutely secular home.

* Aaron has an up and down day. He’s consecrated as high priest and two of his sons are killed by God for offering strange fire.

* When I was practicing yoga (almost daily), I often felt like I was playing with strange fire.

* What did Nadav and Avihu do wrong?

* God tells Aaron, the only time in Leviticus He speaks to him directly, do not go into the sanctuary drunk. That was probably what his sons did wrong.

* When Moses and Aaron bless the people, what does it mean and what use is it?

* Whether or not you like an airline depends largely upon your interactions with the people who work for the airline. So too most people’s opinions about God (or Jews) are most influenced by their interactions with people who claim to represent God. (Lev. 10:3) God is made holy by those who act in His name.

* Eating shellfish is detestable for a Jew, according to the Torah, but it is not the same Hebrew word for “abomination” that is given to the male homosexual act, and that “abomination” is for humanity, not just Jews.

* The sacrificial system forms the basis for Christianity yet this system is given solely to Jews. Why do Christians take this seriously but ignore the Jewish dietary laws, which are similarly given just to Jews to observe?

* “Don’t take things too seriously” is the opposite of the Torah view. Judaism takes everything seriously, from killing of animals to eating fruit to doing business to getting started in the morning to the way you tie your shoes.

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Alexandra Wallace Leaving UCLA

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Luke Ford

I was disappointed that she apologized and I am disappointed she is leaving UCLA rather than toughing it out.

All of her statements since the controversy sound like they have been written by a publicist.

The Los Angeles Times reports:

The UCLA student who created a controversial video criticizing Asians announced late Friday that she would no longer attend UCLA because of death threats against her and “being ostracized from an entire community.” In a statement released to the campus newspaper, Alexandra Wallace also apologized for what she said was her mistake in making the video and offending Asians.

“Especially in the wake of the ongoing disaster in Japan, I would do anything to take back my insensitive words. I could write apology letters all day and night, but I know they wouldn’t erase the video from your memory, nor would they act to reverse my inappropriate action,” her statement to the Daily Bruin said.

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Radiation From Japan

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Luke Ford

From DennisPrager.com:

Friday, March 18, 2011 Radio Show
20110318 – 01 Mad Libya
Prager H1: Even after the Arab states called for intervention in Libya, Pres. Obama still would not intervene. Now that Kaddafi fears military intervention he has begun talking about a cease fire. Dennis also discusses the radiation threat from Japan, and the “Bullying” summit at the White House; why is the federal government involved stopping school bullies?

Friday, March 18, 2011 Radio Show
20110318 – 02 Happiness Hour: Fun v Happiness
Prager H2: A new study says the experience of pleasure or positive feeling is far less important to long term happiness than engaging in meaningful activity. Dennis could have saved them the money; he wrote a whole chapter called “Fun v Happiness” in his happiness book.

Friday, March 18, 2011 Radio Show
20110318 – 03 Open Lines
Prager H3: Per usual, callers set the agenda. Issues raised include: do you think Willie Mays was the best baseball player of all time; a caller from Japan asks why doesn’t the Left find anti–Jewish rhetoric in the Muslim world appalling; do you feel that most people are selfish; do you like what you are good at, or are you good at what like doing; do you think that God punishes one for the sins of their father.

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UCLA Won’t Discipline Naughty Blonde Alexandra Wallace

Posted on March 18, 2011 by Luke Ford

The Los Angeles Times reports:

Amid a debate about free speech in the Internet era, UCLA announced Friday that it would not proceed with any investigation or disciplinary action against the student who produced a controversial online video in which she complained about Asian students’ behavior and crudely mimicked Asian languages.

“While we were appalled and offended by the sentiments expressed in the video, we have uncovered no facts to lead us to believe the student code of conduct was violated. The campus has no intention of pursuing the matter further,” UCLA spokesman Phil Hampton said in a telephone interview Friday.

The campus code prohibits students from making specific threats against anyone and forbids racial or sexual harassment that is severe or pervasive enough that it impairs another person’s participation in university life. The video by Alexandra Wallace, a third-year political science major, did not meet those standards, he said.

First Amendment activists said they were pleased with UCLA’s decision and said that other colleges should act similarly, as other students elsewhere are certain at times to post silly and offensive things on YouTube and Facebook. However, some said UCLA should not have announced earlier in the week that it was looking into possible discipline, and that UCLA Chancellor Gene Block should not have issued a statement denouncing the video.

Eugene Volokh blogs:

I should note, just to anticipate one common response, that as with much idiocy not much would be lost to the First Amendment if this particular sort of statement, and only this sort of statement, somehow magically vanished. I watched the video, and it’s nonsense.

But the same rationale that would justify punishing a student for this video would equally justify punishing students who argue (on video, in newspaper articles, or what have you) many other things. If the theory is that the speech can be restricted because it somehow creates a “hostile educational environment” for a particular group, the same could be said of statements that — just to give a few examples — (1) immigration from some countries should be cut off because immigrants from those countries disproportionately have certain bad traits, (2) there are sex or race differences in intelligence or temperament, (3) homosexuality and those who engage in it are immoral, (4) fundamentalist Christianity / Catholicism / Scientology / atheism is an evil belief system, and that those who adhere it are either evil or stupid, (5) that American Jews are morally complicit in Israel’s supposed crimes, and a vast range of other speech.

The premise of the American university (and, I think, American self-government more broadly) is that people need to be free to express their views, whether the administrators and others see those views as morally right or morally wrong, so that social and political decisions can be reached based on actual discussion, and not mere force — and so that we can be confident that the things we believe are wrong are indeed wrong, rather than just that they have become unquestioned orthodoxy because challenging them can get you expelled. And to implement that premise, boneheaded statements have to be as protected as more well-reasoned statements.

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