Feed aggregator

President Trump issued a new executive order on Wednesday targeting federal water-use restrictions, specifically those implemented during the Obama and Biden administrations. He promoted the move with the slogan that it would help “Make America’s Showers Great Again.”

“Overregulation chokes the American economy and stifles personal freedom. A small but meaningful example is the Obama-Biden war on showers,” Trump declared in the executive order.

The directive eliminates lengthy federal guidelines—thousands of words long—set by the Obama-era Department of Energy, which redefined what constitutes a “showerhead.” These rules were brought back under Biden after Trump had previously eased them during his presidency.

“To the extent any definition is necessary for this common piece of hardware, the Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘showerhead’ in one short sentence,” Trump noted in the order. He instructed Energy Secretary Chris Wright to “immediately rescind the overly complicated” Obama-Biden regulations.

The administration confirmed that the rule change would restore the long-standing 2.5-gallons-per-minute water flow limit that had been in effect since 1992.

“President Trump is restoring sanity to at least one small part of the federal regulations,” the White House said in a statement.

“The Order frees Americans from excessive regulations that turned a basic household item into a bureaucratic nightmare,” the statement added. “No longer will showerheads be weak and worthless.”

The administration criticized the previous policy, claiming it was driven by “a radical green agenda that made life worse for everyday Americans” and even rendered certain multi-nozzle shower designs “illegal.”

The scope of the new executive order also extends to other household fixtures such as sinks and dishwashers.

“No market failure justifies this intrusion,” the White House said, referring to the rescinded water-use regulations. “Americans pay for their own water and should be free to choose their showerheads without federal meddling.”

“President Trump is slashing red tape and ending Biden’s dumb war on things that work.”

{Matzav.com}

The number of dead in a roof collapse at an iconic nightclub in the Dominican Republic surged to 218 on Thursday, an official said. Juan Manuel Méndez, director of the Center of Emergency Operations, said crews at the scene were still looking for victims and potential survivors, although no one has been found alive since Tuesday afternoon. “We’ve practically combed through ground zero,” he said, adding that there’s one very small area of rubble left that crews are focusing on. “This has been very difficult for us all.” Doctors warned that some of the two dozen patients who remained hospitalized were still not in the clear, especially the eight who were in critical condition. “If the trauma is too great, there’s not a lot of time” left to save patients in that condition, said Health Minister Víctor Atallah. He and other doctors said that injuries include fractures in the skull, femur and pelvis caused by slabs of cement falling on those attending a merengue concert at the Jet Set nightclub in Santo Domingo, where more than 200 were injured. On Wednesday, dozens of people had anxiously searched for their loved ones, growing frustrated upon getting no answers after visiting hospitals and the country’s forensic institute. By Thursday, a lone family remained with no answers. María Luisa Taveras told TV station Noticias SIN that she was still looking for her sister. “We have gone everywhere they told us,” she said, her voice breaking. Taveras said the family has spread out, with a relative stationed at each hospital and at the forensic institute. The government said Wednesday night that it was moving to a recovery phase focused on finding bodies. The legendary club was packed with musicians, professional athletes and government officials when dust began falling from the ceiling and into people’s drinks early Tuesday. Minutes later, the roof collapsed. Victims include merengue icon Rubby Pérez, who had been singing to the crowd before the roof fell; former MLB players Octavio Dotel and Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera; and Nelsy Cruz, the governor of the northwestern province of Montecristi whose brother is seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Nelson Cruz. Also killed was a retired United Nations official; saxophonist Luis Solís, who was playing onstage when the roof fell; New York-based fashion designer Martín Polanco; the son and daughter-in-law of the minister of public works; the brother of the vice minister of the Ministry of Youth; and three employees of Grupo Popular, a financial services company, including the president of AFP Popular Bank and his wife. Randolfo Rijo Gómez, director of the country’s 911 system, said it received more than 100 calls, with several of those made by people buried under the rubble. He noted that police arrived at the scene in 90 seconds, followed minutes later by first response units. In less than half an hour, 25 soldiers, seven fire brigades and 77 ambulances were activated, he said. Crews used dogs and thermal cameras to search for victims, rescuing more than 180 survivors from the rubble, authorities said. It wasn’t immediately clear what caused the roof to collapse, or when the Jet Set building was last inspected. The government said late Wednesday that once the recovery phase ends, it will launch a thorough investigation. The club issued a statement saying it was cooperating […]

By Rabbi Pinchos Lipschutz

The essence of the Haggadah and Pesach is the relationship between father and son and the obligation for a father to transmit to his son the story of the geulah from Mitzrayim. The Torah and Chazal prescribe different ways to speak to different children and lay out the format for the Seder evening conversation.

Rav Yitzchok Zilberstein related the following story.

One Shabbos morning a few years ago, an old man and his son entered a shul in Petach Tikvah. They stood frozen at the door, gazing at the people davening Pesukei Dezimra. Finally, they felt comfortable enough to find themselves seats and sit down. There was no need for a siddur, because they both couldn’t daven, as they had been locked behind the Iron Curtain for many years.

The older man paid attention to the chazzan and seemed to enjoy his tunes and chanting, while the younger man waited for his father to lose interest so they could leave and return home. He’d have to wait.

As the laining progressed, the old man started paying particular attention. All of a sudden, he started screaming towards the gabbai in a beautiful Litvishe Yiddish, “I must have an aliyah. Please, I must have an aliyah.” The kind gabbai acquiesced and called the senior guest to the Torah at the next opportunity.

