Matzav

A heated confrontation broke out on Wednesday evening during a live broadcast on Israeli’s Channel 12 News between journalist Menachem Horowitz and Boaz Naki, a spokesman for the Peleg Yerushalmi, as tensions over the draft law continue to intensify.

During the debate, Horowitz criticized the current exemption structure for yeshiva students, saying: “אנשים עם כיפות סרוגות נהרגו ונטבחו והם תלמידי חכמים לא פחות מהבן שלך” — “People with knitted kippahs were killed and slaughtered, and they are no less talmidei chachamim than your son.”

Naki immediately pushed back, responding sharply: “לא כמו בני התורה שיושבים ולומדים” — “They are not like the bnei Torah who sit and learn.”

The discussion escalated further when Naki challenged the comparison between the mother of a soldier on the frontlines and the mother of a chareidi yeshiva student. He remarked:
“מי שהולך ל-8200 ויושב בחדר ממוזג גם מפחד למות? אני עושה יותר מ-8200” — “Someone who goes to Unit 8200 and sits in an air-conditioned room — is he also afraid of dying? I’m doing more than 8200.”

Horowitz fired back: “אתם לא מתגייסים, כי אתם שמעתם על מאות אנשים שנהרגו בקרבות. אתה רוצה את הבן שלך בראש השנה לידך” — “You’re not enlisting because you’ve heard about hundreds of people killed in battles. You want your son next to you on Rosh Hashanah.”

Naki later referred to comments made by the current IDF Chief of Staff, stating: “הרמטכ”ל אמר דבר חשוב, שצריכים כולם להתגייס, הוא התכוון על הצפונבונים שלא מתגייסים בהמוניהם” — “The Chief of Staff said something important, that everyone should enlist, but he was talking about the privileged northerners who don’t draft in large numbers.”

He then questioned why, according to him, tens of thousands of soldiers released from service under former Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi were not being recalled to active duty.

The debate reached its peak when Horowitz asserted: “בני ישיבות ההסדר יותר תלמידי חכמים” — “Students in hesder yeshivas are greater talmidei chachamim.”

Naki shot back furiously: “שקר, אתה יודע שזה שקר” — “That’s a lie, and you know it’s a lie.”

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

To the Leadership of New Square,

Hello, we’ve never met, but we’re well aware of your position.

You’ve made it loud and clear: you want to enforce a Judenrein mile around New Square, and you’re determined to get it done.

Let’s call it what it is, arrogant, backwards, and completely detached from reality. Where did you pull the “mile” from? Why not two miles? Or five miles? Or a techum Shabbos? This isn’t Torah, it’s fantasy.

You claim to have written some letter ten years ago requesting that Yidden not buy within a mile of New Square. If we had seen that back then, we would’ve assumed it was a joke. Who in their right mind tries to control where a fellow Yid lives, just because it doesn’t fit your kehilla’s preferences? That’s not how normal communities function.

Let’s be honest: if a different Rebbe, not yours, had told you to stop the Skver expansion, would you give it a second of thought? Of course not. So don’t expect us to either.

There was no such thing as a widely understood or accepted “mile rule” when families moved in. Not in halacha, not in law, not in any shared communal understanding. You invented it, expected blind obedience, and are now shocked that no one took it seriously.

Nobody was informed, because nobody outside of your shtetel recognized it as a real or binding concept. And even if someone had mentioned it, there’s no reason anyone would have taken it seriously, because the idea that one kehilla can unilaterally redraw the map around itself, with no halachic basis, and no legal standing, is simply not how Torah communities or civilized society operate.

So you’ve decided to escalate and pick a fight with your Yiddishe neighbors. No, not with fire and arson like in 2011. You learned the hard way that violence has consequences. This time you’ve decided to wage economic and demographic warfare. Buying homes and illegally renting them out to multi-family tenants, including illegal migrants in order to sabotage the neighborhoods around you.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t just shady. It’s criminal. You’re breaking halacha and, l’havdil, federal, state, and local law. Worst of all, you’re breaking the basic norms of decency that every Jewish community, every one, has upheld for generations.

You will be stopped – that’s a fact.

The question is – how ugly and expensive it’s going to get for you.

Even before the law catches up to you, you’re already paying a price. You’ve ignited a storm. Matzav, the Jewish Velt, the Mikveh nies, CBN, Imamother, WhatsApp chats, it’s everywhere, and it’s not flattering. And what’s the story? A once looked up to and respected kehilla acting like a gang of bullies and crooks. You’re becoming a national disgrace. Another scandal, another headline, you’re being spoken about in the same breath as Lev Tahor – a fringe cult that no one wants to touch.

You built something meaningful over sixty years. Skver used to mean something. A respected name. A good hechsher. A community known for warmth and ehrlichkeit. That’s all on the verge of going up in smoke. For what? To block a few Yiddishe families from living peacefully, that’s what you’re burning it all down for?

This was stupid. Not just wrong—stupid. You’re throwing away your credibility, your standing, your future. And you’re doing it for a cause that has no halachic foundation, no precedent in Jewish history, and no chance of success.

Skver is not self-funded. You rely on outside donors. What do you think they’re going to say when they realize their tzedakah dollars are financing mafia tactics and illegal rentals? Once they understand what’s being done in their name, support will evaporate. No one wants to fund chillul Hashem.

What exactly do you think you’re accomplishing?

You really think if you push Yidden a mile away, your kehilla won’t see them? Won’t talk to them? Won’t think? Won’t wonder?

You think isolation stops curiosity? You think isolation stops the yearning for freedom?

This isn’t about us. Your young people are leaving because of you, because forced conformity and mind control are unsustainable. Because personality cults dressed in religious clothing have a shelf life. Because when you don’t allow people to breathe, think, question, or grow, you don’t produce tzaddikim – you produce escapees.

That’s not on us. That’s on you.

And no, this is not going away. We will keep this front and center until it’s resolved. You will either sell those homes, or you will rent them out legally.

You want to be “frim”? Start with the Gemara. Start with the Shulchan Aruch. Rent to Jewish families if you care so much about kedusha. But we don’t expect that from you. Apparently, that’s not your thing.

At the very least, you will be forced to follow the law. Dina d’malchusa dina. The world is not hefker!

You’ve made a catastrophic miscalculation. It’s not too late to stop the bleeding. Climb down quietly – or be dragged down, loudly. Either way, this ends with your defeat. The only question is: how much of your kehilla’s dignity, reputation, and future are you willing to destroy before that happens?

Your Neighbors in the Mile

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{Matzav.com}

Of course, you heard about the chessed. How amid the darkness of October 7 and its aftermath, amid the missiles, the wounded or fallen soldiers, the hostages’ torment, the thousands of Jews who almost overnight became refugees – the light of Am Yisrael prevailed. There was the light of unity when the nation came together. The light of volunteers, old and young, rich and poor, chareidi and not-yet-religious, bringing socks and barbecues and Shabbos meals and hospital visits and countless other deeds meant to comfort and strengthen a shocked and hurting nation. In Chessed Under Fire, ArtScroll’s newly released (and already bestselling!) book by Rabbi Nachman Seltzer, you will discover yet another luminous light: the non-stop, unique, and incredibly effective chessed of Shai Graucher and his team. Take a look at this fascinating Inside ArtScroll interview, where Rabbi Seltzer and Shai share incredible stories of chessed that bring the book’s pages vividly to life. Who would have thought to put washing machines and dryers on the back of a flatbed truck, so soldiers covered with the filth of battle could have a clean change of clothing?  Who realized early on just how powerful barbecues and food trucks could be in lifting morale? Who understood the importance of the spiritual needs of soldiers and arranged for the printing of tens of thousands of a special battlefield edition of the Schottenstein Edition Talmud? Shai Graucher and his team, that’s who! The amazing story begins literally the night after October 7, when Shai was approached by well-known philanthropists Bob Book and Jay Schottenstein. They realized that this was no passing phase, the country was at war, and they tasked Shai with the mission of reaching out to the thousands who needed help.  Shai answered the call, and he and the organization he founded, B’Yachad Nenatzeiach, threw themselves into the challenge — in hospitals and army bases, at funerals, and in the homes of those who had lost a loved one, whether taken as a hostage or fallen as a soldier in battle. But Shai’s work didn’t actually begin on October 7. It started when he was a young boy watching the generous and genuine loving kindness of his parents, the famed singer Dedi Graucher and Dedi’s wife, Malca. His “chessed lessons” continued in a small room on Rechov Rashbam, as he became a ben bayis – almost a family member – in the simple home of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, zt’l. For years, Shai visited Rav Chaim regularly,   soaking in his guidance. He also fundraised extensively for Rav Chaim’s tzedakah causes, helping generate millions of shekels for poor families, widows, and yeshivos. In Chessed Under Fire, Rabbi Nachman Seltzer turns his much-hailed storytelling talents to the incredible story of Shai and his team. We’ll join Shai as he alleviates the financial distress of a bereaved mother and as he brings a pony to a courageous boy living in the shadow of missile attacks. We’ll be with him as Shai and music legend Avraham Fried dance together with troops about to enter Gaza. We’ll attend brissos of infants who will never meet their fathers, and travel down south and up north and all through Eretz Yisrael with Shai, making birthday parties for war orphans or dedicating Sifrei Torah in memory of fallen soldiers. And the music-lovers among us (isn’t that everyone?) will particularly enjoy the special bonus feature: a tribute to Dedi Graucher. Though the background is heartbreaking, Chessed Under Fire is not a book about sadness. It is an inspiring reminder of how much one person, with determination and caring, can do – and a testament to Klal Yisrael’s resilience and infinite kindness. Don’t miss the chance to be inspired—and be sure to pick up your copy of Chessed Under Fire at ArtScroll.com or your local bookseller. {Matzav.com}

