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Former FBI Director James Comey has been indicted for a second time by the Department of Justice, according to individuals familiar with the situation who spoke to The New York Post on Tuesday.

The specific allegations in the new case were not immediately disclosed. CNN first reported news of the indictment. One of Comey’s attorneys from his previous case, which centered on alleged false statements to Congress, declined to offer any comment.

It also remains unknown where the grand jury responsible for the indictment was convened, although Comey’s earlier case had been brought in the Eastern District of Virginia.

Officials from the Justice Department did not immediately respond when asked for comment.

Comey, now 65, was previously indicted on September 25 of last year on charges related to making false statements and obstruction of justice. That case was dismissed roughly two months later when a federal judge ruled that then-interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan had been improperly appointed and therefore “had no lawful authority” to pursue the indictment.

The earlier prosecution stemmed from testimony Comey gave during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on September 30, 2020, where he was questioned by Ted Cruz about whether he had approved leaks to the press regarding investigations into President Trump’s campaign ties to Russia and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

“On May 3rd, 2017, in this committee, Chairman [Chuck] Grassley asked you point blank, ‘Have you ever been an anonymous source in news reports about matters relating to the Trump investigation or the Clinton investigation?’ You responded under oath, ‘Never,’” the line of questioning from Cruz began.

“He then asked you, ‘Have you ever authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about the Trump investigation or the Clinton administration?’ You responded again under oath, ‘No.’”

Cruz then pointed to statements made by former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, noting that Comey’s answers appeared to conflict with McCabe’s public remarks.

The Texas senator said McCabe had “publicly and repeatedly stated that he leaked information to the Wall Street Journal and that you were directly aware of it and that you directly authorized it.”

“Who’s telling the truth?” Cruz asked.

To which Comey responded, “I can only speak to my testimony. I stand by the testimony you summarized that I gave in May of 2017.”

{Matzav.com}

The United Nations Security Council gathered Tuesday to address ongoing tensions in the Middle East, where Israel’s representative delivered pointed remarks about Lebanon and the role of Hezbollah.

During the session, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, took aim at what he described as the global community’s handling of the situation, arguing that discussions about Lebanon often ignore a central issue.

“You cannot talk about peace in Lebanon without mentioning Hezbollah. Lebanon will not be able to talk about sovereignty as long as Hezbollah continues to fire on Israeli civilians and operate without interference.”

Danon continued by urging members of the Security Council to press Lebanese authorities more aggressively, saying: “If the Security Council wants to help Lebanon, it should ask the Lebanese government hard questions: how many Hezbollah weapons have been seized, which tunnels have been destroyed, and what is being done to stop arms smuggling from Iran.”

He concluded by stressing that meaningful international backing should be tied to concrete action, not rhetoric. “International support for Lebanon must depend on results on the ground and not more empty statements.”

{Matzav.com}

Federal agents carried out coordinated raids at 22 sites across Minnesota on Tuesday morning, including several child care facilities, as part of a broad investigation into alleged fraud involving social services programs.

Authorities indicated that, unlike the winter operation known as Operation Metro Surge, this round of enforcement was not tied to immigration issues. Instead, it reportedly centered on businesses with connections to the Somali-American community.

“Today the FBI with federal, state and local law enforcement is involved in court-authorized law enforcement activity as part of an ongoing fraud investigation,” a Justice Department official told The Post.

Among the locations searched was the Quality Learning Center, a Minneapolis daycare that has drawn attention in the past for a spelling error on its exterior sign.

The latest enforcement action comes amid a broader push by President Trump to crack down on fraud nationwide. During his February State of the Union address, he declared a “war on fraud” and assigned Vice President JD Vance to oversee a task force spearheading the initiative.

Investigations in Minnesota have increasingly focused on abuses tied to programs launched during the pandemic, particularly those involving food distribution and autism-related services, where officials say significant taxpayer funds were misused.

Since September, federal prosecutors have brought charges against seven individuals accused of orchestrating a scheme that allegedly involved signing up children for nonexistent autism services, generating approximately $14 million in fraudulent claims. One of those charged has already admitted guilt.

In a separate case, prosecutors have charged at least 65 people in connection with the Feeding Our Future scheme, which authorities say siphoned roughly $250 million from government programs. Numerous defendants in that case have entered guilty pleas as the sprawling prosecution continues, a case that began under the Biden administration.

Federal officials estimate that fraud in Minnesota may total as much as $19 billion, with dozens of individuals already facing criminal charges tied to various schemes.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz recently acknowledged shortcomings in oversight during a congressional hearing, expressing regret that stronger safeguards were not implemented. He noted that he accepted responsibility for the failures by deciding earlier this year not to seek a third term in office.

