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Millions of Americans who depend on food assistance are set to feel the impact of both a government shutdown and sweeping new restrictions on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as the updated rules took effect — the same day benefits stop ped flowing without federal funding.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s website bluntly warns that “the well has run dry” for issuing benefits. In a message at the top of the site, the agency places blame squarely on Democrats in the Senate for blocking continued funding.

“Senate Democrats have now voted 13 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,” the notice states. “At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance.”

Even as benefits are suspended, new regulations under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act will simultaneously take hold. The law, which cuts an estimated $186 billion in federal spending over the next decade, adds stricter eligibility and work requirements that will remove some participants from the program.

Among the most significant revisions are those targeting able-bodied adults without dependents, known as ABAWDs. They must now prove they work at least 80 hours a month, attend school, or participate in job training to stay eligible. Anyone who fails to meet these standards will be limited to a total of three months of benefits.

The work requirement expansion also affects all able-bodied adults under 65, though parents with children under 14 are newly exempt — previously, the exemption covered parents of children under 18. Veterans, young adults, and homeless individuals are now required to meet the same work standards to continue receiving more than three months of assistance.

Another policy shift concerns immigrants’ access to SNAP, with new “non-citizen eligibility” rules impacting lawful permanent residents, Cuban and Haitian entrants, non-citizen U.S. nationals, and undocumented individuals. According to the USDA, state agencies must review “household circumstances to take appropriate action” before informing applicants that they are no longer eligible for benefits.

In addition, a memo from Oregon’s Department of Human Services reveals that even refugees who have been granted asylum and survivors of human trafficking will lose their SNAP benefits under the new federal guidelines.

A central point of contention remains whether the USDA can dip into its contingency fund to keep SNAP payments going through November. On Friday, U.S. District Judge John McConnell temporarily blocked the administration from halting benefits altogether, rejecting the government’s claim that emergency funding was limited to natural disasters.

“SNAP benefits have never, until now, been terminated,” McConnell said during the hearing. “And the United States has, in fact, admitted that the contingency funds are appropriately used during a shutdown and that occurred in 2019.”

Currently, about $5.25 billion is available in the USDA’s reserve fund — far short of the $9.2 billion needed to cover a full month’s worth of food assistance. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins maintained that Democrats are misrepresenting how those funds can be spent.

“If today, say for example Democrats say, ‘Oh, never mind, sorry, we’ll reopen the government,’ and SNAP flows, Hurricane Melissa or one of the hurricanes hits, that’s the contingency fund that we would use to send more money into the vulnerable communities that are harmed by a specific event like a hurricane,” Rollins said.

“But it is a contingency fund that can only flow if the underlying appropriation is approved,” she added. “And listen, even if it could flow, it doesn’t even cover half of the month of November. So here we are again, in two weeks having the exact same conversation.”

Late Friday, President Trump addressed the matter directly, pledging to restore benefits as soon as legal questions are resolved.

“Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT,” he continued. “Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”

{Matzav.com}

Hamas officials said Sunday that they had located the bodies of three Israeli hostages killed during the war, according to statements made to Al-Hadath.

Earlier that day, reports indicated that members of Hamas’s military wing accompanied Red Cross personnel into the Shuja’iyya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City. They were joined by engineering vehicles as they searched through the ruins for the remains of the captives.

The day before, Israel’s Institute of Forensic Medicine completed its analysis of the bodies that Hamas had previously transferred to Israel. Experts determined that the remains did not match any of the identified hostages.

Meanwhile, the IDF has asserted that Hamas is in possession of at least two Israeli bodies that could be handed over without delay. Military officials also believe the terror group has lost track of several others, estimating that between three and five hostages’ bodies remain unaccounted for.

{Matzav.com}

  RIGHT NOW THE TEFILLAH is taking place at Rachel Imeinu on her yahrtzeit, and Talmidei Chachamin, messengers of Yad L’Achim will be davening in Kever Rachel for all your names for tefillah – for next ten hours! There is no cost to submit names online by clicking HERE, or visit www.YadLachim.org or call 1-718-690-2944.  Please submit the names […]

A shliach in the U.S.A was recently diagnosed with a severe illness, Hashem Yishmor. There is a operation that promises hope, but it is extremely costly. Already stretched to the limits financially, the shliach is now scrambling to save his life. Help the Shliach get this needed operation every day that goes by leaves the shliach in severe […]

Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed that he personally apologized to President Trump earlier this week following controversy over a television advertisement aired in Ontario that mocked Trump’s tariff policies and invoked Ronald Reagan’s words to argue against them.

