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The Trump administration is proposing a major overhaul of the 2030 Census that would exclude illegal immigrants and many foreign nationals temporarily living in the United States from the population count used to determine congressional representation, Electoral College votes and the distribution of federal resources.

Under a proposed rule released by the Commerce Department and Census Bureau this week, the government would change the longstanding criteria for determining who qualifies as a “usual resident” of the United States. For purposes of congressional apportionment, the proposal would generally limit the population count to U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, excluding people living in the country illegally as well as many noncitizens present under temporary legal status.

The proposal could have significant consequences for states with large immigrant populations because the decennial census is used to allocate the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives among the states. A state’s number of House members, combined with its two senators, also determines its number of Electoral College votes.

The Census Bureau said in its proposal that it had reconsidered how the Constitution and federal law should be interpreted in determining which residents are included for apportionment.

“In particular, the Census Bureau finds merit in the interpretive argument outlined above and has preliminarily determined that, under the best reading of the Constitutional mandate, illegal aliens (among others) should not be included in the apportionment count, as they are not true inhabitants, members of the body politic, or persons with a ‘usual residence’ in the United States due to their lack of a sufficient tie and allegiance to the United States,” the proposed rule states.

The bureau offered a second legal justification as well, saying it believes federal census law gives the government discretion to determine which categories of people should be included in the apportionment count.

“Additionally and/or in the alternative, the Census Bureau has preliminarily determined, after revisiting and reviewing the applicable law, that excluding illegal aliens (among others) from the apportionment count is a lawful and appropriate exercise of the Census Bureau’s discretion under 13 U.S.C. 141, Franklin v. Massachusetts, and all other applicable law.”

The proposed regulations would define a person’s “usual residence” as the residence where he or she has “lawfully spent the greatest number of days during the census enumeration period.” The proposal says that determination should be consistent with evidence including tax returns and W-2 forms.

The change would extend beyond illegal immigrants. Reuters reported that the proposed rules would also exclude foreign nationals who are legally in the United States on a temporary basis, meaning the resulting population count would generally encompass citizens and lawful permanent residents rather than everyone physically residing in the country.

That represents a significant departure from the Census Bureau’s traditional approach. The 14th Amendment states that House seats are to be apportioned among the states according to their “whole number of persons,” and the census has historically counted residents regardless of citizenship or immigration status. The administration’s interpretation of that language is therefore expected to face legal challenges.

The proposal is now subject to a 30-day public-comment period, meaning the rules have not yet been finalized. The next full decennial census is scheduled to take place in 2030.

President Donald Trump has sought for years to change how noncitizens are treated in the census and congressional apportionment.

During his first term, the Trump administration attempted to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census. The Supreme Court blocked that effort in 2019, concluding that the Commerce Department’s stated justification for adding the question did not adequately match the administrative record before the court.

Trump subsequently sought to exclude illegal immigrants from the population totals used to divide House seats among the states. Litigation over that policy reached the Supreme Court, but the justices did not resolve the underlying constitutional question before Trump left office.

The new proposal goes further in certain respects because its exclusions would encompass some immigrants and foreign nationals who are lawfully present in the United States but do not have permanent resident status.

Supporters of excluding noncitizens from apportionment have long argued that including people who cannot vote can increase the political representation of jurisdictions with large noncitizen populations because House seats are allocated according to total population rather than the number of eligible voters.

A 2024 analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies, which favors lower levels of immigration, examined the relationship between noncitizen populations and political representation. It concluded that congressional districts containing larger shares of foreign nationals tended to vote more heavily Democratic. The researchers emphasized, however, that their findings did not indicate that noncitizens themselves were voting.

“This reflects the fact that the voters who live around non-citizens tend to be Democrats, who end up having more voting power due to the presence of a large number of non-citizens,” the researchers wrote. “This is not evidence of non-citizens voting.”

Opponents of the administration’s proposal argue that the Constitution requires the census to count people rather than only citizens or permanent residents. They also warn that removing millions of residents from census totals could affect not only congressional representation but the demographic information used by federal, state and local governments and the allocation of federal funding.

Meeta Anand, senior director of the census and data equity program at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, told Reuters that the proposed changes could have sweeping consequences for communities with substantial immigrant populations.

Census data “undergirds so much of our democracy and our society,” Anand said. “So you’ll start seeing a very inaccurate picture of our country, and then we’re making political decisions, business decisions, investment decisions based on data that are flawed.”

The proposal would make another notable change to the census by eliminating portions of the questionnaire collecting information about race and ethnicity, according to Reuters. Such information has been collected in various forms since the first federal census in 1790 and is now used for purposes ranging from civil-rights enforcement to demographic research.

The stakes surrounding the apportionment question are particularly high because even relatively small population shifts can determine which states gain or lose seats in Congress following the census.

If finalized and allowed to take effect, the Trump administration’s proposal would therefore alter not simply how the federal government describes the American population, but which residents are included when the government determines how political representation is divided among the states.

President Donald Trump has spoken publicly for the first time about Britain’s sweeping new measures targeting Israeli communities in Yehudah and Shomron, saying he intends to speak directly with Israel and with the countries behind the initiative before taking a position on the sanctions.

Trump made the comments Wednesday after being asked by reporters about measures announced by Britain, France, Canada and other Western countries restricting trade connected to Israeli communities in Yehudah and Shomron. Rather than endorse or condemn the initiative, Trump said he wanted to learn more about the reasoning behind the sudden move.

“Well, I’ve just seen it and I’ll be speaking to Israel, I’ll be speaking to them and I’ll find out what they — what’s their thinking. I understand. You know, I understand exactly what’s going on, but I want to find out why all of a sudden has that happened.”

Trump’s comments came amid a rapidly escalating diplomatic confrontation between Israel and Britain following the announcement by the government of British Prime Minister Andy Burnham of significant new restrictions aimed at Jewish communities in Yehudah and Shomron.

British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced Tuesday that Britain intends to prohibit imports of goods produced in what the British government calls “illegal settlements.” London also plans to prohibit the advertising or promotion in Britain of property in those communities and create new powers to sanction individuals and businesses that finance, facilitate or profit from settlement activity.

The British government said the restrictions are intended to pressure Israel over construction in Yehudah and Shomron and preserve the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state. Britain also said the measures target settlement-related economic activity rather than Israelis or Jews because of their nationality or religion.

Miliband used particularly harsh language in announcing the policy, accusing some Israeli settlers of engaging in “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians and charging that members of Israel’s government have supported their displacement.

Israel responded forcefully.

The Israeli government announced that it would close the British consulate in eastern Yerushalayim and bar a group of British political figures from entering the country. Israeli officials also announced other diplomatic measures in retaliation for the sanctions. Reuters reported that Israel viewed the British action as interference in its domestic affairs and upcoming elections.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar denounced the British accusations, saying, “The accusations today by the Labour government’s foreign secretary in the British parliament were outrageous and false.”

Britain, however, has stood by the measures. Burnham said Wednesday that his government believes Britain must “stand against injustice” and insisted that its policy is intended to preserve prospects for a two-state solution.

The dispute has spread well beyond London and Yerushalayim. Britain announced its initiative in coordination with France and Canada, while Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Sweden joined a statement backing national or European restrictions on trade with Israeli communities in Yehudah and Shomron or saying they were actively considering such measures.

The United States has notably declined to join the sanctions initiative.

Before Trump’s remarks Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also stopped short of directly endorsing or condemning Britain’s decision. Rubio said the British government had informed Washington in advance about what it intended to do and explained its reasoning.

“The president has not commented on it, nor have I. The British told us they were going to make this decision. We heard their arguments about why they were doing it. We share the goal of stability in the West Bank,” Rubio said.

Rubio has nevertheless indicated that Washington does not want measures that could further destabilize Yehudah and Shomron. The United States has so far declined to impose comparable trade restrictions.

Trump’s response is therefore significant in what he did not say as well as what he did. Asked specifically whether the United States opposed the sanctions, the President did not announce American opposition to them. Instead, he said he had only recently learned the details and wanted to consult Israel and the governments involved before commenting further.

According to reports, Burnham had discussed the planned measures with Trump before their announcement, and Washington did not attempt to prevent Britain from proceeding. The administration has nevertheless stopped short of publicly embracing the sanctions.

The measures represent one of the most serious recent strains in relations between Israel and Britain. The British government says it is responding to accelerated Israeli construction, violence by extremist settlers and concerns that continued expansion will make a future Palestinian state impossible. Israel rejects Britain’s characterization of its policies and has accused London of unfairly singling out the Jewish state.

Particular international attention has centered on Israeli construction plans in the E1 area east of Yerushalayim. Britain and other governments argue that development there would further complicate the territorial viability of a future Palestinian state.

