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Phone Rings During Davening? You Could Be Fined

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A shul in Beitar Illit has posted a striking new notice warning mispallelim to silence their phones before entering for davening — or face a financial penalty.

The sign, which appeared over the past week at the Breslover shul Kollel Chatzos – Nachalas Yehoshua, a central shteibelach-style venue hosting early-morning Shacharis minyanim, states that anyone whose phone rings during davening will be required to pay a 50-shekel fine to the shul‘s fund.

According to the posted notice, “Anyone entering to daven in this beis medrash does so on the condition that their cellphone is switched to silent mode. If a cellphone rings during the davening, the owner must pay a fine of 50 shekels to the shul fund.”

The notice further adds that charging phones in the building is prohibited throughout the day unless the device is set to silent.

A gabbai explained the move, saying that while reminders to turn off phones have long been standard in shuls, enforcement has slipped in recent times, leading to repeated disruptions. “It has become a real disturbance to the mispallelim,” he said. “Just last week, during a single minyan, phones rang three separate times in the middle of tefillah. We felt it was time to awaken the public to the issue.”

While similar measures have been adopted in the past by other communities, the sums involved were typically modest, often between 10 and 18 shekels. The newly announced 50-shekel fine marks a significantly tougher stance.

{Matzav.com}

Shas Issues Ultimatum: “We Will Not Vote for the State Budget Unless the Draft Law Passes Its Second and Third Readings”

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Shas delivered a blunt ultimatum to Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, warning that it will not support the state budget unless legislation regulating the status of yeshiva students and military conscription is approved in its second and third Knesset readings.

In an unusually sharp statement, Shas spokesman Asher Medina made clear that the party is prepared to bring down the budget — and with it, potentially the government — if the issue is not resolved swiftly.

“Shas will not vote for the state budget unless the draft law is approved in its second and third readings,” Medina declared in an interview with Kol Berama Radio. “This law is the only thing that will save the world of Torah. What will stop the wave of arrests is not street protests — it is a properly regulated law.”

Medina framed the crisis as a fundamentally political battle, saying that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri has become the focal point of mounting pressure precisely because of his central role in sustaining the coalition. “This is a completely political event,” Medina said. “They see Deri as the figure holding the government together, and that’s why all the pressure is directed at him — both through the arrests of Sephardic bochurim and through attacks by extremists.”

He added that Shas has recently shifted its tone toward the judicial system, acknowledging that such rhetoric would not have been permitted in the past. “In the past, Deri would not have approved such harsh statements against the legal system as those we have issued recently,” Medina said. “We feel like hostages.”

The Shas ultimatum came as tensions boiled over during a cabinet meeting, where a direct confrontation unfolded between ministers and the legal establishment. Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon accused the government of operating within what he described as a “constitutional crisis,” arguing that it is violating High Court rulings by failing to establish an enforcement policy for yeshiva students who have received draft orders.

Limon further sparked controversy by asserting that “a state commission of inquiry is the only appropriate mechanism to investigate the failures of October 7. The public has a right to know what led to the breakdowns and who must bear responsibility.”

{Matzav.com}

Riders Fume as NYC Subways Jump To $3 Per Ride

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New Yorkers woke up Sunday to a pricier ride, as the MTA’s latest fare increase took hold and pushed the cost of a subway swipe to an even $3, up from $2.90 set in 2023.

For many riders, the extra dime felt like one burden too many in a city where daily expenses already seem to climb without pause. Some commuters said the change will quietly but surely eat into their budgets over time.

The fare bump arrives amid uncertainty about the MTA’s long-term direction under newly elected Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has pledged to carry out his campaign promise to make city buses free of charge.

Mamdani has estimated that such a plan would cost roughly $700 million and said he would cover it by raising taxes on corporations and top earners.

Some state leaders are pushing back against rising commuter costs. New York state Comptroller candidate Adem Bunkeddeko said the timing of the increase could not be worse for working New Yorkers.

“Let’s be clear, we need to freeze fares — not raise them,” Bunkeddeko said. “The cost of everything is going up, and what working people don’t need right now is to pay more just to get around.”

