Matzav

A wave of concern swept through a yeshiva in Beitar Illit after talmidim reported repeatedly seeing what they described as a mysterious dark figure moving through one of the building’s classrooms late at night. The unusual reports eventually prompted an investigation by staff and, according to local accounts, led to the replacement of all the mezuzos in the yeshiva on the instruction of a city rabbi.

Rav Binyamin Chuta, rov of the Ohel Rachel Shul in Beitar Illit, recounted the incident during one of his shiurim, describing the unusual events that reportedly unfolded at the yeshiva in recent days.

According to the account, the episode began when several bochurim approached members of the yeshiva staff to report a disturbing phenomenon. They claimed that during the late evening and nighttime hours, strange activity that appeared to be supernatural was taking place in one of the yeshiva’s classrooms.

The talmidim said they repeatedly observed what appeared to be a dark shadowy silhouette moving around the room and appearing on the walls, despite there being no visible light source or apparent explanation for the phenomenon.

At first, staff members reportedly assumed the claims were the result of a prank or misunderstanding. However, after multiple talmidim continued reporting similar experiences, the yeshiva’s mashgiach decided to investigate the matter personally.

The mashgiach arrived at the yeshiva late at night and entered the classroom in question to see whether there was a rational explanation for what the bochurim had described.

According to the story related by Rabbi Chuta, the mashgiach himself suddenly observed a dark shadow-like figure moving across the walls of the room. The sight reportedly left him so frightened that he nearly collapsed.

The mashgiach then rushed out of the room and fled the area while calling for help.

Following the incident, and acting on the guidance of one of Beitar Illit’s rabbonim, all of the mezuzos in the yeshiva were reportedly replaced that same day.

{Matzav.com}

A significant new economic measure affecting the Torah world is moving forward after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara directed government agencies to begin implementing a policy that will deny certain tax benefits to Torah institutions whose students are classified as draft-eligible and have not regularized their status with military authorities. At the same time, a special interagency task force will be established to prevent alternative funding channels from being used to circumvent the policy.

According to a statement issued following a meeting chaired by the attorney general, the government determined that under existing law, Supreme Court rulings, and decisions relating to the economic enforcement of military service obligations, “it is not possible to indirectly fund Torah institutions in which draft evaders are studying through the tax benefit provided under Section 46 of the Income Tax Ordinance.”

Under the new directive, the Israel Tax Authority must publish an official notice outlining the policy change by June 7, 2026. The announcement will detail the revised eligibility requirements, the documentation institutions will be required to submit, and the deadlines for doing so.

The new policy will require Torah institutions seeking either a new Section 46 approval or a renewal of an existing one to certify that their students have arranged their status with military authorities. In addition, institutions will be required to provide student information, including identification numbers, so that records can be cross-checked against military databases.

Organizations that already possess Section 46 approval will also be affected. The Tax Authority is expected to contact those institutions by July 1, 2026, requiring them to submit the necessary documentation in order to maintain eligibility for the tax benefit.

The decision further states that institutions that fail to provide the required information, or whose eligibility is not approved by the Tax Authority, will lose their tax-benefit status.

In addition, the attorney general ordered the formation of a special interministerial committee headed by the Deputy Attorney General for Public-Constitutional Law. Representatives from the Tax Authority, the Budget Department, the Corporations Authority, and the Justice Ministry will participate in the effort.

The committee’s mission will be to develop procedures designed to prevent the creation of indirect funding mechanisms for institutions whose students are draft-eligible but have not resolved their military status.

The decision also referenced a Supreme Court ruling issued in April, which stated that “the creation of alternative funding channels contradicts the court’s ruling and directly undermines the government’s obligation to enforce the provisions of the Security Service Law.”

{Matzav.com}