{Matzav.com}

Dozens of rabbonim and roshei yeshiva from across the Religious Zionist community gathered for an urgent meeting at the home of Rabbi Chaim Druckman in Shapira following a Supreme Court ruling mandating that the IDF begin a pilot program integrating female soldiers into the Armored Corps. Participants warned that the move could have far-reaching consequences for religious soldiers serving in combat roles.

The session, which extended for more than four hours, brought together leading figures representing a wide range of the Religious Zionist spectrum. The primary focus of the discussion was the practical and halachic implications of the ruling on observant soldiers currently serving in the IDF.

Throughout the meeting, speakers sharply criticized both the IDF and the Supreme Court, arguing that religious soldiers are increasingly being placed in circumstances that conflict with their beliefs, halachic standards, and even the army’s own stated guidelines. Several participants noted that they regularly receive urgent inquiries from soldiers in the field—sometimes in the middle of operational activity—seeking guidance on how to navigate mixed-gender situations.

Those present emphasized that their concern is not centered on the broader issue of women serving in the IDF, but rather on the specific impact that mixed combat frameworks would have on religious soldiers. They warned that introducing female soldiers into combat units could effectively push observant soldiers out of frontline roles within the maneuvering forces.

By the conclusion of what participants described as a serious and intense discussion, there was unanimous agreement regarding the gravity of the situation. All those present concurred that a religious soldier who strictly adheres to halacha would be unable to serve within a mixed combat unit.

The rabbonim stressed that every possible effort must be undertaken to halt developments that could, in the near future, sideline religious soldiers from combat service and potentially fracture the IDF into separate tracks for religious and secular personnel.

Rabbi Yaakov Medan said, “We will not serve in a field unit where there is mixing with women. I am not opposed to women serving, but we will not serve in a place where there is mixing. When female soldiers were placed in all the artillery regiments, we unfortunately stopped serving in the artillery. I hope we will not be forced to do the same in the Armored Corps.”

Rabbi Meir Nahorai said, “We are an integral part of the IDF, but we absolutely cannot allow our students to serve in mixed-gender settings that put them in impossible situations, like what is now proposed in the Armored Corps. For two and a half years our people have been on the front and the Chief of Staff did not find time to meet with us? That cannot be. This should matter to him. He should understand that he is in a problem.”

Rabbi Yehuda Gilad clarified, “We are not speaking against women’s service. Many young women from the religious kibbutz serve in the IDF; we are speaking against mixed combat service. Religious students will find it difficult to serve in mixed combat service; this is highly problematic from a Halachic perspective. Of course, one must also speak about reservists, a very large percentage of whom are religious; for them this could be a major crisis.”

Senior roshei yeshiva also raised concerns about the long-term implications, warning of a potential deep divide within the army. Rabbi Zalman Melamed said, “It is impossible for an observant person to serve in a mixed environment. In the advanced Religious yeshivot we have decided that we will not go to the Armored Corps as long as there is no clear decision that there will be no mixing in the Armored Corps.”

Rabbi Shmuel Haber said, “I educate students according to Halacha; from a Halachic perspective mixed service is like eating non-kosher food, it is simply prohibited. We are strict about laws of modesty and therefore mixed service is forbidden. It is simple.”

Rabbi Chaim Wolfson added, “The Supreme Court ruling is tearing the army apart and effectively aims to exclude the religious soldier from the maneuvering force, we must protest the cancellation of the partnership that is so important to the people of Israel and especially in view of their significant contribution in recent times.”

Rabbi Yigal Levinstein emphasized, “In real time, in war and in field practice everything mixes. In combat, if a crew is hit you immediately reassign and soldiers get on the tank and those could also be female soldiers, what do you do in such a situation?”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Iranian officials have conveyed to the United States that their government is currently in a “state of collapse,” as tensions continue over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions and regional activity.

Posting on Truth Social, the president wrote: “Iran has just informed us that they are in a ‘State of Collapse.’ They want us to ‘Open the Hormuz Strait,’ as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!). Thank you for your attention to this matter! President DONALD J. TRUMP.”

At the same time, a U.S. official told Reuters that Trump is dissatisfied with a recently submitted Iranian proposal, pointing to what the administration views as insufficient attention to the nuclear issue.

“He doesn’t love the proposal,” the official said, referring to the president.

According to a prior report by The Wall Street Journal, Trump and top members of his national security team have voiced doubts about the Iranian offer. The proposal, delivered Sunday, reportedly calls for reopening the Strait of Hormuz while delaying any substantive negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

The president met with advisers on Monday morning to review the proposal, the report said. While he has not dismissed it entirely, officials indicated that Trump is concerned Iran may not be negotiating seriously and is sidestepping Washington’s key demand: ending uranium enrichment altogether and pledging never to develop nuclear weapons.

Iranian officials, for their part, said earlier Monday that their plan is to push off nuclear discussions until after the current hostilities conclude and issues surrounding Gulf shipping lanes are resolved. U.S. officials have maintained that any agreement must address nuclear matters from the outset.

