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(The Jerusalem Post, September 27, 1996) THE archaeological tunnel which this week delineated the explosive fault line between Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem had no archaeological purpose when its excavation was begun some 25 years ago, and the fault line it then defined was between Jews alone.
The tunnel was initiated by the Religious Affairs Ministry after the Six Day War in order to expose the subterranean courses of the Temple Mount north of the Western Wall, an area it saw as suffused with holiness.
By law, excavations in archaeological areas are the exclusive province of professional archaeologists licensed by the government. In a deft act of turfmanship, however, the archaeological authorities agreed to let the Religious Affairs Ministry have its dig as long as its functionaries did not attempt to interfere with the major excavation being conducted at the southern foot of the Temple Mount by Prof. Binyamin Mazar.
The ministry had previously attempted to declare the Temple Mount wall being exposed south of the Western Wall as a prayer area and to oust the archaeologists.
Mazar's assistant, archaeologist Meir Ben-Dov, was assigned to oversee the ministry dig on a part-time basis in order to legitimize it, but the effort was more of a mining operation than an archaeological dig.
The Moslem authorities were concerned about the ministry tunnel along the Temple Mount wall, and not without cause. Two incidents during the Mazar dig along the southern wall had sounded alarm bells. Technion engineers had already measured a slight movement in part of the southern wall during the excavations.
Ben-Dov says the finding was based on an instrument misreading, but concrete buttresses were nevertheless put in place to support the wall. The Wakf was dismayed when Ben-Dov, working on the Mazar dig, probed two ancient tunnels at the southern foot of the Temple Mount beneath Al-Aksa Mosque in the area of the Hulda and Single gates, penetrating five meters into one and 30 meters into another, dating from the Second Temple period.
The Moslem authorities prevailed on the government to call off Ben-Dov and the tunnels were resealed. They have remained so ever since.
Apart from their concerns about possible structural damage on the Mount itself, the Moslem authorities were offended by the notion of non-Moslems digging under, or even on the fringes of, a Moslem holy place; the fact that it was also a Jewish holy place was not a mitigating factor to them.
Nor was the excavation of Moslem palaces by Mazar that not even Islamic scholars had known existed a mitigating factor.
The Arabs were no less upset at the political implications of large-scale excavations in the Old City which underlined the extent of Israeli control in Jerusalem.
Although the ministry tunnel was a sideshow compared to the prodigious and enormously rewarding Mazar dig, the Wakf's fears would be realized there both in the physical and political-religious spheres.
The first stage of the ministry operation, in the early 1970s, consisted of clearing dirt from huge arched spaces just north of the Western Wall. These arches, according to archaeologist Dan Bahat,had been built in the 13th-15th centuries by the Mamelukes to raise up to the level of the Temple Mount, a street which crossed the vale bisecting the Old City.
North of these arches, the ministry's engineers drove a narrow tunnel alongside the Temple Mount - the one involved in the current controversy - revealing the enormous stones in its lower courses.
There was no penetration of the Mount itself or danger to holy places, but midway in the tunnel's progress large cracks appeared in one of the residential buildings in the Moslem Quarter, 12 meters above the excavation. The dig was halted until steel buttresses secured the building.
In 1982, one of the most dramatic Jewish-Arab confrontations in post-Six Day War Jerusalem occurred in the tunnel. It involved the late Rabbi Yehuda Meir Getz, the rabbi of the Western Wall, a colorful personality who would pray alone each morning inside the tunnel at a point opposite what he presumed to have been the Holy of Holies on the Temple Mount.
One day Arabs on the Mount heard banging from one of its cisterns. When they entered it, they found that Jewish workmen under Getz's supervision had partially broken through an ancient gateway, dubbed Warren's Gate, between the ministry tunnel and the innards of the Temple Mount itself.
In a subterranean scene witnessed by reporters, police separated the two sides, who were on the verge of blows. Government officials, alert to the explosiveness of the situation, hastily ordered the opening resealed, and it remains closed today.
This gate and the steps which had apparently led up from it had played an important role in Jewish life in the medieval period, according to some scholars.
After the Moslem conquest in the seventh century, Jews were permitted to return to Jerusalem, from which they had been barred by Roman and Byzantine rulers. However, they were not permitted back on the Mount. The closest they could come to it, according to Bahat, was the covered staircase inside the gateway, which came to be known as hame'ara, or the cave.
Some believe this was the principal Jewish prayer area in Jerusalem for more than three centuries,until the arrival of the Crusaders. After the Crusaders were defeated, the gateway was blocked by buildings. It was only then, in the 13th century, that Jews began praying at what came to be known as the Western Wall.
Work on the Religious Affairs Ministry tunnel continued over the years under the supervision of safety engineers to avoid further danger to surface structures.
As it progressed, it proved to be of increasing archaeological interest. A few years ago the tunnel,which had been called the "Western Wall Tunnel," was linked up with a water tunnel cut through the rock to the north, apparently in the Hasmonean period. This would lead to its becoming known as the "Hasmonean Tunnel." The water had been required in antiquity to clean the altar area on the Mount, where priests slaughtered sacrifices.
Bahat, formerly in charge of the Jerusalem District for the Antiquities Authority, contends that the finds here change conventional thinking about the history of the Temple Mount.
The Mount built around 970 BCE by King Solomon as a platform for the First Temple was roundish, conforming to the shape of the original hill.
This temple was destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. Returnees from Babylonian exile half a century later built a new temple - the original Second Temple - maintaining the roundish shape.
King Herod in the first century BCE rebuilt the Temple and doubled the size of the Mount, now near-rectangular.
According to Bahat, it has become apparent from the tunnel excavation that there was still another Temple Mount built, in squarish shape, by the Hasmoneans a century before Herod.
Despite Moslem displeasure at the tunnel's existence, it aroused little public protest in the Arab sector until now since it was out of sight. Several years ago, the tunnel was opened to visitors entering from the Western Wall plaza. The authorities sought ways of opening an exit at the northern end of the narrow tunnel so visitors do not have to double back some 380 meters to the entrance way.
The Sisters of Zion, whose convent on the Via Dolorosa lies near the tunnel's northern end, were approached, but declined to become involved in a politically sensitive issue.
The Arab owner of a souvenir shop on the Via Dolorosa agreed to the opening of a tunnel exit on his property, according to Israeli sources, but backed down for fear of Arab retaliation.
Preparations were then made to exit onto a public space on the street itself, but Likud prime minister Yitzhak Shamir was persuaded that it was not worth stirring up a hornet's nest for.
Finally, a staircase was built up from the tunnel to a point alongside the Omariya School on the Via Dolorosa, where only a nondescript stone wall separated it from the street.
Last week, with Jerusalem Mayor Ehud Olmert wielding one of the sledge hammers, the wall was pierced and a doorway fitted into the opening.
Ben-Dov says the mistake in opening the exit was not merely in the timing but in the essence since, in the political circumstances, it was clearly unacceptable to the Arabs to have the tunnel disgorge its visitors, many of them Israeli, into the heart of the Moslem Quarter.
"The Wakf was right in asking back then that I stop my dig under Al-Aksa, and the government was right in supporting them," said Ben-Dov this week. "I think that opening the tunnel exit was very unwise."
From the
For many long years, the work Israel carried out in the Western Wall Tunnel and the Hasmonean Tunnel was one of the openest secrets in the world; almost every foreign visitor from the rank of ambassador and up was taken to the spot.
Some of those visitors would certainly be blushing today with shame, if the Foreign Ministry personnel were to reveal some of the words of praise and esteem showered by those very people -- including not a few Arabs -- and even the heads of the Waqf [the Islamic religious authority] and the Supreme Moslem Council, concerning the thousands of finds and archaeological artifacts which Israel has retrieved from the depths of the earth.
However, the Waqf and the Islamic religious establishment will always oppose archaeological excavations in the area, for much deeper reasons than the allegation about upsetting the foundations of the mosques as a result of the digging. The protests about changing the Moslem character of Jerusalem are derived from the basic concepts of Islam regarding the State of Israel.
The late Orientalist David Farhi, with whom Moshe Dayan concurred in laying down the arrangements prevailing till now on the Temple Mount, once said that, for generations, the Jews were tolerated in the Moslem world only as an enslaved people without the rights of a political status.
And the Orientalist Professor Moshe Sharon determined that in the eyes of Islam the establishment of Israel had violated all the rules concerning
Islamic territory, Islamic holy sites, and the juridical status of the Jews, according to Islam. Israel was established on territory belonging to the "Dar al-Islam" in which there are Islamic holy sites. The Jews are not subordinate as it was decreed they should be and, gravest of all, they rule over Moslems. They are the sovereign in Jerusalem.
These elements have been incorporated in hundreds of sermons which religious clerics have delivered on the Temple Mount for the past 30 years, and in dozens of "fatwas" [religious rulings] published by Islamic clerics since the establishment of Israel, and more so since Jerusalem was reunified.
This religious outlook was reinforced by the close combination between religion and state prevailing in Islam, too; the saying "religion and the state are twins", attributed to the Prophet Mohammed, was given fuller expression in Jerusalem after 1967 over the issue of the Temple Mount.
Arab statesmen and Islamic religious leaders have turned the religion into an instrument to meddle in politics, and politics into an implement to meddle in religion.
That is more or less what is also happening now, before our very eyes. Since the events of 1929 [the widespread Arab rioting], the mosques on the Temple Mount ceased to serve as a place of worship and a purely religious symbol, and became one of the main national symbols of the struggle against Zionism.
Behind the scenes, it may perhaps be possible to reach understandings with the Waqf, but it is difficult to do this when the issue is the Temple Mount. In 1988, Israel tried for the first time to open an exit from the Hasmonean Tunnel on to Oneima Street, adjacent to the Temple Mount. What occurred then in the city and in the West Bank greatly resembles what has happened now, even though Waqf officials were invited to visit the tunnels before the opening was cut, toured them, and even examined the maps of the Israeli engineers. The attempt to coordinate the opening operation with Waqf officials failed this time, too, even though the Waqf had been offered the compensation of permission to open an additional gate to Solomon's Stables and the possibility of holding religious services in them.
The Waqf will always raise difficulties over excavations in the area of the Temple Mount; if the question depended on it, the Southern Wall and the Western Wall along its entire length would never have been uncovered-- and the Moslem heritage of Jerusalem, disclosed in these digs, would still be buried in the depths of the earth.