Miliband has also defended his policy against fierce criticism from Britain’s Jewish community. Britain’s Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis described the announcement as a “truly dark day for British Jews,” while Miliband rejected suggestions that targeting the Israeli communities endangered British Jews and reiterated his commitment to fighting antisemitism.

Despite the political rupture, Miliband said intelligence and security cooperation between Britain and Israel is expected to continue. He maintained that the dispute over Yehudah and Shomron would not end cooperation between the two countries’ intelligence services, which London views as serving important mutual security interests.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded even more sharply, calling for Britain’s ambassador to be expelled.

“We will not be the doormat of an antisemitic government, in a country that has been conquered by radical Islam, and which is trying to save itself from economic and social decline by attacking Israel,” Smotrich said.

For now, Trump appears to be reserving judgment. His comments leave open the possibility of further American involvement in the dispute as he speaks with Israel and the governments imposing the restrictions.

“I understand exactly what’s going on,” Trump said, while emphasizing that he first wants to determine “why all of a sudden has that happened.”

The next question is whether those consultations lead Washington to publicly oppose Britain’s measures, support some aspect of them, or continue keeping its distance from the growing diplomatic confrontation.

The Trump administration is preparing to send $500 payments to as many as 1 million Americans who purchase their own health insurance, using approximately $500 million in Affordable Care Act funds that officials say were collected in excess during the Biden administration and remained unused. The still-unannounced plan would distribute the money this fall, ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections, according to a report by Axios.

The payments would reportedly be sent to eligible Obamacare enrollees across 30 states. President Donald Trump was expected to discuss the initiative during his appearance at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas.

The proposal centers on roughly half a billion dollars currently held in federal accounts. Trump administration officials contend that the money resulted from excess collections connected to Affordable Care Act coverage during the Biden years.

“That money was over-collected and just sitting there,” an official told Axios.

Eligibility would not extend to everyone enrolled through the ACA marketplaces. According to officials, the $500 payments would go specifically to people who purchase marketplace insurance without receiving federal subsidies toward their premiums, meaning they pay the entire premium themselves.

Officials identified 13 states as having particularly significant numbers of people who could qualify: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Texas, and Wisconsin.

The pool of federal money at issue has previously been the subject of a dispute in Washington. During the Biden administration, officials considered using the funds in 2023 to provide contraception without charge to people whose marketplace insurance plans did not cover it.

Republicans in Congress objected to that proposed use of the money. They maintained that the fees had been collected to finance the operation of the ACA exchanges and argued that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services lacked legal authority to redirect them for a different purpose.

The Biden administration ultimately abandoned that proposal.

According to Axios, several Republican aides who had participated in challenging the earlier proposal subsequently took positions in the Trump administration. Officials later reduced some fees in an effort to lower premiums and determined that a substantial amount of money nevertheless remained available.

“It’s time for Congress to pass President Trump’s Great Healthcare Plan, which will finally begin prioritizing people instead of insurance company profits by sending billions in taxpayer-funded healthcare dollars directly to Americans to help them better afford health coverage and care,” an official told Axios.

The proposed rebates fit with Trump’s broader approach to healthcare funding, in which he has advocated directing federal healthcare dollars to individuals rather than channeling the money through insurance companies.

Trump sought unsuccessfully to repeal the Affordable Care Act during his first term in the White House.

The planned payments are emerging less than two months before the midterm elections, as healthcare affordability and other household costs remain significant political issues. ACA premiums are also facing another year of substantial increases, with a recent analysis finding a median proposed increase of 14% for next year.

Questions remain about whether CMS has the legal authority to distribute the money in the manner being contemplated. The agency had not publicly announced the program as of Wednesday, and its newsroom did not list an announcement of the reported rebate plan.

Axios was the first outlet to report details of the proposal, citing unnamed administration officials. CMS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Administration officials characterize the approximately $500 million as money that was effectively over-collected from Obamacare enrollees. ACA marketplace user fees are technically charged to insurers as a percentage of premiums, although insurance companies generally incorporate those expenses into the premiums ultimately paid by consumers.

Senior White House officials have privately warned President Donald Trump that the escalating military and economic confrontation with Iran could continue for years — potentially lasting through the end of his current term in January 2029 — despite the President’s public predictions that the war will soon be over.

Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other senior administration advisers have discussed the possibility that Tehran could continue resisting the U.S. naval blockade and American military pressure for an extended period, according to a Wall Street Journal report cited by multiple outlets. The private assessment contrasts with Trump’s public statements suggesting that Iran may be unable to sustain the conflict much longer.

The warnings reportedly reflect concern within the administration that Iran may be prepared to absorb considerable military and economic damage rather than capitulate to American demands, creating the possibility of a prolonged confrontation instead of the relatively rapid conclusion Trump has publicly forecast.

The report comes amid another escalation in hostilities. Iran launched a barrage of ballistic missiles toward American military bases in Jordan this week following the U.S. destruction of five Iranian oil tankers. Jordan said 20 ballistic missiles were fired toward its territory and that its air defenses intercepted and destroyed 18 of them.

The latest attacks occurred as the United States continues its naval blockade and military campaign against Iran. Administration officials have argued that the pressure is steadily degrading Tehran’s military capabilities while inflicting severe damage on the Iranian economy.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales rejected suggestions that the administration’s strategy was faltering, defending Trump’s handling of the conflict in comments to The Wall Street Journal.

“President Trump has destroyed Iran’s military capabilities and is crippling what’s left of its abysmal economy with the most powerful naval blockade in world history and crushing sanctions,” Wales said.

“Only President Trump knows what he will do and when.”

Trump, meanwhile, issued another direct warning to Tehran during his address Wednesday night at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, focusing specifically on reported activity at Iran’s heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain facility.

“We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to get cute, because we will have to hit them very hard,” Trump said.

The President has repeatedly warned that the United States could strike Pickaxe Mountain if Iran conducts nuclear-related activity there. The underground complex has become a major focus of U.S. concern as Washington seeks to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Trump’s latest threat came just hours after he offered his own timetable for when he expects the broader war to conclude. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, the President predicted that the fighting would end immediately following the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

“I think the war will end immediately after the election,” Trump said.

Trump argued that Iran was deliberately attempting to survive until the elections in hopes that the political landscape in Washington would change.

“They’re desperate to try and affect the election so that we could get a nice, weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon.”

The President also said Tehran was reaching the limits of its ability to withstand American pressure, saying Iran “can’t hold out any longer.”

That public assessment stands in contrast to the reported discussions taking place among some of Trump’s most senior advisers. According to the Journal report, administration officials have contemplated a scenario in which Iran continues resisting despite the blockade, sanctions and military strikes, potentially turning the conflict into a years-long struggle.

The disagreement does not necessarily indicate that administration officials believe such a prolonged war is inevitable. Rather, the discussions reportedly reflect contingency planning for the possibility that Tehran does not capitulate on the timetable Trump has publicly suggested.

The political stakes of the conflict have also increased as the November midterms approach. Republicans are seeking to retain their congressional majorities, while the war and its economic consequences — particularly higher energy prices — have become part of the broader campaign debate. Trump used the opening night of the Republican convention in Dallas to urge supporters to turn out for GOP candidates and preserve Republican control of Congress.

Trump has continued to maintain that the military campaign is necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, arguing that decades of diplomacy failed to permanently eliminate the threat.

At the same time, the President has sought to project confidence that the United States is prevailing militarily and economically, repeatedly pointing to the pressure being exerted by American forces, the naval blockade and sanctions.

{Matzav.com}

Secretary of State Marco Rubio says he currently has no intention of running for president in 2028, pushing back on mounting speculation about his political future while stopping short of ruling out another White House bid later on. His comments come as Vice President JD Vance is also widely discussed as a possible contender for the Republican nomination. Rubio made the remarks during an interview with Colombia’s RCN while traveling in South America.

“I don’t know what the future holds, but I have no plans at this time,” Rubio was quoted as having told Colombian station RCN.

Rubio stressed that his attention is currently devoted entirely to his responsibilities in the Trump administration, where he serves both as secretary of state and as President Donald Trump’s interim national security adviser.

“I’m not a candidate for anything right now. And I’m 100% focused on my job, and I have to be because I have two jobs,” added Rubio.

Rubio has reportedly delivered much the same message in private conversations. According to NBC News, a person familiar with his thinking said Rubio recently told at least one individual that he does not intend to enter the 2028 race, although he remains pleased with his current role and has not closed the door on seeking the presidency at some later point.

“Rubio loves being secretary of state and is really enjoying the job,” the person said. “The president trusts him to have a big portfolio. He is still young, and smart in both policy and politics, and is keeping his options open for the future”

“If you asked him if he’s interested in 2032 or 2036, he would probably say sure,” the person added.

