Feed aggregator

As anticipation builds for today’s massive atzeres in Yerushalayim protesting the draft decrees against yeshiva students, set to get underway in just a few minutes, Rav Shabtai Levi, Rav of the Ramat Aharon neighborhood and head of Badatz Hilchos Moshe, issued a halachic clarification regarding a special bracha that will apply to this historic gathering.

In a message, Rav Levi explained that the bracha of “Chacham HaRazim”—recited upon seeing 600,000 Jews assembled in one place—should be said at the event. “When so many Jews gather, and each one is unique—in face, in opinion, in outlook—only HaKadosh Baruch Hu knows the secret depths of every individual heart,” he said. “That is the meaning of Chacham HaRazim—the One Who knows the inner thoughts of all.”

Rav Levi drew upon the commentary of the Ra’ah in Maseches Berachos 58a, which explains that 600,000 represents the fullness of Klal Yisroel’s spiritual and intellectual diversity. “The Torah was given to 600,000 because that number embodies all possible understandings and insights,” Rav Levi quoted. “Every person represents a distinct perspective, and together they reflect the totality of the Torah’s 600 facets. When all those minds stood at Har Sinai, every one of them heard and interpreted the Torah in his own way.”

“Since more than 600,000 Jews are expected to attend this atzeres,” Rav Levi declared, “it is fitting to recite the bracha: ‘Baruch Atah Hashem Elokeinu Melech HaOlam Chacham HaRazim.’”

The rav went on to describe the moral urgency of the protest. “The gathering is being held in honor of those who learn Torah—to cry out against the disgrace being heaped upon Torah scholars,” he said. “They are sending Jews to prison for the ‘crime’ of learning Torah. Has there ever been such audacity in our history? Never.”

He added passionately: “It has never happened in the history of the Jewish people that Jews themselves would imprison other Jews for studying Torah. The nations of the world did that—Rabi Akiva was arrested for it—but for Jews to do this to one another? It is unthinkable. We must protest it with all our strength.”

Concluding his remarks, Rav Levi noted that even if participants cannot see all 600,000 people at once, the bracha still applies. “When 600,000 Jews gather in one place—even if not all are visible simultaneously—the bracha of Chacham HaRazim is recited,” he said. “It recognizes the unity of the multitudes and the individuality of each soul within Klal Yisroel.”

{Matzav.com}

Wild scenes at the trains in Yerushalyim, as tens of thousands of Yeshiva Bochrim arrive for the Million-Man Rally.

Chareidim on the way to the atzeres pass IDF soldiers at the Jerusalem train station.

A soldier in the Chareidi Tomer brigade plays piano for the Chareidim arriving at the atzeres in the Jerusalem train station. He is soon drowned out by bochurim singing .עוצו עצה ותופר

Deep sorrow has spread throughout the Slonimer chassidus with the passing of the revered elder chassid, Reb Yechiel Aharon Boimel zt”l, who was niftar at the age of 92. The levayah will take place today in Yerushalayim.

Reb Yechiel Aharon was born on Erev Pesach 5693 (1933) to his father, Reb Mordechai Boimel zt”l, and his mother, Mrs. Feiga Rachel a”h. His bris milah was performed on the knees of the saintly ga’on Rav Moshe Kliers zt”l, the rav of Tiveria.

He studied at Talmud Torah Or Torah in Tiveria, where he became deeply attached to the Rebbe Reb Mordechai of Slonim zt”l. Later, he was brought by his Rebbe, the Nesivos Shalom, to learn at Yeshivas Beis Avrohom of Slonim, where he was among the first talmidim and learned b’chavrusa with Rav Moshe Halberstam.

Over the course of his life, Reb Yechiel Aharon merited to bask in the presence of six Slonimer Rebbes: the Beis Avrohom, the second rebbe, Rav Motel of Slonim, the Birchas Avrohom, the Nesivos Shalom, and the current rebbe.

He later married into the distinguished family of Reb Binyomin Ze’ev Sokolovsky. building a home of Torah and chesed together with his wife.

Reb Yechiel Aharon shared a particularly close bond with his Rebbe, the Nesivos Shalom, who even asked him to study b’chavrusa with his son, the current Rebbe, during the war years when they were in Tiveria. In later years, he merited to care for his Rebbe during his illness at Hadassah Hospital.

For over fifty years, Reb Yechiel Aharon served as the baal tefillah for the yemei hadin—leading the davening on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur—and as baal koreh at the main Slonimer Beis Medrash on Salant Street in Yerushalayim, his voice echoing in the memories of generations of mispallelim.

In his later years, his health declined, and he resided in the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mili Schneider, chairwoman of Kesher Yehudi. He was blessed with children and grandchildren who follow his path.

