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US envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to arrive in Israel on Tuesday for high-level meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu and Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, according to two senior Israeli officials.

The talks are expected to focus largely on Iran, coming shortly after Zamir traveled to Washington, DC over the weekend for a round of consultations with senior American defense officials regarding the Islamic Republic.

After completing his visit to Israel, Witkoff is scheduled to meet Friday in Istanbul with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi to discuss a potential nuclear agreement and related matters, a US official said on Monday.

“The president’s been calling for them to make a deal. The meeting is to hear what they have to say,” the official said.

Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt have been involved in facilitating the planned meeting, Axios previously reported, citing two sources familiar with the effort.

At the same time, Iranian media reported Monday that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian instructed officials to initiate nuclear negotiations with the United States after President Donald Trump expressed optimism about reaching an agreement that could avert military action against Iran.

The reports follow a period of heightened tension after Iranian authorities responded forcefully to anti-government protests that reached their peak last month. In response, Trump threatened military action and ordered the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Middle East.

Iran has warned that any US military strike ordered by Trump would prompt retaliation against Israel and American military targets throughout the region.

Netanyahu addressed those threats during a speech to the Knesset on Monday, declaring that Israel was “ready for every scenario.”

“Whoever attacks us will face unbearable consequences,” the premier warned.

Even as pressure mounts on Tehran, Trump has continued to say he hopes diplomacy will succeed. Iranian officials have also stated that they favor negotiations, while simultaneously vowing a severe response to any attack.

“President Pezeshkian has ordered the opening of talks with the United States,” the Fars news agency reported, citing an unnamed government source.

“Iran and the United States will hold talks on the nuclear file,” Fars said, without providing a timeline.

The report was also published by the state-run newspaper Iran and the reformist daily Shargh.

Without detailing the substance of any potential agreement, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said regional countries are helping relay messages between the sides. “Countries of the region are acting as mediators in the exchange of messages.

“Several points have been addressed and we are examining and finalizing the details of each stage in the diplomatic process, which we hope to conclude in the coming days,” he added. “This concerns the method and framework.”

Speaking on CNN on Sunday, Araqchi said he believes Iran can reach an agreement with the United States.

Other countries in the region are also working to prevent the standoff with Iran from escalating further. Jordan’s foreign minister conveyed that position during a phone call Monday with his Iranian counterpart.

“Jordan will not be a battleground in any regional conflict or a launching pad for any military action against Iran,” Ayman Safadi told Araqchi, according to a statement from Jordan’s Foreign Ministry.

Safadi added that Amman, a close US ally, “will not permit any party to violate its airspace or threaten its security and the safety of its citizens,” while underscoring Jordan’s support for de-escalation and restoring calm.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin said Russia continues efforts to reduce tensions surrounding Iran, noting that Moscow has long offered to assist by processing or storing Iran’s enriched uranium.

{Matzav.com}

Israel Police announced on Tuesday that the investigative team that examined the leak of the doctored Sdei Teiman video by the disgraced military advocate general Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi has completed its main investigative activities. However, Police Chief Danny Levy has decided that the findings will not be transferred to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, despite the police […]

Israel’s dairy farmers announced on Monday that they will stop supplying milk to dairies beginning this morning, stepping up their protest against a dairy industry reform promoted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

The farmers argue that the reform is “destructive,” warning that it could cause severe damage to local producers and jeopardize the long-term stability of Israel’s dairy sector.

The issue was addressed earlier Monday at a farm conference organized by the Binyamin Region, the Farm Alliance, and Arutz Sheva, where Smotrich was questioned about the possibility that farmers would suspend milk production.

Smotrich sharply criticized the move, saying it would only strengthen the case for reform. “If they stop milk production, they would play into my hands since they would explain to the citizens of Israel what happens when an industry is managed in such a communist, centralized manner where whoever wants can flip the switch.”

He went on to compare the farmers’ threat to actions taken by other sectors in the past. “Once it’s the electric company employees, after that it’s the ports, and now it’s the growers. This won’t happen. The citizens of Israel will not be hostages of any monopoly or any pressure group.”

The standoff comes after the Ministerial Committee for Legislation unanimously approved the dairy reform last month. According to estimates from the Finance Ministry, the changes are expected to save the public between one and two billion shekels annually.

The ministry said the reform is intended to open the dairy market to competition, reduce consumer prices, and dismantle the centralized planning system that has governed the industry for decades.