The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Questions about who might eventually succeed President Trump as the Republican Party’s standard-bearer have increasingly centered on Rubio and Vance. Discussions about the party’s post-Trump future were also evident at this week’s Republican gathering in Dallas, where Vance was among the prominent figures drawing attention.

A person close to Vance said the vice president intends to consider whether to seek the presidency following the midterm elections. That consideration, however, would not necessarily result in an immediate decision or campaign announcement.

For now, neither Vance nor Rubio has publicly declared himself a candidate for the 2028 presidential election. President Trump has repeatedly spoken positively about both members of his administration and has even publicly gauged audiences’ reactions to the prospect of the two men emerging as future contenders.

“You look at Marco, you look at JD Vance, who’s fantastic,” Trump told NBC News in May 2025, when asked who might continue his MAGA movement after his presidency. “You look at – I could name 10, 15, 20 people right now just sitting here.”

Trump raised the subject again during a Rose Garden gathering on May 11, asking those in attendance, “Alright, let’s go, you ready? Who likes JD Vance? Who likes Marco Rubio?” Both men were greeted with applause.

The President then suggested that Rubio and Vance might conceivably wind up on the same Republican ticket.

“By the way, I do believe that’s a dream team, but these are minor details,” he said to laughter from the audience. “That does not mean you have my endorsement under any circumstance.”

Last August, Trump said it was still too early to designate anyone as his political successor for 2028, though he identified Vance as a prominent potential candidate and also mentioned Rubio as a possible running mate.

Rubio himself has previously indicated that he would back Vance if the vice president ultimately decides to seek the Republican presidential nomination in 2028. Recent reporting has likewise noted Rubio’s earlier statement that he would support Vance if he runs.

A presidential campaign would not be new territory for Rubio. The Florida Republican sought his party’s nomination in 2016, competing against Trump before ending his campaign after losing the Florida primary. Rubio subsequently endorsed Trump.

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He served there until 2025, when he joined the Trump administration after receiving unanimous Senate confirmation, 99-0, to become secretary of state.

Despite Rubio’s current insistence that a 2028 campaign is not in his plans, speculation about his presidential ambitions has continued since he joined the administration. Some of that attention has been fueled by his own broader comments about his hopes for the country and its future.

“My hope for America is what it’s always been. I think it’s the hope I hope we all share,” Rubio said in May in response to a question in the White House briefing room. “We want it to continue to be the place where anyone from anywhere can achieve anything, where you’re not limited by the circumstances of your birth, by the color of your skin, by your ethnicity but, frankly, it’s a place where you are able to overcome challenges and achieve your full potential.”

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

There are times when we become so focused on doing the right thing that we fail to notice the opportunity to do something even greater.

On the Rosh Hashanah before her passing, Rebbetzin Shayna Chana Elyashiv was not well and was unable to go to shul to hear the shofar. My friend, Rav Gedalya Sheinen, told me that after davening, he would blow shofar for Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv according to all the different shitos.

That year, when he finished, he asked Rav Elyashiv if he should go to the rebbetzin and blow shofar for her so that she could fulfill the mitzvah.

To his surprise, Rav Elyashiv told him not to.

It was the second day of Rosh Hashanah, he explained, and the obligation to hear shofar on the second day is only miderabbonon. Additionally, women are not obligated to perform the mitzvah, but have accepted it upon themselves. Since blowing for the rebbetzin would involve extra tircha—a burden for Rav Sheinen—it was not necessary and he should go home.

Rav Sheinen left and began walking home.

Then he heard Rav Elyashiv calling after him.

“Kumt tzurik. Come back.”

Rav Elyashiv told him that after telling him to go home, he had thought about it and reconsidered. He said that it was true that the mitzvah of shofar on the second day is only miderabbonon and returning to blow more kolos would be a tircha.

“However, my wife will be so happy to hear the kol shofar,” Rav Elyashiv said. “By blowing for her, you will be doing a chesed and chesed is a mitzvah mide’Oraisa. I can be matriach you for a de’Oraisa.”

What an extraordinary way to look at life.

Rav Elyashiv had initially viewed the situation through the pure lens of halacha and concluded that there was no reason to impose upon Rav Sheinen. But then he thought about his wife. He thought about the happiness those sounds would bring her. Suddenly, what had appeared to be an unnecessary tircha became an opportunity to fulfill a mitzvah de’Oraisa.

The story reminds us that, sometimes, we can become so preoccupied with the mitzvah we are trying to perform that we fail to see the mitzvah standing right in front of us.

We look for lofty opportunities to serve Hashem while overlooking the person beside us who needs a little of our patience, a kind word, a smile, a favor, or simply the knowledge that someone cares about him. We get involved in performing the “big” mitzvos and let mitzvos that we consider minor fall by the wayside.

There is something especially powerful about this message as Rosh Hashanah is upon us. We spent the past weeks of Elul examining ourselves and thinking about what we need to improve. We thought about our davening, our learning, our mitzvos, and our bein adam laMakom.

But the Rambam (Hilchos Teshuvah 7:3) teaches us that doing teshuvah involves more than repenting for improper actions. It also includes doing teshuvah for bad ideas, as well as anger, hatred, jealousy, chasing after money and honor, gluttony, and the like.

When we do teshuvah, we should also be examining ourselves by considering how the people around us feel because we are in their lives.

“Do I make life easier for them or more difficult? Do I notice when someone needs something from me or do I see only the inconvenience it will cause me? Do I recognize the opportunities for chesed that Hashem provides me with every day?”

Rav Elyashiv’s greatness was not merely that he knew the halacha. It was that he understood that beyond the halacha was a person, and beyond the person was an opportunity to do the will of Hashem.

Sometimes, the greatest avodah is hidden in the smallest act of consideration.

And sometimes, before we go rushing down the stairs, we need to stop, turn around, and listen for the voice calling, “Kumt tzurik. Come back.”

Rav Sheinen was already walking down the stairs. The decision had been made. The matter was settled. But Rav Elyashiv stopped him and said, “Kumt tzurik. Come back.” He had reconsidered. He had looked at the situation differently. What a moment earlier had seemed to be an unnecessary tircha had suddenly revealed itself as an opportunity for a greater mitzvah.

There is something almost prophetic about that scene as we stand at the threshold of a new year.

At the time of the technological revolution, during the beginning of the twentieth century, when the world suddenly began exploding with innovative inventions, the Chofetz Chaim wrote in his sefer Sheim Olam that these new inventions serve to strengthen our emunah. Regarding the camera, he noted that it demonstrates that the Mishnah’s admonition that we should always be cognizant of Hashem’s “ayin ro’eh,” an eye that sees, is not merely an allegory. The development of the telephone similarly reinforces the reality of “ozen shoma’as,” an ear that hears.

The Chofetz Chaim taught us to look at the inventions of man and discover in them reminders of the wisdom and truth of the Torah.

If there is a technological invention that seems to symbolize our situation this week, perhaps it is the reset button.

The remarkable thing about a reset button is that it tells us that what happened until now does not necessarily determine what happens next. You can be working on a computer when it freezes, something goes wrong, everything stops working or a process becomes corrupted, and then, with the press of a button, the computer can be shut down and started again, and the problem is gone.

Rosh Hashanah is our Divine reset button.

We look back at the past year and see mistakes, failures, disappointments, and habits that we wish we could undo. We wonder how we can break patterns that have become deeply ingrained. We may feel that because we have been the same person for so long, we are destined to remain that way.

Rosh Hashanah comes and tells us that this is not true.

“Zeh hayom techilas ma’asecha.”

On this day, everything starts over again.

Rosh Hashanah is not merely the commemoration of the first day of creation thousands of years ago. It is an opportunity to experience creation anew, to recognize that Hashem is recreating the world today, and that He is giving each of us the opportunity to renew our own personal circumstances as well.

Rav Yisroel Salanter famously asked why Rosh Hashanah precedes Yom Kippur. Would it not make more sense, he reasoned, for us first to cleanse ourselves through teshuvah and then afterward be judged and celebrate Hashem’s dominion over the universe? Would it not bring greater glory to the King if His subjects, who gather to proclaim His sovereignty, were already purified of their sins and fully devoted to His will?

Perhaps the answer lies in understanding the essence of Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah tells us that there is no status quo.

Nothing is guaranteed to continue into the coming year simply because it existed during the previous one. There are no chazakos. We cannot assume that what was will necessarily be.

And that is both frightening and comforting.

It is frightening because we realize that we have no lease on the blessings we enjoyed during the past year. We cannot assume that good health, parnossah, nachas, simcha, peace, or any of the other gifts Hashem granted us will simply continue because they were ours yesterday.

But it is also enormously comforting.

Because if there are no chazakos for the good, there are also no chazakos for the bad.