Sunday’s increase marked the MTA’s second fare hike in just over a decade. Before the 2023 jump to $2.90, subway fares were last raised in 2015, when the price climbed from $2.50 to $2.75.

{Matzav.com}

Nova Survivor Who Vowed to Change His Life While Hiding in a Chemical Toilet Marries

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Family members and friends gathered over the weekend in an atmosphere charged with tears, gratitude, and quiet joy as Barak Nixon stood beneath the chuppah to marry his kallah, Li-Yam.

For those present, this was far more than a wedding celebration. It marked the culmination of a personal journey that began in terror and ended in faith, commitment, and renewal.

Barak is known to many Israelis as one of the survivors of the Nova music festival massacre on Simchas Torah morning. During the attack, he spent long, agonizing hours hiding inside a chemical toilet, listening as gunfire, screams, and chaos unfolded around him. Trapped in darkness and fear, with death seemingly moments away, Barak reached a turning point that would redefine his life.

In those harrowing moments, he made a promise. If he emerged alive, he promised, his life would never be the same. He would return to his roots, seek out his Creator, and rebuild himself on the foundations of Torah and mitzvos.

That vow did not fade with time. Following his miraculous survival, Barak embarked on a profound process of teshuvah. He immersed himself in Torah study and attached himself to a guiding mentor, Rav Shlomo Ofer, who accompanied him step by step as he entered a fully observant Jewish life.

The emotional high point of that journey came when Barak married Li-Yam in a modest, distinctly chareidi wedding ceremony. Rav Ofer was honored with being mesader kiddushin.

During the seudah, Barak asked for the music to be paused and addressed those gathered. Speaking with visible emotion, he recounted the hours spent hiding, the tefillos whispered from the depths of his heart, and the promise he made to Hashem. “I never believed I would merit to stand here today,” he said. “But Hashem heard my cry there. I am here to keep my promise—to build a faithful home in Klal Yisroel, a home of Torah and yiras Shamayim.”

{Matzav.com}

Tears at Rava Deravin: Historic Shabbos in Toldos Avraham Yitzchak

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A deeply emotional Shabbos unfolded this past weekend at the Toldos Avraham Yitzchak court, as thousands of chassidim converged on the central Toldos Avraham Yitzchak beis medrash in Yerushalayim’s Meah Shearim neighborhood to mark a historic anniversary in the life of the chassidus.

The Shabbos commemorated 29 years since the momentous day of 18 Teves 5757, when the Toldos Avraham Yitzchak Rebbe was formally crowned to lead Toldos Avraham Yitzchak, laying the foundations of what would become one of the most vibrant chassidic communities in the world.

Veteran chassidim could not help but be carried back nearly three decades, to the period following the passing of the Rebbe’s illustrious father, the author of Divrei Emunah of Toldos Aharon. After the conclusion of the shivah and shloshim, the eldest son assumed the mantle of leadership, guiding a newly formed community that, at the time, faced skepticism and uncertainty.

Few believed then that a fledgling chassidus, housed in a simple and temporary structure in Meah Shearim, could endure the challenges ahead. This Shabbos told a very different story. Thousands packed the magnificent beis medrash, bearing witness to the remarkable growth of Toldos Avraham Yitzchak into a global chassidus with vast institutions and thriving communities across major chareidi centers.

Throughout Shabbos, the Rebbe led the tefillos and tishen with extraordinary intensity, despite ongoing concerns for his health. During Friday night davening, the familiar Yom Tov melody of Lecha Dodi filled the hall, but the most electrifying moment came during Bo’i B’Shalom. To the astonishment and emotion of those present, the Rebbe rose and began a passionate dance, an act that sent visible waves of excitement and relief through the assembled chassidim.

The Friday night tish, which extended for nearly five uninterrupted hours, was marked by elevated song and gratitude. The Rebbe sang Eishes Chayil to a festival melody, while the chassidim joined him in extended niggunim.

