I would like to begin by thanking The Jewish Press for the opportunity to write my weekly column, A Taste of Lomdus, for the past six years. I have gained a tremendous amount from preparing these articles and have enjoyed the feedback from readers. At this time, I have resolved to begin a new column focusing on understanding current events from a Torah perspective. It is my intention to reveal a new angle to facts that we all are aware of, and create a different mindset when analyzing world events.
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Friday, January 20, 2017, was a day I was proud to be an American, and a day that brought inspiration to me as a Jew. As I listened to President Donald Trump take his oath of office followed by his uplifting inaugural speech, I was filled with a sense of pride and optimism. To hear the President relay messages of unity, and stress relevant important issues such as eradicating Islamic terrorism from the face of the world, was really quite refreshing.
Additionally, quoting the Bible in his speech and the clear acknowledgement of God Almighty were quite significant and meaningful. Most noteworthy was when he said, “we will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement, and most importantly we will be protected by God!” Amen, so it shall be. How invigorating it is to hear the most powerful man in the world, the Commander in Chief of the most powerful army in the world, say that we will most importantly, more importantly than by the military, be protected by God!
I have supported Donald Trump his entire campaign. It became explicitly clear from the speech he gave announcing his candidacy that America desperately needed this man to lead it, as was Divinely decided as well. Hearing him is a breath of fresh air in the stifling swamp of political correctness that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. His positions and policies are moral, proper, and beneficial to this country and its citizens.
On the Shabbos following his election, the Rabbi of my shul spoke about why his election was a great simcha and why our leaders had advised us to vote for him. He said that over 25 years ago Rav Avigdor Miller, zt”l, was deeply concerned with the immoral path the Democrats were leading this country down. He said that world history teaches that when a country becomes completely immoral God ceases to permit its existence. Decades ago Rav Miller was concerned with the direction the Democrats were headed, what would he say today, r”l? Mr. Trump’s policies and common sense approach will definitely not allow this country to continue down its demoralizing destructive path.
It is for these reasons and others that the media in this country have decided to try at all costs and means to attempt to completely destroy Donald Trump, throughout the campaign, after his election and now after his inauguration. The media bears the lion’s share of the responsibility for the immoral culture of this land, and they will seek to sabotage anyone who stands in their way.
A phenomenon that allows this process to occur is the credence, admiration, and relevance that our culture affords to celebrities and athletes. I cannot understand why anyone would care what a singer, actor, actress, or athlete has to say on any matter not related to his or her specialty or profession. If it does not have to do with an acting role, or catching a ball why should anyone care what these people have to say? They are generally not experts in any other field, and their opinions should likewise be irrelevant. However, modern culture puts them in the spot light and applauds their views. These people are idolized and put on pedestals, by the media, and they further this country into the pits of immorality.
My rosh yeshiva, Rav Shmuel Berenbaum, zt”l, whose yahrzeit is Thursday, January 26, once noticed a billboard advertisement and asked two questions which if people would actually consider would derail a large part of the advertising industry. The billboard advertised an athlete recommending a car. He asked, “What does this athlete know about cars? And even if he does know about cars, since they probably paid him to say this, how can we trust him?” Yet, such endorsements still consume a large part of advertising budgets today. The funding of such advertisements is due to the wrongful recognition and acclamation that our culture bestows on these “gifted” individuals.
It was no wonder that following President Trump’s inauguration, we saw protests from celebrities, and other attacks by the media to further delegitimize the President. It was painful to listen to the vulgar and flat out disgusting language spewed by actress Ashley Judd last weekend. Yet, she was praised for her uncivilized and profane words. In truth she has exposed herself as a boorish obscene low life, and should now be known as one.
We must thank God that despite the strong attempts of the media, Donald Trump won the election and is our president. We must celebrate the halt to the demoralization of our country, and the new prospects of hope and inspiration that were born again.
This country has been exceedingly kind to our people and we hope and pray that it continues that tolerance and gracefulness. All indications from the current leadership illustrate that it will only thrive. We pray for President Donald Trump to succeed in his presidency, and may he bring us closer to the coming of Mashiach and our return to our eternal home Israel.
