Heavy mourning has descended upon the Bobover court as thousands of chassidim accompanied the venerable Reb Moshe Meir Einhorn z”l to his final resting place on Erev Shabbos.
A survivor of the dor de’ah and the devoted gabbai of Bobov’s Shaarei Tzion kehillah for fifty years, he passed away peacefully at the age of 100.
Reb Moshe Meir was born on Erev Sukkos 5686 in the town of Kashanov. His father was among the prominent Bobover chassidim in the area. As a child he merited to bask in the presence of the Bobover Rebbe, the Kedushas Tzion, during the period when the Rebbe resided in the town of Tchebin.
When he reached bar mitzvah age, on Erev Sukkos 5699, he traveled to don tefillin with his rebbe, the Kedushas Tzion. In doing so, he became the last living Jew known to have had the privilege of putting on tefillin with the Kedushas Tzion himself.
During the terrible years of the Holocaust, he endured six brutal years in concentration camps. Even under those horrific conditions he maintained his dignity and served Hashem with great mesirus nefesh.
After the war, he arrived in Switzerland, where he served as a shochet under the guidance of the renowned gaon, the Chelkas Yaakov of Zurich. A few years later he immigrated to the United States, where he bound himself with deep devotion to his rebbe, the Bobover Rebbe, the Divrei Shlomo. Even during those early years he already served as gabbai in the Bobover shtiebel in Boro Park, at a time when the Rebbe was still living in Crown Heights.
In 5730 he was officially appointed by the Divrei Shlomo of Bobov to serve as the gabbai of the Bobover Shaarei Tzion kehillah. He carried out that role with extraordinary dedication and unwavering loyalty for fifty consecutive years.
His strong connection to the Bobover court continued under the leadership of the Rebbe, Rav Naftali Tzvi of Bobov, and later with the current Bobover Rebbe, who showed him special warmth and affection.
Reb Moshe Meir maintained his energetic and disciplined chassidic routine almost until the very end of his life. Among other practices, he continued attending the Rebbe’s regular Shacharis minyan until only a few years ago, even after he had already passed the age of ninety.
Every Shabbos, during the tish of Rava D’Ravin, it was he who began the niggun of “Baruch Kel Elyon.” Each Erev Shabbos he would enter the Rebbe’s chamber to deliver the community’s rent payments.
Those who knew him described him as a chassid from an earlier generation, a Jew who embodied sincere avodas Hashem, integrity in business, and a warm countenance toward every person.
Only a few months ago, his wife passed away after nearly eighty years of marriage that began shortly after the war.
The levayah departed on Friday afternoon from the plaza of the Bobover Beis Medrash in Boro Park. The Bobover Dayan delivered a hesped on behalf of the chassidim, followed by members of the family.
At the head of the procession was the Bobover Rebbe, as well as other prominent rabbonim.
Reb Moshe Meir was laid to rest in the Bobover cemetery, in the section near the ohel of the Rebbes of the Bobover dynasty.
Yehi zichro boruch.
{Matzav.com}
Rav Avrohom Pinzel visited the home of the Ponovezh rosh yeshiva, Rav Berel Povarsky, as a representative of the administrators of the talmudei Torah in Eretz Yisroel. He came seeking words of guidance and encouragement that could be conveyed to the tens of thousands of tinokos shel beis rabban during this time of war.
The following is the full dialogue from the visit:
Rabbi Pinzel: How is the rosh yeshiva feeling?
Rosh Yeshiva: Boruch Hashem.
Rabbi Pinzel: What does the rosh yeshiva say about the situation?
Rosh Yeshiva: Hashem will help.
Rabbi Pinzel: Is there reason to worry? People are under great pressure and are asking what they should strengthen themselves in.
Rosh Yeshiva: To strengthen themselves in Torah and yiras Shomayim.
Rabbi Pinzel: Perhaps the rosh yeshiva could say something to the children of Klal Yisroel about their role during this time.
Rosh Yeshiva: Listen—Hakadosh Boruch Hu loves the children of Yisroel more than anyone else, the tinokos shel beis rabban. Hakadosh Boruch Hu said that as long as they exist, He is with them. He is their Father.
Rabbi Pinzel: And then what? What should they do?
Rosh Yeshiva: If Hakadosh Boruch Hu is their Father, a father does not ask for anything. When something is taken in the house it is not theft, because the father is happy that his son has it. So if Hakadosh Boruch Hu is our Avinu Malkeinu—He is our Father and also our King, as it says tenah lanu melech l’shofteinu—the king is also a judge. Therefore, the best situation, during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah and during times when there is judgment, is when the judge is a king. A king can sit on a throne of mercy. A judge cannot sit on a throne of mercy; he can only carry out the strict law. But a king sits on a throne of mercy. That is why during the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah we ask Hakadosh Boruch Hu, Avinu Malkeinu—You are our Father and our King, and You are also our Judge. When the king judges, he can sit on the throne of mercy. We ask Kel Melech yosheiv al kisei rachamim, that He should have mercy on us and give us everything we ask for.
