Matzav

New details surrounding the death of a Minneapolis protester shot by federal agents have prompted speculation that a firearm may have discharged accidentally, setting off the chain of events that ended with the man’s death during an anti-ICE demonstration.

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who had been protesting President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies in Minnesota, was armed with a loaded Sig Sauer P320 9mm handgun when he allegedly attempted to interfere as federal agents tried to arrest a woman in public. Authorities said Pretti was legally permitted to carry the firearm.

Footage from the scene shows one federal agent shouting “gun” before seizing the weapon from Pretti. As the agent walks away holding the firearm, another agent abruptly rises and fires several shots, killing Pretti.

Rob Dobar, an attorney representing the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, said he believes the incident may have escalated after the handgun discharged unintentionally once it was taken from Pretti.

“I believe it’s highly likely the first shot was a negligent discharge from the agent in the grey jacket after he removed the Sig P320 from Pretti’s holster while exiting the scene,” Dobar said on X.

The Sig Sauer P320 is a widely used handgun among civilians and law enforcement agencies, including ICE, but it has also faced more than 100 claims alleging it can fire without a trigger pull, often described as “uncommanded” discharges.

Following the shooting, authorities released an image of Pretti’s firearm, showing a fully loaded magazine. The weapon appears to be a customized P320 AXG Combat model, which is typically sold with three 21-round magazines and carries a retail price ranging from $1,100 to $1,300.

Minneapolis police confirmed that Pretti possessed a valid permit to carry the gun. However, the Department of Homeland Security has previously stated that it is “unlawful” for demonstrators or bystanders to bring firearms to protests.

Concerns about the P320 have surfaced in prior legal cases. In November 2021, a jury in Philadelphia awarded U.S. Army veteran George Abrahams $11 million after his holstered pistol fired while he was walking down stairs, leaving him with permanent injuries.

“We’ve been asking Sig for over three years now to recall this gun, to fix it, and frankly to use the same type of safeties that other manufacturers are using that Sig Sauer is not,” the plaintiff’s attorney, Robert W. Zimmerman, said following that verdict.

Sig Sauer, which is based in New Hampshire, has repeatedly defended the firearm. At the time, the company described the P320 as “among the most tested, proven, and successful handguns in recent history,” in a statement posted on its website.

In April 2025, Sig Sauer executive Bobby Cox successfully pushed for legislation in the New Hampshire State House that shields the company from liability lawsuits related to the P320.

Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed the measure into law the following month, despite objections from some Democrats who argued that Sig Sauer should be required to defend its claims in court.

Sig Sauer has maintained that the alleged defect has been addressed and that unintended discharges are extremely rare given the millions of pistols the company has manufactured.

{Matzav.com}

Rav Reuven Hechster, the mashgiach of Yeshivas Mir Brachfeld in Modiin Illit, has been named as mashgiach at Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ, marking a significant development for the largest yeshiva in the United States.

The appointment comes nearly two years after the passing of the longtime Lakewood mashgiach, Rav Mattisyahu Salomon zt”l.

Rav Hechster, a close talmid of his revered rebbi, Rav Nosson Meir Wachtfogel zt”l, mashgiach of Bais Medrash Govoah, will assume the new role while continuing his position in Mir Brachfeld.

According to details that have emerged, Rav Hechster was recently approached with the proposal to take on the Lakewood post and sought guidance from Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch before reaching a decision. Delegations from Modiin Illit appealed for him to remain, citing the many mussar talks and vaadim he delivers in the city, while representatives from Lakewood urged him to come and serve the yeshiva as its mashgiach.

Following consultations with Rav Hirsch, it was decided that Rav Hechster would divide his time between the two mosdos. Under the agreed arrangement, Rav Hechster will spend approximately 20 days each month in Modiin Illit at Mir Brachfeld and 10 days in Lakewood. He is expected to travel to the United States on Sundays following his free Shabbos in Mir Brachfeld to fulfill his responsibilities in Lakewood.

Rav Hechster is widely regarded in the Torah world as a central address for guidance and chizuk, with thousands of avreichim seeking his counsel. In Modiin Illit in particular, he is viewed as a trusted source of direction and inspiration. He was originally appointed as mashgiach of Mir Brachfeld by the late rosh yeshiva, Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel zt”l.

In addition to his role at Mir Brachfeld, Rav Hechster delivers a mussar talk every Motzaei Shabbos, gives a weekly vaad on Tuesdays at Kollel Ateres Shlomo attended by hundreds of avreichim, leads a Thursday night vaad for dozens of talmidim at Mir Brachfeld, hosts a Friday vaad for alumni in his home, and conducts a biweekly Sunday vaad at the Mir Ueshiva in Yerushalayim for alumni.