The old man borrowed a tallis and a yarmulka and made his way to the bimah. He pushed away the siddur that was given to him to read the brachos and, with a deep and emotional voice, he began to slowly recite the brocha, saying each word with meaning.

When the baal korei finished his portion, the scene repeated itself, as the man cried his way through the words of the second brocha. There was utter silence in the shul, as everyone fixed their eyes on the old man standing at the bimah crying.

After davening, people approached the guest. They asked him questions, intending to elicit his story.

“I was born and bred in Vilna,” he began. “When I was 12-1/2, my parents started arguing about where I should go to school. My mother wanted me to continue in yeshiva, but my father wanted me to go to the gymnasia school of the Maskilim. He said that this way, I would learn a trade and how to maintain my Yiddishkeit while living among goyim.

“My father won and I was sent to that school. I began focusing on the studies, which brought my father much satisfaction.

“My bar mitzvah celebration was held in the large Vilna shul. I was given the aliyah for maftir, made the birchos haTorah and lained the haftorah. My father was beaming, while my mother was upstairs in the ezras noshim weeping.

“As I came down from the bimah, Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky came over and shook my father’s hand, wishing him mazel tov. And then he said to my father, ‘For your benefit, let me warn you that if you do not remove your son from the gymnasia school, generations will pass before your son will be called to the Torah a second time!’

“My father did not obey the rov.

“Today, for some reason, I felt a pull to the shul,” the man said as he began to weep once again. “When the baal korei began to read the parsha, I remembered that this is my bar mitzvah parsha.”

He raised his voice and said, “Yidden, her vos ich zog eich. From that Shabbos of my bar mitzvah, when I had an aliyah to the Torah, until today is exactly seventy years [two generations]. Today is the first time since my bar mitzvah that I received an aliyah!

“Ay, iz der gaon geven gerecht. Woe is to me, what the great rov said was so true.”

His father, back in Vilna, might have meant well. He wanted the best for his son and thought that the Haskalah school would provide for him the best of both worlds. But he should have listened to the rov, because if you want nachas from your children, the way to achieve that goal is by following the Torah, as interpreted by the gedolei olam, our leaders, the people such as Rav Chaim Ozer Grodzensky with whom Hashem blesses us in every generation. Those who think they understand better and ignore the warnings of the rabbonim gedolim jeopardize their ability to succeed in this world and the next.

Pesach is an intrinsic part of our fiber. Its mitzvos, rituals, liturgy and special foods enrich and enhance our souls year after year.

While the Yom Tov has a special effect on children, as we grow older we perceive new depths. Chag hacheirus becomes more meaningful, as we appreciate its valuable messages in a different, richer way. We increasingly realize how Pesach is meant to equip us with new resolve to rid ourselves of chometz and cheit, villains and tormentors. It drives us to pine ever more for the geulah, so that we might merit visiting the home of Hashem, offering korbanos to Him.

We recognize that we can only arrive at cheirus and geulah by doing what is incumbent upon us and fulfilling our missions as best as we can. We reach our potential by delving into the study of Torah and seeking messages from great men whose lives are totally devoted to Torah and nothing else. Sometimes, they tell us to act, and other times, they say to desist. Those who seek the brachos of the Torah follow it and don’t follow the path of greater personal benefit or enjoyment, whether they understand or not.

At the time of Krias Yam Suf, the Jews were afraid that the Mitzriyim would catch up to them and destroy them. They cried out to Moshe for a plan. Instead, they were told, “Hashem yilocheim lochem ve’atem tacharishun. Your job at this time is to remain silent and do nothing. Hashem will fight for you.”

Chazal state that this advice is eternal. There are times when we must speak up and times when we must remain silent, times to do battle and times to be passive. Our limited human intelligence is not always able to figure out the proper course of action. How we are to act in all times is prescribed by the Torah, as is so beautifully expressed by Shlomo Hamelech in Koheles: “Eis livkos, ve’eis lischok… Eis le’ehov, ve’eis lisno, eis milchomah, ve’eis shalom.” How we are to act in each “eis,” or time, is determined by the Torah.

The Torah is constant, but people change. Every generation is different. We have a generational obligation to speak to our children in a language and voice that they will understand, respect and follow. What worked in the past does not necessarily work now, and to assume that it does, risks losing touch with those whom we love and whom we wish will follow in our ways.

After his arrival in Eretz Yisroel, Rav Elozor Menachem Man Shach lived in a small apartment in the Kerem Avrohom neighborhood of Yerushalayim. The diminutive, humble man kept to himself, engaging in Torah learning all the time and rarely opening his mouth to express an opinion on issues of the day. His acquaintances in the Kerem shul saw him as a talmid chochom, but few foresaw a position of leadership for the scholar.

Eventually, the poverty-stricken Rav Shach accepted a position as a maggid shiur in Tel Aviv, grateful for the chance to teach Torah and earn an income. Within weeks of starting the new job, however, he detected that the leader of the place possessed an outlook that was contrary to the views of gedolei Yisroel.

When he came upon that realization, Rav Shach immediately resigned his position and returned home, settling back into his corner of the small neighborhood shul where he once again spent his days and nights learning.

His rebbi, the Brisker Rov, encouraged him that he acted properly by leaving his job and told him that a better position would come along. “Someone who forfeits parnossah because of principle will see brachos,” he told him.

In time, the Ponovezher Rov discovered Rav Shach, and after living in virtual anonymity for so long, the rosh yeshiva’s rise to leadership began, ushering in the glory era for the olam haTorah.

He was an exceedingly humble man, but when the Torah demanded strength from him, he was strong as a lion.

