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Q: Should July the Fourth be celebrated or is it chukos hagoyim?

Rav Avigdor Miller zt”l: Should you stop your learning to make a barbecue? No, there’s no reason for that.

But we hang out a flag from this synagogue on July the Fourth. Walk down Ocean Parkway, no flags. But here, yes.

I’ll tell you a story. In Vilna, Rav Yisroel Salanter once entered a big shul and it was the custom – it’s in the siddur – to say הנותן תשועה למלכים, a certain prayer for the king. Some siddurim still have that; a prayer for the President.

Does anybody ever say it? Nobody ever says it. It’s a formality. Just to bluff the goyim. If they should look in our prayer book, “See we’re praying for you.” But of course we never pray for them.

It’s not true. It’s a befeirushe Mishnah: הוי מתפלל בשלומו של מלכות – you must pray for the welfare of the kingdom, for the government. You have to pray for the government.

So Rav Yisrael Salanter once came into a big shul and the shamash instead of saying הנותן תשועה למלכים, he skipped it. They used to say it there in Russia but he skipped it. So Rav Yisroel went up to the bimah, he took a siddur and he recited it aloud for the public to hear. He himself did it. To let them know it’s an obligation – we have to pray for the government. We have to pray for the government.

So if so many meshugaim today are trying to desecrate the American flag; even the wicked Supreme Court has sanctioned the desecration of the flag—it’s not a crime any more—we have to show we appreciate Hashem’s gift to us. America is a great gift to us. We have to pray beshelomo shel malchus.

And so I say every Jew today should hang out the flag on the Fourth of July. Even just lehachis the liberals – to show the reshaim that we do appreciate America.

These fools are trying to tell us that someplace else is better. Here it’s no good. In Kent, in Ohio, the National Guard shot down four students some years ago when they protested. What a terrible fuss they made in America! But in Beijing, in China, they shot down two hundred students and nothing is said about it. What’s done by the Communists is perfectly all right. In America they were ruining the campus, these bums. They deserved to be shot down. No question about it. I sent a letter to the government and congratulated them for shooting them.

But what goes on someplace else, nothing to criticize. When the Russians marched into Hungary and took over a free land and made it a slave country of theirs, nobody said a word here.

But the Jews who were trying to fight to save themselves in Eretz Yisrael against the Arabs who want to kill Jewish men, women and children, so the New York Times is making the biggest fuss. Palestinian rights!

Why didn’t you make a fuss against the Russians? The Russians are occupying foreign countries. They’ve been doing it for years and years. They brought their tanks into Hungary, into Czechoslovakia and everywhere else. They’re threatening anybody who wants to be independent. So why is it that you raise a big mouth only against the State of Israel and not against what the Russians are doing?

The answer is the wickedness has no calculations. They do things only because of wickedness.

And therefore we should do the opposite. Now I’m not saying we should be Zionists, but absolutely when we see how the New York Times raises a hue and cry against Israel because of the injustice of the Palestinians, we should open our mouths against them.

And when the reshaim in America want to ruin this country, the least we can do is show we appreciate the great gift of America. I say we should hang out the flag, no question about it.

TAPE #792 (July 1990)

{Matzav.com}

Rav Gershon Ribner, rosh kollel of Kollel Nesivos Hatorah and son-in-law of Rav Shneur Kotler, has succeeded in applying classical Talmudical analysis and methodology to understanding all areas of Yiddishkeit, bringing out its profundity and sense.

LISTEN:

Three kedoshei elyon had one common concept when it came to learning Torah – they were the Ohr Hachaim Hakadosh (Rabbi Chaim ibn Attar 1696-1743) when he came to Eretz Yisroel; the Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto 1707-1746) when he lived in Padua, Italy;  and Hagaon, Harav Chaim Volozhiner, (1749-1821) the famous talmid of the Gaon of Vilna. They each had a yeshiva with ‘around-the-clock’ Torah learning, 24-hours a day, so that there would be no minute when the sound of Torah learning would not be heard in this world. The 24-hour period would be divided into shifts, and as one ended the next would begin. Torah-24 A “Torah-24” Center has been opened in Yerushalayim and the Nasi is Maran Sar Hatorah, Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l. Under ONE ROOF, from 6:00 am – 6:00 am, 10 kollelim fill successive learning shifts. Each kollel focuses on a specific area of in-depth Torah study. The “Torah-24” Kollelim include: Boker (Gemora), Yerushalmi, Bavli, Zeraim-Taharot, Dalet Chelkei Shulchan Aruch, Erev (Gemora), Chatzos- Zohar/Kabbolah, Erev Shabbos (Chumash / Medrash b’iyun).  Already there are 52 avreichim metzuyonim, and a large number of candidates are vying for the remaining slots in the kollelim. All the avreichim are required to take rigorous monthly tests. Endorsements & Letters Endorsements include Maranan Hagaonim shlit”a: Harav Gershon Edelstein, Harav Berel Povarsky, Harav Shimon Badani, Harav Dovid Cohen, Harav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, Harav Chaim Feinstein, Harav Shimon Galai, Harav Shraga Shteinman. Letters of support-encouragement have been received from Maranan Hagaonim, shlit”a: Hamekubal Harav David Bazri, Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Elimelech Biderman, Hamekubal Harav Yaakov Meir Schechter, Harav Moishe Sternbuch, Harav Yitzchak Tuvia Weiss. For more “Torah-24” information click on: www.torah-24.com or call 718-766-5022

[COMMUNICATED]

The visit of six senior roshei yeshiva to the U.S. last week ignited an extraordinary display of Kavod Hatorah, with tens of thousands turning out to welcome the gedolim to their towns and show support for limud hatorah in Eretz Yisroel, which is under severe threat due to drastic funding cuts by the Israeli government.

