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Surveillance video captured the moment a drone struck a park with a children’s playground in Lviv, Ukraine.

A spokesman for the Shas party said that Israel’s long-debated draft law is expected to pass within two weeks, adding that arrests of yeshiva students would then be halted.

Speaking in an interview with Kol Barama Radio, Shas spokesman Asher Medina said the legislation regulating the status of Torah learners is nearing completion and will move forward shortly.

“In two weeks, a law regulating Torah learners will pass, and the arrests of bnei Torah will stop,” Medina said. He described the issue as deeply painful for the chareidi public and stressed that the legislative process is being carried out in full coordination with senior Torah authorities. “Everything is being done in consultation with Gedolei Yisrael. The law has been on their table throughout the entire process,” he said.

Earlier, it was reported that the 2026 state budget was not formally submitted to the Knesset as planned, following opposition from the chareidi parties. Those parties have conditioned their support for the budget on significant progress in advancing the draft law, which is still being debated in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

Chareidi factions have made clear that they will not back the budget unless the draft legislation moves forward in a meaningful way.

Under Israeli law, if the state budget is not approved in three readings by the end of March, the Knesset will automatically dissolve and the country will head to early elections.

{Matzav.com}

BREAKING: U.S. SOUTHCOM has released footage of the seizure of the Guyana-flagged tanker Veronica, marking the sixth oil tanker seized by the United States.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman reportedly pushed hard behind the scenes to dissuade US President Donald Trump from launching an attack on Iran, citing fears of “grave blowbacks in the region,” a senior Saudi official tells AFP. According to the official, the three Gulf states “led a long, frantic, diplomatic last-minute effort to convince President […]

IDF forces from the Yehuda Brigade demolished the home of the terrorist who back in November, carried out a combined ramming and stabbing attack at the Gush Junction, resulting in the death of 71 year old Aharon Cohen hy’d, and injuring three more.

Iran’s ambassador to the UN, filed a complaint accusing the United States and Israel of inciting violence linked to the protests in Iran.

TRUMP: If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the patriots of ICE, who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is […]

WATCH: Moment Dragon and NASA’s Crew-11 return to Earth, splashing down off the coast of California.

Spectacular video shows SpaceX Dragon capsule streaking across the sky over Burbank, California at roughly 17,895 mph, ahead of its splashdown off the coast of San Diego.

A special meeting took place on Wednesday when the Toldos Aharon Rebbe visited the home of the tzaddik Rav Dov Kook in Tiveriah, during which Rav Kook presented the Rebbe with an ornate walking staff adorned with silver, described as a traditional “Rebbe’s stick.”

The visit occurred while the Toldos Aharon Rebbe is spending the days of Shovavim in Tiveriah. He arrived at Rav Kook’s residence for a special audience marked by brachos, warm interaction, and unique symbolic gestures between the two.

During the visit, Rav Kook bentched the Rebbe with Birkas Kohanim and, in the course of doing so, asked that the Rebbe—who is also a kohein—reciprocate.

The meeting continued with the serving of a rare wine aged for three decades. The Toldos Aharon Rebbe poured wine for Rav Kook and requested that he recite the brocha first. Rav Kook responded with humility, saying, “I am embarrassed. Your honor should make the brocha and include me,” after which the two shared a l’chaim together.

In a striking moment, Rav Kook then reached beneath his seat and removed a walking staff topped with silver decorations, referring to it as a special “Rebbe’s staff.” He presented it to the Toldos Aharon Rebbe as a gift and explained its symbolic meaning, saying, “This staff is meant to strike the Erev Rav.”

{Matzav.com}

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman led an intensive, last-minute diplomatic effort to dissuade US President Donald Trump from launching an attack on Iran, amid fears of “grave blowbacks in the region,” a senior Saudi official tells AFP. The Gulf states “led a long, frantic, diplomatic last-minute effort to convince President Trump to give Iran a […]

It’s starting to look like an exodus. Dozens of U.S. House members have announced they are not running for reelection, putting a record number of seats up for grabs at this point in the midterm election cycle. Some are seeking other offices, while others are retiring after decades of service. A few members are departing […]

A stormy exchange erupted in the Knesset on Wednesday after MK Ahmad Tibi delivered a sharply worded address accusing the government of widespread failure and escalating violence, while also launching a personal attack against the Chief Rabbi of Tzefas, Rav Shmuel Eliyahu.