Some years ago, I wrote of a dream I had before Pesach that year. In the dream, I gained a new understanding of the posuk, “V’acharei chein yeitzu b’rechush gadol,” in which Hashem foretold to our forefather Avrohom the future course of Jewish history. Hashem told Avrohom that after being enslaved for many years, the Jewish people would be freed and would depart their host country with a great treasure.

The common understanding is that the promise of “a great treasure” was fulfilled with the vast quantity of belongings the Jews received from the Mitzriyim prior to being sent out.

In the dream, I thought that the rechush gadol the Jews received was the matzoh that baked on their backs as they left b’chipazon. Matzoh is not simply a physical food. It possesses spiritual qualities and is a gift to the Bnei Yisroel. Only we have the ability to take flour and water and transform them into a cheftzah shel mitzvah.

The Netziv of Volozhin, in his peirush on Shir Hashirim titled “Rinah Shel Torah,” comments in his introduction on the posuk which states, “Sheishes yomim tochal matzos uvayom hashevi’i atzeres l’Hashem Elokecha lo sa’aseh melacha – You shall eat matzos for six days and on the seventh you shall rest for Hashem and you shall not do any work” (Devorim 16:8). He explains that on the first day of Pesach, the obligation to eat matzoh is to remember that we left Mitzrayim in such haste that the bread the fleeing Jews took along for the journey had no time to rise. He says that the obligation related to the consumption of matzoh the first six days of Pesach recalls the eating of the korban mincha by the kohanim. The korbanos mincha were brought of matzoh breads and were never made of chometz. That was to teach the Jewish people that in order to draw closer to Hashem and achieve a higher level of holiness, they must reduce their involvement in the pursuits of Olam Hazeh.

On Pesach, we sustain ourselves with matzoh for six days for that same higher purpose. On Pesach, a Jew attempts to rise spiritually and become closer to Hashem.

Therefore, on the seventh and final day of the Yom Tov, we are commanded to refrain from work and to internalize the message of the six days of eating matzoh.

Abstaining from chometz is meant to affect us in a fundamental way. It is supposed to change our outlook on life and remind us of our purpose here. Eating matzoh for seven days is not something we do to fill ourselves physically. The change in diet is meant to bring about a spiritual change in our souls.

This message supports the idea that the matzoh is a rechush gadol. Matzoh is a gift from Hashem that enables us to elevate our rote observance of mitzvos to a higher dimension of avodas Hashem. Partaking of matzoh for a week is meant to reduce our drive for physical gratification. If we heed its message, it is truly a gift, a rechush gadol, which has the power to uplift and purify us and draw us closer to our Creator.

I found a similar idea in the words of the Ramchal in Derech Hashem (4:8). He says that as long as the Jews were enslaved in Mitzrayim and living amongst the pagan population, their bodies were darkened by the poison of impurity that overwhelmed them. When they were finally delivered from that society, goy mikerev goy, their bodies underwent a purification process so that they would be able to accept the Torah and mitzvos.

This is the reason they were commanded to refrain from consuming chometz and to eat matzoh. The bread that we eat all year is prepared with yeast and rises. Easier to digest and tastier, it is the natural food of man. It feeds man’s yeitzer hora and more base inclinations.

Klal Yisroel was commanded to refrain from eating chometz for a week in order to minimize the power of the yeitzer hora and their inclination towards the physical, and to strengthen their attachment to the spiritual.

It is impossible for people to live on this diet all year round, but that is not Hashem’s intent. If we maintain this diet for the duration of Pesach while incorporating the lessons of matzoh, it will energize us spiritually for the remainder of the year.

The Ramchal connects this to the dictum of the Rambam in Hilchos Dei’os (2:1) that a person seeking to rectify his conduct should go to the opposite extreme of his natural inclination, and he will then end up in the middle, where Hashem wants us to be.

The Rambam continues (3:1) that a person should not reason that since kinah, taavah and kavod – jealousy, evil desires and the craving for honor – lead to man’s demise from this world, he should therefore adopt the extremes of self-denial, refusing to eat meat or drink wine, marry, live in a nice house or wear nice clothes. According to the Rambam, it is forbidden to follow this path; one who does is called a sinner.

The Netziv’s and the Ramchal’s understanding of Pesach is in accord with the words of the Rambam. While it is undesirable for people to live this way all year round, if someone takes a temporary turn to the extreme, it will help him return to the middle, where we all belong.

The Yom Tov of Pesach provides a respite from the pressures that govern our daily lives. Pesach is one week of the year that frees us from the yeitzer hora and the pursuits that drive us throughout the year, which lead to dead ends, disappointment and sadness.

Matzoh is indeed a rechush gadol, a treasure of the Jewish people. Matzoh weakens our evil inclinations and strengthens our inherent goodness. Matzoh has the ability to raise us above our preoccupation with the mundane.

Pesach is not meant to be a holiday of gorging and self-indulgence. On the contrary, Pesach is the time given to us to refrain to a certain degree from such pursuits and to absorb the lesson of the matzoh.

Following a week of such elevated behavior, we continue along that pattern as we count to Shavuos, when we mark the acceptance of the Torah as the ultimate gift from G-d to man. It is only after the week of matzoh and seven weeks of Sefirah that we can achieve the highest possible levels of spiritual accomplishment.

If we take the words of the great Netziv and Ramchal to heart and properly observe the mitzvos of Pesach, and we review the lessons the matzoh can teach us, its influence and inspiration will long remain with us, giving us the strength to rise above whatever challenges we face throughout the rest of the year.