The allegations about upsetting the foundations of the mosques are utter nonsense: the Hasmonean aqueduct was hewn out of the rock thousands of years ago, and only now has been re-exposed. The work of removing sewage water and mud from this tunnel could not upset the foundation of anything, especially as the route of the tunnel does not pass under the Temple Mount perimeter, but west of it.
In contrast to similar events in the Temple Mount vicinity in the past, the wave of rioting this time was organized by the people of the Palestinian Authority. A senior police officer said this week "it was easier to do business with Jordan in the Temple Mount zone."
On Tuesday, Yassir Arafat declared in Gaza: "Our blood is cheap in the face of the issue for which we are gathered here." On Palestinian Radio, a listener said the time had come "to slaughter all the Jews [and] to appoint a Caliph for Palestine." This went on without anyone participating in the program -- Waqf leaders and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council from the Jerusalem electoral district --protesting.
'Yediot Ahronot' - independent (250,000)
'Ma'ariv' - independent (160,000)
'Ha'aretz' - independent (65,000)
'Hatzofeh' - NRP (NA)
Hatzofeh comments on the controversy over the opening of the exit to the Hasmonean tunnel in the Old City of Jerusalem, and says that the opening "has been welcomed by all residents of the State of Israel." The editors believe that "the outgoing left-wing government capitulated to external pressures and refrained from opening the gate, something which aroused great astonishment and even caused great anger among the country's Jewish residents," and "regret that nationalist Palestinian elements exploited the opportunity to attack worshipers at the Western Wall, the remnant of the Temple, raining rocks upon them in protest." The paper reminds its readers that "a new tunnel was not excavated, but a tunnel which had been blocked for many years was opened," and calls on the world "to accept the fact that not only is the Western Wall in our hands, but what lies under it is also under full Israeli sovereignty." The editors call on the Israeli public "not to panic over threats arriving from extremist Islamic circles," and urge the latter "to understand that greater Jerusalem constitutes an inseparable part of the State of Israel, which alone is authorized to determine which tunnels and gates will be opened for Jews and tourists."
By Nadav Shragai
The firemen manning the two fire trucks dispatched to the Western Wall on July 28, 1981 were still wondering what they were supposed to do there when they were suddenly told to return to the station. Yehuda Meir Getz, the rabbi of the Western Wall, had ordered the fire trucks and was also the one that hastily canceled the order after he discovered that all the firemen on the way to the Western Wall were Arabs. He feared that his plans - to dig under the foundations of the Dome of the Rock in order to find the site of the Holy of Holies, and the place where the Temple artifacts had been concealed - would be discovered too soon.
The firemen had been assigned a secondary role in the project: to pump out hundreds of cubic meters of muddy water from the huge tunnel, chiseled eastward. Getz, along with workers from the Religious Affairs Ministry, had cleared the opening secretly during work aimed at uncovering the full length of the Western Wall.
Rabbi Getz managed to keep the secret for only a few weeks. A violent confrontation broke out in the tunnel, which according to the Western Wall rabbi's calculations, led to Ein Itam: the spring through which impure priests went to immerse themselves on their way from Beit Hamoked on the Temple Mount outside the walls. The Muslims discovered the breach and dozens of them slid down through openings in the Temple Mount area to the tunnel located near the Western Wall plaza. Getz and the yeshiva students who were alerted to the site rushed to block the way of members of the Waqf (Muslim trust) with their bodies. At the end of a turbulent day, with the Temple Mount at the epicenter of international attention, then prime minister Menachem Begin, minister of police Yosef Burg and police commissioner Shlomo Ivstan ordered that the opening that had been made in the wall on the eastern side be resealed.
That was the only time since 1967 that governmental officials had tried to tunnel eastward underneath the Temple Mount. At the time, it was officially announced that the huge tunnel under the structure of the Dome of the Rock had been discovered by chance during preparation of a niche for a holy ark at the Western Wall. Only years later did two members of the committee appointed by the government to investigate the affair disclose that the story about the niche for a holy ark was merely a cover-up for the real story.
Archaeologist Meir Ben Dov and the coordinator of the ministerial committee for Jerusalem affairs, Ephraim Shilo, discovered that the tunnel had been opened deliberately, but in order to prevent public relations damage to the state, this essential finding was left out of the final conclusions of the report they authored. Years later, Rabbi Getz explained that he had been motivated by an intense desire to find the lost Temple artifacts, first and foremost the Ark of the Covenant.
Warning from the Rebbe
A new book about Rabbi Getz makes new revelations about the affair. The author, Hila Volberstein, reveals that he was not alone in his plan to tunnel from the Western Wall eastward under the Temple Mount. He had a partner - Rafi Eitan, advisor on terrorism and security to three prime ministers (Menachem Begin, Yitzhak Shamir and Shimon Peres), who later gained fame as the man who recruited and handled Jonathan Pollard.
The book about Getz, who was involved extensively in Kabbalah and for whom the Western Wall tunnels were a second home, is being published almost eight years after his death. In the volume, which was commissioned by the family, Getz is described as he was: an enterprising man of many talents, a philanthropist (who gave charity in secret), a man with a spiritual approach to life, an army officer and a mystic both in action and dress - with a black robe and white headdress, a prayer book and Bible in his pocket and pistol on his hip. He was among the first to settle in the renewed Jewish Quarter after the Six-Day War. Of his 11 children, most live in Judea and Samaria. One son, Yair, was killed in Samaria in the mid-1980s when the car he was driving was hit by a truck driven by an Arab. Getz was convinced that he had been murdered for nationalistic reasons. Another son, Avner, was killed in the battle for the Old City in the Six-Day War.
Volberstein reveals extensive excerpts from Getz's diaries, just a small proportion of which had been made public before. She presents numerous testimonies, such as that of Naftali Kidron, formerly an engineer in the Religious Affairs Ministry, according to which the source of the rabbi's almost total devotion to the project to uncover the Western Wall was his intense desire to find the Temple artifacts.
Getz, who served for many years as rabbi of the Western Wall on behalf of the Religious Affairs Ministry, clung ardently to his plans to find the Temple artifacts, refusing to relinquish his program even after the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, advised him to stop. The Lubavitcher Rebbe warned Getz that anyone who found the Temple artifacts was placing his life in danger, although he did make it clear that finding the artifacts used in the Temple would bring Jewish redemption closer. Rabbi Getz, writes Volberstein, "decided to be the atonement for the Jewish people, to search for the Temple artifacts and to do whatever he could to speed up the redemption. However, he was waiting for the right moment to open the tunnels in the easterly direction."
Eitan's testimony
One of the most fascinating testimonies in the book is that of Eitan. "As the excavation of the tunnels progressed," says Eitan, "I met with Rabbi Getz almost daily. Together with him, I studied the structure of the Holy Temple and its dimensions. We drew conclusions as to the location of the Holy Temple and the Holy of Holies. When we arrived at the spot that according to our studies was supposed to be the gate through which the priests set out in order to immerse themselves, we assumed that if we made an opening in the wall to the east, we could move forward and eventually reach the Holy of Holies. But we waited for the right time to make the opening. We told no one about it because we preferred to keep the secret to ourselves, so that if - heaven forbid - it were discovered, the responsibility would not fall on the government or its leaders. That is why Begin, who knew about the excavations along the Western Wall, did not know about our plans to make the opening to the east."
Eitan reveals that the opening was planned at first for the floor under the level where the excavation to uncover the Western Wall was being carried out at the time, "and in this way, it was not supposed to be discovered at all. We planned to go in, see the tunnels and move ahead in the direction in which we estimated that the foundations of the Holy of Holies would be found. We were of the view that without heavy tools, using a delicate chisel, we could chip away at the soft limestone walls. We thought that in that way, we could advance quietly and secretly to discover the hiding place where the priests had concealed the Temple artifacts and arrive at the spot just under the Holy of Holies, the place where the Ark of the Covenant was hidden."
Eitan was not the only one privy to Getz's secret. A number of Religious Affairs Ministry officials and students of the rabbi were also aware of his plan. He consulted with Avraham Hanan, described in the book as a man "with supernatural powers" of insight. Many years ago, before the archaeologists had drawn their maps, Hanan marked on a map the route of a tunnel from the direction of the southern wall area, northwest to Solomon's Stables inside the Temple Mount. The excavators indeed discovered a tunnel along the route that Hanan had marked, but refrained from entering the Temple Mount. When Getz began to serve as rabbi of the Western Wall and the project reached a more advanced stage, Hanan designated the spot where in his view the Temple artifacts were buried. Getz was convinced that the Ark of the Covenant was buried in the same spot.
Catalyst for the Messiah
The Ark of the Covenant, which has not been seen since the destruction of the First Temple, was perhaps the most important of artifacts in the Temple, defined as the principal seat of the divine spirit. Some believe that it is still hidden in the tunnels excavated by King Solomon under the Holy of Holies. The tractate Shekalim of the Mishna states: "There once was a priest (in the time of the Second Temple) who while working in the Temple noticed that the part of the floor was different from other parts (and realized that at that spot there must be an entrance to a subterranean passage). He told another priest, but barely had he finished speaking before his soul expired, and it was clearly known that that was where the Ark was hidden."
Jewish sources say that the Ark will be discovered a short time before the coming of the Messiah. Nachmanides wrote that the Ark would be discovered "during the construction of the Temple or in future wars before the coming of the Messiah king." Rabbi Getz also believed that finding the Ark and/or Temple artifacts would serve as a catalyst for the coming of the Messiah. At first, he sought only to find the place at which the altar had stood, thousands of years ago.
The rabbi had two signs for the location of the site of the altar. The first was that the altar had been placed on level ground. However, the Temple Mount is made up of numerous tunnels, one atop another. If level ground, different from the rest of the surrounding ground, could be found, it would serve as proof of the site of the altar. The second sign was that under the place of the altar, where the sacrifices were brought in the time of the Temple, the floor was made of a mixture of zinc and plaster.
"If even a speck of zinc is found," stated the rabbi, "we will know where the altar stood and that will advance us considerably."
