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In this episode, Rabbi Reinman discusses the origin and effects of the Tzedoki movement.
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Chapter Forty: The First Schism
Before we further investigate the fractious relationship between the Greek kingdoms and the Jewish homeland, it is important to consider the spiritual conditions in Judea during the first two centuries under the Alexandrian successor states. Who were the custodians of the Oral Law, and how did they perform their duties? What was the religious level of the people?
As discussed in Chapter Thirty-six, when the Persians allowed the Jewish people to return to Judea and build the Second Beis Hamikdash, the ruling body of the nascent state was the Anshei Knessess Hagedolah, a council of one hundred and twenty elite leaders, prophets and scholars. They shaped the contours of Jewish life for the rest of history. The last surviving member of this august council was Shimon Hatzaddik, the Kohein Gadol, who had multiple roles in addition to his duties in the Beis Hamikdash. He was the custodian and arbiter of the Oral Law as well as the political, judicial and spiritual leader.
After he passed away, the office of High Priest passed to members of his family, and the custodianship of the Oral Law passed to Antigonos of Socho, who presided over the Sanhedrin. He was by himself the ultimate authority on questions of law and religion, just as Shimon Hatzaddik had been, and Ezra before him, going back in a one-by-one succession all the way to Moshe Rabbeinu. Under his watch, an event occurred that would have profound effects on the Jewish people for the rest of history.
Every day, Antigonos taught the laws of the Torah to an inner circle of students, who discussed and reviewed the teachings until they became experts. Then they taught them to a wider group of students. These were the future rabbis and teachers of the Torah. Among his inner circle were two young men named Zadok and Baisus …
Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.
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[Video below.] As the secular calendar turned to a new year, Zohran Mamdani officially assumed office as New York City’s mayor, marking the start of a new and uncertain chapter for the nation’s largest city under a self-described Muslim socialist leader.
Just after midnight Thursday, the 34-year-old Queens assemblyman was sworn in beneath City Hall Park at the long-abandoned Old City Hall subway station. State Attorney General Letitia James administered the oath, with Mamdani’s wife, artist Rama Duwaji, standing beside him as he became the city’s 112th mayor and its second-youngest ever.
“This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said after completing the oath and submitting the $9 filing fee in cash.
He went on to extend New Year’s wishes to those attending the unusual ceremony. Mamdani told New Yorkers “both inside this tunnel and above” to have a happy New Year.
Looking ahead to the start of his administration, he added, “I cannot wait to see everyone tomorrow as we begin our term.”
Soon after the swearing-in, Mamdani announced his first major appointment, naming Mike Flynn as commissioner of the city Department of Transportation. Flynn previously served as a director at the agency.
“I can think of no better person,” Mamdani said of his DOT selection.
Flynn began his career at the department in 2005 as a project manager overseeing pedestrian and bicycle initiatives. He later advanced to director of capital planning and project initiation before departing the agency in 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Speaking after his appointment, Flynn praised the new mayor’s team, saying Mamdani and his advisers “fundamentally understand the role that transportation plays in the day to day lives in New Yorkers.” He pledged that the department would “think big and deliver big on our ambitious agenda.”
“I’m grateful, Mr. Mayor, for entrusting me with this critical role, which I consider the job of a lifetime, and I’m ready, I’m excited, to hit the ground running and deliver real results for New Yorkers,” Flynn said.
Mamdani’s mother, acclaimed filmmaker Mira Nair, watched the proceedings at the old station and admitted she never expected her son to reach City Hall. When asked whether she would be offering him guidance, she replied: “Of course, I’m going to be the mother of New York City.”
The choice of venue was deliberate, Mamdani explained, tying the shuttered subway stop to his broader vision for the city.
“When Old City Hall Station first opened in 1904 — one of New York’s 28 original subway stations — it was a physical monument to a city that dared to be both beautiful and build great things that would transform working peoples’ lives,” he said.
He added, “That ambition need not be a memory confined only to our past, nor must it be isolated only to the tunnels beneath City Hall: it will be the purpose of the administration fortunate enough to serve New Yorkers from the building above.”
The intimate underground ceremony, attended by only a small group and limited media, was set to be followed later Thursday by a large outdoor celebration. Thousands were expected to gather outside City Hall for a block party, where Sen. Bernie Sanders was slated to swear Mamdani in once again.
Festivities aside, the new mayor now faces the reality of governing a city often described as holding the second-hardest job in America.
Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, succeeds Mayor Eric Adams, a conservative Democrat and former police officer whose single term was clouded by alleged corruption, even as the city made progress on crime reduction and housing issues.
Born in Uganda, Mamdani takes charge of a city still struggling with a severe housing shortage, a school system grappling with declining enrollment, and staffing gaps across multiple agencies, including the NYPD, FDNY, and EMS.
Throughout his campaign, Mamdani promised sweeping changes aimed at lowering the cost of living, including universal childcare, city-operated grocery stores, free bus service, and a rent freeze. Those proposals, which he has described as priorities for his first year in office, are projected to exceed $10 billion in cost.
The ambitious agenda comes as New York City confronts a projected budget shortfall of nearly $400 million this fiscal year and an additional $6.5 billion gap next year, with the possibility of further reductions in federal funding.
How Mamdani responds to those financial pressures may become clear early in his tenure, as his administration is expected to present a preliminary budget for fiscal year 2027 within his first 100 days.
That process could test his relationships with Gov. Kathy Hochul, his former colleagues in the state Legislature, and the City Council. Attention will also focus on his dynamic with presumptive Council Speaker Julie Menin, who is widely viewed as a more moderate figure.
Among Mamdani’s immediate responsibilities will be filling remaining cabinet vacancies, including the post of sanitation commissioner.
On public safety, the new mayor inherits a city where shootings and shoplifting — two crime trends that spiked during the COVID era — have fallen to record lows. Still, overall major felony rates remain more than 20% higher than before the pandemic, a rise Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who will remain in her role, has attributed to the 2019 criminal justice reforms.
Mamdani’s rise to City Hall followed a contentious election cycle. He defeated former Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary and went on to win the general election in November, which saw historically high voter turnout.
Cuomo, running on a little-known third-party line, still captured 43% of the vote, leaving questions about the breadth of Mamdani’s mandate after he secured just over half of the more than 2 million ballots cast.
{Matzav.com}
As a harsh flu season spreads across the United States, the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stirred debate by questioning confidence in the annual flu shot while urging Americans to focus on personal health measures to fight infection.
Appearing Tuesday on Newsmax, Mehmet Oz said the vaccine has drawn increased skepticism and suggested that broader Make America Healthy Again initiatives could help people withstand illness during a year marked by a particularly aggressive strain of influenza.
“Flu is always a problem. Every year there’s a flu vaccine. It doesn’t always work very well. That’s why it’s been controversial of late,” Oz said. “But like many illnesses, the best news out there is if you can take care of yourself, so that when you do end up running into the flu, you can overwhelm it.”
Public health experts note that concerns this season stem from uncertainty about how closely the vaccine matches the dominant strain, known as H3N2 subclade K. Even so, they say vaccination remains an important defense against severe illness and widespread transmission.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to advise that everyone aged six months and older receive a flu shot, ideally before the end of October each year.
Backing that position, Jerome Adams said this week that even when the vaccine is not perfectly matched, it still meaningfully reduces risks tied to influenza.
“Even in mismatched years, flu vaccines provide cross-protection because the strains are related. Historical data … show mismatched vaccines can still reduce lab-confirmed flu risk by around 50-60% overall and are particularly good at preventing severe outcomes like hospitalization and death,” Adams wrote on social platform X.
A standard media disclaimer accompanying coverage of the issue notes that users who register agree to terms of use and privacy policies and may receive communications and targeted advertising from affiliated outlets.
In contrast, allies of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have increasingly challenged the effectiveness of the flu shot, arguing that it offers little benefit and could even worsen respiratory outcomes.
One of the most vocal critics has been Aaron Siri, a lawyer aligned with Kennedy who addressed the CDC’s vaccine advisory committee earlier this month. Siri pointed to studies he said undermined claims of benefit from the flu vaccine.
“no convincing evidence — none — that flu shots lowered the chances of dying, being admitted to the hospital, suffering serious complications from the flu, or transmitting flu to others,” Siri argued in October.
“That said: get a flu shot, don’t get a fu shot. That’s freedom. Everyone should be free to choose,” he added.
Oz, meanwhile, used his Newsmax appearance to emphasize lifestyle choices as a key line of defense against severe flu, rather than relying solely on vaccination.
