29 June 2026
Boro Park Shomrim: Scam Attempt Leads to Assault
On Monday, June 23rd at around 2:30 PM, a new scam incident occurred when a customer got into a car he hadn’t ordered. After realizing it wasn’t his ride, the customer got out — but the driver chased after him and physically assaulted him.
Shomrim received multiple calls and members quickly responded. They located the vehicle stuck in traffic and stayed on scene until officers from the NYPD’s 66th Precinct arrived and took the driver into custody.
Reminder: Always double-check that you’re getting into the correct car before entering. Your safety comes first.
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Find out more about us http://bpshomrim.orgBreaking Nature To Save Our Kids!! ☆ שוברים את הטבע כדי להציל את ילדינו!! ☆
This is alarming. Bring this to your Rabbonim
“ ….[T]orah study is not an escape from service, but a form of service…”
YESHIVAWORLD MAILBAG: Torah Study as National Service: The Charedi Perspective
One of the most divisive issues in Israeli society today is the question of why many yeshiva students do not serve in the army. Critics argue that they are not sharing the burden. From the perspective of Orthodox Jewry, however, nothing could be further from the truth.
We believe that Torah study is not an escape from service, but a form of service. It is a different type of service, one that has sustained the Jewish people for thousands of years and continues to provide spiritual protection to the nation.
In every army, only a minority of soldiers are actually on the front line. In the Israeli army today, approximately 25–30% of personnel serve in combat positions. The remaining 70–75% serve in support roles. No one asks why the military cook is not fighting on the front line. No one complains that the truck driver transporting weapons, the mechanic repairing tanks, the intelligence analyst, or the clerk processing paperwork are not carrying rifles in battle. Everyone understands that an army requires many different functions and that each person contributes according to his role.
Orthodox Jews believe that intensive Torah study constitutes another essential support role, perhaps the highest one. The yeshiva student who begins his day at seven in the morning and often studies until ten-thirty at night or later is engaged in what we view as the spiritual defense of the Jewish people. This is not a casual occupation or part-time endeavor. It is a life dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Jewish nation.
Our tradition teaches that Torah study protects and sustains the world. The Talmud states in Sotah 21a, “Torah protects and saves” (תורה מגנא ומצלא). In Makkot 10a, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi teaches that the victories of Israel are attributed to the Torah scholars studying in Jerusalem. Shabbat 119b teaches that the world exists because of the Torah learning of children. Avot 1:2 states that the world stands upon three things: Torah, Divine service, and acts of kindness.
Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, in Nefesh HaChaim, explains that Torah study sustains all worlds and preserves creation itself. The Zohar repeatedly teaches that Torah learning brings Divine protection to Israel. Great Torah leaders throughout the generations, including the Chazon Ish, Rabbi Elazar Menachem Shach, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, and the Lubavitcher Rebbe, all emphasized that Torah learning provides spiritual protection for the Jewish people.
The benefits of Torah learning extend beyond spiritual protection.
Torah study preserves Jewish identity and continuity. It transmits values and morality from generation to generation. It strengthens families and communities. It creates discipline, self-control, and commitment. It inspires acts of kindness and communal responsibility. It provides moral and ethical guidance to society. It maintains the covenant that has sustained the Jewish people through exile, persecution, and countless attempts at destruction.
The Jewish nation has often been compared to a sheep surrounded by seventy wolves. Our survival throughout history has never been explainable solely through military strength. We believe that Divine protection, brought about through Torah and mitzvot, has always been a central part of that survival.
For this reason, many within Orthodox Jewry view Torah study as national service of the highest order. Just as the State recognizes that different soldiers contribute in different ways, we believe that there should be legal recognition that full-time Torah study constitutes a form of service to the Jewish people.
This belief does not diminish the tremendous sacrifice made by those who serve in combat or in support units. On the contrary, we deeply appreciate and value their contribution. Physical defense and spiritual defense are not contradictory; they complement one another.
A Jewish army needs soldiers. A Jewish nation also needs Torah. We believe that both are essential. One protects the body of the nation, and the other protects its soul. Together they have enabled the Jewish people to survive against all odds and continue their remarkable story.