The levayah will take place today, with kevurah near the tziyun of his Rebbe, the Nesivos Shalom, on Har HaZeisim in Yerushalayim.

Yehi zichro baruch.

{Matzav.com}

Chareidim who traveled to Jerusalem for the mass atzeres join Mercaz HaRav talmidim in their Beis Medrash.

HaGaon HaRav Zilberstein joins HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch at the Yirmiyahu Hotel, where they will stand during the atzeres tefillah.

The father of socialist mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani helped found the so-called Gaza Tribunal—a self-styled “court of conscience” that serves as a propaganda vehicle for Hamas sympathizers seeking to criminalize Israel and the West. Mahmood Mamdani, a 79-year-old Columbia University professor and longtime anti-Israel activist, attended the group’s inaugural meetings in London last year. The […]

Ben Cohen, co-founder of the iconic Ben & Jerry’s ice cream brand, revealed that Unilever, the company’s corporate parent, blocked his request to release a flavor meant to express “solidarity with Palestine.” According to the BBC, Cohen is now planning to produce the controversial flavor independently, as part of a personal line highlighting causes that he says the company has forbidden him from supporting publicly.

Cohen announced the initiative in an Instagram video, describing a watermelon sorbet inspired by the red and green hues of the Palestinian flag — a color scheme often used as a symbol of solidarity with Palestinians. He invited viewers to help shape the project, encouraging them to contribute “names, recipes, and packaging designs for the flavor.”

“Unilever refused to make it,” Cohen said. “So I’m doing what they wouldn’t — I’m making a watermelon-flavored ice cream calling for permanent in Palestine and repairing all the damage done there.” He added that this is only the beginning of a larger effort to create additional flavors centered on issues Ben & Jerry’s has been “silenced” from addressing by Unilever.

The decision highlights years of tension between Ben & Jerry’s founders and their corporate owner. Since Unilever acquired the Vermont-based company in 2000, Cohen and co-founder Jerry Greenfield have repeatedly accused the conglomerate of limiting their political independence — which they say was guaranteed under the original acquisition deal.

In recent months, those disputes have boiled over. Greenfield announced his departure last month, lamenting, “They’re silencing me.” Cohen’s new flavor appears to be a direct challenge to the boundaries Unilever has imposed.

Israel has long been a focal point of the conflict between the founders and Unilever. In 2022, the multinational giant settled a legal battle that allowed Israeli businessman Avi Zinger to take over local rights to the Ben & Jerry’s brand in Israel, after the global company sought to halt sales in the West Bank.

The company’s internal divisions grew sharper after the October 7 Hamas terror attack and the subsequent war in Gaza. The global Ben & Jerry’s board — which operates independently from the Israeli franchise — issued a public statement denouncing Israel’s actions, declaring, “Ben & Jerry’s stands for human rights and peace. We join those around the world condemning the genocide in Gaza.”

Meanwhile, Ben & Jerry’s Israel continues to function separately under Zinger’s ownership, serving customers throughout Israel and distancing itself from the brand’s international political controversies.

{Matzav.com}

Please forgive me if I sound like I am preaching. I do not write this as someone entitled to lecture on the weighty decisions that are the realm of the gedolim who guide us. I write simply as one who wishes to share an example where we can see the truth of what our gedolim have taught us. The […]

WATCH:

WATCH:

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1617-Chikuy-Part-17-Different-Situations.mp3

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

 

 

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Stories4Life-Shiur-494-Exist-Brisker-Rav.mp3

A remarkable initiative unfolded today at Bais Medrash Govoah in Lakewood, NJ, where a simple sign sparked an extraordinary outpouring of Torah and achdus.

The notice, displayed prominently in the yeshiva, shared an urgent appeal on behalf of a yeshiva chaver whose acquaintance was scheduled for serious surgery this morning. With the roshei yeshiva’s permission, the message invited yungeleit to dedicate an hour of learning b’retzifus (uninterrupted) as a zechus for a refuah sheleimah.

The donor, in an act of generosity and ahavas Torah, pledged to give $100 to any talmid who would learn for at least one full hour totally uninterrupted during first seder today.

The response was nothing short of breathtaking. We are told that close to 10,000 yungeleit participated, filling every corner of the yeshiva with the sound of pure, uninterrupted limud haTorah.

The collective value of that learning approached one million dollars, transforming an act of private concern into a public Kiddush Hashem of immense proportions.

As cards were filled and sedarim began, the atmosphere was electric, a tangible reminder of the power of Torah and achdus.

The initiative exemplified the essence of the yeshiva: where every challenge becomes an opportunity for spiritual elevation and chizuk, and where Torah itself stands as the ultimate merit in times of need.