Speaking to reporters after the Asia-Pacific summit in South Korea, Carney acknowledged that he had urged Ontario Premier Doug Ford not to proceed with the commercial, but that his advice went unheeded. “I did apologize to the president,” Carney said, according to Reuters. “The president was offended by the act, or by the ad, rather … It’s not something I would have done — which is to put in place that advertisement — and so I apologized to him,” he added later, as reported by the New York Times.

Trump, addressing the incident aboard Air Force One, said the two had spoken directly and described Carney as “very nice.” “He apologized for what they did with the commercial because it was a false commercial. You know, it was the exact opposite. Ronald Reagan loved tariffs, and they tried to make it look the other way,” the president said. “And he did apologize and I appreciate it.”

The ad, which aired across Ontario and was also slated to run during the 2025 World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, was produced by Ford’s team despite warnings from Ottawa that it could inflame tensions with Washington. The commercial used edited Reagan clips to imply opposition to tariffs, a move that Trump denounced as “possibly” artificial intelligence-generated and “misinformation.”

In response, Trump retaliated by halting trade discussions with Canada and adding a ten percent increase to existing tariffs, citing the incident as evidence of what he called bad-faith communication from the Canadian side. Despite Carney’s apology, Trump said Friday that he had no plans to resume trade negotiations “at this time.”

Back in Canada, Ford’s allies stood by his decision to run the spot. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown defended the move, telling CBC, “I support the premier’s approach. It’s got a lot of coverage.” Brown dismissed criticism of the ad’s editing, adding, “And the words are truthful, despite what they’re trying to spin and say that, you know, it’s only a portion of the speech, Ronald Reagan viewed tariffs as taxes that would cost America in the long term.”

The controversy comes as Trump’s tariff policies face judicial scrutiny. The Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments on November 5 in a case challenging the administration’s authority to impose the duties. Trump has accused Canada of attempting to influence that case, further straining relations between the two longtime allies.

In the wake of the uproar, Carney’s apology may have softened the tone but not the tension. For now, trade talks remain frozen — and what began as a local political stunt has spiraled into an international flashpoint between Washington and Ottawa.

{Matzav.com}

The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, announced that their units are ready to recover the remaining bodies of both Israeli and foreign captives buried in areas located beyond the “yellow line,” near IDF positions. The group claims the effort is intended to help move toward a conclusion of the ongoing conflict.

In their official statement, the Al-Qassam Brigades appealed to international mediators and to the International Committee of the Red Cross, requesting access to heavy engineering equipment they say is essential for retrieving the bodies.

Late Friday night, Hamas handed over body parts to Israel that were believed to belong to three individuals. However, forensic experts later confirmed that the remains could not be matched to any of the known hostages.

Israeli authorities stressed that Hamas’ transfer of the remains does not, by itself, amount to a breach of the current ceasefire. Nonetheless, they insisted that Hamas must abide by its obligation to return every remaining hostage body without further delay.

Earlier in the week, Channel 12 reported that when Israel permitted Hamas personnel and Red Cross representatives to conduct recovery operations beyond the “yellow line,” the terrorists instead exploited the opportunity to search for weapons—an act that Israel viewed as a clear violation of the agreement.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio accused Hamas of continuing to seize humanitarian aid meant for civilians in Gaza, sharing drone footage that he said shows Hamas operatives looting an aid truck just weeks after the ceasefire took effect. “Hamas continues to deprive the people of Gaza of the humanitarian aid they desperately need,” Rubio […]

A 52-year-old Orthodox Jewish man was subjected to antisemitic abuse and intimidation by a London bus driver who refused to return his bank card for nearly an hour — even after police arrived on the scene. David Abraham told the BBC that the confrontation began after he accidentally dropped his bank card into the driver’s […]