Mordechai Ovadia, RBS Aleph. Beit Shemesh
The views expressed in this letter are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of YWN. Have an opinion you would like to share? Send it to us for review.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
🚨 "למה העולם שונא אותנו?" 💔 הגרמ"ה הירש בנאום היסטורי בדיל, ניו ג'רזי | English Speech
An extraordinary, highly emotional address by the leader of the generation, Maran Hagaon Harav Moshe Hillel Hirsch Shlit"a, delivered during a special dinner for 'Keren Olam HaTorah' at the home of philanthropist Jimmy Cazary in Deal, New Jersey (Tammuz 5786).
With deep emotion and powerful conviction, the Rosh Yeshiva explains the spiritual root cause of global antisemitism and the security threats facing Eretz Yisrael. He reveals the profound secret behind the Churban (destruction of the Temple) and outlines how we can bring the Shechina back to protect the Jewish nation, defeat our enemies, and bring the ultimate Redemption through Torah study and self-sacrifice.
📢 * אנחנו בשליחות להפיץ את אורם של גדולי הדור לכל יהודי בעולם! 🌍
בקרוב נעלה תיעוד היסטורי גנוז ומצמרר שמעולם לא פורסם!
לחצו כאן עכשיו, הירשמו לערוץ והיו שותפים לקידוש השם העצום הזה כדי לא לפספס: 🔔
/ @gedoleihador
/ @gedoleihador One Can Assume…..
……that the world is in a state of Din from Shamayim, and the most unlikely victim happens from the behavior of the Frum Jewish Community, whether by riding his e-bike, protesting on the streets, or a Ben Torah walking anywhere in Eretz Yisrael, or children chv”s playing too close to the curb and into the streets, or being given applesauce that has been poisoned…….
TIME to recognize and act accordingly. Those inspired to do teshuva for ‘whatever’ should do so, and exta-ordinary precautions need to be applied to watching over babies, toddlers, and children any age, and be watchful of one’s goings and comings, entering the “walk zone at corners” (some drivers are not so mindful), and especially what goes into and comes out of one’s mouth.
I include myself within this watchfulness and encourage others to join.
……because it seems apparent!
Dov bar Leib:
“….. Iran's darkness is spreading like a plague over the entire world. Evil men are becoming the Esavian caricatures of the Ayatollahs. So the Vile Darkness of Amaleq is spreading across the world. In this way, Iran has won the temporary victory. We are in process. At this stage everything is in flux.
Arabs Beat Jewish Shepherd Unconscious In Gush Etzion
Three Jewish shepherds were injured on Sunday morning near Giv’at Makneh Avraham in eastern Gush Etzion after being attacked by Arabs with clubs and stones, Arutz Sheva reported.
According to nearby Jewish residents, a shepherd who went out with his flock to the grazing areas was attacked by several Palestinians from the village of Rashida.
Residents who arrived at the scene found the shepherd lying on the ground, with several Arab rioters around him. When the rioters noticed the residents, they began throwing stones at them in an attempt to prevent them from reaching the Jewish victim.
During the ensuing clash, another two Jewish teens were injured. After a struggle, the residents managed to rescue the shepherd, who was unconscious, and he was evacuated from the area together with the two teens.
IDF and police forces were deployed to the area and launched a manhunt for the suspects.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Contributions to this article:
And the NYT and all the left news sites including some Israeli ones will report that Settlars attacked arabs
And now the Jews who were involved will be put on the US sanction list for violence against Palestinians….
article and screenshot: https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/israel-news/2568208/arabs-beat-jewish-shepherd-unconscious-in-gush-etzion.html
Dangerous e-Bike Accident Highlights the Sakana Involved With Usage by Frum Youth
*E–BIKES SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF TH3 STREETS AND ROADS
TEHILLIM: Tefillos Requested for Bochur Seriously Injured in Spring Valley E-Bike Crash
As Monsey Scoop reported on Erev Shabbos shortly before the zman, a bochur riding an e-bike was seriously injured in a collision with a vehicle at the intersection of South Cole Avenue and Route 59 in Spring Valley.
The victim, was treated at the scene by Rockland Hatzoloh before being transported to Westchester Medical Center in serious condition.