A shocking case continues to unfold as Ariel Katzenberg, a Christian missionary who posed as a chareidi rabbi and was recently exposed on the program “Open Studio,” remains under police investigation following a complaint filed by the anti-missionary organization Yad L’Achim — yet, Matzav.com has learned, he continues operating in various cities, living a double life that included officiating at weddings, performing conversions, and selling mezuzos using forged documents.

Katzenberg, who was unmasked earlier this week, is suspected of moving between several cities — including Bnei Brak, Migdal, and now Tiveriah — while Yad L’Achim works to block his activities and warn communities of the threat.

Justice Minister and Acting Minister of Religious Affairs Yariv Levin commented on the case, stating: “Professionals at the Ministry of Religious Affairs are currently conducting inquiries with all local religious councils across the country to obtain information about weddings or conversions performed by this individual. If it is determined that any were indeed conducted by him, the ministry will immediately file a complaint with the police.”

Investigators revealed that Katzenberg lived in the heart of Bnei Brak and later moved to Tiveriah, all while leading a double life. Outwardly, he presented himself as a rabbi, conducting conversion ceremonies and weddings, teaching Torah, and even writing and selling mezuzos. Behind this façade, however, was a Christian missionary who believes in Yoshka, allegedly forging official documents and leading unsuspecting individuals into baptism ceremonies.

Yad L’Achim obtained critical evidence from security cameras that Katzenberg himself had installed, as well as forged documents he submitted to recognized batei din across Israel. These findings led to the exposure of the case and prompted calls for a full-scale police investigation.

{Matzav.com Israel}

The negotiations over Israel’s controversial draft law remain deadlocked as efforts to reach a compromise continue to falter. Three weeks after assuming his role as chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Boaz Bismuth is working behind the scenes to revive the legislation, opting for discreet, closed-door discussions rather than public confrontation.

So far, only one open session has taken place. Bismuth plans to present a “principles document” next week — a roadmap meant to outline a workable formula for the law. Yet, insiders admit that few genuinely believe the plan has a realistic chance of success.

A central sticking point is Ariel Atias, the key chareidi representative in the negotiations. Last week, Atias had pledged to draft the agreed-upon terms reached with Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein before the Iranian strike. However, an entire week has passed and no draft has materialized.

As of now, no principles document has been finalized ahead of next week’s resumed committee discussions, despite last week’s understanding between Bismuth and the chareidi factions that such a draft would be ready by then.

Chareidi sources are increasingly candid about their frustration: “Atias is exhausted, pessimistic, and doesn’t want his name attached to any version of the law. He’s dragging his feet, and there’s no way to get him to commit to a final position,” one insider admitted.

Officials in the Prime Minister’s Office share this sentiment, suggesting that Atias is deliberately stalling rather than working toward a resolution. “We felt this already back in Edelstein’s time in July,” a senior official said. “People sit with Atias for hours, but nothing comes out of it. No document, no progress.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

[COMMUNICATED]

A leaf written in the holy handwriting of the Kabbalist Rabbi Chaim Vital (the Maharchu), foremost disciple of the Arizal, containing: divine names, amulets, incantations, medical prescriptions, and more.

Among the wondrous segulos found on the present leaf is a segulah for livelihood, ensuring that one’s sustenance shall not be lacking, achieved through the recital of a divine name or its contemplation in thought (see section 403).

27th of Av, 5785

A Talk on Current Matters: From a Shmuz Delivered by HaGaon Rav Chaim Mendel Brodsky Shlita

Rosh Yeshiva, Yeshiva Gedolah of Toronto

Delivered before a group of talmidim

To preserve the form of the words as they were spoken without any changes that might cause the intent to be imprecise, we have tried to bring it in writing word for word in the form of the spoken words at the time:

We live in a time when the outside world has corrupted its ways and has descended dramatically in all concepts of human dignity, menschlichkeit, and every form of humanity. We should not think that this does not affect our world. Baruch Hashem, we are fortunate that we have our world—the world of Torah—but we must guard it above all else so that these influences do not penetrate it, and preserve with all dearness the understanding of the foundations of Yiddishkeit so that they do not cool or become degraded.

I am expressing the thoughts of my heart, and what I am about to say is not for a newspaper, I am speaking here as a father speaking to his sons around his table. This is what I feel here—a relationship of a father to his sons, and we are speaking “among ourselves.”

At a time when the winds of the world penetrate our camp, winds that are very strange to the Yiddishkeit that we know.

There is a concept of “losing the sense of smell”, and when it comes to Ruchniyus, we must not lose our “sense of smell”. We were not born today, and we were privileged to see great people and what the form of Yiddishkeit was like for them, and when there are certain things that don’t smell right, it’s hard to remain silent

I am not a person to speak publicly, and I speak only within my own dalet amos, and here this is my dalet amos. A person has the right at his own table to express the feelings of his heart, and he expresses them to those close to him.

When one needs to speak, even if speaking to understanding people, there is a possibility that the words will reach the ears of someone who will not understand them properly and will interpret them according to his own desire and not according to our intention. However, we find at the time of the creation of Adam that Hashem Yisbarach said, “נעשה אדם,” and the Midrash says: רבי שמואל בר נחמן בשם רבי יונתן אמר בשעה שהי’ משה כותב את התורה הי’ כותב מעשה כל יום ויום כיון שהגיע לפסוק הזה שנא’ ויאמר אלוקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו אמר לפניו  רבון העולם מה אתה נותן פתחון פה למינים אתמהא. אמר לו כתוב והרוצה לטעות יטעה אמר לו הקב”ה משה, האדם הזה שבראתי לא גדולים וקטנים אני מעמיד ממנו שאם יבוא הגדול ליטול רשות מן הקטן ממנו והוא אומר מה אני צריך ליטול רשות מן הקטן ממני והן אומרים לו למד מן בוראך שהוא ברא את העליונים ואת התחתונים כיון שבא לבראת את האדם נמלך במלאכי השרת, עכ”ל.

What is Hakadosh Baruch Hu saying? That one must speak with derech eretz, and regarding the concern that some will err, on that it is said, whoever is a “רוצה לטעות” and wishes to err, let him err. And there is no shortage of those who are “רוצה לטעות”, and we speak to those who are not “רוצה לטעות”. And if, Chas V’shalom, it reaches the ears of someone who is a רוצה לטעות, that is their issue, and we do not need to concern ourselves with them. In the commentary of the מהרז”ו on that Midrash he explains, “‘לאיש כזה אין לנו לחוש לטעותו שהרי יטעה עכ”פ,” when there is an agenda, he will err anyway, and nothing will help.