Justice Minister Yariv Levin sent a letter on Motzei Shabbos to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara informing her that she is prohibited from any involvement in matters related to the Sde Teiman affair—including the leak investigation, alleged obstruction of justice, and tampering with legal proceedings. Levin explained that the ban is based on Baharav-Miara’s personal involvement […]

Former New York governor Andrew Cuomo hit the campaign trail alongside Brooklyn Councilwoman Inna Vernikov, one of the city’s most prominent Republicans, as he seeks to build bipartisan support in his uphill battle against far-left Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani in the New York City mayoral race. Vernikov, a Ukrainian-born Jewish lawmaker who represents a large […]

In this episode, Rabbi Reinman shows how Aristotle completed the creation of Hellenism, but that Alexander the Great, his student, was the true embodiment of the Greek ideal.

WATCH:

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Greek Warrior King

After The Iliad gained wide readership, hellenism took root in Greek society. The Greeks saw themselves at the pinnacle of the universe, superior to the god race. They built magnificent edifices. They studied the human condition in literature, art and drama. Idolizing the human body, they exercised in the nude in the gymnasiums and publicly displayed the beauty, perfection and prowess of the human body in organized athletic competitions performed in the nude.

The Greeks gloried in their new divinity, but they still lacked a sophisticated view of the universe and the profound questions of existence. Early hellenism had a mind, a body and a heart, but it lacked a soul until the philosophers arrived.

There were a number of early Greek philosophers, but the famous Big Three, Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, established the idea that human reason is the ultimate measure of knowledge. Socrates said that man should always search for the truth by asking numerous questions, that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” The authorities in Athens thought he was dangerous and executed him. Socrates did not write a book, but Plato, his student, recorded his teachings and added many of his own. But Plato’s student Aristotle had the greatest impact on Western thought. Socrates and Plato were artists. Aristotle was a scientist.

Aristotle was remarkable for the orderliness of his brilliant mind and the sheer number of directions in which he pointed it. Never one to plunge headlong into the seas of knowledge, he always began with a dissection of the subject under study. He delineated his objectives, defined a set of terms to categorize his research, and only then, he conducted his inquiry. In this way, he formalized logic, developed controlled experimentation and the scientific method of inquiry and compiled veritable encyclopedias of information through observation, analysis and speculation. He also formulated numerous terms, such as matter, form, energy, infinity, genus and species, which endure until this day as basic units of Western thought. Above all, he was a disciplined student with an insatiable appetite for knowledge of practically any kind…

But if humanity had assumed the mantle of the god race in the Greek mode of thought, the idealized image of the ultimate man, the “Greek god” so to speak, was not the homely, squint-eyed thinker such as Socrates or Aristotle. For if man was a god then all of him was divine, his body, his mind and his soul.

Just as, in our own times, the crowds cheer the drivers of racing cars rather than the engineers who design them, the adoration of ancient Greek society was reserved for the sun-bronzed, heroic warrior-athlete, his body perfect and beautiful, his mind enriched by philosophy, his soul nourished by literature. The philosophers and writers were admired but not idolized as heroes. They were the engineers who designed the cultural tools, but the true Greek gods were the splendid human sculptures molded by those tools, the ones who trained unclad in the gymnasium while they discussed philosophy with their fellows.

The man who came closest to the Greek heroic ideal was Alexander the Great, who was not even a Greek but a Macedonian. Macedonia was a country of hardy mountainfolk so backward that in all of antiquity it did not produce a single philosopher, scientist, thinker, writer or artist whose name is known to history. But the ambitious King Philip II, an ardent admirer of Greek culture, he hired the best tutors to give his gifted son Alexander the benefits of a first-class Greek upbringing. Among others, the illustrious Aristotle was brought to the Macedonian capital of Pella to help mold Alexander’s mind during his teenage years. Philip himself trained the boy in the arts of war.

Alexander thus became a potent blend of Macedonian toughness and Greek intellect liberally seasoned with the overpowering personal ambition he inherited from his father. Alexander was a superb physical specimen, a ferocious and tireless warrior, a man with a kingdom at his command and the dream of world empire in his heart. He was also a lover of Greek culture who carried Homer’s The Iliad with him on his campaigns and kept it under his pillow at night next to his dagger. He was cast in the true mold of the Greek hero, and as we trace his career from its meteoric rise to its tragic end, we find that it mirrors the parabolic course of the Greek civilization from which it sprung….