Over the course of the gedolim’s short visit, a staggering $83 million was donated by philanthropists to Keren Olam Hatorah, the fund established by the roshei yeshiva, bringing the ambitious goal of raising $107 million to fill the gap left by the spending cuts within reach. However, there is still $24 million left to be raised.

Now, the broader public has been given a mandate by the gedolei hador: It is our collective responsibility to close the gap and ensure the continuity of Torah study in yeshivos and kollelim across Eretz Yisroel. Rayze.It/olamhatorah

The urgency of the moment cannot be overstated and the chovas hasha’a is clear: We must come together, rallying k’ish echad b’lev echad to support our colleagues in limud hatorah. The gedolim’s call demands every member of Klal Yisroel to step up and contribute to this crucial cause. 

Now is the time to act. Here is how you can help:

Create Fundraising Teams: Forming a fundraising team is one of the most impactful ways to support this initiative. Gather friends, family, and members of your kehilla to join you in raising funds. This collective effort not only amplifies your impact but also builds a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose.

Spread the Word: Awareness is key. Use your personal and professional networks to share the importance of Keren Olam Hatorah. Encourage others to create their own fundraising teams or to contribute directly to the cause.

Personal Contributions: Every donation counts, whether large or small. Your personal contribution will directly impact the sustainability of Torah learning in Eretz Yisroel.

Corporate Involvement: Business owners and executives can play a pivotal role by encouraging their employees to join the fundraising initiative. Creating a company team can significantly boost fundraising efforts.

By investing in Keren Olam Hatorah, you will be investing in the future of Klal Yisroel and ensuring that the light of Torah continues to shine brightly. Your efforts will not only benefit the yeshivos and kollelim but will also undoubtedly bring Shefa Bracha to you, your family, and all your endeavors.

Donations can already be made by visiting Rayze.It/olamhatorah. Shuls, companies or other groups that want to create a team can do so by emailing office@kerenolamhatorah.org

The al-Quds Brigades, the armed faction of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, is intensifying their psychological tactics regarding the Israeli hostages they have detained since October 7th.

In a statement, the militant group alleged that multiple Israeli hostages attempted suicide out of despair over their perceived abandonment by the Israeli government and the altered behavior of their captors.

The group asserted that the conditions of the hostages have deteriorated in response to the supposed killing of civilians in Nuseirat by the IDF during a rescue operation, as well as the “torture” of security prisoners in Israel and the worsening conditions of these prisoners.

According to the al-Quds Brigades, the treatment of the Israeli hostages is directly linked to the treatment of the security prisoners, and it will continue to decline as long as the Israeli government maintains its current policies.

Simultaneously, the al-Quds Brigades issued a condolence message to Hezbollah regarding the death of Muhammad Neamah Naser, the commander of Hezbollah’s Aziz unit.

In their message, the group expressed appreciation and pride for the support Naser provided to them, stating that his death will bolster their resolve to continue their path of Jihad and sacrifice.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Israel announced that it had received a response from Hamas regarding the latest proposal for a truce and hostage deal and would review it before providing feedback.

The Prime Minister’s Office, via a Mossad statement, confirmed that mediators “have conveyed” Hamas’s feedback on the proposed hostages deal to Israeli negotiators.

“Israel is evaluating the remarks and will convey its reply to the mediators,” the brief statement read.

Hamas later affirmed it had submitted its updated demands, issuing a statement expressing its eagerness to reach a ceasefire agreement and continue discussions with the mediators.

“We exchanged some ideas with the mediators with the goal of stopping the war and the full withdrawal from the Gaza Strip,” the terror group stated, claiming flexibility in its demands while accusing Israel of attempting to “deceive and evade.”

In a subsequent statement, Hamas mentioned that its Qatar-based politburo leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had spoken with mediators in Qatar and Egypt about the ongoing discussions. Talks had also been held with Turkish officials regarding the recent developments.

“The movement dealt in a positive spirit with the content of the ongoing deliberations,” the statement added.

Over six months of mediator-facilitated negotiations involving the US, Qatar, and Egypt have repeatedly stalled in efforts to secure the release of the 116 hostages taken on October 7, a ceasefire in Gaza, and the release of hundreds of Palestinian security prisoners.

The current deal under negotiation is based on a three-stage long-term Israeli proposal unveiled by President Joe Biden at the end of May. Despite this, over a month has passed with little apparent progress.

On June 11, Hamas responded to the Israeli proposal, but the US criticized it for including numerous amendments, some of which reneged on previously agreed clauses, while others were deemed unacceptable. On June 12, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken labeled some of these changes as “not workable.”

In the ensuing weeks, mediators worked to persuade Hamas to reduce its demands. Last week, the State Department, for the first time, stated that Hamas had “rejected the proposal on the table.” This led to the new response submitted by the terror group on Wednesday. A senior Israeli official noted that the new response was sufficiently positive to enable negotiations to proceed after several weeks of impasse.

According to this official, the updated Hamas offer brought the sides closer on Clauses 8 and 14 of the Israeli proposal. Clause 8 pertains to negotiations between Israel and Hamas during the six-week phase one of the ceasefire deal. Clause 14 addresses the transition from stage one to stage two.

Israel aims to keep the language in these clauses sufficiently vague to allow the resumption of hostilities against Hamas if necessary, while Hamas wants assurances that Israel cannot restart fighting after the initial six-week phase one.

The senior Israeli official emphasized that significant gaps remain to be bridged before reaching an agreement, despite Hamas’s relatively positive response.

The Israeli government must decide in the coming days whether to engage in more detailed negotiations with Qatari, Egyptian, and American mediators.

Should the government authorize the Mossad-led negotiating team to enter such talks, it would likely take several more weeks to finalize a deal, according to a report by Axios, citing another unnamed senior Israeli official.

Although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was informed by the Mossad-led negotiating team that the latest Hamas response was better than the “non-starter” previously submitted, his office issued a statement through an anonymous “security official” indicating that talks were hindered by Hamas’s insistence on a clause preventing Israel from resuming fighting after phase one of the truce deal.

