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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

your OWN SIYUM on the ENTIRE Shas, Rashi & Tosfos IN JUST ONE YEAR!

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 –

Beyond the Grave

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

Israeli defense officials say there has been a significant decline in the number of missiles being launched from Iran, attributing the drop to extensive damage inflicted on missile launchers as well as reports that some Iranian soldiers have abandoned their positions out of fear they would be targeted.

Four days into the war, security officials in Israel say the number of launches has steadily decreased, a trend they link to sustained Israeli and American strikes on Iran’s missile infrastructure.

According to a report aired overnight on Kan News, roughly 90 missiles were launched on the first day of the conflict. The number dropped to about 65 on the second day, around 25 on the third day, and approximately 20 launches were recorded on Tuesday.

A security official quoted in the report said the decline is expected to continue. “This trend will intensify; we and the Americans are damaging Iran’s ability to carry out large-scale attacks.”

At the same time, the IDF announced that the Israeli Air Force has struck dozens of missile launch sites and rendered approximately 300 missile launchers in Iran inoperable.

Since the beginning of Operation Shaagas HaAri, the Air Force has dropped roughly 4,000 munitions across targets throughout Iran.

According to the IDF Spokesperson’s Office, hundreds of fighter jets and aircraft have carried out simultaneous strikes over the past 24 hours against hundreds of targets across Iran and Lebanon.

As part of the ongoing offensive effort, the Israeli Air Force continues to conduct successive waves of attacks targeting the Iranian regime’s ballistic missile systems and air-defense networks.

Since the launch of Operation Shaagas HaAri, the Air Force has neutralized about 300 missile launchers, the result of more than 1,600 strike sorties and an around-the-clock effort to hunt down launchers and missile stockpiles in order to reduce the volume of fire directed at Israel’s home front.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s missile and drone attacks have dropped sharply since the start of the U.S. military campaign against the country, according to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who said American forces are now preparing to expand their strikes deeper into Iranian territory. Speaking at a Pentagon press conference alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, […]

Two IDF soldiers from the 401st Armored Brigade were moderately wounded earlier today when Hezbollah fired an anti-tank missile in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah claimed it targeted a Merkava tank in the village of Houla. The IDF says the soldiers were evacuated to a hospital in moderate condition, and their families have been notified.

Israel is preparing for at least one to two more weeks of military operations inside Iran as it seeks to systematically degrade the Iranian regime and its military infrastructure, according to information obtained by The Times of Israel. Israeli military planners expect the campaign to continue with a sustained wave of strikes targeting thousands of […]

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu attended a public megillah reading Tuesday night, the night of Shushan Purim, at Yeshivas Mercaz HaRav in Yerushalayim, prompting criticism from some observers who questioned whether his participation complied with Home Front Command restrictions on public gatherings.

The prime minister joined a large crowd at the yeshiva for krias hamegillah, though the event drew scrutiny because current emergency guidelines issued by Israel’s Home Front Command prohibit large public gatherings.

After photos and video from the event circulated, the Prime Minister’s Office responded to media inquiries, stating that Netanyahu “acted in accordance with the guidelines.”

As previously reported, Home Front Command announced that the current security restrictions would remain in place until Shabbos, March 7, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. Under the updated policy, public gatherings are not permitted, most workplaces are closed except for essential services, and educational activities are suspended.

The issue gained additional attention after Kan 11 political correspondent Michael Shemesh commented publicly on the situation following Netanyahu’s appearance at the reading.

“Incidentally, after Netanyahu’s appearance at the public megillah reading, it would be appropriate for Home Front Command to at least update the guidelines and allow many Jews who wish to hear the megillah properly to do so,” Shemesh wrote. “In my opinion the restrictions at this stage are completely excessive.”

{Matzav.com}

A diplomatic conversation infused with faith and historical reflection took place Tuesday between Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, as the two discussed the joint Israeli-American operation in Iran, Operation Shaagas HaAri, during the days of Purim.

“The attack in Iran is like reliving the days of Mordechai and Esther. We are seeing the miracle before our eyes,” Huckabee said, highlighting the symbolism of the timing during the days of Purim.

