India’s aviation regulator ordered on Monday airlines operating several Boeing models to examine fuel control switches, days after an investigation into last month’s Air India plane crash found they were flipped off, starving both engines of fuel. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation stated the directive would apply to Boeing 787 Dreamliners and select Boeing 737 variants and that airlines must complete inspections and submit their findings to the regulator by July 21. A preliminary report into the Air India crash that killed 260 people in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad found that the switches shifted within one second of each other, cutting off fuel supply to both engines. The report, released last week, did not offer any conclusions as to why the plane crashed. It also did not say how the switches could have flipped from run position to the cutoff during the flight. The movement of the fuel control switches allows and cuts fuel flow to the plane’s engines. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed on June 12 shortly after takeoff. It killed all but one of the 242 people on board as well as 19 people on the ground. The report, issued by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, noted a 2018 advisory from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, recommending airlines operating Boeing models to inspect the locking feature of fuel cutoff switches. According to the report, cockpit voice recordings captured a moment of confusion between the pilots, with one asking the other why he cut off the fuel. “The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said. Some aviation experts in India speculated the crash was caused due to human error based on the preliminary report. At least two commercial pilots’ associations have rejected such claims. The Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association in a statement on Sunday said it was “deeply disturbed by speculative narratives … particularly the reckless and unfounded insinuation of pilot suicide.” Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on Monday said the preliminary report into the crash of the London-bound plane found no mechanical or maintenance issues with the aircraft and its engines. In an internal memo to airline staff seen by The Associated Press, Wilson said the report stated that all mandatory maintenance tasks of the aircraft had been completed. “There was no issue with the quality of fuel and no abnormality with the take-off roll. The pilots had passed their mandatory pre-flight breathalyser and there were no observations pertaining to their medical status,” he said in the note. After the crash, Indian authorities ordered deeper checks of Air India’s entire Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet to prevent future incidents. Air India has 33 Dreamliners in its fleet. (AP)
In a newly released IDF investigative report, chilling details have emerged about one of the fiercest battles that took place on the morning of Simchas Torah, October 7, at the MOP (Research and Development) base in the Kissufim area. At least 35 heavily armed Hamas terrorists took control of the camp, but the brave and determined actions of the soldiers stationed there—especially those barricaded in the base dining hall—prevented a large-scale massacre.
Four soldiers were killed in the battle: Captain Shila Rauchberger, Sergeant Amichai Rubin, Staff Sergeant Shlomo Reshtnikov, and Staff Sergeant Dvir Chaim Ressler. The report, presented to the bereaved families and base personnel, commends the heroism displayed by the soldiers and commanders who fought back against overwhelming odds. Despite being outnumbered and caught off-guard, their relentless resistance and front-line leadership earned them praise and recognition.
The investigation, led by Lt. Col. Nof Brown, took ten months and included interviews with combatants, reviews of operations logs, surveillance footage, drone images, audio recordings, and classified intelligence. The goal was to reconstruct the precise sequence of events at the base on that tragic day.
According to the findings, a minimum of 35 terrorists infiltrated the camp; at least 10 were killed in direct combat by IDF soldiers. The surprise Hamas attack began at 6:29 a.m. with a barrage of rockets across southern Israel. Within minutes, dozens of terrorists breached the Israeli border using motorcycles, vehicles, and on foot. Several broke into the MOP base through gaps in the gates.
The first stage of the attack lasted from 6:29 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., during which the terrorists stormed the base and opened fire on key structures. Most soldiers had taken shelter in the dining hall, which quickly became a central battleground. The attackers fired rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, and hurled grenades and explosives at the building.
Recognizing the risk of a massacre, Captain Shila Rauchberger and another officer commanded the soldiers inside to defend the two entrances. Their courageous response halted the terrorists’ advance into the hall and initiated a three-hour battle. Repeated attempts by the terrorists to breach the building were repelled. Despite being wounded, several soldiers continued fighting until they required evacuation.
At around 8:15 a.m., terrorists placed an explosive on the door of a southern shelter. Staff Sergeant Dvir Chaim Ressler shielded the door with his body, absorbing the blast and saving two fellow soldiers. One of them was injured. The terrorists eventually abandoned their efforts to break in after failing to force entry.
At 9:00 a.m., the second phase began. A five-man IDF patrol arrived and began rescuing wounded soldiers. The door of the shelter blown open by the terrorists was finally accessed later that evening. Reinforcements were delayed due to ambushes along the access roads.