{Matzav.com}

A widely circulated image purporting to show White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting suspect Cole Allen wearing an IDF shirt has been determined to be fake, with investigators concluding the picture was generated using artificial intelligence and bears signs of digital manipulation.

The image spread rapidly online following the Saturday night shooting and was cited by various conspiracy claims attempting to tie Israel, Zionists, and Jews to the attempted assassination of President Trump, despite no evidence supporting such connections.

Experts reviewing the image identified multiple irregularities consistent with AI editing, including noticeable alterations to Allen’s facial features. These included changes to the placement of moles and a reshaping of his ear, as well as distortions in the appearance of his fingers.

Authorities investigating the attack have also reviewed Allen’s online activity, which reportedly included posts on Bluesky expressing opposition to Trump and his administration, along with calls for his removal from office. In a lengthy, 100-page manifesto explaining his actions, Allen criticized President Trump over the Iran conflict, referencing “children blown up,” a position that contradicts claims portraying him as aligned with Zionist causes.

Allen, who has been described as a trained mechanical engineer and worked as a tutor, was apprehended by law enforcement after gunfire erupted inside the Washington Hilton, where President Trump, members of his Cabinet, and thousands of journalists had gathered for the annual event.

He appeared in federal court on Monday for the first time to answer to several serious charges, including attempting to assassinate the president.

The 31-year-old Torrance, California resident is facing three felony counts: attempted assassination of the President of the United States, transporting a firearm and ammunition across state lines with intent to commit a felony, and using a firearm during a violent crime.

If found guilty of the attempted assassination charge, Allen could be sentenced to life in prison.

During the hearing, he did not enter a plea.

Newly released recordings indicate that groups of chassidim are organizing to forcibly enter the gravesite complex at Mount Meron during Lag BaOmer, despite strict limitations imposed by authorities, raising concerns about potential disorder and violent confrontations.

The recordings, aired Monday by i24News in a report by journalist Ari Kalman, suggest that the effort is not limited to fringe elements but includes participants from multiple communities and groups. In the conversations, organizers can be heard outlining a detailed “break-in plan” for Thursday and Friday ahead of Lag BaOmer.

Participants in the recordings discuss preparing specialized equipment, including “cutters” and metal-cutting scissors, with the intention of breaking through fences and barriers expected to surround the mountain. One individual describes the layout of the area, saying, “There are four main entrances, you can do it from the back and from the front.”

Another participant confirms that equipment has already been prepared in advance, stating, “We have equipment that was prepared in Yerushalayim.” The groups’ stated intention is to reach the site “in any case,” disregarding the serious security warnings that led to the drastic scaling back of the traditional Lag BaOmer gathering.

Officials responsible for managing the event, including representatives from the Ministry of Yerushalayim Affairs and Tradition, warned that such actions could result in chaos and severe violence if crowds attempt to force entry against security forces.

Security officials are particularly concerned that a large, uncontrolled crowd in an open area—combined with the threat of rocket fire from northern fronts—could create a dangerous situation with the potential for mass casualties.

The decision to limit attendance to just 1,500 participants followed a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, during which security agencies presented a grave assessment of the risks involved.

“It could be more than a hundred fatalities,” a security official warned during the discussion, referring to the potential danger posed by rocket attacks from Lebanon targeting the gathering site.

Despite these warnings, voices within the groups involved suggest a strong determination to proceed.

“We will not give up on reaching the kever of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai,” participants said, signaling their willingness to confront law enforcement if necessary.

Following the government’s decision to cancel the event in its traditional format, all construction work at the Meron site was halted, and police moved in to dismantle infrastructure that had already been set up.

The move sparked significant anger within parts of the chareidi community, particularly given that nationwide Independence Day celebrations had taken place just days earlier without similar restrictions.

Law enforcement officials estimate that large numbers of police will be required to prevent any attempted breaches of the site, warning that such efforts will be met with firm action. Further updates are expected.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Monday sharply criticized White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, calling her a “stone-cold liar” after she attributed responsibility to Democrats for the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner over the weekend.

“I think that what’s interesting to me, as you pointed out, is that the so-called White House press secretary, who’s a disgrace, she’s a stone-cold liar,” Jeffries said during a House press conference.

“She had the nerve to stand up there and read talking points being critical of statements all taken out of context that Democrats have made and didn’t have a word to say about anything that MAGA extremists have said or done, including providing aid and comfort to violent insurrectionists here at this capital on January 6th who brutally beat police officers,” he added.

Earlier in the day, during a White House briefing, Leavitt pointed to comments made by several prominent Democrats as she addressed the aftermath of the shooting, in which a gunman targeted President Trump and senior administration officials at the Washington event.

She specifically referenced remarks Jeffries made last week, when he warned that Republicans would face “maximum warfare” if they move forward with redistricting efforts in Florida.