Bismuth said during the conversation that Israel currently finds itself “in the midst of a process in which a new Middle East is being built, one that will influence the entire global order,” adding that the moment is historic and will reshape reality for generations.

He emphasized that Israel and the United States are in the middle of a historic initiative being led by President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu—an effort that is reshaping the Middle East and influencing the broader world order.

According to Bismuth, “as people of faith, it can be said that the finger of God touched Trump and Netanyahu,” adding that the two leaders are acting with a sense of mission at a defining moment in history.

He continued, expressing the sense of purpose surrounding the events: “One can simply say that there is the finger of God here. This is a tremendous event. Truly tremendous.”

Bismuth also expressed gratitude to Ambassador Huckabee, the American people, and the U.S. administration for their friendship and steadfast support of Israel. He additionally conveyed condolences to the families of American soldiers who were killed during the operation, noting that Israel deeply values both their sacrifice and the partnership between the two nations.

{Matzav.com}

The United States and Israel have effectively divided Iran into separate theaters of war as the two allies wage the first-ever full-scale joint military campaign between the countries. According to the IDF, the war effort has been carefully structured to leverage the strengths and geographic positioning of each force, with the two militaries splitting responsibilities […]

An Israeli stealth fighter shot down an Iranian jet Wednesday in the first confirmed fighter-to-fighter dogfight since the outbreak of the U.S.–Israeli campaign against Iran. The IDF announced that an Israeli F-35I “Adir” intercepted and destroyed an Iranian YAK-130 at approximately 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, marking the first aerial duel between manned fighter jets since the […]

A moving moment unfolded on the night of Purim at the central Marina Roshcha shul in Moscow, as a rare and centuries-old Megillas Esther was presented to the Chief Rabbi of Russia in an emotional ceremony.

The gift was presented by Alexander Grodetsky, a 95-year-old Jewish man, who arrived at the shul and handed the miniature megillah to Russia’s Chief Rabbi, Rav Berel Lazar. The ancient megillah had been preserved within his family for generations.

Standing firmly and speaking with deep emotion, Grodetsky shared the remarkable story behind the treasured heirloom. He explained that the megillah had been given to him 75 years earlier by his great-grandfather. That great-grandfather, born in the year תר”ל, had inherited it from his own father, indicating that the scroll was written more than two centuries ago. “When my grandfather gave me the megillah, he asked me to guard it for the rest of my life,” Grodetsky told the Chief Rabbi, adding resolutely, “I decided that the best way to protect it now is to entrust it to our rabbi.”

After the central public reading of the megillah before a large crowd, hundreds of young Jewish attendees gathered to hear remarks from the Chief Rabbi, who displayed the rare megillah to those present. Rav Lazar connected Grodetsky’s vitality and longevity with his dedication to Jewish tradition. “If you all want to be happy and at peace with long life like Alexander Grodetsky, you should keep Megillos Esther in your homes and follow the path of preserving the heritage of Israel. Our ancestors drew optimism from this megillah, and from it we understand that the Jewish people cannot be defeated.”

The rabbi went on to emphasize the contemporary message of Purim, stressing that every detail of life is guided by hashgachah pratis. “The belief that HaKadosh Baruch Hu watches over us gives us strength in every situation. Even when reality appears difficult, we must remain certain that there is a Creator who directs the world. There is no place for worry when we know that there is a Leader of the palace, and every doubt—which has the gematria of Amalek—has no place in the Jewish spirit.”

In his concluding remarks, Rav Lazar called upon the community to strengthen Jewish identity, particularly in light of the events unfolding in Eretz HaKodesh. He urged Jews to express pride in their heritage through traditional Jewish dress, the use of Jewish names, and the performance of practical mitzvos, foremost among them placing a mezuzah on the entrance to the home. Such acts, he said, will help ensure the security and ultimate victory of the Jewish people in Eretz HaKodesh and throughout the world.