Following the decision of Rav Hirsch, the appointment is set to take effect in approximately a week and a half.

Rav Hechster is expected to arrive at Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood during the week of Parshas Yisro, when he will formally begin his role as mashgiach at the yeshiva.

New York City public school buildings will not open on Monday as Winter Storm Fern moves through the region, though students will still be required to attend classes virtually, according to an announcement by Mayor Mamdani.

The move means that roughly 500,000 students enrolled in the city’s public school system will log in from home rather than report to classrooms, affecting nearly 1,100 schools across the five boroughs as instruction continues online.

“As snowfall begins to blanket our city and conditions become hazardous, closing school buildings is a necessary step to keep New Yorkers safe,” Mayor Mamdani said.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Peretz Plitnik zt”l of Kiryat Sanz, one of the distinguished talmidim of the Mir Yeshiva and the legendary baal tokeia of Rav Yitzchok Hutner, at the age of 91.

Rav Plitnik was laid to rest last night in Yerushalayim. The levayah departed from Beis Medrash Ahavas Torah on Rechov Toras Chesed and continued to Har HaMenuchos for kevurah.

Rav Plitnik a devoted talmid of Rav Hutner and later of his son-in-law, ybl”c Rav Yonasan David, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Pachad Yitzchak. He cleaved to their Torah and derech with every fiber of his being.

All who merited spending time in his presence encountered a living example of the unique tzuras ha’adam instilled in him by his rebbi, a figure of pure yiras Shamayim, blended with refinement, nobility, and an exceptional warmth toward every individual.

For many years, Rav Plitnik set his primary learning in the Mir Yeshiva and was among the pillars of the Ahavas Torah shul.

For decades, Rav Plitnik served as the baal tokeia in the presence of Rav Hutner. The lofty moments of reciting Lamenatze’ach and the tekiyos of the shofar that emerged from the depths of his heart, with awe and humility, remain etched in the memories of his admirers.

Alongside his profound avodas Hashem, Rav Plitnik was especially noted for his deep emunas chachamim. When he was approximately fifty years old, doctors ruled that he required urgent bypass surgery and warned that without it he would not survive. He sought guidance from the gaon Rav Yisrael Eliyahu Weintraub, who told him he could not decide and suggested they go together to the Steipler. After hearing the situation, the Steipler ruled emphatically, “They do not see.” Following those words, Rav Plitnik decided not to undergo the surgery.

Placing his full trust in the Steipler’s declaration, Rav Plitnik was granted many additional decades of life, ultimately passing away peacefully at age 91. With absolute emunah, he merited exceptional longevity in a manner seen by those close to him as beyond the natural order.

Rav Plitnik was zocheh to raise many talmidim and leaves behind a large and beautiful family: his wife, Rebbetzin Rivkah Plitnik, sons and a daughter, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all continuing in his derech.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

A debate over what is driving the surge of antisemitism across Europe erupted into a very public confrontation between two prominent Jewish figures, drawing in tech mogul Elon Musk and pitting a senior US official against one of Europe’s most prominent rabbis.

The dispute stems from comments made Wednesday at the World Economic Forum, where Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis, spoke during a panel focused on antisemitism, extremism, and social cohesion.

Asked about the sharp increase in antisemitic incidents in Germany and elsewhere, Rabbi Goldschmidt said the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel had sparked a dramatic global spike in antisemitism. He pointed to what he described as coordinated and even state-backed activity appearing on university campuses and in public arenas.

Rabbi Goldschmidt also connected political shifts across Europe to unease surrounding immigration.

“I think the rise of the extreme right in many European countries is a response to the insecurity felt by the so-called old Europeans regarding the new immigrants who came from the Middle East,” he said.

He further argued that Jews and Muslims share a common interest in confronting both antisemitism and Islamophobia, citing past interfaith efforts that he said helped strengthen social cohesion.

Those remarks quickly drew criticism from Rabbi Yehuda Kaploun, the US special envoy tasked with monitoring and combating antisemitism, who challenged Rabbi Goldschmidt’s framing in a series of posts on X. The criticism marked one of Kaploun’s first high-profile public interventions since his Senate confirmation in December.

“Blaming ‘old Europe’ for the present surge in antisemitism is disgraceful,” Kaploun wrote, asserting that mass migration has been a central factor in recent antisemitic violence and threats to Jewish communities.

“I am proud to serve in an administration that understands that mass migration is a huge driver of antisemitism,” Kaploun added. “It creates dramatic social changes and threatens the safety of all citizens. This administration, led by President Trump and Secretary Rubio, recognizes and confronts today’s challenges with clarity. Mass migration itself threatens the safety of Jews and all communities.”