Netanyahu’s office waited several more hours before confirming that Israel had received Hamas’s latest response, seemingly to criticize the premier for impeding the talks.

In its earlier statement, Netanyahu’s office noted that Hamas continued to demand a clause preventing Israel from resuming fighting after phase one of the deal. Israel seeks to retain a clause allowing the resumption of hostilities if Hamas violates the agreement.

“Hamas continues to insist on a principle clause in the outline that would prevent Israel from resuming fighting after phase one of the deal — something that is unacceptable to Israel,” read the initial statement attributed to a senior Israeli security official, sent by Netanyahu’s office to some military correspondents.

The statement added that other gaps remain, but Israel will maintain military and diplomatic pressure on Hamas to secure the release of the remaining 120 hostages, including four held since before the current conflict.

Last month, two officials familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel that negotiations are primarily complicated by Hamas’s demand for an upfront Israeli guarantee of a permanent ceasefire.

A New York Times report on Monday suggested that IDF top generals believe a permanent ceasefire is the best way to free the remaining hostages, but this was quickly refuted by Netanyahu, who criticized the “anonymous sources” quoted by the US outlet.

“I don’t know who those unnamed parties are, but I’m here to make it unequivocally clear: it won’t happen,” Netanyahu stated on Tuesday in a Hebrew video message. “We will end the war only after we have achieved all of its goals, including the elimination of Hamas and the release of all our hostages.”

During the deadly October 7 attack, Hamas and other terrorist operatives kidnapped 251 people from Israel, including several deceased individuals, and took them to Gaza. The IDF has confirmed that at least 42 of the 116 believed to still be held in Gaza are dead.

Over the past nine months, 109 hostages have been released, seven have been rescued by the IDF, and the bodies of 19 have been recovered from Gaza, including three who were mistakenly killed by troops.

The debate in Israel over whether to prioritize the return of hostages or continue fighting against Hamas has intensified, leading to increasingly fervent mass protests demanding Netanyahu reach a deal.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Days ahead of France’s crucial parliamentary elections, renowned Nazi hunter Serge Klarsfeld is sticking to his advice that if voters are faced with a duel between Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and a far-left competitor, they should choose the far right. The advice from Klarsfeld, an 88-year-old Jewish historian who has dedicated his life to bringing fugitive Nazis to justice, goes against many other Jewish leaders and intellectuals in France who see fighting the National Rally as a top priority in Sunday’s runoff vote. But Klarsfeld told The Associated Press in an interview at his Paris apartment that the far-left France Unbowed party has militant pro-Palestinian supporters and “antisemitic overtones,” while Le Pen’s party supports Israel and Jewish people. “Marine Le Pen is the head of a party which supports Israel and supports the Jews,” Klarsfeld said in the interview Tuesday. “So we gave this advice to those who will be faced with this runoff between the far left and what used to be the far right, which for us is now a populist party, to vote for the right,” he said. Klarsfeld shocked many people in France, including those in the Jewish community, when he first stated this position on French television earlier this month. Klarsfeld said he himself will vote for President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance, but not all of the voters in the 577 French districts will have that option in Sunday’s run-off elections, where many will be able to choose only between a National Rally or a France Unbowed candidate. The top three blocs are the anti-immigration, nationalist National Rally, Macron’s alliance and a broad leftist coalition that includes the Socialists, the greens and France Unbowed. The National Rally fared the best in the first round, propelling the party and its allies closer than ever to the government. But Sunday’s outcome remains uncertain as other political parties are trying to block National Rally’s path. An unprecedented number of candidates who qualified for the runoff have stepped aside to favor the competitor they believe is most likely to win against a National Rally opponent. “I fear the far left. The far left has a deep-seated hatred of Israel and has … militants who are pro-Palestinians,” Klarsfeld said, describing France Unbowed as “a violently anti-Israeli party with certain anti-Semitic overtones.” France’s roughly half-million people of Jewish faith make up only a small portion of the country’s 66 million inhabitants, but they have been thrust into the electoral fray by the country’s bitter divisions over the Hamas-Israel war. Opposing camps in the legislative elections have hurled accusations of antisemitism at each other. France Unbowed leaders have staunchly condemned the conduct of Israel’s war against Hamas and accused it of pursuing genocide against Palestinians. But they have strongly denied accusations of antisemitism. Jean-Marie Le Pen, co-founder of the National Rally’s forerunner, the National Front, has multiple convictions for racism and antisemitism, including for repeatedly saying that Nazi gas chambers were “a detail” of WWII history. Pierre Bousquet, another founder, was a member of the French division of Nazi Germany’s Waffen-SS. Jean-Marie Le Pen was expelled from the party in 2015 as part of a makeover by his daughter and successor, Marine Le Pen, to make it palatable to mainstream voters. Klarsfeld said he believes Marine Le Pen has transformed […]

In response to recent communal tragedies and the challenging situation in Eretz Yisroel, particularly concerning the draft law and the ongoing war, the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Agudas Yisroel of America and the Lakewood roshei yeshiva have called for a special day of tefillah and teshuvah. Designated as a Yom Kippur Koton Mukdam, today, Thursday, will be a time for tefillah and introspection.

At Bais Medrash Govoah, tefillos of Yom Kippur Koton will be held in multiple locations. The botei medrash of Bais Yitzchok, Forest Avenue, Bais Shalom, and Bais Shmuel will each host the special tefillos, starting at 1:35 p.m.

May the tefillos ascend to the Ribono Shel Olam, and may we merit to see the fulfillment of the words of the Novi: “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be delivered” (Yoel 3:5).