In July of 1981, that small niche for a Holy Ark was carved into the wall in the extension of the Western Wall, opposite the spot where Rabbi Getz believed the Holy of Holies was located. Immediately after the excavations began, an opening was created and the huge eastward tunnel carved into the rock under the Temple Mount was discovered. Its dimensions were impressive - 28 meters long and six meters wide. The floor of the tunnel was covered with a great deal of water and mud. "I immediately approached the place and I was seized by an enormous excitement. For a long time I sat, unable to move, with burning tears pouring down my cheeks. I finally gathered up strength and entered. I sat on the steps and said Tikkun Hatzot [midnight prayers] as is our custom."
The first people brought in on the secret were the then director-general of the Religious Affairs Ministry, Gedalia Schreiber, and the two chief rabbis, Shlomo Goren and Ovadia Yosef. Goren was excited by the discovery as was Getz. He viewed the huge tunnels as a primary means to locate the precise location of the Holy of Holies, the area of the Holy Temple to which all but the High Priest on the Day of Atonement were forbidden entry, on pain of death.
Agreement on the matter would decide once and for all in the dispute among the rabbinical authorities concerning this major issue. It would also make it possible to define for the general public the boundaries of the area where one could be permitted to enter the Temple Mount, thus abolishing the sweeping prohibition imposed by most authorities on halakha (Jewish religious law) on Jews entering any part of the Temple Mount. Relaxing the prohibition might create yet another and perhaps even more complex problem in the relations between religion and state: All Israeli governments have prohibited Jews from praying on the Temple Mount (as opposed to visiting it). Relaxing the halakhic prohibition on entry to the Temple Mount would considerably widen the circle of those seeking to pray there.
Mortal danger
The floor of the tunnel was covered with mud and water, which were removed by hand. The circle of those privy to the secret grew. Among them was Israel Radio reporter Moti Eden who, says Volberstein, participated in the work of uncovering the tunnel. "At night, after my work at the radio station, I came to the tunnel and using hoes and wheelbarrows, helped with the difficult work of cleaning out the tunnel," recalls Eden, today Channel One's reporter in the north.
Seven weeks after the discovery of the tunnel, news about it was broadcast on Israel Radio. Reporters from all over the world streamed to the site. In late August, on a Friday night, Arabs brought water hoses and very powerful lighting into the tunnel through one of the openings in the floor of the Temple Mount. Getz, who feared the entry of Arabs into the tunnel and the Western Wall plaza, ordered the opening that had been made be boarded up. But just a few hours later, Muslims reentered the tunnel.
Getz was immediately alerted to come to the site from his home in the Jewish Quarter. His wife called students from the Ateret Cohanim yeshiva to come and ran after him. Seeing her husband standing almost all alone facing a group of Arabs holding tools, sticks and hoes, she ran back to the plaza where the worshipers were praying and cried, "Hurry! The rabbi is in mortal danger!"
The story ends with the political echelons ordering the opening to the tunnel sealed with reinforced concrete. Rabbi Getz wrote in his diary: "I will now retire from the project with a bitter taste in my mouth. I have never felt the humiliation of Judaism that I felt today in our own sovereign country. I pray that this is the end of the exile ... The media is going wild and self-hatred is rife. However, I must refrain from revealing secrets even to this diary and therefore I will not react or respond to those that condemn us."
On the evening of September 3, 1981, Getz added in his diary, "I felt during the Tikkun Hatzot prayers closer to the prayers of my forefathers when they saw the flames arising from the house of our Lord at the time of its destruction with their own eyes. The sound of the blows, of the Arabs inside the tunnel. Their every shout pierces my wounded heart. With all intensity, the cry left my mouth, `Gentiles have entered your sanctuary, defiled your Holy Temple, but I must remain strong and must not break down, for I must continue even if I am all alone.'"
In September 1995, three days after completing the construction of the Beit El yeshiva for the study of kabbala, Rabbi Getz passed away. In the Western Wall tunnels, there remains to this day the synagogue that he built, just opposite the spot where the Holy of Holies is assumed to be. Torah classes and prayers are still held there.
Getz was a personal friend of numerous public figures, among them Brigadier General (res.) Yossi Ben Hanan and Ma'aleh Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel. He was careful not to go up on the Temple Mount, but his formal title, "rabbi of the Western Wall and the Temple Mount," testified to his heart's burning quest. (Haaretz.com Sunday, May 18, 2003 Iyyar 16, 5763)
Lambert Dolphin
Lambert Dolphin's Library
The Temple Mount Web Site
October 1, 1996. May 17, 2003.


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This is Redneck Rhonda reporting to you live from the bush for Tales from the Cabbage Patch. I am extremely grateful to be given this opportunity to contribute to this blog and report to you about the Quadeville International Film Festival.
It's been an exciting twenty-four hours here in the bush as several celebrities and world renowned people from the film industry descended upon these awestruck fellow rednecks for a wee pit stop on their way to the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
The pine needle red carpet has been rolled out, the campsite done up to the nines, and only the very best of folding chairs have been put out. I cannot help but notice that a set of this season's latest camping trend, matching his and hers camo zero gravity chairs, are waiting over by the fire pit for the camp's owners, Sauerkraut and the Head Cabbage, to occupy them. And, rightly so, for these delightful but somewhat deranged campers have opened up their camp for this year's festival.
There is a palpable electricity in the air which I hope I'm not confusing for an oncoming thunder storm. A gentle breeze is ruffling a few feather dresses as well as mingling several forest smells together: moss, pine, freshly cut wood, fire pit smoke, outhouse gasses and noxious fumes. It is worth mentioning that several rednecks are wearing a new fragrance called "Eau de La Bug Spray" recently launched by Lady Goose Gaga.
A buffet table, loaded to the tree branches, is off to my right and I can see a few rednecks nibbling on several different types of hor d'oeuvres supplied this year by the Road Kill Grill. I must point out that two homosexual chipmunks (Chip and Dale) are stuffing their cheeks with such gusto, you'd swear the apocalypse is imminent.
(Photo credit: Treasures from my attic)
Some of the hor d'oeuvres include stuffed acorns, marinated oak leaves, dry roasted branches, squirrel kabobs, various road kill delicacies, and porcupines in a blanket. Beverages include dandelion wine, raindrop coolers, root beer, and, of course, the fan favourite, moonshine.
Last night, under the camp flood lights, acclaimed director, Steven Speilsquirrel, announced that he would be providing festival goers with gift bags filled with assorted seasoned nuts and flavoured acorns to enjoy while watching the screenings of his new movies, 'Memoirs of a Nut' and 'Saving Private Hawkeye'.
From the bleachers in the trees, Wiley E. Coyote, backed by his pack, could be heard howling and shrieking; their excitement was bone chilling. It is believed they were waiting for Francesca Fox and Roger Rabbit to make their appearances on the pine needle carpet.
Greta Grouse was here promoting her latest film, Ruffed Grouse Gone Wild. She was wearing a beautiful multi-shaded brown gown designed by the famous designer, Robin Redbreast.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was greeted earlier by a deafening round of partridge wing-flapping applause for his work in composing the score for "Dances with Wolves". I overhead him mentioning to Charlie Chickadee how much easier it was to compose music for your 'own kind' because you understand firsthand the struggles wolves everywhere experience.
Brad Beaver and his bride, Angelina Aardvark, also made their appearance. Angelina looked stunning in a glittery shell designed by Tommy Tortoise. Brad was screening his new film, Beaver Fight Club.
Jane Doe and John Buck were busy signing autographs for crazed redneck fans who absolutely adore their movies, 'Uncle Buck' and 'Deer Hunter'. Jane looked resplendent in her brownish fur coat with white chest accent from this year's Kanye Kangaroo's clothing line. John looked mighty dapper himself with his smooth polished antlers sparkling underneath the spotlights. As well, his majestic white tail was certainly plumped up for the event. Hopefully, his tail is all natural and not pumped full of taxidermy gel from the latest Kylie and Kendall Koala's make up line.
The biggest excitement here so far occurred early this morning around 8:00 a.m. Redneck fans were startled when a shouting match began high in the tree to the right of the camp tent. Upon investigation, the hung-over rednecks, who had imbibed a bit too much in the moonshine last night (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) were shocked to see A-lister celebrity, Ethan Hawk, engaged in fisticuffs with his former wife's (Uma Unicorn) new lover, Samuel L. Squirrel. While Ethan was clearly out for squirrel blood, Samuel escaped relatively unscathed although, I am quite certain, he did shit his fur tuxedo.
In other sad news, after a night of binging on dandelion wine and peanut butter canapés, Mickey and Minnie Mouse took the wrong trail home. Their bodies were discovered early this morning in a trap and the end of the lane.
An all points bulletin was issued for one Elmer Fudd wanted in questioning for their deaths. Eye witness, Ozzie Osprey, told police that he saw Elmer Fudd running from the scene yelling, "I was twying to get me a wascally wabbit, dang nabbit!" A memorial has been planned for Mickey and Minnie Mouse tomorrow. Details to follow.
Until tomorrow, this is Redneck Rhonda reporting to you live from the pine needle red carpet here at the Quadeville International Film Festival.


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"Mutation"¹ is almost as difficult. First, we want to distinguish between a mutation and DNA damage. DNA damage occurs when various enzymes make a mistake and damage the nucleotides in a DNA molecule. Damage also occurs when outside forces such as X-rays or chemical mutagens attack DNA. Examples are thymidine dimers or cleavage of a base from a nucleotide. DNA can also be broken into two or more pieces.
This damage is never copied and passed on to the next generation. Either it is fixed in some way or it is lethal. When the damage is fixed it may end up being identical to the original DNA molecular or it may be altered in some way that is passed on. Thus, mutation is (semi-)permanent change that is heritable.
In the example shown here, the damage is deamination of cytosine, a very common spontaneous reaction. It is usually repaired fairly quickly but if the DNA is replicated before repair it will result in a switch from a G/C base pair to an A/T base pair at the same site. This change is inherited in all subsequent generations ... it is a mutation.
The genetic material is DNA in most cases but RNA genomes (viruses) can also be mutated. There are many different kinds of "genomes" that have to be covered in our definition. This include virus genomes, mitochondrial genomes, chloroplast genomes, plasmids, and mobile genetic elements (mostly transposons).
Any alteration in the sequence of a genome counts as a mutation, not just those that occur in a gene (whatever that is!). This is important because some of the traditional definitions of mutation are restricted to genes.
Here's a good definition from the Wikipedia site ...