The person who struggled this past year is not condemned to continue struggling. The person who failed does not have to remain a failure. The person who was distant can become close. The person who was weak can become strong. The person who made the same mistake again and again can choose, with Hashem’s help, to make a different choice this time.

We pour out our hearts on Rosh Hashanah precisely because we believe that nothing has to be the way it was. We daven for a good new year because the future has not yet been written.

“Hayom haras olam.”

Today is the day of creation.

Not only then, when the world was first created, but today. Now. At this very moment.

“Hayom yaamid bamishpot kol yetzurei olamim.”

Today, the forces of creation are once again present, as Hashem judges every one of His creations and determines the course of the coming year.

Rosh Hashanah marks a new beginning for every person.

And that new beginning is itself a source of comfort. It tells us that we are not locked into our present spiritual state. We are not prisoners of our past. We can press the reset button. We can choose a different path. We can become different people.

We can say that Rosh Hashanah comes before Yom Kippur because, before we can undertake the difficult work of teshuvah, we need to know that teshuvah is possible.

Before we can confront our shortcomings, we need to believe that they do not define us, and before we can begin the journey toward becoming whole again, we need to know that we can have a new start.

Remember when we were kids and we would have a race, and if we didn’t get off to a good start, we’d call for a do-over? Rosh Hashanah is that new start. It’s the do-over.

The person we were yesterday does not have to be the person we are tomorrow. What happened last year doesn’t have to happen next year.

When we hear the sounds of the shofar, we hear echoes of the sounds that were sounded at Har Sinai, when Klal Yisroel stood together and was transformed into the nation of Hakadosh Boruch Hu. The shofar at Har Sinai heralded a new beginning. The world had reached the moment toward which it had been moving since creation. Klal Yisroel was about to receive the Torah and enter into its eternal covenant with Hashem.

At that moment, there was only hope and promise.

The shofar was also sounded at Yovel, the year of freedom and renewal. When we hear the shofar on Rosh Hashanah, we can hear within its sound an echo of Yovel, the great declaration of freedom that accompanied the return of the eved to his family and his home, and the return of each person to his ancestral property.

The sounds of the shofar sounded at Yovel proclaimed that the past does not have to imprison the future.

A person who had spent years as a slave could go home and begin again. A family that had lost its ancestral field could reclaim it. The world could be restored to its original order.

We, too, can begin again.

We can receive a fresh start, a new lease on life. We can return to the place where we belong.

This helps us understand the remarkable fusion of simcha and awe that characterizes Rosh Hashanah. It is the Yom Hadin, the awesome Day of Judgment, when every person stands before Hashem, and at the same time, we are commanded to celebrate the day as a Yom Tov.

Why the simcha? How can we be expected to be joyous when the judgment is upon us?

The answer is that the simcha is not despite the judgment. We are joyous because we think about what the judgment makes possible.

We are not simply being judged on the person we were. We are being given the opportunity to become the person we can be.

As far removed from Hashem as we may feel, as much as we may regret what has happened during the past year, and as dark as our situation may sometimes appear, the shofar comes to remind us that the story is not over. It’s just starting. There is a new beginning.

And there is teshuvah, the bridge between the person we have been and the person we can become. Rachmana litzlan, the plane crashed and we were thrown into a stormy sea. Teshuvah is the life vest provided to us, enabling us to hang on to life and return safely to shore.

The shofar calls us to reach for it.

We slip. We make mistakes. We commit aveiros. We fail to perform mitzvos as we should. When the shofar sounds, we look back and see the places where we fell short, the opportunities we missed, and the things we could have done better.

But one of the greatest chassodim that Hakadosh Boruch Hu does for us is that He gives us a way out of the rut.

He gives us Rosh Hashanah.

He gives us the ability to make a new beginning, to start from scratch, to press the reset button on our lives.

To be happy, even if we were sad.

To be upbeat, even if we were down.

To learn well, even if we didn’t last year.

To daven with kavanah, even if our tefillos have become rote.

To become better people, even if we have been disappointed in ourselves.

To scrub ourselves clean from aveiros, from the dirt and silliness in which we allowed ourselves to become entangled.

Rosh Hashanah gives us the ability to press reset on all the components that make up our lives and begin anew.

When we were children, we would sometimes search for the colon—the famous “two dots”—in a Gemara. We would be struggling through a difficult sugya, confronted by a question we could not understand, an argument that seemed beyond us, or a line of Gemara that had left us hopelessly confused. So, we looked ahead to find those two dots, which meant a new sugya and a chance for a new beginning.

Whatever had gone wrong in the previous sugya, we knew that here we could start fresh. Perhaps this sugya would be easier. Perhaps we would follow it better. Perhaps this time we would finally understand.

Rosh Hashanah is the two dots in the shvere sugya of life.

We pick ourselves up, we turn the page, and we begin again.

We are arriving at the end of another year, and some of us are staggering toward the finish line. The past year had its share of difficulties. When we express the annual hope of “tichleh shanah vekileloseha,” there is no shortage of tzaros and challenges to which we refer.

Yet, the Gemara in Rosh Hashanah (16b) teaches that a year that is “rosh,” impoverished, at its beginning will be rich at its close. Rashi explains that this means that Klal Yisroel approaches Rosh Hashanah like poor people, with our hands outstretched, recognizing that we have nothing of our own and that everything depends upon the generosity of Hashem.

Our tefillos are like the pleas of a poor person before a wealthy benefactor. We say in Selichos every morning, “Kedalim ucheroshim dofaknu delosecha.” We say to Hashem, “We stand here as poor people, as paupers, and we knock on Your door and have faith that You will open it and grant us a good year.”

Rav Yitzchok Blazer would say in the name of his rebbi, Rav Yisroel Salanter, that the yesod of Rosh Hashanah is to recognize that we have no guarantees and no chazakos, but we recognize that we are standing before the Source of all blessing.

We are like a poor man who was given an appointment with the most generous baal tzedakah in the world, and we are filled with hope that he will give us what we ask of him.

Rav Eizik Sher expands on this idea.

On Rosh Hashanah, everything in creation and every creature is judged individually. The Mishnah in Rosh Hashanah (1:2) teaches, “Kol bo’ei ha’olam ovrin lefonov kivnei maron.”

Think about what that means. The entire world is standing in judgment. Billions of human beings. Nations and countries. Kingdoms and governments. Each one is being judged. Who will have hunger and who will have plenty. Who will have drought and who will be flooded. Who will experience war and who will experience peace. Who will prosper and who will suffer.

And in the midst of this enormous gathering, there is only one nation that knows the secret, only a tiny percentage of the billions who stand before the Borei Olam who understand what it means to be zoche badin.

Only Am Yisroel knows the secret of standing before the King like an “oni bapesach,” like an impoverished person who knows that he has nothing to rely upon except the rachamim of the One who holds everything in His hands.

Our sense of frailty is our strength. We know that on our own, we are nothing and have nothing. We have no guarantees and no chazakos. But we know that we have Hashem, and when a person comes before the Source of all blessing with that recognition, anything is possible.

Thus, on Rosh Hashanah, the first two days of the Aseres Yemei Teshuvah, we do not recite vidui or al cheit. The teshuvah of Rosh Hashanah begins somewhere deeper. It begins with how we think.

Because before we develop a new course of action, we need to develop a new perspective. Before we can change what we do, we have to change how we see ourselves, how we see our lives, and how we see our relationship with Hakadosh Boruch Hu.

The kol shofar awakens us to the realization that we are beginning again. On this day, we don’t look back. We look ahead. We look at everything that we can do right. We do teshuvah on our thought process. We hear the shofar call out to us, saying, “Kumt tzurik. You can do it. You can be great. You can do all the mitzvos properly. You can be a baal middos. You can be a kind and gentle tzaddik who performs the mitzvos perfectly. And you can have a great year.”

On Rosh Hashanah, the person who struggled with his davening can begin to approach tefillah differently. The person whose learning was inconsistent can open a Gemara with renewed determination. The person who has been carrying anger or disappointment can choose to let go, and the person who has become discouraged with himself can lift his head and remember that Hakadosh Boruch Hu has not become discouraged with him.

The call of the shofar is simple, without an elaborate melody or complicated words, because teshuvah begins with a call that comes from somewhere deep within a person and says, “I want to come back. I want to be better. I want to begin again.”

And we are not starting the journey alone. Hakadosh Boruch Hu is right there with us, holding our hand and helping us. We make the first move, but Hashem promises to help us complete the journey, to strengthen us when the road is difficult, and to enable us to accomplish what we could not accomplish on our own.

As we stand at the beginning of another year, whatever our situation is, we should not be intimidated. The shofar calls out to us, “Uru yesheinim mishinaschem.” Don’t fear the future. Awaken from your sleep, from your nightmares and fears. New opportunities, new accomplishments, new nachas, and new growth await you.