Gedolim such as Rav Chaim Ozer, Rav Shach, the Brisker Rov, the Netziv and the Ramchal light up our way and provide direction and inspiration for us to follow if we wish to enjoy life the way Hashem intends us to and if we wish to be successful in all we do.

Despite all we have been through, a constant in Torah life is that those who seek lives of blessings follow the words of Torah giants. In our day as well, despite the prevalence of so much superficiality, cynicism, pessimism and negativity, when it comes to the bottom line, people who adhere to Torah know that wisdom is found by those who dedicate their lives to the pure pursuit of Torah and mitzvos.

It was Erev Pesach in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. A couple of weeks before Yom Tov, the Bluzhever Rebbe, Rav Yisroel Spira, placed his life in jeopardy and approached the murderous head of the camp, Commandant Hass. He asked permission for forty men to bake matzoh for Pesach. He asked the Nazi to supply them with wheat, and in return they would forgo their daily ration of bread for eight days.

Surprisingly, the Nazi examined the request seriously, without issuing any threats of punishment. However, he said that since the German Reich was run in a very orderly fashion, he would have to get clearance from Berlin. A week later, the response came from Berlin and the request was approved.

After returning to the camp from their body-breaking labor, the rebbe and his group assembled a small oven and began grinding wheat kernels to make flour. They mixed the flour with water and quickly kneaded the mixture, rolling out matzos to bake in their tiny oven. Flames danced atop the branches fueling the oven and the holy work of baking matzos for Pesach in Bergen-Belsen was underway.

Suddenly, the commandant burst into the room, screaming at the Jews like a wild man and breaking everything he saw. His eyes fixed on those of the rebbe and he beat him to a pulp. When he was done, the 56-year-old rebbe was barely hanging on to life.

The historic attempt ended disastrously.

The next night, the people sat down to a “Seder” in the rebbe’s barracks. They had everything – well, almost everything. The rebbe knew the Haggadah by heart, and he was going to lead the Seder. For wine, they were going to drink the slop the Nazis called coffee. There was no shortage of maror, with bitterness everywhere. The rebbe let it be known that he was able to retrieve and save a very small piece of matzoh. They were set.

When it came time at the Seder to eat matzah, everyone assumed that the rebbe would be the one to perform the mitzvah and eat the small piece he had rescued. After all, he was the oldest, it was his idea to bake matzos to being with, and he had risked his life to obtain permission for it. Not only that, but he was a tzaddik, he was leading the Seder, and he was the one who had saved the piece. But they were wrong.

After proclaiming “motzie matzah,” the rebbe looked around the room, as if he was trying to determine who is the most appropriate person to eat the matzoh. A widow, Mrs. Kotziensky, stood up and said, “Since upon this night we engage in transmitting our traditions from one generation to the next, I propose that my young son be the one to eat the matzoh.”

The rebbe agreed. “This night,” he said, “is all about teaching the future generations about Yetzias Mitzrayim. We will give the boy the matzoh.”

After they were freed, the widow approached the Bluzhever Rebbe. She needed help. Someone had proposed a shidduch for her, but she had no way to find out about the man. Maybe, she said, the rebbe could help her. “Can you find out who he is? Can you see if he is appropriate for me and if I am appropriate for him?”

“What is his name?” asked the rebbe.

The woman responded, “Yisroel Spira.”

The rebbe said to her, “Yes, I know him well. It is a good idea that you should get to know him.”

She returned to the shadchan and gave her approval to set up the match. When the woman showed up at the right address, standing before her was none other than Rav Yisroel Spira, the man she knew as the Bluzhever Rebbe!

A short time later, they married, and the little boy who ate matzah in Bergen-Belsen became the rebbe’s son and eventual successor.

Which spiritual attributes did the rebbe see in that woman that led him to marry her? When asked, the rebbe answered that in the cauldron of Bergen-Belsen, where the horizon was measured in minutes and the future was a day at a time, a woman who believed in the nitzchiyus of Am Yisroel, that our people is eternal, and who worried for the future generation, was someone with whom it was worthy to perpetuate the golden chain.

Thankfully, we aren’t tested the way those holy people were that night in Bergen-Belsen. Our matzos come easy. For a few dollars, we can have as many as we want. We don’t have to pay for them with our lives. We can drink wine without fearing a pogrom. We can eat maror and not live it. We don’t have to make the awful choices our forefathers were forced to make.

We can sit as kings and queens at the Seder, surrounded by different generations, concentrating on doing our best to transmit our glorious heritage to the future generations, ensuring that they know the story of Yetzias Mitzrayim and Avodim Hayinu.

May we merit much nachas and simcha, cheirus and freedom, kedusha and mitzvos, at the Seder and every day of our lives.

May we merit that this be the last Pesach in golus.

{Matzav.com}

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Israel would be the “leader” if the US and Israel strike Iran’s nuclear sites if talks between Washington and Tehran fail. Speaking at the White House, Trump responded to a question about whether he is considering using military means against Iran. “If it requires military, we’re going to have military,” he said. “Israel will obviously be very much involved in that — it’ll be the leader of that,” but then immediately clarifying: “Nobody leads us. We do what we want to do.” Trump also said that he has a deadline for talks, emphasizing that he won’t allow Tehran to drag out negotiations. Various media outlets reported that Trump is allowing two months for the talks. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Eric Adams has revealed the new political banner he’ll campaign under as he mounts an uphill fight for reelection: Safe Streets, Affordable City.

Speaking to 1010Wins on Wednesday afternoon, the former Democrat shared that he intends to appear on that line in the general election, having opted not to participate in the Democratic primary this time around.