The legislation calls for the cancellation of the production quota system, a transition to an open market, and the removal of all tariffs on dairy products. It also includes a safety net for producers aimed at ensuring a consistent supply of fresh milk to consumers at affordable prices.

In addition, the reform establishes a new legal mechanism to regulate protected milk procurement, alongside a gradual program to buy back existing quotas as the market shifts to the new framework.

{Matzav.com}

Russia fired around 450 long-range drones and 70 missiles of various types at Ukraine in a major attack overnight, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday. The barrage came as NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited Kyiv in a show of support and a day before Russia and Ukraine were due to attend U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, United […]

Iran’s president said Tuesday he instructed the country’s foreign minister to “pursue fair and equitable negotiations” with the United States, the first clear sign from Tehran it wants to try to negotiate as tensions remain high with Washington after the Mideast country’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month. The announcement marked a major turn for reformist President […]

Maj. Ella Waweya, known in the Arab world as “Captain Ella,” has been appointed as the IDF’s spokesperson in Arabic. She will be promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and will replace Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, who is retiring from the IDF after 20 years of service. She currently serves as Adraee’s deputy. Waweya, […]

WATCH:

The two Sydney nurses who threatened to kill Israeli patients in a video that went viral last year pleaded not guilty in a court hearing on Monday. Sarah Abu Lebdeh, 27, and Ahmad Rashad Nadir, 28, nurses at Bankstown Hospital, told Israeli influencer Maz Veifer last February that they had harmed Israeli patients and would […]

Every Homeland Security officer on the ground in Minneapolis, including those from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, will be immediately issued body-worn cameras, Secretary Kristi Noem said Monday, in the latest fallout after the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal agents. Noem said the body-worn camera program is being expanded nationwide as funding […]

Military police officers carried out the raid overnight Monday at the home of a ben yeshivah classified as a “deserter” after he failed to report to the draft office despite receiving call-up notices. The dramatic arrest attempt took place on Yefe Rom Street in the Gilo neighborhood of Jerusalem. Dozens of protesters quickly arrived at […]

IDF forces of the 7th Brigade, under the command of the Gaza Division, continue to operate in the southern Gaza Strip, east of the Yellow Line, in order to clear the area of terror infrastructure and weapons. During the searches, the forces located approximately 110 mortar shells, several rockets, and additional combat equipment, which had […]

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Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told lawmakers in a letter Monday that she attended an FBI search of the elections hub in Fulton County, Georgia, last week because President Donald Trump asked for her to be there. She also acknowledged that she “facilitated” what she described as a brief phone call between Trump and […]