{Matzav.com}

It pains me to write this article but it’s probably more painful if I don’t. It pains me to write this article because of several reasons. One, I sell insurance and this public service announcement may appear self-serving. Secondly, I am the husband of a director of a large camp who pays a substantial amount of money in rent, insurance, and taxes, which again may appear self-serving. Let me be transparent and unequivocal: while I’d love for you to be a client of mine or a parent of my wife’s camp, I’d much prefer  your children to have a safe and FUN camp experience that’s covered by insurance should the need chas v’shalom arise. It also would pain me to NOT write this article, because I imagine if I have some experience and knowledge in this area and I don’t share it, that makes me responsible in some way. There are many issues to think about when operating a backyard camp or sending your child to one. I’ll elaborate on a few that come to mind. One, if a child gets injured in a backyard, it’s likely a homeowners insurance policy will decline such a claim. Since there is no coverage for operating a business out of a home, let alone one that watches a gaggle of children. Two, oftentimes backyard camps will have a “trip” to a neighbor’s pool, 7-11, or to another backyard camp. The neighbor’s homeowners’ policy will also NOT cover an accident at the pool. Nor will your automobile policy cover ferrying children around town for camp trips. Lastly (for the sake of brevity), should a counselor become injured on the job, his/her health insurance could also decline coverage. Since this could be considered a “workplace” accident, it is something workers comp insurance should cover NOT regular health insurance. So, now that you are a little more educated about the behind the scenes operation of a camp that operates out of a rented premises with all required insurance you should also understand, why they charge what they do. I recognize there IS a significant difference in camp tuitions but what you are saving may cost a lot more in the long run. Y.P.  The views expressed in this letter do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review. 

Rabbi Aharon Asayag shlit”a at the Beit Halevi site

In response to the growing need for affordable housing among young haredi families who live by the ethos of ‘Torato Omanuto,’ a new initiative has been launched in Netivot. Kiryat Beit Halevi, a community of 10,000 housing units slated to be built over the next few years, surrounded by multiple Talmud Torahs, Kollelim, Yeshivas Hanegev, shopping centers, and playgrounds – approximately the size of the entirety of Kiryat Sefer (Modiin Ilit) today. This, in addition to another 10,000 units to be built in the city in the near future. These homes will be priced significantly lower than similar properties in established haredi communities like Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, and Beit Shemesh, with a starting price around $200,000 less. The goal is to make Netivot an appealing and practical option for families seeking to continue their Torah learning and living as their families grow.

The project’s driving force includes prominent Torah supporters from the United States. This initiative, with endorsements from leading rabbanim in Eretz Yisrael, led by Rabbi Aharon Asayag Shlit”a, aims to create a thriving Torah community in Netivot, having coordinated the city’s education, Torah, and chessed initiatives for the past 20 years. By providing affordable housing and a supportive environment, the initiative seeks to place Netivot on the map of haredi real estate, transforming it into the next Lakewood of the South.

Putting Netivot on the Haredi Housing Map

Map of Netivot. In red, the existing haredi community. In blue and green, areas under construction. In yellow, Yeshivas Hanegev

To encourage families to make the move, several strategies have been put in place. A partnership with generous donors from the U.S. has resulted in a $10 million fund, offering grants of $50,000 to each family that relocates. Additionally, agreements with contractors ensure that the project’s first 300 units are reserved exclusively for families recruited through this initiative. Furthermore, leading yeshivas such as Ponevezh and Tifrach have already committed to sending some of their avreichim to Netivot, with 25% of the project’s units already sold to alumni of these esteemed institutions.

Netivot was chosen after careful consideration of several factors. These included the availability of 3,000 new housing units within five years, the city’s proximity to major haredi centers like Bnei Brak and Jerusalem (just an hour’s drive), and its existing infrastructure to support a haredi community with diverse, existing employment opportunities. Netivot scored the highest in these areas, making it the ideal location for this ambitious project.

The short-term goal is to attract 300 quality families from prominent yeshivot to establish a strong initial community. Over the next four years, the project aims to settle 1,500 families in Netivot, firmly establishing it on the haredi housing map.

Modern Apartments Designed With the Haredi Family in Mind

Apartments in the Beit Halevi project. For illustrative purposes only

This effort to strengthen the Torah community in Netivot is a collaborative endeavor, guided and coordinated with community leaders like Rabbi Aryeh Levy, a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, and Rabbi Shmuel Montag, the community’s spiritual leader. Their involvement ensures that the project stays true to the values and needs of the haredi community.

Rabbi Aharon Asayag shlit”a and Rabbi Yissachar Meir zt”l

As such, the apartments being built in Netivot as part of the Kiryat Beit Halevi project promise modern living and are designed to meet the needs of young haredi families. The apartments feature spacious layouts kitchens with upgraded cabinetry and a double sink, and sukkah balconies. Common areas include luxurious lobbies, and each apartment has a designated private parking space.

These specifications ensure that families moving to Netivot will enjoy a high standard of living, with all the conveniences needed for a comfortable and fulfilling Torah lifestyle.

A Growing Kehilla, Week After Week

There are many apartments to choose from within the Beit Halevi project

Since its founding by Rabbi Yissachar Meir zt”l, the Netivot haredi community has grown into a diverse and vibrant kehillah. Yet, until now, it has remained in the shadow of other peripheral cities where haredi communities have developed more recently. The parallel growth of the haredi community alongside the city as a whole is necessary to preserve the unique character of the kehillah, following the spiritual foundations laid by great rabbis like Rabbi Yissachar Meir zt”l, Rabbi Reuven Yosef Gershonowitz zt”l, and Rabbi Chaim Friedlander zt”l.

Netivot is experiencing unprecedented growth, poised to become a city of 100,000 residents. The city’s expansion will include the construction of 1,500 new housing units around the haredi community, an upcoming agreement to add another 12,000 units city-wide, and the inclusion of 3,000 units designated for haredi families. Hundreds of young haredi couples have already purchased homes, and more families join the Beit Halevi project every week. 