Sources tell Monsey Scoop that the bochur sustained severe injuries and may face life-altering complications. The tzibur is asked to continue davening for Meir Dov ben Rochel Tzivia and keep him in their tefillos as he undergoes treatment.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC
WHEN WILL PARENTS LEARN
*beside the inevitable clash and crash of bike with speeding vehicle, 🚗 their batteries are prone to explode, as seen by homes 🏡 going up in flames leaving families homeless and destitute, and car 🚙 trunks exploding and ruining any semblance of usage!
Dugma: Why Is My Jewish Child Talking Like an Antisemite?
As antisemitism continues to rise around the world, many parents are asking how to help their children navigate an increasingly complex reality. In this conversation, Rabbi Doron Birnbaum shares personal experiences, practical parenting advice, and insights from years of working with students and families. He explores how social media algorithms shape young minds, why open conversations matter, and how parents can respond with compassion instead of fear. The discussion also examines the challenges facing Jewish communities, the importance of modeling pride in one's identity, and why education is essential in combating misinformation. Rather than leaving viewers discouraged, the episode offers a hopeful message of resilience, faith, and responsibility, encouraging families to remain confident in their values and to be a source of light even during difficult times.
HaGaon HaRav Moshe Feinstein’s Teshuvah On Serving In The IDF
Against the backdrop of renewed debate over the military draft of bnei yeshivos, Rabbi Ofer Toiber has revealed that he was one of the two Netiv Meir Yeshiva students who wrote to HaGaon HaRav Moshe Feinstein, z’tl, asking whether they should continue learning Torah or enlist in the IDF, Arutz Sheva reported.
The renewed public debate over the military draft of yeshiva students revived interest in one of Rav Moshe Feinstein’s well-known teshuvos, which addresses whether a yeshiva student should continue learning Torah or enlist in the IDF.
As the responsum spread widely on social media and became a focus of public discussion, many people tried to identify the two yeshiva students who signed the question sent to Rav Feinstein decades ago. One of them is Rabbi Ofer Toiber, who today serves as a Rosh Mesivta at Chorev Yeshiva.
In an interview with Arutz Sheva, Rabbi Toiber said that he wrote the letter together with his friend Daniel Kraus, now a resident of Efrat, while they were students at Netiv Meir Yeshiva. He explained that the idea came up after Rabbi Aryeh Bina encouraged his students to bring questions to the leading Gedolei Yisrael.
“Rabbi Aryeh Bina encouraged us to ask questions of the Gedolei Yisrael—about everything,” Rabbi Toiber recalled. “We wrote a letter to Rav Moshe Feinstein, and his reply came back to us by mail.”
The teshuvah, dated the 17th of Sivan, 5741 (1981), states:
“To the esteemed students of Netiv Meir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, Mr. Daniel Kraus and Mr. Ofer Toiber:
“Although the matter of the Israel Defense Forces is an important inyan, the inyan of Limmud Torah for Lomdei Torah is of even greater importance than defending the state, as is explicitly stated in the first perek of Bava Basra 8a: “Everyone contributes to the city gates” (that is, to the gates of the city walls, to install doors in them, as explained by Rashi), even orphans—but the Rabbanim (Talmidei Chachamim) do not require protection (because their limmud Torah is considered a form of protection for the city.)
“It seems that the government has also recognized this, and one who studies in a yeshiva gedolah and is engaged in Torah is exempt from military obligations.
“Therefore, certainly anyone who has a desire for limmud Torah and to become great in Torah, horaah, and yiras Shamayim, should go to the yeshivos gedolos, and it will be a bracha for Klal Yisrael and a great protection for all of Israel.”
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
HaRav Landau: “Protests Are Not Our Derech And Cause A Chillul Hashem”
HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau spoke on Thursday night at a gathering at his home of dozens of Roshei Yeshivos from across Israel.
HaRav Landau said: “The Chazon Ish wrote in a letter that ‘the country of Poland, where the yeshivos are established and where the saintly Chofetz Chaim and other Gedolei haTorah reside, has the din of Eretz Yisrael, while the other countries have the din of Chutz L’Eretz.’
“In recent generations, the center of Torah has been in Eretz Yisrael,” HaRav Landau continued. “Bnei Torah from Chutz L’Eretz come to study Torah in Eretz Yisrael, and the center of Torah in Eretz Yisrael spreads Torah to every location.