At 12:30 p.m., a former deputy company commander who had come from home took command at the base, defying warnings about ambushes. He organized defense posts, assigned tasks, and oversaw the medical evacuation process. A helicopter from Unit 669 landed nearby and extracted wounded soldiers under heavy fire.
Around 2:03 p.m., a platoon commander spotted three terrorists 50–70 meters away and neutralized them. Elsewhere in the camp, additional forces eliminated four more. Helicopters had been providing covering fire but ceased once friendly forces were identified nearby.
By 3:40 p.m., a medevac helicopter had landed in the heart of the base and evacuated five more injured personnel. Additional reinforcements from the Golani Brigade arrived by 9:00 p.m. to strengthen defenses and allow the base’s original unit to regroup.
Key Conclusions from the Investigation:
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The sheer scale and surprise of the attack initially overwhelmed the soldiers. For several hours, the terrorists had operational control of the base. Even after early warnings from surveillance posts, defending forces were unable to leave the camp to assist nearby communities.
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The unwavering resistance of the IDF troops disrupted Hamas’s plans and dramatically reduced casualties. Their courageous actions, even while wounded, directly prevented a massacre in the dining hall and shelters.
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The former officer who arrived independently and took command played a vital role in saving lives and restoring operational order.
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The Air Force also played a critical role in life-saving evacuations under fire, working closely with ground troops despite extreme conditions.
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A lack of early warning left the base unprepared. Standard defense protocols weren’t fully implemented, and guard positions were abandoned during the initial “Red Alert” sirens.
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The early loss of command and control during the battle hindered the base’s defense efforts. Still, commanders fought at the front and exemplified leadership through personal courage and direct engagement with the enemy.
The report concludes that despite the operational setbacks and devastating losses, the bravery of the IDF soldiers at the MOP base averted an even greater tragedy. Their names and actions will be remembered with honor.
{Matzav.com Israel}
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has introduced new legislation aimed at officially classifying the Muslim Brotherhood as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), a step that could have serious financial consequences for the international Islamist movement.
Dubbed the “Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act of 2025,” the bill adopts a novel “bottom-up” strategy, shifting away from prior methods that failed to gain traction. This new tactic emphasizes targeting the organization’s most violent offshoots across the globe, according to reporting by the Washington Free Beacon.
Scheduled for introduction on Tuesday, the bill instructs the Secretary of State to “catalog Muslim Brotherhood branches that are designated as terrorist groups and designate additional ones that meet relevant criteria – and mandates the designation of the global Muslim Brotherhood for its support to those terrorist groups.” This approach mirrors how the Trump administration successfully labeled Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in 2017.
Previous initiatives to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group fell short, largely because many of its affiliates did not meet the necessary threshold of violent activity. The new proposal seeks to bypass that obstacle by initially targeting confirmed violent factions, thereby paving the way to designate the broader movement under U.S. law.
The Free Beacon notes that the bill has attracted backing from prominent Republican lawmakers such as Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Rick Scott (R-FL). It also has the endorsement of influential pro-Israel and national security advocacy groups, including the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and FDD Action.
An individual close to Senator Cruz said the legislation was “deliberately and extensively workshopped so that it could become law.” The source emphasized that the intention behind the bill is to see it “passed and implemented.”
With the bill’s official filing expected imminently, supporters anticipate it will receive strong bipartisan support in both chambers of Congress.
Countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have already taken the step of designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group.
That designation followed a period in which the Brotherhood gained political power in Egypt—where it originated—before being ousted by the country’s military leadership.