This accelerated development in Netivot presents a unique opportunity for new haredi families to join and live Torah lives comfortably and surrounded by a growing and invested community. Additionally, the city offers developed transportation channels, shopping areas, employment opportunities, and quality educational institutions, making it an ideal location for a life of Torah and bracha.

The visit of six senior roshei yeshiva to the U.S. last week ignited an extraordinary display of Kavod Hatorah, with tens of thousands turning out to welcome the gedolim to their towns and show support for limud hatorah in Eretz Yisroel, which is under severe threat due to drastic funding cuts by the Israeli government. Over the course of the gedolim’s short visit, a staggering $83 million was donated by philanthropists to Keren Olam Hatorah, the fund established by the roshei yeshiva, bringing the ambitious goal of raising $107 million to fill the gap left by the spending cuts within reach. However, there is still $24 million left to be raised. Now, the broader public has been given a mandate by the gedolei hador: It is our collective responsibility to close the gap and ensure the continuity of Torah study in yeshivos and kollelim across Eretz Yisroel. Rayze.It/olamhatorah The urgency of the moment cannot be overstated and the chovas hasha’a is clear: We must come together, rallying k’ish echad b’lev echad to support our colleagues in limud hatorah. The gedolim’s call demands every member of Klal Yisroel to step up and contribute to this crucial cause.  Now is the time to act. Here is how you can help: Create Fundraising Teams: Forming a fundraising team is one of the most impactful ways to support this initiative. Gather friends, family, and members of your kehilla to join you in raising funds. This collective effort not only amplifies your impact but also builds a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose. Spread the Word: Awareness is key. Use your personal and professional networks to share the importance of Keren Olam Hatorah. Encourage others to create their own fundraising teams or to contribute directly to the cause. Personal Contributions: Every donation counts, whether large or small. Your personal contribution will directly impact the sustainability of Torah learning in Eretz Yisroel. Corporate Involvement: Business owners and executives can play a pivotal role by encouraging their employees to join the fundraising initiative. Creating a company team can significantly boost fundraising efforts. By investing in Keren Olam Hatorah, you will be investing in the future of Klal Yisroel and ensuring that the light of Torah continues to shine brightly. Your efforts will not only benefit the yeshivos and kollelim but will also undoubtedly bring Shefa Bracha to you, your family, and all your endeavors. Donations can already be made by visiting Rayze.It/olamhatorah. Shuls, companies or other groups that want to create a team can do so by emailing office@kerenolamhatorah.org

A leading House Democrat is preparing a constitutional amendment in response to the Supreme Court’s landmark immunity ruling, seeking to reverse the decision “and ensure that no president is above the law.” Rep. Joseph Morelle of New York, the top Democrat on the House Administration Committee, sent a letter to colleagues informing them of his intent to file the resolution, which would kickstart what’s traditionally a cumbersome amendment process. “This amendment will do what SCOTUS failed to do — prioritize our democracy,” Morelle said in a statement to AP. In referring to Donald Trump, Morelle said the former president “must be held accountable for his decisions. I urge my colleagues to support my amendment and stand with me on the front line to protect our democracy.” It’s the most significant legislative response yet to the decision this week from the court’s conservative majority, which stunned Washington and drew a sharp dissent from the court’s liberal justices warning of the perils to democracy, particularly as Trump seeks a return to the White House. Still, the effort stands almost no chance of succeeding in this Congress. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts said that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions take within their official duties — a decision that throws into doubt the Justice Department’s cases against Trump, including his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump and his allies celebrated the ruling by the court, which includes three justices appointed by the former president, and his legal team immediately moved to delay sentencing for his felony conviction in an unrelated hush money case in New York state court that had been scheduled for next week. The judge agreed to push off the sentencing until fall. The outcome all but ensures the federal cases against Trump will not be resolved before the November election when he faces a likely rematch with President Joe Biden. While the constitutional amendment process would likely take years, and in fact may never come to fruition, supporters believe it is the most surefire way, even beyond a new law, to enshrine the norm that presidents can face consequences for their actions. “This amendment will guarantee that no public officer of the United States — including the president — is able to evade the accountability that any other American would face for violating our laws,” Morelle wrote in a letter to colleagues this week. He quoted from Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who led the dissent, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson who joined in dissenting, before summing up his in his own words: “Presidents are citizens, not tyrants.” Another Democrat, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, said Monday she planned to file articles of impeachment against the justices over the ruling, which she said represents “an assault on American democracy.” “It is up to Congress to defend our nation from this authoritarian capture,” Ocasio-Cortez said on social media. “I intend on filing articles of impeachment upon our return.” Congress can launch the constitutional amendment process and then send it to the states for ratification. Such a resolution takes a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, which is highly unlikely at this time of divided government, and ratification by three-fourths of the states. So far, there have been 27 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. (AP)

A reporter was reprimanded by a colleague and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Wednesday for quipping that President Joe Biden might be able to address the media “if he’s awake.”

The journalist’s crack came after Kelly O’Donnell, a political reporter for NBC News who also serves as the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, asked Jean-Pierre about Biden’s intention to remain in the race. “You’re saying he’s absolutely running?” O’Donnell asked.

After Jean-Pierre confirmed it, O’Donnell said she “would invite the president to come here and tell us that directly”—only for an off-camera voice to interject, “If he’s awake.”

Pointing over her shoulder without turning around, O’Donnell said, “That’s inappropriate.”

Jean-Pierre then jumped in: “As you heard from your colleague, the president of the WHCA, that’s inappropriate.”

The journalist was identified by RNC Research, an X account run by Donald Trump’s campaign and the Republican National Committee, as James Rosen, the right-wing channel Newsmax’s chief White House correspondent.

Read more.

