In response to the ongoing war in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Rashbi, released a heartfelt and urgent letter of chizuk directed to bnei Torah in Eretz Yisroel and around the world. In it, he underscores the importance of spiritual introspection, the power of Torah, and the proper conduct during these trying times. The letter also includes a special segulah, transmitted from the Chofetz Chaim, for use in times of distress.
The rosh yeshiva begins with a stirring call to Klal Yisroel: “Ana achim, stand up and awaken, and let us cry out to Hashem with strength, over the blood of our brethren that has been spilled like water in recent days, and for those still suffering in captivity and torment at the hands of cruel enemies. We were recently granted a moment of reprieve, through the kindness of Hashem, spared from the sword, from disease, and from harsh decrees. We have witnessed open miracles — all in the merit of those who learn and toil in Torah.”
He continues with a sobering reminder: “Yet due to our many sins, the pasuk comes true for us, ‘As if a man fled from a lion, and a bear met him; and he came home, leaned on the wall, and a snake bit him’ (Amos 5:19). We have not yet returned from our mistaken ways. We fail to recognize that it is due to our own sins that we are faced with such a fierce war.”
Rav Bergman emphasizes that though the hashgachah is hidden, Hashem’s yad is still apparent. “In every generation, they rise against us to destroy us, and Hashem saves us from their hands. But the central thing that Hashem asks of us is to return to Him sincerely — to reflect on our actions, engage in soul-searching, and accept mussar. This is the time when we must strengthen ourselves in the toil of Torah with purity of thought. This is the greatest protection for Klal Yisroel: ‘If war arises against me, in this I trust.’ Therefore, one must be careful not to become overly preoccupied with war stories that distract the heart from what matters most.”
He urges each individual to examine their behavior bein adam lachaveiro, emphasizing the need for peace and menuchas hanefesh in one’s home: “Each person should now pay close attention to matters between man and his fellow — which are among the gravest obligations. ‘With the measure that a person measures, it is measured to him.’ Our conduct with family should be calm and composed, filled with words of emunah and bitachon that soothe the heart and inspire the listener. Let us repeat and internalize the words of Dovid Hamelech, ‘Even though I walk… I will fear no evil, for You are with me.'”
He then shares a treasured teaching passed down from his father-in-law, Maran Rav Shach zt”l, that he received from the Chofetz Chaim zt”l: “Many years ago, I heard from my father-in-law…. Maran Rav Shach zt”l, who said in the name of the Chofetz Chaim zt”l, that when a person finds himself in a time of distress and suffering, rachmana litzlan, he should recite Psalm 20 of Tehillim — ‘Ya’ancha Hashem b’yom tzarah’ — three times.”
Toward the end of the letter, Rav Bergman addresses Jews in the Diaspora, calling upon them to rise to the occasion in unity with their brothers in Eretz Yisroel: “All of this I write also to my dear brothers and sisters in the Diaspora, for all of Israel is considered one body, as stated in the Yerushalmi (Nedarim 9) and in Yalkut Shimoni, Remez 137, and we are all mutually responsible for one another. The obligation at this moment is immense — to plead and to beseech, to strengthen ourselves with added fervor in all the aforementioned areas, so that Hashem will turn away His anger and have mercy on His people and His inheritance.”
Rav Bergman concludes the letter, handwritten, with a pasuk from Yirmiyahu: “Eis tzarah hi l’Yaakov u’mimenah yivoshea” — “It is a time of trouble for Yaakov, but he will be saved from it.”
{Matzav.com Israel}
When President Donald Trump introduced a new wave of tariffs, many prominent economists sounded the alarm, warning that consumer prices would soar and reignite inflation. But according to CNN, those fears have not yet materialized.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that annual inflation in May reached 2.4%, only a slight increase from April’s 2.3%. That April figure marked the lowest inflation rate the U.S. had seen since February 2021.
Goldman Sachs had forecasted a significant rise in core goods inflation, projecting it could reach 6.3% within the year. JPMorgan also predicted inflation would nearly double by the end of 2025.
Despite these predictions, prices for many consumer goods have remained relatively steady so far.
Dana Telsey, CEO and chief research officer at Telsey Advisory Group, explained that the lack of price hikes is likely due to retailers still moving merchandise purchased at lower costs. “Many retailers are still selling through their lower-cost inventory,” she said.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell offered a similar explanation: “Goods being sold at retailers today may have been imported several months ago, before tariffs were imposed.”
Trump’s team dismissed the gloomy economic forecasts, telling CNN that those who had warned of dire consequences were now discredited.
“The economists who predicted a downturn have all been discredited,” they said.
Trump himself defended the outcome of his first term: “What we got in the first term [of Trump’s presidency] was not recession or inflation, we got price stability, robust economic growth and rising wages, just as we thought we would,” he said.
Still, some economists insist that the effects of the tariffs are merely delayed.