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By Rabbi Berach Steinfeld In Shmos 35:2 The passuk says that during the six days of the week work should be done but on the seventh day should be holy. The Gemara in Kiddushin 41a tells the story that Rav Safra would cook the head of the animal lichvod Shabbos. Rava would salt the fish. The Chafetz Chaim in Biur Halacha 250 s.v. Ki and it is also brought down in the Shaarei Teshuva 2 they both ask the question of the Chavos Yair. There is a rule that if a zakein finds a lost object and it is not honorable for this zakein to be busy with such a trivial lost object, meaning he would be embarrassed to be seen walking in the public street with this item. If he would not take his own object because of his embarrassment, then he is not obligated to do so for someone else’s lost object based on the Gemara Bava Metzia 30b. The Rosh says that it is forbidden for him to do the hashavas aveida as he is being mezalzel in Kavod HaTorah. How could these Amoraim be mezalzel in their kavod to prepare for Shabbos? The Biur Halacha adds to the question that even if you would base your opinion on the shittas HoRambam in Hilchos Rotzeach 3 that there is a midas chassidus for a zakein to return a lost object even if it not according to his kavod. How could one say that one is obligated to do for Shabbos even when it is not lichvodo. We can understand that it is a middas Chassidus but to say you are chayev? There are a few answers. The first answer is from the Chavos Yair that says that since these Amoraim were doing something for Shabbos and it was obvious to anyone that saw them that that was what they were doing, so letzorech Mitzva it would not be a problem. The Pri Megadim agrees that something that is obvious that it is leshem mitzvah then there is no bizayon. It would be meduyak in the words of the Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 250 that a person should be mishtadel to prepare himself something lichvod Shabbos to honor the Shabbos. A person should not say that I will be pogem in my kavod because that is considered kavod for a person when he can be mechabed Shabbos. We find in Gemara in Sotah 41b that the parsha of the king was read at the end of the Shmitta year. Agripas the king read the Torah while standing even though he could have read it while being seated. The Chachamim praised him. The Gemara asks that we know the rule is that a king cannot be mochel on his kavod. How could he be mochel on his kavod? The Gemara answers that for a dvar mitzvah it is different. So long it is obvious it is being done for a mitzvah there is no problem of pechisas HaKavod. The Chavos Yair klers a shailoh in 205 if a young talmid Chacham who knows how to play an instrument and wants to play before a Chassan and Kallah would he be allowed or is it bizayon HaTorah? He says we cannot bring a raya from Dovid Hamelech that he danced and was mevazeh himself for Hashem as we find in Shmuel 2:6:17. The reason Dovid did it was because it was for a dvar kedusha. So too we find that a Talmid Chacham can build a sukkah which has kedusha as we find in Sukka 9a that a Sukka is compared to a chagigah they both have a sheim kedusha. He does conclude that a Talmid Chacham can play an instrument before a Chassan Kallah from Ksubos 17a that Rav Shmuel the son of Yitzchok would dance before the Kallah with three hadassim and he would juggle them. Rav Zeira criticized him for embarrassing himself but the Pischei Teshuva in Yoreh Deah 244:4 says that he was allowed to do so because it was letzorech Mitzva. The Chavos Yair says that when one does a Mitzvah in public, and it is obvious that he is doing a Mitzvah he can embarrass himself and it would not be a problem of bizayon HaTorah. It is known that Rav Chaim Pinchas Sheinberg used to polish the Chassan’s shoes at the wedding. A second tirutz could be that we only say the hetter of zakein ve’eino lefi kvodo regarding mitzvos bein adam lechaveiro but regarding bein adam laMakom there is no hetter of zakein ve’eino lfi kvodo. The Kovetz Shiurim Kesubos 17a says the same differentiation and says that when it come to mitzvos bein adam laMakom we say “Ein Chochma … Neged Hashem.” With this point we can also explain why someone needs to get rid of clothing of Klaiim in the street; only when it comes to a question of great bizayon to have to be in the street naked they were mattir al yedei shev ve’al taaseh. But small bizyonos would be acceptable when it is bein adam laMakom. A third tirutz could be that these Amoraim did not practice this in public. In their house it would not be a bizayon whereas finding a lost object in the street that would be considered a bizayon. A fourth and final answer is based on the Shaarei Tzion who asks, how were the Amoraim allowed to be mevatel Torah? He answers when it comes to kovod Shabbos it is allowed, since Shabbos is more chamur. Therefore, they would be mevatel Torah ands be mevazeh themselves because of the choimer of Shabbos. We see the great value of Shabbos and Talmidei Chachamim. Let us learn to respect them both!

This remarkable and well-known Iggeres Kodesh is one of the most famous of the Rebbe’s letters, in which he sets forth clear guidance regarding the essential mission of the Chabad yeshivos.   It was written at the very beginning of his nesius, and in it he outlined the goals and path of the yeshivos of […]

French judicial authorities have issued arrest warrants for two Franco-Israeli activists on suspicion of “complicity in genocide,” a move that could set a legal precedent by treating the obstruction of humanitarian aid as a potential international crime. The warrants — issued in July last year — target Nili Kupfer-Naouri, associated with the group Israel Is […]

A group of immigration advocates and affected individuals has gone to court to challenge a Trump administration decision that stopped the final processing of immigrant visas for applicants from dozens of countries.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in federal court in Manhattan, contends that the policy effectively bars legal immigration based on nationality and is grounded in what the plaintiffs describe as an “unsupported and demonstrably false claim” that immigrants from the affected countries are more likely to rely on government assistance.

At the center of the case is a State Department directive issued in January and implemented on Jan. 21, which placed an open-ended freeze on the issuance of immigrant visas to nationals of 75 mostly non-European countries, among them Brazil, Russia, Iran, and Somalia. The government said the move was tied to concerns about future dependence on public benefits.

While applicants from those countries are still permitted to submit applications and attend consular interviews, the State Department has suspended the final approval and issuance of visas while it reviews how it applies its “public charge” standards.

Opponents argue that the policy represents one of the broadest limits on lawful immigration in years, saying it resurrects and significantly widens prior public-charge enforcement by applying it wholesale to entire countries rather than evaluating applicants on an individual basis. They warn that this approach raises serious statutory and constitutional issues.