There are certain things that we have never seen, and we must never see them. We cannot justify such conduct by attributing it to ירידת הדורות. These are things that are the opposite of everything that we understand in Yiddishkeit

That there could be a reality where ehrliche Talmidei Chachamim and chashuva Talmidei Chachamim that go into an Inyan for a צורך with an Achrayus, and with Ehrlechkeit, and I am not talking שלא בידיעה, I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. [On a blatt Gemara I can’t say I know what I am talking about, but on this I can say “I know what I am talking about”] and now they are pursued and degraded, and a metzius is created where there is an chasuve beis din of important Talmidei Chachamim, and they can degrade such a beis din [certainly there are sometimes instances of what is called a “rogue beis din” There are sometimes people that are אנשים שאינם מהוגנים that make themselves into a beis din, and there we must be careful], but to attack a Chasuva beis din and degrade them and make them into nothing?!

When there is a halachic discussion, there can be two opinions, and there are many rulings issued by important batei din in the previous generation where there is room for a Torah scholar to disagree with them as is darkah shel Torah. And if they do not reach agreement, even to write an entire book with Torah words based on which he rules differently. In this case, they can do the same. But with that, one dismisses and makes a beis din into nothing? Chalila! Such a thing has not been heard, such a thing should not be heard.

And also that it becomes a topic in the street, and everyone becomes a מאן דאמר on it, learning from this and thinking that it is permitted to do so!

I say to you, such a thing could not have happened in the previous generation in any place, not here and not in any place—this is a הימעל’ס געשריי!

“את ה’ אלוקיך תירא לרבות תלמידי חכמים,” which Shimon HaAmsuni was פורש so that one should not include another יראה, until Rabi Akiva came and said that this includes the honor of Talmidei Chachamim, that it is not another fear, but harming a Talmid Chacham is harming the honor of Hashem, for the honor of Hashem in the world is founded on the honor of Talmidei Chachamim, as Rabbeinu Yonah writes. And to make the honor of Talmidei Chachamim degraded among people, so that it becomes a mockery in everyone’s mouth, this is harming the honor of Hashem and Yiras Shamayim.

Certainly, the seriousness of halacha must be guarded above all, and here everything WAS done with great Achrayus. If they want to write a Tshuva, let them write a sefer about it, and that is the way of Torah. I am not coming to protest; I sit in my house, but I want our people, our B’nei Torah who have straight understanding, not to be confused by this.

And here the degradation is of Talmidei Chachamim on both sides, and everyone can sense that other forces are involved here—gangsterism—and there are hooligans involved here who are turning the wheels.

This is a cry to the heavens!

And we have a problem: how do we process such a thing, that they use the names of great people.

How do we relate to this?… I want to say something about this, and it is an Eidele refined thing. I am saying this in this room “to our people.” There is no need for the great people to be degraded by anyone from either side of the matter. We are talking here about great people, כולם אהובים כולם ברורים. There is an important point, and I want to tell you a story to highlight this point. Everyone knows that there was at that time a sharp controversy in Eretz Yisroel where Rav Yosef Chaim Sonnenfeld had to wage a sharp campaign against Rav Kook. Others, when they hear sharp criticism, think that this means the person becomes “written off.”

I will tell you an incident that happened to me when I was a yungerman. There was a period when I was close to Rav Elyashiv, and it was Chol HaMoed Sukkos, and I was sitting in his sukkah. In the middle, his mechutan, Rav Shlomo Zalman came to visit him, and I tried to leave the sukkah, thinking it was not my place to stay. However, Rav Elyashiv commanded me to stay, and I had the opportunity to observe. The entire visit, they spoke words of Torah and important stories, and it all revolved around Rav Kook, saying things over from him and they said in his name what he showed from a certain Tosafos. I am telling you this as an introduction to the following story that Rav Chaim Nussbaum shlita of Toronto told us. His great-grandfather was present at ברכת החמה that was in Yerushalaim around the year 5680 in the Old City, and it was about two weeks before Pesach. After ברכת החמה, the people greeted each other that we should be zoche to return here in two weeks to bring the Korbon Pesach with the coming of Moshiach. One of the people there called out to Rav Yosef Chaim, “And what will you do if Rav Kook will be the Kohen Gadol?” [Loaded question], And Rav Yosef Chaim answered, “A Kohen Gadol he should be, just not the Rav of Yerushalaim.” We see here the form of a controversy in its proper format, that at the same time one needs to wage a very sharp campaign, there is the distinction that “Kohen Gadol he should be, just not the Rav of Yerushalayim.” The person remains in his full importance, to the point that he could be the Kohen Gadol who enters the Kodesh Hakadashim and is the most Heilig person in all of klal Yisrael, upon whose Avoda the entire Jewish people depends. But there is a campaign with full firmness that he should not be the Rav of Yerushalayim. Is this called harming and degrading when speaking like this? There is such a reality. This is how a controversy once looked, where they knew how to “appreciate” even when there is criticism; it is not a contradiction. There is no need for anyone’s Kavod to be degraded here. And it is not degradation to say that he should be Kohen Gadol, just not the Rav of Yerushalayim.

But this “plague” should not creep in among us, there can be such a metzius. Now is a time when the outside world is a crazy world, and when there is such a situation, something of it penetrates into us, and we must guard against it very much so that we are not harmed by it and that the yashrus of our intellect is not damaged.

When I speak, who am I to speak? I am speaking to myself. My job is to transmit the mesorah as I saw from my father and the Mesorah I saw from my father-in-law [Rav Nochum Partzovitz Zatzal]. And I can say with full confidence that I know how my father-in-law, would relate to this, and how [my grandfather] Rav Chaim [Shmulewitz] would relate to this—there is no question.

Once we spoke about the Dubner Maggid, and it is worth repeating how he explains the words of the Midrash on the verse ” אחות לנו קטנה ושדיים אין לה מה נעשה לאחותינו ביום שידובר בה “We have a little sister”—this is Avraham Avinu, the pasuk speaks at the time when Hakadosh Baruch Hu came to rest His Shechina upon Avraham, and this pasuk revolves around that. There was a doubt; the Malachim doubted if they could build upon him the entire klal yisral. And on this it is said, if she is a door, meaning he is not founded in his place but turns on his hinge, he is not worthy to build upon, he endures only for a time. But if she is a wall, meaning he establishes things like a wall, then he is worthy to build upon a silver palace, meaning they can build upon him the entire klal yisrael. And on this Avraham answered, “אני חומה ושדי כמגדלות,” meaning I will in the future establish groups upon groups of Talmidei Chachamim who will nurse the entire klal Yisrael. And it was explained here that there was a doubt about Avraham Avinu that “שדים אין לה” and it is not worthy to build upon him the entire Klal Yisrael, and on this Avraham answered, “אני חומה ושדי כמגדלות.” What was the discussion here?

The Dubner Maggid explains that the doubt of the Malachim was that Avraham Avinu elevated the world to high perceptions, and even though there was a mesorah from Shem and Ever, but Avraham achieved much more than that. And on this the malachim doubted “ושדים אין לה”—from where does he draw his foundations and who are his rabeim on this, without “rebbes” is not a wall, and they cannot build upon him, because today one can think thus and tomorrow think differently. A “wall” is only when it comes from “rebbes” and there is a mesorah on it from generation to generation. And this is what they doubted: who are his rebbes on this? And Torah that has no rebbes is not a wall, and they cannot build upon it. So what is really the answer to this?

We found a solution to this in the Midrash Shocher Tov on the pasuk ” אברך את ה’ אשר יעצני אף לילות ייסרוני כליותי” the Midrash explains that this speaks of Avraham Avinu: “‘אין לי בכל אלה לא מפי רב ולא מפי מורה”. Avraham avinu was saying that he has no Rebbe, ברך ה’ אשר יעצני” שעשה ה’ שני כליותי כמעיין המתגבר, Hashem himself was his rebbe. Avraham avinu could be a talmid and hear the shiur directly from Hakodosh Baruch Hu Himself, and we need Avraham Avinu and his talmidim so that we can hear the shiur. But this is Torah from a “rebbe”! And Torah needs to be from a “rebbe,” and this is what Avraham Avinu means that I establish groups upon groups of Talmidei Chachamim who will nurse the entire klal Yisrael, that the type of Torah I establish is Torah that does not change, Torah that is transmitted from generation to generation, and it is Torah of rebbes transmitted from rebbe to student.