The emotional peak of the Shabbos arrived during Rava Deravin, סעודה שלישית. For the first time since Elul, the Rebbe delivered words of Torah in public. Before speaking, he sang with deep feeling the verse, “When I call, answer me, O G-d of my righteousness; in distress You have given me הרחבה”—a line that would echo throughout his remarks.

As the Rebbe spoke, his words were accompanied by overwhelming tears. In the quiet darkness of Meah Shearim, his voice rose in heartfelt pleas for the salvation of both the ציבור and the individual, expressing gratitude for the spiritual “expansion” the chassidus merited even amid times of constraint.

{Matzav.com}

Rubio Mocks Kamala Harris For Shocking Double-Standard After She Criticized Maduro Arrest

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply criticized Kamala Harris and other Democrats over their condemnation of the arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, arguing that their outrage ignores years of inaction by prior administrations.

Rubio and other supporters of the operation noted that the Biden administration itself had publicly placed a multimillion-dollar bounty on Maduro, yet never moved to apprehend him. According to Rubio, the reward amounted to little more than symbolism, with no serious enforcement effort to back it up.

Maduro had been under indictment since 2020 on charges that included narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. Despite the severity of those allegations, Rubio said the United States stopped short of taking decisive action, opting instead to advertise a cash reward without following through.

“In the Biden administration, they had a $25 million reward for [Maduro’s] capture,” Rubio told NBC News’ Kristen Welker on Sunday.

“So, we have a reward for his capture, but we’re not going to enforce it?” the secretary asked, incredulously.

“That’s the difference between President Trump and everybody else … President Trump did something about it.”

The comments came after a dramatic overnight U.S. military operation, known as Operation Absolute Reserve, which resulted in the capture of the Venezuelan leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, 69. The pair were seized near the heavily guarded Fuerte Tiuna military complex, a key stronghold in Caracas.

President Trump said American forces penetrated the compound’s defenses “in a matter of seconds,” underscoring the speed and precision of the mission.

As news of the arrest spread, Kamala Harris, the failed 2024 presidential candidate, posted a swift rebuke on social media.

“That Maduro is a brutal, illegitimate dictator does not change the fact that this action was both unlawful and unwise,” she wrote on X.

“We’ve seen this movie before. Wars for regime change or oil that are sold as strength but turn into chaos, and American families pay the price.”

Harris went on to claim the operation was not truly about removing Maduro from power, but instead driven by “oil” and “Donald Trump’s desire to play the regional strongman.”

Appearing across multiple Sunday news shows, Rubio rejected the oil argument outright, saying the United States has no need for Venezuelan crude. He said the real concern is preventing the country’s vast energy reserves from falling into the hands of hostile powers aligned against the U.S.

The arrest also revived old statements from Joe Biden that resurfaced online in the aftermath of the operation. In a 2020 post on X, then-Twitter, Biden accused President Trump of sympathizing with the Venezuelan ruler.

“Trump talks tough on Venezuela, but admires thugs and dictators like Nicolas Maduro. As President, I will stand with the Venezuelan people and for democracy,” Biden wrote at the time — a message critics now described as having aged poorly.

Democratic divisions over Venezuela were also on display in Congress.

Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” where he denounced what he called an “invasion” of Venezuela and accused President Trump of launching an “illegal war.”

“Listen, Venezuela is not a security threat to the United States. They’re not threatening to invade us. There is no terrorist group like al Qaeda operating there that has plans to attack the United States,” Murphy told host Dana Bash.

Bash then confronted the senator with his own words from a 2019 Washington Post op-ed, in which he wrote, “Let’s get one thing straight: There should no longer be any debate about Maduro’s lack of democratic legitimacy … The Trump administration is right to put restoring Venezuelan democracy at the center of our approach to this crisis.”

Murphy responded with a chuckle, saying the remainder of his article criticized President Trump’s “early moves to saber-rattle about regime change.”

According to U.S. officials, roughly 150 aircraft were involved in the operation, which included precision strikes around Caracas. Targets reportedly included Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda Air Base, Port La Guaira, Higuerote Airport, and Fuerte Tiuna itself.

