A brief message posted by tech billionaire Elon Musk has set off a wide-ranging online debate about whether vast wealth brings personal fulfillment, drawing sharp reactions across social media.
Musk wrote on X, “Whoever said ‘money can’t buy happiness’ really knew what they were talking about,” adding a sad emoji.
The comment, coming from the world’s wealthiest individual, immediately resonated with users and prompted intense scrutiny.
The post spread rapidly, reaching close to 30 million users within hours and generating a flood of responses that ranged from genuine curiosity to outright ridicule.
Many commenters focused on what they saw as the contradiction at the heart of the statement. “So you’re not happy?” one user asked directly.
Others leaned into sarcasm. “Give me $1 billion first, let me also confirm for myself,” one reply read, while another joked, “You’ve got to be kidding me. $840 billion doesn’t make you happy?”
A particularly dry comment captured the tone of much of the discussion: “I’d genuinely rather be miserable and a billionaire than miserable and not a billionaire.”
At the same time, some users came to Musk’s defense, arguing that immense wealth does not insulate a person from stress, pressure, or emotional difficulty. Critics, however, said the remark felt disconnected from the financial struggles facing much of the world.
As reactions poured in, the conversation expanded beyond Musk himself, revisiting a familiar philosophical question: Does financial success fundamentally improve a person’s inner life, or does it simply magnify problems in a different way?
The context surrounding the post intensified the reaction. Forbes recently reported that Musk had become the first person ever to surpass an estimated net worth of $800 billion, following a major transaction in which SpaceX acquired his artificial intelligence and social media venture, xAI.
{Matzav.com}
Dear Matzav Inbox,
After last year’s painful and unsettling experience with the Lakewood, NJ mesivta farher system, many of us were left shaken. Rules were bent, some were outright broken by those who should no better, and what was meant to be a structured, dignified process too often felt chaotic and unfair.
Parents worried. Rabbeim worried. And perhaps most of all, the bochurim — standing at a pivotal crossroads in their lives — were left anxious and uncertain.
Those concerns were real, and they were justified.
But what deserves recognition, admiration, and deep gratitude is what happened next.
Instead of throwing up our hands in frustration or resigning ourselves to “this is how it always is,” responsible people stepped forward. Thoughtful individuals took action. Quiet planning replaced noise. Cooperation replaced competition. Accountability replaced improvisation.
And this week, we witnessed the results.
In the span of just a couple of days, thousands of bochurim, across more than five dozen mesivtos, went through farhers and were placed with clarity, dignity, and respect. What emerged was not just an efficient system. It was something far greater. It was a true Kiddush Hashem.
The process ran smoothly. The outcomes were thoughtful. The atmosphere was calm. Parents felt reassured. Bochurim felt seen. And the Torah world saw what can happen when achrayus, cooperation, and yiras Shamayim guide the process.
This did not happen by accident.
It happened because eighth-grade rabbeim invested countless hours truly knowing their talmidim and advocating for them with care and integrity. It happened because elementary schools worked responsibly and transparently. It happened because mesivtos acted with discipline and restraint, honoring both the spirit and the letter of the system. It happened because parents trusted the process.
Each group played its part. Each link in the chain mattered.
In a world where cynicism so often feels justified, this week reminded us that our community is capable of extraordinary things when we choose unity over self-interest and order over chaos. It showed our children that systems can be fixed, that fairness is possible, and that doing things the right way is not naïve. It is powerful.
Kudos to all involved. This was not merely a logistical success; it was a moral one. A quiet triumph. A moment of communal pride. And yes, a genuine Kiddush Hashem that deserves to be acknowledged, celebrated, and built upon for years to come.
Sincerely,
A grateful parent and observer
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Sen. Lindsey Graham said Thursday that he abruptly cut off a meeting with the head of Lebanon’s military after the officer declined to describe Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, a stance Graham said makes cooperation with the Lebanese Armed Forces untenable.
In a message posted to social media, the South Carolina Republican recounted a brief exchange with Lebanese Chief of Defense Gen. Rodolphe Haykal, explaining why the discussion ended almost as soon as it began. “I just had a very brief meeting with the Lebanese Chief of Defense General Rodolphe Haykal. I asked him point blank if he believes Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. He said, ‘No, not in the context of Lebanon.’ With that, I ended the meeting,” Graham wrote.
Graham followed up by stressing his own position on the Iran-backed group, saying there is no ambiguity about its record. “They are clearly a terrorist organization. Hezbollah has American blood on its hands. Just ask the U.S. Marines,” he added.
The senator noted that Washington’s view of Hezbollah has been consistent across party lines for decades. He pointed out that the group has “been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by both Republican and Democrat administrations since 1997 – for good reason.”
Because of the response he received, Graham said he doubts whether Lebanon’s military can be trusted as a partner. “As long as this attitude exists from the Lebanese Armed Forces, I don’t think we have a reliable partner in them. I am tired of the double speak in the Middle East. Too much is at stake,” he concluded.