There is Torah with a mesorah from a “rebbe,” and there is Torah without a “rebbe,” and one can distinguish and recognize the difference between them. And what I came to say here is that we have Torah from rebbes, and one can be great to the heavens, but everything needs to be as the rebbes would do. And our rebbes would not allow seeing such a metzius, and there cannot be a lawless world where the honor of Talmidei chachamim is degraded, who are pursued, and those rolling the wheels are of the underworld, figures who do things with cunning, how they sell us everything under a mask…

One should not speak too much. We are talking here about the יראת שמים of every yid, the יראת שמים of the entire klal Yisrael. I would prefer to remain silent, but one cannot remain silent when there is something that harms the ציפור הנפש of כבוד שמים and the honor of the Torah of the entire klal Yisrael.

May hashem help that the Yashrus of intellect and clarity of mind not be harmed, and that we merit the elevation of the Keren of Torah, and that the honor of all Talmidei Chachamim and all the gedolim of the world be preserved in its full form, and that we merit siyata d’shmaya, and that we merit to be נכתב ונחתם for a good year of life and peace and all good.

HEBREW:                                                                                                                                                                                                    כ”ז מנ”א תשפ”ה

שיחה בעניני השעה

מתוך שיחת מוסר שנאמרה ע”י הגאון רבי חיים מענדל בראדסקי שליט”א

ראש הישיבה, ישיבה גדולה ד’טאראנטא

נמסר בפני קבוצת תלמידים

כדי לשמור על צורת הדברים כפי שנאמרו בלי שום שינויים שאולי היו גורמים שהמכוון לא יהא מדוייק, לכן ניסינו להביאו עלי כתב מלה במלה כצורת אמירת הדברים בשעתו

אנו חיים בתקופה שהעולם בחוץ השחית דרכו, וירד פלאים בכל המושגים של כבוד האדם ומענטשליכקייט ובכל צורת האנושיות, ואין לנו לחשוב שאין זה משפיע על עולמנו, וב”ה אשרנו שזכינו שיש לנו עולמנו עולם התורה אבל צריכים לשמור עליו [מכל משמר] שלא יחדרו לתוכו השפעות אלה, ולשמור בכל היקרות את ההבנה ביסודות של אידישקייט שלא יתקררו ולא יזדלזלו.

הנני מביע מהרהורי לבי, ומה שאני עומד לומר אינו בשביל עיתון, אלא אני מדבר פה כאב המדבר לבניו סביב לשולחנו, שזהו מה שאני מרגיש פה יחס של אב לבניו ואנחנו מדברים “צווישען זיך”.

בשעה שהרוחות של העולם חודרות לתוך מחננו, רוחות שהם זרות מאד [very strange] ל”אידישקייט וואס מיר ווייסען”.

יש מושג של איבוד של חוש הריח וכשמגיע לרוחניות אסור לנו לאבד את חוש הריח. לא נולדנו היום, וזכינו לראות אנשים גדולים ומהו הצורה של אידישקייט אצלם, וכשיש דברים מסויימים “that don’t smell right, it’s hard to remain silent”.

איני אדם לדבר בשער, ואיני מדבר אלא בד’ אמות שלי וכאן זה הד”א שלי, ויש לאדם ‘רעכט ביי דער אייגענע טיש’ להביע רגשי לבו והוא מביע אותם לאנשים הקרובים אליו.

כשצריכים לדבר, ואפי’ שמדברים אל אנשים מבינים, יש אפשרות שהדברים יגיעו לאזני מי שלא יבינם כראוי ויפרשם לפי רצונו ולא כפי כוונתנו, אמנם מצינו בשעת בריאת האדם שאמר הקב”ה ‘נעשה אדם’ וז”ל המדרש: רבי שמואל בר נחמן בשם רבי יונתן אמר בשעה שהי’ משה כותב את התורה הי’ כותב מעשה כל יום ויום כיון שהגיע לפסוק הזה שנא’ ויאמר אלוקים נעשה אדם בצלמנו כדמותנו אמר לפניו רבון העולם מה אתה נותן פתחון פה למינים אתמהא. אמר לו כתוב והרוצה לטעות יטעה אמר לו הקב”ה משה, האדם הזה שבראתי לא גדולים וקטנים אני מעמיד ממנו שאם יבוא הגדול ליטול רשות מן הקטן ממנו והוא אומר מה אני צריך ליטול רשות מן הקטן ממני והן אומרים לו למד מן בוראך שהוא ברא את העליונים ואת התחתונים כיון שבא לבראת את האדם נמלך במלאכי השרת, עכ”ל. מה אומר הקב”ה שכך צריכים לדבר ממידת דרך ארץ, ועל החשש שיש שיטעו, ע”ז נאמר הרוצה לטעות יטעה, ולא חסר כאלה שרוצים  לטעות, ואנחנו מדברים לכאלה שאינם רוצים לטעות, ואם חלילה יגיע לאזני מי שרוצה לטעות, הרי זה ענין שלהם ואין לנו לחוש להם ועיי”ש בפי’ הרז”ו שמפרש ‘לאיש כזה אין לנו לחוש לטעותו שהרי יטעה עכ”פ’ כשיש agenda יטעה עכ”פ ולא יעזור שום דבר.

יש דברים מסויימים שמעולם לא ראינו ואסור לנו אף פעם לראותם, ואין לנו לתלות ולהצדיק הנהגה זאת בירידת הדורות, אלו דברים שהם ההיפך מכל מה ‘וואס מיר פארשטייען אין אידישקייט’.

שיהי’ יכול להיות מציאות, שיהיו עהרליכע תלמידי חכמים וחשוב’ע תלמידי חכמים, שירדו לדון בענין לצורך באחריות ובעהרליכקייט, ואני יודע זאת בידיעה ברורה איך שטפלו בענין במלוא האחריות [אויף א בלאט גמ’ קען איך זאך נישט איינרעדען אז איך ווייס וואס איך זאג בברירות, אבער דא זאג איך יע בברירות] ועכשיו ירדפו אותם ויזלזלו בהם, ונעשה מציאות שיהי’ בי”ד חשוב של ת”ח חשובים ושיוכלו לזלזל כך בבי”ד חשוב [בודאי יש מציאות לפעמים של מה שנקרא ‘בי”ד rogue‘ של אנשים שאינם מהוגנים שעושים עצמם לבי”ד ומהם צריכים מאד להשמר] אבל להתקיף בי”ד חשוב ולזלזל בהם ולעשותם לכלום?!

כשיש נידון בהלכה, יכול להיות שיהיו שני דיעות, ויש הרבה פסקי דינים שנפסקו בבתי דינים חשובים בדור הקודם, שיש מקום לתלמיד חכם לחלוק עליהם כדרכה של תורה, ואם לא הגיעו לעמק שוה אף לכתוב ספר שלם בדברי תורה שעל פיהם יוצא לפסוק אחרת, ואף כאן יכולים לעשות כן.

אבל ‘מיט דעם שאפט מען אפ און מען מאכט צו גארנישט א בי”ד’? חלילה! ס’נישט געהערט געווארען אזא זאך, ס’טאר נישט געהערט ווערען אזא זאך’.

וגם שיהי’ נושא ברחוב, וכל אחד נעשה מאן דאמר על זה, שלומדים מזה וחושבים שמותר לעשות כן!

אני אומר לכם, דבר כזה לא הי’ יכול לקרות בדור הקודם בשום מקום, לא פה ולא בשום מקום, זה זועק עד לשמים! [ס’איז א הימעל’ס געשריי]

“את ה’ אלוקיך תירא לרבות תלמידי חכמים”, ששמעון העמסוני פירש, שאין לרבות עוד יראה אחרת, עד שבא ר”ע ואמר שנתרבה בזה כבוד ת”ח, שאי”ז יראה אחרת, אלא פגיעה בת”ח הרי”ז פגיעה בכבוד שמים, שכבוד שמים בעולם מיוסד על כבוד תלמידי חכמים, כמו שכתב רבינו יונה, ולעשות שיהא מזולזל אצל אנשים כבוד תלמידי חכמים שיהא למשל ולשנינה בפי כל אחד הרי”ז פגיעה בכבוד שמים וביראת ה’.

