Feed aggregator

The Treasury Department says it has prevented nearly $100 million in federal payments from being sent to deceased individuals after launching a government-wide payment verification system, marking another step in the Trump administration’s campaign to curb fraud and improper spending.

According to information obtained by The New York Post, Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service uncovered the questionable payments while reviewing roughly 885 million federal transactions with a combined value approaching $2.7 trillion.

Since the screening process began in March 2025, officials have flagged more than 4,900 payments totaling about $99 million that were linked to recipients who had already died, Treasury said.

Rather than allowing the money to be distributed, Treasury returned those payments to the federal agencies that initiated them so they could be examined before any taxpayer funds were released. Officials noted that payments directed to deceased individuals can often be a warning sign of fraud.

Although the blocked payments represented only about 0.0036% of the $2.7 trillion reviewed, Treasury emphasized that the amount was more than three times higher than what had been detected before President Trump took office last year as part of the administration’s broader effort to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.

“Treasury has delivered on a key promise of President Trump’s mandate to stop improper payments and fraud before money leaves the Treasury, and strengthen the integrity of the federal payment system,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

“Together with Vice President Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, this new safeguard addresses a longstanding vulnerability and helps ensure every dollar the federal government spends reaches its intended recipient,” Bessent added. “Treasury will continue efforts to modernize the federal payment system, strengthen safeguards against fraud and improper payments, and protect taxpayer dollars.”

To identify the improper payments, Treasury relied on the federal Do Not Pay program, which verifies a recipient’s identity, eligibility, and banking information before federal funds or awards are issued. Officials also employed additional verification technologies that helped detect the nearly $99 million in payments intended for deceased recipients.

Treasury said it dramatically broadened the use of these verification tools last year in response to directives issued by President Trump.

A law enacted in 2021 temporarily gave the department access to the Social Security Administration’s Full Death Master File, enabling officials to identify many of the deceased individuals listed as payment recipients.

That authority became permanent in February when President Trump signed the Ending Improper Payments to Deceased People Act into law, ensuring Treasury retains ongoing access to the federal death records database.

Looking ahead, Treasury estimates that the expanded safeguards will generate approximately $330 million in net savings by preventing improper payments from being issued to deceased individuals.

{Matzav.com}

Israel’s military confirmed on Tuesday that it is constructing a physical barrier along the so-called “yellow line” in Gaza.

The confirmation came after the Associated Press presented the Israel Defense Forces with satellite imagery analyzed by the news agency. The military said that the project is part of a broader security zone aimed at preventing infiltration and protecting troops and nearby Israeli communities, outfitted with advanced intelligence and technological infrastructure.

Satellite imagery shows the barrier stretching more than 23 kilometers (14 miles) across Gaza, with a rapid expansion in recent months.

The military declined to detail the barrier’s full route or planned extent but said it is working to clearly mark the line, which was designated as a temporary boundary under a U.S.-backed ceasefire agreement with the Hamas terrorist organization which led the Oct. 7, 2023 invasion of southern Israel that sparked the war in Gaza.

Imagery indicates continued expansion in both southern and central Gaza, including near Rafah and Khan Yunis, with additional segments in the north. JNS

{Matzav.com}

As Tishah B’Av approaches, Rav Ofir Malka addressed a common halachic question regarding the use of electronic cigarettes during the fast, ruling that vaping is prohibited because of the flavored liquid used in the devices.

Speaking on his Halachah Lemaaseh radio program, Rav Malka was asked whether smoking an electronic cigarette is permitted on Tishah B’Av.

His response was unequivocal.

“Electronic cigarettes may not be smoked on fast days, and certainly not on Tishah B’Av,” he said.

Rav Malka added that even the limited leniency some authorities extend to conventional cigarettes applies only “privately after chatzos.”

He explained that the prohibition stems from the flavored liquid contained in electronic cigarettes.

“It has moisture, and that is considered like taste, similar to sucking on something,” he said.

When the caller argued that the liquid is not fit for consumption, Rav Malka responded that, in its diluted form, it nevertheless has a pleasant taste.

“It is moisture that is enjoyable to you. In low concentrations, it tastes good to you,” he explained, concluding that vaping is therefore prohibited during a fast.

Rav Malka also noted that because the liquid has flavor, it requires kosher certification throughout the year—not only on Pesach.

“It has an enjoyable taste in every respect, together with that moisture,” he said.

Later in the program, Rav Malka was asked about someone who accidentally ate during a fast.

His answer was clear: “He certainly must stop immediately and continue fasting.”

He explained that inadvertently eating does not exempt a person from completing the remainder of the fast.

{Matzav.com}

One of the first emergency responders to arrive at the scene of Sunday’s deadly balcony collapse in Yerushalayim has recounted the harrowing moments that unfolded, describing a critically injured victim trapped beneath the debris, workers rescued from inside the damaged building, and the heartbreaking arrival of the victim’s grandchildren.

Nachman Tuvul, a volunteer with United Hatzalah, told Kol Chai Radio’s Hamahadura Hamerkazis that when rescue teams first received the call, they had no idea what had actually happened.