Speaking from the Knesset podium, Tibi lashed out at the coalition, declaring, “Everything you touch is bad, it is a failure, blood is flowing in the streets.” His comments immediately drew loud reactions from lawmakers in the plenum.

As his speech continued, Tibi turned his focus to Minister Amichai Eliyahu and intensified his rhetoric, directing a personal insult at the minister’s father. “He says the blood in the streets is because of education-you absorbed racism from your father,” Tibi said, a remark widely viewed as crossing an unacceptable line.

In response to the language used, Knesset officials intervened and brought the address to an abrupt end. Deputy Knesset Speaker Nissim Vaturi ordered Tibi removed from the podium, halting the speech amid ongoing uproar.

Minister Amichai Eliyahu later responded from the plenum, condemning Tibi’s remarks. “A glorifier of ‘martyrs’ and supporter of terrorism cursed my father, Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, Minister Ben Gvir, and me. Someone who was an aide to the arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat dares to lecture anyone about racism and education.”

Eliyahu continued with a pointed rebuttal, adding, “Personally, I take some satisfaction in seeing his loss of composure, the anxiety and hatred in his eyes. He understands that we have won and will win. He knows very well that the Jewish people have returned to their land, that the Creator will not stop halfway-and that is why he is shouting and smearing.”

{Matzav.com}

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy troops to quell persistent protests against the federal officers sent to Minneapolis to enforce his administration’s massive immigration crackdown. The president’s threat comes a day after a federal immigration officer shot and wounded a Minneapolis man who had attacked the officer with a shovel […]

The nationwide protests that rocked Iran for days appeared to be smothered Thursday, after the regime sealed the country off from the outside world and unleashed a sweeping crackdown that activists say killed thousands — a campaign Tehran now claims is winding down. In Tehran, witnesses described a city that looked markedly calmer than earlier […]

The New York Times reported that the Pentagon has begun returning its forces to the evacuated US base in Qatar following Trump’s remarks at a press conference on Wednesday saying that “the killings in Iran” have ended. Reuters reported that the security warning level at the US Al Udeid air base in Qatar was lowered […]

President Donald Trump has directed his national security advisers that if the United States were to take military action against Iran, it should be swift, forceful, and conclusive rather than devolving into an extended conflict, according to an NBC News report published Wednesday citing a U.S. official, two individuals familiar with internal discussions, and a source close to the White House.

“If he does something, he wants it to be definitive,” one of the people familiar with the discussions told NBC News.

At the same time, advisers have been unable to guarantee that a U.S. strike would result in the rapid collapse of the Iranian regime, the U.S. official and two of the sources said. That uncertainty has weighed heavily on the internal deliberations.

Officials have also raised concerns about whether the United States currently has enough military assets positioned in the region to effectively respond to what they anticipate could be a strong and immediate retaliation from Iran, according to the report.

As a result, those dynamics could push Trump toward approving a narrower initial strike while preserving the ability to escalate later — assuming he opts to take action at all, the U.S. official and one person familiar with the discussions said.

Those sources stressed that the situation remains fluid and that as of Wednesday afternoon, no final decisions had been reached.

When asked about the President’s thinking, a White House official pointed reporters to remarks Trump made earlier Wednesday from the Oval Office.

During those comments, Trump said, “We have been notified pretty strongly that the killing in Iran is stopping, and there’s no plan for executions or an execution.”

He added, “I’ve been told that in good authority. We’ll find out about it, I’m sure. If it happens, we’ll be very upset.”

Trump said the information came from “very important sources on the other side and they said that the killing has stopped and the executions won’t take place. There were supposed to be a lot of executions today, but the executions won’t take place. We’re going to find out. I’ll find out after this, you’ll find out.”

According to the U.S. official, two individuals briefed on the talks, and one person close to the White House, Trump continues to signal that he is willing to act on his repeated pledges to Iranian protesters that the United States would intervene militarily in support of their efforts to overthrow the regime.

Addressing Trump’s overall posture, a White House official said: “All options are at President Trump’s disposal to address the situation in Iran,” adding that U.S. military actions in Iran last year and in Venezuela this month demonstrate that “he means what he says.”