“Those are the issues that are important to New Yorkers,” Adams said of his third-party name. “They want a safe city. They want an affordable city. And I want them to know that is what I produced for them.”

Adams had already declared last week that he would launch an independent campaign, setting the stage for what could become a crowded race. Other likely contenders include Democratic frontrunner Andrew Cuomo, expected Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa, the Working Families Party—possibly represented by Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani or Comptroller Brad Lander—and attorney Jim Walden.

Still, Adams emphasized during Tuesday’s interview that he hasn’t abandoned his party affiliation, even though he’s criticized it publicly on multiple occasions.

Hizzoner’s decision to run independently came just one day after prosecutors officially dropped a long-running corruption probe that had hovered over his administration.

{Matzav.com}

U.S. egg prices increased again last month to reach a new record-high of $6.23 per dozen despite President Donald Trump’s predictions, a drop in wholesale prices and no egg farms having bird flu outbreaks. The increase reported Thursday in the Consumer Price Index means consumers and businesses that rely on eggs should not anticipate immediate relief. Demand for eggs is typically elevated until after Easter, which falls on April 20. Industry experts were expecting the index to reflect a drop in retail egg prices because wholesale egg prices dropped significantly in March. University of Arkansas agricultural economist Jada Thompson said the wholesale prices did not start dropping until mid-March, so there may not have been enough time for the average price for the month to decline. And grocery stores may not have immediately passed on the lower prices. Bird flu outbreaks were cited as the major cause of price spikes in January and February after more than 30 million egg-laying chickens were killed to prevent the spread of the disease. Only 2.1 million birds were slaughtered in March and none of them were on egg farms The farms that had fall outbreaks have been working to resume egg production after sanitizing their barns and raising new flocks, but chickens must be about six months old before they start laying eggs. Thompson said those farms did not come back online as quickly as anticipated. Trump tried to take credit for the lower wholesale egg prices the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in recent weeks. But experts say the president’s plan to fight bird flu by focusing on strengthening egg farmers’ defenses against the virus is likely to be more of a long-term help. Since the current bird flu outbreak began, more than 168 million birds have been slaughtered, most of them egg-laying chickens. Any time a bird gets sick, the entire flock is killed to help keep bird flu from spreading. That can have an effect on the egg supply because massive egg farms may have millions of birds. The disease is difficult to control because it is spread easily through the droppings of wild birds that carry the avian flu virus. Bird flu has also inflected other animals, including dairy cattle. Egg prices hit $5.90 in February one month after setting a record at $4.95 per dozen, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But shoppers encountered prices much higher than that in some places; in California, the price per dozen topped $12 in some stores. Earlier in the outbreak, egg prices spiked to hit $4.82 in January 2023 before gradually falling as low as $2.04 per dozen in August 2023. Generally, prices have since increased steadily. (AP)

Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, in coordination with Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, stated on Thursday that the reservists who signed a letter against the war in Gaza will be dismissed from active reserve duty. About 950 Air Force reservists, the vast majority of whom are retired, signed a letter against the war that was published as a full-page ad on Thursday morning in several leading media outlets. Only 10% of the signatories are active reservists, most of them volunteers. Most of the signatories, if not all, were those who had opposed the government of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu before October 7. The letter was published despite the fact that the impending publication of the letter was brought to the attention of the Air Force leadership in recent days, and Air Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar convened several meetings with those leading the initiative to try to prevent the letter’s publication. Zamir joined one of the meetings and said: “Don’t repeat the mistakes of the past. I expect you to stand behind the Air Force.” Following the meetings, dozens of reservists withdrew their signatures from the letter. The letter states: “We, reserve and former Air Force personnel, demand the immediate return of the hostages—even if it requires an immediate cessation of hostilities. At this time, the war serves primarily political and personal interests, not security ones. Continuation of the war doesn’t advance any of the declared goals of the war, and will bring about the deaths of the hostages, of IDF soldiers and innocent civilians, while further eroding the strength of the reserve forces.” “As has been proven in the past, only an agreement can return hostages safely, while military pressure mainly leads to the killing of hostages and the endangerment of our soldiers. We call on all citizens of Israel to mobilize for action and demand in every way: stop the fighting and bring the hostages home—now. Every day that passes endangers their lives. Every moment of hesitation is a disgrace.” The IDF stated on Thursday morning in response to the letter: “We are in a multi-front war in which the IDF acts solely for practical and professional considerations to fulfill the goals of the war, centered on the return of the hostages. The policy is to keep the IDF above all controversy, and it cannot accept a situation in which service members use their position to oppose the war and at the same time take part in it. A service member can’t emerge from the command center and then express distrust in his commanders and the goals of the war. This is an impossible anomaly.” “The Air Force Commander decided, with the full backing of the Chief of Staff, that an active reservist who signed the letter will not be able to continue serving in the IDF. Politics does not exist in the IDF and the IDF is outside the political debate.” Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that he supports the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff in their decision to dismiss the signatories of the letter. “Refusal is refusal – even when it is said implicitly and in euphemistic language,” Netanyahu stated. “Statements that weaken the IDF and strengthen our enemies in a time of war are unforgivable. This is an extreme fringe group […]

