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The advancement of Israel’s draft law has reached a critical stage, with a final decision now hinging on approval from the senior rabbinic leadership of Degel HaTorah. If the spiritual leadership grants its consent, the legislation could pass through the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as early as Tuesday and proceed immediately afterward to a vote in the Knesset plenum.

From the outset of deliberations in the committee, Hagaon Rav Dov Landau and Hagaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch made clear that the approval they granted was only preliminary. They stipulated that once committee discussions concluded, the chareidi Knesset members would need to return to the Gedolim to receive final authorization before voting in favor of the law.

Progress on the legislation has been steady, and as of now only one remaining committee session is needed to complete the reading of all sections of the bill. However, that final discussion was unexpectedly postponed by nearly a week. In a statement issued by the office of committee chairman Boaz Bismuth, it was announced that due to the heavy legislative schedule surrounding the state budget—set to be brought for its first reading on Monday—the concluding discussion would be delayed until Tuesday.

According to information obtained by Matzav, chareidi lawmakers have already begun updating the Gedolim on the legal adviser’s comments and reservations raised during committee deliberations over the past month. The goal, sources say, is to avoid delays so that once discussions formally end, the committee can move directly to a vote. Lawmakers are said to already be aligned with the anticipated ruling of the Gedolim.

Sources further indicated that this preparation is one of the reasons the final discussion was deferred. Within Degel HaTorah, there is hope that rabbinic approval will be secured in the coming days. If that happens, Tuesday’s session is expected to be longer than usual, serving as a comprehensive summary of the legislation, followed immediately by a committee vote and then a vote in the Knesset plenum.

Meanwhile, internal political arithmetic has also shifted. Following the resignation of Yisrael Eichler, who was appointed deputy minister, MK Yitzchok Pindrus entered the Knesset, restoring Degel HaTorah’s fourth vote. At the same time, the Chassidishe Agudas Yisroel faction continues to voice firm opposition to the draft law. However, the Chassidishe Agudah Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah has not yet clarified whether that opposition will take the form of an outright rejection or abstention.

In parallel developments, leaders of the chareidi factions held discussions with Knesset legal adviser Sagith Afik, who reportedly clarified that claims she had warned the current version of the draft law would not withstand Supreme Court review were inaccurate.

{Matzav.com}

Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner presented a new vision for Gaza at the Board of Peace signing ceremony, outlining a plan centered on demilitarization, reconstruction, and economic development — including amnesty for Hamas fighters who surrender their weapons. Kushner said the next phase would be to “work with Hamas on demilitarization,” while pushing to […]

Dear Matzav Inbox,

So now we hear it said – and sung – out loud, with a shrug and a smirk: “I don’t need your bekitshe.” And people smile. Some even laugh. As if this is all just harmless.

But let’s stop pretending we don’t see the pattern.

Explain this to me: What’s with the scarves?

What’s with the men who proudly wrap themselves in scarves like it’s a badge of honor? Scarves indoors. Scarves on warm days. Scarves draped just so, carefully curated, carefully signaling something. What, exactly?

Here’s what I think, and let’s be honest enough to say it plainly. A scarf isn’t religious garb. A scarf doesn’t scream commitment. It doesn’t declare allegiance to anything beyond self-image. So it’s safe. It’s trendy. It’s acceptable. You can wear it without answering to anything or anyone.

The bekitshe, though? That’s the problem.

Because a bekitshe isn’t just a coat. It’s not fabric. It’s not warmth. It’s identity. It’s continuity. It’s saying, I belong to something bigger than myself. And that makes people uncomfortable.

Don’t kid yourselves. We’ve seen this movie before. First, you scoff at the “external symbols.” Then you redefine them as unnecessary. Then you frame them as embarrassing. Then you quietly ask why anyone still insists on them at all.

And the scarf? The scarf stays.

Because the scarf gives off a very specific vibe: I’m cool. I’m hip. I don’t give a rip.
Not I stand for something.
Not I’m accountable.
Just: I answer to myself.

Everyone walking around wrapped in indifference, cloaked in apathy, broadcasting that nothing is sacred enough to demand loyalty. That nothing is serious enough to require consistency. That everything is flexible—except ego.

And we’re supposed to nod along. Smile politely. Pretend this isn’t hollowing something out from the inside.

But it is.

This isn’t about clothing. It was never about clothing. It’s about what we’re embarrassed by, and what we’re proud of. It’s about what we’re willing to carry, even when it’s not “cool,” and what we’re desperate to shed so we can blend in, be liked, be modern, be admired.