{Matzav.com}

Fewer Americans applied for unemployment benefits last week as U.S. layoffs remain low despite growing concern about a weakening job market. U.S. filings for jobless aid for the week ending Jan. 10 fell by 9,000 to 198,000, down from 207,000 the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. The figure was significantly less than the […]

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

The first posuk in this week’s parsha states that Hashem appeared to Moshe and reminded him of how He had revealed Himself to the avos and promised them Eretz Yisroel (6:2). He told Moshe that just as He remembers His bris with the avos, so does He hear the cries of the Bnei Yisroel and will act to redeem them. Hashem instructed Moshe to tell the Jewish people that their suffering would soon end, and that He Himself would free them from the shackles of Mitzrayim.

Rashi explains that this was in direct response to Moshe’s question at the end of last week’s parsha (5:22), when he asked, “Lomahharei’osahla’amhazeh— Why have You made things worse for Your people, and why have You sent me to speak to Paroh?” Hashem’s reply reassured Moshe that His promises are unfailing, and that Moshe’s mission was part of the Divine plan to fulfill the covenant He had made with the avos.

Moshe’s mission was never random or accidental. Every step of his journey — from his hidden birth to his upbringing in Paroh’s palace, from his golus in Midyan to the moment he encountered the burning bush — was part of Hashem’s plan. Each challenge, each hardship, was preparing him to lead the Jewish people out of bondage and into freedom. As we learn the parsha, we understand that the miracles of Moshe’s life were not just extraordinary events. They were signs of the Hand of Hashgocha, guiding him, shaping him, and preparing him to fulfill the promise made to the avos.

There are times in history when the world seems poised against us, when despair feels heavier than hope, and the night stretches endlessly before the dawn. In those periods we must remember that even when life is darkest, the flame of Hashem’s Hashgocha is never extinguished. From the very first cries of our people to the promise of redemption, the story of Klal Yisroel is one of survival, resilience, and faith.

In every generation, we have faced threats that seemed insurmountable. Empires sought our destruction. Tyrants demanded our silence. Even when our backs were against the wall, our spirits flickered, small, fragile, but alive. That flicker is what Hashem sees, what He nurtures, and what He calls upon us to protect and strengthen.

And so it was at the very beginning of the story of Moshe Rabbeinu. An infant, born in the shadow of death, placed in the Nile to float between life and death, became the instrument through which Hashem would reveal to the world that no oppression is final, no darkness is eternal, and no nation, however broken, is beyond hope.

Sometimes, a single act of courage, as small as placing a child in a basket, is enough to change the course of history.

At the time that Paroh decreed that every Jewish baby boy be put to death, Moshe was born quietly, hidden from the eyes of the Mitzriyim. His mother, Yocheved, understood the danger surrounding him. Every footstep, every knock at the door, carried mortal threat. Yet, she also understood that her child was not merely another infant. He was part of Hashem’s plan. With courage and deep emunah, she placed him into a small teivah and set it upon the waters of the Nile. His sister, Miriam, watched from a distance, ready to follow the teivah wherever the currents carried it, ensuring that her brother would survive.

That basket was more than a vessel for a baby. It was a declaration of faith and courage in a world determined to snuff out hope. In the midst of cruelty, Yocheved entrusted her child to Hashem, believing that life could triumph even in the face of imminent death.

Faith – emunah and bitachon– must come before understanding.

Paroh’s daughter found the basket, heard the baby cry, and felt compassion stir in her heart. She rescued him, bringing him into the palace, where he was raised as her own. There, in the very heart of Jewish oppression, the future redeemer of Klal Yisroel grew up.

Moshe was surrounded by wealth and power, yet his soul remained tethered to his people. When he left the palace and witnessed a Mitzri striking a Jew, he intervened, refusing to remain silent. That single act forced him to flee Mitzrayim, leaving the comfort of the palace for the uncertainty of exile. He arrived in Midyan, married the daughter of Yisro, and became a shepherd, tending his father-in-law’s flocks in the vast wilderness.

From the grandeur of palaces to the stillness of desert plains, Moshe’s life seemed to have taken a bewildering turn. Yet, it was in that quiet wilderness that Hashem would reveal Himself, teaching Moshe that even the most ordinary moments can harbor extraordinary purpose.

One day, Moshe noticed a sight that captured his attention: a bush continuously burning with fire, yet not being consumed. The flames danced upon its branches, blackening them, yet the bush remained whole. Moshe did not walk by. He stopped, turned aside, and stared. He recognized that this was not an ordinary fire. Something holy was unfolding.

The Medrash teaches that just as Avrohom Avinu studied the world and concluded that it could not exist without a Creator, Moshe perceived that Hakadosh Boruch Hu was announcing His Presence. The burning bush was a message: Jewish history may be scorched, battered, and surrounded by flames, but it will never be destroyed. Even when circumstances appear hopeless, Hashem’s providence is always present, sustaining life, guiding events, and preparing redemption.

