Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid rejected allegations that he conducted a private meeting with senior Qatari officials, insisting that the discussion took place together with families of Israeli hostages.
That version was challenged by a Kan News report, which said Lapid initially took part in a restricted meeting with senior Qatari representatives that included only members of his own staff and did not include the hostages’ families. The report added that a separate meeting was later held with representatives of three hostage families.
According to the report, both meetings were held on January 12, 2025, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Paris. The report further stated that during the discussions Lapid spoke positively about Qatar’s role in the negotiations and that topics involving potential future relations between Israel and Qatar were also raised.
Lapid’s office confirmed that an initial meeting took place without the families present. “Lapid and his team sat with the Qatari representative for a discussion on the issue of the hostages, and afterward the families of the hostages joined the meeting,” his office said.
Lapid went on to accuse the Prime Minister’s Office of double standards, alleging that it had quietly accepted millions of dollars from Qatar and enabled the transfer of tens of millions of dollars in cash to Hamas’s military wing. He also said that Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu apologized to Qatari officials at the White House after Operation Summit Of Fire and pledged that such an attack would not occur again.
Lapid maintained that the publication of the report was intended to divert attention from legislation he initiated that would classify Qatar as an enemy state. “We recommend that the Prime Minister’s Office support the law instead of continuing to sell the security of the State of Israel for monetary gain,” he said.
{Matzav.com}
Amid a series of painful tragedies that have recently struck the chareidi community, the mashgiach of Ponevezh Yeshiva, Rav Ezra Rothschild, delivered a forceful and emotional address in which he sharply condemned street posters and public demonstrations held against the rulings of the Gedolei HaDor. He warned that public ביזוי of Torah leadership is a grave matter, declaring that “the Torah demands redress,” and blaming such conduct for the calamities befalling the community.
Speaking with visible anguish, Rav Rothschild described the recent period as one of extraordinary pain. “In the past two weeks, terrible things have happened to Klal Yisroel—horrific tragedies, involving young people, both in the way they occurred and in their timing. Even today, the father of a yeshiva student passed away,” he said. “Without question, Hakadosh Baruch Hu is speaking to us. He has taken pure souls who merited to be a communal offering. We may not know exactly what Hashem wants from us, but the first thing a person must recognize is that Hashem is speaking to us. These are frightening events, not according to the natural order, and yet they share a similar pattern.”
Rav Rothschild then turned his focus to what he described as a deep and dangerous confusion within the public regarding kavod haTorah and the honor due to the Gedolei Yisroel. Quoting what he said he had heard in the name of a leading Torah authority, he stated that the recent tragedies were linked to the public disparagement of Torah leadership. “There has been, recently, a ביזוי of Gedolei Yisroel,” he said. “There were demonstrations—official demonstrations—by thousands of Jews against Gedolei Yisroel. This was not about the draft decree itself, but explicitly against the deferment law from military service. That is what was written.”
He expressed astonishment that public protests were staged against a matter already decided by the Gedolim. “What does it mean, a law of deferment from the draft? Gedolei Yisroel deliberated, ruled, and decided—and people demonstrate against that? Such a thing never existed. Tens of thousands of people participated. Most of them are innocent, simple people who were drawn in and are not to blame. But something terrible happened here. These demonstrations are against Daas Torah, completely against the way of the Torah.”
In particularly sharp terms, Rav Rothschild criticized attempts to undermine the authority of Rav Dov Landau, warning against the growing influence of “the street” and political activists. “This situation, where demonstrations are held against Gedolei Yisroel whom all of Klal Yisroel follows—Maran Rosh HaYeshiva Rav Dov Landau is greater than the entire generation, without question wiser, more G-d-fearing, and older,” he said. “Even if you think it doesn’t suit you or you don’t understand, you are obligated to listen.”
The mashgiach also issued a stark warning regarding street posters attacking gedolei Yisroel. “People become confused by the posters in the streets. Perhaps one should not read them at all. Perhaps they fall under the prohibition of bringing an abomination into one’s home—this is heresy. There are posters that publicly disgrace Gedolei Yisroel. These are the work of bad people,” he said emphatically. “Know this: all the street posters are from bad people. One must learn not to read them. Do not read them.”
Rav Rothschild concluded by reiterating the obligation of absolute obedience to Torah leadership and recalling the approach of Rav Aharon Leib Steinman. He related that when people once questioned Rav Steinman regarding the draft deferment law, Rav Steinman replied, “Everything you are saying, I also know. But there are things I know that you do not know.”