We know Who holds the year in His hands, and that knowledge allows us to approach the Yom Hadin not only with awe and trepidation, but also with the simcha that comes from knowing that we are being given another chance.

We will hear Hashem calling each one of us and saying, “Kumt tzurik. Come back. Begin again. It’s a do-over. You can do this. You can win. You can have a winning year.”

May we all be zoche to a great year, filled with yeshuos, refuos, hatzlocha, brocha, and geulah.

Kesivah vachasimah tovah.

President Donald Trump issued a new warning to Iran on Wednesday night, saying the United States is closely watching activity at the heavily fortified Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site and threatening a powerful military response if Tehran attempts to advance its nuclear program there.

Speaking at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Texas, Trump said U.S. officials had detected signs of renewed activity at the underground facility, which is located near Iran’s badly damaged Natanz uranium enrichment complex.

“We notice there’s a little activity at Pickaxe. I would advise Iran not to get cute, because we will have to hit them very hard,” he said.

Trump defended the ongoing war against Iran as necessary to ensure that the Islamic Republic does not obtain a nuclear weapon. Pickaxe Mountain, which contains two deeply buried tunnel complexes, has been under close U.S. scrutiny for months.

“For 51 years, people have been trying to, and other Presidents have been trying to talk them out of it, but they don’t understand talk, these people. They only understand one thing, and that’s they’re getting plenty of it.”

NOW – Trump, at GOP midterm convention: "We noticed there's a little activity at Pickaxe [Mountain]. I would advise Iran not to get cute. Because we will have to hit them very hard, we have no choice." pic.twitter.com/BFvWXprOGc

— Disclose.tv (@disclosetv) September 10, 2026

The warning echoed similar comments Trump made last week, when he raised the possibility that American forces could target Pickaxe Mountain if evidence emerged of nuclear-related activity at the site.

“Iran will not have a nuclear weapon,” he told reporters at the Oval Office last week, before adding, “We may hit Pickaxe very soon…if there was anything going on with Pickaxe.”

Trump: I think we should call the Hormuz Strait, we should call it the Trump Strait. I should get something out of this. pic.twitter.com/6GvxDyMxOU

— Acyn (@Acyn) September 10, 2026

Trump has been publicly threatening possible U.S. action against Pickaxe Mountain since at least July. Recent satellite imagery has indicated an increase in construction activity at the facility, according to an analysis published this week by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

During Wednesday night’s address, Trump also turned his attention to the Strait of Hormuz, joking that the strategically crucial waterway should eventually bear his name.

The President predicted that oil prices would decline once the United States wins the war against Iran, saying they “will be going down as soon as we win the war with Iran, which is taking place right now.”

Trump then asserted that the United States now controls the critical shipping route and suggested a new name for it.

“We’ll win it. We’re winning it. We control the Hormuz Strait. I think we should call it the Trump Strait. I should get something out of it. The Trump Strait.”

“I’ll have an announcement, we’ll call it the Trump Strait. And I’m sure the Iranian leadership will be thrilled with that,” the President continued. “I’d like to tell you it was their idea. It was not their idea. Don’t think they’re too happy about it. I don’t think they’re too happy.”

The remarks came after Trump told reporters earlier Wednesday that he believes the war could end shortly after the November midterm elections.

“I think the war will end immediately after the election,” he said, arguing that Iran “can’t hold out any longer.”

Trump further alleged that Tehran is deliberately attempting to keep the fighting going in hopes of affecting the outcome of the midterms.

“They’re desperate to try and affect the election so that we could get a nice, weak group of people in there and leave them alone and let them have their nuclear weapon.”

Trump’s prediction of a relatively swift conclusion to the war reportedly differs from assessments being discussed by some senior members of his administration. The Wall Street Journal reported that White House officials have privately warned the President that the conflict could continue for years, potentially lasting through the end of his current term in January 2029.

According to the report, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top administration officials have considered the possibility that Tehran could continue resisting the American blockade and military campaign for an extended period, despite Trump’s public statements suggesting that the war could soon be brought to an end.

White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales defended the administration’s handling of the conflict in comments to The Wall Street Journal, saying, “President Trump has destroyed Iran’s military capabilities and is crippling what’s left of its abysmal economy with the most powerful naval blockade in world history and crushing sanctions,” and adding, “Only President Trump knows what he will do and when.”

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[Video below.] President Donald Trump made an extraordinary financial pledge to American voters Wednesday night, announcing that every adult U.S. citizen would receive a $5,000 payment if Republicans retain control of both the House and Senate in November’s midterm elections. Trump unveiled what he called the “Trump dividend” while headlining the opening night of the Republican Party’s first-ever midterm convention in Dallas.

Addressing thousands of Republican supporters at the American Airlines Center, Trump used his keynote speech to highlight what he described as his administration’s accomplishments while urging voters to keep Republicans in power on Capitol Hill. The Dallas gathering is an unusual political convention designed specifically around a midterm election rather than a presidential nominating contest.

Trump’s biggest announcement of the evening was his promise of a direct cash payment to Americans if the GOP maintains its congressional majorities.

“I can make this promise to you, and here is my promise,” he said. “If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them, because of our economic — tremendous economic success like in history, we’ve never had anything like what’s happening. but because of our tremendous strength and success economically — I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for $5,000. Very much like a successful company will do a cash distribution to its shareholders.”

“It will be called the ‘Trump dividend,'” he added.

Trump did not provide detailed information during the announcement about how the proposed payments would be funded or implemented. Reuters estimated that distributing $5,000 to every American adult would cost approximately $1.35 trillion.

The President began his remarks by assessing his performance since returning to the White House in January 2025, telling the crowd that he is “doing a great job.” He then turned to one of the central challenges confronting Republicans this November: the longstanding tendency of the president’s party to lose congressional seats during midterm elections.

“But I say, why is it that no matter how well you’re doing, we see not a president — Democrat or Republican — almost never wins the midterms?’ said Trump. “We’ve got to change that because we have something going that’s so good we can’t let that string be broken. So I’m asking you to pretend that I’m on the ballot. I’m on the ballot, just one more time.”

Trump’s appearance was part of a broader Republican effort to energize voters ahead of the November elections. The two-day convention was organized with Trump at its center, with the President scheduled to headline both evenings and Vice President JD Vance among the other prominent speakers.

Trump also credited congressional Republicans with helping enact his domestic agenda, particularly the tax legislation passed during his second term.

“Our Republican Congress puts thousands of dollars into the pockets of working families with the largest tax cuts in the history of our country,” he said. “So we had the largest in history. We gave you no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security for our great seniors.”

The President warned supporters that many of his administration’s policies could be threatened if Democrats capture either chamber of Congress in November.

“Because if we lose, you’re going to lose your border,” he said. “You’re going to lose your tax cuts. You’re going to lose your safety and security. You’re going to lose your wealth.”

Economic conditions have emerged as a major subject in the midterm campaign, particularly amid concerns over inflation and the higher energy prices accompanying the war with Iran. Trump defended his handling of the conflict during Wednesday’s address, arguing that military action was necessary because Iran had been close to obtaining a nuclear weapon. Recent reporting has also pointed to voter concerns about the cost of living and the continuing Iran conflict as Republicans campaign to preserve their congressional majorities.

Republican convention attendees interviewed by Fox News Digital expressed support for Trump’s economic policies.

“I believe that Trump is doing the right thing,” one RNC attendee told Fox News Digital. “The tariffs are bringing a lot of money back, you know, correcting the national debt. And that’s gonna improve everything across the board.”

“I feel like as soon as we bring this conflict in Iran to a close, we’ll start seeing the full effects of President Trump and the greatness that he’s done as far as the economy, the great thing of tariffs, and some of the products of the Trump economy in the golden age,” said Jacquez Jones of Texas.

Trump later turned to the closely watched U.S. Senate contest in Texas, urging voters to support Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton in his race against Democratic state Rep. James Talarico.

“We have to elect Ken Paxton,” he said, segueing into border security, a top issue under both Trump administrations. “Together, we’re going to continue to have — we have the strongest borders now in the history of our country.”

Trump then highlighted his administration’s immigration record and claimed that illegal border crossings had fallen to historic lows.

“We have the lowest level of illegal immigration ever recorded in our country,” he said, adding that zero illegal immigrants have entered the country through Texas in 16 months.

“And therefore zero have been admitted into Texas where they used to be running around, running rampant, killing people, destroying many houses and farms, and ruining property values and creating havoc all over the state of Texas,” he said.

The President also directed criticism at Democratic Senate candidates Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Roy Cooper, the former governor of North Carolina.

Foreign policy was another major component of Trump’s address. Discussing Venezuela following the arrest of Nicolas Maduro, Trump touted what he called “the biggest oil deal” ever, suggesting it could be “the biggest deal in the history of our country.”