{Matzav.com}
Heavy rain swept across parts of the U.S. Northeast on Monday night, inundating sections of New York and New Jersey with flash flooding that stranded vehicles in roadways, closed subway lines and led to a declaration of a state of emergency. Most flash flood watches and warnings expired in parts of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania as the rain moved on, but some roads and streets were still flooded as of Tuesday morning. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency due to flash flooding and heavy rainfall, advising people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. A video posted to social media by CBS showed flood waters bring a major roadway in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, to a standstill, stranding buses. In one flooded North Plainfield, New Jersey, neighborhood, a house caught on fire and collapsed, possibly due to an explosion, not long after the family inside had evacuated, authorities said. No injuries were reported. In New York City, some subway service was temporarily suspended while other lines were running with severe delays due to flooding, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. New York’s emergency services agency wrote on the social platform X that parts of the city and mid-Hudson were getting hit with flash floods. Video posted on social media appears to show water flooding down into a Manhattan subway station, submerging the platform while passengers inside a train watch. Another photo appears to show passengers standing on a train’s seats to avoid the water beginning to soak the floor. Parts of major thoroughfares in New York, such as the northbound lanes of the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Cross Bronx Expressway, were temporarily closed due to flooding and at least one downed tree. Officials in New York’s Westchester County were working to rescue people whose vehicles were submerged in water, according to Carolyn Fortino, a spokesperson for the county executive. “At this time, residents are still strongly advised to avoid all travel unless fleeing an area that is subject to flooding, or under an evacuation order,” she said in an email. A flood warning was also issued for Staten Island, which had seen about 4 to 6 inches (10.2 to 15.2 centimeters) of rain, according to NYC’s emergency notification system. Mount Joy, in southeastern Pennsylvania, declared a disaster emergency as more than 7 inches (17.8 centimeters) of rain fell in less than five hours Monday, according to the Fire Department Mount Joy. Some people reported over 5 feet (1.5 meters) of water in their homes and emergency responders made 16 water rescues, although no injuries were reported. “The declaration enables us to access additional resources to support residents and accelerate recovery efforts,” Borough Emergency Management Coordinator Philip Colvin said in a statement. By Monday evening, the rainfall had lessened and water in Mount Joy had started to recede. In Metuchen, New Jersey, about 34 miles (55 kilometers) southwest of New York City, Mayor Jonathan M. Busch, wrote on Facebook that the borough was significantly flooded, but by Monday evening water levels had already receded. “It looks like the worst of the storm is behind us and thankfully, everyone is safe,” he said. (AP)
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz on Tuesday instructed the IDF to immediately strike Syrian regime forces in the Sweida area of southern Syria. The order came after three days of ethnic violence between local Druze in Sweida and Bedouins, during which the Druze were attacked by Syrian regime forces. According to a joint statement published by Netanyahu and Katz, the Syrian forces entered the Druze city of Sweida “in violation of the demilitarization policy, which involves refraining from introducing forces and weapons into the southern Syria area that endanger Israel.” “Israel is committed to preventing harm to the Druze in Syria due to the deep brotherly alliance with our Druze citizens in Israel and their familial and historical connection to the Druze in Syria—and we are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them and to ensure the demilitarization of the area adjacent to our border with Syria.” According to local reports, the Syrian regime forces randomly opened fire on Druze civilians in Sweida, killing and injuring them, and captured civilians and publicly humiliated them, such as forcing them to bark like a dog. An Israeli security source said that the IDF strikes against the Syrian regime forces are very extensive, saying that Israel views this “as a test of the implementation of its policy of demilitarizing southern Syria and its commitment to the Druze.” The videos below show the Syrian regime forces in Sweida: Also on Tuesday, Syrian Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra announced a ceasefire in Sweida. His statement said that an agreement had been reached with the city’s dignitaries and that Syrian forces would only respond to fire from “outlaws.” The IDF also attacked the Sweida area on Monday, targeting Syrian army tanks that approached Druze villages in the district. Prior to the attack, Israel tried to send a warning to the Syrian regime through foreign elements not to enter Druze villages with armored vehicles. Sources in Syria said that Israeli air force planes did not hit the tanks but fired next to them as a warning. The clashes between Druze, Bedouins, and Syrian security forces in the Sweida area in recent days have claimed the lives of more than 100 people, including soldiers, and left over 200 people injured. The clashes began after Bedouin militants attacked a Druze youth on his way to Damascus on Friday and robbed him. The attack was part of a wave of abduction of Druze by Bedouin tribesmen in recent times. In response, Druze militants kidnapped several Bedouin tribesmen, causing the clashes to erupt. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