In genetics, a mutation is a change of the nucleotide sequence of the genome of an organism, virus, or extrachromosomal genetic element. Mutations result from unrepaired damage to DNA or to RNA genomes (typically caused by radiation or chemical mutagens), from errors in the process of replication, or from the insertion or deletion of segments of DNA by mobile genetic elements.[1][2][3] Mutations may or may not produce discernable changes in the observable characteristics (phenotype) of an organism.The Understanding Evolution at UC Berkeley defines mutation as ...
A mutation is a change in DNA, the hereditary material of life. An organism's DNA affects how it looks, how it behaves, and its physiology. So a change in an organism's DNA can cause changes in all aspects of its life.This isn't good because it doesn't cover RNA genomes and it doesn't distinguish between DNA damage and fixed, heritable, change.
-mutation types
-mutation rates
The Genetic Science Learning Center at the University of Utah offer this definition.
A mutation is a permanent change in the DNA sequence of a gene. Mutations in a gene's DNA sequence can alter the amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by the gene.That's no good because it restricts mutations to protein encoding genes.
A quick Google search will reveal many other definitions but none as as good as the Wikipedia entry.
As usual, the standard dictionary definitions are not helpful. They are usually quite poor at defining biological terms. Merriam-Webster defines mutation as ...
a relatively permanent change in hereditary material involving either a physical change in chromosome relations or a biochemical change in the codons that make up genesThis is actually better than some of the definitions from scientists. It's main deficiency is that it restricts mutations to genes.
1. The word comes from the Latin mutare, to change.


text:
Did Pilate have Jesus executed?
However only one side of the conversation has been handed down through time.
'That Jesus business? All taken care of, as per your instructions.'
'Yes, there are groups of 500 plus Christians gathering together to say that their leader is still alive.'
'Do about it? Nothing, sir.'
'Their leader walks around Jerusalem freely. We could pick him up any time, but what would be the point?'
'But it isn't him, sir. It's his brother.'
'Somebody called James. No, I never heard of him either, sir.'
'He does look a lot like him, sir. It must be a family resemblance.'
'No sir, the public doesn't regard you as a laughing stock'.
'No sir, I can't see how anybody would regard your authority as undermined.'
'No sir, I am not incompetent. We picked up this Jesus guy and killed him, just as you said.'
'Of course it was the right guy. One of the gang members identified him.'
'No sir, it will never happen again sir.'
'Kill them all, sir? Yes sir, straight away sir.'


text:
Making Early Shabbat
From Halachipedia
(Redirected from Early Shabbos)
This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.
This is the approved revision of this page, as well as being the most recent.
This article is good. |
There is a mitzvah of accepting Shabbat early. This can be fulfilled by accepted even a few minutes early. Ideally one should accept it verbally, however, some say that it can be accepted mentally, and others hold that it is unnecessary to consciously accept it. This last opinion holds that as long as one refrains from doing melacha before Shabbat begins one fulfills this mitzvah.
When does Shabbat start?
- It is absolutely forbidden to do any Melachah (activities forbidden on Shabbat) after sunset on Friday. (See footnote for background)[1]
- It is customary to accept shabbat by saying "mizmor shir leyom hashabbat" if it was not previously accepted before sunset. [2]
Mitzvah of Accepting Shabbat Early
- It is a mitzvah to accept Shabbat early and add from the weekdays onto Shabbat. This mitzvah is known as Tosefet Shabbat.[3]
- The Torah states "Veshameru Beneh Yisrael Et Hashabbat La'asot Et Hashabbat." The Or Hachaim hints to an explanation of "La'asot Et Hashabbat" that describes the halacha of tosefet shabbat. Therefore, tosefet shabbat fulfills the obligation of "La'asot Et Hashabbat." [4] This mitzva applies to both men and women. [5]
- Some say that it's sufficient to add any amount of time before sunset, while others hold that one should add 20 or 30 minutes to Shabbat. (See footnote for background) [6]
- Mincha should be scheduled at least 20-25 minutes before sunset so that you can finish before sunset and everybody could fulfill the mitzva. [8] If the minyan starts late so that it won't be able to accept shabbat before sunset, one should do it after his silent shmoneh esrei, and still answer kedusha afterwards. [9]
- If one knows that if he starts mincha before Shekiya he isn't going to have enough time to be mekabel Shabbat after his silent Shemona Esrei it is better to say mincha without accepting Shabbat first and one can rely on the opinions that hold one fulfills Tosefet Shabbat by just refraining from melacha.[10]
- Some hold that in order to fulfill the mitzvah of adding from the weekday to Shabbat one doesn't need to make any verbal declaration, while others hold that one should verbally accept Shabbat. [11]
Effects of Accepting Shabbat Early
Refraining from Melacha
- It is forbidden to do any Melacha after one accepted Shabbat. [12]
- If there's only one minyan in the community and they accepted Shabbat then the individuals of the community automatically have to accept Shabbat then as well.[13]
- If one accepted Shabbat early and most of the community didn't accept Shabbat it is permitted to ask a Jew who didn't accept to do a Melacha for him. [14]
- If it's necessary to do a Melacha and it's still early in the day before sunset, some say that may perform a Heiter Nederim, nullification of one's vow to accept Shabbat before 3 people, while others hold that the annulment isn't effective. [15]
- If someone made a mistake on Friday afternoon and prayed Arvit thinking that it was nighttime one has not fulfilled one's obligation and would have to pray again. One would be permissible to do Melacha (activity forbidden on Shabbat) until one prays again, while others forbid. However, if a community made such a mistake they would not have to repeat Shmoneh Esrei. According to many one is permissible to do Melacha until one prays again while other to some it's forbidden to do Melacha. [16]
Refraining from Eating
- One who accepted shabbat early should not eat for the rest of the day but may drink until sunset if one is thirsty. [17]
Saying Arvit/Mariv Early
- One may say Arvit earlier than the rest of the week even if one normally prays Mincha after Plag Mincha and Arvit after nighttime. Many authorities hold that if one is going to pray Arvit before nighttime that one should make sure to pray Mincha before Plag Mincha even if one will pray privately, while some defend those who are lenient in a minyan to pray both Mincha and Arvit after Plag Mincha before nighttime.[18]
- Some poskim recommend never accepting Shabbat Early and davening Maariv after Plag before Shekiya. Even though it is acceptable according to the rishonim it is preferable to avoid relying on the leniency to pray Maariv after Plag before Shekiya.[19]
- Only after ten and three quarter hours (Plag Mincha) one may light Shabbat candles, and then accept Shabbat with saying Arvit.[20] Acceptance of Shabbat before that time is null and void. [21]
Saying Kiddush after making early Shabbat
- One is permitted to recite Kiddish and have the Friday night meal before nightfall[22], however it's preferable to have at least a Kezayit of food after nightfall. [23]
- Some poskim permit saying Kiddush and eating the meal before Arvit as long as the meal begins a half hour before Tzet HaKochavim,[24] while others say that it isn't proper. [25]
Starting one's meal after making early Shabbat
- If one prayed Arvit if there's more than a half hour before Tzet HaKochavim one may begin one's meal.[26]
- If there's less than a half hour one shouldn't begin one's meal, however, those who do have what to rely on. Whether or not one began one's Shabbat meal early one should make sure to repeat Shema after Tzet HaKochavim.[27]
- One shouldn't start one's meal within a half hour of the time that one can count the Sefirat Haomer, which is Tzet Hakochavim. If one prayed early and now are beginning the meal within a half hour of Tzet Hakochavim there is what to rely upon to start the meal then and place a paper or calendar with the sefira printed on it on the table to remind him to count later.[28]
Praying Mincha after Accepting Shabbat
- Once one accepts Shabbat one may not pray Mincha of Friday but rather one must pray Mariv twice (for Tashlumin).[29]
- Some say that it isn't necessary to accept Shabbat actively and as long as one refrains from melacha one automatically adds to Shabbat. Therefore one could pray mincha without accepting Shabbat actively and still fulfill the mitzvah of adding to Shabbat.[30]
- Sephardim advise that one can stipulate that one is going to accept Shabbat for the purpose of melacha and not for the purpose of davening. So they fulfilled the mitzvah of adding to Shabbat but can still pray mincha.[31]
- If one arrived in Shul which was up to Barchu of Mariv on Friday night and one still didn't pray mincha, one should say Mincha in a different shul or outside that Shul but not answer Brachu before saying Mincha.[32]
- If the Tzibur did not yet reach Barchu one may pray Mincha in the shul even if they will reach Barchu while one is still saying Mincha, nonetheless, it is preferable to say it outside the Shul (if the Tzibbur will reach Barchu while one is still saying Mincha).[33]
Eating the Meal Before Praying Maariv
- According to many poskim it is permitted to pray Mincha early, before or after Plag Hamincha, then accept Shabbat, recite Kabbalat Shabbat, recite Kiddush and have the Friday night meal. Then one would pray Maariv afterwards. One should be careful not to start the meal within a half hour of the time for Maariv.[34] Some rabbis disagree with this practice.[35]
Ending Shabbat Late
- Just like there's a mitzvah to start Shabbat early there's a mitzvah to end Shabbat late.
- For those who keep Shabbat until 42 minutes after Shekiya it is permissible to daven maariv after 30 minutes after shekiya so that you can finish maariv and be ready for Havdalah at 42 minutes after Shekiya.[36]
- ↑ *Shulchan Aruch 261:2 writes that one should accept shabbat early during the time between Shekiyah (sunset) and Bein HaShemashot (twilight) to fulfill the mitzvah of Tofeset Shabbat. Shulchan Aruch explains that this time period is the length of time it takes to walk 3.25 mil. Then Bein HaShemashot (twilight) lasts for a period of 3/4 of a mil which is followed by Tzet HaKochavim (emergence of the stars). For this discussion, we're assuming that a mil is considered 18 minutes like the ruling of Shulchan Aruch 459:2 and Mishna Brurah 459:15. If so, Shulchan Aruch holds that one must accept Shabbat 13.5 minutes before Tzet HaKochavim which is 58.5 minutes after Shekiyah.
- However, Mishna Brurah 261:23 quotes many Rishonim and the Gra who hold that between Sheiyah and Tzet HaKochavim there is a short Bein HaShemashot of 3/4 of a mil (13.5 minutes) and afterwards it's considered nighttime Deoraitta. According this opinion the Mishna Brurah writes that one may absolutely stop doing Melacha (activities forbidden on Shabbat) before Shekiyah.