“65 billion barrels are ours,” Trump said. “And you know what they say it is lifetime 500 years.”

Trump then shifted back to the midterm campaign, sharply attacking Democratic candidates and portraying the election as a choice between dramatically different political agendas.

“In this election, the Democrats have nominated the most extreme and dangerous group of candidates for the House and Senate ever to seek office,” he said. “These people are radical left communists. Many of them. Not all of them, but many of them in state after state. The Democrat establishment has been overthrown and replaced by crazed lunatics and radicals. They call themselves Democrat socialists. But actually they’re communists. They’re not socialists. They’re long beyond socialists.”

Trump also pointed to policy positions associated with the Democratic Socialists of America, including proposals concerning prisons, immigration enforcement and federal institutions.

Earlier in the day, Alex Stone of Kansas City, Missouri, told Fox News Digital that he hoped Trump would use his convention appearance to focus on the political beliefs and objectives of his Democratic opponents.

“Tell the truth about who they are, what they believe and what they plan on doing,” he told Fox News Digital when asked what Trump’s message to Americans should be. “Democratic Socialists of America with El-Sayed in Michigan, in particular, these people want to destroy people like myself. They want to destroy people like President Trump and many of the other people here. If they get into power, what is going to happen to us?”

Closing that portion of his remarks, Trump acknowledged that Republicans would face an aggressive political battle heading into November and urged the party to remain unified.

“The pundits, the fake news media and the radical left communists will say anything they can to try and stop us. But in this election, all that matters is that we are united, we are together, and what we say counts.”

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{Matzav.com}

A historic change will take place this Rosh Hashanah at Yeshivas Kol Torah in the Bayit Vegan neighborhood of Yerushalayim, as Rav Yeshaya Rothenberg, who has served as the yeshiva’s longtime baal tefillah for Mussaf on both days of Rosh Hashanah, will not lead the tefillos this year.

Rav Rothenberg, the rov of the Gra Shul in Bayit Vegan, has stood before the amud at Kol Torah for decades. His departure marks the end of an era for the yeshiva’s Yomim Noraim tefillos, with his voice, nusach and presence having become an inseparable part of the yeshiva and its uplifting Rosh Hashanah atmosphere.

Taking his place this year will be Rav Yehuda Wolpin, son of Rav Refael Wolpin, a ram at Yeshivas Kol Torah. Rav Yehuda is also a grandson of the yeshiva’s rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Yehuda Schlesinger.

The incoming baal tefillah, who comes from the world of Yeshivas Chevron, will bring his own distinctive style to the amud, while seeking to preserve the longstanding traditions that have characterized the tefillos at Kol Torah.

The planned nusach will combine elements of both traditions. Familiar and beloved portions of Rav Rothenberg’s nusach will remain, while niggunim and elements of the stirring style associated with Yeshivas Chevron will also be incorporated.

Extensive preparations have been underway in recent days to ensure a smooth transition and to familiarize the bnei hayeshiva with the new combination of styles.

As part of those preparations, Rav Wolpin held a special session with a group of bochurim from the yeshiva. Together, they carefully reviewed the finer details of the nusach, practiced the transitions between different portions of the tefillah, and prepared for the climactic moments of the Rosh Hashanah davening.

{Matzav.com}

With Rosh Hashanah falling on Shabbos this year, Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Rav Kalman Ber, has issued a special letter offering practical halachic guidance for the Yom Tov while addressing concerns over the fact that the shofar will not be sounded on the first day of Rosh Hashanah.

In his letter, Rav Ber cites the well-known statement of Chazal: “Any year in which the shofar is not sounded at its beginning will experience troubles at its end.”

At first glance, the statement could cause particular concern in a year such as this one, when the first day of Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos and the shofar is therefore not blown.

Rav Ber, however, stresses that there is no reason for concern. He notes that the Baal Halachos Gedolos, as cited by Tosafos in Maseches Rosh Hashanah, explains that the statement of Chazal does not apply when the shofar is not blown because of the sanctity of Shabbos.

The chief rabbi also cites the Aruch LaNer, who noted that while Jewish history has indeed seen difficult years in which Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbos, some of the most momentous and positive events in Jewish history also occurred during such years.

Among them, Rav Ber noted, were the year in which the sin of the Golden Calf was forgiven, the year in which the Mishkan was erected, and the year in which the Jewish people entered Eretz Yisroel.

The explanation, Rav Ber writes, is that when the shofar cannot serve as the advocate for Klal Yisroel, Shabbos itself becomes their advocate.

That merit, however, comes with a responsibility: The protective power of Shabbos depends upon the Jewish people properly respecting and observing its sanctity.

Rav Ber therefore called for a particular strengthening this year in kavod Shabbos and shemiras Shabbos, both in private life and in the public sphere, so that the merit of Shabbos will stand on behalf of Klal Yisroel on the Yom Hadin.

Beyond his words of encouragement, Rav Ber’s letter provides a detailed overview of the practical halachos that apply when Rosh Hashanah begins on Shabbos.

The shofar is not sounded on the first day, and in davening, the words Zichron Teruah are recited. Rav Ber also noted that attention should be paid to the other changes in the nusach hatefillah that result from the first day coinciding with Shabbos.

Regarding Avinu Malkeinu, Rav Ber noted that there are differing minhagim concerning its recitation when Rosh Hashanah falls on Shabbos.

Similarly, with regard to Tashlich, many have the custom to postpone its recitation until the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

Rav Ber also reminded the public that no preparations may be made on the first day of Rosh Hashanah for the second day.

Preparations for the second night may therefore begin only after tzeis hakochavim, and after reciting Vatodi’einu during Maariv or saying Baruch Hamavdil bein kodesh l’kodesh.

On the second night, Kiddush and Havdalah are combined according to the order known as Yaknehaz. No bracha is recited over besamim.

Rav Ber further noted that on the second day, a Shehecheyanu is recited over the blowing of the shofar even by those whose usual custom is not to recite Shehecheyanu over the shofar on the second day of Rosh Hashanah.

Rav Ber concluded his letter by wishing Klal Yisroel a kesivah vachasimah tovah and expressing his hope that the merit of Shabbos will stand on behalf of the Jewish people on the Yom Hadin.

{Matzav.com}

The Shas party filed an urgent petition with Israel’s High Court of Justice on Wednesday against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, challenging her decision to prevent a state-sponsored conference commemorating Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l from taking place ahead of the upcoming election.

Shas is accusing the attorney general of “selective and political enforcement,” arguing that her treatment of the Rav Ovadia memorial is inconsistent with the treatment of memorial events honoring slain Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin.

According to Shas, memorial events for Rabin are permitted to take place even close to an election, while the state-sponsored conference honoring Rav Ovadia has been disqualified because of its proximity to Election Day.

“While memorial events for Yitzhak Rabin are held as usual close to elections, the memorial conference for Maran is disqualified, causing serious harm to the feelings of the faithful,” Shas argued.

Following the attorney general’s decision, Shas decided to bring the dispute before the High Court, filing an urgent petition challenging Baharav-Miara’s directive.

At the heart of the petition is the party’s contention that there is no justification for treating the conference honoring Rav Ovadia differently from other official memorial events.

Shas stressed that, from its perspective, the dispute is not merely about whether the conference will take place. The party argues that preventing an official gathering honoring Rav Ovadia constitutes a serious affront to the many people who regarded him as their spiritual leader.

Shas said that barring the event commemorating Rav Ovadia causes “serious harm to the feelings of the faithful.”

The controversy began after the Religious Services Ministry sought to hold the state-sponsored conference commemorating Rav Ovadia from October 6 through October 8, close to the anniversary of his petirah on 3 Cheshvan.

Because the proposed conference dates fall close to the upcoming election, however, the attorney general directed that the event be postponed until after the election, citing concerns that holding it beforehand could violate election-campaign laws.

Shas initially turned to Central Elections Committee Chairman Justice Noam Sohlberg and asked him to overturn the attorney general’s directive.

Sohlberg ruled that he did not have the authority to review or overturn the attorney general’s instruction.

At the same time, Sohlberg emphasized that he was not ruling on whether the attorney general’s decision was justified on its merits. He further clarified that the parties could present their arguments through the appropriate legal proceedings.

As a result, the attorney general’s directive remained in effect.

Shas has now moved the battle to the High Court, where it is challenging the decision and arguing that the state-sponsored gathering commemorating Rav Ovadia should not be subjected to different standards from other memorial events.

A yeshiva bochur who spent 48 hours in an Israeli military prison after being detained over his status with the IDF discovered weeks after his release that he was unable to receive medical services through his health fund or purchase medications through his coverage.

According to a report by Kol Chai, the young man was detained unexpectedly because of his status with the military authorities and transferred to a military prison. He was released after two days.