“The burning Ahavas HaTorah that we saw in America and throughout the world (during the Rosh Yeshiva’s Keren Olam HaTorah trip) is inspiring. Their hearts and hands were open to support Lomdei Torah in Eretz Yisrael. These generous supporters understand well that if, chalila, Limmud Torah in Eretz Yisrael—the world’s center of Torah—would diminish, Limmud Torah elsewhere will also be diminished.
“Avreichim are the crown of creation, and the finest of Lomdei Torah. Certainly, in such a difficult time, avreichim in Eretz Yisrael must be mechazeik even more in their limmud, for they are the elite Lomdei Torah in the world’s center of Torah.
“And I have heard that the leading Roshei Yeshivos are calling to avreichim to be mechazeik themselves by studying Torah continuously, and there is no doubt that every chizzuk of Limmud Torah will help counter all the decrees.”
“All kinds of other forms of protest that we never heard from our Rabbanim of previous generations are not our derech. Very often, these protests cause a Chillul Hashem, rachmana litzlan.”
“And must also remember that the most important thing of all is complete immersion in Limmud Torah—laboring in Torah, iyun, and delving deeply into Torah. This is how Lomdei Torah continue to grow and elevate themselves. This is the greatest Kiddush Hashem, and the highest form of deveikus to Hashem—through Limmud Torah b’iyun, with depth and true toil.”
“May it be Hashem’s will that He quickly save us from all our troubles, and may we merit the complete redemption speedily in our days. Amen.”
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has signed new regulations banning police from using skunk water and tear gas to disperse demonstrations.
According to Ben Gvir’s office, the move is intended to promote fair and equal law enforcement while reducing the use of crowd-control measures during protests.
The minister said the decision follows longstanding complaints that these tactics were used disproportionately against certain communities, particularly the chareidi public, Ethiopian Israelis, and other minority groups.
Ben Gvir said the new regulations represent a shift in policing policy and are designed to prevent the future use of skunk water and tear gas as protest-dispersal methods.
The announcement comes amid ongoing public debate over police handling of demonstrations in Israel, particularly following criticism of law enforcement’s response to protests in the chareidi community.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
What Is Going On? Why Are We Being Stopped Before Victory?
What is going on? How did Israel move from pressuring Iran’s regime, confronting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and vowing to eliminate Hamas after October 7, toward ceasefire talks, Washington diplomacy, and an unfinished war?
This video confronts the central question: why has Israel repeatedly been stopped before achieving decisive victory? From Gaza to Lebanon, Israel has often faced international pressure to withdraw, negotiate, and allow enemies to rebuild.
This time, President Trump gave Israel more strategic time than previous U.S. administrations, but Israel’s senior command failed to turn that time into a coherent victory strategy.
Instead of conquering and clearing jihadist territory, dismantling enemy infrastructure, and creating a durable security reality, Israel has too often relied on limited raids, targeted strikes, buffer zones, and temporary pressure. Hamas remains in Gaza.
Hezbollah remains entrenched in southern Lebanon. Iran continues working through its regional terror network.
A defensive IDF posture leaves soldiers exposed and gives Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran room to regroup, probe, and attack. Israel cannot protect its people by managing jihadist threats or postponing the next war.
The lesson of southern Lebanon, Gaza, and Gush Katif is clear: when Israel leaves a vacuum, its enemies fill it.
Yet there is reason for optimism. Israel’s King David-like soldiers on the ground understand the stakes.
They know this is not merely a tactical security challenge, but an ideological war over Jewish survival, Israeli sovereignty, and the future of the Jewish people.
Israel must defeat Hamas, remove Hezbollah from southern Lebanon, and confront Iran’s jihadist empire. The question is not whether Israel will have to do it—but when.
28 June 2026
"Revenge" - The kibbutznik who murdered four young Bedouins to avenge the murder of his sister
COMMENTS TO VIDEO
Thank you very much, Shraga, you are a great light that reflects the opinion of the majority of Israeli citizens. And I hope Uriel returns home safely. Because he is innocent.
Dear Shraga
Thank you very much for the important video.
Just pray to God that He will bring redemption and that Amiram will be released to his home and family very soon!!! Redemption at birth
The problem is the High Court that brought Israel to the abyss
Dear Shraga, have a blessed week.