- Baal Hatanya, Siddur:Seder Kabalat Shabbat, writes that Shkiyah starts approximately 6 minutes after sea-level shkiyah (generally considered shkiyah)and then the 3/4 of a mil start. However, he holds that a mil is twenty four minutes so 3/4 of a mil is 18 minutes. Obviously, this applies to Jerusalem during the spring and fall equinox and would fluctuate accordingly throughout the world and various seasons. See there that in Russia it is approximately 34 minutes after shkiyah.
- The 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 1, pg 145) writes that the accepted practice is in accordance with the Gra and so it's strictly forbidden from doing Melacha from the time of Shekiyah. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat, vol 1, pg 128) agrees.
- ↑ Hazon Ovadia, Page 294
- ↑ Gemara Rosh Hashana 9a learns from Vayikra 23:32 that there is an obligation to add from the weekday onto Yom Kippur called Tosefet Yom Hakippurim. The gemara then continues to include all other holidays and Shabbat in this halacha. (This also appears in Yoma 81b). Shulchan Aruch 261:2 brings this as halacha. Beiur Halacha 261:2 "yeish omrim" quotes several poskim that believe that tosefet shabbat is a mitzva from the torah. Included in this is the Or Zarua Hilchot Erev Shabbat 20 Rambam as well as the Tur however do not mention the idea of Tosefet Shabbat anywhere. Maggid Mishneh in Hilchot Shvitat Esor 1:6, is quoted by the Beiur Halacha 261:2 "yeish omrim," as explaining it to be rabbinic according to the Rambam. The Kessef Mishne Hilchot Shabbat 4:3 says that the Rambam rejects the idea of adding on to shabbat entirely even midirabanan.
- ↑ Shemot (31:16) and the Or Hachaim on Shemot (31:16)
- ↑ Kaf Hachayim 261:16. Az Nidberu quotes the Ktav Sofer 56 who agrees.
- ↑ *How long is Tosefet Shabbat? Rosh Brachot 4:6 and Tosafot Brachot 27a s.v. DeRav agree that one doesn't have to accept Shabbat from Plag Mincha (from ten and three quarter hours). Nonetheless, the Rosh Brachot 4:6 writes that certainly there is a minimum time limit but leaves it unclear as to what the limit is. This is also the opinion of the Tosfot Beitzah 30a s.v. deha. Rabbenu Yonah (Brachot 18b s.v. Rav) quotes Rabbi Yacov who says that there's no minimum time and any amount suffices.
- Shulchan Aruch 261:2 and 608:1 rules that there's no minimum requirement of time one needs to add to Shabbat to fulfill Tosefet Shabbat seeming to follow the opinion of Rabbi Yacov. Tur 509:1 seems also to hold any amount of time suffices. 39 Melachos (vol 1, pg 150) rules like Shulchan Aruch that there's no specific minimum time for Tosefet Shabbat. 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, Hakdama LeMelachat Shabbat, note 667) quotes Rav Henkin who said that in order not to violate Shabbat and in order to fulfill Tosefet Shabbat one must add a few minutes before Shekiyah refraining from Melacha and agrees with this opinion. Eretz Tzvi 70 and Iggerot Moshe 1:96 suggest that one add at least two minutes, Avnei Nezer 4:98 suggests at least four minutes, while Minchat Elazar 1:23 and Teshuvot Maharshag 38 say at least 5.
- However, the Mishna Brurah 261:22 quotes the Rosh who argues that a certain amount of time is needed. Beiur Halacha s.v. Ayzo Zman posits that this period of time should be no longer than 3/4 of a mil (which is 13.5 minutes). The Mishna Brurah 261:23 concludes that in order to fulfill the mitzvah of Tosefet Shabbat (adding onto Shabbat) one should refrain from work from the time that the sun is seen at the top of the trees, or to be strict 30 or 20 minutes before Shekiyah. [Mishna Brurah (Shaar HaTziyun 261:21) explains that by refraining from melacha 20 minutes before sunset one will have satisfied the opinion of the Yerayim to consider the mil to be 24 minutes and 3/4 of a mil is 18 minutes.] 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 1, pg 145) writes that it's not practical to rely upon the method of determining the beginning of Shabbat by looking at when the sun hits the tree tops but rather one should rely upon times printed on calendars made by halachic experts.
- Tosfot Rabbenu Peretz (Beitza 30a s.v. Di'ha) quotes the Ri who says that the minimum amount of time to add for tosefet Shabbat is 30 minutes. Rav Hershel Schachter (Nefesh Harav pg. 154) cites this opinion and adds from Rav Yosef Dov Soloveitchik that this was the practice in Europe to light candles 30 minutes before sunset.
- ↑ Shemirat Shabbat KeHilchata chap 46 note 20.
- ↑ Shemirat Shabbat Kihilchita 46:5.
- ↑ Rabbi Doniel Neustadt (http://www.torah.org/advanced/weekly-halacha/5762/lechlecha.html) writes that one should accept shabbat early after the silent shemona esreh. He adds that one may still answer kedusha based on Tzitz Eliezer 10:15(1) and Yabia Omer 6:21(3) who hold that even after one said maariv on Friday night one is allowed to answer kedusha of a minyan saying kedusha of mincha.
- ↑ Rav Yitzchak Yosef (Motzei Shabbat Vayechei 5779 approx min 30)
- ↑ *Mishna Brurah 261:21 based on Rama 608:3 holds that a verbal declaration is needed and an acceptance in one's heart is insufficient. Shemirat Shabbat Kihilchita 46:2, Az Nidberu 1:1, Tehilah l'David 263:10, and L'horot Natan 5:15 agree. According to Rabbi Akiva Eiger 271:1 saying good shabbos may be enough of a declaration.
- 39 Melachos (Rabbi Ribiat, vol 1, pg 150) writes that no verbal declaration is needed rather once one resolves to accept Shabbat early Shabbat takes effect. This dispute may be reflected in a dispute in Mishna Brurah 553:2, who quotes Bach and Gra that it is sufficient.
- Rav Doniel Neustadt quotes Aruch HaShulchan 261:2, Eretz Tzvi 60, Yabia Omer 7:34, Chidushei Ra'ah Berachos 26b, Beiur Hagra O.C. 393:2 and Chayei Adam 5:2, Shevet ha-Levi 10:50, Imrei Shalom 4:18 as possibly holding that even just refraining from doing any melacha is enough for tosefet shabbat and you don't even have to have it in mind.
- ↑ Shulchan Aruch 263:10, Mishna Brurah 261:28
- ↑ Mordechai Bameh Madlikin, Shulchan Aruch O.C. 263:12. See Igrot Moshe O.C. 3:38 who suggests that if the community accepted Shabbat early for convenience such as those shuls which only have early minyanim for the summer it isn't binding on the whole community. He doesn't resolve the issue conclusively.
- ↑ Shulchan Aruch 263:17, Mishna Brurah 263:64
- ↑ Taz 263:3 and Levush hold that one may do Hatarat Nedarim to annul one's early acceptance of Shabbat, while the Magen Avraham 263:31, Aruch HaShulchan 263:25, Mishna Brurah 263:5 hold that this annulment will not be effective to permit one to do Melacha. See Igrot Moshe 2:38
- ↑ Gemara Brachot 27b writes that on Friday afternoon someone who made a mistake and said Arvit early thinking it was nighttime according to Abaye he would have to pray again and it would be permissible to do Melacha. However, if it's a community who made such a mistake Rebbe said that they do not have to repeat Shmoneh Esrei because of Tirech DeTzibbur. The Rosh 4:6, Tur, and S"A 263:14 rule that it's permissible to do Melacha until they pray again, while the Magen Avraham 263:26 quotes many Rishonim (Or Zaruha, Rokeach, Raavan) who are strict and forbid Melacha since they don't have to pray again.
- ↑ Halacha Berura 271:26
- ↑
- The Mishna (Brachot 26a) writes that according to Rabbi Yehuda one must pray Mincha prior to ten and three quarter hours while according to Rabbanan Mincha may be said until nighttime. According to Rabbi Yehuda the earliest time to say Mariv is ten and three quarter hours while according to Rabbanan the earliest time is nighttime.
- Many Rishonim (Tosfot (Brachot 2a s.v. MeMaymatai), Rabbenu Yonah (Brachot 18b s.v. DeAved), Rosh (Brachot 4:3), Kesef Mishna (Tefillah 3:4), Shulchan Aruch O.C. 233:1) write that one must be consistent to either always follow Rabbi Yehuda or Rabbanan.
- In fact, the Tur 293 quotes the Ritz Gayit who argues that since the minhag is to pray Mincha during the week after Plag Mincha, on Friday night as well one may not pray early. [Similarly, Gemara Brachot 27a-b records the practice of Rav to pray Arvit early on Friday afternoon. Tosfot (Brachot 27a s.v. DeRav) understands that Rav held like Rabbi Yehuda that the latest time for Mincha is Plag Mincha (ten and three quarter hours) and the earliest time for Arvit is also Plag Mincha.]
- However, the Bet Yosef 267:2 argues based on the Rambam (Tefillah 3:7) and Rosh (Brachot 4:6) who simply codify the halacha of praying Arvit early on Friday that one is permitted to pray Arvit early even if one doesn't do so during the week. [The same implication could be made from the Tur 267:1.] Shulchan Aruch 267:2 codifies this as halacha that one is permitted to pray Arvit earlier than one does during the week.
- [Magen Avraham 267:1 at first questions this ruling of S"A because the Gemara Brachot 27a seems to assign Rav to the opinion of Rabbi Yehuda meaning that one may only pray early on Friday night if one always follows Rabbi Yehuda. He adds that this is also implied from Kesef Mishna (Tefillah 3:7) who says that Friday night has the same status as the rest of the week. However, the Magen Avraham answers that the Gemara only meant to assign Rav to Rabbi Yehuda's opinion in the initial discussion, but in conclusion the Gemara reinterpreted the story of Rav to mean that one may pray Arvit earlier than one does during the week. Additionally, he explains that Arvit was instituted corresponding to the limbs and fats burned at night, however, on Friday night the limbs and fats were not burnt after nightfall. Mishna Brurah 267:3 adds that the ruling of S"A is based on those who say that accepting Shabbat makes it considered as if it was night regarding prayer.]