Sometimes, the smallest spark carries infinite meaning.

From that bush, Hashem spoke to Moshe and entrusted him with a mission that would shape the course of history: to return to Mitzrayim and redeem His people.

Moshe, in his humility, asked what he should tell the Jewish people when they inquired who sent him. Hashem replied, “EhkehasherEhkeh– I will be with them.” Not only at that moment, but in every suffering, every exile, and every trial that lay ahead. Hashem was telling Moshe that even when the world seems most hostile, He is present, guiding and sustaining the Jewish people.

Moshe was no longer merely a shepherd. He had become the messenger of redemption, tasked with announcing that hope exists even in the darkest of times.

One might imagine that such news would be received with overwhelming joy. A nation crushed under whips and chains would surely leap at the promise of freedom. Yet, when Moshe delivered Hashem’s message, the Torah recounts something striking: “Velo shomuel Moshe mikotzer ruach umei’avodah kasha – The people did not listen to Moshe because of shortness of spirit and crushing labor.”

They wanted to hear him. But they couldn’t. Their suffering had not only exhausted their bodies. It had crushed their souls. They were too dispirited and fragile to absorb hope. Even when salvation is imminent, the weight of despair can make it impossible to hear.

Sometimes, we must learn patience as well as hope.

This posuk teaches that suffering is not only physical. It can shrink the soul. When people are beaten down for too long, even good news sounds unreal. Even hope can feel unreachable.

This is not only history. It is the story of our time.

We live in a world of waiting. People are glued to their devices, scrolling endlessly, waiting for good news. Just over the past couple of years, we waited for the Gaza war to end. We waited for the hostages to come home. We waited for airlines to resume flights to Eretz Yisroel. We waited for a real president, for economic stability, and for interest rates to drop so we could afford homes. We waited for justice to be restored. Though at times it felt as if we were waiting in vain, our waits were answered.

And still, we wait. We wait for America to become great again. We wait for peaceful brotherhood to be restored to Eretz Yisroel. We wait for an end to the Gaza mess. We wait for a total end to the wicked leaders of Iran and the threat they represent to Israel. We wait for an end to progressive nonsense and a return to common sense. We wait for an end to the recent rash of anti-Semitic hatred.

And of course, above all, we wait for Moshiach.

We know that he will soon come and bring us what Moshe brought to the suffering people in Mitzrayim: the announcement that suffering has an end and redemption is near.

Yet, the danger of our age is not only the bad news we hear too often from within and beyond our community. The danger of our age is exhaustion. People become overwhelmed by fear, uncertainty, political instability, social hostility, and personal struggles. Instead of remaining optimistic and hopeful, too often, people become depleted mikotzer ruach. Their spiritual lungs shrink. They can no longer breathe in hope, and they cannot hear the message of redemption. Their predicament weakens them as they see no way out, no rising sun on the horizon.

Sometimes, strength must be renewed by noticing small sparks of light.

Each headline reminds us that golus is real and that safety is fragile. But even amidst fear, there are sparks of light. Even amidst darkness, Hashem’s presence is manifest.

We know that nothing happens by accident. Wars, upheavals, and economic crises are all chapters in a Divine story. The nevi’im spoke of such times, and we pray that these upheavals are the footsteps of Moshiach.

Yet, waiting is difficult when people are exhausted.

During World War I, Jewish life in Eastern Europe was decimated. Entire towns emptied. Families wandered with nothing. Yeshivos moved from place to place, surviving on crumbs. Young men were drafted into armies they would never return from.

A bochur once approached the Chofetz Chaim, broken and despairing. “Rebbe,” he cried, “ich ken nit oishalten– I can’t go on.” The Chofetz Chaim told him about Adam Harishon. On his first day in this world, when Adam saw the sun set, he thought the world was ending. He cried, believing that his sin had destroyed it all. But the next morning, he awoke and the sun rose. Adam then realized that this is how Hashem made the world. There is night, and then there is day.

The Chofetz Chaim told the boy who thought he could not hold on, that this is the way of the world. There is night, and then there is day. There is darkness, but it is always followed by light. Hold on just a little bit longer, and you will merit seeing the light.

We saw that truth after the Holocaust. Six million Jews were murdered. Communities were wiped out. Yet, from the ashes arose families, yeshivos, and flourishing Torah life. The sun rose again.