Defense ministers from around 30 countries gathered on Thursday to press ahead with plans to deploy troops to Ukraine to police any future peace agreement with Russia. The meeting at NATO headquarters — the first between defense ministers representing the so-called coalition of the willing — comes after a visit to Kyiv last week by senior British and French military officers. It’s expected to work on fleshing out an agreement reached at an earlier meeting between leaders. As usual with coalition gatherings, the United States will not take part, but the success of the coalition’s operation hinges on U.S. backup with airpower or other military assistance. However, the Trump administration has made no public commitment to provide support. The Netherlands, Sweden and Finland underlined the “crucial” role of the United States. “The United States is a crucial player still in guaranteeing lasting security” in Ukraine, said Finnish Defense Minister Annit Häkkänen. His Swedish counterpart, Pål Jonson, said success in Ukraine requires “some form of U.S. engagement” while Dutch Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans called American support “very important” but said the form it took might differ, depending on the chosen type of European mission in Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said ministers were “trying to keep the United States on board.” Amid that uncertainty and U.S. warnings that Europe must take care of its own security and that of Ukraine in future, the force is seen as a first test of the continent’s willingness to defend itself and its interests. Its make-up will depend on the nature of any peace agreement, but the contingent is unlikely to be stationed at Ukraine’s border with Russia. It would be located further from the ceasefire line, perhaps even outside Ukraine, and deploy to counter any Russian attack. Building a force big enough to act as a credible deterrent is proving a considerable effort for nations that shrank their militaries after the Cold War but are now rearming. U.K. officials have talked about possibly 10,000 to 30,000 troops. Countries are also reluctant to contribute personnel without U.S. support. Ukrainian government officials and military analysts have said that Russian forces are preparing to launch a fresh military offensive in Ukraine in the coming weeks to maximize pressure on Kyiv and strengthen the Kremlin’s negotiating position in ceasefire talks. On Friday, representatives from around 50 nations will gather at NATO to drum up military support for Ukraine. That meeting will be chaired by Britain and Germany. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not expected to take part. (AP)

LISTEN:

https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Bitachon4Life-Shiur-1474-Machseh-Part-104.mp3

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

 

 

 

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as the Trump administration’s ambassador to Israel. Israel supporter John Fetterman was the only Democrat to join Republicans in voting for Huckabee, with the final vote tally 53 to 46. Huckabee, a religious Christian and a staunch supporter of Israel, insists on calling the “West Bank” by its popular biblical name of Yehudah and Shomron. A frequent visitor to Israel, he even expressed interest in the past in buying a vacation home in the Shomron. US President Donald Trump responded to the appointment by saying that Huckabee is “going to be fantastic, he’s going to bring home the bacon.” He then realized that maybe he should have chosen a different expression and said jokingly: “Although bacon isn’t too big in Israel.” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu congratulated Huckabee on the confirmation, stating: “Congratulations to my dear friend Mike Huckabee upon being confirmed as the next ambassador of the United States to Israel. This is a great day for the Israeli-American alliance. I look forward to working with you to make the unbreakable bond between our two nations even stronger.” The head of the Yesha (Yehudah and Shomron) Council, Yisrael Ganz, sent a letter of congratulations to Huckabee, stating: “Your appointment represents, in our view, an important moral statement by the U.S. administration and the American people. We regard you as a representative of the United States and President Trump, as well as a true partner of the people of Israel and their undeniable historical right to live in the Land of the Bible—Judea, Samaria, and the Jordan Valley.” “We deeply appreciate your longstanding commitment to the Jewish people, its Torah, and its land, as well as your resolute stance in support of our right to security and development of communities throughout all parts of our ancestral homeland, in accordance with the vision of the prophets.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

Michelle Obama has addressed the swirling rumors about her relationship with former President Barack Obama, attributing the divorce chatter to her recent embrace of personal autonomy and decision-making.

Speaking on the “Work in Progress” podcast hosted by Sophia Bush, the 61-year-old former first lady responded to the speculation that intensified after she missed several significant public events earlier in the year — most notably, the inauguration of President Trump.

“The interesting thing is that, when I say ‘no,’ for the most part people are like, ‘I get it, and I’m OK,’” she shared, explaining her decision to decline prominent invitations.

She went on to touch on a broader struggle many women face when setting boundaries and prioritizing themselves.

“And that’s the thing that we as women struggle with — disappointing people,” she said.

Michelle remarked that some couldn’t believe her choices were simply about personal boundaries — leading many to concoct stories about her marriage.

“So much so that people, they couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself, that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing.”

She laughed off the rumors that she and Barack had split, calling out the disbelief that she could just be “a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself.”

“But that’s what society does to us,” she added. “We actually finally start going, ‘What am I doing? Who am I doing this for?’ And if it doesn’t fit into the sort of stereotype of what people think we should do, then it gets labeled as something negative and horrible.”

The gossip gained momentum in January when Barack Obama attended major events — including Trump’s inauguration and former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral — alone.

As media speculation surged, reports clarified that Michelle had taken time off in Hawaii during the funeral and had chosen not to attend the inauguration to avoid putting on a forced front.

Michelle reflected on the shift in her life now that she’s no longer in the White House and her daughters, Malia and Sasha, are grown and independent.

“I get to look at my calendar, which I did this year. It was a real big example of me, myself, looking at something that I was supposed to do, you know, without naming names, and I chose to do what was best for me,” she said.

She spoke candidly about the internal tug-of-war that many women face when making self-focused choices.

“Not what I had to do, not what other people wanted me to do, and between you and me, that was an important test for me just as a woman, as an independent person. Because, like all women, I operate from guilt.”

Acknowledging a new chapter in her life, Michelle emphasized her desire to take full ownership of her decisions.

She explained that she’s in a season of self-discovery, where intentional choices shape her daily life.