The entire mission lasted just under two and a half hours. President Trump said no American troops were killed. Venezuelan officials, however, claimed at least 40 people — including both soldiers and civilians — died during the operation, according to the New York Times.

Several U.S. personnel were wounded, though officials said all are expected to recover.

Maduro, 63, and Flores were flown to the United States and are now being held at the Brooklyn Detention Center, where they await federal narco-terrorism charges.

Maduro first assumed power in 2013 following the death of Hugo Chavez and later declared victory in the country’s 2018 presidential election. In 2019, Venezuela’s National Assembly declared that he had seized the presidency illegitimately and was not the lawful leader of the nation.

He again claimed victory in a fiercely disputed presidential election in July 2024. That outcome was rejected by the United States and numerous other countries, which refused to recognize him as Venezuela’s legitimate ruler.

WATCH:

Trump Warns Venezuela: If They Don’t Behave, We Will Strike Again

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President Donald Trump said Sunday that Washington has not ruled out another military strike against Venezuela, stressing that the option remains available if the country’s leadership fails to comply with U.S. demands.

Speaking with reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump underscored that American forces are still on standby. “We were prepared to do a second strike if we needed. We’re still prepared,” he said. When pressed on whether that possibility had been taken off the table, he responded bluntly, “No it’s not. If they don’t behave, we will do a second strike.”

Earlier in the day, Trump delivered a pointed warning aimed directly at Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s interim leader, during an interview with The Atlantic. “If she doesn’t do what’s right, she is going to pay a very big price, probably bigger than Maduro,” Trump said.

Rodríguez, who previously served as vice president under Nicolás Maduro, was named acting president by Venezuela’s supreme court late Saturday, following the capture of Maduro by U.S. forces and his transfer to the United States.

In the same Atlantic interview, Trump spoke broadly about the future of the country, suggesting that any alternative to the current situation would represent an improvement. “You know, rebuilding there and regime change, anything you want to call it, is better than what you have right now. Can’t get any worse,” he said.

Those comments contrasted sharply with Trump’s tone a day earlier, when he described a call between Rodríguez and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in notably warmer terms. “She had a long conversation with Marco, and she said, ‘We’ll do whatever you need,’” Trump said Saturday. “I think she was quite gracious, but she really doesn’t have a choice. We’re going to have this done right.”

Despite that account, Rodríguez later issued a public statement rejecting any transition arrangement, insisting that Maduro remained in power. She described him as “the only president of Venezuela” and demanded his “immediate liberation.”

{Matzav.com}

Trump: Iran ‘Will Be Hit Very Hard’ If Forces Kill Demonstrators

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Iran’s top diplomat fired back sharply after President Donald Trump renewed public threats over the regime’s handling of nationwide demonstrations, accusing Washington of dangerous interference as unrest continues to spread.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Trump’s remarks in a social media post, calling them irresponsible and provocative. “Trump’s message today, likely influenced by those who fear diplomacy or mistakenly believe it is unnecessary, is reckless and dangerous,” Araghchi wrote. He went on to declare, “As in the past, the Great People of Iran will forcefully reject any interference in their internal affairs. Similarly, our Powerful Armed Forces are on standby and know exactly where to aim in the event of any infringement of Iranian sovereignty.”

Araghchi also argued that most of the demonstrations have remained nonviolent and drew a comparison to Trump’s own use of domestic security forces, pointing to the deployment of the National Guard in American cities.

Trump’s comments came Sunday night as he spoke with reporters aboard Air Force One, where he issued a stark warning to Tehran over the treatment of demonstrators. “We are watching the protests in Iran very closely. If they kill protesters like they have in the past, I think they will be hit very hard by the US,” he said.

The warning followed an even more forceful statement Trump issued late Friday on his Truth Social platform, marking the second such message in two days. “If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump wrote.

Protests that began over soaring prices and prolonged economic hardship have since broadened into challenges to Iran’s political leadership. Demonstrations have been reported in at least 30 cities, with varying intensity across the country.