“This political violence stems from a systemic demonization of him and his supporters by commentators, by elected members of the Democrat party and even some in the media,” Leavitt told reporters Monday.

“This hateful and constant and violent rhetoric directed at President Trump day after day after day for 11 years has helped to legitimize this violence and bring us to this dark moment,” she continued.

Jeffries had previously used similar language toward Leavitt in October, when she accused Democrats of employing violent rhetoric and described the Democratic Party as being made up of “Hamas terrorists, illegal aliens and violent criminal,” remarks she made while discussing New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani during a Fox News appearance.

Responding again on Monday, Jeffries dismissed Leavitt’s criticism and told reporters at the Capitol that she had no standing to lecture others on tone.

“This so-called White House press secretary wants to lecture America and lecture us about civility. Get lost. Clean up your own house before you have anything to say to us about the language that we use,” Jeffries told reporters in the Capitol on Monday,

He went on to defend his own earlier comments about “maximum warfare,” saying he stands by them and rejecting criticism from Republicans, including President Trump, over his rhetoric.

“The notion that any of us are concerned with so-called criticism from these phony Republicans as it relates to anything that has been said — certainly as it relates to the comment related to ‘maximum warfare, everywhere, all the time,’ in connection to the redistricting battle that Republicans launched — I stand by it,” Jeffries said Monday.

Senate Republicans Push White House Ballroom Plan Following Security Breach

A group of Senate Republicans, led by Lindsey Graham, is advancing legislation to fund a secure 90,000-square-foot ballroom at the White House, arguing the project is critical for national security in the wake of a gunman’s attempt to breach the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner over the weekend.

Graham and fellow supporters say the proposal would be financed through national park user fees and customs revenue. In addition to the ballroom itself, the plan includes construction of security-focused infrastructure beneath the facility, including space for the Secret Service.

“It’s very difficult to have a bunch of important people in the same place unless it’s really, really secure. The times in which we live are unusual. I’ve been up here for a while now, I’ve never felt the sense of threat that exists today,” said Graham, who was first elected to the House in 1994.

He pointed out that President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and House Speaker Mike Johnson—second and third in the presidential line of succession—were all present at the dinner when a 31-year-old man armed with multiple weapons attempted to force his way into the ballroom before being subdued by Secret Service agents.

While critics have dismissed Trump’s interest in building a large ballroom near the West Wing as unnecessary or self-serving, Graham said he views it as a practical security measure.

“A meeting space that is secured on the White House grounds that would allow people to do what they did at the Hilton hotel is necessary. I’m convinced that had there been a presidential ballroom adjacent to the White House, the guy would have never gotten in,” he said referring to the assailant.

Graham is working alongside Katie Britt and Eric Schmitt on legislation to authorize the project, which would include a reinforced underground complex designed for emergency use.

Schmitt told reporters that funding mechanisms such as national park fees would help offset the cost of construction.

“Underneath it will be a lot of military stuff. There will be a Secret Service annex and we pay for it by offsetting it with customs fees,” he said. “Private donations can be used but I think they should be used for buying [fine] china and stuff like that.”

Graham said he spoke with President Trump about the proposal on Sunday and indicated that the White House is supportive of the effort.

The South Carolina senator, a close ally of the president, said the ballroom idea frequently comes up in conversations with Trump.

“Every time, all the time. Like, ‘How are you doing?’ ‘Where’s the ballroom?’ ‘How you playin’ [golf?]’ ‘I don’t know, I’d play better if you built the ballroom.’ It’s all the time,” Graham said with a chuckle. “He understands what’s missing.”

He also noted that the timing of the proposal coincides with the visit of King Charles III to the White House, suggesting that a new ballroom would better accommodate such high-profile occasions.

Schmitt, who also speaks regularly with Trump, agreed with the president’s emphasis on the project.

“it’s important,” he said when asked how often the topic has come up in his discussions with Trump.

President Trump himself said during a press conference Saturday night following the shooting that the incident highlighted the need for a secure ballroom at the White House.

Graham said he plans to urge Senate Majority Leader John Thune to fast-track the bill and bring it to the Senate floor for a vote as soon as possible.

Support for the proposal is not limited strictly to Republicans. Senator John Fetterman expressed backing for the idea on Sunday and called on Democrats to reconsider their opposition.

Graham said he has not yet formally presented the plan to his Democratic colleagues but has had informal conversations.

“I’m trying to jumpstart the conversation. I’ve talked to a few of them just out the hall. … Some of them of them were there. They’re rattled like the best of us,” he said.

However, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin indicated he is not currently in favor of the proposal.

“At this point no. There’s obviously a lot of questions about how much it costs, how many people will be accommodated,” he said.

Durbin also raised concerns about the size and practicality of the proposed ballroom, noting it would be significantly smaller than the Washington Hilton, the traditional venue for the Correspondents’ Dinner.