{Matzav.com}

French President Emmanuel Macron announced Monday that France will increase its nuclear arsenal and, for the first time, allow the temporary deployment of its nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries, in a new strategy aimed at strengthening Europe’s independence. In speech planned long before the most recent outbreak of war in Iran, Macron outlined how French nuclear weapons fit into the […]

Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez again criticized the U.S. and Israel’s military actions in Iran, standing firm on Wednesday against trade threats from Washington and warning that the war in the Middle East risked “playing Russian roulette” with millions of lives. “We are not going to be complicit in something that is bad for the […]

משלוח מנות איש לרעהו אלע מיינע מצוות שענק איך אוועק פאר אידןבמתנה גמורה וחלוטה!טאמער האב איך עולם הבא, זאלן זיי האבן מיין עולם הבאאיך שענק זיי דאס אויך אוועק!   מתוך דברות קודש שושן פורים תשל”טמאת הרה”ק מצאנז קלויזענבורג זי”ע   – קטע ווידיאו מצורף בסוף – צו הערן און זעהןקליקט דא   צו הערן דורכ’ן […]

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina called on President Donald Trump Tuesday to support Israel by launching joint military strikes against the Hezbollah terrorist group in Lebanon.

His remarks came as the Israel Defense Forces targeted Hezbollah positions and deployed troops across the border into southern Lebanon. The operations followed Hezbollah’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, including launching rockets toward Israel and aligning with Iran’s attacks during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war.

Speaking to reporters and quoted by CBS, Graham said, “I’m calling on President Trump today: Join Israel to attack Hezbollah. Avenge the Marines,” referring to a 1993 suicide bombing of a US barracks in Lebanon that killed hundreds of American service members, an attack the United States has blamed on Hezbollah.

Lindsey Graham: "I'm calling on President Trump today — join Israel to attack Hezbollah … fly with Israel" pic.twitter.com/ymiUtdOGB9

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 3, 2026

Graham, who is a close political ally of Trump and has consistently advocated a hardline approach toward Iran, also defended the administration’s military operations targeting the Iranian regime. He said Iran’s leadership appears to be nearing collapse.

He argued the Iranian government is in its “death throes” and said that “the demise of this regime is at hand.”

Addressing Democratic critics who say Iran did not pose an immediate threat to the United States, Graham rejected that view.

“The idea that you’re going to let a homicidal maniac get to the imminent stage, to me, is misplaced.”

Graham has repeatedly pushed for a more aggressive stance toward Iran and previously opposed diplomatic agreements between Washington and Tehran. He has argued that lasting peace in the Middle East will only come with the fall of the current Iranian regime.

{Matzav.com}

Sgt. 1st Class Nicole Amor was just days away from returning home to her husband and two children when a drone strike at a command center in Kuwait killed her and five other U.S. service members. “She was almost home,” her husband, Joey Amor, said from their home in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, on Tuesday. […]

Federal prosecutors unsealed a complaint on March 2 charging Dan Sohail, 36, with intentionally damaging religious property at Chabad-Lubavitch world headquarters in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, N.Y., according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Sohail, of Carteret, N.J., was taken into custody earlier in the day and arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Clay Kaminsky in Brooklyn federal court.

Prosecutors allege that on Jan. 28, Sohail drove to a side entrance of the Chabad-Lubavitch World Headquarters complex, exited his vehicle and removed barriers set up to protect the site. After motioning for passersby to move away, he allegedly returned to his car and rammed the entrance. He then reversed and drove into the doorway four more times, knocking the door off its hinges. No injuries were reported.

“Americans should be free to practice their faith without fearing defacement of their sacred places,” Harmeet Dhillon, U.S. assistant attorney general for civil rights, stated. “The Department of Justice will not tolerate attacks on houses of worship, and will vigorously prosecute those who carry them out.”

James Barnacle, assistant director in charge of the FBI New York Field Office, stated that “Sohail allegedly jeopardized dozens of lives and damaged one of our city’s sacred synagogues.”

“The FBI and the NYPD will continue to protect our community’s religious institutions to ensure a safe place for all worshippers,” he added.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch called Chabad Headquarters in Brooklyn “a sacred place for many Jews in New York City and around the world.”