“Things like getting sunlight, and you can’t do that in northern parts of the country, which is tough this time of year, take some vitamin D. Zinc seems to be effective as a basic supplement,” he added. “But fundamentally, the MAHA initiatives: Eat the right food, food that came out of the ground looking the way it looks when you eat it and consume it, and getting physical activity actually makes sense. But the most important tool of all is sleep.”
The H3N2 subclade K strain, sometimes referred to as a “super-flu” variant, has circulated widely this season, with patients reporting longer-lasting and more intense symptoms.
Despite the debate, vaccination rates have ticked upward. The CDC reports that 42.2 percent of adults had received a flu shot as of Dec. 13, a higher share than at the same point last year.
For those who do fall ill, the CDC currently lists four antiviral treatments for influenza: Tamiflu, Xofluza, Relenza, and Rapivab.
{Matzav.com}
Leading chassidishe rebbes have ruled to postpone a major protest rally against the Israeli draft law by one day in order to avoid unnecessary ביטול תורה and ensure that yeshiva students participate at a time when regular learning schedules are anyway suspended.
In advance of the large-scale Yerushalayim gathering titled Kol Shav’asam, to be led by prominent Sephardic and chassidic Torah leaders, mashgichim and roshei yeshiva from the chassidic yeshiva world visited the home of the Tchernobyler Rebbe to seek his ruling regarding the timing of the rally.
The question presented was whether the protest—originally scheduled for Monday of next week and expected to draw tens of thousands of chassidic yeshiva bochurim—should be moved. Since Nittel falls on the following day, Tuesday, those making the request suggested that holding the rally then would prevent additional loss of learning time, as there is in any case no regular seder on Nittel.
After considering the arguments, the Tchernobyler Rebbe agreed with the proposal but asked to first hear the opinion of the Rachmastrivka Rebbe. Following his review of the matter, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe concurred with the decision.
As a result, the Kol Shav’asam protest rally against the draft law will take place on Tuesday in Terushalayim. The event s scheduled to pass through the streets of Yirmiyahu, Brandies, and Sarai Yisrael, with mass participation from the chassidishe world.
{Matzav.com}
[COMMUNICATED]
Dear Community Members,
We are reaching out on behalf of a family in our Lakewood community who is facing an urgent crisis that requires immediate assistance.
A local family is currently going through an eviction while simultaneously dealing with serious medical challenges. The father is experiencing health issues that have affected the family’s ability to maintain stability during this difficult time. They are in immediate need of approximately $13,000 to prevent displacement from their home.
Out of respect for the family’s dignity, we are not sharing all details publicly, but those who know the situation understand this is a genuine emergency involving real people in our community who need our help right now.
This is more than just a financial crisis—it’s about keeping a family together and housed during one of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. No family should face homelessness while also managing serious health concerns.
How You Can Help:
Financial contributions of any amount will make a direct difference
Share this appeal with others who might be able to help
Time is critical. This family needs our help now.
For those wishing to contribute or learn more about how to help, please visit: https://thechesedfund.com/oht/save-a-mishpacha-from-eviction
Please see the letter of support from the Roshei Yeshiva below.
May we all be blessed with health, success, and the ability to help one another in times of need.
Your fellow community members
The political rift between the chareidi parties Degel HaTorah and Shas is deepening, as a senior Degel HaTorah official laid out his party’s version of the events that led to the breakdown in relations surrounding the appointment of the chair of the Yerushalayim Religious Council.
Speaking at length, the senior figure said the crisis began with what he described as an attempt at coordination with Shas chairman Aryeh Deri, which initially appeared promising but quickly turned out to be a unilateral move. “I called him and told him I wanted cooperation,” the official said. “Deri said, ‘Excellent, I’m glad you called.’ But immediately afterward, his representatives made it clear to us that they were appointing the chairman that very day and that he would be a Shas person only.”
Within Degel HaTorah, there is anger over what party officials describe as exploitation of the situation, at a time when Degel is preoccupied with the struggle over the draft law and recent arrests. The senior figure rejected Shas’s claim that Degel HaTorah is a small party, arguing that electorally this is simply not true. “We are the largest party in Yerushalayim, whether you count United Torah Judaism with its nine seats or Degel HaTorah on its own. In raw votes, we are larger than Shas,” he said. He added that genuine cooperation cannot amount to “having a Degel HaTorah representative holding flowers in the room,” while substantive positions are taken exclusively by Shas.