Approximately four weeks later, he went to his health clinic to undergo medical testing. According to the bochur, the doctor informed him that his account had been blocked in the system and that she was therefore unable to provide the requested service.

He also said that he was unable to purchase medications for himself at the pharmacy through his health fund coverage.

A summary of the medical visit reportedly documented the problem explicitly.

“Was in military prison, released four weeks ago. Not eligible for health fund services — visit cannot be documented. Must complete a breath test through the IDF,” the document stated.

The case has raised questions about the civilian consequences that can result from information transferred by the IDF to government agencies, particularly when an individual has already been released from military custody but continues to be listed in government systems under a military status.

Leumit Health Services, the health fund through which the young man is insured, said that responsibility for determining his official status does not lie with the health fund.

“The issue of the applicant’s status is not under Leumit’s responsibility, but rather that of the National Insurance Institute,” Leumit said in a statement.

The National Insurance Institute, meanwhile, said that its records were based on information it received directly from the IDF.

“The National Insurance Institute received a report from the IDF that he has been serving as a soldier since August 13, 2026. Accordingly, during the period of military service, medical services are provided through the IDF,” the agency said.

The National Insurance Institute added that it had not received any notification identifying the young man as a deserter and stressed that it had not independently taken away his health benefits.

“We did not receive any notification about desertion. We do not deny rights to anyone; we operate according to the law, based on the names reported to us by the IDF,” the agency said.

The responses indicate that although the bochur had been released from military prison approximately four weeks earlier, the IDF had continued to report him to the National Insurance Institute as an active soldier. Under that classification, responsibility for his medical care would rest with the IDF rather than his civilian health fund.

The result, according to the report, was that when the young man subsequently sought civilian medical care, he found himself unable to receive treatment through his regular health fund and unable to obtain medications through its pharmacy coverage.

Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania made a stunning appearance at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas tonight, appearing by video to praise President Donald Trump’s efforts on behalf of the American steel industry, reject the left-wing direction of his own party, and introduce Republican Sen. Dave McCormick.

The highly unusual appearance by a sitting Democratic senator at a major Republican campaign gathering comes less than eight weeks before the November midterm elections and marks perhaps the most dramatic sign yet of Fetterman’s growing estrangement from the Democratic Party.

Fetterman appeared in a prerecorded video standing in front of a U.S. Steel facility in western Pennsylvania, wearing his trademark hoodie.

“Yes, I’m Senator John Fetterman, Pennsylvania. Yes, I’m a Democrat. Why am I here talking to you today? Because, well, I’m a common-sense Democrat,” Fetterman told the Republican gathering.

“I’m always going to stand with America. I’m always going to reject the extremes and socialism and that anti-American way of life,” he said.

Fetterman used the appearance to introduce McCormick, his Republican Senate colleague from Pennsylvania, whom he described as a friend despite their sharply different political affiliations.

“Dave McCormick is the kind of senator that gets the job done, and he’s going to fight for Pennsylvania. I’m proud to count him as my friend,” Fetterman said.

But it was Fetterman’s praise for cooperation with President Trump that made the appearance especially striking.

Pointing to the steel plant behind him, Fetterman said that he and McCormick would join forces with the President to protect one of Pennsylvania’s most iconic industries.

“We’ll work together and we’ll work with President Trump to fight and defend the steel way right here in the Steel Valley,” Fetterman said.

When the video concluded and McCormick walked onto the convention stage, the Republican senator enthusiastically acknowledged his Democratic colleague.

“How great is John Fetterman, right?” McCormick said, thanking Fetterman for his “friendship” and “courage.”

Fetterman’s cameo was particularly remarkable because the two-day Dallas convention is not a bipartisan policy conference but a major Republican political event intended to rally GOP voters and candidates ahead of the November 3 elections. President Trump is the centerpiece of the gathering, which has informally been dubbed “Trumpapalooza.”

The convention is designed in large part to help Republicans defend their congressional majorities. The GOP currently holds a 53-47 advantage in the Senate, making Fetterman’s increasingly independent political posture particularly noteworthy as Democrats attempt to regain control of the chamber.

Fetterman’s appearance did not include an announcement that he was leaving the Democratic Party, and the Pennsylvania senator has repeatedly rejected speculation that he plans to become a Republican.

Nevertheless, Wednesday night’s move immediately intensified questions about Fetterman’s political future.

Once regarded as one of the Democratic Party’s more progressive figures, Fetterman has increasingly broken with Democrats on several of the most contentious issues facing Washington, particularly Israel, the war with Iran and immigration. He has also become an outspoken critic of what he regards as the extreme left flank of his party.

The divide has been especially pronounced over Israel. Fetterman has emerged as one of Israel’s most forceful supporters in the Senate and has frequently found himself at odds with Democrats who have become increasingly critical of the Jewish state.

In July, Fetterman went so far as to identify a circumstance under which he could leave the Democratic Party, saying that his “red line” would be if the party became “the anti-Israel party.”

Despite those clashes, Fetterman continues to vote overwhelmingly with Democrats and has insisted that he is not preparing to become a Republican.

“I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats,” Fetterman wrote earlier this year.

His political standing in Pennsylvania, however, has undergone an extraordinary reversal. A recent New York Times/Philadelphia Inquirer/Siena College poll found Fetterman viewed favorably by 79% of Pennsylvania Republicans, compared with just 21% of Democrats. Sixty-seven percent of Democrats viewed him unfavorably. Remarkably, Fetterman’s favorable rating among Republicans was higher than McCormick’s.

The relationship between Pennsylvania’s two senators has itself become increasingly unusual. Fetterman and McCormick have appeared together publicly and recently established a bipartisan fundraising committee, Common Ground PA, a move that generated criticism from Democrats.

Fetterman’s convention appearance centered largely on the steel industry and the controversial acquisition of U.S. Steel by Japan’s Nippon Steel.

Trump initially opposed the takeover but ultimately approved an arrangement after securing a series of commitments intended to protect American steel production and workers. The agreement included a U.S. “golden share” providing the federal government with special powers over certain corporate decisions.

Fetterman and McCormick have both emphasized preserving Pennsylvania’s steel industry despite their partisan differences, and Fetterman presented that cooperation Wednesday as an example of his willingness to work across party lines.

Still, appearing in a promotional video at a Republican convention represents a substantially different political step from cooperating with Republicans on legislation.

The episode drew immediate comparisons to Democratic Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia, who appeared at the 2004 Republican National Convention and delivered a blistering speech supporting President George W. Bush while attacking Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.

Fetterman stopped far short of endorsing Republican candidates generally or announcing a change in party affiliation. But his presence on the giant screens at a convention built around President Trump provided Republicans with one of the night’s most unexpected moments — a Democratic senator telling a Republican audience that he would reject “extremes and socialism” and work alongside Trump.

With the midterm elections less than two months away and control of Congress hanging in the balance, Fetterman’s surprise cameo is certain to further fuel one of Washington’s most persistent political questions: Just how much longer can one of the Senate’s most unconventional Democrats remain comfortable inside the Democratic Party?

{Matzav.com}

In an unusual departure from his longstanding practice, Rav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin, rosh yeshiva of Ateres Shlomo, is expected to spend Rosh Hashanah this year in Uman, Ukraine, after a major American donor reportedly pledged a multimillion-dollar contribution to the Ateres Shlomo institutions on condition that the rosh yeshiva spend the Yom Tov with him there.

The highly unusual visit will bring one of the prominent roshei yeshiva in the Lithuanian Torah world to Uman, home of the tziyun of Rav Nachman of Breslov, where tens of thousands traditionally gather for Rosh Hashanah.

According to Kikar HaShabbat, the trip is connected to Rav Sorotzkin’s extensive fundraising efforts on behalf of the Torah and chesed institutions under his leadership.

In previous years, Rav Sorotzkin has spent the Rosh Hashanah period in the United States, remaining close to major donors and supporters as part of his efforts to shoulder the enormous financial burden of maintaining the Ateres Shlomo network.

Rav Sorotzkin has become known over the years for personally undertaking extensive fundraising efforts to sustain the institutions, raising substantial sums from supporters around the world.

This year, however, those plans reportedly changed following an extraordinary commitment from a wealthy American supporter who is close to Rav Sorotzkin.

According to the report, the donor pledged tens of millions of shekels to the institutions but attached an unusual condition to the contribution: Rav Sorotzkin would spend Rosh Hashanah together with him in Uman.

The amount involved is reportedly equivalent to several million dollars, making the pledge a particularly significant contribution toward the operating expenses of Ateres Shlomo.

As a result, Rav Sorotzkin is expected to fly to Uman and spend the days of Rosh Hashanah there alongside the donor.