This important video should have been released a long time ago.
Thank you for your blessed work for the people of Israel
and for the sake of the AMT.
May you be blessed from heaven
Shraga the King… I thirstily drink your words, please write a book on these topics I owe a copy of this history in my library…
I really beg you in every language. Dear Shraga, turn everything into a book
Let's all shout for the release of Amram Ben Uliel!
🔥הרבה פעמים מחאות אלו, גורמים חילול השם רחמנא ליצלן!!! המנהיג הרב לנדו תוקף בחריפות את הפגנות הפלגים
בס"ד
עולם התורה מכיר טובה למנהיג הדור רבינו מרן הגר"ד לנדו שליט"א ומוסיף חיזוק בעסק התורה לזכותו: אמש הגיעו למעונו עשרות ראשי הכוללים להתייעצות ולקבלת דרכי החיזוק לעת הזו וכהכרת טובה לרבינו מרן שליט"א ולמשלחת גדו"י שליט"א.
במעמד השתתפו עוד: הגאון הגדול רבי שריאל רוזנברג שליט"א גאב"ד בד"ץ ב"ב, הגאון הגדול רבי ברוך דוב דיסקין שליט"א ר"י ארחות תורה, הגאון רבי אליעזר כהנמן שליט"א נשיא ישיבת פוניבז, ועוד עשרות ראשי כוללים. במרכז המעמד האזינו גדולי התורה בחרדת קודש לדעת התורה ממנהיג הדור רבינו מרן שליט"א בחובת השעה אל מול סערות התקופה:
החזון איש כותב באגרת (ח"א קע"ז) "כי ארץ פולין אשר הישיבות קבועות בה, והחסיד החפץ חיים שליט"א שוכן בה, ושאר גדולי התורה והיראה, דינה כארץ ישראל ושאר מדינות כחו"ל" בדורות האחרונים מרכז התורה הוא בארץ ישראל, בני התורה מחוץ לארץ באים ללמוד תורה בארץ ישראל, ומרכז התורה בארץ ישראל משפיע תורה בכל אתר ואתר. אהבת התורה היוקדת שראינו באמריקה ובכל קצווי תבל, זה דבר מפליא לבבות, הלבבות רחבים והידים פתוחות להחזיק את לומדי התורה בארץ ישראל, נדיבי הלב מבינים היטב שאם חלילה תתמעט התורה בארץ ישראל שהיא מרכז התורה, הדבר עלול לגרום שחלילה התורה תתמעט במקומות אחרים.
אברכי הכוללים הם נזר הבריאה, והם לומדי התורה המובחרים ביותר, ודאי שבשעה קשה כזו, אברכי הכוללים בארץ ישראל צריכים להתחזק עוד ועוד בלימודם, כי הם לומדי התורה המובחרים במרכז התורה שבעולם.ושמעתי שגדולי ראשי הישיבות שליט"א קוראים לאברכי הכוללים להתחזק בלימוד ברציפות, ואין ספק שכל חיזוק בלימוד התורה יועיל כנגד כל הגזרות.
כל מיני סוגי מחאות אחרות שלא שמענו מרבותינו מצוקי ארץ זכותם יגן עלינו, אינם דרכנו, והרבה פעמים מחאות אלו, גורמים חילול השם רחמנא ליצלן. וצריך גם לזכור שעיקר העיקרים הוא השקיעות בלימוד, העמל בתורה, והעיון וההתעמקות בתורה, כך לומדי התורה מתעלים ומתעלים עוד ועוד, זהו קידוש השם הגדול ביותר, וזוהי הדבקות בהשם הגבוהה ביותר, ע"י לימוד התורה בעיון ובעמקות ובעמל אמיתי.יהי רצון, שהשם יושיענו במהרה מכל צרותינו, ונזכה לגאולה השלמה במהרה בימינו
אמן.
Live From Jerusalem: KOL BERAMA RADIO {The Amazing Relevance of Parshas Balak to Shiva Asar B'Tamuz}
Rabbi Daniel Glatstein in Eretz Yisrael
HaRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlit"a - Heresy and Miracles
HERESY and MIRACLES
And Hashem opened the mouth of the donkey (22:28).