Tensions have also spilled over into parliamentary conduct in the Knesset, where Degel HaTorah has refrained from advancing certain legislation. However, the senior official insisted on drawing a clear distinction between the issues. According to him, the current boycott of coalition votes in the plenum is primarily aimed at accelerating legislation on the draft issue in light of the arrests, and did not stem directly from the dispute over the religious councils. Still, he made clear that Degel HaTorah is capable of flexing its political muscle. “Contrary to what they say, we did not vote against transferring the Ministry of Religious Services, but everyone knows that it wouldn’t be difficult for me to recruit one MK to vote with us, and that would have ended it,” he said.
The Degel HaTorah official launched a sharp attack on former Religious Services Minister Michael Malkieli and on the ministry’s director-general Yehuda Avidan, accusing them of refusing even to sit down for substantive negotiations over the identity of the council chair. “He told him, ‘You should know that today I am appointing the head of the appointed committee,’” the official recalled of the tense exchanges.
He also questioned Deri’s past declarations to Shas’s Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah. “Deri told the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah that he was in the opposition. Is this opposition?” he asked. “So you go and take advantage of the fact that Moshe Gafni is not in the Finance Committee in order to do things there and marshal a majority for whatever you want?”
In closing, the senior Degel HaTorah figure stressed that all of his actions were carried out under close supervision from the party’s rabbinic leadership. He rejected accusations directed at Degel HaTorah and emphasized that harming the party’s representatives amounts to harming the leading Torah authorities themselves. “I didn’t do anything without receiving instructions from the gedolei Torah,” he said. “Whether to vote against, to abstain, or not to enter — I received direct instructions. I was on the line with them all day.”
He concluded by warning that Degel HaTorah will not accept a reality in which religious services are used as a weapon against it, and said the struggle over representation of the Lithuanian ציבור in Yerushalayim will continue “at full intensity.”
{Matzav.com}
An emotional scene unfolded this week at a kollel in Cholon, when Rav Yitzchak Zilberstein publicly pledged to personally pay 1,000 shekels to any kollel member who succeeds in finding a shidduch for an older single girl in need of a shidduch.
The incident took place Tuesday, the fast of Asarah B’Teves, at Kollel Beis Dovid in Cholon, following a special tefillah held by Rav Zilberstein on behalf of the girl, who is the daughter of one of the kollel’s avreichim. Speaking briefly before Minchah to dozens of talmidim, Rav Zilberstein made an impassioned appeal that surprised those present.
“Dear and beloved friends,” Rav Zilberstein said, according to a recording aired on the ‘Siach Yitzchak’ hotline. “I have a request. We have a very dear brother in the kollel, one of the most precious among us. He is suffering greatly. He has a daughter—certainly as precious as he is—and there are no shidduchim. I think today we should ask everyone to say three chapters of Tehillim.”
Rav Zilberstein then added an extraordinary commitment. “I want to say something else,” he continued. “If one of us finds a shidduch, I will give him one thousand shekels. First, we will daven for him—he is our brother, and the pain is very great. The daughter is getting older every day, and he is a great talmid chacham. So I am saying: If one of us finds a shidduch, in addition to the shadchanus fee he will receive from the families, he will personally receive one thousand shekels from me.”
Quoting the words of Tehillim, Rav Zilberstein urged the avreichim to internalize the pain of the situation. “Let us now say the chapter, ‘Esa einai el heharim, mei’ayin yavo ezri.’ This is our help. This is not hefker here. ‘From where will my help come?’ It hurts us. I repeat again: Whoever hears my words now and finds a shidduch—aside from the shadchanus—I will, with Hashem’s help, give another one thousand shekels. After the tefillah we will say Tehillim, and bli neder I will give the money to the one who merits this great mitzvah of finding her a chosson. May Hakadosh Baruch Hu help us quickly.”
In recent years, Rav Zilberstein has repeatedly spoken about the growing crisis of older singles. At a Chanukah gathering at the same kollel, he addressed the issue directly. “Es achai anochi mevakesh,” he said then. “There are avreichim whose sons or daughters are older and waiting for a zivug. Sadly, this is a tzarah of all of Klal Yisroel—one of the most difficult problems of our time. Beyond tefillah for one another, and the principle that one who davens for his friend is answered first, there must also be real, practical effort.”
He continued at that event by urging every avreich to actively think of shidduchim for others, describing the effort as an extraordinary act of chessed and a partnership in building a bayis b’Yisroel, bringing light and joy to families who wait and yearn for that moment.
{Matzav.com}