Poe’s law , named after its author Nathan Poe, is an Internet adage reflecting the fact that without a clear indication of the author’s intent, it is difficult or impossible to tell the difference between sincere extremism and an exaggerated parody of extremism [Wikipedia ] Search for more information about Poe and his law at 4torah. Read More »

by azigra NOTE THIS POST WAS NOT WRITTEN BY DOVBEAR Without a central point (other than increasing your blood pressure), here are some charedei miscellanei (sic): 1) Members of the Royal Family of Lakewood, New Jersey intend to drive up the Garden Read More »

A guest post by Philo Chani Goldstein: age 19, kicked out of her Yeshiva High School for smoking, ended up doing drugs and sleeping around, has no real place to live, has no prospects or job skills. She does not keep Kosher or Shabbos. Read More »

Writes our correspondent, “…when I caught a glimpse of this ad for a lesser known chocolate store, shabbos was very nearly lost forever.”See it after the jump Search for more information about chocolate as a stand in at 4torah. Read More »

Top tier politicians aren’t stupid and Mitt Romney didn’t become a multimillionaire master of the universe for lack of brain power. Also, he’s surrounded by the best strategists money can buy. Read More »

After the jump you will find a moderately impressive, Jewish Press editorial, in which the writer calls out the thugs and bullies who threatened Jewish Press advertisers after the Press ran an article about gay Jewish teenagers who attempt suicide.In a word: Wow. I confess to being doubly surprised. Read More »

What follows is a paraphrased recreation of an actual conversation, joined in progress. As you can see we touch on many things essential to our understanding of Judaism, the world, and Judaism’s place in it. Read More »

The Times today had a piece on Life Coaching that seems to me to have been written with a bit of a sneer. The problem isn’t with Coaching per se,  but with the tender age of the current crop of Coaches. Read More »

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes ,Political Humor & Satire Blog ,The Daily Show on Facebook The super-star of sanctimony is his excellence Newt Gingrich, as Jon Stewart aptly points out. (picks up at around 3. Read More »

We famously interpret the plague of darkness as something that prevented the Egyptians from moving. “During the last three days, one who sat could not stand up, one who stood could not sit down, and one who was lying down could not rise upright.”(Exodus Raba 14: 3) and ” It was the most complete, the most comprehensive literal suffering. Read More »

I don’t mean to pick on Bray, but his post yesterday does provide us with the opportunity to say a few things about logical reasoning.He wrote: … Read More »

“The manifestation of aesthetic phenomena in Scripture cannot be brushed aside as an unnecessary luxury. The aesthetic exposure is broad and extensive, involving vast swaths of narratives and poetry. God used a complex of aesthetic patterns as He revealed Himself in Scripture. Read More »

Thanks to our crack Williamsburg correspondent for providing this nasty bit of business he found in  Dvar Yom Be’yomo  a daily paper of classified ads distributed in Williamsburg shuls and groceries. Its basically an old-style blog. Read More »

Have to say, I was pretty sure you GOP voters were going to embrace Rick Perry. He seemed to have what  all the qualities the Rush Limbaugh-influenced electorate value most:   A presidential demeanor A firm contempt for science Raw, Read More »

A new, great way, to consume DovBear Search for more information about XXX at 4torah.com Support the pathetic annual telethon by making a donation toward the upkeep of this blog Buy one of the books that changed the way I think Read More »

Here’s another delightful polemic courtesy of the children’s magazine Olemainu , and OTML where it was posted in 2008 Search for more information about kid magazines  at 4torah. Read More »

Yesterday, I was accused by commenters of using the wrong word in a post title. Richie   The word is “foment”, not ferment:   fo·ment/ˈfōment/   Verb:   Instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action): “they accused him of fomenting political unrest”. Read More »

OTML posted this first , thought we received it at the same time from the same person. Ah, well. Snooze you lose. An editorial cartoon, apparently designed to create sinas chinam ,  appeared this month in the children’s magazine Olameinu. Read More »

We tell ourselves non-Jews hold us in high regard when we act oddly in public in the name of our religion… eh… not so much, as this vid reveals. Search for more information about tznius  at 4torah. Read More »

Why Martin Matters:   As a member of a  minority yourself, I would not safe and secure living in a country with laws that demonstrated utter contempt for another minority. Read More »