The Sforno says that Hashem opened the donkey’s mouth for Bilaam’s benefit in order to give him a chance to repent as a result of witnessing this open miracle. However, in practice he did not utilize this opportunity, and continued in his wicked ways. A person can witness an extraordinary miracle right before his eyes and continue as if nothing was happening, as noted by Rabbeinu Bachaye.
Rav Yehoshua Leib Diskin said that in light of all the evidence of a Creator all around us and inside us, heresy that denies the existence of Hashem, claiming that the only reality is nature, is so irrational that it can only be explained as a supernatural phenomenon created by Hashem, in order to maintain free choice. This explains, for example, how Amalek could have espoused such views after the unprecedented miracles of Yetzias Mitzrayim.
Rav Diskin added that much siyatta d’Shmaya is needed to enable us to keep our distance from epikorsus, especially in the final period prior to the coming of Moshiach, when the powers of tumah drastically increase, knowing that their end is near.
Rav Sternbuch was once visiting the Brisker Rav when an American visitor told the Brisker Rav that in America people were waiting for Moshiach to come. The Brisker Rav asked him whether people were preparing themselves for this great event. The visitor responded that Moshiach should come already with or without our preparations. The Brisker Rav replied that this would not work. We must start the process of repentance and strengthening our faith now, intensifying our Torah and prayer and working on our character traits so that we will be worthy of welcoming the Moshiach and witnessing the unprecedented miracles that Hashem will perform at that time. Even revealed miracles, the Brisker Rav said, will not change a person who is stubborn or steeped in his desires.
Although epikorsim (heretics) clothe their views in an intellectual veneer, in reality their outlook usually does not have intellectual roots, but rather stems from negative character traits. Deep down they feel the emptiness of their lives, and seek to justify licentious behavior by citing sundry intellectual “problems” that they claim to have detected with regard to leading a religious lifestyle.
HaRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlit"a - פרשת בלק תשפ"ו
POPULATION GROWTH
And Moav became disgusted with life (see Rashi) because of B’nei Yisroel (22:3).
If the people of Moav were scared of a battle with the Jewish nation, why should that have made them become disgusted with life? Moreover, Balak knew that the Jews were forbidden to wage a full-scale war against Moav, and he was only afraid that they would impose taxes on him. Surely the thought of that is not enough to make the whole nation disgusted with life.
In truth, they were not worried for their pockets, but were disgusted at the thought of having to come into any contact with the Jewish nation. The thought that their licentious and corrupt lifestyle could be affected by the holy way of life practiced by the subduing nation made them become disgusted with life. They preferred death as opposed to having restrictions imposed on their unbridled lifestyle.
In Eretz Yisroel, too, we hear about the alarmed reaction of local residents when even one religious family moves into a fortress of secularism. This stems from their fear of the influence these new neighbors could wield on their way of life.
Our erring brethren worry about the population increase among the Chareidim. One of their methods of dealing with this “problem” is to hold out all sorts of baits in order to encourage Chareidim to assimilate into the way of life followed by the general population. In several cities in Eretz Yisroel mayors do what they can to counteract the influence of the Chareidim, and they fight against Shabbos observance.
In a similar vein, Israel's Education Ministry once accepted criticisms voiced by the Secular Forum bewailing the promotion of Jewish religious observance in state secular schools. More than 70% of Jewish children receive their education in these schools. Parents are worried that any mention of G-d or religion might provide the Chareidim with unwarranted influence. They insist on secular schooling with no religious content of any kind. In other words, they are disgusted by the thought that their children might become closer to the religious. For the same reason, one previous government wanted to make it a criminal offense to attempt to influence a boy under 18 to enter a Torah educational institution without his parents’ consent.
The current feverish attempts to enlist Chareidim into the army stem from the same motives. They are not interested in more soldiers. If that would be their motive, they would focus on secular draft dodgers or on working Chareidi boys. Their aim is to destroy the Torah world, and they do not even deny it. Almost forty years ago they imported a million secularist Russians, almost none of them religious, and many of them not even Jewish. The fact that many of the non-Jewish immigrants were not idealistic Zionists but rather anti-Semitic Christians interested in the financial benefits of aliyah and likely to form a fifth column in the future did not matter, as long as the presence of all these immigrants would guarantee a continued secular majority in the country.