“I have a lot of questions,” Durbin added. “Who’s paying for this? What’s the arrangement? This administration has too many times come up with deferment of payment to special interest sources. We don’t know the details.”

{Matzav.com}

Dear Matzav Inbox,

I don’t even know why I’m writing this because I’m pretty sure nothing is going to change, but I can’t keep it in anymore.

I’m a bochur in mesivta. I’m not going to say where, for obivous reasons. But what’s going on here is not normal, and everyone acts like it is.

I’m being bullied. Not once, not twice, but every single day. It’s constant. It’s the comments, the looks, the laughing, the things they say under their breath and sometimes right to my face. It’s the nicknames. It’s the pushing around in the hallway. It’s hiding my stuff, messing with my stuff, throwing things, embarrassing me in front of everyone. Sometimes it’s small things, but when it’s all day, every day, it adds up and eats at you.

I go to sleep dreading the next morning. I wake up already feeling sick thinking about going back. People think mesivta is just learning and friends and growing. Maybe for some people it is. For me, it’s walking into a place where I know I’m going to be made into a joke again.

And the worst part is not even the guys doing it. The worst part is that nobody does anything.

Rabbeim know. I told them. Maybe not everything, but enough. They know who the guys are. Everyone knows. And still, nothing changes. Maybe once in a while someone says “stop,” but five minutes later it’s back. There are no real consequences. No one sits them down seriously. No one protects the ones getting it.

It makes you feel like you don’t matter. Like you’re just supposed to deal with it and keep going like everything is fine.

I’ve tried to ignore it. I’ve tried to laugh it off. I’ve tried to stay quiet. I’ve even tried to avoid certain places so I don’t run into them. But you can’t avoid it when it’s your whole day.

Sometimes I wonder if something is wrong with me. Like maybe I deserve this, maybe I’m the problem. But deep down I know that’s not true. No one deserves to be treated like this.

I’m not writing this to get attention. I’m writing because I don’t know what else to do. I feel stuck. I feel alone even though I’m surrounded by people all day.

I wish someone would just step in and actually care. Not just say a few words and move on, but really do something. Make it stop. Make it clear that this is not okay.

Because right now, it feels like it is okay.

And if this is what mesivta is supposed to be for some of us, then something is very wrong.

A Bochur Who Just Wants to Come to Yeshiva Without Being Afraid

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[COMMUNICATED]

by Rabbi Eliezer Sandler

The concept of the Yissachar-Zevulun Torah Learning Pact goes back well over 3,500 years, to the time of Yaakov Avinu and his sons. It is named for the Torah pact between two of his sons – Yissachar the scholar and Zevulun the merchant. Not only was it an equal pact but, Chazal explained, the deed of Zevulun/the Sponsor is considered even greater than that of Yissachar, because without the support of Zevulun, Yissachar would not have had the wherewithal to study Torah undisturbed.”

It is well-known that when it comes to learning Torah, people who sponsor the learning, often do so, not just as a donation. By financially supporting specific Torah scholars, they enter into a binding, written, signed and sealed learning partnership pact whereby the Sponsor (the Zevulun) is deemed by Halacha as if he personally studied the Torah completed by the Scholar (the Yissachar). (See below.) 

Thus, those who support the Talmidei Chachomim at Shas Yiden via a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact merit a portion in every daf of the entire Talmud Bavli and associated texts that they study, and complete the entire cycle in the space of ONE year. Some of the Sponsors opt to continue sponsoring repeat cycles of Shas which accrue to them.

Sar Hatorah, Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden, emphasized: The most mehudar Yissachar-Zevulun pact to support in our times is that offered by Shas Yiden – it comprises the entire Shas, Rashi and Tosfos – all in just one year!

Rav Chaim explained why this pact with Shas Yiden is the most mehudar. Chazal say that the highest level of learning is when one understands what he is learning b’iyun u’ve’amkus. However, even higher than that is when one remembers b’al peh all what he has learned. I have farhered the Shas Yiden avreichim geonim many times and can attest ZEI KENNEN SHAS (they know Shas)!

YES! YOU CAN MAKE

The Yissachar-Zevulun Pact in Halacha

The Shulchan Aruch in Yoreh De’ah Chapter 246 regarding the efficacy of the Yissachar-Zevulun Sponsorship Pact for the Zevulun (the Sponsor) states clearly:  It is deemed as if he (the one sponsoring the learning) himself learned all the Torah studied under the pact. 

All the learning under the Shas Yiden Yissachar-Zevulun Pact is yours בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in both This World and the World to Come)! Concerning this, the Netziv of Volozhin comments that in Olam Habah, the Zevulun sponsor will sit together with the Gedolei Torah of the past and merit to participate in their discussions and pilpulim on all the Torah learned.