“At first we thought it was some kind of construction accident,” Tuvul said. “But when we arrived, we found a shop—a restaurant or café—with several diners inside. Above it was the balcony of a residential apartment, and it had simply collapsed onto the roof of the business.”

According to Tuvul, the balcony crashed through a lightweight roof that offered virtually no protection from the impact.

“The roof was made of sheet metal and an acoustic ceiling, nothing that could absorb the force of the collapsing balcony,” he said.

One of the people trapped beneath the wreckage was later pronounced dead.

“When we arrived, he was still trapped and in critical condition,” Tuvul recalled.

As rescue efforts continued, responders learned that additional people remained trapped inside the shop.

“The wife of the elderly man told us there were still other people inside,” Tuvul said.

United Hatzalah volunteers entered the building through a rear window, where they located a male cashier and a female cashier. Although neither had suffered physical injuries, both were unable to escape because of the collapse.

“We instructed them to stay close to the back wall of the store in case, chas v’shalom, the structure continued collapsing,” he said. “They remained there until the fire department was able to rescue them.”

Before the workers were freed, several customers managed to climb out of the debris on their own, suffering only minor injuries. Firefighters, meanwhile, continued operating cautiously because sections of the damaged roof remained suspended overhead and posed a risk of further collapse.

By the end of the incident, four people with minor injuries had been transported for medical treatment, while another four individuals were treated for emotional trauma.

Tuvul said one of the most painful moments came when the victim’s grandchildren arrived at the scene.

“They saw him trapped beneath the rubble, without signs of life.”

United Hatzalah’s trauma response teams immediately provided emotional support to the grieving family members, as well as to the two cashiers who had endured a lengthy and terrifying ordeal before being rescued.

Reflecting on the operation, Tuvul said all of the trapped victims were ultimately located and evacuated.

“Baruch Hashem, we can report that, as far as evacuating the victims, treating the injured, and completing the rescue operation, the incident has come to an end.”

Despite the successful rescue effort, the collapse claimed the life of one elderly man and left four others injured, bringing a tragic conclusion to an incident that rescuers say will remain with them for a long time.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu is expected to create greater public distance between himself and Israel’s chareidi parties as the next election campaign approaches, according to a report Monday evening by Kan News, even as he seeks to preserve the cohesion of the right-wing coalition.

Senior Likud officials told the broadcaster that Netanyahu intends to emphasize that separation as campaigning intensifies.

“As we get closer to the elections and the campaign begins, Netanyahu plans to deepen the separation from the Chareidim and try to distance himself from them publicly,” one senior party official said.

Another senior Likud figure said the prime minister will have to strike a careful political balance.

“He will have to walk a tightrope so as not to attack the Chareidim directly and damage the bloc,” the official said.

The report comes amid renewed tensions within Israel’s right-wing camp over military service and public support for IDF soldiers. Earlier Monday, Prime Minister Netanyahu weighed in after remarks by the rosh yeshiva, Rav Dov Landau, criticizing elements of the Religious Zionist community sparked widespread controversy.

Although Netanyahu did not mention Rav Landau by name, he wrote that “IDF soldiers deserve deep appreciation, gratitude, and the full backing of every segment of the public, certainly including the Torah world.” He added that Israel’s soldiers—religious, secular, and chareidi alike—risk their lives to defend the country.

Netanyahu adviser Yonatan Urich also entered the debate, writing: “Better late than never: Do not speak disparagingly about IDF soldiers. I repeat and emphasize: Do not speak disparagingly about IDF soldiers. Not perhaps, not indirectly, not because of something else, not at all.”

Urich also responded to a clarification issued by Rav Landau’s office, which stated that “It is unclear what Netanyahu is condemning. The rav did not speak about Religious Zionist soldiers themselves. He was referring to a theoretical halachic discussion about a situation in which the state sends soldiers to war for its own honor rather than for an existential war. Nothing more.”

Rejecting that explanation, Urich wrote: “That is the most distorted clarification I have ever seen. Here’s a suggestion: Let the political operatives keep quiet for 99 days so that we can win the election.”

{Matzav.com}

A centuries-old mystery surrounding the burial place of Rashi has reportedly been resolved following the discovery of an ancient manuscript in Oxford University’s library. The newly uncovered document, together with additional historical manuscripts and maps found this year, points to the precise location of Rashi’s burial in the French city of Troyes. The discovery has already prompted efforts to establish a proper monument at the site.

Rashi—Rabbeinu Shlomo Yitzchaki, the greatest commentator on Tanach and the Gemara—was born in Troyes in the Hebrew year 4800. At the age of 20, he traveled to Germany to study Torah, returning to France a decade later to lead a yeshiva and compose the monumental commentaries that became foundational to Torah learning. He passed away on the 29th of Tammuz in the year 4865.

Following the expulsion of the Jews from France during the era of the Rishonim, the tombstones in the Jewish cemetery of Troyes were uprooted, and the city’s Jewish community disappeared for centuries. Although French Jewish tradition consistently maintained that Rashi had been buried in Troyes, later rumors claimed he had instead been buried in Prague or Worms.