Those survivors had ruach, spirit. They believed that darkness was not the end.

The Ohr Hachaim explains that the Jews in Mitzrayim could not hear Moshe because they were not bnei Torah. Slavery had crushed them so completely that they could no longer hope or breathe freely.

We, who have been given the Torah, must not allow ourselves to become overwhelmed mikotzer ruach. When we study Torah, it connects us with Hashem and strengthens us, for we are fulfilling our purpose.

Studying Torah restores our bitachon, which allows us to widen our perspective and appreciate that the light of redemption – personal and communal – will soon shine.

That is the message of the burning bush. A Jew may be scorched, blackened, and battered, but never consumed. Within every neshomah burns a hidden flame, waiting to be ignited.

Ever since the terrible attacks of October 7th and the subsequent anti-Semitic hatred those attacks spawned, we have seen that flame awaken in Jews around the world. People who felt distant from Torah and mitzvos began feeling the pull of identity, destiny, and purpose. Pain shook something loose. Hearts opened. The fire began to burn again.

We must never give up on any Jew. And we must never give up on ourselves.

So many people suffer not only because of their difficulties, but because those difficulties erode their self-confidence. When people begin to doubt themselves, when they feel powerless against life’s trials, even small obstacles can feel insurmountable. To remain trapped in a cycle of sadness and defeatism is to prevent oneself from discovering the inner strength that Hashem has placed within every soul.

Everyone must believe in themselves – in their resilience, in their capacity to endure, and in their ability to rise above the challenges they face. A nisayon, a test or challenge, is not meant to crush us. It is meant to refine us. It calls upon us to confront adversity with courage, to grow through it, and to emerge stronger, wiser, and more faithful than before.

When we see our hardships as temporary, when we embrace them as opportunities for self-improvement and spiritual growth, we reclaim the power to shape our lives. Even the darkest moments contain sparks of potential. But if we allow despair to dominate, those sparks remain hidden and we deny ourselves the chance to overcome, to shine, and to fulfill the purpose Hashem has set before us.

Faith in oneself, combined with faith in Hashem, is what transforms challenge into triumph. It allows a person to move forward when the world feels heavy and unyielding, turning every difficulty into a steppingstone toward strength, courage, and ultimate redemption.

When despair takes hold, it can distort everything we see. We begin to view the world through a shadowed lens, noticing only failure, conflict, and loss. Every piece of news, every personal setback, and every interaction feels magnified into a threat. The economy seems hopeless, relationships appear broken, communities feel fractured, and the world itself can seem hostile and unwelcoming.

But this perspective, as powerful as it feels, is not the full truth. Even when our hearts are heavy and our minds are clouded by pessimism, there is much goodness around us. There are people willing to lend a hand, communities ready to support, and opportunities for renewal waiting to be embraced. Often, all it takes is a shift in focus, and a willingness to open our eyes and hearts, to allow that help and kindness to enter.

Despair isolates, but hope connects. It reminds us that we are not alone. Even in the depths of hardship, we can find allies, encouragement, and light. When we lift our gaze above the shadows of our own suffering, we discover that the world contains far more warmth, generosity, and potential than we could have imagined.

The moment we allow ourselves to see that truth, even a small spark of hope can grow into a flame, guiding us toward action, renewal, and the strength to rise above our challenges. It is in those moments – when faith in ourselves intersects with faith in Hashem, when hope begins to shine despite darkness – that we begin to reclaim our ruach and our capacity to change our circumstances.

Just as Moshe stood before the burning bush, unsure and humble, yet chosen to lead Klal Yisroel out of darkness into freedom, so are we called to rise above our own doubts and despair. Hashem has placed within each of us a spark, a flame of potential, a neshomah capable of strength and resilience even when the world feels overwhelming. If we embrace that spark and nurture it with emunah, bitachon, faith, courage, and action, we can overcome every nisayon, break free from every cycle of sadness, and open ourselves to the light of redemption.

Let us remember that even when the darkness feels endless, the flame of Hashem’s providence is always present. Just as Moshe was sent to bring hope to a people weighed down by suffering, each of us has the capacity to rise, to act, to believe, and to see the good that surrounds us. In doing so, we participate in the eternal story of our people, a story in which despair never has the final word and redemption always awaits.

May we be zoche to experience the ultimate redemption very soon with the coming of Moshiach.

{Matzav.com}