Call it style if you want. Call it personal choice. But don’t insult our intelligence by claiming this is neutral. Don’t tell us this means nothing.

When symbols of commitment are treated like liabilities, and symbols of emptiness are worn with swagger, something is deeply wrong.

No Scarf

Brooklyn, NY

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The death toll from the sweeping anti-government protests across Iran has surged dramatically, with multiple independent estimates now placing the number of those killed at more than 20,000. The protests, which erupted in late December amid Iran’s deepening economic collapse, rapidly evolved into a nationwide uprising against the clerical regime. As the government continues to […]

PIDYON RASHASH – The Most Powerful Segulah for Yeshuos! ✅ 160 pure silver coins used in Kabbalistic Tefillos ✅ Mekubalim at Reb Shimon’s Kever individually for YOUR name!✅ Proven Yeshuah! – “Proven thousands of times!” (Rav Chaim Vital) ✅ GIFT: Receive a Segulah stone for wealth, Benched by R’ Meilech Biderman ✅ Unlock Yeshuos in health, Parnassah, Shidduchim […]

Witnessing secular Jews immersed in a Sugyah is an exceptional sight. Yidden, who were never connected are being drawn to Torah.  This kind of awakening isn’t created in a vacuum. It emanates from Rabbonim who love their fellow Yidden and know how to ignite a genuine desire for learning.   When a Yid is drawn […]

A dramatic incident unfolded Wednesday afternoon in the chareidi Geulah neighborhood of Haifa, when a lightweight roof structure tore loose from the top of a four-story residential building and crashed onto the sidewalk and street below. Despite the collapse occurring at the height of the midday rush, no one was injured, bechasdei Hashem.

The incident took place amid strong winds sweeping through the city. According to initial reports, the temporary rooftop structure was unable to withstand the force of the gusts, became detached, and plunged from a significant height. Residents described hearing a powerful bang that echoed through the area, as twisted metal and debris slammed into the pavement.

Eyewitnesses recounted moments of fear and shock. “It came out of nowhere,” one resident said. “We heard the sound of metal bending, and suddenly everything was on the ground. If it had landed a few meters to the side, or a minute earlier when children were walking here, we would be talking about a tragedy.”

In what many locals described as clear rachamei Shomayim, the sidewalk was momentarily empty at the precise moment of the collapse. The only damage reported was to a parked vehicle, which sustained heavy damage after being struck by the falling structure.

Security and municipal inspection teams were dispatched to the scene to clear the debris and examine the stability of nearby buildings.

As neighbors gathered around the wreckage, many recited the brocha, “Baruch she’asa nes bamakom hazeh,” pointing to the pile of debris lying where, just moments earlier, pedestrians had been passing through a busy neighborhood street.

{Matzav.com}

Against the backdrop of ongoing debates over the draft law and the intermittent detention of yeshiva students, Hagaon Rav Dov Landau delivered words of chizuk to bochurim at Yeshivas Mishkenos HaTorah in Bnei Brak.

Opening his address, Rav Landau said, “Outside, all kinds of things are happening, and all kinds of talk is going on. A large portion of that talk is against the Torah and against those who learn Torah…various decrees and various plots, rachmana litzlan.”

He went on to outline what he described as the only proper response. “The only way to deal with all of this,” the rosh yeshiva said, “is to ignore them and their noise, and to engage in Torah study with depth and total immersion, with all one’s strength and at all times.” He urged the bochurim to channel their natural curiosity exclusively into Torah learning, adding, “There is so much to find in the Torah. This is the path we received from our rabbeim, zichronam livrachah, throughout all generations—to be completely immersed in Torah.”

Rav Landau emphasized that steadfast dedication to learning serves as a spiritual shield. “Only in this way,” he said, “will everything that is happening outside be unable to penetrate us, and no force in the world will be able to overcome us. Baruch Hashem, the bnei hayeshiva here are immersed in their learning. Continue on the path laid out for us by our rabbeim, to be even more deeply immersed in Torah.”

He further encouraged the talmidim to remain attached to the mesorah of their rabbeim. “Be davuk in the Torah of your rabbeim, the rosh yeshiva and the rabbonim shlita, who educate you according to the tradition of the yeshivos. In this way you will merit to live a life of Torah, which brings happiness and honor to one who lives by this path.”

Concluding his remarks, Rav Landau offered a brachah to the leadership of the yeshiva. “I want to bless the rosh yeshiva, shlita, and the rabbonim, shlita, that your borders be expanded with worthy talmidim. May you increase Torah in Klal Yisroel, and may the Name of Heaven be sanctified and elevated through you. May Hakadosh Baruch Hu annul the counsel of our enemies and merit us with a complete geulah speedily in our days, amein.”