Those reports were always viewed with skepticism, particularly since both Prague and Worms maintained continuous Jewish communities that preserved no tradition identifying Rashi’s burial place there. Nevertheless, the conflicting claims created enough uncertainty that many historians eventually concluded that the exact location of Rashi’s grave was unknown.

This year, as talmidim of the Vizhnitz London Yeshiva prepared for a trip to the gravesites of the Rishonim in France under the leadership of Rav Levi Yitzchak Hager, son of the Vizhnitz-London Rebbe, they undertook extensive research into the question. Their investigation led them to an ancient manuscript housed in Oxford’s library that, for the first time, provides what they describe as a clear historical source confirming that Rashi was buried in Troyes.

The manuscript, known as Seder HaYuchasin of the sages of France during the era of the Rishonim, was written in France toward the close of the fifth millennium of the Hebrew calendar. Portions of the work were previously cited by the Maharshal in his Teshuvos (Siman 29), but the complete manuscript has only now come to light. Because of its difficult handwriting, earlier researchers who examined it reportedly overlooked its most significant passage.

In its account of Rashi’s passing, the manuscript states: “In the year 4865, the lamp of Israel was extinguished, the crown of glory fell, and he was laid to rest with his fathers in Troyes!”

The newly discovered source also reinforces a statement by Rabbeinu Tam, Rashi’s grandson, who referred to Troyes in his Sefer HaYashar (Teshuvos, Siman 16) as “the city of my fathers’ graves,” echoing the language of Nechemiah. While that phrase alone did not explicitly identify Rashi’s burial place, the newly discovered manuscript—written in France only a few generations after Rashi, while the Jewish cemetery still existed—states directly that Rashi was buried alongside his ancestors in Troyes.

Following the discovery, researchers contacted historians of the city of Troyes working on behalf of the French government. They were told that, independently, additional medieval Christian writings had recently been uncovered identifying Troyes as Rashi’s burial place. Researchers also located detailed historical maps identifying the precise boundaries of the former Jewish cemetery, with a full report expected to be published later this summer.

Last week, talmidim of the Vizhnitz London Yeshiva traveled to the gravesites of the Rishonim in France as a reward from the yeshiva administration for faithfully maintaining daily written records of their learning throughout the year. After davening at the resting place of the Baalei HaTosafos in Ramerupt, they continued to nearby Troyes, where they davened within the grounds of the historic Jewish cemetery believed to contain Rashi’s kever.

While there, the talmidim completed Maseches Bava Basra, which they had studied throughout the year, timing the siyum to coincide with Rashi’s yoma d’hilula. In doing so, they fulfilled Rashi’s own words in Yevamos (122b): “On the day that a great person dies, it is established in his honor, and every year when that day arrives, Torah scholars gather from all around and come to his grave together with the rest of the people to establish a yeshiva there.”

Rav Yisrael Meir Gabbai, chairman of Oholei Tzaddikim, who participated in the trip, met while in Troyes with local attorneys and representatives of the local Jewish community and French government to begin the legal and logistical process of erecting a permanent monument marking the precise location of Rashi’s burial. The goal, organizers said, is to enable Jews from around the world to visit the site, daven there, and seek yeshuos for both spiritual and material needs.

{Matzav.com}

A couple who were advised by doctors to reduce a triplet pregnancy have welcomed three healthy baby girls after choosing to continue the pregnancy based on the guidance and blessing of Rav Yigal Cohen. In recent days, they visited the rav together with their daughters to express their gratitude for the support they received throughout the journey.

Nearly a year ago, Rav Yigal Cohen, rosh mosdos Yabia Omer and a member of Israel’s Chief Rabbinate Council, received an urgent request for guidance from a woman who had become pregnant with triplets.

The woman explained that although she had been blessed with the pregnancy, her doctors strongly recommended reducing two of the fetuses because of what they described as serious medical concerns. Unsure how to proceed, she turned to Rav Cohen for hadrachah.

Together with his personal assistant, Shimon Bardi, who remained in close contact with the family throughout the process, Rav Cohen carefully reviewed the case. After consulting with leading physicians and medical specialists, he reached the decision that the pregnancy should continue without any fetal reduction.

The husband and wife accepted the rav‘s ruling wholeheartedly and received his berachah. Throughout the pregnancy, they remained in regular contact with Bardi, who continually updated Rav Cohen on the mother’s condition and the progress of the pregnancy.

B’chasdei Shamayim, the couple welcomed three healthy, complete baby girls, bringing tremendous joy to their family.

In recent days, the parents returned to visit Rav Cohen, bringing the three infants with them to personally thank him and Bardi for their guidance, encouragement, and support throughout the pregnancy. Those present said the emotional reunion moved many to tears.

The story carries special significance for Rav Cohen because of his own family’s experience. Years ago, his daughter was diagnosed during pregnancy with a severe heart defect, and doctors urged the family to terminate the pregnancy. However, after receiving a berachah from the Admor Rav Dovid Abuchatzeira, the pregnancy continued. Today, Rav Cohen says his daughter has become a source of inspiration for him and for many other families facing similar circumstances, encouraging them to preserve pregnancies despite difficult medical predictions.