New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez said he chose not to testify Wednesday at his New York trial because he believes prosecutors failed to prove “every aspect” of the bribery case against him, a decision that cleared the way for closing arguments as early as Monday. Lawyers for the Democrat rested their case after calling several witnesses over two days to counter seven weeks of testimony and hundreds of exhibits and communications introduced by Manhattan federal prosecutors. Menendez, 70, maintains he is not guilty of charges that he accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars in gold and cash from 2018 through 2022 in exchange for using his clout in the Senate to deliver favors benefiting three New Jersey businessmen. Judge Sidney H. Stein asked Menendez to rise from his seat to confirm that the decision not to testify was his alone. Menendez said that after extensive talks with his lawyers, he had decided against taking the stand. As he left the courthouse, Menendez told reporters: “From my perspective, the government has failed to prove every aspect of its case.” He said that to “give them another chance” by taking the witness stand was “simply not something that makes any sense to me whatsoever.” “I expect my lawyers will produce a powerful and convincing summation, deduce how the evidence came out, and where they failed across the board, and how the jury will render a verdict of not guilty,” Menendez said before wishing reporters who followed him to his car a “Happy Fourth of July.” Two of the businessmen he is accused of accepting bribes from — Fred Daibes and Wael Hana — are on trial with him. A third, Jose Uribe, pleaded guilty to charges and testified against the trio during the trial. Daibes and Hana also have pleaded not guilty and were given an opportunity to present a defense, though the judge told jurors that the burden is on prosecutors and a defense was not required. Lawyers for Daibes rested at the same time as Menendez without presenting a defense. Hana’s lawyers began presenting their case by calling one of Hana’s employees as a witness. Prosecutors took seven weeks to present their case before resting last Friday. They offered evidence to show that Menendez’s wife, Nadine Menendez, served as a go-between most times to connect the senator and the businessmen. Nadine Menendez, 57, who began dating the senator in 2018, has pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, but her trial has been postponed as she recovers from breast cancer surgery. Lawyers for Bob Menendez have argued that his wife hid her financial troubles from him, including an inability to afford mortgage payments on her Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, home, along with many of her dealings with the businessmen. They’ve also said she inherited gold found in her bedroom during a 2022 FBI raid on their home. An FBI agent testified earlier in the trial that he ordered the seizure of more than $486,000 in cash and over $100,000 in gold bars during the raid because he suspected that a crime may have taken place. Among witnesses called by Menendez’s lawyers was his sister, Caridad Gonzalez, 80, who told the jury that members of her family routinely stored large amounts of cash at their homes after Menendez’s parents fled Cuba in […]

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

To those who follow the news and have been following politics since the 2020 election, President Biden’s performance at last week’s debate came as no surprise. The confused man who wasn’t able to formulate coherent thoughts and seemed lost at times is the same man who was plucked from his fifth place finish in the New Hampshire Democrat primary and declared the official party candidate for president. He barely campaigned or left his Delaware home. While his campaign attributed the basement strategy to Covid, many suspected that the people who selected him as their candidate feared that if voters would be exposed to Joe Biden, they wouldn’t be able to vote for him. The gambit worked and Biden was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2021.

As president, he basically remained detached from the people. He has held very few press conferences, and when he does, they are rehearsed and scripted, down to him calling on pre-selected reporters, whose names and photographs are clearly printed out for him on cards. There haven’t been interviews with national or local publications that may ask serious questions. He rarely, if ever, speaks off the cuff. Everything he says is either on a teleprompter or a card, and should he ever go off script, he gets in trouble for saying incorrect and silly things.

Every cabinet secretary and every government official who has come into contact with Joe Biden knows that he doesn’t have the mind necessary to make decisions and lead the country and the free world. Every time one of his emissaries went to Israel and said that the president said this or the president said that, it was a lie, because the president was plainly shown on Thursday night to be unable to think through an issue or present a coherent plan or statement unless it is placed in front of him by assistants.

The president’s performance in the debate was so bad that all the king’s horses and all the king’s men feared that they would never again be able to portray Joe Biden as an effective, strong, and respected leader. They panicked that the truth was out and the jig was up. The people had seen the truth about Biden’s abilities and would never vote for him again. The marionettes would have to pull Biden from the race and find someone who could defeat former President Trump in the November election.

Twenty-four hours later, they had thought it through, and word came down from on high that “we are sticking with Biden and doing what we have done until now. If everyone sticks together, we will be able to pull this off and get Joe Biden reelected. We will project Joe as a resolute, strong leader who had one bad debate performance, and we’ll get the leading Democrats to line up behind him with expressions of support and portray Trump as a liar and convicted felon. We can make it work.”

The question is: How can the leaders of a major political party, which represents fewer than half of Americans, support keeping an ineffective president in office? How could people who saw the same thing as everyone else who was watching deny the obvious fact and work to keep a weak and feeble person in the most important position in the world?

An examination of this week’s parsha will help us understand their mindset. We study the archetypical machlokes, which Chazal point to when describing a machlokes shelo lesheim Shomayim. We learn how Korach, a cousin of Moshe Rabbeinu, led a revolution against his leadership. Although he had been considered a righteous person, Korach acted as a politician, using cunning to spin the people against Moshe Rabbeinu and Aharon Hakohein. Using demagoguery, he portrayed Moshe as heartless and cruel to the poor, forcing people to do silly things, such as putting tzitzis and techeiles on a tallis shekulo techeiles. With deceit and sleight of mouth, he was able to gather around him serious leaders of the Jewish people and present a serious challenge to Moshe’s leadership.

That Doson and Avirom rallied to Korach’s side should have given away that something had happened to Korach that affected his judgment. Still, the 250 nesi’ei ha’eidah were convinced to go against everything they had stood for until then and join the revolution to topple Moshe.

How can people be so foolish? How can people who saw how the Jewish people were Divinely freed from Mitzri servitude through Moshe forget what they had seen and experienced? How could people who stood at the foot of Har Sinai as Moshe went up to Heaven and returned with the Luchos turn their back on him?