In a world often driven by headlines of discord and distraction, today’s scene in Lakewood was a living testament to the unshakable heartbeat of Klal Yisroel — thousands of voices rising in unison, one daf, one seder, one nation.

{Matzav.com}

President Trump announced Wednesday that he has instructed the U.S. military to resume nuclear weapons testing “immediately,” citing concerns over the expanding nuclear programs of Russia and China.

“Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “That process will begin immediately,” he added.

The decision marks a historic shift in U.S. policy, ending more than three decades of self-imposed restraint. America last conducted a live nuclear detonation in 1992 and has since maintained a voluntary moratorium on explosive tests.

Though both Russia and China have claimed to abide by similar bans, Western intelligence sources have long suspected Beijing of conducting undeclared, low-yield tests in remote regions. Moscow, meanwhile, has flaunted its nuclear capabilities in recent years. Russian President Vladimir Putin has hinted at the possibility of renewed weapons testing and has publicly boasted about the development of nuclear-capable missiles and underwater drones.

“The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country,” Trump declared. “This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office.”

The announcement, made in a late-night Truth Social post, signaled Trump’s intent to project strength ahead of a tense diplomatic meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Wednesday. The president framed the move as reluctant but necessary. “Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years,” he warned.

Throughout his political career, Trump has often spoken about the unparalleled destructive capacity of nuclear arms, referring to them as “the N-word” during the 2024 campaign. He has frequently cited his uncle, the late MIT professor John Trump, as the one who impressed upon him early on that “nuclear is so powerful.”

{Matzav.com}

The Torah world is mourning the untimely passing of Harav Ezra Dovid Halevi Neuberger zt”l, Rosh Kollel and senior Maggid Shiur at Yeshivas Ner Yisroel of Baltimore, who was niftar at the age of 68.

His loss leaves a profound void in the halls of the yeshiva he served with steadfast devotion for decades.

Appointed Rosh Kollel in Elul 1994 by Rav Shmuel Yaakov Weinberg zt”l, Rav Ezra Dovid became a pillar of the Ner Yisroel beis medrash. In 2002, he joined the yeshiva’s faculty as a Maggid Shiur, illuminating sugyos in Shas and halachah with extraordinary depth and clarity. His shiurim combined rigorous intellectual analysis with an abiding passion for avodas Hashem, inspiring generations of talmidim to approach Torah study with integrity, precision, and yiras Shomayim.

For more than three decades, Rav Ezra Dovid was a marbitz Torah of rare caliber. His anovah and refined middos were matched only by his brilliant mind. Those who learned under him or sought his counsel found a rebbi who listened with patience, guided with humility, and taught with a heart that radiated warmth and sincerity. His presence in the beis medrash—his calm demeanor, penetrating insights, and unwavering commitment to mesorah—became a cornerstone of the yeshiva’s fabric.

Rav Ezra was a cherished link in the illustrious Neuberger family, a dynasty synonymous with Torah leadership, communal vision, and global Jewish rescue efforts over the past century. He was the youngest son of the legendary Rav Naftoli Neuberger zt”l, the famed menahel of Yeshivas Ner Yisroel, whose leadership helped shape the American Torah landscape.

He was a son-in-law of Rav Meir Hershkowitz zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Bais Binyomin of Stamford.

His sudden passing has left the beis medrash of Ner Yisroel bereft of a guiding light, a rebbi, mentor, and role model whose entire being was steeped in Torah and avodas Hashem.

The levayah will take place Thursday at 1:30 p.m. in Yeshivas Ner Yisroel’s Bais Medrash. The Ezras Noshim will be open to women, and there will be overflow seating for men and women in the Wolfe Dining Room. Mincha will follow the levayah. The kevurah will take place at United Hebrew Cemetery, 3901 Washington Blvd., Halethorpe, MD 21227.

A live stream of the levayah will be available at nirc.edu/stream.

Shivah will be observed at 437 Yeshiva Lane, Apt. 1-A, Baltimore, MD 21208, through Wednesday morning. Davening will take place at the shivah house, with Shacharis at 7:15 a.m., Mincha at 2:30 p.m., and Maariv at 10:10 p.m.

Rav Ezra is survived by his wife, Rebbetzin Miriam Neuberger, and their distinguished children: R’ Shlomo Zalman Neuberger, R’ Yaakov Yitzchok Neuberger, R’ Tzvi Yehuda Neuberger, R’ Avi Neuberger, R’ Menachem Neuberger, Mrs. Ahuva Goldberger, Mrs. Chaya Yehudis Gruenebaum, Mrs. Shira Gruenebaum, Mrs. Adina Schulman, Mrs. Rochel Deutsch, and Malka Neuberger.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}

At a moving gathering in Hostages’ Square on Tuesday night, Hamas captivity survivor Bar Kuperstein addressed the crowd publicly for the first time since his release, urging people across Israel to unite this Friday in a powerful act of faith.