{Matzav.com}

Hundreds of Gerer chassidim gathered late Monday night outside the Tel Aviv home of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, holding a surprise protest just hours after the Gerer Rebbe led a massive demonstration outside Prison 10 over the arrest of a yeshiva bochur from the chassidus.

The late-night demonstration drew approximately 200 participants, who assembled outside the attorney general’s residence after Gur’s leadership canceled plans for a much larger protest that had originally been expected to attract thousands.

According to organizers, the larger event was called off because of the severe congestion, overcrowding, and disturbances that developed earlier in the evening during the main rally outside Prison 10.

Despite the official cancellation, about 200 chassidim made their way to the site on their own. Wrapped in taleisim, participants recited Selichos, with the shliach tzibbur leading the davening while draped in a tallis. Later, demonstrators cried out together, “She has no share in the World to Come.”

Among those in attendance were young children who stood alongside their fathers carrying protest signs reading, “We do not abandon any Torah learner,” and “Whoever disgraces Torah scholars has no share in the World to Come.” At one point during the protest, several demonstrators became involved in heated verbal exchanges with a passerby.

Earlier in the evening, tens of thousands of Gerer chassidim, led by the Gerer Rebbe, had assembled outside the entrance to Prison 10 in a large-scale protest against the imprisonment of a yeshiva student from the chassidus.

The massive gathering was marked by significant crowding and heavy congestion, eventually leading demonstrators to breach the fence surrounding the prison complex. Although the event had been coordinated in advance with Israel Police, it was suspended for an extended period because of safety concerns.

As the situation intensified, United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yitzchak Goldknopf appealed to the crowd to move back in order to protect those gathered near the stage where the Gerer Rebbe was seated.

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

הפגנת גור מול ביתה של היועשית (צילום: הילל בן אור)

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Doniel Neustadt

When Tisha B’Av falls on Thursday, the halachos of the Tenth of Av are different to usual.

The Nine Days begins on Rosh Chodesh Av and ends on the evening of Tishah B’Av. But because the Beis Hamikdash was actually destroyed on the tenth of Av, Ashkenazi custom dictates that many of the Nine Days restrictions continue to be in effect on the tenth of Av as well, until chatzos.

However, when Tishah B’Av falls on a Thursday, as it does this year, many of these restrictions aren’t practiced on Thursday night or Friday, since doing so might be in conflict with the important mitzvah of preparing for Shabbos.

There are many opinions and customs as to exactly which restrictions continue to be in effect on Thursday night and Friday, and which don’t. There are also various opinions as to when exactly these restrictions are lifted.

If you have a specific family custom regarding this issue, then continue to follow it. Otherwise, the list below can serve as a guide for you and your family to follow:

Business / Construction / Gifts                          – Thursday night

Cleaning (house) for Shabbos                            – Thursday after chatzos (if necessary)[1]

Embroidery / Crocheting                                        – Thursday night

Food shopping and preparation                    – Thursday after chatzos[2]

Haircut and Beard Trim                                           – Thursday night

Laundry / Dry Cleaners (all clothes)               – Thursday night

Laundry separation / preparation                     – Thursday after chatzos (if necessary)

Meat[3] and Wine                                                            – Friday after chatzos

Mending / Sewing                                                        – Thursday night

Music / Dancing                                                           – Friday after chatzos

Nail cutting                                                                      – Friday morning (Thursday night, if necessary)

Shaving (for Shabbos[4])                                            – Thursday night

Shaving (not for Shabbos)                                     – Friday after chatzos

Shower (cold / lukewarm, for hygiene)          – Thursday night

Shower / Bath (hot, for pleasure)                      – Friday after chatzos

Shower / Bath (hot, for Shabbos[5])                    – Friday morning

Shehecheyanu                                                              – Friday after chatzos

Shopping (Shabbos clothes)                                – Thursday night

Shopping (weekday clothes)                                – Friday after chatzos

Swimming (adults) / Boating                                – Friday after chatzos[6]

Swimming (small children) / Sprinklers        – Thursday night

Travelling                                                                           – Thursday night

Wearing laundered / new clothes                     – Friday after chatzos[7]

Wearing freshly set / new wig                              – Friday after chatzos[8]

Wig washing and setting                                     – Thursday night

[1] A regularly scheduled cleaning lady may come before chatzos as well.

[2] If necessary, food shopping permitted before chatzos as well.

[3] Clear chicken soup is permitted Thursday night. Meat and wine are permitted at a siyum on Thursday night.

[4] Not planning to shave again for Shabbos.

[5] Not planning to bathe or shower again for Shabbos.

[6] Swimming for exercise permitted Thursday night.

[7] If pre-worn or used is not available, fresh or new may be worn from Thursday night.

[8] If pre-worn or used is not available, fresh or new may be worn from Thursday night.

Maran Rav Dov Landau, Slabodka rosh yeshiva, responded Monday night for the first time to the public controversy surrounding remarks that were widely interpreted as criticism of soldiers from the Religious Zionist community.