וודאי הכבדות של הלכה צריכים לשומרו מכל משמר, וכאן נעשה הכל באחריות גדולה, אם רוצים לכתוב מערכה שיכתבו ספר ע”ז, וכך היא דרכה של תורה. איני בא לעשות מחאה, אני יושב בביתי, אבל אני רוצה שאונזערע מענטשען אונזערע בני תורה שיש להם שכל הישר שלא יתבלבלו מזה.

וכאן הזלזול בת”ח הוא בתלמידי חכמים משני הצדדים, ויכול כל אחד להריח שמעורבים פה כוחות אחרים ‘גאנגסטעריי’ ויש פה ‘חוליגאנעס’ שמעורבים פה ומסבבים בגלגל.

דאס איז א הימעל’ס געשריי!

ויש לנו בעי’ how do we process such a thing, שמשתמשים בשמות של אנשים גדולים.

איך מתייחסים לזה?

הריני רוצה לומר דבר בזה, והוא “א איידעלע זאך”. הריני אומר זאת בחדר זה “צו אונזערע מענטשען”, לא צריך שיזדלזלו האנשים גדולים מאף אחד מצדדי המערכה. מדובר פה באנשים גדולים, שכולם אהובים כולם ברורים. יש נקודה ואני רוצה לומר לכם סיפור להבליט נקודה זו. כולם יודעים שהי’ בזמנו מערכה חריפה בא”י שהוצרך הרב יוסף חיים זוננפעלד לערוך מערכה חריפה כנגד הרב קוק. אחרים כששומעים ביקורת חריפה, סוברים שפירושו שבזה נעשה האדם “אפגעשאפען”.

אספר לכם מעשה שבדידי הוי עובדא כשהייתי אברך הי’ תקופה שהייתי מקורב להרב אלישיב, והי’ זה חוה”מ סוכות וישבתי בסוכה אצלו, ובאמצע הגיע מחותנו הרב שלמה זלמן לבקרו, ואני נסיתי לצאת מן הסוכה, שחשבתי שאי”ז מקומי להישאר, אמנם הרב אלישיב צווני להישאר והי’ לי אז הזדמנות to observe, וכל הביקור דברו בו דברי תורה ומעשיות חשובות, וכולו הי’ מוסב על הרב קוק, שאמרו ממנו דברים ואיך שאמרו בשמו איך שהראה מתוס’ פלוני. וזה אני אומר לכם בתור הקדמה למעשה הבא שסיפר לנו הרב חיים נוסבוים שליט”א מטאראנטא איך שסבו [עלטער זיידע שלו] שהי’ נוכח בברכת החמה שהי’ בירושלים בתר”פ’ס בעיר העתיקה, והי’ זה כשבועיים לפני פסח, ואחרי ברכת החמה, בירכו האנשים איש את רעהו שנזכה לחזור לפה בעוד שבועיים להקריב קרבן פסח בביאת המשיח, וקרא שם אחד מהאנשים להרב יוסף חיים ‘און וואס וועט איהר טאהן אז רב קוק וועט זיין כהן גדול’? [Loaded question] וענה על זה רב יוסף חיים ‘כהן גדול זאל ער זיין, נאר נישט ירושליימער רב’. רואים כאן צורה של מערכה כמתכונתו, שבו זמנית שצריכים לערוך מערכה חריפה מאד יש את ההבחנה ש’כהן גדול זאל ער זיין, נאר נישט ירושליימער רב’, האדם נשאר במלוא חשיבותו, עד כדי שיהי’ יכול להיות כהן גדול שנכנס לפני ולפנים והוא האדם המקודש ביותר בכלל ישראל וואס אויף זיין עבודה שטייט דער כלל ישראל, אבל יש מערכה במלוא התקיפות שלא יהי’ ירושליימער רב, האם זה נקרא לפגוע ולזלזל כשמדברים כך? יש כזה מציאות. כך נראה מערכה פעם שידעו ‘אפצושאצען’ אפי’ כשיש ביקורת, אין זה סתירה. לא צריך שיזדלזל פה כבודו של אף אחד. ואי”ז זלזול לומר שיהי’ כה”ג רק לא ירושליימער רב.

אבל ‘נגע’ זה זאל נישט אריינקריכען ביי אונז א כי הוא זה אז זאל קענען געמאלט זיין אזא מציאות, כעת הוא זמן שהעולם בחוץ הוא ‘א מעשוגענע וועלט’ וכשיש מצב כזה, משהו מזה חודר לתוכינו וצריכים להישמר מזה מאד שלא ניפגע מזה ושישרות השכל לא ייפגע.

כשאני מדבר מי אני לדבר אני מדבר לעצמי my job is להעביר את המסורה איך שראיתי אצל אבי מורי והמסורה שראיתי אצל מורי חמי, ויכול אני לומר בפה מלא שאני יודע איך שמורי חמי הי’ מתייחס לזה ואיך שרבי חיים הי’ מתייחס לזה ס’קיין שאלה נישט.

פעם דברנו מהדובנער מגיד וכדאי לחזור עליו איך שהוא מבאר את דברי המדרש, על הפסוק “אחות לנו קטנה ושדיים אין לה מה נעשה לאחותינו ביום שידובר בה” אחות לנו קטנה זה אברהם שהפסוק מדבר בשעה שבא הקב”ה להשכין שכינתו על אברהם שע”ז מוסב פסוק זה, והי’ ספק שפקפקו מלאכי השרת אם יכולים לבנות עליו את הכלל ישראל, וע”ז נאמר אם דלת היא שאינו מיוסד במקומו רק מסתובב על צירו אינו ראוי לבנות עליו שאינו מתקיים אלא לשעה אבל אם חומה היא שמעמיד דברים כחומה ואז ראוי לבנות עליו טירת כסף ויכולים לבנות עליו את הכלל ישראל וע”ז ענה אברהם אני חומה ושדי כמגדלות שעתיד אני להעמיד כתים כתים של תלמידי חכמים שייניקו את הכלל ישראל, ומבו’ פה שהי’ פקפוק על אברהם אבינו של שדיים אין לה ואין ראוי לבנות עליו הכלל ישראל ועל זה ענה אברהם אני חומה ושדי כמגדלות. מה הי’ פה הנידון?

ומבאר הדובנער מגיד שפקפוקם של מלאכי השרת היתה שהרי אברהם אבינו העלה את העולם להשגות גבוהות ואף שהי’ מסורה משם ועבר אבל א”א השיג הרבה יותר מזה, ועל זה פקפקו מלאכי השרת ‘ושדיים אין לה’, מאין ינק יסודותיו ומי הם רבותיו על זה, שזה בלי “רביים” אי”ז חומה ואין יכולים לבנות עליו שהיום יכולים לחשוב כך ולמחר לחשוב אחרת. ‘חומה’ הוא רק כשזה בא מ”רביים” ויש ע”ז מסורה מדור דור. וזהו שפקפקו מי הם הרביים שלו על זה, ותורה שאין ע”ז רביים אינה חומה ואין יכולים לבנות עליו. ומה הוא באמת התשובה על זה?

ומצאנו פתרון דבר זה במדרש שוחר טוב על הפסוק “אברך את ה’ אשר יעצני אף לילות ייסרוני כליותי” ומבארת המדרש שמדבר פה אברהם אבינו ‘אין לי בכל אלה לא מפי רב ולא מפי מורה’ ומי הוא ה”רבה” שלי?  הרבש”ע בעצמו הוא ה”רבה” שלי, “אברך ה’ אשר יעצני” שעשה ה’ שני כליותי כמעיין המתגבר, אברהם אבינו הי’ יכול להיות תלמיד ולשמוע השיעור direct מהרבש”ע בעצמו ואנחנו צריכים אברהם אבינו ותלמידיו כדי שנוכל לשמוע השיעור, אבל זה תורה מ”רבה”! ותורה צריכה להיות  מ”רבה” וזהו כוונת אברהם אבינו שאני מעמיד כתים כתים של ת”ח שייניקו את כלל ישראל, שהסוג תורה שאני מעמיד הוא תורה שאינה משתנית, תורה שתימסר מדור לדור והוא תורה של רביים הנמסר מרב לתלמיד.

יש תורה עם מסורה מ”רבה” ויש תורה בלי “רבה” ויכולים להבחין ולעמוד על ההפרש ביניהם. ומה שבאתי לומר כאן שיש לנו תורה מרביים ויכולים להיות גדולים עד לשמיים אבל הכל צריך להיות כמו שהיו הרביים עושים, והרביים שלנו לא היו מניחים לראות בכזו מציאות ולא יכול להיות הפקר’וועלט שיהי’ מזדלזל כבוד ת”ח שנרדפים רדיפות שמגלגלים בגלגל אונטערוועלטניקער’ס שעושים בערמה איך שמוכרים לנו הכל במסוה…..