As of Saturday, clashes between protesters and security forces had left at least 12 people dead, including members of Iran’s security services, underscoring the volatility of the situation as international rhetoric continues to escalate.

{Matzav.com}

Western Intelligence: Khamenei Quietly Readies Escape to Moscow as Protests Roil Iran

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Iran’s supreme leader has quietly authorized contingency measures to get out of the capital if the security apparatus falters amid the widening unrest, according to a Western intelligence assessment shared with The Sunday Times.

The profile portrays Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, now 86, as increasingly brittle following last year’s 12-day war with Israel, describing him as “weaker, both mentally and physically.” Analysts say that period deepened what they characterize as an overriding fixation on staying alive.

During the conflict, the assessment says, Khamenei largely stayed inside a fortified bunker, reinforcing what it calls his “obsession with survival.” The same document depicts him as a “paranoid” figure who mixes rigid ideology with tactical flexibility when circumstances demand it.

Officials familiar with the assessment say a fallback plan has been mapped out in case there are signs of defection or disobedience among forces tasked with suppressing demonstrations. In that scenario, Khamenei would leave Tehran with a tight group of relatives and trusted aides.

“The ‘plan B’ is for Khamenei and his very close circle of associates and family, including his son and nominated heir apparent, Mojtaba,” an intelligence source told The Times.

The preparations are said to echo the events of 2024, when Bashar Al-Assad departed Syria for Moscow ahead of opposition advances into Damascus. According to the intelligence source, Khamenei’s inner circle has “plotted an exit route out of Tehran” and has been “gathering assets, properties abroad and cash to facilitate their safe passage.”

Former Israeli intelligence officer Beni Sabti said the most likely destination would be Moscow, Russia. He argued there are few alternatives, adding that “there is no other place for him,” and explaining that the Iranian leader “admires Putin, while the Iranian culture is more similar to the Russian culture”.

Financially, the supreme leader presides over an immense web of holdings. A 2013 Reuters investigation estimated that assets controlled through Setad, a sprawling network of foundations, totaled about $95 billion. The assessment also notes that numerous senior regime figures already have family members living overseas, including in the United States, Canada, and Dubai.

The intelligence briefing arrives as demonstrations fueled by economic distress continue in cities across Iran. Protesters accuse the Revolutionary Guard, the Basij, police, and the army of responding with live ammunition, tear gas, and water cannons—forces that ultimately answer to Khamenei.

Over the weekend, the supreme leader addressed the unrest publicly. Speaking in Tehran during a Shiite holiday, he acknowledged the economic pressure facing ordinary Iranians, saying the grievances were “just.” He added, “The shopkeepers have protested against this situation and that is completely fair.”

At the same time, he drew a sharp line between protest and disorder, warning there would be no tolerance for what he labeled violence. While saying “authorities must have dialogue with protesters,” he insisted that “it is useless to have dialogue with rioters. Those must be put in their place.”

{Matzav.com}

Thousands Gather in Bnei Brak to Welcome Detained Yeshiva Bochurim as Gedolim Deliver Powerful Speeches

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Thousands of people packed the main beis medrash of the Nadvorna chassidus complex in Kiryat Nadvorna, Bnei Brak, on Sunday night for a mass reception welcoming yeshiva bochurim who had been detained for not enrolling in the army.

The event was organized by the Chayei Olam and Ezram U’Maginam organizations and drew leading gedolei Torah from across the chareidi world.

Gedolei Yisrael and senior roshei yeshiva arrived to personally greet the detainees and to publicly reinforce the Torah community amid growing concern over arrests of bnei yeshiva accused of evading military service.

Rav Chaim Feinstein addressed the crowd with sharp remarks, openly criticizing government authorities and institutions that, he said, act without the guidance of Torah leadership. “We are not afraid of arrests,” he declared.

The central address was delivered by Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, who framed the event as both a celebration and a painful moment for Klal Yisrael.

“Today is, in a sense, a day of joy,” Rav Hirsch said. “Young men were arrested because they learned Torah, and that itself is a merit. But at the same time, prison is difficult, and therefore when two of them were released, that is a reason for happiness.”