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.

President Donald Trump will host Ahmad al-Sharaa for talks, a first-ever visit by a Syrian president to the White House, an administration official said Saturday. The official, who was not authorized to comment publicly about the yet to be formally announced engagement, said that the meeting is expected to take place Nov. 10. Trump met […]

Israel Police announced on Sunday morning that they thwarted an imminent terror attack in central Israel Police officers rushed to the Ramle home of an Israeli-Arab on Sunday morning after he published a live video online about his intention to carry out an attack in the city. After becoming aware of the video, they located […]

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1619-Chikuy-Part-19-Menuchas-Hanefesh.mp3

​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Following Israel’s elimination of four Radwan Force terrorists in southern Lebanon over the weekend, Defense Minister Yisrael Katz threatened Lebanon with a return to war if the government continues to ignore its commitment to disarm Hezbollah. The eliminated Radwan Force terrorists were involved in efforts to restore Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon, the IDF […]

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Stories4Life-Shiur-495-Germs-Brisker-Rav.mp3

Ten people are hospitalized, nine with life-threatening injuries, after a mass stabbing attack caused fear and chaos on a London-bound train in eastern England, British police said Sunday. Two suspects are in custody. Bloodied passengers spilled out of the long-distance train when it made an emergency stop in the town of Huntingdon, where dozens of […]

The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions once again, capturing their second consecutive title after a heart-stopping Game 7 comeback against the Toronto Blue Jays that stretched into extra innings and ended with pure baseball drama.

Toronto took the early lead in the third inning when Bo Bichette blasted a Shohei Ohtani pitch deep into the stands, sending the Rogers Centre crowd into a frenzy. The Dodgers slowly began to chip away, scoring single runs in the fourth and sixth innings to narrow the deficit and keep the game within reach.

The Blue Jays seemed to regain control in the seventh when Andrés Giménez ripped a clutch RBI double to restore a two-run advantage. But the Dodgers, known for their resilience, refused to go quietly. Max Muncy reignited Los Angeles’s hopes with a mammoth home run that cut the lead to one and shifted the momentum back toward the visitors. Then, in the top of the ninth, veteran infielder Miguel Rojas sent a stunning solo shot over the wall to tie the game and silence the Toronto crowd.

The tension reached its peak in the bottom of the ninth when the Dodgers escaped a bases-loaded jam to keep the score knotted and push the contest into extra innings. Both teams missed chances in the tenth, with Los Angeles failing to cash in after loading the bases themselves.

Finally, in the top of the eleventh, catcher Will Smith delivered the decisive blow, crushing a solo home run to left field to give the Dodgers their first lead of the night. In the bottom half, closer Evan Phillips slammed the door shut, striking out two before inducing a grounder to end the game — and the series.

As the Dodgers poured onto the field in celebration, fireworks erupted and the visiting dugout turned into a sea of blue jubilation. “This team never quits,” Smith said afterward. “We’ve battled all year, and tonight showed what we’re made of.”

With the victory, the Dodgers have now claimed back-to-back World Series championships, solidifying their place as baseball’s modern dynasty and proving once again that when the lights are brightest, they know how to shine.

{Matzav.com}

Tens of thousands of Yidden streamed tonight toward Kever Rochel Imeinu on the outskirts of Beis Lechem to mark 3,579 years since the passing of Mammeh Rochel. But what was meant to be a night of heartfelt tefillos has turned into a scene of severe congestion and disorder, as footage from the area shows massive gridlock, overcrowding, and what observers are describing as a “complete logistical collapse.”

The heavy influx of visitors — arriving in hundreds of buses and private vehicles — brought traffic to a near standstill along Derech Efrata and all access routes to the tziyun. Videos show throngs of people packed shoulder to shoulder, with police and volunteer marshals struggling to maintain order amid scenes of chaos and shouting.

The crowds created enormous pressure both inside the burial compound and along the roads leading to it, leaving thousands stuck outside and unable to reach the site. Witnesses report that even within the tziyun, conditions were suffocating, with Yidden pressed together in dangerously tight spaces.