- Nonetheless, the Mishna Brurah 267:3 writes that if one follows Rabbi Yehuda on Friday night (and prays Arvit early) one should make sure to say Mincha before Plag Mincha (ten and three quarter hours) so that one doesn't contradict oneself within one night. The Beiur Halacha (267:2 s.v. VeBePlag) writes that even though there is a lenient opinion which permits a minyan to pray both Mincha and Arvit between Plag Mincha and nighttime, since the minhag isn't to rely on this opinion during the week because this opinion isn't supported by the Gemara on Friday night as well one shouldn't rely on this opinion. The Mishna Brurah 267:3 writes that the only time to rely on this lenient opinion is in a need of great need and if one prays Arvit during the time of Bein HaShemashot. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat, vol 1, pg 204-5) writes that one shouldn't contradict oneself to pray Mincha after plag Mincha and Arvit before nighttime. Nonetheless, Menuchat Ahava (vol 1, chap 6, note 6) writes that it is completely permitted but the minhag is to pray Arvit after nightfall.
- Rabbi Aryeh Lebowitz quotes Rav Soleveitchik who held like the Mishna Brurah and concluded that one should pray Mincha privately without a minyan before Plag Mincha so as not to contradict oneself. He also writes that in order to avoid issues of Yuhara (appearing religiously arrogant) one should go to Mincha when the minyan is praying and pretend to pray along with them. See Nefesh Harav pg. 157-158 where Rav Hershel Schachter writes that Rav Soloveitchik would not daven Maariv after Plag Hamincha even if it was on Friday Afternoon for Tosefet Shabbat.
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 267:3, Biur Halacha 271:1 s.v. meyad. Dirshu 267:6 cites Rav Elyashiv (Kovetz Teshuvot 1:23, Sefer Zichron Dror Yikra p. 372), the Steipler (Orchot Rabbenu v. 1 p. 108), and Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach (Byitzchak Yikareh 263:4, Halichot Shlomo Tefillah ch. 14 fnt. 10) who all hold that one shouldn't make early Shabbat from plag, rather one should always daven maariv after tzet hakochavim in accordance with the Mishna Brurah.
- Rav Simcha Bunim Cohen (The Aura of Shabbos p. 268) quotes Rav Elyashiv as saying that if someone has small children and will have to have the Shabbat meal early, it is preferable to eat the Shabbat meal after mincha before maariv and daven maariv after sunset rather than daven maariv before sunset. His reasoning was that it is problematic to daven maariv early since the minhag is to daven after sunset. Also, davening early involves saying Kriyat Shema before sunset.
- However, Dirshu 267:11 also cites Rav Shmuel Wosner and Rav Nissim Karelitz (Likrat Shabbat 14:22) who are lenient. Also, Menuchat Ahava 1:6:5 cited by Tiferet 267:11 disagrees and holds based on the Rambam that it is permitted even initially.
- ↑ Shulchan Aruch O.C. 267:2
- Gemara Shabbat 118b quotes Rabbi Yose who prayed to have his portion among the people of Tiberius who accepted Shabbat early. Rashi (D"H MeMachnisei) explains that since Teveriyah was in a valley and the sun appeared to set earlier the people would accept Shabbat early. Additionally, in Gemara Pesachim 105b Rav Nachman Bar Yitchak says that going into Shabbat the earlier one accepts Shabbat the better. Rashbam (s.v. Ayulei) explains that it's preferable because one is showing a love for the mitzvah to do it early and Zarizin Makdimin LeMitzvot (the enthusiastic are eager to do מצות early).
- How early can one accept Shabbat and light candles? Gemara Brachot 27a-b records the practice of Rav to pray Arvit early on Friday afternoon. Tosfot (Brachot 27a s.v. DeRav) understands that this practice of accepting Shabbat early and lighting Shabbat candles early is only permitted starting from Plag Mincha (ten and three quarter hours). Rabbenu Yonah (Brachot 18b s.v. Rav Tzali), Mordechai (Brachot Siman 90), and Rosh (Brachot 4:6) agree. [This is how the Bet Yosef 263:4 and 267:2 understands the above Rishonim.]
- How early can one say Shema? The Rabbenu Yonah (18b s.v. Rav Tzali) and Rosh (Brachot 4:6) add that one who prays Arvit early should only say Shmoneh Esrei early and say Brachot Shema and Shema after Tzet HaKochavim. Even though one is losing out on juxtaposing Shema to Shmoneh Esrei it's preferable to accept Shabbat early because of the mitzvah to add from the week onto Shabbat. The Rambam (Tefillah 3:7) agrees that it's an issue to separate Shema from Shmoneh Esrei against the Raavad.
- The S"A 235:1 concludes that even though the halacha accepts the opinions that one doesn't fulfill Shema before Tzet HaKochavim if one is praying in a minyan which is praying Arvit before Tzet HaKochavim one should still pray Shema with the Brachot together with the minyan and repeat Shema after Tzet HaKochavim. (See further discussion there).
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 267:4
- ↑ In Gemara Brachot 27b Shmuel says that if one accepted Shabbat early one may make Kiddish early (before nighttime). This is brought as halacha by the Rif (Brachot 18b, on the bottom), Rosh (Brachot 4:6, at the end), and Rambam (Shabbat 29:11). The Shulchan Aruch O.C. 267:2 writes that one may even before nighttime implying that one may make Kiddish early. The Mishna Brurah 267:5 writes explicitly that one may make Kiddish before nighttime.
- The Mishna Brurah 267:5 writes the reason one may make Kiddish before nightfall is because the acceptance of Shabbat early makes it considered as if it was already Shabbat. See Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 1 pg 201-4) who discusses how the Rambam could hold of this considering that he omits the entire idea of Tosefet Shabbat (accepting Shabbat early).
- ↑ Bach 472:1 writes that one can't finish the Shabbat meal before nightfall, otherwise one didn't fulfill the mitzvah of eating a Shabbat meal on Shabbat. Taz 472:1 quotes the Maharal who agrees. Chaye Adam (Shabbat 6:2) and Mishna Brurah 267:5 rule that one can have one's meal early but one should preferably have a Kezayit of food after nightfall to satisfy the opinion of the Bach.
- The Bet Yosef 267:2 quotes the Mahari Avuhav who infers from the Rosh who says that one should wait to have Matza on Pesach after nightfall that on a regular Shabbat one could fulfill one's obligation of the Shabbat meal before nighttime. The Magen Avraham 267:1 (at the end) agrees that many Rishonim imply that one who makes early Shabbat may have one's meal early, however, the Shelah and Bach say that one must have at least a Kezayit of bread after Tzet HaKochavim. Mishna Brurah 267:5 rules that preferably one should be concerned for the strict opinions to have at least a Kezayit of bread after nightfall. Shemirat Shabbat Kehilchata 54:33 clarifies that the kezayit of food which the Mishna Brurah is referring to is a kezayit of bread. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 1 pg 201-4) agrees that preferably one should be concerned for the strict opinions.
- ↑ Mishna Brurah 271:11 quoting the Magen Avraham
- ↑ Kaf Hachayim 271:22 and 272:3 says that it is not proper to do these mitzvot out of sequence. The Gra in Maasei Rav 117 says that it is forbidden to have the Friday night meal before sunset unless one prayed Mariv.
- ↑ Magen Avraham 267:2, Mishna Brurah 267:6
- ↑
- The Bet Yosef 267:2 asks that even if one is permitted to have one's Shabbat meal before nighttime how could it permitted to eat before saying Shema. The Bet Yosef answers that even though we hold that one doesn't fulfill Shema until Tzet HaKochavim since many opinions hold that one may fulfill saying Shema earlier it's not considered like eating before having said Shema.
- The Magen Avraham 267:2 argues on the Bet Yosef and says that since one didn't fulfill Shema one may begin one's meal within a half hour of Tzet HaKochavim.
- Mishna Brurah 267:6 rules that if there's less than a half hour before Tzet HaKochavim one shouldn't begin one's meal because according to many opinions one hasn't fulfilled one's obligation of Shema, however, those who do begin the meal at that time have what to rely on. Nonetheless, concludes Mishna Brurah, whether or not one eats one's meal early one must make sure to repeat Shema after Tzet HaKochavim. Yalkut Yosef (Shabbat vol 1 pg 201-4) agrees that one should make sure to start one's meal before a half hour before Tzet HaKochavim.
- ↑ Avnei Darech 4:50:3 quoting Rav Simcha Hakohen Kook that placing a paper with sefirat haomer or the like on the table serves as a reminder and would permit starting the meal within 30 minutes of sefirat haomer. It is better than appointing someone to remind him to count since the person would have to consistently remember and not get involved with the meal themselves.
- ↑ Shulchan Aruch O.C. 263:15. Avnei Yishpeh 1:56 quotes Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv as saying that if one didn't actively accept Shabbat you can still daven Mincha afterwards because you haven't officially taken on shabbat.
- ↑ Chazon Ovadia (Shabbat v. 1 p. 266).
- ↑ Chazon Ovadia (Shabbat v. 1 p. 266) explains that according to the Taz 263:3 the acceptance of Shabbat is like a neder and depends on what you decide to accept. Therefore, it is possible to accept melacha and not for prayers. He also cites the Eretz Tzvi 60 who says that one could stipulate that if Rabbenu Tam is correct one plans to accept Shabbat 30 minutes after sunset and if the Geonim are correct then he plans to accept Shabbat two minutes before sunset. Chazon Ovadia adds that one can rely on the Rabbenu Tam to pray after making such a stipulation since potentially one didn't yet accept Shabbat and mincha is only rabbinic. He adds another reason why it is acceptable since we follow Rabbi Yosi and for him it isn't night until the end of the ben hashemashot of Rabbi Yehuda.
- ↑ Shulchan Aruch 263:15, Mishna Brurah 263:58. Hazon Ovadia (Page 298) says that one should not pray minha in a bet knesset which has reached the words "boi kalla" in kabbalat shabbat.
- ↑ Shulchan Aruch 263:16, Mishna Brurah 263:63. Hazon Ovadia (Page 298) adds that there is no prohibition if one began minha while it was permissible to do so.
- ↑ Magen Avraham 271:5, Mishna Brurah 271:11, Eliya Rabba 271:5, Rav Elyashiv (cited by Dirshu 271:3), Beir Heitev 271:4, Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 77:4. Taz 271:4 also accept this practice as Eliya Rabba notes. Peulat Sachir on Maaseh Rav 117:1 notes that one could accept Shabbat for the Magen Avraham with a verbal declaration or by reciting Mizmor Shir Shel Yom Hashabbat.