“Now is the time for me to start asking myself these hard questions of, ‘Who do I truly want to be every day?’ And that changes,” Michelle said.

She’s exploring freedom in simple pleasures — from choosing lunch companions to spontaneous travel with friends.

“So, who do I want to have a lunch with? How long do I want to stay in a place? Do I want to travel? If a girlfriend calls and says, ‘Let’s go here,’ I can say ‘Yes!’ I can. And I’m trying to do that more and more.”

Michelle concluded by affirming that her evolving lifestyle still includes meaningful work and advocacy.

“So what does it look like? It looks like whatever I want it to look like. And I still find time to give speeches, to be out there in the world, to work on projects. I still care about girls’ education,” the ex-first lady added.

{Matzav.com}

The Torah world of Petach Tikvah is mourning the petirah of Rav Hillel Yosef Meltzer zt”l, one of the city’s prominent talmidei chachomim and marbitzei Torah, who was niftar at the age of 57 after a prolonged illness involving serious kidney complications. In recent weeks, he had been connected to an ECMO machine as his condition worsened.

Rav Meltzer was a son of HaGaon Rav Shmaryahu Meltzer.

From a young age, he distinguished himself as a tremendous masmid and talmid chochom. He learned in the Brisk Yeshiva in Yerushalayim and later continued in Yeshivas Chevron, where he quickly became known as an illui and one of the most diligent bachurim in the yeshiva.

Even in his youth, he was an oveid Hashem, a tzaddik, and a parush, removed from worldly distractions.

Twenty-two years ago, he married the daughter of Rav Shmuel Eldad zt”l, a member of one of Petach Tikvah’s long-standing Torah families.

Throughout his life, Rav Meltzer maintained close ties with many of the gedolei hador, and as a young man was even privileged to speak in learning with the Steipler Gaon.

Rav Meltzer served as a R”M at the yeshiva in Kiryat Herzog and, in recent years, as the rosh kollel of Kollel Tiferes V’Hanetzach, located in Beis Medrash Chevron Heichal Yechezkel in Petach Tikvah. There, he delivered deep and penetrating shiurim that attracted many bnei Torah.

He was an expert in all areas of Torah, including penimiyus haTorah and machshavah, and was sought after by many who came to consult with him in halachah, aggadah, and hashkafah.

For many years, he delivered shiurim at the Beis HaMussar of Petach Tikvah, established by the great baalei mussar of the previous generation, including Rav Yechiel Mordechai Gordon zt”l, Rosh Yeshivas Lomza.

Despite years of suffering and medical challenges, Rav Meltzer never ceased his toil in Torah. Even during grueling dialysis treatments, he would return to the beis medrash to learn with all his strength. He could often be seen walking the streets immersed in thought, quietly reviewing seforim such as Chovos Halevavos, which he knew entirely by heart, word for word.

Rav Meltzer is survived by his wife, Mrs. Esther Meltzer, and six unmarried children, the youngest of whom is just ten years old.

The levayah was held tonight at Yeshivas Lomza in Petach Tikvah, followed by kevurah at the Segulah Bais Hachaim.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com Israel}

Burger King’s Israeli branch has agreed to provide meal vouchers worth 480,000 shekels (approximately $128,000) to IDF combat soldiers, including those serving in reserves, as part of a resolution in a class-action case. A total of 8,727 vouchers—each valued at 55 shekels ($14.70)—will be redeemable at the chain’s kosher locations and will be available to both religious and secular service members.

This settlement comes in response to a lawsuit filed in 2022 by a religious customer who alleged he was misled into consuming non-kosher food at Burger King’s Hod Hasharon location. The customer claimed that despite losing its kosher certification over a year earlier, the branch continued to be advertised as kosher through a large sign outside the Azrieli Mall. The sign remained up until legal proceedings were initiated.

According to the lawsuit, the customer visited the location because of the visible kosher sign and ordered a cheeseburger labeled as having kosher-style cheese. After tasting it, he realized it contained real cheese, leading to the discovery that the restaurant no longer held kosher certification.

The plaintiff maintained that, while the restaurant had removed any kosher documentation and signs from inside the premises, the highly visible outdoor signage remained untouched. This, he argued, could easily mislead other observant Jews into unknowingly eating at a non-kosher establishment.

While Burger King rejected the allegations of wrongdoing, it did confirm that the disputed sign was taken down soon after the legal complaint was filed. The chain also asserted that locating additional observant customers who may have been similarly affected would be difficult, given that such individuals usually avoid restaurants without valid kosher supervision.

After updates were made to promotional materials and the signage was finally removed, the court approved the settlement. Judge Rachel Arkobi, who authorized the agreement, stated: “There is no dispute that the sign at the mall presented the branch as kosher, establishing a personal claim for the plaintiff.”

“The more complex question is the group definition, as kosher certification inside the branch had already been removed. The settlement amount appropriately reflects the scope of the group and provides suitable deterrence in cases involving misleading kosher claims,” the judge added.

The food vouchers will remain valid for 12 months and will be issued within 45 days of final court approval. The plaintiff will receive a compensation payment of 9,600 shekels ($2,560), and his legal representatives will be awarded several tens of thousands of shekels in attorney’s fees.

Plaintiff attorneys Amit Ben-Aroya and Shira Blum-Wolff commented on the outcome: “We’re pleased that Burger King took full responsibility, immediately removed the misleading signage and donated meals to IDF combat units — amounting to about a third of the chain’s revenue during the relevant period.”