Speaking at a gathering of community rabbonim organized by the Ichud Bnei Yeshiva, Rav Landau sharply criticized the way his private comments had been portrayed following their publication.

“As was proven over the past day when remarks I made during a private conversation were published, those motivated by hatred of the unlearned approached those words with distortion and complete misunderstanding,” Rav Landau told the assembled rabbonim.

His comments came after widespread reaction to the publication of a private meeting at his home with the heads of Yeshivas Mir, during which he spoke critically about what he referred to as the “knitted-kippah community.”

The controversy sparked strong reactions from across Israel’s political spectrum. Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu firmly rejected the remarks, saying that “IDF soldiers deserve the deepest appreciation.” In response, Degel HaTorah issued a forceful statement defending Rav Landau and warning critics, “Beware of speaking against the Torah giants.”

During the same gathering, Rav Landau also addressed yeshiva students, offering guidance for the upcoming bein hazemanim period.

“During bein hazmanim, you may encounter people whose way of life is different from ours. It is essential to avoid any ideological arguments with them,” the rosh yeshiva emphasized. “Our worldview is clear to us from our rabbonim, the mighty giants of the land, from whose teachings we draw.”

Rav Landau further cautioned bnei yeshiva against engaging in debates with “people who, under the banner of their beliefs, persecute the Torah and those who study it.”

According to Rav Landau, such individuals “are incapable of understanding or accepting our worldview, which was the worldview of our great rabbonim, the Chazon Ish and the Brisker Rav zt”l.”

{Matzav.com}

Former President Barack Obama sharply criticized Vice President JD Vance during a public discussion Thursday, accusing him of promoting a “blood and soil” view of American identity despite being married to the daughter of immigrants.

Obama made the remarks while speaking with author Malcolm Gladwell about the Reconstruction era, arguing that many of the debates that defined that period continue to shape American politics today.

“It’s impossible to spend a lot of time thinking about Reconstruction without reflecting on the present day, right?” Obama said. “Because these issues are — well, they’re still there. If somebody is asking why it is relevant to talk about Reconstruction, I have to describe for them the degree to which we’re having the same arguments. The issues of: How are we going to help the freed people who’ve been enslaved? What are we going to give them to allow them to have a go at life? What does real freedom mean?”

Drawing parallels between Reconstruction and current political debates, Obama pointed to disputes over voting rights following Supreme Court rulings on congressional districts and argued that one of the nation’s major political parties has embraced an exclusionary definition of American identity.

“We have a politics now that at least one of our major parties has been captured by politics that is not that subtle about suggesting that ‘We the people’ means a certain kind of people,” Obama said. “When you have the vice president, current vice president, making a speech that is basically a blood and soil version of ‘We the people,’ that it matters who your parents were and how long they’ve been here despite him being married to a daughter of an immigrant himself.”

He continued, “That echoes, then, ideas about who can be a citizen, who belongs, who gets to make decisions. So all these issues are still being debated, sometimes not as bluntly and explicitly as they have in the past, but they’re still there.”

The phrase “blood and soil” originated in Nazi Germany and has long been associated with white nationalist ideology.

Gladwell echoed Obama’s criticism, accusing Vance of hypocrisy for advancing what he described as a nativist message while being married to Usha Vance, whose parents immigrated from India. Obama agreed with that characterization but argued that such inconsistency nevertheless reflected societal progress.

“That is progress. Listen, hypocrisy is progress. It is, because it means that you feel guilty enough to either lie to yourself or others. And that is better than not even thinking about the idea that maybe you’re doing something wrong,” Obama said.

Obama’s comments appeared to reference Vance’s Independence Day address earlier this month commemorating America’s 250th birthday in New York, during which the vice president urged Americans to reject narratives that focus solely on the nation’s shortcomings.

“So what I’d ask you to do, my fellow Americans, on our 250th birthday, is to reject the two-dimensional view of your fellow citizens and reject the two-dimensional view of your country. Reject that America is a place for zero-sum thinking because it is not. Our history is one of people carving a great civilization out of the wilderness. Reject the view of your nation that sees only its sins, but not its grace and its greatness. Everything that we have done, everything that we’ve done as a country, we have all done together, not as citizens divided against each other, but as a common people working towards a common future,” Vance said.

Although Obama has generally refrained from mentioning Vance by name in recent public appearances, he previously took an indirect jab at the vice president during the 2024 presidential campaign after then-Vice President Kamala Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate.

“When a presidential candidate chooses a running mate, it says a lot about who they are and what kind of president they’ll be. Do they pick someone inexperienced and polarizing who will deepen our divisions?” Obama asked. “Or do they pick someone with the judgment to make tough decisions, and the character to believe that every voice counts and everyone deserves an equal chance?”

{Matzav.com}

MK Yaakov Asher (Degel HaTorah) has accused Israeli Supreme Court Deputy President Justice Noam Solberg of using his position on the bench to wage an ideological battle between the chareidi and Religious Zionist communities over the military draft law and the broader relationship between religion and the state.

Speaking in an interview with Kikar HaShabbat, Asher argued that although Solberg is considered a conservative justice, he has long held ideological differences with the Haredi community.