מ’דארף נישט רעדען צו פיל, מדובר פה על היראת שמים של יעדער איד, היראת שמים של כלל ישראל. הייתי מעדיף להישאר בשקט אבל אין יכולים להישאר בשקט כשיש דבר שפוגע בצפור הנפש של כבוד שמים וכבוד התורה של כלל ישראל.

זאל דער אייבישטער העלפען שישרות השכל ושצלילות הדעת לא תיפגע ושנזכה להרמת קרן התורה ושכבוד כל התלמידי חכמים וכל הגדולי עולם תישמר במלואה כצורתה ושנזכה לסייעתא דשמיא ושנזכה לכתיבה וחתימה טובה לשנת חיים ושלום וכל טוב.

{Matzav.com}

A new Harvard/Harris survey conducted in August found that while most Americans believe Gaza is experiencing a famine, the majority place the blame on Hamas. The poll comes as reports of worsening conditions in Gaza continue to dominate headlines across the United States.

According to the findings, 69% of respondents accepted claims that a famine exists in Gaza. Among them, 78% of Democrats said they believed the reports, compared to 65% of Republicans and Independents who agreed.

When asked who was at fault for the famine, 61% of participants pointed to Hamas. Democrats were split on the issue, while a significant 74% of Republicans and 60% of Independents said the terror group was primarily responsible.

The generational divide was also notable. A slim majority of younger respondents placed the blame on Israel, but those over the age of 25 overwhelmingly said Hamas was responsible for the crisis.

Opinions were also divided on whether criticism of Israel during the war stems more from antisemitism or from genuine concern for Palestinian civilians, showing deep polarization on the issue.

The same split was seen regarding accusations of genocide. Americans were evenly divided over whether Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, with younger voters and Democrats more likely to accept the claim.

Despite these divisions, 60% of respondents said they support the U.S. providing both offensive and defensive military aid to Israel.

The poll also revealed a sharp generational difference in attitudes toward Hamas. Among Americans aged 18 to 24, 60% sided with Hamas over Israel. Past surveys from the same pollster have reflected similar results within this age group. By contrast, all other demographic groups expressed greater support for Israel. Overall, U.S. backing for Israel dropped three points compared to July’s results.

Across all respondents, 26% said they favored Hamas over Israel.

Additionally, 58% of Americans said Israel should only agree to a hostage-release deal if Hamas withdraws completely from Gaza, reflecting widespread skepticism of any compromise with the terror group.

The Harvard/Harris poll, released on Monday, surveyed 2,025 registered voters on August 20–21 and carries a margin of error of 2.2 percentage points. It was conducted by Harvard University’s Center for American Political Studies in collaboration with The Harris Poll.

In a separate poll released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University, 37% of Americans said they sympathized more with Palestinians, while 36% aligned with Israel. This marked the highest level of U.S. sympathy for Palestinians and the lowest for Israel since Quinnipiac began asking this question in 2001.

The Quinnipiac findings also showed that 60% of respondents opposed additional U.S. military aid to Israel for the ongoing war against Hamas, while 32% supported it. Unlike the Harvard/Harris survey, Quinnipiac specifically asked about aid tied directly to fighting Hamas, whereas the Harvard/Harris poll addressed military assistance more broadly.

Quinnipiac’s data further revealed that half of Americans believe Israel is committing genocide, while 35% disagreed and the remainder were unsure or declined to answer.

Among Democrats, 77% said they believe Israel is guilty of genocide, compared to just 20% of Republicans.

The Quinnipiac survey included 1,220 registered voters and was conducted between August 21 and 25, with a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.

{Matzav.com}

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

With the paper closed for two weeks to give everyone here a chance to reinvigorate themselves, I decided to take a trip to Europe. I had only been there once and thought that it might be nice to visit Paris, London, or other cities to see how Jews live there and to tour the historic sites, famous buildings, and towers.

But more than that, I wanted to visit the shtetel where my mother was born, a small place called Vashki, where her father and grandfather served as the town’s rabbonim. From what I’ve read, the houses still look exactly as they did when my mother lived there. Maybe I’d even be able to find her family’s home and see if it still had the same dirt floors she once walked on.

I imagined walking those same roads, picturing how my ancestors lived, and spending time in the shtetel that was once theirs.

I would visit the cemetery and daven at the kever of my great-grandfather, whose kesovim I later published. I’d also go to the kever achim, where the cursed Nazis murdered the town’s Jews in cold blood. I would think about what was done to them and thank Hashem that my mother’s family survived.

I thought about the awful churban that took place in that shtetel, and in every Lithuanian town and city. I thought about the lives cut down, the Jews slaughtered simply for being Jews, and the nations that stood by and did nothing. Six million murdered, not only by the Nazis, but often aided by their neighbors.

I had the whole trip played out in my mind.

And then I thought better of it.

Why should I travel to a country whose soil is soaked with Jewish blood? Why spend a single penny there? Why reward them for their complicity?

No, no. I would not go.

And then I asked myself: Why would I even want to go to France, a capital of Jew-hatred? Why support them? Why admire their architecture, their history?

No, I decided. I won’t go. I won’t see the Eiffel Tower, or Versailles, or the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.

I won’t experience the angry stares in Paris or the nasty looks in London.

I’ll go to Yerushalayim, where I belong. The city at the heart of the Jewish people. I’ll daven at the Kosel, spend Shabbos in the holy city, and travel around Eretz Yisroel, gathering mitzvos with every step. I’ll meet family and friends, and the avira d’ara d’Yisroel will uplift and invigorate me.

So, off to Israel we went.

But our plans changed soon after we arrived. We landed at 4 a.m. on Tuesday, and as we stepped outside to find a taxi to Yerushalayim, it felt as though we had walked into an oven. The heat was stifling — 100 degrees and rising. That oppressive heat lasted through the week. We ventured out only in the early mornings and late evenings, spending the sweltering days indoors.

But it wasn’t just the heat that cast a shadow over our trip.

There were levayos.

Soon after we arrived, we learned that Rav Shmuel Deutsch had been niftar. He was a towering talmid chochom, a gaon hagaonim who seemed to know kol haTorah kulah. I had known him for 43 years.

My mother was a special woman who passed away way too young. After I got married, I decided to publish a sefer l’illui nishmasah. Her father, Rav Leizer Levin, gave me teshuvos that had been written to his father-in-law, Rav Avrohom Hoffenberg. He had brought them with him when he left Lita. I thought that publishing them as a Sefer Zikaron would be a proper tribute. I had no experience publishing seforim or deciphering rabbinic handwriting, but I was determined.

My interest in seforim led me to befriend Rav Yosef Buksbaum, head of Machon Yerushalayim. I consulted with him about aspects of publishing a sefer, but the teshuvos touched on some sugyos I was not well versed in, and I lacked the marei mekomos needed to properly understand them.

Rav Buksbaum said to me, “There’s a talmid chochom in your neighborhood who can help you. His name is Rav Shmuel Deutsch. He lives right near you in Ezras Torah, on Rechov Even Ha’azel.”

I asked around and was told that he was a prized talmid of Rav Shach and Rav Berel Soloveitchik. I’d often see him after davening, talking with Rav Shimon Moshe Diskin, another talmid chochom muflag. I was too intimidated to approach him. Who was I, a young American yungerman, to ask for help with matters that must have been elementary to him? Surely, I thought, he’d look down on me or dismiss me.

But actually, from the first time I stepped into his home, he was warm and welcoming.

I visited him often. Anytime I had trouble reading a manuscript, understanding a rov’s intent, or tracking down marei mekomos, I turned to him. And he always helped, quickly and with clarity. He could decipher any handwriting, identify every source, and explain the most complex topics in minutes.

We became close. As long as I lived in Yerushalayim, I would visit him regularly.

Rav Deutsch earned renown as a rosh yeshiva at Kol Torah and as a close talmid of Rav Shach, instrumental in founding Degel HaTorah and other key initiatives.