{Matzav.com}

Ali Shaath, head of the new technocratic committee for Gaza, announces that the Rafah Border Crossing will reopen next week in both directions.

While meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Putin said Russia would be prepared to contribute $1 billion to Trump’s “Board of Peace,” using frozen Russian funds.

An attempt to smuggle ten pistols into Israel from Jordan using a drone was thwarted overnight, according to the IDF. The military said surveillance troops detected the drone as it crossed the border, and soldiers from the Yoav Regional Brigade subsequently brought it down. The drone was carrying ten handguns, which were recovered and transferred […]

Trump on the Greenland framework: “Essentially, it’s total access. There’s no end — there’s no time limit…We’re going to have all military access that we want… We’re going to not have to pay anything, other than the fact that we are building the Golden Dome.”

Sec. Wright urges Europe to ditch the harmful energy policies holding them back: “What we want to see is Europe reinvigorated, Europe to embrace lower energy prices, reindustrialize their economy, and therefore be a stronger economic and military partner with the U.S.”

NEC Director Kevin Hassett: “The fact that countries move so much when the President threatens tariffs says something about who’s bearing the tariff.”

Steve Witkoff: “We have achieved a peace deal in Gaza. We have brought the hostages home… and maybe most importantly, we have created a sense of hope for what the future can bring — to Gaza, and all other places where the Board of Peace will operate.”

Sec. Rubio: “We are here today because of President Trump’s vision. If we go back just a few months ago, people thought what was happening in Gaza was impossible to solve… No one thought that that would ever come to a resolution without more fighting and more bloodshed… but President Trump had the vision and […]

Israel’s largest supermarket chain, Shufersal, has been hit with a significant regulatory penalty after the Israel Competition Authority imposed a fine of more than NIS 8 million, citing the company’s failure to provide required data during an official investigation.

The decision was announced Wednesday by the Competition Commissioner following an extensive review process and a formal hearing in which Shufersal presented its arguments. After weighing those claims, the commissioner rejected them and moved forward with the substantial financial sanction, signaling a tougher stance toward companies that delay or withhold information deemed essential to regulatory oversight.

The case stems from a broad examination conducted by the Competition Authority across Israel’s food sector. As part of a comprehensive market study aimed at analyzing cost structures, pricing mechanisms, and the overall cost of living, the authority issued data requests to Shufersal and other major players in the industry. While regulators expected full cooperation, they later determined that the information provided by Shufersal was incomplete.

According to the authority, the data submitted did not include key figures—most notably the company’s operational expenses—information described as critical to assessing the chain’s true profitability. The situation escalated when Shufersal maintained that the requested data was not in its possession. Regulators say that after repeated inquiries, it ultimately became clear that the data did, in fact, exist and was eventually transferred to the authority.

This revelation—that the information had been available despite earlier claims to the contrary—led the Competition Commissioner to conclude that there were serious flaws in the company’s conduct. As a result, and after dismissing Shufersal’s explanations, the authority decided to impose the hefty fine.

In its announcement, the Competition Authority stressed that the move was about more than a single company. It emphasized that the commissioner has clear legal authority, under Section 46(b) of the Economic Competition Law, to demand data from market participants. The statement further noted that receiving complete, accurate, and timely information is vital to the authority’s work, whether in enforcement proceedings, in evaluating mergers and transactions requiring approval, or in conducting market studies.

Shufersal, for its part, firmly rejected the allegations and signaled that it intends to challenge the decision. In a statement, the company said it “acts in accordance with the law,” adding that it routinely receives numerous data requests from the Competition Authority and provides extensive information on an ongoing basis while fully cooperating. “This was also the case here,” the company asserted.

The retail giant made clear it does not intend to pay the fine without a legal fight, announcing that it plans to file an appeal against the authority’s decision with the Competition Tribunal.

{Matzav.com}

BREAKING: The Board of Peace Charter is officially ratified in Davos. Congratulations, President Trump. The Charter is now in full force, and the Board of Peace is now an official international organization!

Trump in Davos: “Last October, we released a plan for the permanent end to the conflict in Gaza, and I’m pleased to say that our vision was unanimously adopted by the United Nations Security Council late last year… we’ve delivered record levels of humanitarian aid… and secured the release of all 20 living hostages.”

TRUMP: “The first steps toward a brighter day for the Middle East, and a much safer future for the world are unfolding right before your very eyes. Together, we are are in a position to have any credible chance… to end decades of suffering, stop generations of hatred and bloodshed, and forge a beautiful, everlasting, […]