They would like all Chareidim to acculturate into the melting pot of the country’s Hellenistic army. That would take care of the demographic problem posed by the Chareidim. However, neither financial incentives, nor financial penalties, nor incarceration, will induce any yeshiva bachur or avrech to become a deserter by abandoning the Torah world for a hotbed of immorality and heresy.
ADMIRING POLITICIANS
Bilaam refused to go with the elders of Moav and the elders of Midian, who had magic charms in their hands, and conveyed Balak's message to him (22:7). Only when Balak subsequently sent “dignitaries, more and higher in rank than these” (22:15) did Bilaam accompany them to meet Balak.
The first group consisted of religious leaders, with their magic charms, and Bilaam had no respect for them, whereas the second group was composed of government ministers, who were held in very high regard by Bilaam.
Unfortunately, there are also people today who think that a government minister or a professor is worthy of being honored, whereas a yeshiva bachur is not. Similarly, there are some parents who have the great fortune of having a son who has studied Torah for many years, but instead of taking pride in this, they do not find religious matters important enough, and would prefer their son to acquire an academic degree. This attitude is reminiscent of Bilaam’s approach.
On the subject of government ministers, Rav Sternbuch notes with pain that we should feel no affinity with any politician, irrespective of his political affiliation. Rav Sternbuch heard from the late Gerrer Rebbe, the Beis Yisroel, that we do not distinguish between left and right, and we do not oppose any party that does not fight us. In any event, it is a desecration of the divine name to feel any personal connection with a secular politician. Anyone who has a personal or social connection with a heretic and non-observant politician demonstrates that he has lost any sensitivity for any matter of kedushah.
He who overcomes trials is sanctified greatly by Hashem. Our whole desire in this world is to attain sanctity, and, by doing so, we hasten the coming of Moshiach. As for the current attempts to recruit boys to the army, Rav Sternbuch noted that the Jews have always displayed mesirus nefesh for Torah in all conceivable situations. As the Torah testifies, we are a “stiff-necked” nation that does not compromise on its principles, and stubbornly adheres to Hashem and His Torah.
The Ancient Way Of Serving GOD
Mazal Tov on your new baby brother! Mazal Tov to both mother and father, Michoel !
I think this is his son’s name:
B”H Benayahu ben Jehoiada
A commenter wrote:
What I truly appreciate about you, Michael, is that you bring things straight to the point.
When we study the Torah by reading it, we do not encounter people who spent their entire day only reading Torah, but people who truly lived. People who made decisions, both good and bad. From all of this knowledge, we are allowed to learn today, so that where our fathers went wrong, we do not repeat the same mistakes, but, be’ezrat Hashem, do better. In the same way, we too should do the one without neglecting the other.
“In the end, we will not be asked “How much did you know?”, but “What did you do with what you knew?”
May your efforts continue to increase, and may even more people awaken through the work you are doing. This will certainly happen.
חזק ואמץ
Benaiah was born in the town of Kabzeel in southern Judah. His father, Jehoiada, was a prominent priest. His name in Hebrew means "the Lord has built".
Wikipedia: According to the text, Benaiah was one of David's Mighty Warriors, commander of the third rotational army division; (2 Samuel 23:20; 1 Chronicles 27:5). He helped David's son Solomon become king, killed Solomon's enemies, and served as the chief of Solomon's army. On Solomon's instructions he was responsible for the deaths of Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25), Joab (1 Kings 2:34) and Shimei (1 Kings 2:46). He was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites. Several verses in 1 Kings 1illustrate Benaiah's close association with Solomon's party and his exclusion from Adonijah's faction.[7] He is also mentioned in 2 Samuel 8:18, 23:20–23, 30 and 1 Chronicles 27:5–6.
Gravesite
According to Rabbi Hayyim Vital, the grave of Benaiah is in Biriya. In 1869, Rabbi Yosef Hayyim of Baghdad visited the grave and stayed there for a few days. In the introduction to his book, "Ben Ish Chai", he wrote that "many and great secrets" were revealed to him there, and even that "his soul came from the soul of Baniahu ben Yehoida," and that is why he named his books after him.