When I returned to America, I’d visit him whenever he came to Monsey and then we lost touch for a while but reconnected when he opened his yeshiva. The last time I saw him was in Lakewood, where he was recovering from an illness in his son’s home.

I was deeply saddened by his passing, as was the Olam HaTorah, which mourned the loss of a rosh yeshiva, moreh derech, and oveid Hashem.

In the Olam HaTorah, it was known that from his youngest years, Rav Shmuel was immersed in an atmosphere of Torah greatness. His profound connection with Rav Shach shaped his life. Rav Shach saw in him not just a sharp, brilliant mind, but also a rare sense of humility and responsibility. With Rav Shach’s guidance, Rav Deutsch combined harbotzas Torah with powerful leadership.

For over 40 years, he served as a rosh yeshiva in the famed Yeshiva Kol Torah, inspiring thousands of talmidim with his depth in lomdus, his personal warmth, and his sincere care for their growth. To his talmidim, he wasn’t just a rebbi. He was a father figure, a mentor, and a role model whose influence continued long after they left yeshiva.

Beyond the bais medrash, he played a key role in shaping Torah policy in Eretz Yisroel through Degel HaTorah and later the Peleg Yerushalmi. Yet, despite his stature, he remained a man of quiet humility, focused on Torah and his talmidim.

His levayah was a manifestation of kavod haTorah, and we were blessed to be in Yerushalayim for it.

We visited some family and friends, and davened at the Kosel a few times. But most people, including many of my rabbeim, were away.

Still, Shabbos in Yerushalayim is always special. Some members of my wife’s family joined us. The oppressive, historic heat finally lifted, and we basked in the warmth of a Yerushalayimer Shabbos.

But when Shabbos was over, I was struck by the cold reality of life: I learned that my dear, beloved uncle, Rav Berel Wein, had been niftar over Shabbos.

Rav Berel Wein wasn’t just beloved by me. He was cherished by the entire Jewish world. His life embodied Torah scholarship, insight, and timeless mentchlichkeit.

He was a briach hatichon, a central pillar, heir to an illustrious rabbinic family and student of the great transplanted Lithuanian roshei yeshiva. From them, he absorbed Torah, hashkofah, and what the Slabodka mussar tradition refers to as gadlus ha’adam, the greatness of man. Though they taught in Yiddish and heavily accented English, he translated their values into the clear, modern language of American Jewry and transmitted their timeless wisdom to generations of baalei batim, talmidim and the many other people who fell under his influence.

With dazzling brilliance, eloquence, and clarity, he brought hundreds of thousands closer to Torah, to Hashem, and to a deeper understanding of what it means to be a Jew.

Although he was a distinguished rov, rebbi, and rosh yeshiva, he became renowned as a historian almost by accident. He had begun giving a weekly Jewish history class in his shul, which became popular. He recorded the classes and sold them — “Rabbi Wein’s History Tapes” — as a fundraiser for his yeshiva, Shaarei Torah.

The rest, as they say, is history.

His breadth of knowledge and unique ability to convey eternal Torah truths with clarity, warmth, and relevance drew countless listeners. With masterful storytelling and a warm, engaging, Chicago-accented voice, he became the storyteller of Jewish destiny.

He brought Jewish history alive, not as a list of facts and dates, but as a living saga of the Jewish people. He transformed it from something distant into something vibrant and deeply personal. He helped his listeners feel part of a nation with a noble past and an enduring mission. He taught us to be proud of our people, to draw strength from their trials, and to see ourselves as links in an unbroken chain stretching back to Har Sinai.

As a maggid shiur and rosh yeshiva, he was revered for his penetrating lomdus and for the personal guidance he offered with humility and care. As a rov and communal leader, he combined halachic integrity with deep sensitivity, standing as a spokesman for Klal Yisroel and a representative of Torah Jewry in the modern world.

At heart, Rabbi Wein was a gentleman, a beautiful human being: approachable, gracious, and filled with quiet dignity. A man of few words, he always had the perfect vort, story, or quip — sharp, thoughtful, and on point. He wore the mantle of Torah leadership and scholarship with grace. He never sought honor for himself; instead, he elevated those around him.

He was a personal inspiration to me, a model of what one can become when G-d-given talents are used in service of the greater good. For as long as I can remember, he was always teaching and guiding me, through his words, his presence, and his example. He never imposed, never lectured. It was all so natural that I often didn’t realize how much he was being mechaneich me — in Yiddishkeit, in public life, and in service to others — until much later.

And one more thing: When he spoke publicly, he took my breath away. Literally. He would deliver a drosha or a speech, and when he was done, I just sat there, frozen in place, wishing he would go on. His brilliance, his depth, and the way he conveyed his message left me speechless.

His teachings, seforim, and books are an enduring legacy. His voice will continue to guide. His stories and insights will continue to inspire generations to come.

I was privileged to be at his levayah, and as I sat there, I realized that Hashem had brought me to Eretz Yisroel — for no apparent reason — so that I could be there to say goodbye to my last surviving uncle.

The last time I saw him was this past Shavuos. As always when we were in Yerushalayim, we went to visit him. It was a typical family visit, warm and familiar. He told me that he had published a new book and wanted to give me a copy. Though he could no longer see, he reached for a book, then for a pen, and said he wanted to autograph it, which he did.

Then he said, “It was so nice of you to come. I love you — and I’ve loved you for many years. I wish you well.”

He wasn’t one to express emotion openly, so the words struck me. And then he said: “This is not my last book. I have one more coming, and that will be it.”

And then, without drama or sadness, he added: “And that book has already been written.”

His tone was so matter-of-fact. I searched for something to say, but the right words didn’t come. I finally asked, “Uncle, why do you speak that way?”

And he said: “Pinny dear, that is what life is all about. Eventually, it comes to an end.”

And once again, for one final time, he left me speechless.

• ● ●

I had come to Eretz Yisroel with a vague plan and no clear reason, only to realize that Hashem had brought me there not just to daven at the Kosel or escape the blood-stained soil of Europe, but to say goodbye. To be present for the final chapter of a man who shaped my life and the lives of so many others.

In a land soaked with kedusha, during days scorched by sun and softened by Shabbos, I found myself standing at the crossroads of history, family, and Torah. I came to walk in the footsteps of ancestors, and instead, I found myself walking alongside giants of my own lifetime.

Rav Shmuel Deutsch and Rav Berel Wein were unique individuals who shaped generations through their brilliance in learning. Though they were very different from each other, each taught in their own way that Torah is not only learned, but lived and given over.

And so I left Eretz Yisroel not only with memories of unbearable heat and unexpected levayos, but with something deeper: a renewed understanding of what it means to be part of the unbroken chain of our people — to carry memory, to honor legacy, and to live a life that gives back more than it takes.

Yehi zichrom boruch.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Prime Minister Binyomin Netanyahu’s office issued a firm denial on Wednesday night regarding reports that Israel had considered a U.S.-backed proposal to transfer control of Mount Dov and the Shebaa Farms to Syria in exchange for Damascus giving up its claims to the Golan Heights.

“The report claiming that Israel is considering ceding Mount Dov is totally fake news,” said a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to Kan 11 News, the alleged American proposal surfaced during past negotiations between Israel and Syria. Talks eventually collapsed after Sunni militias and Syrian government forces carried out massacres against Druze residents in the Suweida region. Still, the report suggested that the possibility of reviving discussions in the future had not been ruled out.

The Kan report further indicated that Israel had internally assessed the political viability of such a deal, given that any territorial concession would legally require either a nationwide referendum or majority approval in the Knesset.

The outlet cited a source close to the Syrian government who acknowledged that a future security agreement between the two countries could potentially link the status of Mount Dov with that of the Golan Heights. However, he denied that this issue was actively being negotiated at present.

The same source maintained that while the topic could become relevant at a later stage, it was not currently part of the ongoing discussions. Another individual familiar with the diplomatic contacts confirmed to Kan 11 News that the matter is not on the agenda at this time and would only be addressed in subsequent rounds if talks resume.

Separately, i24NEWS reported on Monday that the Trump administration has been working behind the scenes to facilitate a preliminary security framework between Israel and Syria ahead of the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session in September.

However, U.S. envoy to Syria Tom Barrack clarified later that there is still significant ground to cover before an agreement can be reached.