NASA has confirmed that a large asteroid, named 2025 MA90, will pass relatively close to Earth on Tuesday. While its size may sound alarming—estimated at nearly 89 meters in diameter, or, for the creatively inclined, roughly 145 antisemitic Elmos tall—experts say there’s no danger of it hitting the planet. The asteroid was recently discovered by NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), which monitors space rocks that come relatively close to Earth. Although the object’s size could range anywhere from 66 to 150 meters, it will pass at a safe distance of over six million kilometers. To put things in perspective, the last time an asteroid caused real damage was in 2013 over Chelyabinsk, Russia. That asteroid was only about 20 meters across but still injured over 1,000 people due to the shockwave from its explosion in the atmosphere. By contrast, asteroid 2025 MA90 is over four times as wide—and significantly more powerful had it been on a collision course. Humanity’s defenses against dangerous asteroids are still in development. While NASA’s DART mission showed promise by nudging an asteroid off course, new research suggests the impact dynamics are more complex than initially thought. Still, for now, there’s no need for concern, as asteroid 2025 MA90 will keep its distance from us. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
The Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas will convene later this week to discuss the draft law crisis. Kikar HaShabbat has learned that the Moetzet will likely convene on Wednesday or Thursday to discuss the conscription crisis and instruct Shas to withdraw from the government this week. Shas party officials are coordinating a date and time for the meeting. Senior officials in the Chareidi parties told Kikar that it was clarified yesterday that MK Yuli Edelstein, chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, delayed the submission of the conscription law text with various excuses but behind the scenes worked to bring a law contrary to the agreements reached before Operation Rising Lion. Also, the Chareidi parties estimate that it will not be possible to pass the law during the summer recess, which mean that when the Knesset winter session begins, the Knesset will be dissolved and Israel will go to elections. (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Ice cream makers representing about 90% of the U.S. supply of the frozen treat have pledged to remove artificial dyes from their products in less than three years, federal health officials said Monday. The move is the latest voluntary effort by food manufacturers to heed calls from the Trump administration to remove synthetic dyes over concerns about potential health effects. In recent weeks, companies including Nestle, Kraft Heinz and General Mills said they would pull artificial colors from their foods, too. “This is a Renaissance moment for health in America,” U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary said at a news conference. About 40 makers of ice cream and frozen dairy desserts said they would remove seven petroleum-based dyes from their products by 2028, according to Michael Dykes, president of the International Dairy Foods Association. The colors are Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. The trade group wouldn’t identify the firms, although Turkey Hill Dairy chief executive Andy Jacobs joined the gathering. The national focus on artificial food dyes is “a good step to take,” but officials should not ignore larger known contributors to chronic disease, including the added sugars and saturated fat commonly found in ice cream, said Deanna Hoelscher, a University of Texas nutrition expert. “Just taking out or changing the food dye source is not necessarily going to make it a healthy option,” she said. “It still is a food that should be consumed in moderation.” However, Makary also hinted that new federal dietary guidelines, expected later this year, would challenge established links between saturated fat and heart disease, ending what he called “a 70-year demonization of natural saturated fat.” The average American eats about 4 gallons of ice cream a year, the IDFA said. Health advocates have long called for the removal of artificial dyes from foods, citing mixed studies showing that they may cause some neurobehavioral problems, such as hyperactivity and attention problems, in some children. The Food and Drug Administration has maintained that approved dyes are safe and that “most children have no adverse effects” when consuming foods made with them. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized the dyes and pressured manufacturers to remove them from foods. In their place, manufacturers should use dyes made from fruit juices, plant extracts and other sources, federal officials said. The FDA has approved new natural color additives in recent months, including a new blue color made from the fruit of the gardenia announced Monday. Gardenia (genipin) blue is approved for use in sports drinks, candies and certain other products, the agency said. Makary also sent a letter to food manufacturers on Monday that “encourages” them to speed up removal of the dye known as Red 3, which was banned in January. Food makers have until 2027 to remove the dye, which was found to cause cancer in laboratory rats, but not humans. Some food companies have said they will stop using artificial dyes, but relying on voluntary action rather than regulatory requirements won’t guarantee compliance, said Thomas Galligan, a scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer advocacy group. “Talk is cheap,” Galligan said. “It’s easy for companies to make promises to look like they’re being compliant and generate goodwill among […]
Israel Air Force aircraft, guided by military intelligence and Northern Command officials, carried out numerous strikes against Hezbollah terror targets in the Beqaa Valley in eastern Lebanon on Tuesday morning. The targets included Radwan Force military camps, where Hezbollah terrorists and warehouses used for storing weapons were identified. “The military camps are used by Hezbollah to conduct training and exercises for terrorists for the planning and execution of terror operations against IDF forces and the State of Israel,” the IDF spokesperson said. “Radwan Force terrorists carried out gunfire drills and training exercises using various types of weapons at the military camps.” “Hezbollah’s Radwan Force is the unit that planned and advanced the Conquer the Galil plan for years. The unit’s commanders were eliminated in September 2024 in Beirut and southern Lebanon during Operation Northern Arrows, and since then, the unit has been working to restore its capabilities. IDF forces have been acting against the unit over the past two years, preventing it from recovering and rebuilding its strength.” “The storage of weapons and the activities of the Hezbollah terrorist organization at these sites constitute a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and pose a future threat to the State of Israel.” Defense Minister Yisrael Katz commented on the strikes: “The IDF strikes currently underway in Lebanon are a clear message to the Hezbollah terrorist organization, which is plotting to rebuild its capabilities to invade Israel via the Radwan Force—and also to the Lebanese government, which is responsible for upholding the agreement. “We will strike every terrorist and thwart every threat to the residents of the north and to the State of Israel—and we will respond with maximum force to any attempt to recover.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
