At a Motzoei Shabbos gathering marking the completion of Seder Moed by the Oraysa learning program, Rav Yitzchak Yosef delivered an emotional and forceful address about the draft crisis and the recent arrests of yeshiva students by military police. Speaking with visible pain, he declared that “almost all” of those being detained are Sephardi bochurim and urged the community to strengthen Torah study as a means to overturn the harsh decrees.
Opening his remarks, Rav Yosef asked, “The detainees? Almost all of them are Sephardim, unfortunately. We need many merits so that Hashem will cancel all these decrees upon us — the legal advisers, the judges… may He nullify their counsel and disrupt their plans.”
Rav Yosef stressed that the most powerful response to the crisis is an increase in Torah learning. “These merits must come through Torah study,” he said. “When a person learns Torah, Hashem will help ensure that all of these decrees will be canceled as if they never existed.”
He concluded with a brocha that the yeshiva world continue to grow despite the pressure and upheaval. “May we all merit to expand our borders with more students, and may all the rabbanim and roshei yeshiva see true nachas from their talmidim, who are like their own children,” Rav Yosef said.
{Matzav.com}
Israel is bracing for a political showdown over the new draft law, as Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu has instructed the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee—led by MK Boaz Bismuth—to begin a marathon of deliberations this week on the proposal that would formally define the status of yeshiva students and shape the future of military conscription.
The coalition’s goal is ambitious: to pass the bill through its second and third readings in the Knesset plenum within just six weeks. To reach that target, the coming days will feature three separate committee sessions aimed at finalizing the legislation.
But even within the coalition, cracks are emerging. Senior coalition members—including Yuli Edelstein and Sharren Haskel—have already begun quietly rallying internal opposition that could block the bill from securing a majority when it reaches the floor.
In response, senior figures in the charedi parties have turned to an unusual strategy: engaging in discreet conversations with Arab party leaders, hoping they will simply skip the vote and effectively lower the threshold for the law’s passage. Thus far, however, Arab factions have rejected the idea, making clear that their top priority is bringing down the Netanyahu government rather than helping it pass critical legislation.
MK Boaz Bismuth announced last night that the committee has already made substantial revisions to the legislation. “I worked over the past weeks on the draft of the enlistment law in full cooperation with the legal advisers of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee under my leadership. I made several changes in order to fully meet legal requirements and prevent any future legal risk,” he said.
He defended the bill as balanced and pragmatic. “This is a responsible law that creates equilibrium between the needs of the IDF and the preservation of the Torah world, and restores stability to the State of Israel.” Bismuth added confidently, “The train has already left the station, and it will not stop until the law is approved in the Knesset plenum!”
The controversy has also triggered objections from unexpected quarters. Tzachi Hanegbi, the former National Security Council chief who was recently dismissed, sharply condemned the current version of the bill. “The burden still falls on the shoulders of relatively few. The IDF needs thousands more combat soldiers, certainly in light of the most recent war and its consequences. The proposed law, as published, does not advance this goal, it legitimizes draft-dodging and endangers the state’s future,” he said.
Hanegbi emphasized that supporting Torah study does not contradict national defense. “The Torah has preserved Israel throughout the generations, and Torah learning is precious to the Jewish people. It must be combined with the value of defending the state and its citizens,” he said.
He concluded by warning that the government cannot afford to delay. “Many years in the Cabinet, in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, and in the National Security Council taught me that the IDF knows how to integrate these two values successfully. Now the government and the Knesset must ensure this without any further postponements.”
{Matzav.com}
A deeply emotional scene unfolded last week in Beitar Illit during the wedding of a granddaughter of the Rebbe of Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok. The event took an unexpected and stirring turn when the Rebbe addressed the crowd and spoke candidly about his declining health.
The kallah is a daughter of Rav Yisroel Kahn, rov of the Toldos Avrohom Yitzchok kehillah in Boro Park, and a granddaughter of Rav Dovid Schwimmer, a senior dayan in the Vizhnitzer kehillah of Beit Shemesh.
The chosson is a son of Rav Naftali Stein and a grandson of Rav Dovid Shlomo Stein, dayan of the Faltishaner kehillah in Williamsburg. He is also a grandson-in-law of the Karlsburger Rebbe of Williamsburg.
In the midst of the celebration, the atmosphere shifted when the Rebbe rose to speak. His voice was weak but full of emotion as he reflected on his health challenges and shared a message that deeply touched the crowd. “We must make use of the time we are still here together in this world. I am very weak now because of the illness in my legs and I have no strength. I ask the public to thank Hashem on my behalf,” the Rebbe said.
{Matzav.com}Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek issued a sharp warning to federal immigration officers, declaring that the state is prepared to investigate and prosecute any federal agent who violates Oregon law while enforcing immigration policy within its borders. Her remarks came in a video posted to Instagram, where she sharply criticized the Department of Homeland Security for what she described as abusive tactics.
In the video, Kotek accused DHS personnel of engaging in “violent actions” and “stoking fear in the name of immigration enforcement,” saying Oregon would not look the other way if federal officers overstepped legal boundaries. She emphasized that Oregon intends to “investigate misconduct” and hold violators accountable.
“I believe as you do, in the rule of law and keeping our community safe,” Kotek said, framing her position as consistent with public safety. “We also believe in being a welcoming place, where our immigrant and refugee community help our state thrive. The ongoing violent actions of the federal Department of Homeland Security are unacceptable — going after Oregonians, and stoking fear in the name of ‘immigration enforcement.’”
The governor argued that DHS’s tactics have endangered both civilians and local law enforcement. She described the conduct of federal agents as involving “excessive force, reckless tactics,” which she said is “not how public safety works.”
Kotek stressed that the state is actively keeping track of federal immigration operations. “Oregon is monitoring all ICE actions closely,” she said. “We will investigate misconduct, and if a federal officer breaks Oregon law, they will be held accountable — just like anyone else. I will not tolerate reckless, or unconstitutional behavior in our state.”
Her criticism of federal immigration authorities is not new. In an interview with CBS News in October, Kotek accused federal agents of heightening tensions during confrontations with protesters in Portland and urged them to pull back. She said they needed to “stand back and focus on de-escalating” rather than intensifying volatile situations.
“[T]his set of demonstrations that are happening are managed by local law enforcement, as they should be,” she said at the time. “People have the right to lawfully protest, but if they cross the line, they are being held accountable. If criminal activity occurs, they are being held accountable. This is what free speech looks like, and I believe the federal government can continue to do the work right here.”
{Matzav.com}
