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Today, in the court of Vizhnitz, the chassidim mark the yahrzeit of the Rebbetzin, Rebbetzin Leah Esther Hager a”h, first wife of the Rebbe, the Yeshuos Moshe of Vizhnitz zt”l. This year, however, the day carries an especially stirring weight, following the revelation of a heart-rending story that closed a painful circle more than three decades after her passing.

As the chassidim reflect upon the memory of the Rebbetzin, known as an emblem of nobility and refinement, a powerful phone call from overseas came to light — one that reopened the raw emotions of the night of her histalkus 33 years ago and revealed a breathtaking moment of forgiveness by her son, the present Vizhnitzer Rebbe.

It was Motzaei Shabbos Kodesh, the 29th of Shevat, 5753. The corridors of Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer were heavy with grief following the Rebbetzin’s passing on leil Shabbos. In the room, near her bed, ten individuals stood guard to preserve kavod hameis before the levayah. Among them was a young man who, to this day, carries the scar of that night.

“I need to ask mechilah from the Rebbe for something that has troubled me for more than thirty years,” the man, now living in the United States, said in an emotional phone call to the Rebbe’s gabbai. “I was one of the ten who stood by the bed on Motzaei Shabbos. The Rebbe came to part from his mother one final time, but the door had been locked from inside, following instructions given to us by another family member. The Rebbe knocked on the door, identified himself in a broken voice: ‘It’s Yisroel Hager, the son of the Vizhnitzer Rebbe,’ and pleaded that we allow him to enter to bid farewell to his mother.”

The caller continued through tears: “I was the closest one to the door. I felt the pressure around me, heard the warnings not to open it for anyone — and I remained silent. The Rebbe stood outside for long minutes, begging to part from his mother a”h, and we did not open. I have never forgiven myself for that moment.”

The gabbai, shaken by the testimony of those agonizing minutes, entered to relay the request to the Rebbe. The pain of that terrible night — when a son was prevented from paying final respects to his mother — resurfaced. Yet the Rebbe’s response left those present stunned.

Without a trace of resentment, with serene composure and extraordinary calm, the Rebbe replied: “I forgive him with a full heart, and he should be well.”

The gabbaim, who understood how deeply that episode had cut — an open wound for a son denied his final farewell — attempted to press further. “But this is anguish beyond description. A son comes to part from his mother and the door is shut in his face?”

The Rebbe, in his remarkable humility and boundless compassion, looked at them almost in wonder. “But he asked forgiveness… Of course I forgive him!”

The story, revealed on the yahrzeit, has stirred hearts within Vizhnitz and far beyond. It is not merely a tale of a painful episode from years past, but a living testimony to the power of true mechilah and to the greatness of a leader who bears no grudge, even when the hurt touches the most sensitive fibers of the soul.

{Matzav.com}

Several wildfires erupted Tuesday afternoon across Northern Texas and the Oklahoma Panhandle.

UPDATE: 1 Firefighter was critically injured in a catastrophic explosion at a church in Boonville, NY. State Police say there is no indication of criminal activity at this time.

Colorado State Patrol confirms that 30 vehicles were involved in a massive pileup, leaving at least four people dead.

President Donald Trump said Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are both “fantastic,” but fell short of saying if he would support either one of them to lead the Republican presidential ticket in the 2028 election.

“It’s something I don’t have to worry about now. I’ve got three years to go,” Trump told reporters Monday when asked if he would support Vance or Rubio in 2028.

“JD is fantastic. And Marco – they’re both fantastic,” Trump said aboard Air Force One. “I think Marco did a great job in Munich.”

The president has been coy about who he would like to see lead the Republican Party after his second term in the White House ends. But Trump has repeatedly named both his vice president and his secretary of state when asked who he’d like to succeed him as president.

Trump last year said that Vance is “most likely” the heir-apparent to the Make America Great Again movement, but has also said that Rubio would make a great nominee.

The question comes after Rubio received positive reviews at the Munich Security Conference where he sketched out a shared heritage with Europe and asserted a common path ahead, while still focusing on the Trump administration’s stance on western dominance, immigration and climate skepticism. He struck a markedly softer tone than Vance did at the event a year earlier.