According to the plaintiffs, internal cables and guidance from the State Department replaced the traditional case-by-case “public charge” review with a blanket refusal system based on nationality. The lawsuit alleges that the policy:
• Automatically blocks immigrant visa approvals for applicants from 75 designated countries.
• Instructs consular officials to enforce “public charge” findings in an inflexible manner, weighing factors such as benefit usage, health history, and income in ways the plaintiffs say exceed the limits set by Congress.
• Abandons the individualized determinations required by the Immigration and Nationality Act in favor of categorical denials tied to country of origin.

The suit asks the court to issue both temporary and permanent orders stopping the policy and to formally rule that it violates the Administrative Procedure Act and the Constitution.

One of the plaintiffs, a U.S. citizen from Long Island, says the policy has left him separated from his immediate family. After traveling to Guatemala for his wife’s visa interview, Cesar Andred Aguirre returned to the United States alone, while consular officials informed his wife, Dania Mariela Escobar, that she would not be permitted to come back with him, leaving her and their young daughter abroad.

{Matzav.com}

Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas has ordered elections for the Palestinian National Council — the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organization — setting a Nov. 1 vote that would, for the first time, select members by direct popular ballot. The decree, reported by the PA’s official news agency Wafa, marks a rare attempt to inject […]

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Shmaryahu Meltzer zt”l, one of the outstanding talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah of our generation, who devoted his entire life to Torah, avodah, and raising generations of bnei Torah. Rav Meltzer, Rosh Kollel of Beis Moshe and one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Toras Simcha in Yerushalayim, was niftar today at the age of 90.

Rav Meltzer was born in the month of Sivan 5695 to his father, Rav Shmuel Avraham Meltzer, mechaber of Ashdos HaPisgah. His father was among the prominent talmidim of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz zt”l in Kamenitz, and later relocated to the United States, where he was moser nefesh to uphold Torah and shechitah during a turbulent period, standing firm against the pressures of the time.

Shortly after his marriage in Chicago to the daughter of Rav Chaim Zalman Frank zt”l, Rav Shmaryahu was appointed as a rebbi in a yeshiva ketanah. Even at a young age, his gadlus baTorah was already evident, and he received semichah lehoraah.

In later years, Rav Meltzer served for an extended period as Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Itri, together with Rav Mordechai Elefant. He subsequently stood at the helm of Yeshivas Mishkan HaTorah on Rechov Sorotzkin for many years. At the direction of Rav Elazar Menachem Man Shach zt”l, and with the support of the philanthropist Morris Esformes, he founded Kollel Beis Moshe.

Many of his talmidim attributed their entire ruchniyus to the foundations he laid. Despite his stature, he walked humbly, learning with constant hasmadah and never holding himself above others.

Rav Meltzer was deeply connected to his rabbeim and would often recount what he heard from his father in the name of Rav Baruch Ber Leibowitz. He would repeat the teaching Rav Baruch Ber said in the name of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik zt”l that one who educates his children merely to be an ehrlicher Yid is removing Torah from future generations; rather, a father must be mechanech his children to gadlus baTorah. Rav Meltzer lived this yesod, constantly instilling a drive for gadlus and ahavas Torah in all his talmidim.

He frequently spoke of his rabbeim in Eretz Yisroel and shared memories of his visits to Rav Shach and the Rav Yaakov Yisrael Kanievsky. His hasmadah was legendary. Those who entered his home would find him immersed in learning deep into the night, and at times until morning, with remarkable diligence and sweetness. His shiurim were clear and illuminating, opening the eyes of talmidim to true understanding and depth in the sugya.

Last Nissan, Rav Meltzer suffered a devastating personal loss with the petirah of his son, Rav Hillel Yosef Meltzer zt”l, one of the prominent talmidei chachamim of Petach Tikva and among the city’s rabbanim, who was niftar at the age of 57.

Rav Shmaryahu leaves behind sons and sons-in-law who are all talmidei chachamim and marbitzei Torah, among them Rav Yeshayah Nosson Meltzer, mechaber of numerous seforim in halachah; Rav Dov Gershon Meltzer, a marbitz Torah in the Mir; and his sons-in-law Rav Daniel Septner, a talmid muvhak of Rav Nochum Pertzovitz zt”l; Rav Yitzchak Eizik Silver, a dayan, moreh tzedek, and mechaber of seforim, widely known for Mishpetei HaShalom; Rav Yaakov Yerucham Katzenelbogen of Neve Yaakov; and Rav Eliezer Yehuda Shmulevitz, among the chashuvei avreichim of Kiryas Mattersdorf.

The levayah took place today at Yeshivas Toras Simcha on Rechov Sorotzkin in Yerushalayim and proceeding to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}