The exchange gained wider attention after Musk, who owns X, reposted Kaploun’s comments and added his own endorsement, writing, “Exactly. Thank you for speaking up,” effectively propelling the dispute beyond internal Jewish leadership circles.

Rabbi Goldschmidt responded within hours, pushing back against Kaploun’s interpretation and saying his words had been misconstrued. He insisted that he had not blamed European society for the rise in antisemitism and stressed that he sees the phenomenon as emerging from multiple ideological streams.

“I never blamed ‘old Europe’ for the current rise in antisemitism,” Rabbi Goldschmidt wrote, explaining that his comments in Davos were meant to describe political reactions to immigration trends, not to justify or excuse antisemitic violence.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani found himself on the receiving end of online criticism after issuing a broad snowfall estimate ahead of the winter storm to hit the region today, reviving memories of past City Hall missteps during major weather events.

The mayor’s warning that the city could see anywhere from “3 to 16 inches of snow” prompted disbelief and sarcasm on social media, with critics questioning the usefulness of such a wide range.

“3-16, way to narrow down the forecast,” one user on X commented.

Others were less restrained in their reaction to the estimate.

“Saying that NYC is going to get between 3 and 16 inches of snow is nonsense,” another person said. “That tells you absolutely nothing. Citing numbers with a probability range of 5% to 95% is idiotic and moronic.”

A third commenter speculated humorously about the numbers themselves.

“Maybe they forgot the 1 in front of the 3? Idk ?” another well-meaning commenter suggested.

Mamdani released the forecast around 4:30 p.m. as the city was already under a winter storm watch from the National Weather Service, which projected a narrower range of 6 to 12 inches of snowfall.

“NYC is forecasted to get 3–16 inches of snow this weekend. And we’re ready,” Hizzoner wrote.

Along with the snowfall alert, Mamdani said the city would activate a Code Blue warning, a measure taken during extreme cold that relaxes capacity limits at homeless shelters to keep people off the streets overnight.

“Tomorrow, we’ll begin pre-snow treatment, brining highways and major streets. Once the storm hits, @NYCSanitation and city workers will be out around the clock, keeping our city moving,” his post read.

The storm system, known as Winter Storm Fern, is expected to reach the tri-state area today, with snowfall potentially lingering into Monday.

Should accumulations reach or exceed 12 inches, it would mark the heaviest snowfall in New York City since February 2021, when 16.8 inches were recorded in Central Park.

Major snow events have long carried political consequences at City Hall, where past mayors have faced scrutiny over how the city handled severe winter weather.

In November 2018, a storm that dumped only about 6 inches of snow brought much of the city to a standstill, triggering widespread criticism of municipal preparedness.

Then-Mayor Bill de Blasio later attributed the city’s struggles during that storm to “bad luck” rather than flawed planning.

His predecessor, Mike Bloomberg, also endured political backlash after a massive blizzard in December 2010 severely disrupted city services. Bloomberg later described that episode as a “character building” experience.

{Matzav.com}

The likelihood of a partial federal government shutdown at the end of January increased Saturday after Senate Democrats said they would block a key funding package in response to a deadly Minneapolis incident involving federal law enforcement officers.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats will withhold support for a major appropriations package if it contains funding for the Department of Homeland Security, denouncing the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents during the Minneapolis operation as unacceptable.

“What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling — and unacceptable in any American city,” Schumer said in a statement.

“Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included,” he warned.

Schumer criticized Senate and House Republicans for failing to add language to the Homeland Security spending bill that would impose limits on ICE officers, who have faced accusations of using excessive force against protesters in Minneapolis.

His comments followed confirmation by law enforcement officials that Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident and intensive care nurse, was shot and killed by federal agents during an ICE operation early Saturday.

“Democrats sought common sense reforms in the Department of Homeland Security spending bill but because of Republicans’ refusal to stand up to President Trump, the DHS bill is woefully inadequate to rein in the abuses of ICE. I will vote no,” Schumer said.

Schumer’s position came after Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urged Senate Democrats to block funding for ICE, escalating pressure from the party’s progressive wing.

“Americans are being killed in the street by their government. Our Constitution is being shredded and our rights are dissolving. Resist. Senate Democrats should block ICE funding this week. Activate the National Guard. We can and must stop this,” she said.

Ocasio-Cortez spoke out following Pretti’s fatal shooting by a Border Patrol agent.

Senate Democrats are scheduled to hold a caucus-wide conference call at 6 p.m. Sunday to map out their approach to the funding bills that must pass by Jan. 30 to avert a partial government shutdown.