The remarks come against the backdrop of a U.S.-supported ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Lebanon that obligates Hezbollah to dismantle its armed presence, beginning in areas south of the river near Israel’s border.
In August of last year, Lebanon’s government tasked the Lebanese Armed Forces with preparing a plan to ensure that the state would hold exclusive control over weapons by the end of the year.
Hezbollah has openly rejected that initiative, denouncing the government’s proposal and repeatedly insisting it will not relinquish its arsenal.
The group’s leader, Naim Qassem, recently reinforced that position, declaring that Hezbollah will not surrender its weapons and warning that doing so would amount to “the end of Lebanon.”
{Matzav.com}A newly released briefing from a well-known nonpartisan research and policy organization raises what it describes as significant ethical and national security issues involving Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, focusing on her relationships with individuals and groups connected to designated foreign terrorist organizations, Fox News reports.
According to the document, published by the advocacy and policy arm of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, the concerns stem from a broad review of Tlaib’s public conduct and political operations. “The conduct of Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, including her rhetoric, affiliations, campaign infrastructure, and ideological alignment with certain individuals and organizations, raises serious concerns about potential risks to the ethical and institutional integrity of the United States government,” the report states.
The briefing outlines what it characterizes as a consistent pattern in Tlaib’s activities, pointing to episodes that include participation in events where convicted terrorists were present, as well as substantial campaign expenditures directed to activists and networks it says are linked to Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.
A significant portion of the document examines Tlaib’s campaign finances, asserting that her political operation directed hundreds of thousands of dollars to anti-Israel activists. The report claims that nearly $600,000 was paid between 2020 and 2025 to Unbought Power, a consulting firm led by Rasha Mubarak.
Mubarak, the briefing notes, has previously drawn scrutiny because of past associations with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, identified in the 2009 Holy Land Foundation case as an unindicted co-conspirator, and with the Alliance for Global Justice, an organization that has been investigated over alleged ties to Samidoun, a group linked to the PFLP.
The report also highlights Tlaib’s appearances at public events alongside controversial figures. It cites a conference where she shared a platform with Wisam Rafeedie, described in the briefing as a convicted PFLP operative, who defended the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack as “resistance.”
Summarizing its assessment, the document states: “Through public endorsement, co-sponsorship, and amplification, Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib has consistently engaged with a range of organizations known to maintain operational or ideological ties to terrorist networks.” It continues, “Tlaib has engaged with and disseminated the messaging of these groups and has shared related content on social media platforms, has participated in events organized by these groups, and has referenced their terminology and conceptual frameworks in official congressional communications.”
The briefing notes that allegations of sympathy toward hostile foreign actors are not new for the Michigan congresswoman, pointing out that the House of Representatives has already taken formal action against her on two occasions.
In November 2023, Tlaib was censured for promoting what were described as false narratives about the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. Another resolution followed in September 2025 after her participation in the “People’s Conference for Palestine,” an event where speakers were accused of having “whitewashed” convicted Hamas financiers.
ISGAP Action also revisits Tlaib’s past remarks, asserting that she has repeatedly used antisemitic language. The report references an August 2021 appearance in which Tlaib spoke of “people behind the curtain” profiting from “racism” from “Gaza to Detroit.”
Beyond documenting concerns, the briefing urges concrete steps by federal authorities. It calls for a formal congressional investigation into Tlaib’s actions, including a review of statements it says echo terrorist messaging, her presence at events honoring convicted terrorists, and a comprehensive examination of her campaign fundraising sources.
The document further recommends that the Justice Department’s National Security Division evaluate whether Tlaib or those associated with her have violated 18 U.S. Code §2339B, which bans providing material support to foreign terrorist organizations.
In addition, the report urges the Federal Election Commission to conduct a detailed forensic audit of Tlaib’s campaign finances, with particular attention to donations originating from individuals allegedly connected to terrorist networks.
Concluding its assessment, the briefing warns of broader implications. “Tlaib’s conduct demonstrates how extremist ideologies can infiltrate mainstream democratic institutions,” the report concludes. “If left unchecked, her actions will continue to legitimize hate.”
The document also references a separate ISGAP Action report issued last year that examined what it described as a long-term effort by the Muslim Brotherhood to “transform Western society from within” and to infiltrate American institutions.
That earlier report stated, “The election and re-election of congresswomen such as Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), who have openly defended positions aligned with Brotherhood perspectives on Israel, counterterrorism, and international relations, demonstrates the intersection of identity politics and Brotherhood narratives.”
It added, “While neither congresswoman has a documented formal affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood, both have appeared at events organized by Brotherhood-aligned organizations, have received campaign support from Brotherhood-aligned donors, and have consistently advocated positions aligned with Brotherhood objectives.”
{Matzav.com}