All three members of a UN commission tasked with investigating Israeli “war crimes” have resigned from their positions on Monday. The move comes only days after the US sanctioned the rabidly antisemitic UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese. The commission’s chair, Navi Pillay, who even before she was appointed as the “objective” chair of the commission, had a long background of making rabid anti-Israel statements and even actively lobbying against Israel, cited her age as her excuse for quitting. The other two members, Miloon Kothari of India and Chris Sidoti of Australia, who also have a history of anti-Israel and antisemitic statements, submitted resignation letters but failed to come up with plausible excuses for their decisions to quit. UN Watch, which monitors UN activity, responded to the announcement by stating: “UN Watch welcomed today’s sudden resignation of all three commissioners of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s permanent inquiry on Israel, calling it a watershed moment of accountability for those pursuing the UN’s institutionalized bias against the Jewish state.” “’This week, the dominoes are falling,’ said Hillel Neuer, executive director of UN Watch. ‘First, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made the historic decision to sanction Francesca Albanese, the UN’s pro-Hamas rapporteur. Now the architects of the UN’s anti-Israel inquisition are fleeing the ship. The tide is turning.’ “Navi Pillay, chair of the Commission of Inquiry (COI), announced her resignation, citing ‘age, medical issues, and the weight of several other commitments.’ “Her colleagues, Miloon Kothari and Chris Sidoti, also submitted resignation letters, with Kothari referencing an ‘understanding’ reached during a private meeting. “’The resignation of all three commissioners is long overdue,’ said Neuer. ‘This was a commission born in prejudice — mandated to investigate only Israel, while ignoring Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Palestinian Authority. Its members were selected precisely for their hostility to the Jewish state.’ “Neuer noted that the resignations follow mounting international criticism: In 2022, Miloon Kothari questioned Israel’s right to UN membership and evoked antisemitic tropes about Jewish control of the media—remarks condemned by 18 nations, including the U.S., U.K., Germany, and France. “Chris Sidoti trivialized the issue of antisemitism, claiming that Jews ‘throw around accusations like rice at a wedding.’ “Navi Pillay, chosen in July 2021 after she had lobbied the government to ‘sanction apartheid Israel,’ led a commission that generally turned a blind eye to Hamas terrorism and incitement, even after the October 7 massacre. “’This trio never should have been appointed,’ said Neuer. ‘As documented by UN Watch, their legacy is one of distortion, demonization, and dishonor. Their departure is not reform; it’s damage control.’ “UN Watch drew a direct line between the latest resignations and the political shockwaves from the U.S. decision to sanction Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur who has justified terrorism and been denounced for Holocaust inversion. “‘Thanks to Secretary Rubio and the United States, the UN’s culture of impunity is starting to crack,’ said Neuer. ‘Francesca Albanese was the tip of the spear in the UN’s war on Israel. Now that she’s been sanctioned, others are looking over their shoulders. The fear of accountability is finally setting in.’ “UN Watch urged the UN Human Rights Council not to replace the three commissioners but to terminate the COI altogether. “‘Replacing one biased trio with another won’t solve the problem,’ said Neuer. […]
Likud MK Tally Gotliv on Tuesday morning published a post on X slamming Yuli Edelstein, the chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, for causing the UTJ party to quit the government. “Kol Hakavod to the Chareidim,” she wrote. “With all the sorrow of their departure from the government, they are right. There is a limit to the humiliation from the source of the destroyer of the right-wing government, Yuli Edelstein. Biometric attendance card for yeshiva students. Unimaginable.” “Edelstein will soon demand Big Brother cameras as well. After all, according to Edelstein, all the Rabbanim are liars and their reports cannot be trusted.” “Edelstein has perfected auto-antisemitism towards Chareidim to dimensions that Meretz wouldn’t have dared. Well, the government will not fall. It is fortified with 61 mandates and a budget until March 26.” “But allow me to be horrified by the conduct of the chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, who finished his path in the Likud and is at the height of a transparent move to fulfill his promise to another party that will reserve a place of ‘honor’ for him.” “At the height of a war, Edelstein dares again and again to harm the resilience of the government and, in doing so, the morale of our brave soldiers.” (YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld
The Gemara in Bava Kama, daf peh heh, amud alef, says that from the posuk, “Verapo Yerape,” we see that a doctor has permission to heal another person, and one cannot say, “I will rely on Hashem to heal me.” The Mishnah in Kiddushin, daf peh beis, amud alef, says that the best doctors go to Gehinom. The question is: why should doctors go to Gehinom if they have permission to heal?
