He questions the uproar against Israel over civilian deaths in Gaza: “When the United States was attacked at Pearl Harbor, nobody said you can only destroy a number of Japanese planes and ships.”
“How do you negotiate a cease-fire with a terrorist organization?” he asks. “I understand how two governments can negotiate a cease-fire, but terrorists by definition are not playing by the same rules as you are.”
These are absolute pearls of wisdom. Unfortunately, Bolton’s brand of straight talk is sorely missing in the ranks of those who conduct our foreign policy.
Allan Feinstein
Jerusalem
Leniency And Agunot (I)
While Rabbi Ephraim Sprecher (“Leniencies in the Matter of Agunot,” op-ed, Aug, 8) is correct in saying a decision of a bet din is a prerequisite, that decision cannot be one that merely “requires” the husband to give a get. The bet din must also affirmatively rule that under the particular circumstances of the case, persuasion, coercion, or even force may be used.
Moshe Steinman
(Via E-Mail)
Leniency And Agunot (II)
I’m the last person to minimize the plight of agunot and the need for measures to help them. However, I am troubled by Rabbi Sprecher’s implication that leniencies in determining what would constitute an impermissible “forced get” should be easily granted even though some authorities might disagree.
I wonder what favor it is to an agunah to enable her to secure a get that would not be universally accepted.
Yitzchok Meisner
(Via E-Mail)