{Matzav.com Israel}

An extraordinary moment took place on Thursday morning at the Bais Medrash of Caulfield in Sydney, Australia, as a Siyum Masechta was held — not just any Siyum, but one made by Reb Berysz Aurbach, who, at the remarkable age of 104, was mesayem Maseches Chagigah, allowing bechorim who participated to eat. Reb Berish, born Gimmel Elul 5680 (1920), hails from a Chassidishe family in Biala Podlaska, Poland — a town with deep roots in Gerrer Chassidus. He was raised in a home filled with warmth, Torah, and mesorah, together with his siblings — three older brothers, a sister, and a half-brother. He still remembers learning as a child in the local Talmud Torah — memories from a world that would soon be destroyed. In an incredible neis, he was one of the last Yidden to be smuggled out of the Warsaw Ghetto before Pesach 5703 (1943), mere days before the uprising and the brutal destruction that followed. Tragically, aside from one sister who had made her way to Eretz Yisroel before the war, his entire family was murdered al kiddush Hashem. With nothing left in Poland, Reb Berysz reached out to an uncle in Australia, who sponsored his visa and enabled him to rebuild on new shores. And now, at the age of 104, he stands as a living witness to a century of upheaval and survival — and still learns, still finishes Masechtos, and still inspires those around him. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)

Russia expressed frustration on Wednesday over the continuous threats directed at Iran, warning that airstrikes would do little to foster stability and pointing out that Tehran was already taking precautionary steps in response to the situation.

With nuclear discussions scheduled over the weekend between Iran and the United States, Iranian sources told Reuters on Tuesday that their government is entering the negotiations with skepticism, uncertain of any positive outcome and harboring deep doubts about America’s true motives.

The announcement of the upcoming talks came from U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday. Since returning to office in January, Trump has made multiple aggressive statements against Iran, reviving tensions with the long-time adversary and indicating that military action remains on the table if no deal is reached.

Responding to questions about Moscow’s stance, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov acknowledged the presence of “quite harsh rhetoric” and emphasized that Iran was acting to defend itself. He added that diplomacy, not conflict, should take precedence.

“Indeed, the world is growing tired of the endless threats against Iran,” Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said when asked by Reuters to clarify Russia’s approach. “There is a growing understanding that bombing cannot pave the way to peace.”

Iran’s nuclear ambitions date back to the 1950s, originally launched with American support during a friendlier era. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, however, the program has become a central point of contention between Iran and much of the global community. Western nations, including the U.S., Israel, and several European countries, accuse Tehran of covertly trying to build a nuclear arsenal—an allegation Iran denies. In recent years, Tehran has fostered closer ties with Moscow, the leading nuclear power in the world.

While Russia has purchased weapons from Iran for use in Ukraine and signed a long-term strategic pact with Tehran earlier this year, their historical alliance has been rocky. Relations between the two nations have fluctuated since the 16th century, when formal diplomatic engagement between Muscovy and the Persian Empire first began.

Some Iranian officials claim that Russia is often more bark than bite—issuing strong statements without intending to engage in a large-scale Middle East conflict. Notably, the 20-year agreement signed between Moscow and Tehran contains no clause mandating mutual military defense.

Still, Russian President Vladimir Putin has maintained cordial ties with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The two countries, both facing sanctions and condemnation from the West, have found common ground. Yet Russia remains cautious, wary of sparking a nuclear proliferation race in the region.

Russia, Zakharova said, wants “effective negotiable solutions” that would both reduce Western suspicions about Iran’s uranium enrichment program and restore trust while ensuring a balance of interests – and avoid a crisis.

During his previous term, President Trump withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a nuclear accord that had limited Iran’s nuclear development in exchange for reduced sanctions and expanded international inspections.

That move prompted Tehran to abandon its commitments under the agreement and significantly increase its uranium enrichment, raising alarms that it could move closer to weapon-grade material.

“Tehran cannot be held responsible for the consequences of the illegal actions of those who, through their shortsightedness and erroneous forecasting, undermined agreements,” Zakharova said.

{Matzav.com}

Investor Kevin O’Leary is urging former President Donald Trump to go even further in his hardline approach to China, calling for dramatically increased tariffs as the administration stays firm on its trade stance amid intense market swings.

“104% tariffs against China are not enough. I’m advocating 400%,” O’Leary said in an interview on CNN. “I do business in China. They don’t play by the rules. They’ve been in the WTO for decades. They have never abided by any of the rules they agreed to when they came in for decades. They cheat, they steal, they steal IP, I can’t litigate in their courts.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Tuesday that a new 104% tariff on goods from China would be implemented the following day. During the same press conference, she reaffirmed Trump’s view that Beijing is interested in reaching a trade agreement.

“I want [China’s President] Xi on an airplane to Washington to level the playing field,” he said.

O’Leary, who is known as “Mr. Wonderful,” went on to say that the issue has moved beyond just taxes on imports. “This is not about tariffs anymore,” O’Leary continued. “No one has taken on China yet. Not the Europeans. No administration for decades. As someone who actually does business there, I’ve had enough. I speak for millions of Americans who have IP that has been stolen by the Chinese.”

“The government cheats and steals and finally an administration — you may not like Trump, you may not like his style or his rhetoric — finally, an administration that puts up and says ‘enough.’”

He argued that harsh economic consequences could compel President Xi Jinping to come to the negotiating table, since political power in China depends on maintaining a strong job market. “Xi can only stay the supreme leader if people are employed,” he said.

“It’s the time to squeeze Chinese heads into the wall now,” he added, emphasizing that the United States still holds considerable economic dominance and should use that power to pressure China into meaningful talks.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}