The Gemara dedicates many pages in different places to discussing various medicines and healing practices. Can we use any of these remedies today?
There are a number of answers regarding the first question about doctors. One explanation is that the Gemara says the best doctors go to Gehinom because if the doctor is arrogant and thinks that he alone is the reason his patients survive, then he deserves Gehinom. One must believe what we say in Shemoneh Esrei—that Hashem is the Rofeh Ne’eman.
Another answer could be that the word “best” is expressed in lashon hakodesh as tov, which has the numerical value of seventeen. A doctor who only believes in seventeen brachos of Shemoneh Esrei and does not believe in the brachah of Refaeinu is one who deserves Gehinom.
Regarding the second question, Tosfos in Moed Katan, daf yud alef, amud alef, says that the medicines listed in the Gemara are no longer effective in our day, as nature has changed.
Reb Akiva Eiger says that one cannot use any medical advice from the Gemara, with the exception of a case when someone is choking on a bone—there is a special lachash to recite that can help.
The bottom line is that the Yam Shel Shlomo says there is a cherem HaKadmonim not to use these refuos from the Gemara, in order to avoid generating negative speech against the Gemara if something does not work as expected.
{Matzav.com}
Torrential downpours swept across New York City and surrounding areas on Monday night, leaving a trail of flooding that disrupted subway service, swamped roadways, and delayed flights for hours.
The storm, slow to pass, delivered relentless rain to much of the Mid-Atlantic region, with flash floods recorded from central Virginia all the way to New York. Water poured into subway entrances and, in some cases, seeped into train cars themselves. Drivers found themselves stranded in waterlogged streets, and rising water levels battered the pumps at a local gas station.
Meteorologist Joe Wegman of the National Weather Service reported that some locations were hit with as much as seven inches of rainfall. By late evening, he noted that the worst of the storm was beginning to lose strength as it tracked down toward Virginia, North Carolina, and the Appalachian region. While those areas could still expect some showers, he emphasized it wouldn’t come close to the severity experienced earlier in and around New York City. “It would not be ‘nearly as bad’ as the downpours on Monday in New York City and its surrounds,” Mr. Wegman said.
Earlier in the evening, the National Weather Service issued flash flood alerts across all five boroughs of New York City. Officials warned residents in basement apartments or flood-prone zones to prepare to evacuate if necessary.
In Manhattan, service was restored to the 1, 2, and 3 subway lines after they were temporarily shut down due to flooding at multiple stations, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced just before 11 p.m. The Staten Island Railway also resumed full operation, the M.T.A. confirmed.
NJ Transit rerouted several of its bus lines connecting New Jersey and New York due to the weather. Rail service between Trenton and Penn Station in New York was back on track as of late Monday, according to NJ Transit updates.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency as a result of the storm’s impact. Footage circulating online captured streets in New Providence, Union County, under water. Kelly Martins, a spokesperson for the county, said parts of several highways had to be shut down, and rescue crews were actively responding to flood emergencies. She added that no deaths had been reported.
In Plainfield, New Jersey, the mayor reported that their train station—on a line that runs into Manhattan—was completely underwater and unusable. Flood watches were also in effect along the Saddle River in Bergen County, which borders New York.
Emergency services in Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, located in Lancaster County, had their hands full, making 16 water rescues and responding to over 30 calls for help, mostly from residents with flooded basements, according to Philip Colvin, who coordinates emergency management for the borough.
