Worth a read 4.5.11

• Rav Slifkin asks whether Judaism sees all men as Equal. He seems to take it as a given that Judaism does not - though he doesn't really give any guidance on how he ranks importance. This is a fascinating topic, and one that deserves some careful analysis - I look forward to Rav Slifkin continuing to blog on the matter.
• Torahmusings writes about listening to music during the sephira - and surprised me by showing that the well accepted prohibition is based on just a general prohibition of dancing. 
• International Law - Was the killing of Bin-Laden Legal?

1. Commentary Magazine - Yes, case closed. Sadly the writer "Max Boot" (who I follow in Twitter and is usually quite interesting) gets the legal question wrong. Everyone would agree that you can kill Osama in a firefight - however the legal question is can you send a team to "kill" him in the first place.(ad bellum).
2. The Guardian - Quotes a few experts who are of the opinion that the killing was not legal.  Their main argument was that Osama could have been captured and sent to trial. All the experts quotes seem to think in terms of "Policing" and not in terms of War-Law (Law of conflict, aka International humanitarian law). (See this Opinio Juris post on this matter).
3. Der spigel - Probably the best written piece of the three newspaper writings. Asks the right questions, even if the answers seem a little one sided.
4. Opinio Juris (Kevin Jon Heller) - Argues that the killing was legal, and correctly analyses that the question is a question of humanitarian law and not human rights law.

• Goldberg writes questions regarding the Hamas-Fatah deal.