“Here we have a conservative judge today—Justice Noam Solberg—but he has had ideological disagreements with us from the very beginning,” Asher said. “He is using his judicial seat to educate us according to the values by which he educates his own children.”

According to Asher, Solberg’s rulings are driven by his deeply held beliefs rather than personal animosity toward the chareidi community.

“He’s a human being, not an angel. Solberg is not an angel, and Amit certainly isn’t an angel. It’s clear that he comes from a place of deep conviction on this issue. Anyone who is not chareidi and is not connected to our faith, our guidance, and the worldview of our rabbonim finds it difficult to understand.”

Asher added that the long-running ideological divide between the Religious Zionist and Haredi communities over issues of religion and state has become increasingly prominent.

“Especially now that the longstanding disagreement between the Religious Zionist community and the chareidi community over how to view religion and the state has become public, I can appreciate him on a personal level. He is someone who truly does not come from a place of hatred or anything of that sort, but he does come with his own ideology.”

Asher concluded by saying that judges do not shed their personal beliefs simply because they wear judicial robes.

“People come to work wearing a robe; they don’t become angels. He has a disagreement with us. He was raised according to the teachings of different rabbonim.”

{Matzav.com}

A new report claims the Pentagon failed to disclose dozens of injuries suffered by U.S. troops during Iranian attacks in Jordan that also left two American service members dead, raising fresh questions about transparency as the conflict between Washington and Tehran continues to escalate.

According to The New York Times, multiple U.S. officials, who spoke anonymously, said numerous injuries to American personnel—as well as damage to military helicopters—were not publicly reported following a series of Iranian strikes targeting U.S. positions in Jordan.

The attacks over the weekend came after several days of U.S. military operations against Iran, further intensifying hostilities and casting doubt on the future of the 14-point memorandum of understanding the two countries signed last month.

Before the latest escalation, President Donald Trump told reporters he still believed a diplomatic “deal” remained possible. At the same time, he made clear that the United States would continue military action against Iran to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

By Sunday, however, Trump signaled a shift in tone during an interview with NewsNation, saying he “couldn’t care less” about the agreement as the deadly exchanges continued.

According to figures published by the Pentagon’s Defense Casualty Analysis System, the fighting has now claimed the lives of 17 U.S. service members, while another 427 have been wounded.

The Defense Department has maintained that it is under no obligation to publicly disclose information about military injuries. A Pentagon spokesman also rejected accusations that any injuries had been intentionally withheld.

“Injuries in the military encompass everything from minor sprained ankles during routine training to incidents entirely unrelated to combat operations,” spokesperson Sean Parnell wrote in a Monday statement on the matter.

“Cherry-picking raw numbers without context paints a deliberately misleading and incomplete picture,” he added.

Parnell further dismissed the allegations that the Pentagon had hidden casualty figures, calling the accusations “baseless” and “malicious,” and asserting that the report was intended to create “distress” surrounding the Iran war.

{Matzav.com}

Border czar Tom Homan said Monday that the Department of Homeland Security is now arresting roughly 2,000 illegal migrants every day, defending the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts while pushing back against conservatives who argue the pace of deportations remains too slow.

Speaking with reporters outside the White House, Homan said the agency has maintained a consistent daily arrest rate of approximately 2,000, even as many of the questions from the press focused on Immigration and Customs Enforcement body cameras and agency oversight.

“We’re having about 2,000 pretty steady,” he said.

Homan also addressed his working relationship with DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, emphasizing that the two are united on immigration enforcement despite having different responsibilities within the administration.

“Me and Markwayne want to get along well. He cares about the mission. We serve different roles. ICE and CBP report to Markwayne. I help Stephen Miller. We develop strategies to send down to the programs for implementation. So, we’ve got different roles, but I think Markwayne is doing a good job.”

The White House appearance was also intended to answer criticism from some immigration hardliners who believe the administration should be moving even faster to remove illegal immigrants.

“There are people out there who want to attack this current administration” from the right, Homan said, adding:

“They don’t think we’re doing enough. There was an X post this morning [which said] ICE was arresting 3,000 aliens a day last year. No, not once, not a single time do we arrest 3,000 [in a day], and now they say we’re arresting 2,000.

“We’re having about 2,000 pretty steady. Like I said this weekend, I looked at the data. Arrests are up about 40 percent over the same time period we’ve been funded now. I’ve been upfront from the beginning. Numbers were down for a few months because the department was shut down … The numbers were down 12 to 16 percent, but now the numbers are trailing up 40 percent because we are fully funded …

“I’m really tired of the false narratives going out there about what this administration is doing. The numbers are up. Last month, June, highest numbers of arrests in the history of the agency … I wish people do a little bit of research before they start attacking this administration. What we’re doing right now, our numbers higher than [they‘ve] ever been, and I’m sick and tired of people saying we’re not doing enough.”

Homan said such criticism unfairly diminishes the work being done by immigration officers across the country.

“That’s an insult to every ICE agent that’s strapping up every day, working six and seven days a week to get this done. It’s an insult. These men and women are acting professionally. They’re out there making record numbers.”