Achieve Almost 7 million Mitzvos in One Year

The Vilna Gaon in Shnos Eliyahu Pe’ah 41 states that one should hold precious every word of Torah that he learns because each word is considered a mitzvah of its own. 

Thus, since in Talmud Bavli, Rashi and Tosfos there are 6,608,891 words, that translates into almost 7 million mitzvos accruing through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden. 

Official Shtar from Shas Yiden

Each Yissachar-Zevulun pact is confirmed by an official contract (shtar) from Shas Yiden specifying the learning of the entire Shas, and is witnessed by talmidei chachomim.

All who wish to enter into a Yissachar-Zevulun Pact for the entire Shas during ONE year should contact Shas Yiden to make arrangements: 718-702-1528.

The opportunity to complete the entire Shas has been a cherished way to honor family members and others as a prized achievement. It has also proven to be a source of comfort for mourners to obtain such a zechus for their dear ones during the year of mourning – a siyum of the entire Shas can be completed on the yahrzeit!

Yissachar-Zevulun Pact –

The legendary visionary and “Father of Yeshivos”, Reb Chaim of Volozhin, was the founder of the famous yeshiva in the town of Volozhin and the beloved talmid of the Vilna Gaon. 

Reb Chaim had an ongoing Yissachar-Zevulun pact with a local shoemaker – a man who was not learned but who dearly valued Torah learning. They had a ‘deal’ whereby the shoemaker would pay the monthly financial support needed for Reb Chaim and his family. For this financial support, the shoemaker would have an equal share in all Reb Chaim’s daily Torah study – both in the mitzvah of Torah study בעוה”ז and that the knowledge of the Torah learned would continue to be his בעוה”ב (in the World to Come).

One day the shoemaker passed away suddenly. During the shiva period, Reb Chaim was facing a perplexing halachic question and researched high and low for a solution. That night the shoemaker appeared to him in a dream and gave him the full solution that he sought. Reb Chaim was amazed and commented, “Azoi gich, Azoi Gich – So quickly, so quickly has he acquired the zchus and knowledge of the Torah that I have studied!”

In the words of Gedolei Torah:

Maran Hagaon Harav Chaim Kanievsky, zt”l, Nasi Shas Yiden:

“In just ONE year, through Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden, you can be zoche to the entire Shas forever – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב (in olam hazeh and olam habah).

“Moreover, whoever supports Shas Yiden is zocheh to fulfill both Yissachar-Zevulun and support of aniyei (the poor of) Eretz Yisroel in the fullest sense of the word.

“Those who support Shas Yiden will be saved from chevlei (the travails of) Moshiach – spiritually and materially, and will be zoche to have ehrlicher bonim u’vanos yir’eishomayim ”

Maran Hagaon Harav Dov Lando, shlit”a, Rosh Yeshiva, Slabodka:

“Who compares to the Shas Yiden? Incredible talmidei chachomim geonim who raised the bar in limud Hashas b’iyun u’v’amkus. Blessed are those who enter a Yissachar-Zevulun pact with them.”

Hamashpia Hagadol Reb Meilech Biederman, shlit”a:

 “Yissachar-Zevulun at Shas Yiden – best possible deal, and in just 1 year! 100% partnership! 100% Shas x 5 times! 100% Shisha Sidrei Mishna – בעוה”ז ובעוה”ב”

Sanzer Rebbe, shlit”a:

“A first in 2000 years of Jewish history! Until Shas Yiden, never a Torah institution where ALL the avreichim metzuyonim v’geonim know the entire Shas by heart”

Harav Yaakov Hillel, shlit”a:

“Therefore, the great mitzvah to support the efforts [of the Talmidei Chachomim] with generous donations in order that they should continue diligently with their studies to enhance the greatness of the Torah and its glory. 

ShasYiden.com

David Barnea, the outgoing head of Israel’s Mossad, said in conversations ahead of his departure that connections between aides in Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s office and Qatar did not compromise Israel’s security. The remarks, first reported by Haaretz, were shared in discussions he held with various figures as he prepared to leave his position.

According to reporting by Gidi Weitz, Barnea clarified in those conversations that he was not addressing potential criminal aspects of the case, which fall outside his expertise. However, based on his role, he said he did not identify any damage to negotiations for the release of hostages or any broader security harm stemming from the work carried out by Netanyahu’s associates on behalf of Qatar.

The report noted that Barnea’s position sharply conflicts with that of other senior figures in Israel’s security establishment, most notably former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. In an affidavit submitted to Israel’s High Court of Justice, Bar wrote that the affair “raises the gravest suspicions of serious harm to national security, particularly regarding damage to hostage negotiations, strengthening Hamas, and harming Israel-Egypt relations.”

At the center of the so-called “Qatar-gate” affair are Yonatan Urich, Eli Feldstein, and Yisrael Einhorn, a strategist who previously worked on Likud campaigns and is known to be close to Urich.