Summing up his message, Rav Rothschild said: “The Torah demands redress. Many have felt this deeply. Gedolei Yisroel see matters that others cannot see.”
{Matzav.com}
Rav Aharon Yitzchak Berenzweig, maggid shiur at Yeshivas Mir, visited the home of Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, to seek clear guidance on a number of pressing questions raised by bochurim in recent times.
At the center of the meeting was a phenomenon that has become increasingly widespread in recent years: excessive drinking at weddings. Below is the full dialogue from the conversation from the Rosh Yeshiva’s home on Rechov Harav Sher in Bnei Brak.
Rav Berenzweig: There are several questions that bochurim have asked me, and I need clear guidance. First of all, there is a phenomenon now at weddings where bochurim have recently been drinking hard liquor…
Rav Hirsch: This has already been going on for several years. Several years already, yes.
Rav Berenzweig: Sometimes it even leads to damage. Many times they reach actual drunkenness.
Rav Hirsch: Yes, yes, it’s been going on for years already. This is not something new. It’s at least eight years already.
Rav Berenzweig: Still, the bochur says: first of all, I want to learn how I can overcome the pressure from the group.
Rav Hirsch: Who is the group that’s pulling him? It’s his friend, not some outside crowd.
Rav Berenzweig: It’s not an outside crowd. Whoever goes to a wedding, it’s usually his friends, bochurim.
Rav Hirsch: So they’re pulling him along. So what is the question?
Rav Berenzweig: How can he overcome it? How can he stand up to the group?
Rav Berenzweig: In general, this whole phenomenon pains me very much. I wanted several times to speak about it, because it’s something that doesn’t fit, especially for Shevet Levi.
Rav Hirsch: I think that a bochur, before going to a wedding, should open Mesillas Yesharim and learn Mesillas Yesharim for five minutes—what his purpose in life is, why he is here in the world, to cling to Hashem. In everything, to think about this. Then go to the wedding. Then he can’t drink; he can’t get drunk.
Rav Berenzweig: Meaning, beyond the regular seder of mussar, he should learn before he goes to a wedding?
Rav Hirsch: Yes. To remind himself who he is—who he is—that he is a Jew, that his purpose is to cling to Hashem. He is not just a random person. He is a Jew. He should remind himself of this.
Rav Warschauer: A bochur says that it’s simchas chassan v’kallah.
Rav Hirsch: There is no simchas chassan v’kallah in this. If simchas chassan v’kallah meant doing avodah zarah, that also wouldn’t be acceptable.
Rav Berenzweig: How can we prevent this so that the phenomenon really stops?
Rav Hirsch: Through speaking—only through speaking. To say it, to show how cheap this is, how inappropriate this whole thing is. It’s not fitting for a ben Torah. It’s not fitting for a civilized person. A civilized person doesn’t do this. Normal baalei batim don’t do this. Are they worse than this? A person should always be a person—at the very least a simple person with basic yiras Shamayim. All the more so a ben Torah, and all the more so again. You have to show them how this is wrong from every angle. Even a person with no yiras Shamayim at all wouldn’t do this. A normal person doesn’t do this. Kal vachomer a baal habayis with yiras Shamayim, and kal vachomer a ben Torah. This is an outright contradiction.
Rav Berenzweig: That’s what the Gemara says, that “a neveilah is better than him,” someone who drinks and gets drunk.
Rav Hirsch: “Kedoshim tihyu”—the Ramban.
Rav Berenzweig: Even at a wedding?
Rav Hirsch: Certainly, certainly, certainly! There is absolutely no heter for drunkenness!
Rav Berenzweig: So the Rosh Yeshiva is saying that it’s not advisable for there to be too much alcohol at a wedding?
Rav Hirsch: You can drink a little, but that’s it. There is no such thing beyond that. It’s better that there be none at all!
Rav Berenzweig: Now, there are a few more bochurim who asked me. At home, they feel a Shabbos atmosphere. There are homes that create a Shabbos spirit. There are many yeshivos that don’t make an issue out of the Shabbos atmosphere—songs and the like. They finish the meal quickly and go learn. The bochur says: I want to feel more of a Shabbos atmosphere. Can I suggest going home or not? Even though you don’t feel it, these are the sedorim of the yeshiva.
Rav Hirsch: Certainly he cannot go home. The question is what to do—that is the question. But I don’t think the hanhalah would be against having zemiros during the meal, having a short dvar Torah during the meal. You can do small things: there should be zemiros, someone should say a small dvar Torah for five minutes, there could be some kind of rotation.