Schumer’s statement represents a notable shift among senior Senate Democrats, who last week suggested that a six-bill appropriations package approved by the House was likely to clear the Senate ahead of the Jan. 30 deadline.

Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, said last week that blocking DHS funding would do little to curb ICE’s activities.

“ICE must be reined in, and unfortunately, neither a CR nor a shutdown would do anything to restrain it, because, thanks to Republicans, ICE is now sitting on a massive slush fund it can tap whether or not we pass a funding bill,” Murray said, referencing tens of billions of dollars allocated to ICE under the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act that Trump signed into law last year.

Murray added that the “suggestion that a shutdown in this moment might curb the lawlessness of this administration is not rooted in reality.”

The House last week approved a procedural rule to bundle six appropriations bills covering more than two-thirds of the federal government — including Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Education, and Health and Human Services — into a single package slated for expedited Senate consideration.

Several of the spending bills passed with broad bipartisan backing, while the Homeland Security measure passed more narrowly, 220–207. Only seven House Democrats supported that bill, which also funds the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration.

Since then, a growing number of Senate Democrats have said they will oppose any funding package that includes money overseen by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has drawn sharp criticism over images showing violent clashes between ICE officers and protesters.

“Trump’s endless empowerment of federal immigration agents has resulted in yet another senseless killing,” Sen. Mark Warner, who faces re-election in November, wrote Saturday on X.

“This brutal crackdown has to end,” he added. “I cannot and will not vote to fund DHS while this administration continues these violent federal takeovers of our cities.”

Sen. Peter Welch accused Noem of transforming ICE “into an aggressive paramilitary force that terrorizes our communities, interferes with local policing and makes our communities less safe.”

“She has abused her authority — I will not support a funding bill that gives her a blank check to fund ICE’s inhumane tactics and excessive force,” Welch said in a statement Friday.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal also pressed Democrats to demand changes to the Homeland Security bill, including a requirement that ICE officers obtain arrest warrants before entering a suspect’s home.

“I think there is an opportunity. Certainly, there’s an obligation to try to insist on conditions attached to these appropriations bills,” Blumenthal said in an interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”

“I’m a ‘no’ vote on that spending bill unless there are conditions that require ICE to go to a judge to get a warrant as well as other constraints,” he said.

{Matzav.com}

The White House repeatedly urged Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office to allow President Isaac Herzog to take part onstage at a high-profile Board of Peace unveiling in Davos on Thursday, but Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu rejected the requests, according to Axios.

Citing two people familiar with the matter, the report said Netanyahu maintained that President Trump’s invitation was extended to him personally and not to Herzog, and he ultimately vetoed the president’s participation. Herzog did not attend the ceremony.

U.S. officials had hoped that an Israeli presence would underscore broad backing for the Board of Peace’s Gaza-related plans, signaling support from Israel alongside Arab and Muslim leaders who were present, the report said.

Israel has also voiced dissatisfaction with Washington’s decision to name senior officials from Turkey and Qatar to the Gaza Executive Board, a subsidiary body expected to assume expanded authority over postwar oversight in Gaza. The Board of Peace itself, comprised of heads of state or government, is expected to convene only a few times annually.

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel that while Netanyahu accepted Trump’s invitation to join the Board of Peace despite serious reservations, he had little latitude to refuse given his reliance on the American president.

Netanyahu did not attend the World Economic Forum because Switzerland is a party to the International Criminal Court and had indicated it would enforce an arrest warrant against him if he entered Swiss territory.

Two days before the ceremony, on Tuesday, the White House approached the Prime Minister’s Office and proposed that Herzog represent Israel onstage, a suggestion Netanyahu turned down, the report said.

The following day, White House officials again contacted Netanyahu and his aides “several” times, pressing for Herzog’s participation.

Describing the exchanges as “tense and difficult,” the sources told Axios that Netanyahu continued to rebuff the requests, which persisted until hours before Thursday’s signing ceremony.

In the end, the report said, the White House opted not to “go to war” with the prime minister over the dispute, instead concentrating on efforts to press Netanyahu to agree to open the Rafah Border Crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Axios reported that the standoff fueled friction between the Prime Minister’s Office and the President’s Residence, as well as between the White House and Netanyahu’s team.

Despite the report’s framing, Herzog does not serve under Netanyahu, and the president does not require the prime minister’s approval to attend events or undertake similar engagements.

{Matzav.com}

Senior Justice Department officials say federal immigration officers are acting within the law when they arrest migrants with final deportation orders inside their homes without first obtaining a judge’s signature, according to comments given to Breitbart News.