Israeli Govt. To Freeze Arrests Of Yeshiva Students:
THE ONLY PURPOSE TO ALL THIS IS TO UNDERMINE TORAH DEVOTEES AND ADHERENCE TO HKB”H [ie, the Only God of All Life of the Universe]
…..’ Could Cause Civil War’
JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Israeli government is promoting a freeze on arrests of Haredi yeshiva students who evade military service during the coming months, warning that the arrests are deepening the rupture with the charedi public and could lead to what Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs described as a “civil war.”
Fuchs sent a letter to Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth stating that the government supports a temporary freeze on the arrests, after heads of charedi hesder yeshivas demanded a one-year halt.
According to the letter, the proposed freeze would be for three months and would apply only under supervision and only if the individuals are proven to be Torah students. Those who are not studying would not be able to benefit from the proposed temporary order.
Defense Minister Israel Katz is expected to send Bismuth a separate letter calling on him to convene the committee and discuss Fuchs’ proposal. The letter argues that the arrests are pushing charedim away from enlistment rather than encouraging them to serve.
“The legal counsel, which had never previously intervened in the issue of IDF enforcement, instructed that frequent arrest operations be carried out without distinguishing between yeshiva students who sit and study in yeshivas and those who are not studying,” Fuchs wrote. “This deepened the rift with the charedi public and did not contribute meaningfully to enlistment.”
He added that an examination of recent charedi enlistment figures and the impact of the arrests “indicates that these arrests of Torah students do not promote enlistment among the charedi public, but rather distance it, and there is a real fear of tearing the rope with the charedi public to the point, God forbid, of civil war, less than a week before the start of the Three Weeks.
Fuchs stressed that the temporary order would not exempt yeshiva students from military service, would not allow them to receive IDF approval for deferment and would not exempt them from the financial sanctions already imposed on them.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the issue during a press conference on Lebanon on Saturday evening, claiming that charedi hesder yeshiva heads had sent him a message saying: “When you send people into the yeshivas, take Torah students out and send them to prison, no one enlists.”
Netanyahu quoted what he presented as the yeshiva heads’ message and said, “We received a simply enormous response from the charedi public, young charedim want to enlist, but when arrests are sent into Torah study, this is something that causes us to get the opposite result.”
He then added: “If I told you, if I told you that in some country in Europe they send police into yeshivas, take young men studying Torah and put them in prison, you would be shocked.”
However, no such cases are known. In incidents in which military police arrived to arrest a Haredi deserter and were caught at the scene, they were surrounded by rioting crowds and required rescue. In cases where a deserter was arrested, the arrests led to protests, road blockages and even break-ins at the homes of senior officials. The police do not assist the IDF in arresting deserters.
Netanyahu said that anyone who is not studying Torah should be subject to the law, including arrest. “In my view, anyone who is not studying Torah, where the special arrangement that is being made needs to apply, which will also include sanctions, can have the full weight of the law applied to him, including arrest,” he said. “Here I would make a certain pause in order to reach broad agreements. That is what I am looking for. That will be my policy.”
In their letter to Netanyahu, the heads of the Haredi hesder yeshivas wrote that for more than a decade they had worked “out of deep Torah and public responsibility” to build tracks that allow young Haredi men to combine Torah study with sharing the burden of Israel’s security.
“In recent months we have watched with deep concern as this enterprise is being undermined before our eyes,” they wrote. “The wave of arrests of yeshiva students and Torah learners is causing a severe shock in the heart of the charedi public. Instead of bringing closer, it distances; instead of building trust, it breaks it; and instead of allowing a responsible dialogue, it creates a feeling of persecution, pain and radicalization.”
They demanded “immediate legislation of a temporary order defining a one-year halt to arrests of yeshiva students,” but did not claim that students were being arrested inside yeshivas.
They wrote that the goal of the freeze would be “to create during this year the full conditions in which charedi young men who wish to do so will be able to combine the burden of Torah, fear of heaven and sharing the burden of security.”
They added that during that year, legislation would also regulate the status of Torah students alongside those combining Torah study and military service.“At this time, the people of Israel need unity, responsibility, protection of the world of Torah and protection of Israel’s security, not another rupture within the camp,” they wrote.
Under the current legal situation, and in the absence of a new Knesset law, draft orders have been sent to about 90,000 Haredim who did not report for service. Of them, only a negligible share of draft evaders has been arrested and later released.
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