In that speech last year, Vance lambasted European allies and focused on cultural divides in a speech that was widely seen as inflaming rifts between the US and the EU. Rubio, in an interview with Bloomberg News, said he was not turning away from Vance’s speech, but wanted to explain the Trump administration’s reasoning.

Rubio, 54, a longtime anti-communist hawk, has embraced Trump’s aggressive approach while seeking ways to make deals in private. Vance, 41, a relative newcomer to politics best known for a memoir about life in small-town Ohio and Kentucky, embodies the MAGA movement’s anti-elite sensibilities, and Trump’s penchant for disruptive and unpredictable dealmaking.

Trump has spent months privately – and at times publicly – teasing a rivalry between the two, suggesting at turns that one, then the other, is best positioned to take the torch from him.

(c) 2026, Bloomberg 

TRUMP: Tax refunds this year, because of “ THE GREAT BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL,” are substantially greater than ever before. In some cases, estimates are that over 20% will be returned to the taxpayer.

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant: Striking Iran is not just a political decision. It’s an operational one. And the conditions are coming together.

Capitol Police provide update on today’s incident: “A gentleman parked…he exited the vehicle with a shotgun and began running up towards the Capitol…Capitol police officers observed this individual, challenged him and ordered him to drop the weapon and get on ground which he did comply with. He was then taken into custody.”

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement cannot re-detain Kilmar Abrego Garcia because a 90-day detention period has expired and the government has no viable plan for deporting him, a federal judge ruled on Tuesday. The Salvadoran national’s case has become a focal point in the immigration debate after he was mistakenly deported to his home country […]

Apple announced Monday that it will host a product launch on March 4, where the company is expected to unveil several new devices in the weeks ahead.

The U.S. military has surged more than 50 advanced fighter jets into the Middle East over the past 24 hours, sharply escalating its show of force near Iran even as diplomatic talks continue behind closed doors. According to a report by Axios, the deployment includes a mix of F-16, F-22, and F-35 aircraft, many of […]

The KCL of Lakewood, NJ has issued a public kashrus alert cautioning the community about the growing use of Instacart for purchases from kosher supermarkets.

In a notice obtained by Matzav.com, the KCL says it is calling attention to concerns that have arisen due to the increasing reliance on the Instacart service for grocery shopping at kosher establishments. According to the alert, orders placed through Instacart are fulfilled by third-party shoppers who may not have sufficient knowledge or training in matters of kashrus. In many cases, the kosher supermarket itself may not even be aware that the order is being processed through Instacart.

The KCL explained that this situation creates a particular concern when orders include fresh meat, fresh fish, deli items, or prepared foods. In such cases, there is no reliable assurance that the required chosamos (halachic seals) will be properly affixed by the kosher establishment. As a result, these items could potentially be delivered without the necessary halachic safeguards in place.

The KCL emphasized that it is currently exploring ways to address the issue. However, in the interim, it is strongly recommending that food items requiring chosamos not be purchased through Instacart. Instead, the Vaad advises that such items be ordered directly from the kosher supermarket, which is aware of the relevant halachic requirements and can ensure that appropriate seals are affixed prior to delivery.

{Matzav.com}

NYC Mayor Mamdani says that if Hochul does not approve allowing New York City to increase taxes on corporations and top earners, he will instead raise property taxes on city homeowners.

PHOTOS: Last night, Chesed Shel Emes held their annual Siyum Mishnayos and Appreciation Event at Beis Esther Hall in Boro Park, bringing together members and supporters to mark the siyum and recognize the dedicated work of the organization.