Chad Mizelle, chief of staff and Acting Associate Attorney General at the Department of Justice, said existing case law allows such arrests when dealing with fugitives. “In cases of fugitives, courts have recognized that administrative warrants are perfectly okay” for entering a residence without a judicial warrant, he said.

The policy applies to migrants who have received final orders of removal after exhausting the full legal process. Once those rulings are issued, Mizelle said, the individuals are considered fugitives under the law. Over the past several decades, judges have ordered more than one million migrants to leave the country, yet many remained in the United States. During that time, enforcement of immigration law stalled as successive administrations and lawmakers declined to carry out removals, a failure Mizelle said undermined the civil rights of Americans.

Democrats have reacted angrily to the policy, which significantly streamlines ICE’s ability to locate and detain fugitives — including those with violent records — at known addresses and quickly return them to their countries of origin. Under the revised approach, ICE agents no longer need to wait for a judicial warrant, which Mizelle said is often delayed or denied by judges hostile to deportations, and can instead rely on administrative warrants issued by agency attorneys.

Mizelle weighed in publicly as the issue sparked debate online, telling one critic, “Read the en banc court’s decision in US v Lucas. The court held, plain as day, admin [not judicial] warrants suffice for entering the home of a fugitive. Case closed.”

That assertion drew a sharp response from Rep. Ted Lieu (D-CA), who challenged the comparison. “You’re wrong,” Lieu wrote, adding: “Lucas involved an escaped prisoner who had been convicted. Court reasoned he didn’t have expectation of privacy because he wouldn’t have had it in jail cell. In contrast, Supreme Court has held 4th Amendment applies to non-citizens. Case closed.”

Mizelle replied directly, rejecting the distinction Lieu attempted to draw. “You’re arguing that Lucas is different because it involved a fugitive? And what would you call an illegal alien who has been ordered deported by a court of competent jurisdiction, who has exhausted all appeals, who nonetheless is still in the country, and who is actively evading law enforcement? “Fugitive” would be the word you’re searching for.”

The dispute is expected to play out in the federal appeals courts and eventually before the U.S. Supreme Court, a process that could take at least a year as judges grapple with complex and overlapping precedents. Even so, libertarian legal scholar Orin Kerr suggested the government’s argument may ultimately prevail, writing in Reason.com:
“It’s always hard to offer a take on a legal argument when you have to speculate about what the legal argument is, so my take on this is tentative. But if I had to summarize my current thinking, it seems to me that the DHS policy is likely wrong in light of Coolidge, Shadwick, and Payton, although the DHS position is not frivolous in light of Abel as interpreted in Malagerio.”

While the legal battle unfolds, Mizelle said ICE continues to face resistance on the ground. He noted that judges aligned with Democrats have ordered migrants released shortly after detention, while Democratic officials have pulled local police support and allied activists have interfered with enforcement operations.

Mizelle said the policy change emerged from a broader review of immigration enforcement aimed at speeding up deportations of millions of inadmissible migrants admitted during the Biden administration. “They’re looking through all of their policies and trying to really revamp immigration enforcement, and they realize, “Wait a second, like, why are we handcuffing ourselves here?” And so they changed the policy, not because the old policy was required by law. I mean, there’s certainly some inside lawyers, Deep Staters, who for years, have given bad advice. But then whenever [department lawyers] dug in on it [they] said, “Wait a second, we don’t need it — an administrative warrant is perfectly fine.”

He added that the constitutional analysis hinges on reasonableness, not the existence of a judicial warrant. “The reason is … the Fourth Amendment never mentions warrants. It mentions “unreasonable” searches and seizures. So the key question is, what’s reasonable? And what’s reasonable depends on your legitimate expectation of privacy.”

Mizelle argued that migrants who are in the country illegally and have already been ordered removed have little remaining privacy interest. “So if you’re illegally present in the country, you have less of a legitimate claim to privacy, plus you’ve now actually been fully and finally adjudicated to be removed by a court of competent jurisdiction. You basically now have no privacy interests … You are a fugitive from justice … In cases of fugitives, courts have recognized that administrative warrants are perfectly okay.”

He also said the policy is necessary to counter misinformation that has encouraged migrants to evade arrest. “The thing that is actually very compelling, that people don’t realize, is that the ACLU has been telling [migrants] — wrongly, of course, — that if you stay in your house, ICE can’t get you, even if you have a final order of removal, that is, you’re a fugitive from justice. So these [illegal migrants] have not only been staying in their house, but in some instances, they’re literally taunting ICE agents. They’re waving through the windows or passing notes under the doors. I mean, it is as in-your-face as humanly possible.”