House Speaker Mike Johnson warned Wednesday in a conversation with the NY Post that the growing influence of democratic socialists and other left-wing figures within the Democratic Party poses what he described as a threat to the country, singling out New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Michigan Senate candidate Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Johnson also predicted that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries will face serious difficulties managing an influx of left-wing lawmakers in the next Congress.

Speaking to The Post on the sidelines of the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, Johnson was asked whom he considered the “most dangerous” politician in America. Rather than naming one person, he pointed to a broader faction of the Democratic Party.

“I would say there’s a type,” Johnson told The Post when asked about the “most dangerous” politician in the country. “It’s the Mamdani, El-Sayed, AOC wing of the party that is a danger to the whole country, because they do not believe in the founding principles of America.”

Johnson argued that the political movement represented by those figures extends well beyond any single candidate or elected official.

“They have disdain for American principles, and they want to take us down a dark, dangerous road,” the speaker further warned on the sidelines of the Republican midterm convention. “And it’s not just one individual; it’s that trend that we’re seeing. There are many Mamdanis who popped up all around the country, and they don’t understand history.”

Johnson and other congressional Republicans used the Dallas gathering to promote their legislative record during President Donald Trump’s second term, including tax cuts, while warning supporters about the consequences they say would follow if Democrats gain control of the House. The convention comes less than two months before the November midterm elections.

The Democratic Party’s left flank has gained ground during the 2026 primary season, with a number of democratic socialist and progressive candidates defeating more moderate rivals. The trend has fueled an internal debate among Democrats over the party’s direction heading into November.

Johnson, who has spent much of his speakership navigating narrow Republican majorities and occasional defections from GOP lawmakers on major votes, argued that Jeffries will confront an even more difficult leadership challenge.

“Jeffries is going to have a nightmare on his hands, but it’s a very different challenge than the one I have in the Republican conference,” he said. “My task every day is to get all the conservatives together, the rugged individualists, and all their ideas, and find a consensus.”

Johnson contended that the ideological disagreements within the Democratic conference would be fundamentally different from those he has faced among Republicans.

“Hakeem has the opposite approach. He is going to have people in his conference who hate America, hate its founding principles, and want to blow it up — figuratively, in legislation,” the speaker went on. “They want to tear down all the foundational principles of the country.”

Despite those sharp political differences, Johnson said his personal relationship with Jeffries remains friendly.

Johnson revealed that he has “a very cordial relationship” with his Democratic counterpart, adding that “I like Hakeem as a person, and I obviously have great empathy for the challenge that he has to deal with.”

Jeffries played an important role in helping Johnson survive an effort to remove him as speaker in 2024 after then-Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene sought to oust him over his decision to permit a House vote on aid to Ukraine. Democrats declined to support the removal effort, allowing Johnson to remain speaker.

Other members of the House Republican leadership also questioned how Jeffries will manage the changing composition of his party in the next Congress.

“He can’t control his caucus now,” House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) told The Post. “How’s he going to control it next year if all these crazies get in; if all these communists get in, the writing’s on the wall.”

McClain also questioned whether Jeffries will remain the Democratic leader after the elections.

“Who even knows if he’s going to be [leader] next year?” she added.

The Post said it contacted the offices of both Jeffries and Mamdani seeking comment.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer also rejected the terminology commonly used to describe the Democratic Socialists of America and its candidates, offering his own characterization of the movement.

“They are communists. DSA is a nonsense term,” he said. “They both have the same goal: it’s to control human beings. It’s authority. It’s just that one does it by the ballot box, and the other one does it by force.”

Johnson, McClain and Emmer all expressed confidence that Republicans will retain control of the House in November. Their statements were partisan predictions made in the context of the midterm campaign; control of the chamber will be decided by voters in the November 3 elections.

Johnson said Republican recruitment, messaging and fundraising have left the party well positioned heading into the final stretch of the campaign.

“We recruited extraordinary candidates. [We have] a very strong message,” Johnson said. “They have a fundraising advantage right now in the entire Republican ecosystem. We’ve raised far more funds than Democrats for the first time in a decade.”

He concluded with a prediction about the GOP’s House majority.

“I believe we grow the majority.”

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Yosef Shlomo Lisitzin zt”l, the renowned talmid chochom who served as rosh habekius at Yeshivas Bais Medrash Elyon and rosh kollel of Kollel Morashah V’Daas in Bnei Brak. Rav Lisitzin was niftar at Mayanei Hayeshua Medical Center after his condition deteriorated due to a serious illness. He was just 55 years old.

The levayah was held Wednesday evening from his home at 8 Rashbam Street in Bnei Brak and proceeded to the Ponevezh cemetery for kevurah.

Rav Lisitzin was born on 21 Tammuz 5731 to his father, Rav Tzvi Yaakov Lisitzin zt”l, rosh kollel of Heichal HaTalmud, and his mother, Mrs. Mina Miriam Lisitzin.

As a bochur, he learned at Yeshivas Ponevezh, where he acquired his Torah from the yeshiva’s roshei yeshiva and rabbanim. His connection to Ponevezh remained a defining part of his life, and those close to him said that he regarded himself as a talmid of Ponevezh until his final day.

Upon reaching marriageable age, he married his wife, Mrs. Tzirel Lisitzin, daughter of Rav Chaim Noach Cohen zt”l of Bnei Brak.

Throughout his life, Rav Lisitzin was known for extraordinary hasmadah and encyclopedic knowledge of Torah. Those who learned alongside him recalled a talmid chochom who seemed never to lift his eyes from the Gemara and whose entire existence revolved around Torah learning.

At Ponevezh and Bais Medrash Elyon, acquaintances described him simply as an adam gadol, saying that his extraordinary brilliance and breadth of knowledge had marked him for greatness. His mastery extended across virtually every area of Torah, including obscure and rarely studied subjects that are exceptionally difficult to acquire through ordinary study.

Alongside his extraordinary scholarship was remarkable humility. Those who encountered him recalled his warm and pleasant manner toward every person, qualities that stood in striking contrast to the enormous breadth of Torah knowledge he possessed.

Rav Lisitzin devoted many years to harbotzas haTorah at Yeshivas Bais Medrash Elyon, where he served as rosh habekius and helped guide talmidim toward a broad mastery of Shas.

He simultaneously served as rosh kollel of Kollel Morashah V’Daas-Gertler in Bnei Brak.

His attachment to Torah knew virtually no interruption. Even during bein hazmanim, Rav Lisitzin would not leave the bais medrash. He would sit and learn from morning until night, reportedly without even leaving for breaks.

Rav Lisitzin was also the author of the Yefeh Mareh series of Torah works on Shas, incorporating the teachings of the Rishonim, Acharonim and poskim.

One acquaintance, describing the extraordinary scope of Rav Lisitzin’s Torah knowledge and the intensity with which he continued learning until the end of his life, wrote:

“In breadth of Torah knowledge across all of Shas, it would appear that even among the greatest and most towering Torah scholars, he was exceptionally unique and outstanding, as reflected in his many seforim and the enormous body of Torah work he left behind as a blessing. His extraordinary diligence began from the dawn of his youth and continued until his final day and literally his final breath. He continued delivering shiurim to the kollel avreichim and yeshiva bochurim from his sickbed while his life was literally in danger every moment, with depth and breadth as though he were sitting in the bais medrash, until the final moment before he lost consciousness during his last days.”

The acquaintance also described Rav Lisitzin’s conduct outside the bais medrash and his lifelong attachment to Ponevezh:

“His brisk walk in the street was like that of the most elevated servants of Hashem, with exceptional guarding of his eyes and fear of sin, his eyes fixed on a small Gemara or his writings. His avodah of tefillah engaged all his senses. All his life, he davened within the walls of the holy Ponevezh Yeshiva and never casually davened elsewhere. He was so young, and he was destined for such greatness, as one of the truly exceptional gedolim of the generation.”

Rav Lisitzin’s final years were marked by extraordinary personal suffering.

In Teves 5785, he endured the devastating loss of his son, Rav Chaim Noach Lisitzin z”l, one of the distinguished young avreichim of Kollel Ponevezh. Rav Chaim Noach was suddenly niftar after failing to awaken from his sleep. He was only 28 years old.

Yet even amid his own illness and the crushing loss of his son, Rav Lisitzin continued his Torah learning and harbotzas haTorah with remarkable strength.

Just approximately two weeks before his petirah, Rav Lisitzin experienced one final family simcha when another of his sons became engaged.

Despite his severely weakened condition, Rav Lisitzin rose from his sickbed and participated in the engagement celebration.

His petirah leaves the Torah world bereft of an extraordinary talmid chochom whose combination of encyclopedic knowledge, relentless hasmadah, humility and devotion to harbotzas haTorah distinguished him throughout his life.

Rav Lisitzin leaves behind his family, talmidim and an enormous legacy of Torah learning and written Torah works.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}