Rabbi Pinzel: So now, during such a time of war, what does the rosh yeshiva say to the children in the cheder, the children of Klal Yisroel?
Rosh Yeshiva: Just think about what your Father wants, and do what He says. Then you will have success. He will give you everything—just as He promised that if you listen to His voice, He will listen to yours.
Rabbi Pinzel: With Hashem’s help, it will be fulfilled that “Layehudim haysa orah v’simcha v’sasson vikar.”
The rosh yeshiva: Exactly.
Rabbi Pinzel: There is a well-known midrash that the children of Klal Yisroel sat and learned with Mordechai during the decree of Haman. Hakadosh Boruch Hu asked the angels, “What is the sound of sheep that I hear?” And they answered, “These are not sheep—these are the young of Your nation, the House of Yisroel.” Immediately Hakadosh Boruch Hu was filled with mercy. He broke the seals and tore up the letters, and “Layehudim haysa orah v’simcha v’sasson vikar,” and everything was reversed.
Rosh Yeshiva: That’s it.
Rabbi Pinzel: So this year as well, with Hashem’s help.
Rosh Yeshiva: With Hashem’s help.
Rabbi Pinzel: But the children of Yisroel should say a lot of Tehillim, correct?
Rosh Yeshiva: Yes.
{Matzav.com}
The city of Bnei Brak is mourning the petirah of Mrs. Yaffa Eisenstein, wife of Rav Tzvi Eisenstein, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Tiferes Tzion and the longtime legendary chazzan of Yeshivas Ponovezh. She passed away at the age of 89.
Mrs. Eisenstein was born in Yerushalayim on the 30th of Nissan, 5696, to her father, Rav Yaakov Sirota of the Batei Nitin neighborhood, and her mother, Mrs. Devorah Miriam.
In 5717 she married her husband, Rav Tzvi Eisenstein, who served as rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Tiferes Tzion L’Tzeirim in Bnei Brak and for many decades was the renowned chazzan of Yeshivas Ponovezh. Rav Tzvi passed away this past Simchas Torah at the age of 97.
For many years she served as an mechaneches at the Merkaz school in Bnei Brak, where she taught and guided hundreds of Jewish girls, instilling in them a love for Torah, yiras Shomayim, and refined middos.
Throughout the years she stood steadfastly at the side of her husband, Rav Tzvi, supporting his efforts in spreading Torah with strength and dedication, demonstrating wisdom, understanding, and devotion.
She is survived by a large family of children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. During her lifetime she endured the loss of her daughter, Mrs. Yehudis Tabal, who passed away in the summer of 5761. She was the wife of Rav Yechiel Tabal, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Shaarei Tzion.
Later this week, her son, the chazzan of Yeshivas Ponovezh, Rav Shaul Eisenstein, is scheduled to celebrate the wedding of his daughter immediately following the shivah for his mother.
The levayah took place in Bnei Brak, and she was laid to rest at the Ponovezh cemetery.
Yehi zichrah boruch.
{Matzav.com}
A remarkable miracle occurred Sunday evening at the home of Rabbi Moshe Kass on Rechov Yerushalayim in Bnei Brak after a large missile fragment struck the family’s residence directly. Despite the severe damage caused to the home, no one was injured. Family members had left the apartment just moments earlier after a siren warned of incoming rockets.
The incident took place at the Kass family’s home, located near the intersection with Chevron Street. Rabbi Moshe Kass is regarded as one of the prominent avreichim in Bnei Brak and serves among the rabbonim at Yeshivas Tiferes Mordechai. According to reports from the scene, the house sustained a direct strike from a large piece of shrapnel, yet all those inside managed to escape unharmed.
Witnesses described a scene of extensive destruction inside the apartment, emphasizing how close the family came to a tragedy. The mother and children had rushed out immediately when the siren sounded, leaving the home only minutes before the missile fragment tore through the structure.
The damage left the house resembling the aftermath of a terror attack, with debris scattered throughout the apartment. Those who arrived at the scene said that had the family delayed even briefly before seeking shelter, the outcome could have been far more devastating.
Srulik Kornik, a volunteer medic with United Hatzalah’s Bnei Brak rescue unit, described the scene in a message posted after the incident. “I have had the privilege of saving many lives through my volunteer work with United Hatzalah. The destruction caused and the great miracle from the missile strike in Bnei Brak today are enormous. Just a few minutes earlier, the mother ran to remove the baby from the crib.”
Kornik also recounted another incident in the building. “Another neighbor was in the middle of working from home. Her computer remained on, but the apartment was completely destroyed. The alertness to run to the protected room, with Hashem’s great kindness, saved everyone.”
When Rabbi Kass later entered the damaged apartment to retrieve his tefillin, he discovered that they had remained completely intact despite the powerful blast. His tallis, however, had been punctured by the shrapnel that entered the home. One person present at the scene remarked, “You could clearly see at every step that everything has an address.”