{Matzav.com}

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said on CNN’s “Newsroom Live” that the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis amounted to an “execution” carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Describing what she said was footage taken from a closer vantage point, Ocasio-Cortez claimed the sequence of events showed federal officers escalating the situation moments before the shooting. “There’s a second angle that appears to be circulating much closer to the incident where you see the victim, I believe his name is Alex Pretti and immediately preceding that incident in ICE officer had pushed violently a woman to the ground and he had come over to help get her up. And that is what precipitated this incident. That very quickly led to an execution, a deadly shooting in the street. What we are seeing here is a momentous, pivotal moment for the United States. And I cannot underscore enough how precipitous this moment is.”

She went on to argue that the actions of federal immigration agencies represented a dangerous expansion of enforcement powers far from the nation’s borders, with serious constitutional implications. “ICE and CBP, what we’re seeing here, we will see, which agencies were responsible but at the end of the day, under this so-called excuse of border security, where Minneapolis is over 300 miles from the United States border, we have an unleashing of federal agents and violence, exerting a tremendous amount of violence and loss of life against the American people who are well within their First Amendment rights. And in this case, it seems as though well within their Second Amendment rights.”

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 In this episode, Rabbi Reinman discusses when the seeds of the Talmud were planted.

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Chapter Forty-One: The Oral Law Emerges

After Antigonus passed away, a new phenomenon appeared in Jewish history. For over a thousand years, the Oral Torah had been passed down faithfully from generation to generation, each generation teaching it to the next. The students who received it from their elders numbered in the hundreds and thousands, but only one person in every generation was the Baal Mesorah, the official custodian of the Torah, the ultimate authority whenever questions arose.

There were undoubtedly points of dispute over the years and the centuries, but they always arrived at a resolution. According to the Rambam, the earlier generations enjoyed a very high level of wisdom, and they were almost always able to come to a meeting of the minds. If not, the Baal Mesorah would issue a ruling. In some cases, questions would come to the Sanhedrin, and they would be resolved by a majority vote. The minority opinions that arose during the earlier generations were not recorded for posterity, because the resolutions were so authoritative.

As a result, the minority opinions of previous generations were not recorded. They were irrelevant to the practical performance of the Torah’s demands and instructions. The process of determining the law was esoteric.  The only people privy to it were the highest echelons of rabbis and their disciples. And even the ones privy to the current discussions were probably unfamiliar with the discussions and opinions offered on issues that arose generations before. Once the issues were discussed and the decisions were determined under the guidance of the Baal Mesorah, they were set in stone; they did not need to be revisited.

After Antigonus, however, there was a change in the transmission of the Oral Torah. Until then, there had only been one Baal Mesorah at a time, but Antigonus had two co-equal successors, Yosei ben Yoezer and Yosei ben Yochanan; they were the first of the Zugos, the Pairs. Yosei ben Yoezer was the nasi, the president of the Sanhedrin,  and Yosei ben Yochanan was the av beis din, the father of the court. The nasi preceded the av beis din in ceremonial rank, but in all else they were equal. For the first time, the course of the Torah was no longer in the hands of a single final authority. It was to be guided by consensus.

The rabbinic literature does not give a reason for this radical innovation. It was undoubtedly God’s will, but we cannot presume to know His reasons. The best we can do is speculate. We are faced with two consecutive bifurcations in Judaism. The first was the Sadducee schism during the lifetime of Antigonus. The second came with his passing, when two successors took his place. Could there be a connection? …

Read full chapter and earlier chapters at www.rabbireinman.com.

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​​For more info, email bitachon4life@gmail.com.

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Senior officials in Yerushalayim have voiced sharp frustration with US special envoy Steve Witkoff over what they say is intense pressure on Israel to open the Rafah crossing before the release of the final remaining hostage, Ran Gvili.

One Israeli official, who spoke anonymously, delivered a pointed rebuke of Witkoff in remarks to Ynet, warning that his approach could have dangerous regional consequences. “Witkoff pushed to bring our major rival, Turkey, to the border. The clock is ticking backward toward a confrontation with Turkey, which would pose a real danger to our security.”

According to a report by Kan 11 News, Israeli officials were surprised by the public announcement that the Rafah crossing would be opened and are preparing to seek clarifications from both Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The Security Cabinet is set to meet on Sunday, where ministers are expected to formally approve the opening of the crossing and review recent developments related to Iran.

Witkoff and Kushner arrived in Israel today, but their trip was not scheduled in advance. The visit was organized at the request of Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu following the announcement that the Rafah crossing would be opened as part of President Trump’s rollout of the “Board of Peace.”