Investigators suspect that Urich and Feldstein were simultaneously working for Qatar while serving in the Prime Minister’s Office, allegedly in coordination with Einhorn. According to materials from the investigation, their objective was to distance Qatar from accusations of financing Hamas and to portray it as the preferred intermediary for a hostage deal.

To advance that effort, the suspects are believed to have circulated pro-Qatar messaging within Israeli media outlets while criticizing Egypt, presenting those narratives as originating from security and diplomatic sources.

ZAKA’s international unit is working to bring the body of Reb Nachum Yisroel Eber z”l, a 51-year-old Belzer chossid from Boro Park who was murdered while visiting Colombia, to Eretz Yisroel for kevurah following a request from his family.

Nachum Yisroel had traveled to Colombia on a trip when contact with him was suddenly lost. After several days of searching, he was found dead with signs of violence on his body, confirming that he had been the victim of a murder.

After the discovery, family members contacted ZAKA’s international emergency center asking for assistance in securing the release of the body and arranging for burial in Israel. Upon receiving the request, volunteers from ZAKA’s international unit, together with members of the local Jewish community, began working with Colombian authorities to complete the necessary legal steps and expedite the transfer.

At the same time, ZAKA’s legal department, which focuses on preserving the dignity of the deceased, is actively working to prevent an autopsy and to speed up the legal procedures required for the release of the body.

Yossi Landau, commander of ZAKA Lachish and a volunteer with the organization’s international unit who is handling the case, described the incident as deeply painful.

“This is a difficult and tragic incident of a Jew who was murdered far from his home. We thank the members of the Jewish community in Colombia and all those involved who are working to bring the deceased to burial in Israel as quickly as possible. The volunteers of ZAKA’s international unit are accompanying the family and sharing in their deep mourning.”

A former Defense Department intelligence official says the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner has revealed troubling weaknesses in the security surrounding President Donald Trump and other top U.S. leaders, raising concerns about potential threats from adversaries such as Iran.

Andrew Badger, speaking to Fox News Digital, said the April 25 incident could embolden Tehran at a time when tensions remain high and ceasefire negotiations have stalled, potentially increasing its willingness to target senior American officials.

“This could show that there is a vulnerability in terms of potentially accessing President Trump or senior officials,” Badger said before warning of “significant vulnerabilities.”

He added that perceived weakness can encourage hostile actors to act.

“When you’re looking at your adversary, and you’re seeing weakness, it also fuels motivation,” he said before claiming that “Iran has the motive to strike at senior Trump officials, including President Trump.”

“Iran, which has a demonstrated history of using criminals and proxy individuals, could certainly look at this as an opportunity.”

Panic erupted at the Washington Hilton Hotel when a suspected gunman, identified as 31-year-old Cole Thomas Allen of Torrance, California, forced his way through a security checkpoint and began shooting.

President Trump and other high-ranking officials were quickly evacuated from the ballroom as law enforcement moved in. Allen has since been taken into custody and appeared in court for the first time on Monday.

The event drew a large concentration of national leadership, including President Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson, journalists, and senior administration officials — a situation Badger said heightened the level of risk.

“The top three of the line of succession were at this single event,” Badger noted.

He further warned about the potential consequences had the situation escalated further.

“eight of the nine line-of-succession officials were at this single event,” warning of a worst-case scenario: “If this individual would have somehow worn a suicide vest, you could have eliminated all three of those individuals.”

Badger emphasized that the setting, which was not a fully secured government facility, increased the danger and left room for more complex threats.

“Imagine if there were multiple people. Imagine if he was wearing suicide vests. Imagine if he used some type of drone,” Badger said, emphasizing the scale of potential exposure at a nonsecure venue.

He said the incident comes amid ongoing friction with Iran, which has intensified following joint U.S. and Israeli actions targeting Iranian leadership figures.

Badger pointed to long-standing tensions dating back to the 2020 killing of Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani, who was killed in a U.S. drone strike near Baghdad International Airport ordered by President Trump.

“There has been a driving animus, a driving motivation in the Iranian regime — which they’ve stated publicly — to get revenge for that killing of Soleimani,” said Badger, who served on the front lines of human intelligence operations, including a 2014 deployment to Afghanistan.

Following Soleimani’s death, Ayatollah Khamenei warned that those behind the strike would face “severe revenge,” and said the killing would only deepen resistance against the United States and Israel.

Badger also cautioned that Iran and other adversaries have increasingly turned to unconventional methods in recent years.

“Iran and other state actors such as Russia have increasingly reverted to contracting criminals, or gangsters, to conduct hybrid warfare,” he said.

In the aftermath of the shooting, President Trump highlighted the need for improved security infrastructure, including the construction of a dedicated ballroom at the White House.

“It’s got every single bell and whistle you can possibly have for security and safety… It’s really what you need,” Trump said on Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing.”