- ↑ Rav Soloveitchik as quoted in Nefesh Harav p. 158 explained based on Rambam Shabbat 30:10 that there is an order for how the Shabbat day is supposed to be structured. First is a prayer and then there is a meal. That pair of activities is repeated thrice, once at night and twice during the day. See also Gra in Maaseh Rav n. 117 who is quoted as saying that it isn't proper to have the Friday night meal before sunset unless one has already davened Maariv. Rav Schachter (Hilchos Shabbat 4 min 32-4) explained the Gra based on Rav Soloveitchik's explanation in the Rambam and connected it with Maaseh Rav n. 64 about seuda shelishit before mincha. However, the Peulat Sachir understands the Gra in Maaseh Rav n. 117 to specifically be about accepting Shabbat before sunset.
- ↑ Mpenini Harav p. 88 writes that in Boston Rav Soloveitchik allowed maariv to start 30 minutes after Shekiya even though they didn't recite Havdalah until 42 minutes after Shekiya after maariv. Additionally, he personally didn't do melacha for 90 minutes after Shekiya. See Mpeninei Harav p. 92 writes that based on Tosfot Brachot 27b s.v. rav it sounds like you can't do tosefet Shabbat after you do havdalah.


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The D.C. Press Yawns While Republicans Return To Radically Obstructionist Ways
Written by Eric Boehlert
Republicans in the U.S. Senate made history this week when they successfully filibustered the nomination of Rep. Melvin Watt (R-N.C.) to become director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Watt received 56 Senate votes, four short of the 60 necessary to end the filibuster.
The move represented the latest round of raw, extremist obstructionism that Republicans have proudly practiced for the last five years, particularly when it comes to mounting extraordinary efforts to block presidential appointments that in the past were considered to be routine.
The historic element of the Watt rejection was that throughout American history it has been virtually unheard for a sitting member of Congress to be filibustered -- to be denied the courtesy of a final vote -- when selected by the president to fill an administration position. Prior to this week's partisan blockade of Watt, a Congressional rejection like his hadn't happened since before the Civil War, in 1843.
That important historical context should have been included in every story about the Watt filibuster, but it wasn't. That's not surprising considering the Beltway press corps seems to have made a conscious decision during the Obama presidency to omit virtually all context with regards to the Republicans' continued radical behavior as they cling to filibusters to methodically block, stall and reject most White House policy proposals, as well as countless nominations.
The pliant coverage over the years has likely only enabled Republicans to push ahead with their corrosive strategy, knowing there's certainly no downside with regards to adverse media attention. After all, Republican moved to recently shut down the government, yet lots of journalists suggested the radical, destructive move was because "both sides" just couldn't agree, essentially blaming Democrats for Republican extremism.
Note that Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) recently announced he was going to block all Obama nominations until he got more answers about the 2012 terror attack in Benghazi. Although as CNN's Jeffrey Toobin noted, Republicans block Obama picks as a matter of general principle, so it's not like Graham even needs a stated reason for the obstruction.
Watt wasn't the only presidential pick rejected by Republicans on October 31. They also blocked Patricia Millett, who was nominated to fill one of three vacancies on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Despite the fact Millett had previously served as an assistant solicitor general, and represented the administration before the Supreme Court 32 times, under both Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, Republicans denied her the right to an up or down vote.
It's telling that Republicans barely even bother to give reasons for the filibusters any more, and that the press doesn't find that odd.
Republicans claim Watt is too "partisan" and not "qualified"; vague allegations that can be leveled against virtually any presidential pick. As for Millett, Republicans didn't even pretend to care about her judicial record. They simply want to make sure the vacancy on the D.C. Court of Appeals she was picked to fill remains permanently empty, so that the court will remain split evenly between Democratic and Republican appointed "active" judges, while the balance of senior judges -- who still hear cases -- remains overwhelmingly Republican.
The Millett and Watt votes were remarkable in many ways, although they didn't generate much coverage, especially not on television. None of the network newscasts mentioned the votes last night, and Watt and Millett have received just a handful of cable news mentions, according to Nexis.
Of the filibuster coverage that does exist, the tell-tale shortcomings that have defined the media's work on GOP obstructionism are on display. For instance, the Associated Press categorized the filibusters as "a setback for the president," which is precisely how Republicans want the story to be portrayed: They embrace extremist tactics, reject the president's picks, and the press chalks it up as a White House failure, or "setback." (If you're a Republican, why stop?)
The Washington Post pointed to the filibusters as examples of "partisan rancor," suggesting Democrats were partially, or equally, to blame.
Meanwhile, the New York Times reported that while judicial nominations remain an issue of deep contention, "Among senators of both parties, there is agreement that a president should be granted deference in picking members of his cabinet and top executive branch positions."
But that just completely ignores recent history. Last November Republicans launched an unprecedented, preemptive smear campaign to make sure Susan Rice was not picked as Obama's next Secretary of State. (It succeeded.) Then they engineered an unprecedented campaign to try to stop Republican Chuck Hagel from becoming Secretary of Defense. (It failed.)
And as late as July, two of Obama's nominated cabinet picks still hadn't received votes in the Senate, thanks to determined obstruction.
Note to the Times: Republicans now absolutely do reject the idea that "presidents should be granted deference in picking members of his cabinet." If the president is a Democrat.
Acknowledging that simple fact is an important first step towards accurately reporting the story of GOP obstructionism.


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My Comcast DVR takes at least three seconds to respond to every remote control keypress, making the simple task of watching television into a frustrating button-mashing experience. My iPhone takes at least fifteen seconds to display text messages and crashes ¼ of the times I try to bring up the iPod app; simply receiving and reading an email often takes well over a minute. Even the navcom in my car has mushy and unresponsive controls, often swallowing successive inputs if I make them less than a few seconds apart.
These are all fixed-hardware end-consumer appliances for which usability should be paramount, and yet they all fail at basic responsiveness and latency. Their software is just too slow.
What's behind this? Is it a technical problem, or a social one? Who or what is responsible?
Is it because these were all written in managed, garbage-collected languages rather than native code? Is it the individual programmers who wrote the software for these devices? In all of these cases the app developers knew exactly what hardware platform they were targeting and what its capabilities were; did they not take it into account? Is it the guy who goes around repeating "optimization is the root of all evil," did he lead them astray? Was it a mentality of "oh it's just an additional 100ms" each time until all those milliseconds add up to minutes? Is it my fault, for having bought these products in the first place?
This is a subjective question, with no single answer, but I'm often frustrated to see so many answers here saying "oh, don't worry about code speed, performance doesn't matter" when clearly at some point it does matter for the end-user who gets stuck with a slow, unresponsive, awful experience.
So, at what point did things go wrong for these products? What can we as programmers do to avoid inflicting this pain on our own customers?


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Kellie Pickler Embarks on Fifth USO Tour
Kellie Pickler loves our troops! The country cutie headed to the Middle East for her fifth international USO tour, a fact she let us know via a recent tweet. Five tours? That's dedication to our boys (and girls) in the service. Pickler is naturally perky, but the 'Where's Tammy Wynette' singer expressed excitement about being able to visit the military bases overseas and perform. But that's not the extent of her support. Heck, it's not even the half of it.
"I've been so blessed to work a lot with the USO and travel overseas to Afghanistan and Iraq and Kosovo and all kinds of other military bases. I've been able to see firsthand just exactly what they're doing," Pickler said, according to The Boot. "It takes a very special person to sacrifice everything. When I say 'everything,' I don't mean just their time, I mean their life. Everything! Their family, their kids, their loved ones. You sacrifice every thing to put your life on the line for us, and it's such a great, honorable, heroic thing … We have to raise our glass to them and keep them all in our prayers and always say thank you."
Pickler cannot reveal exactly where in the Middle East she is going in effort to maintain security standards. But even when she's not headed to bases in foreign territory to show her support, Pickler makes sure to express her love for the troops in the domestic setting, as well. So if you are a uniformed member of the military and you happen to run into Pickler at the supermarket or the mall, be prepared to be stopped and to be the recipient of a big ol' hug.
She reasoned, "It's small things like saying 'Thank you' that make the biggest difference, because it shows appreciation and it shows that you respect what they're doing. Regardless if you agree or disagree with what's going on, it's wrong to not say 'Thank you' and give them a hug and let them know that you appreciate what they're doing."
Pickler loves all arms of the U.S military force equally. She recently flew with the elite Blue Angels.


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Cisco this week says it disabled a distributor of the Angler ransomware exploit kit, a program that holds victim machines hostage via encryption.
The catch disrupted a global ransomware operation that netted $60 million annually for the perpetrators, Cisco states in a blog post.
+MORE ON NETWORK WORLD: Jane Austen lets the boogie man in: Cisco report+
During research, Cisco's Talos security unit discovered that computers infected with the Angler Exploit Kit were connecting to servers at Limestone Networks, a Dallas hosting provider. Angler encrypts victim machines until the victims pay a sum – a ransom -- to have them decrypted.
Limestone worked with Talos to deliver previously unknown insight into Angler's data flow, management, and scale. Cisco also collaborated with Level 3 Communications and OpenDNS, a company it is acquiring, to learn more about the activity and devise a defense.
According to the blog, Cisco shut down access for customers by updating products to stop redirects to the Angler proxy servers. The company also released Snort rules to detect and block checks from the health checks, and published protocols and other information so service providers and their customers can protect themselves.
"This is a significant blow to the emerging hacker economy where ransomware and the black market sale of stolen IP, credit card info and personally identifiable information are generating hundreds of millions of dollars annually," Cisco stated in the blog post.


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Report: EU to Propose Peace Plan after Israel Vote
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربيةThe European Union is drawing up a detailed new plan to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, and expects to present it after this month's Israeli general election, Yediot Aharonot reported Sunday.
Citing diplomatic sources in Jerusalem, Israel's top-selling daily said the plan was intended to "bring about the establishment of a Palestinian state on the basis of the 1967 lines with east Jerusalem as its capital."
The plan will include "clear timetables for the completion of the negotiations on all the core issues in the course of 2013."
The newspaper said the plan is expected to be presented around March, to give time for the formation of a new Israeli government after the general election on January 22.
The newspaper said the plan "apparently will also include a demand to freeze all construction in the settlements."