During their stay, the two envoys are meeting with Netanyahu to discuss the planned opening of the Rafah crossing, as anticipation grows over the expected return of Ran Gvili, the last hostage still being held. On Saturday night, Gvili’s family released a statement emphasizing their concern and urgency: “President Trump himself stated this week in Davos that Hamas knows exactly where our son is being held.”

In their appeal, the family called on international actors to redirect their efforts. “Given this knowledge, we urge that pressure be directed where it belongs: on Hamas, to fulfill its obligations under the agreement. Hamas is deceiving the international community and refusing to return our son – the last remaining hostage – in clear violation of the agreement it signed.”

The statement concluded with a direct message to Israel’s leadership regarding the ongoing diplomatic engagement. “We ask that the Prime Minister of Israel make clear to the respected American envoys that anyone who truly seeks to advance the rehabilitation of Gaza and peace in the Middle East must, first and foremost, bring Rani home.”

{Matzav.com}

Newly surfaced close-up video footage of the fatal Minneapolis shooting shows that protester Alex Jeffrey Pretti was armed, with the federal agent who fired more than a dozen shots appearing to react to a perceived threat during the chaotic confrontation.

It remains unclear whether Pretti had already drawn the weapon before being subdued, whether an officer pulled it from his clothing, or whether he was in the process of reaching for it when another federal agent was seen removing the gun from the 37-year-old as he was pinned to the ground.

A review of the disturbing footage conducted by CNN found that a federal agent reached into the struggle and secured a firearm just moments before a different officer opened fire, killing Pretti.

According to the report, the weapon visible in the video appears consistent with the 9 mm semi-automatic handgun that the Department of Homeland Security said Pretti possessed during the incident.

The analysis also captured officers shouting “he’s got a gun,” as an unidentified agent reached into Pretti’s waistband to retrieve the firearm.

Multiple videos show the agent who fired the fatal shots discharging his weapon at close range and then firing at least nine additional rounds into Pretti after he was already motionless on the ground.

Shortly before the shooting, one video showed Pretti holding his phone while attempting to assist a woman who had been knocked to the ground by an immigration agent, as both were repeatedly sprayed with tear gas.

A large group of federal officers then pulled Pretti away from the woman and forced him to the ground, where he struggled briefly on his hands and knees. Moments later, an agent wearing a gray jacket appeared to take possession of Pretti’s gun, followed almost immediately by the sound of gunfire.

The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti had approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun while agents were carrying out a “targeted” arrest.

“The officers attempted to disarm this individual, but the armed suspect reacted violently,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said at a press conference Saturday night.

“Fearing for his life and for the lives of his fellow officers around him, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics were on the scene immediately and attempted to deliver medical aid to the subject, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.”

{Matzav.com}

Residents across New York City and the surrounding region are preparing for a significant winter storm expected to bring heavy snowfall along with dangerously cold temperatures throughout the weekend.

Winter storm warnings are in effect across New York and New Jersey, leading both governors to declare states of emergency as forecasters warn that parts of the Tri-State Area could see a foot of snow or more. The system is shaping up to be the most severe snowstorm to hit the city since February 2021.

Gov. Kathy Hochul ordered the activation of the New York National Guard to provide assistance throughout New York City, Long Island, and the northern suburbs as the storm intensifies.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani cautioned residents that conditions could deteriorate rapidly, warning of “whiteout or near-blizzard” conditions at the height of the storm.

Storm timeline

Winter storm warnings remain in effect from 3 a.m. Sunday through 6 p.m. Monday. Snow is expected to begin early Sunday morning and intensify as the day progresses, according to updated forecast models.

From 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday, snow is forecast to spread across the region from west to east as the storm system moves north, beginning lightly before strengthening by daybreak.

Between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday, snowfall is expected to become extremely heavy, with rates reaching 1 to 2 inches per hour in some areas.

From mid-afternoon through late evening Sunday, warmer air may be drawn into the system, pushing the freezing line northwest. During this period, New York City and areas to the south and east could see a mix of freezing rain and sleet, while parts of the Jersey Shore and Long Island’s South Shore may change over to plain rain. Areas north and west of the city are expected to remain all snow, with heavy accumulations continuing.

Winds are also forecast to strengthen, particularly along the coast, with gusts between 25 and 35 mph. Ice accumulation of up to two-tenths of an inch is possible, raising concerns about downed trees and power disruptions when combined with the gusty winds.

From late Sunday night into early Monday morning, precipitation is expected to transition back to snow across the entire Tri-State Area as the storm gradually weakens. Light to moderate snow could linger into Monday afternoon.

Expected snowfall totals

Despite periods of mixed precipitation, forecasters say snow totals will be substantial across much of the region.