The report noted that reporters present at the briefing did not question Homan about topics such as the economic impact of deportations, workplace immigration enforcement, self-deportation estimates, investigations into white-collar immigration fraud, or the business community’s continued demand for migrant labor.

Although 2,000 arrests per day represents a dramatic increase over previous administrations, that pace would total roughly 730,000 arrests annually—still well below the estimated 8 million migrants who entered the country during President Joe Biden’s administration.

Even so, several organizations advocating for mass deportations argue that additional transparency is needed regarding the administration’s enforcement numbers and have filed lawsuits seeking updated DHS data.

“The [official] numbers don’t add up,” said Mike Howell, president of the Oversight Project, which has sued the government for updated data. Howell, who helps to steer the Mass Deportation Coalition, told Breitbart News on July 8:

“I’m very worried that the amnesty push is sincere and a credible threat. Recent history with [President Barack] Obama shows us that inflated deportation statistics will be used to look tough on enforcement, so the amnesty lobby can gain leverage in a deal with the basic premise being like “We deported it enough — now’s the time to deal with the legalization.”

“I don’t want that to happen. I want it to be preempted, and to do that, I think we need to be honest about the deportation numbers, where they are … so you can have a legitimate policy conversation about how to handle deportation enforcement.”

Howell also said maintaining public confidence in the data is critical to sustaining support among immigration enforcement advocates.

“There’s enough people out in the base who have lost trust in the numbers, and I want to keep them enthusiastic and on the same page about what the numbers are, so we can figure out where to go,” he told Breitbart News.

He added that immigration enforcement is likely to remain a significant issue for Republican voters heading into upcoming elections.

“We know what the base voters want: They want mass deportation, and so let’s get the deportations rolling … We know it’s a winning issue. I mean, DHS agrees with us — they tweeted a post saying most Americans support it.”

On Monday, DHS released figures showing that 356,389 migrants have been deported since October 2025.

Howell also argued that inflated deportation statistics were used more than a decade ago to build political support for immigration amnesty proposals.

“During Obama, it was on record who supported the Gang of Eight and DACA … it’s the special interest lobbyists who you know rely on illegal labor, it’s the farm lobby, agriculture, it’s hospitality, it’s your restaurants, all the major industries that love cheap illegal labor, and their Chamber of Commerce allies

Look no further than the co-sponsors of the Dignity Act, look no further than the sponsors and co-sponsors of the Farm Work Modernization Act. It is not rocket science — that’s the blob of the Amnesty Lobby, which gets a huge assist rhetorically media allies, and we don’t want them to be able to take advantage of inflated numbers.”

According to The Washington Post, business organizations have recently been meeting with DHS officials in an effort to persuade the administration to scale back workplace immigration enforcement.

“Earlier this month, DHS officials met at the agency’s Washington headquarters with the Essential Worker Immigration Coalition, which represents the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and major trade associations that depend on immigrant labor, according to several people with knowledge of the meeting, which has not been previously reported.”

Last week, Homan signaled that workplace immigration operations will become an even greater priority moving forward.

“We need to fire up worksite-enforcement operations, because I know, not only can you arrest illegal aliens that cause a decrease in wages for the American worker, not only does it hurt legitimate businesses because they undercut their bids and it puts Americans out of work, but also because… they’re in the country illegally.”

Howell said he believes public support for tougher enforcement will ultimately outweigh lobbying efforts by business interests.

“We want to just push the special interest lobby out of the way,” Howell said. “People in power know that there is an even more powerful constituency that supports mass deportations.”

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is facing mounting pressure after New York City Councilmember Inna Vernikov urged Secretary of State Marco Rubio to examine whether the mayor could face federal legal consequences if he follows through on his stated intention to detain Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during September’s United Nations General Assembly, according to JNS.

In a letter sent to Rubio on Sunday, Vernikov, a Jewish Republican who was born in Ukraine, argued that Mamdani’s repeated threats amount to an attempt to carry out an unlawful arrest. She urged the State Department to issue a strong rebuke to the mayor’s office and determine whether any such action would violate federal law.

“This week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has yet again threatened to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon his arrival in New York City for UNGA in September, citing the International Criminal Court, which the United States is not a signatory to,” Vernikov wrote.

“Not only does this political theater further fan the flames of antisemitism in New York City, but it is entirely baseless, as the mayor has no legal authority to arrest a sitting foreign diplomat,” she added.

President Donald Trump also addressed the controversy on Monday in a Truth Social post, declaring that Netanyahu “will not be arrested, in any way, shape or form, while in the United States of America.”

Trump said the Israeli leader is “fighting against the Islamic Republic of Iran, which recently killed 52,000 innocent protestors, and has spent the last 47 years killing American Soldiers, and others.”

He also argued that “the only ones that should be arrested are the people that led Iran into this unprecedented SPIRAL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION, something that should have been dealt with years ago, by previous Presidents!”

Reacting to Trump’s remarks in comments to JNS, Vernikov said the President had reinforced what she believes was already obvious.

“what we already knew – Mamdani cannot and will not arrest Bibi.”