Kuperstein, who endured months of imprisonment in Gaza, took the stage during the emotional event titled “Singing Together for Their Return,” where families of captives, supporters, and well-wishers came together to pray and sing for the remaining hostages.

“I want to say a huge thank you to everyone for your prayers, your support, and everything you’ve done for me and for all the other hostages – I have no words to describe all the love and what you’re doing for us,” Kuperstein told the crowd, visibly moved.

He went on to extend a heartfelt invitation to the nation: “I want to invite everyone this Friday at 10:00 a.m. to a mass tefillin-laying at the square. I want you all to put on tefillin together with me. My dream while in captivity was to put on tefillin – and we’ll do it for the release of all our brothers who are still there,” he said, concluding with emotion.

{Matzav.com}

In a powerful message of chizuk, Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein, rov of Ramat Elchanan and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, sent heartfelt words of chizuk to Ariel Shamai, a yeshiva bochur from Yeshivas Ateres Shlomo who is currently imprisoned for refusing to abandon his Torah learning to join the Israeli army.

The young man has been receiving visits and letters of chizuk from rabbonim across the Torah world. Among those who reached out was Rav Zilberstein, who sent a stirring message comparing Shamai to Yosef HaTzaddik.

“To the sweet Ariel Shamai,” Rav Zilberstein wrote, “know that you are now sitting in prison just like Yosef HaTzaddik. As the Gemara in Gittin (58a) tells us, one of the amoraim [Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya] once saw a beautiful, wise child imprisoned and said, ‘I am certain that this child will one day be a moreh hora’ah b’Yisroel—a halachic authority in Klal Yisroel.’”

Rav Zilberstein continued, “So too with you. If you maintain a good spirit and continue learning where you are, then that amora will say the same about you—that you are destined to be a moreh hora’ah b’Yisroel. If, even in prison and under these difficult circumstances, you strengthen yourself in Torah, then b’ezras Hashem, you will indeed become a great moreh hora’ah. May Hashem grant you all the best, my dear one.”

{Matzav.com}

A panel of judges overseeing Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s criminal trial ruled on Wednesday that he no longer needs to appear in the courtroom before their arrival — a decision made after security officials warned that it had become “difficult to maintain order.” The move spares Netanyahu from the pre-hearing media frenzy, where he would normally face shouted questions and flashing cameras.

In Israel, defendants are generally photographed before proceedings begin, but the Tel Aviv District Court has faced mounting chaos in recent sessions. Haaretz reported that several journalists tried to question Netanyahu ahead of Tuesday’s hearing despite a prior warning from the bench that such interactions were off-limits.

Netanyahu briefly exited the room and returned only once the judges entered, effectively avoiding the media scrum. He later called the entire situation “absurd.”

The latest hearing opened with a plea from Netanyahu’s lead attorney, Amit Hadad, who argued that the current schedule of four weekly hearings was unsustainable for the defense team. “We will not be able to provide Netanyahu the legal service that we think he deserves,” Hadad told the court. “I don’t want to resign, I really like the prime minister on a personal level; he is family to me. But I will not fail in my duty and arrive halfheartedly and unprepared.”

Netanyahu himself addressed the judges, emphasizing the immense strain of balancing his position with the courtroom demands. “With all due respect, you cannot have any idea of the extent of the workload,” he said, adding, “I am in the most difficult position in the world.”

He went on to argue that, “If we say equality before the law, then no one receives preferential treatment. And there are no cases where there are three hearings a week.”

Despite those objections, the court reaffirmed its plan for four sessions per week — with Netanyahu required to testify in three — and dismissed his attorneys’ appeal for fewer appearances. The judges cited extensive delays since the case began in 2020 and warned that, at the current pace, Netanyahu’s testimony might stretch into April 2026, with the full trial possibly extending into 2027.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu’s defense team said they could not continue under the current schedule, threatening to withdraw entirely if their request was rejected. They also told the judges that the prime minister’s national responsibilities made it impossible for him to attend three hearings per week as required.

The defense has frequently sought to slow the proceedings, citing Netanyahu’s health and duties as reasons to postpone. The court, however, recently opted to accelerate the pace in response to years of delays.

Netanyahu stands trial in three separate corruption cases — known as Cases 1000, 2000, and 4000 — involving allegations of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery. The prime minister has consistently maintained his innocence, declaring that all the accusations were “fabricated in a political coup led by the police and state prosecution.”

{Matzav.com}