For generations, Jews have come to this sacred spot — where Yaakov Avinu buried Rochel on the road to Efrata — to pour out their hearts in prayer. The site, imbued with the prophecy of “Rochel mevakah al baneha,” has always symbolized comfort and compassion for her children throughout exile. Yet tonight, those prayers were overshadowed by scenes of confusion and frustration.

Police and security personnel, together with local organizers, attempted to restore calm, but with limited success. “It’s a collapse on every level,” one organizer admitted. “The crowding is unbearable, and people are trying to push their way in. It’s heartbreaking to see such a holy night marred by chaos.”

In an official statement, police confirmed that due to extreme overcrowding, the entrance to the Kever Rochel compound was temporarily closed. “Worshipers who arrived at the site began breaching order and attempting to enter by force, while the compound had already reached its maximum permitted capacity,” the statement read. One individual was detained for allegedly attempting to assault officers.

Authorities urged the public to follow police instructions and avoid the area until conditions stabilize. Despite the disruption, thousands remained gathered nearby, continuing to recite Tehillim and cry out to Hashem in memory of Rochel Imeinu, whose tears, as the posuk promises, “will not go unanswered.”

{Matzav.com}

In the wake of last week’s massive Atzeres in support of the Torah world, Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva Rav Dov Landau is set to depart Sunday morning for a whirlwind mission to Switzerland, leading a distinguished delegation aimed at strengthening and expanding Keren Olam HaTorah. The foundation has already distributed hundreds of millions of shekels this past year to yeshivos and kollelim across Eretz Yisroel.

During the brief but intensive trip, the Rosh Yeshiva will visit Zurich and Geneva, meeting with prominent philanthropists and delivering addresses at major gatherings designed to rally support for the Torah institutions of Eretz Yisroel.

Accompanying Rav Landau are several renowned gedolei Torah, including Rav Avrohom Salim, Rav Shimon Galai, Rav Boruch Soloveitchik, Rav Yosef Chevroni, and the Rebbe of Rachmastrivka.

Upon arrival in Zurich, the delegation will hold private meetings at the homes of leading benefactors who have pledged significant contributions to Keren Olam HaTorah. That evening, a large public event will take place for the city’s chareidi community, aimed at raising both awareness and funds for the preservation and flourishing of Torah study.

On Monday, the delegation will continue to Geneva for additional gatherings with major donors. The highlight of the day will be a grand Atzeres drawing large Jewish crowds not only from Switzerland but also from neighboring France, particularly from the cities of Aix-les-Bains and Lyon, where thriving Torah communities have expressed their intent to join the event.

Rav Landau is scheduled to return to Eretz Yisroel late Monday night, resuming his regular schedule.

Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, who was unable to join the trip due to prior commitments in the United States and France on behalf of Yeshivas Slabodka, sent an emotional letter to the benefactors attending the Swiss gatherings.

“I very much desired to join you at this gathering l’shem Shamayim, but it is beyond my ability to come,” Rav Hirsch wrote. “I wish to bless you from afar yet with a heart that is close. You have been granted a unique and historic merit — the salvation of the yeshivos and kollelim of Eretz Yisroel. Through your actions, you ensure the continuation of Torah learning in the Holy Land. For generations to come, you will be remembered as those in whose portion this great privilege was placed. Fortunate are you and your lot!”

Rav Hirsch went on to remind donors that their contributions to Keren Olam HaTorah should be in addition to their existing charitable giving: “I once again request, as I have in previous gatherings for Keren Olam HaTorah, that the donations for sustaining Torah in Eretz Yisroel not come at the expense of the other causes you regularly support. Those institutions depend upon you, and we must not harm them in any way.”

He added, “Our request is that you give beyond your usual commitments, as many righteous benefactors worldwide have done — recognizing that rescuing the yeshivos of Eretz Yisroel is the urgent need of this time, and one that calls for extra effort and generosity.”

The Rosh Yeshiva concluded his letter with a heartfelt bracha: “In the merit of your devotion beyond your accustomed measure, may Hashem grant you doubled goodness, abundant success, and blessing in all that you do — with health, joy, and fulfillment all your days.”

{Matzav.com}