American and Iranian negotiators have agreed on a set of “guiding principles” for a possible nuclear deal, offering a tentative breakthrough in high-stakes talks. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said the two sides made progress during a second round of negotiations in Switzerland. “We were able to reach a general agreement on a set of […]

MK Yulia Malinovsky of Yisrael Beiteinu delivered an uncompromising message during an interview in the Kikar HaShabbat studio, making clear she was not seeking compromise over the proposed draft law but instead presenting what she described as an ultimatum. In the wide-ranging interview, she sharply criticized Chareidi leadership, argued that Torah study alone was not sufficient in the face of security threats, and signaled that state funding for the Chareidi sector would be her next target. “We’ve reached the limit — there will no longer be an option of only receiving,” she declared.

Malinovsky, known for her confrontational style, did not soften her tone. Addressing her relationship with the Chareidi community, she said, “My personal relationships with people are excellent, but I know how to distinguish between what is essential and what is secondary.”

Responding to claims that her stance on the draft law is driven by cheap populism, Malinovsky outlined what she called a simple principle — “the family equation.” In her view, the state functions like an extended household in which rights and responsibilities go hand in hand. “In a family there are rights and duties. Like a mother tells her children: ‘Sweetie, if you don’t do A, B, C — you don’t get this.’ You can’t just be on the receiving end. This is all of our home, and everyone has to defend it. There is no other option anymore.”

One of the most contentious points in the conversation centered on the tension between Torah study and military necessity. Malinovsky said she recognizes the historical value of Torah learning but rejects the notion that it conflicts with army service. “On October 7 everyone prayed, including secular people, but in the end what helped was an M16 rifle in someone’s hand,” she said.

She continued, “The Torah says that in wartime ‘a groom leaves his wedding canopy.’ Great rabbis throughout history both worked and served. The mitzvah is to provide for your family, and the concept of ‘Toraso Umnaso’ has become a political tool that keeps the public poor and weak.”

Malinovsky dismissed arguments that the IDF is not prepared to integrate Chareidim or that a gradual process is required. “The stories about ‘gradually’ are over,” she stated. “The IDF needs 13,000 soldiers now. When I see the young men in Bnei Brak — strong and healthy — they’re material for Sayeret Matkal. If they don’t defend the home, then who will?”

At one point, she invoked the historical example of the “Cantonists” under Czarist Russia, when Jewish children were forcibly conscripted. This time, however, she directed her criticism inward. “In 1818 the elite and the wealthy would hide their own children and send the children of the poor and widows to the army. I see that happening today as well. The Chareidi leadership wants to preserve its power and keep the public in yeshivot, while the weaker layers pay the price. I call on the young people: don’t be the Cantonists of the political operatives.”

Her criticism expanded beyond the draft issue to governance and public spending. She linked what she described as weak enforcement in the Negev to broader government conduct. “It’s all a matter of money and enforcement,” she argued. “We have a government of likes on Twitter, but there is no ‘governance’ on the ground. When you distribute 36 billion shekels in ‘extras’ to the sector without conditions — that’s economic suicide. Money leaves a trail, and we will follow it to bring order.”

Malinovsky concluded on a personal note, recalling her own journey as a new immigrant who arrived in Israel with just $200 and worked cleaning jobs before entering politics. She said her experience proves that there are no handouts in life. “No one received anything for free,” she said. “The sky is the limit for those who want to contribute, but the responsibility to defend our home belongs to all of us together. Without that — it’s either partnership or collapse.”

{Matzav.com}

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is set to unveil a record-breaking $122 billion budget, proposing a major expansion in city spending that would be fueled in part by a property tax increase and a sharp drawdown of the city’s reserves. According to sources familiar with the plan, the preliminary budget for fiscal year 2027 […]

A national taxpayer advocacy group is calling on President Donald Trump and Congress to address the nation’s rising debt, warning that interest payments and long-term spending commitments are putting increasing pressure on the federal budget. The warning comes after the Congressional Budget Office projected that federal debt held by the public will reach 120% of […]

Kevin O’Leary pushed back on a CNN panel over voter ID laws, arguing that most major countries require proof of citizenship and that the United States is decades behind.

Secretary Wright celebrates the first-ever airlift of a next-gen nuclear reactor: “The power for 5,000 homes flying in the belly of a C17. That thing will be assembled and running 10-12 weeks from now…There’s many companies doing this, and we’re partnering with a lot of them.”