העורך Editor

Where Bituach Leumi Money Goes and Goes and Goes…

An excerpt from a recent article by Moshe Feiglin:

Social Security is the most draconian tax that exists in Israel. The first thing that every person has to do after he finishes his army service is to begin paying Social Security. Where does the Social Security money go? Does it accrue interest in some account of the Social Security Company? Do they buy gold with it? Do they invest in the international stock market?

More than 80% of this money simply goes to the government budget. It is a head tax. Of the 100% of funds collected by Social Security, less than 20% returns to the citizens. Of this less than 20%, approximately 60% goes to the Arab sector, whereas the collection from that sector is approximately 5%.

Continue reading the original article here.

There Are Three Levels of Hashem’s Will

Yirmiyah 19:5:

ובנו את במות הבעל לשרף את בניהם באש עלות לבעל אשר לא צויתי ולא דברתי ולא עלתה על לבי.

  1. Commandment.
  2. Mention.
  3. Thought. (If you know and care about someone, you can know some of their thoughts)

(When this expression is shortened in Scripture, the middle category is omitted.)

Poverty Makes Man Materialistic

See “Does Money Make Man Materialistic?” The short answer is No. We see this clearly in Koheles. In fact, when the author tries to convince his readers he had the insights he does, he shows us he had bodily desires sated first. Thereby he understands all is utter vanity and gets to the conclusion of serving Hashem.
There is an expression in this line if slightly misphrased: “Parvis imbutus tentabis grandia tutus.” (When you are steeped in little things, you shall safely attempt great things.)
The true problem with socialism is not the cruel human suffering it imposes, but the lack of religious focus when one is forced to first tend to his basic needs.