Speaking with Axios’ Barak Ravid, Barrack stated, “They have mutual intent and desire but at the moment, there is still more work to do.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez has been dismissed from her position on Wednesday after she declined to resign.

Monarez’s termination followed an ultimatum reportedly given by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who instructed her to either step down voluntarily or face removal.

“As her attorney’s statement makes abundantly clear, Susan Monarez is not aligned with the President’s agenda of Making America Healthy Again,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.

“Since Susan Monarez refused to resign despite informing HHS leadership of her intent to do so, the White House has terminated Monarez from her position with the CDC,” Desai added.

The dispute between Monarez, who had been sworn in less than four weeks ago, and Kennedy centers on differences regarding vaccine policy, according to a Trump administration official who spoke to the New York Times.

The official revealed that Kennedy demanded Monarez’s resignation on Monday. When she refused, he instructed her to dismiss several senior CDC leaders by the end of the week.

Kennedy then called a second meeting with Monarez on Tuesday, during which he accused her of “being a leaker” and warned that she would be fired after discovering she had contacted Senate Health Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-La.) following their initial meeting.

HHS, which manages the CDC, confirmed Monarez’s ouster in a post on X earlier Wednesday.

“Susan Monarez is no longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people,” the statement read.

The announcement also declared that Kennedy “has full confidence in his team at [CDC] who will continue to be vigilant in protecting Americans against infectious diseases at home and abroad,” though no replacement was named.

Monarez’s attorneys disputed the administration’s claims, asserting that she had not voluntarily left her position and had not received formal notice of her dismissal.

“As a person of integrity and devoted to science, she will not resign,” lawyers Abbe Lowell and Mark Zaid said in a statement. Lowell, who has previously represented Hunter Biden, and Zaid accused the administration of punishing Monarez for standing by scientific principles.

“When CDC Director Susan Monarez refused to rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts, she chose protecting the public over serving a political agenda. For that, she has been targeted,” they said. “This is not about one official. It is about the systematic dismantling of public health institutions, the silencing of experts, and the dangerous politicization of science.

“The attack on Dr. Monarez is a warning to every American: our evidence-based systems are being undermined from within.”

Monarez, a career federal scientist, had been selected by President Trump in March to head the CDC after he withdrew his initial nomination of Dave Weldon.

She was confirmed by the Senate on July 29 and officially sworn in by Kennedy two days later, on July 31.

According to the New York Times, Monarez objected to Kennedy’s June decision to dismiss all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), which provides guidance on vaccine recommendations.

Kennedy, known for his longstanding skepticism regarding vaccines, has previously reversed CDC recommendations that encouraged COVID-19 vaccinations for pregnant women and healthy children.

Monarez’s firing coincided with Kennedy’s announcement of new eligibility guidelines for COVID-19 vaccines.

Under the updated policy, individuals 65 and older will still have access to the vaccines, but younger adults and children must now demonstrate that they have underlying health conditions—such as obesity or asthma—that put them at greater risk of serious illness.

In addition to Monarez’s dismissal, four senior CDC officials resigned on Wednesday, including the agency’s chief medical officer, the director of vaccine recommendations, the head of vaccine safety, and the leader of the CDC’s public health data office.

{Matzav.com}

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Wednesday that the federal government has officially revoked the emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines. The FDA also ended its broader authorization of the shots, limiting full approval to individuals considered at higher risk for severe illness.

“I promised 4 things,” Kennedy Jr. said in a statement posted on X. “1. to end covid vaccine mandates. 2. to keep vaccines available to people who want them, especially the vulnerable. 3. to demand placebo-controlled trials from companies. 4. to end the emergency.”

Kennedy Jr. went on to explain: “In a series of FDA actions today we accomplished all four goals. The emergency use authorizations for Covid vaccines, once used to justify broad mandates on the general public during the Biden administration, are now rescinded.”

He added that updated approvals are now in place for those at higher risk: “FDA has now issued marketing authorization for those at higher risk: Moderna (6+ months), Pfizer (5+), and Novavax (12+). These vaccines are available for all patients who choose them after consulting with their doctors. The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three.”

{Matzav.com}

A new diplomatic effort is underway as the Magen U’Moshia Center has sent an urgent letter, via the Israeli ambassador, to the United States government, requesting intervention on behalf of thousands of American citizens who are also Israeli nationals and are now facing severe restrictions due to the ongoing draft crisis in Israel.

The letter, signed by Yisroel Porush, Chairman of the Magen U’Moshia Center, was addressed to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. Porush called on the American administration to intervene in what he described as a serious violation of the civil rights of U.S. citizens who dedicate their lives to Torah study but are now being targeted by Israeli authorities due to the cancellation of the longstanding draft exemption.

In the letter, Porush explained that for nearly 75 years, Israeli citizens who devoted themselves fully to Torah learning were granted exemptions from military service. This long-standing arrangement was recently suspended, leading to sweeping legal and administrative sanctions against approximately 80,000 people — including thousands of U.S. citizens living in Israel.

Among these sanctions are exit bans preventing them from leaving Israel and even the threat of arrest. Porush stressed that the abrupt change has left many American nationals “in severe distress, as their basic rights as U.S. citizens are being infringed upon by Israeli legal authorities.”

Porush urged Ambassador Huckabee to intervene, writing: “Your Excellency, the only ‘offense’ these American citizens have committed is their steadfast dedication to Torah study. You yourself have publicly declared that Torah study is the salvation of the Jewish people. It is therefore inconceivable that Americans should be treated as criminals for an act that embodies their faith, heritage, and contribution to the Jewish nation.”

The letter also highlighted that some of these American citizens are even seeking to renounce their Israeli citizenship altogether in order to retain only their U.S. nationality and continue their Torah learning without government interference. However, under current restrictions, they are barred from leaving Israel to finalize this process.

“We are appealing to you on behalf of these law-abiding U.S. citizens,” Porush continued, “to take immediate action to prevent this absurd situation, in which Americans are being denied the right to return to their own country solely because of internal political and legal disputes within Israel.”

Porush concluded his letter by emphasizing the urgency of the matter: “You are known for your deep respect for the Jewish people and its Torah. We now call upon you, as the representative of the United States in Israel, to act swiftly with the Israeli authorities to remove these restrictions and to ensure that American citizens are not punished for their faith and devotion to Torah study. We also request that you bring this matter to the attention of the administration in Washington so it can be addressed at the highest levels.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

The Elul zeman opened at Yeshivas Darchei Ish in Moshav Tirosh with a special shiur delivered by the Rishon LeTzion, Rav Dovid Yosef, who traveled especially for the occasion.

At the start of his remarks, Rav Yosef highlighted the central importance of immersing oneself in Gemara study, stressing that it forms the foundation upon which the Torah world has stood for generations.

“Without toiling in Torah, without diligence in the sugyos of Shas and the poskim, there can be no preservation of the spiritual essence of Am Yisroel. Especially now, at the start of the Elul zeman — a time when we all elevate ourselves and prepare for the Yamim Nora’im — we must strengthen ourselves with even greater commitment to learning and hard work,” he said.

The Rishon LeTzion went on to emphasize that the yeshiva years are the most precious period in the life of a ben Torah. “You must understand — these years will never come back. These are the years you will never forget. Everything you absorb and build in yeshiva will accompany you throughout your entire life. Therefore, you must make the most of every moment and every hour, and be fully immersed in toiling over the Torah with sincerity and dedication,” he urged.

{Matzav.com Israel}

As the new zeman began and yeshiva bochurim returned from bein hazmanim to their bais medrash, a powerful message was delivered at the opening shiur of the renowned posek, Rav Moshe Sternbuch, at his yeshiva in Ramat Beit Shemesh.

Rav Sternbuch, despite his advanced age, personally arrives each week at the yeshiva campus to deliver a shiur on the sugyos being learned. This week, at the start of the new zman, the posek gave a comprehensive shiur on Shnayim Ochzin to the hundreds of bochurim in the packed beis midrash.

At the conclusion of his shiur, Rav Sternbuch made a heartfelt and personal request to the talmidim, urging them to focus their energy on Torah learning during the days of Elul and to refrain from getting caught up in current events.

“I ask you,” he said emotionally, “to strive during this month of Elul to learn more and to grab every possible moment for limud haTorah. Speak less about the news, which usually changes from day to day and is often based only on speculation.”

{Matzav.com Israel}