Rav Berenzweig: Or in his section he could sit with a few bochurim who sing. Even by us in Yeshivas Mir, the Rosh Yeshiva—he should be well, Rav Eliezer Yehuda—he transformed the entire Shabbos atmosphere. The food is upgraded more than ever, and they sing there. It’s something that never existed before. The bochurim tell me: we enjoy being in Mir for Shabbos. But not every yeshiva has this.
Rav Hirsch: Correct. At the very least, upgrading the food is certainly a good thing if it’s possible to convince the hanhalah. But even without that, zemiros can certainly be done, and also some dvar Torah.
Rav Berenzweig: Even just for himself.
Rav Hirsch: But there can also be groups—small groups.
Rav Berenzweig: Now, there are two bochurim who asked me: if something damaging happened in their room, that they saw a form of corruption by a friend. We once asked the Rosh Yeshiva…about whether to go to a staff member. The Rosh Yeshiva said that if there is a wise mashgiach who knows not to spread it, one can tell him. But now the bochur doesn’t know who to go to. He doesn’t want the other bochur thrown out and then feel guilty.
Rav Hirsch: I think he can go to one of the avreichim and ask who on the staff he can speak to. In Mir I could say who, but I won’t say it here.
Participant: Usually it’s not Mir.
Rav Hirsch: In every place there is some kind of sub-mashgiach or meishiv. One can clarify who that is.
Rav Berenzweig: Meaning, to keep it within the yeshiva, but not necessarily senior staff?
Participant: Ask one of the avreichim.
Rav Hirsch: And that avreich will decide what to do.
Rav Berenzweig: Maybe someone from the community?
Rav Hirsch: No. Not the community. He should go to one of the avreichim in the yeshiva.
Rav Berenzweig: Now, a bochur asked me: he wants to learn Tanach. In yeshivos they don’t learn it. Should he have a rebbi, or when should he learn?
Rav Hirsch: On Shabbos he can learn Tanach with Malbim. If he wants faster, Tanach with Metzudos. If not, Malbim.
Rav Berenzweig: Last question. A bochur says he lacks feeling. Every day tefillah, seder aleph, seder beis—it feels repetitive. He wants renewal, emotion in tefillah, freshness in learning.
Rav Hirsch: Most likely his tefillah is not as it should be. He should learn what tefillah is, why it is avodah. And especially, he should learn Pesukei Dezimrah with Malbim.
Rav Berenzweig: That can be suggested to bochurim who want renewal in tefillah.
Rav Hirsch: Then Pesukei Dezimrah becomes something else, not just words. And in learning, he should try to be mechadesh. When a bochur is immersed in a new question in the sugya, that itself gives him renewal.
{Matzav.com}
The Rafah border crossing resumed activity on Monday, reopening to a tightly regulated flow of Gaza Strip residents under close IDF supervision. Operations are limited to a six-hour window each day, running from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.
Israeli defense officials said they were encouraged by the results of the initial trial period. Under the current arrangement, as many as 150 Gaza residents may depart the territory daily, while entry from Egypt into Gaza is capped at 50 people per day. Day-to-day management of the crossing is being handled by the European Union Border Assistance Mission, working alongside Egyptian authorities.
Under the agreed procedure, Egypt is required to submit a daily roster of up to 50 individuals seeking permission to enter Gaza. Those names are reviewed through Israeli security checks, and only candidates who pass screening are cleared to cross on the following day.
At the same time, the European mission compiles a separate list of up to 150 Gaza residents requesting permission to leave the Strip, including details of their planned destinations. That list is then transferred to Egyptian officials, who decide which requests will be approved.
In preparation for reopening the crossing, and in accordance with instructions from Israel’s political leadership, the IDF recently completed a new security screening complex known as “Regavim.” The site, located in territory under IDF control, is operated by Israeli security agencies and is designed to tighten monitoring and security in the area.
At this facility, security personnel confirm identities against pre-approved Israeli databases and conduct comprehensive inspections of personal belongings. In addition, an Israeli-controlled remote technological system is used at the crossing exit point to block unauthorized individuals from passing through, eliminating the need for Israeli forces to be physically stationed at the crossing itself.
Only individuals who have received advance authorization are permitted to enter Gaza from Egypt. On the Gaza side, the crossing is run by local personnel under European supervision. After entering, approved travelers are transported by bus to the Israeli screening facility, where they undergo identity checks and physical inspections intended to prevent the transfer of weapons or prohibited equipment.
{Matzav.com}