Areas north and west of New York City are most likely to receive more than 12 inches of snow. The five boroughs and nearby locations are expected to see between 8 and 12 inches, while coastal areas may receive lower totals due to mixing, generally in the 5- to 10-inch range.

Forecast totals include:

New York City: 8–12 inches

Long Island: 8–12 inches on the North Shore and western sections; 4–9 inches on the South Shore and eastern areas

Central New Jersey and the Jersey Shore: 8–12 inches inland; 4–9 inches along the coast

North Jersey, the Lower Hudson Valley, and Connecticut: 12 inches or more

Upper Hudson Valley and far northwestern New Jersey: 12 inches or more

Officials urge residents to limit travel, prepare for power outages, and closely monitor updates as the storm unfolds.

{Matzav.com}

Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard issued a stark warning to the United States on Friday, declaring it is fully prepared for confrontation as American naval forces move toward the Middle East.

The statement follows weeks of escalating pressure from President Donald Trump amid widespread anti-regime demonstrations inside Iran and a harsh government crackdown in which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has played a central role.

“The Islamic Revolutionary Guard and dear Iran stand more ready than ever, finger on the trigger, to execute the orders and directives of the Commander-in-Chief,” IRGC Gen. Mohammad Pakpour said, according to The Associated Press, which cited Nournews, an outlet closely aligned with Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.

Pakpour also cautioned Washington and Jerusalem “to avoid any miscalculation,” the AP reported, echoing a warning issued last week by an Iranian ambassador who accused the U.S. and Israel of fueling “political destabilization, internal unrest and chaos.”

President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have both voiced support for Iranian protesters. Netanyahu said Israel was “closely monitoring” developments and pledged that once Iran is “liberated from the yoke of tyranny,” Israel would be ready to help usher in peace.

Earlier this week, Iranian officials directly threatened Trump, warning him not to take action against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“Trump knows that if any hand of aggression is extended toward our leader, we not only cut that hand, but also we will set fire to their world,” said Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a spokesman for Iran’s armed forces, according to the AP.

On Thursday, Trump confirmed that U.S. naval forces were being repositioned toward Iran, telling reporters aboard Air Force One that the move was precautionary.

“We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won’t have to use it,” Trump said, according to the AP.

A U.S. Navy official later told the AP that the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, along with accompanying warships, was operating in the Indian Ocean.

The unrest in Iran began on Dec. 28, when large crowds took to the streets to protest worsening economic conditions and the country’s growing international isolation. Since then, despite a government-imposed internet blackout, reports of widespread violence against demonstrators have continued to surface.

At the outset of the protests, Trump warned Tehran that the United States was “locked and loaded” and prepared to respond if the regime used force against civilians.

In a Truth Social post on Jan. 16, Trump claimed the Iranian government had canceled more than 800 scheduled executions.

Iran’s chief prosecutor, Mohammad Movahedi, rejected that claim on Friday, saying, “This claim is completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision,” according to the AP.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported Friday that confirmed deaths have climbed to 5,137, with 7,402 people seriously wounded. The group said arrests have surged to nearly 28,000.

Iranian authorities offered their first official casualty figures on Wednesday, stating that 3,117 people were killed. Of those, officials said 2,427 were civilians and security personnel, while the remainder were described as “terrorists,” the AP reported.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said during a press conference that the man fatally shot by a federal agent was legally permitted to carry a firearm, offering a sharply different characterization from that later provided by federal authorities.

Video of O’Hara’s remarks, aired by C-SPAN and later shared online by Midas Touch’s digital editor, shows the police chief explaining that the man who was killed had minimal prior contact with law enforcement.

In the footage, O’Hara states that the deceased individual’s “only interaction with law enforcement was for traffic tickets.”

He went on to add, “We believe he is a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.”

In contrast, Breitbart News reported that the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement asserting that the armed man who was shot and killed in Minneapolis posed a grave threat to officers.

According to DHS, the individual “wanted to…massacre law enforcement.”

The department said the man “approached U.S. Border Patrol Officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.”

DHS further detailed the encounter in its statement, saying: “The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted. More details on the armed struggle are forthcoming. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but [he] was pronounced dead at the scene.”

O’Hara: What I can tell you, is we have identified this person. 37-year-old white male, resident of the city. The only interaction that we are aware of with law enforcement has been for traffic tickets. We believe he is a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. pic.twitter.com/FSdNZXUjPs

— Acyn (@Acyn) January 24, 2026

Video appears to show a shooting involving federal officers in Minneapolis. This video may include graphic content. At this point, it is not yet clear exactly what occurred in the video or what happened before the footage begins. Ali Velshi reports.

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