Another extraordinary escape occurred in a neighboring apartment. A young girl had been sleeping in her bed but woke up as soon as the siren sounded and ran to the building’s protected room.
Moments later, the missile fragment struck the building, and the window in her bedroom shattered from the force of the blast. A piece of metal from the missile slammed into the wall, leaving a hole exactly where the girl had been lying only moments earlier. She was saved in what witnesses described as an open miracle.
{Matzav.com}
Israeli security officials are reportedly considering whether the goals of the war against Iran should be reevaluated, according to a report broadcast Sunday evening by Kan News.
The report said security sources indicated that although Israel’s initial strike and the early phase of the conflict surpassed expectations, the overall campaign has not been progressing as quickly as originally planned. One major obstacle, the officials noted, has been the challenge of encouraging large-scale public protests inside Iran.
The sources added that both Israel and the United States are preparing additional significant actions within Iran that could influence the direction and pace of the war.
On Sunday, the IDF Intelligence Directorate released an overview of the first two weeks of the joint campaign with the United States, stating that many additional targets remain inside Iran before the military operation can be considered complete. No timeline was given for when the conflict might end, and the future plans discussed by Israeli officials appear to differ from comments by President Donald Trump suggesting the war could conclude “soon.”
During the opening stage of the conflict, a key priority for the Israeli Air Force was gaining control of the airspace over Iran. According to the IDF, roughly 100 air defense systems along with about 120 radar and detection systems have been destroyed during the fighting.
Over the first two weeks of the war, Iran launched approximately 360 missiles toward Israel. Military officials said the size of each missile barrage has declined significantly since the beginning of the conflict. Intelligence assessments indicate that about 70% of Iran’s missile launchers have been disabled by Israeli strikes, and that Iran currently has no ability to produce additional missiles.
The IDF has also targeted a wide range of regime-linked facilities. So far, about 2,200 sites connected to the Iranian government have been struck, including installations tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, government ministries, senior leadership networks, internal security organizations, and the Basij militia. Many of these operations have concentrated on Tehran, with intelligence units selecting targets based in part on which individuals were present inside the facilities.
{Matzav.com}
Hamas sent two separate letters over the weekend to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei—one public and diplomatic in tone and another secret document that the organization reportedly attempted to keep hidden, according to a report by Kan News.
The report said the publicly released message was written in restrained language and presented in a formal diplomatic style, while the concealed letter adopted a far more militant and operational tone.
In the secret communication, Hamas reportedly made clear that it has no intention of agreeing to any deal that would require it to give up its military strength. “We are aware of attempts to bind the hands of the resistance under the guise of agreements-the organization will not compromise its weapons under any circumstances.”
The letter also stresses the importance of coordinating multiple fronts in the region as part of the effort against Israel. Hamas urges Iran to mobilize what it describes as all elements of the regional alliance simultaneously. “All fronts must be activated to exact a price from the Zionists. We, together with our brothers in Lebanon, Yemen, and Iraq, will create the next victories under your leadership.”
At the core of the document is a message declaring Hamas’ unwavering loyalty to Iran’s leadership and signaling readiness to advance Tehran’s goals even if doing so undermines broader regional stability.
The message also includes criticism of Arab countries that have pursued normalization with Israel. “The normalization camp is a losing camp,” the secret document states. “They did not even dare to protect those who sought refuge in their bases.”
{Matzav.com}
IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin said Sunday evening that Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Iran is aimed at dismantling the regime’s capabilities and removing what he described as an existential danger to Israel, as Israeli and U.S. forces continue coordinated operations across the region.
“Our goal is to strike all components of the regime – together with the US military – in order to remove an existential threat to the State of Israel,” Defrin said.
Defrin said Iran and Hezbollah have recently attempted to escalate their attacks on Israel by increasing rocket launches in response to the growing military pressure being applied by Israeli forces.
“In recent days we have seen attempts by Iran and Hezbollah to increase the firing toward Israel. This is a direct response to our military pressure,” he said. “Our objective is to damage all of the regime’s systems and capabilities, and we are doing this shoulder to shoulder alongside the US.”
According to the IDF spokesman, Israeli forces have carried out extensive strikes against Iran’s missile infrastructure, targeting hundreds of locations tied to the country’s ballistic missile program.
“More than 70 percent of the ballistic missile launchers have been taken out of service, and more than 80 percent of the air defense systems have been struck,” he said.
Defrin also indicated that the campaign is advancing more quickly than Israeli planners had originally anticipated.
“We are ahead of the original plan in the achievements of the war,” Defrin said. “We have an orderly and ongoing plan and we are deepening the damage, striking sites where Iran attempts to conceal its nuclear program. We still have thousands of targets in Iran. The regime is unstable and is hiding this from its own residents.”
He stressed that Israel’s operations are not intended to directly remove the Iranian leadership from power.
“Our objective is not to topple the regime, but rather create the conditions that will allow the Iranian people to take their country into their own hands,” he said. “We will continue to strike the Basij and the security forces and deepen our attack on them. What the Iranian people choose to do is in their own hands.”
{Matzav.com}
