A rare Motzoei Shabbos glimpse of Rav Avigdor Nebenzahl, the revered senior posek and rov of the Old City of Yerushalayim, has drawn attention after a question arose about whether the rov objected to being photographed before zeman Rabbeinu Tam.
Photographer Shuki Lerer spent this past Shabbos, Parshas Toldos, in the Old City. After Shabbos, he arrived to document Rav Nebenzahl, capturing images of the rov wrapped in his tallis, immersed in Torah learning and waiting for Maariv. Lerer later photographed him davening and making Havdalah in his home on 9 Batei Machseh Street in the Jewish Quarter.
During the visit, one of those present remarked to Lerer that he was taking pictures before zeman Rabbeinu Tam, noting that the rov is careful to keep zman Rabbeinu Tam. Concerned, Lerer turned to Rav Nebenzahl and respectfully asked whether the photography bothered him.
The rov answered that he would prefer it not be done at that time. Lerer immediately left the home.
Lerer later related that he felt troubled afterward for not having apologized to the rov:
“I had a pang of conscience and decided I wouldn’t release the photos. But on Monday, I called the gabbi and told him I was uneasy, afraid the rov was upset with me.”
The gabbai got back to him with a message straight from Rav Nebenzahl: The rov is “not makpid on any Jew,” and Lerer may use the photos—“because this is your parnassah.”
With that reassurance, the matter was put to rest, leaving the photographer with both the images and a heartfelt brachah from the elder posek.
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The intelligence review presented to cabinet ministers showed that 13 out of 25 municipalities in Gaza have resumed full operations. Hamas police forces and internal checkpoints have been redeployed throughout the Strip, and the organization is repairing key infrastructure and restoring its public influence. Officials said Hamas is rebuilding its governing mechanisms at a rapid pace, capitalizing on the calm to reassert authority over the population.
Senior IDF officers quoted in the report said it is impossible to ignore the fact that Hamas is regaining its strength. They stated plainly that Israel must develop an independent operational plan to demilitarize Gaza because the American plan does not provide a solution. According to the officers, Israel cannot rely on foreign initiatives to neutralize Hamas’s military presence and must devise its own approach for long-term security control.
The cabinet’s written summary instructed the defense establishment to prepare a complete military plan should the Trump administration’s proposal for an international peacekeeping force collapse. IDF assessments delivered to the ministers indicate that activating such a plan may be only a matter of time.
Meanwhile, the IDF continues operating across the Gaza Strip. This evening, the IDF Spokesperson announced that troops from the 188th Brigade Combat Team identified a terrorist who crossed the yellow line and approached soldiers in northern Gaza in a manner that posed an immediate threat. The forces opened fire and eliminated him. Earlier today, Nachal Brigade troops conducting searches in eastern Rafah spotted five armed terrorists and killed them. The terrorists are believed to have emerged from a subterranean tunnel route in the area.
{Matzav.com}
The legal campaign targeting the Olam HaTorah intensified again tonight as Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara sent a sharply worded letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, accusing the government of failing to uphold its obligation to ensure “equal military conscription.”
In her letter, Baharav-Miara wrote that the government “is not fulfilling its duty to act toward equal recruitment to the IDF,” citing last week’s Supreme Court ruling, which addressed enforcement of the draft on yeshiva students.
The justices ruled unanimously that “the government is obligated to formulate effective enforcement measures to supplement the enforcement powers granted to the army. It is not permissible to continue granting benefits directly or indirectly linked to evasion of the draft.”
The Attorney General’s LetterThe letter, referencing the November 20, 2025 decision in case 5819/24, reiterated that a panel of five Supreme Court justices determined that the government is failing to implement its constitutional duty to promote equal conscription. The ruling requires the government to develop an enforcement policy within 45 days.
Baharav-Miara emphasized that “as a rule, it is not permitted to allow continued benefits that are connected, directly or indirectly, to avoidance of the draft.”
She urged Netanyahu to begin immediate inter-ministerial work — involving the Prime Minister’s Office, Defense Ministry, Finance Ministry, Justice Ministry, and the IDF — to establish a nationwide enforcement plan targeting alleged draft evaders “from all parts of the population.”
The Attorney General added that her office is prepared to present existing proposals, including “civilian enforcement tools that can be implemented immediately without requiring legislation.”
Political Fallout Inside the CoalitionThe development comes as coalition tensions over the draft law continue to mount.
Last night, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri convened party MKs and senior municipal representatives for an internal faction meeting in the Knesset. Behind closed doors, Deri addressed the ongoing storm surrounding the draft legislation now under discussion.
He told the MKs that deliberations on the law’s wording are expected to begin “in the coming days” in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Unlike Netanyahu’s request for a unified coalition vote, Deri refused to commit that Shas MKs would automatically support the final draft.
According to those present, Deri made clear that once committee discussions conclude, the final version of the law will be brought before the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah for direction — and their ruling will determine how the party votes.
Deri also assessed that if the gedolei Yisroel approve the bill, there will likely be a coalition majority to pass it despite the public opposition expressed by several MKs. “It’s possible that very soon this entire matter will already be behind us,” he said.
As the Attorney General pushes for aggressive enforcement and the coalition grapples with internal divisions, the debate over the draft law is expected to intensify in the days ahead.
{Matzav.com}