Late-night television host Jimmy Kimmel drew renewed backlash after repeating a controversial joke about first lady Melania Trump during his Monday night show, days after making the remark in a segment that aired shortly before the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Kimmel, who had previously faced criticism over remarks tied to other high-profile incidents, returned to the topic on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and addressed the reaction to his earlier monologue.

“This was like déjà vu for me today,” he said on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

He explained that the segment from last Thursday was designed as a comedic roast in the style typically seen at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which did not take place this year.

During that segment, one of his jokes focused on the first lady.

“Our first lady, Melania, is here. Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs. Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow,” Kimmel said.

Kimmel repeated the same line during Monday’s monologue, despite criticism that followed both the original joke and the attempted assassination targeting President Trump over the weekend, after Melania publicly condemned what she described as “hateful and violent rhetoric.”

Authorities say the alleged shooter, Cole Allen, entered the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner event with plans to carry out an attack against members of the Trump administration.

Kimmel maintained that his original performance was meant purely as satire and was unrelated to the violent incident.

“There was no big reaction to it until this morning, when I faced yet another Twitter vomit storm and calls to fire me from our first lady,” Kimmel said.

He added that the joke was intended to reference “about [Melania’s] age difference and the look of joy we see on her face” whenever she and Trump appear together.

A Judaica store in Toronto was targeted Sunday morning when a rock was thrown through its window, marking another act of antisemitism in Canada’s largest city.

Police said the incident took place near Bathurst Street and Regina Avenue, confirming that a stone was hurled at a local business. Authorities added that the Hate Crime Unit “was consulted and is aware.”

The shop, Aleph Bet Judaica, has now been hit in similar attacks for the third time. Despite the repeated vandalism, owner Moshe Joseph said he refuses to be deterred and plans to respond as he has in the past—by repairing the damage and continuing operations.

“This is not going to scare me,” Joseph said. “I have been in Canada for 49 years.”

He made clear that intimidation would not force him to close his doors.

“We have been open since 1988,” Joseph told The Sun.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) reacted to the incident by expressing frustration over the ongoing pattern of attacks.

“Another day, another attack. This time a Judaica store in Toronto, which has been targeted before.”

“Words are starting to lose meaning when this keeps happening. We need urgent action from the authorities and all levels of government to safeguard communities and address the sources of the violence before lives are lost,” added CIJA.

The vandalism occurred just one day after another incident in the area, when a man attempted to enter a shul in Thornhill, north of Toronto, and assaulted an individual before fleeing. According to York Regional Police, the episode happened around 9:30 a.m. at the Sephardic Kehila Centre on Bathurst Street, just above Steeles Avenue West. Investigators are treating the case as hate- or bias-motivated. The victim was not injured.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Monday that an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz under strict terms is unacceptable to Washington, arguing that it would effectively give Tehran control over a vital international waterway.

In an interview with Fox News, Rubio said Iran’s interpretation of access to the strait differs sharply from that of the broader international community.

“What they mean by opening the straits is, yes, the straits are open, as long as you coordinate with Iran, get our permission, or we’ll blow you up and you pay us,” Rubio stated.

He emphasized, “That’s not opening the straits. Those are international waterways. They cannot normalize, nor can we tolerate them trying to normalize, a system in which the Iranians decide who gets to use.”

Asked what the next step would be if no agreement is reached, Rubio pointed to President Trump as the ultimate decision-maker while highlighting the existing pressure campaign against Iran.

“Well, again, that’s the President’s decision to make. I would start out by reminding everybody that the level of sanctions on Iran are extraordinary, the pressure on Iran is extraordinary, and I think more can be brought to bear. But I hope that in the aftermath of this conflict, the whole world’s eyes have been opened to the threat Iran poses.”

Rubio added that Iran’s leadership calculates its moves carefully, weighing risks and benefits, and said the United States must ensure that the consequences of Tehran’s actions outweigh any potential gains.

“every decision they make, they weigh the costs and they weigh the benefits. And we have to make sure that the costs of all the nefarious things they are doing outweigh the benefits of what they are doing. This is the reason why the [naval] blockade is in place.”

He also clarified that the U.S. naval blockade is aimed specifically at Iran rather than at global shipping traffic.

“is not a blockade against shipping. It’s a blockade against Iranian shipping, because they cannot be the sole beneficiaries of an illegal, unlawful, and unjustified system of tolling and control in the straits.”

Rubio’s remarks came one day after Iran, through intermediaries in Pakistan, delivered a proposal outlining a phased approach to easing tensions with the United States.

According to a U.S. official and sources familiar with the discussions, the Iranian plan prioritizes reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the current conflict, while postponing negotiations over its nuclear program to a later stage.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday that the administration is “discussing” the Iranian proposal concerning the Strait of Hormuz, but did not indicate that it is actively being “considered.”

{Matzav.com}

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