Colvin noted that more than seven inches of rain fell in less than five hours, causing storm drains to overflow and submerging homes, especially in the western section of the borough.
The New York State Police reported flooding on the Taconic State Parkway, prompting officials to close both directions of the road near Mount Pleasant. The Sprain Brook Parkway in the same area also had to be shut down because of similar conditions.
Air travel faced serious disruptions Monday night as well. Departures at Kennedy International Airport were delayed by more than three hours, while Newark Liberty International Airport saw delays of up to two hours, according to data from FlightAware.
VIDEOS:
The Boro Park community is mourning the passing of Reb Moshe Asher Braun z”l. He was in his eighties.
Reb Moshe Asher was born to his father, Reb Yisroel, in the D.P. camps following the devastation of World War II. From those humble and painful beginnings, he rose to become a beacon of light and learning, known for both his intellectual depth and his boundless love for Yidden.
Though he earned a living as a professor, Reb Moshe Asher’s true joy was found between the walls of the beis medrash and among fellow Jews. He was a familiar and beloved presence in Boro Park, known to many simply as a warm, kind, and engaging neighbor and talmid chochom Children especially were drawn to him—he had a way of making them feel respected, seen, and cherished.
For many years, Reb Moshe Asher davened at the Novominsker Shul, where he was deeply appreciated and admired for his avodah, his sincerity, and his genuine care for others.
An accomplished talmid chochom, Reb Moshe Asher published numerous divrei Torah, including the insights on the Sefas Emes.
He leaves behind a beautiful Torah family who carry forward his ahavas haTorah and ahavas Yisroel.
The levayah will take place on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. at Shomrei Hadas Chapels, located at 3803 14th Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.
Yehi zichro baruch.
{Matzav.com}
INSANE: Flash floods and severe thunderstorms have caused chaos across the region, leaving parts of the New York City subway system underwater.
EPIC THROWBACK VIDEO! Baltimorean Rabbi Yechiel Spero interviewing campers and staff Camp MaNaVu 1999.
A retired Army officer who worked as a civilian for the Air Force has pleaded guilty to conspiring to transmit classified information about Russia’s war with Ukraine on a foreign online dating platform. David Slater, 64, who had top secret clearance at his job at the U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, pleaded guilty to a single count before a federal magistrate judge in Omaha on Thursday. In exchange for his guilty plea, two other counts were dropped. Slater remains free pending his sentencing, which is scheduled for Oct. 8. Prosecutors and his lawyers agreed that he should serve between five years and 10 months and seven years and three months in prison, and the government will recommend a term at the low end of that range. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years behind bars. U.S. District Judge Brian Buescher will ultimately decide whether to accept the plea agreement and will determine Slater’s sentence. “I conspired to willfully communicate national defense information to an unauthorized person,” Slater said in a handwritten note on his petition to change his plea. Slater had access to some of the country’s most closely held secrets, John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for national security, said in a statement. “Access to classified information comes with great responsibility,” said Lesley Woods, the U.S. attorney for Nebraska, said in the same statement. “David Slater failed in his duty to protect this information by willingly sharing National Defense Information with an unknown online personality despite having years of military experience that should have caused him to be suspicious of that person’s motives.” Slater retired from the Army as a lieutenant colonel in 2020 and worked in a classified space at the base from around August 2021 until around April 2022. He attended briefings about the Russia-Ukraine war that were classified up to top secret, court documents say. He was arrested in March of 2024. In his plea agreement, he acknowledged that he conspired to transmit classified information that he learned from those briefings via the foreign dating website’s messaging platform to an unnamed coconspirator, who claimed to be a woman living in Ukraine. The information, classified as secret, pertained to military targets and Russian military capabilities, according to the plea agreement. “Defendant knew and had reason to believe that such information could be used to the injury of the United States or the advantage of a foreign nation,” the agreement states. According to the original indictment, the coconspirator regularly asked Slater for classified information. She called him, “my secret informant love!” in one message. She closed another by saying, “You are my secret agent. With love.” In another, she wrote, “Dave, I hope tomorrow NATO will prepare a very pleasant ‘surprise’ for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin! Will you tell me?” Court documents don’t identify the coconspirator, or say whether she was working for Ukraine or Russia. They also don’t identify the dating platform. Amy Donato, a spokesperson for the U.S. attorney’s office in Omaha, said Monday that she couldn’t provide that information. Slater’s attorney, Stuart Dornan, didn’t immediately return a call seeking further details. (AP)
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