She added, “To all the hopeful DSA puppets, Mamdani is about to break one of his core promises: to arrest the sitting prime minister of the only Jewish state,” she said. “Be angry.”

The controversy intensified following an interview published Saturday by The New York Times, in which Mamdani reiterated that he is examining possible ways to have Netanyahu taken into custody based on the International Criminal Court warrant connected to Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

According to Mamdani, his administration has been consulting with the New York City Law Department to determine what legal options, if any, may exist before world leaders gather in Manhattan in September. He said his administration would pursue “whatever the law allows.”

The Prime Minister’s Office forcefully rejected Mamdani’s comments, dismissing both the ICC warrant and the mayor’s position.

“The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis. Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of misconduct against him became public. It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny.”

The statement went on to defend Israel’s military conduct under Netanyahu’s leadership.

“Under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership, Israel has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians while confronting Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians,” the office clarified.

The Prime Minister’s Office concluded by accusing Mamdani of using the issue to distract from problems facing New York City.

“Instead of backing Khan’s criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York. Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East,” the statement concluded.

Criticism of Mamdani also came from across the political spectrum. During a Fox News interview on Sunday, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) ridiculed the mayor’s comments, characterizing them as little more than political grandstanding.

“[He’s] such a tough guy to say that kind of thing. He has no way to do that,” Fetterman said, adding, “America’s not even part of that corrupt court.”

Continuing his criticism, Fetterman said, “He’s just a clown to even say that, so he won’t try that. Just sit down and focus on other… problems that they have in New York. That’s really not your purview. You and I know that. Sit down.”

{Matzav.com}

Tisha B’av 1:

Tisha B’av 2:

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1827-Seiver-Part-27-Find-Him-1.mp3

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

 

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Stories4Life-Shiur-599-Our-Tefila-Chafetz-Chaim.mp3

Iran transferred thousands of uranium enrichment centrifuges to a heavily fortified underground complex inside Pickaxe Mountain last autumn, according to an Israeli intelligence assessment shared with the United States, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing Israeli and American officials.

According to the report, Israeli intelligence concluded that the relocation occurred after the June 2025 war, during which Israeli and U.S. forces carried out strikes against Iran’s three principal nuclear facilities. The findings were reportedly passed along to Washington following the operation.

An Israeli military official familiar with the campaign told The Wall Street Journal that the previous strikes failed to adequately address infrastructure connected to Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The official said additional military action remains necessary, particularly against the underground facility at Pickaxe Mountain.

The report also said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been urging President Donald Trump to authorize another round of large-scale attacks aimed at hindering Iran’s nuclear ambitions and preventing Tehran from rebuilding damaged facilities.

The United States has already stepped up its military campaign over the past ten days, and President Trump has suggested that Pickaxe Mountain—located roughly one mile south of the Natanz nuclear complex—could become a future target.

Neither Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi nor the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) responded to requests for comment, according to the report. The White House instead pointed reporters to comments the president made in media interviews last week.

During one of those interviews, with radio host Hugh Hewitt, President Trump appeared to suggest that the underground facility could soon come under attack.

“Pickaxe is a possible target for a nice big fat shot right in the front door. And I think that maybe you’ll see that,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump is expected to decide within days whether to dramatically expand the U.S. military campaign against Iran, with American forces already repositioning personnel and equipment in preparation for the possibility of a broader offensive, according to senior U.S. officials.

Fox News reported Monday that the White House is considering a significant escalation of the conflict, though administration officials stressed that no final decision has yet been made.

If President Trump authorizes a wider military operation, officials said the campaign would be substantially larger than the nine-night series of precision strikes that began on July 7 and largely focused on Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz.

Until now, U.S. forces have deliberately avoided attacking targets in or around Tehran and have refrained from striking Iran’s nuclear facilities. One official indicated that policy could quickly change if the administration decides to resume full-scale combat operations.

“That could change if there is a return to full-scale war operations,” the official said.

According to Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is preparing to reinforce its military presence in the region with additional tactical aircraft, including F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, along with KC-135 aerial refueling tankers capable of supporting an expanded air campaign.

Officials said some military assets have already begun moving into the Middle East, describing the deployments as precautionary steps while senior leadership awaits a final order from the White House.

“That is some of the movement that is occurring, but it is preparatory ahead of a final decision,” the official said.

As part of those preparations, aerial refueling aircraft are reportedly being relocated to Israel from other bases in the region. Officials believe Israeli military airfields would provide greater protection for the aircraft than installations in Persian Gulf countries if the conflict expands and Israel joins the operation.

“All of that is being discussed and debated right now,” the official said, adding that Israel would likely participate “if Trump decides to significantly widen the war.”

Meanwhile, American military operations continued Monday, as U.S. forces carried out strikes against Iranian military targets for the tenth consecutive night.

Earlier in the day, President Trump warned Iran against carrying out any additional attacks on American troops, promising overwhelming retaliation if U.S. servicemembers are killed.

“Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over!” Trump declared.

The president added that the directive has already been communicated to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Daniel Caine, and “every Leader in the Military.”

{Matzav.com}