“Every New Yorker deserves to live in a safe city where they can practice their faith freely and without fear,” she said. JNS

{Matzav.com}

Jasmine Crockett on Wednesday conceded the Democratic primary in the Texas Senate race to James Talarico. The congresswoman called on the party to unify behind the state representative, who clinched the nomination overnight. “Texas is primed to turn blue and we must remain united because this is bigger than any one person,” Crockett said in […]

A federal court on Monday rejected the Trump administration’s attempt to slow the process of refunding billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs the Supreme Court struck down as illegal last month. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit started the next phase in the refund process by sending it to a lower court […]

As Operation Roaring Lion continues, new assessments published Monday evening indicate the war could last until Pesach. After President Donald Trump recently estimated the conflict would continue for several weeks, a senior Israeli official quoted by Kan News offered a similar evaluation—while noting a factor that could shorten the war: an uprising by the Iranian […]

A previously undisclosed phone conversation between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump played a decisive role in the decision to launch the strike on Iran that triggered the current conflict, according to a report published Tuesday by Axios.

The report states that Netanyahu contacted Trump on February 23 to share intelligence indicating that Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with several of his closest advisers, would be gathering at a single location in Tehran on the morning of Saturday, February 28.

Three individuals familiar with the conversation told Axios that Netanyahu informed Trump that the meeting created a rare opportunity in which the entire group could potentially be eliminated in a single airstrike.

The call took place from the White House Situation Room and had not been previously disclosed. According to the report, it marked a turning point in the sequence of events that ultimately led to the outbreak of the current war with Iran.

The intelligence suggesting that Khamenei and his senior leadership team would be together in one place was viewed as a unique opportunity that both Trump and Netanyahu were reluctant to pass up.

Trump had already been weighing the possibility of a military strike against Iran before receiving this intelligence, but had not yet determined when such an operation might take place. The information Netanyahu shared during the call helped shape the timing of the decision.

Officials from both the United States and Israel told Axios that the February 23 conversation was the result of months of close coordination between the two leaders. In the two months leading up to the attack, Trump and Netanyahu met in person twice and held 15 phone conversations.

At one point the two countries considered launching the operation a week earlier, but the strike was postponed due to intelligence considerations and operational issues, including unfavorable weather conditions.

At Trump’s request, the CIA carried out an initial assessment that verified the intelligence gathered by Israeli military intelligence regarding Khamenei’s planned meeting.

Once that review began confirming the information, planning for the operation moved forward quickly. Trump informed Netanyahu that he was inclined to proceed but said he first intended to deliver his State of the Union address the following evening.

U.S. officials said Trump made a “deliberate decision” to avoid focusing heavily on Iran during the speech so as not to tip off Khamenei or cause him to alter his plans before the strike could be carried out.

By Thursday, intelligence officials had confirmed that the Iranian leadership would indeed be assembling at the location.

“Confirmed that these people were all going to be together, and we needed to take advantage of it,” a source told Axios.

That same day, Trump’s envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff contacted the administration from Geneva after hours of negotiations with Iranian representatives, delivering what they described as a bleak assessment of the diplomatic talks.

Following those developments, Trump determined that the intelligence was credible and that diplomacy had failed. On Friday at 3:38 p.m. EST, he authorized the operation.

Roughly eleven hours later, bombs struck Tehran, Khamenei was killed, and the military confrontation began.

An Israeli official told Axios that Trump had originally wanted to carry out the strike earlier, in early January, but that Netanyahu requested a delay.

The official said the final schedule was “fully coordinated,” with both sides agreeing the operation would be conducted together.

According to the report, the initial strategy envisioned a strike in late March or early April in order to give the administration more time to build public support.

However, a U.S. official told Axios that Netanyahu urged a faster timetable, warning that Iranian opposition figures hiding in safe houses could be vulnerable to the regime. Moving up the timeline left the administration with limited time to present a public case for military action.

Israeli Ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter declined to address details of the February 23 call but rejected suggestions that Netanyahu had strongly pushed to speed up the operation.

“Over the past year, we have worked more closely than ever with our partners in the United States regarding Iran, and we see eye to eye on the danger Iran poses to Israel, to the United States, and to the free world,” Leiter told Axios.

“Anyone who knows President Trump understands that he is a strong leader who cannot be steered,” the ambassador added.

{Matzav.com}