The report said the British and French foreign ministries are sponsoring the initiative, which is also backed by Germany and could be adopted by the full EU.
"There's a lot in the works behind the scenes," the newspaper quoted high-ranking Israeli political officials as saying.
"The Europeans don't have the capability to force an agreement on us, but they definitely may embarrass us," they added.
"It is reasonable to assume that the Palestinians will accept a document of that sort, but Israel will be hard put to do so. That's going to paint us into a corner."
Observers have long speculated that the international community would renew its efforts to restart direct peace talks, on hold since late September 2010, after the Israeli election.
And on Saturday, Israeli opposition candidate and former foreign minister Tzipi Livni appeared to allude to the potential EU plan, warning that "in March the world will put a peace plan on the table."
"Either we can have it imposed upon us or we can initiate a plan of our own," she said.


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We usually shy away from calling things 'magic' in our features because, you know… science. But in the case of this Chevrolet manufacturing reel from 1936 the presentation is nothing short of an industrialized version of The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Well, not in the sense of mischief, but in that there is almost no explanation and the way the footage is laced together you get the strong feeling that, at the time, this type of industrialization was magic; a modern marvel. The techniques and skills of each worked passed down from a master to an apprentice but virtually unknown to the general public.
The clip, which is also embedded below, starts off in the machine shop where mold makers are getting ready to go into assembly line production. From there it's off to the foundry for part casting and then into the stamping plant where white-hot (perhaps red-hot, but black and white film) metal is shaped by man-mangling presses. The image above follows the cast, stamped, and machined parts onto the assembly line. We like seeing a room full of pistons being QA checked by hand using a width gauge and micrometer. The film continues through to the finished vehicle and we think you'll agree there's more than enough voyeuristic video here to overcome that lack of narration.
[Thanks Pretenda]
Retrotechtacular is a weekly column featuring hacks, technology, and kitsch from ages of yore. Help keep it fresh by sending in your ideas for future installments.


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Cottagers spoil Di Canio's day
Paolo Di Canio's summer revolution fell flat at the Stadium of Light as Pajtim Kasami headed a second-half winner to snatch three improbable points for Fulham in a 1-0 win.
Swiss youth international Kasami converted the simplest of chances to score his first goal since joining the Cottagers in 2011, rising at the far post to nod in a corner from Damien Duff.
It was Fulham's only real chance of a game which the home side had dominated, with a number of the five new Di Canio signings on show coming close to breaking the deadlock in the first period.
Cape Verde international Cabral looked most impressive, drilling two long-range shots wide, while right-back Ondrej Celustka hit a rising half-volley which was tipped over by Fulham goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg.
But for all their first half fluency the Black Cats clearly lacked some cutting edge and they faded in the second period as Martin Jol's men, marshalled superbly by captain Brede Hangeland in the centre of defence, hung on for victory.
Cabral, a talismanic influence in the middle for the home side, hit an early chance wide before Fulham's hopes were hit by the loss of former Sunderland defender Kieran Richardson due to injury with just 19 minutes on the clock.
Richardson's exit seemed to sentence Fulham to even deeper defending as they were pinned back for long periods by the pace of Adam Johnson and Italian Emanuele Giaccherini down the flanks.
But if front men Stephane Sessegnon and Jozy Altidore - fresh from a midweek hat-trick for the United States - lacked a little cutting edge up front, the same could not be said for Cabral, who hammered another long-range effort narrowly wide after 27 minutes.
Giaccherini, lively but occasionally lost on the left, drifted in-field to pick up a pass from Johnson and hit a hard left-foot effort straight at new Fulham keeper Stekelenburg just past the half-hour.
And the quietly efficient Celustka came close to turning up the volume two minutes later when he unleashed a rising half-volley from 25 yards which Stekelenburg had to stretch to tip over the bar.
As if to emphasise the paucity of the visitors' efforts, their almost anonymous debutant Adel Taarabt flipped a feeble free-kick into the Sunderland wall in the last act of what, from their point of view, had been a forgettable half.
But the visitors snatched their lead out of nowhere after 50 minutes when Duff floated in his set-piece from the left and Kasami rose highest to nod past Keiren Westwood - who had been rendered a virtual spectator until that point.
The goal shocked Sunderland back into action and they responded with a succession of near-misses, Johnson shovelling a shot wide, Duff picking the ball off Altidore's feet in the box and Sebastian Larsson plopping a poor free-kick into the Fulham wall.
Sunderland spurned an even better chance in the 65th minute when Altidore was picked out by John O'Shea in the box and the striker swivelled past Aaron Hughes before firing just wide of Stekelenburg's right-hand post.
Stekelenburg denied Altidore at close range in the 75th minute but it was to be his last act of the game as he appeared to injure his shoulder in the process and was replaced by the visitors' substitute keeper David Stockdale.
Sunderland's attacking forays became more unfocused as time ticked by but substitute Ji Dong-won wasted a golden chance to equalise in the last minute of normal time when he headed wide.
Source: PA
Source: PA


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Joseph-Louis Lagrange
Joseph-Louis Lagrange | |
Born | |
Died | 10 April 1813 | (aged 77)
Nationality | Italian French |
Known for | Analytical mechanics Celestial mechanics Mathematical analysis Number theory |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Mathematics Mathematical physics |
Institutions | École Polytechnique |
Doctoral advisor | Leonhard Euler |
Doctoral students | Joseph Fourier Giovanni Plana Siméon Poisson |
Notes | |
Note he did not have a doctoral advisor but academic genealogy authorities link his intellectual heritage to Leonhard Euler, who played the equivalent role. |
Joseph-Louis Lagrange (born Giuseppe Lodovico [Luigi] Lagrangia, Turin, Piedmont, 25 January 1736 – Paris, 10 April 1813) was a mathematician and astronomer. According to one authority, he was "the greatest mathematician of the eighteenth century".[1]
He lived part of his life in Prussia and part in France. He made significant contributions to mathematical analysis, from number theory, to classical and celestial mechanics.
On the recommendation of Euler and d'Alembert, in 1766 Lagrange succeeded Euler as the director of mathematics at the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin. He stayed there for over twenty years, producing a large body of work and winning several prizes of the French Academy of Sciences.
Lagrange's treatise on analytical mechanics, first published in 1788, was the best treatment of classical mechanics since Newton, and helped the development of mathematical physics in the nineteenth century.[2]
Life[change | change source]
Lagrange's parents were Italian, although he also had French ancestors on his father's side. In 1787, at age 51, he moved from Berlin to France and became a member of the French Academy, and he remained in France until the end of his life. Therefore, Lagrange is alternatively considered a French and an Italian scientist.
Lagrange survived the French Revolution and became the first professor of analysis at the École Polytechnique upon its opening in 1794. Napoleon appointed Lagrange to the Legion of Honour and made him a Count of the Empire in 1808. Lagrange is buried in the Panthéon and his name appears as one of the 72 names inscribed on the Eiffel Tower.[1]
Related pages[change | change source]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 W.W. Rouse Ball, 1908 Joseph Louis Lagrange (1736 - 1813), A short account of the history of mathematics, 4th ed.
- ↑ Lagrange, Joseph-Louis 1888–89. Mécanique Analytique, 4th ed., 2 vols. Paris: Gauthier-Villars et fils.


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The Strategy seeks an investment return that approximates as closely as practicable, before expenses, the performance of its benchmark index (the "Index") over the long term.
BENCHMARK: Bloomberg U.S. 1-3 Year Credit Bond Index
The Strategy seeks an investment return that approximates as closely as practicable, before expenses, the performance of its benchmark index (the "Index") over the long term.
BENCHMARK: Bloomberg U.S. 1-3 Year Credit Bond Index
The Strategy is managed using an "indexing" investment approach, by which SSGA attempts to approximate, before expenses, the performance of the Index over the long term. The Strategy will not necessarily own all of the securities included in the Index.
The Strategy may attempt to invest in the securities comprising the Index, in the same proportions as they are represented in the Index, in limited cases where we believe it is practical to do so. However, due to the diverse composition of securities in the Index and the fact that many of the securities comprising the Index may be unavailable for purchase, it may not be possible for the Strategy to purchase some of the securities comprising the Index. In such a case, SSGA will select securities for the Portfolio that SSGA expects will provide a return comparable to that of the Index.
SSGA expects that it will typically seek to replicate Index returns for the Portfolio through investments in the "cash" bond markets - actual holdings of debt securities and other instruments - rather than through "notional" or "synthetic" positions achieved through the use of derivatives, such as futures contracts or swap transactions (except in the unusual case where SSGA believes that use of derivatives is necessary to achieve an exposure that is not readily available through the cash markets).
The Strategy's return may not match the return of the Index. There may be an increased variance between the return of the Strategy and the return of the Index due to differences between the Index pricing source and the source utilized to price the Strategy.
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There are risks involved with investing, including possible loss of principal. You should refer to the Strategy's Disclosure Document (SDD) for a complete description of the risks of investing in the Strategy. Please contact SSGA's relationship management team for a copy of the SDD.


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Leopard geckos are lizards native to Pakistan, India and Afghanistan where the terrain is dry and rocky. The geckos live on and under the ground and are nocturnal.
The reptile has a triangular head and a large tail where it stores fat. Its skin is bumpy and heavily patterned. The patterns are designed to camouflage and protect it from being seen by predators.
A leopard gecko makes an excellent pet. It is small, has minimal care requirements, and can be left alone for several days. The animal is quiet, doesn't smell, doesn't need attention, and a large amount of space for its home isn't required.
A gecko is inexpensive and easily available from pet stores and breeders. There are a wide variety of color and pattern variations. Because it is so easy to care for, a leopard gecko is a great choice if you want a pet reptile.
Care Sheet
Information covering what you will need to have a leopard gecko as a pet.
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Everything you need to know about your pet's diet. The types of food, vitamins, minerals, and supplements needed to have a healthy lizard.
Cages & Habitat
All the stuff your reptile needs in his new home. It includes cage size, light and heat requirements, decorations, and cleaning of the habitat.
How to sex your leopard geckos, breeding requirements, mating and egg laying, and incubating the newly laid eggs.
Baby Geckos
The hatching of eggs, housing, feeding, and general care of the babies.
A collection of common health problems that can occur.
For Sale & Breeders
Where to buy a leopard gecko and what to look for in a healthy lizard.
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