“It’s a question of when, not if,” Stephanie Roth, chief economist at Wolfe Research, told CNN.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi and her husband, venture capitalist Paul Pelosi, reported earnings in 2024 ranging between $7.8 million and $42.5 million, according to newly released financial disclosure forms. Based on these filings, the couple’s estimated net worth could now reach as high as $413 million.
This marks a significant increase from the previous year, when their net worth was estimated to top out at around $370 million, indicating a strong financial upswing over the past twelve months.
Precise figures remain unclear, however, as members of Congress are only required to disclose assets and income within broad ranges.
Quiver Quantitative, a market data firm that provides projected valuations based on real-time stock activity, estimated the Pelosis’ total 2024 net worth at approximately $257 million—an increase of $26 million compared to 2023.
However, the couple’s true financial standing could be considerably higher, as they hold stakes in various ventures beyond stocks, including a Napa Valley vineyard, a political consulting company, and ownership in a popular Italian restaurant in the Bay Area.
A major portion of their wealth has come from carefully timed stock market trades made under Paul Pelosi’s name.
Nancy Pelosi, who has become so associated with market activity that Rep. Josh Hawley of Missouri once named legislation after her, and her husband sold 5,000 shares of Microsoft in July, generating an estimated $2.2 million just before the FTC announced an antitrust probe into the company.
They also unloaded 2,000 shares of Visa, worth about $525,000, less than three months prior to the Justice Department launching a monopoly lawsuit against the credit card company.
Their most lucrative trade, however, may have been in December when they exercised a call option purchased in late 2023 for an estimated $1.8 million. This deal allowed them to acquire 50,000 shares of NVIDIA at just $12 per share—less than 10% of the market value at the time.
Their total investment of approximately $2.4 million is now valued at over $7.2 million on paper.
NVIDIA wasn’t their only artificial intelligence-related trade in 2024.
That February, they purchased call options on cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks, investing somewhere between $600,000 and $1.25 million. The timing coincided with a classified White House briefing to lawmakers regarding a serious Russian national security threat.
Shares of Palo Alto Networks jumped nearly 20% shortly after.
That trade gave the couple the right to buy 14,000 shares at $100 apiece—roughly half the market value at the time. With the company’s earnings continuing to surge, the holding is now worth around $2.8 million.
However, not all trades were wins. In June, the Pelosis sold 2,500 shares of Tesla, a company led by Elon Musk, reportedly taking a loss estimated between $100,000 and $1 million.
Altogether, their investment returns in 2024 hit an estimated 54%, more than doubling the S&P 500’s 25% gain and outpacing every major hedge fund tracked by Bloomberg’s annual performance rankings.
These substantial gains have reignited debate over whether members of Congress should be permitted to trade individual stocks, given their access to sensitive, market-moving information.
Pelosi previously opposed such restrictions, arguing that “we’re a free‑market economy.”
In recent months, however, she has appeared less resistant to reform. When questioned in May about a potential ban on congressional stock trading, she said, “If they do, they do.”
A spokesperson told The Post, “Speaker Pelosi does not own any stocks, and she has no prior knowledge or subsequent involvement in any transactions.”
The Pelosis’ strong investment streak has already carried into 2025.
In January, they bought call options in Tempus AI, an artificial intelligence healthcare company that has since signed a $200 million deal with AstraZeneca and seen its stock price double.
They also acquired call options in Vistra, an energy company whose shares surged after it announced a $1.9 billion purchase of natural gas assets from a private equity group, citing a sharp rise in U.S. electricity demand.
{Matzav.com}
Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump after the United States launched airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
“In the pages of human history, this is a moment when the principles of liberty, responsibility, and security have triumphed. A decisive moment between the axis of terror and evil and the axis of hope,” he stated.
Herzog continued by praising the operation and its broader implications: “Thank you, President Donald Trump. Thank you, United States of America. This brave step serves the security and safety of the entire free world. I hope it will lead to a better future for the Middle East — and help advance the urgent release of our hostages held in captivity in Gaza,” he said.
Not long before, Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu shared a video in which he reacted to the U.S. military action in Iran.
“President Trump and I often say: ‘Peace through strength.’ First comes strength, then comes peace,” Netanyahu said in a post on social media. “And tonight, President Trump and the United States acted with a lot of strength.”
Later that evening, Trump addressed the American people and declared the mission a resounding success. “The strikes were a spectacular military success. Iran’s key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated,” he said.
He also issued a stern warning to the Iranian regime: “This cannot continue. There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran – far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days. Remember there are many targets left.”
Following his speech, Trump took to Truth Social to caution Iran against any countermeasures in response to the attack.
“Any retaliation by Iran against the United States of America will be met with force far greater than what was witnessed tonight,” he wrote.
{Matzav.com}
An Israeli source with firsthand information confirmed to ABC News that the United States and Israel previously rehearsed this strike during a joint military drill held about a year ago.
According to the source, what made the exercise unique was that it marked the first time the two allies simulated offensive maneuvers specifically targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure.
The source added that the original planning for the operation took place during the Biden administration, noting, “But we did not think a year ago that this would happen now.”
{Matzav.com}