Rav Hirsch said, however, that the arrests also revealed a deep misunderstanding within Israeli society regarding the meaning and value of spiritual life.

“At the same time, this is a day of sorrow,” he continued. “Our fellow Jews do not understand a very simple truth: it is audacious to ask someone to enter an environment where, God forbid, his spiritual level will decline. And it will not merely decline, it will certainly fall. It is forbidden for anyone to enter such a place, and it is audacious to even make such a request. There is no such thing as asking a person to lower his spiritual level.”

Addressing claims often heard from the broader public, Rav Hirsch rejected the argument that spiritual sacrifice should be demanded in the same way physical sacrifice is demanded.

“I have heard people say, ‘Why not lower it? We also sacrifice.’ To say that someone should sacrifice his spirituality shows a total lack of understanding of what spirituality is, what the purpose of creation is, and who the Master of the World is. It is the greatest foolishness imaginable.”

He warned that demanding spiritual compromise from the Torah world places the entire country at risk.

“To demand that the world of yeshivos lower its spiritual standard is unthinkable,” Rav Hirsch said. “Eretz Yisroel cannot endure those who undermine its holiness.”

Rav Hirsch then posed what he described as the fundamental question facing the State of Israel.

“So the question must be asked: Why is there a state at all?” he said. “There is only one answer—because of those who learn Torah. Talmidei chachomim sustain the entire state. To deny this is both audacious and absurd. All Torah leaders of the past and present have ruled unequivocally that entering the army is forbidden for bnei yeshiva.”

Turning to Israel’s secular population, Rav Hirsch urged reflection on Jewish history and continuity.

“The secular world must ask itself why, in 1948, the nations were willing to give the Land of Israel to the Jewish people,” he said. “There is one reason: Jews were always here, in every generation.”

He traced that continuity through centuries of devastation.

“After the great destruction of Yerushalayim, when foreign powers conquered the land and the yeshivos were destroyed, who remained here for over a thousand years? Only people of Torah. They came to mourn the destruction and to learn Torah. They left everything behind in exile and came to the Land of Israel to learn Torah. That is why Jews were always here. For hundreds of years—more than a thousand years—it was only us.”

Rav Hirsch concluded with a passionate call for recognition of Torah as the foundation of Jewish sovereignty.

“The Torah is the reason there is a state at all,” he said. “It is because of Torah that the nations gave the land. To refuse to recognize the greatness of Torah is another act of audacity. May God grant that people understand this, recognize the centrality of Torah study, and know that any place where spirituality declines is forbidden to enter—for every yeshiva student and every chareidi Jew. May this bring honor to Heaven and merit us compassion and a complete redemption, speedily in our days.”

Additional remarks were delivered by Rav Dov Landau, who praised the detainees for their resolve while warning of the broader danger posed by continued arrests.

“Fortunate are you for being arrested because of Torah,” Rav Landau said. “We are deeply concerned, especially about the severe spiritual consequences that could result if arrests of yeshiva students continue. We are making every effort, through representatives and other means, to ensure that yeshiva students are not prevented from learning Torah under any circumstances.”

Rav Landau expressed admiration for the students’ strength in the face of pressure.

“Those who were arrested for Torah deserve our deepest appreciation,” he said. “They stood firm against both temptation and hardship, declaring that ‘many waters cannot extinguish the love we have for Torah.’”

He recalled a historical episode involving the Chazon Ish to underscore the gravity of imprisoning Torah learners.

“When Rav Amram Blau was imprisoned, the Chazon Ish came to visit him and said: ‘It is not Rav Amram who is in prison. The Shabbos is in prison.’”

Rav Landau concluded with a stark warning.

“When a yeshiva student is imprisoned simply because he wants to learn Torah, it is not the student who is in prison,” he said. “The Torah itself is in prison. Let everyone who takes part in this know: You are not fighting flesh and blood. You are fighting the Torah and the One who gave it.”

{Matzav.com}

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