Rav Moshe Mordechai Shulsinger, in his sefer Peninei Avi Ezri, quotes a letter that the Steipler Gaon wrote him. In it, he says, “Because Korach was insulted that he wasn’t chosen to be a nosi, he became angry at Moshe, and to get even with Moshe and topple him, he became a kofer, a scoffer, and began to find things to complain about.”

How did this happen? Because, explains the Steipler, when the bad middos of a person are in control, his intelligence and ability to think clearly are compromised, and then negios set in.

Korach was blinded and hindered by his negios. His desire for personal advancement grew out of his jealousy of Moshe and Aharon. He was able to convince the great men of Klal Yisroel to join him in his rebellion, for it wasn’t only Korach who was subsumed by jealousy; the others were as well. They all wanted the “big job.” Their jealousy of Moshe and Aharon so clouded their understanding that they forgot what they had just been through with the meraglim, as well as everything that Moshe had done for them and the many times Hashem addressed the Bnei Yisroel through Moshe and Aharon. Their mental acuity was compromised, overtaken by their lust for power.

When people don’t learn mussar, they lose their hold on their middos, which become progressively worse. Bad middos lead a person to think highly of himself and pursue kavod, honor. He becomes overwhelmed by his desire for kavod and his jealousy of others who people honor and respect. His desire becomes a need, and his jealousy becomes outright hatred of others. His bad middos take him over and destroy him. That is what happened to Korach.

Motivated by his desire for honor, prestige, and power, Korach was able to mislead his many followers by peddling empty, disingenuous arguments. His follower, Ohn Ben Peles, was saved from the fate of Adas Korach by his wife. When he informed his wife that he had joined Korach’s revolution against Moshe, she did not engage in a debate with him. As he told her of Korach’s arguments against Moshe, she sat silently and did not respond to anything he said. She quickly understood Korach’s motivation for his revolution and why her husband joined with him. She promptly got to work to save her husband from the mess that she knew would result from battling Moshe.

She said to Ohn, “What will you gain by getting involved in this machlokes and following Korach? You won’t gain anything! You’ll be the same simple person with the same job and low position in life whether Moshe wins or Korach wins. Why are you jeopardizing your life and everything else for Korach?” She won the day and saved her husband’s life.

Now, if the dispute was over the issues that Korach had presented, of what use was her argument? Ohn should have responded to his wife and admonished her for what she told him. “How could you tell me to drop out of the campaign for Korach? Moshe is corrupt. He did so many things wrong. The laws he presents don’t make any sense. We are engaged in a serious battle over ideology. You are undermining the revolution.”

But Oin’s wife was a wise woman. She knew that the root of Korach’s insurgency was neither halacha nor hashkofah. Nor was it about fairness and integrity. It was about his negia, about jealousy. Everyone in Korach’s eidah, including her husband, was motivated by their negia, their jealousy over other people’s attainments and their desire to achieve power. Therefore, she addressed his negia and not his intellectual arguments.

Rav Elozor Menachem Man Shach would explain that the power of daas Torah is that those who possess it are free of negios. They have no personal investment in what they are called to rule upon. Their only negia is to the truth. They study Torah, and Torah overtakes them and transforms them. All their decisions and actions are guided by Torah, not by their middos. They are possessed by a love of Torah and Am Yisroel.

The appetite for leadership positions is an outgrowth of insufficient humility coupled with a lack of belief in Hashem. One who is immersed in Torah and maasim tovim, and reinforces himself with mussar study, doesn’t crave attention and praise from the masses, for he knows that mortal praise and adulation are fleeting and meaningless. The eternal accolades are those that he aims for. Hashem has the ability to reward him for his actions and to properly respect him and his actions.

So many of our gedolim shunned recognition and publicity until Hashem thrust them into leadership positions.

The Chazon Ish studied alone and interacted with few people. When he settled in Bnei Brak, there were few Torah Jews living there. As the post-Holocaust Olam HaTorah grew, the Chazon Ish would have to assume a leadership role, which he did, becoming a prime mover behind the establishment of the Israeli Torah community as we now know it.

Rav Elozor Menachem Man Shach was known as a person with no interest outside of learning and teaching Torah, and the welfare of his talmidim. When the passing of numerous Torah leaders left a leadership void, the man who knew only Torah stepped out of his zone of comfort and, in his older years, led the generation to unprecedented heights.

When Rav Shach felt his strength ebbing, he turned to another person with no outside interests, Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, whose life revolved strictly around his learning, and literally forced upon him the mantle of leadership.

Lehavdil, the Democrats are the exact opposite. They knew that President Biden was diminished and incapable of leading the country, but he was their ticket to power, so they lied about him to the people and pushed him over the finish line. They hid him from the people and manipulated the strings of power. All of them, from Dr. Jill on down, don’t care about the people, or the country, or the world. They care only about themselves.

They say that their campaign is about democracy, but instead of going after him the democratic way, they have been doing everything in their considerable power to make sure that Donald Trump doesn’t return to the White House. Not because they care about democracy, but because they are motivated by their need for power, and if he returns, they will all lose their power.

Their negia for power causes them to perceive everything in a twisted fashion, and they collude with the media to convince more than half the country that they represent leadership and decency and honor, and that their opponent is just the opposite.

Their desire for honor and power led them to attempt to destroy Trump through many different ways, from alleging that he colluded with Russia to impeaching him twice, and lately seeking to tie him up in court with charges never previously brought against a former president. Their negios prevent them from seeing the incongruity.

They selected Biden to be their man and propped him up as a leader. They hid him from the people and have had the media portray him as forceful and precise when he is anything but.

It’s easy to learn the parsha and then look at the hapless Democrats and mock them, but it is a lot more important and a lot harder to learn the parsha and then look at ourselves and examine how we act and what motivates us.

Each week, when we learn the parsha, we should seek out the lessons it contains for us in our day. When we learn Parshas Korach, it should prompt us to keep our middos in check and ensure that our motivations for what we do are proper. We should be reminded that humility is the most important middah. The more humble we are and the less we seek power, attention, and recognition, the safer we will be and the more we will accomplish.

By following the Torah and Moshe, without getting involved with the arguments and attacks of people who have strayed from the truth, we will earn benefit for ourselves and the world, helping prepare us all for the coming of Moshiach.

{Matzav.com}

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit announced that IDF Captain Roy Miller, age 21, from Herzliya, was killed in action in the northern Gaza Strip.

Miller held the position of Platoon Commander in the Rotem Battalion within the Givati Brigade.

In the same incident, two additional soldiers from the Givati Brigade sustained serious injuries. They were promptly transported to a hospital for medical treatment, and their families have been informed.

On Wednesday evening, it was reported that Captain Elay Elisha Lugasi lost his life in combat in the Gaza Strip. During the same confrontation where Lugasi was killed, three soldiers from the 75th Battalion, 7th Brigade were gravely injured. These soldiers were evacuated to a hospital for medical care, and their families have been notified.

Earlier on Wednesday, it was disclosed that Sergeant Aleksandr Iakiminskyi, 19, from Nahariya, was fatally attacked in a stabbing incident at a mall in Karmiel. Another soldier from his battalion was also seriously wounded in this assault. Iakiminskyi managed to neutralize the terrorist, Joad Rabia’, an Israeli Arab approximately 20 years old, from the Nahef Local Council, which is located near Karmiel.

{Matzav.com Israel}

There’s plenty of worry among Democrats about whether 81-year-old President Joe Biden is up to the job itself or the task of defeating Donald Trump. Previous presidential campaigns offer lessons. None convey reasons for optimism. Going back to Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, several presidents eligible for reelection faced significant primary challenges or questions about whether they should run again. George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford pushed forward and won their nominations, only to be defeated in November. Johnson opted to withdraw — and Democrats lost anyway. Biden had no real primary fight. But his allies now acknowledge how poorly the president performed in his debate against Trump. They’ve fretted privately about Biden’s ability to serve until he is 86, and, more immediately, whether he can keep the job by defeating the Republican former president — himself a 78-year-old saddled with a felony conviction, other indictments and voter concerns over his values and temperament. The warning from history is ominous: Incumbent presidents still working to consolidate and reassure their own party this late in a first term typically do not get a second. George H.W. Bush and the ‘culture war’ of 1992 An Ivy League-educated Episcopalian, Bush was a moderate Republican and never a favorite of the Christian right or anti-tax, small-government activists. Bush appealed to the right flank ahead of his victory in 1988, saying, “Read my lips: no new taxes.” He was riding high in 1990 after a quick U.S. military victory drove Iraq and Saddam Hussein from oil-rich Kuwait. Within months, though, Bush broke his tax pledge, the U.S. economy began to falter (albeit mildly in retrospect), and the president grew vulnerable. Primary challengers emerged, notably Steve Forbes, an anti-tax crusader, and commentator Pat Buchanan, a Christian conservative. Bush won every primary but many by unimpressive margins. Buchanan, rather than endorsing Bush enthusiastically, used his GOP convention speech to enlist religious conservatives in a “culture war” against Clinton, liberals and secularism — standard Republican rhetoric today but a more divisive tone alongside Bush’s talk of a “kinder, gentler” nation. Democratic challenger and Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton hammered Bush as out of touch with middle-class Americans. And billionaire Ross Perot entered the contest as an independent. On Election Day, 62.6% of voters opted against Bush. Clinton won 370 electoral votes, the second-highest total for any Democrat since 1964. Jimmy Carter and the Kennedy ‘dream’ in 1980 A former Georgia governor, Carter was a moderate Southerner from outside the liberal Democratic power structure. His 1976 nomination and eventual victory over the Republican incumbent Ford was less about ideology, though, and more about Carter’s promise never to lie to Americans disillusioned after Vietnam and the Watergate scandal. Legislative successes followed, but Carter rankled Washington Democrats. Global inflation, U.S. unemployment and interest rates climbed, and Carter’s popularity fell. “Carter was never expected and accepted by the establishment,” said Joe Trippi, a 1980 Kennedy campaign staffer. Sen. Ted Kennedy mounted a primary challenge in 1980, inspiring young progressives like those who had once adored his slain older brothers. Carter famously said of Kennedy, “I’ll kick his ass.” The president won enough delegates for the nomination, even as the Iran hostage crisis compounded his problems. Yet in defeat, Kennedy used his convention speech more to rouse his own supporters rather than reconcile with the incumbent. “The work goes on, the cause endures … and the dream shall never die,” Kennedy declared, exposing Carter’s weaknesses. Against Republican […]

Senior Israeli officials are currently evaluating Hamas’s response to a potential hostage release-ceasefire deal, according to a joint statement from the Prime Minister’s Office and the Mossad on Wednesday evening. “The hostages deal mediators have conveyed to the negotiating team Hamas’s remarks on the outline of the hostages deal,” the statement read. “Israel is evaluating the remarks and will convey its reply to the mediators.” Also, a senior Israeli official told CNN that Israel and Hamas are “on the brink” of signing a deal. The first stage of the deal will reportedly see the return of female hostages, children, the injured, the ill, and the elderly. Israel will commit to evacuating the Rafah Crossing until a deal is reached on who will control the area in the future. However, Israel did not commit to a complete withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor or not to resume fighting after the first stage of the agreement. However, there are still reportedly major snags in the agreement, including Hamas’s insistence on Israel committing to not continuing the war after the first stage. Channel 12 News reported that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant met with the families of hostages on Wednesday evening and told them a hostage deal is “closer than ever before.” Gallant explained that Hamas is being heavily pressured by Qatar and the US to agree to a deal. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

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