Rav wonders why emperor won't put on clothes ....The shidduch initiative and army debacles return

R Binyomin Cohen

by Daas Yochid

DY: "Someone sent me a great article in Hamodia (motto: “more boring than Yated”) from the Pesach supplement ‘Front Burner 3’.

 In it, they asked a chashuve rav, R Binyomin Cohen, a lot of pretty hard-hitting questions.

I missed it, and I imagine many others did too - I don’t know who still reads anything but Mordechai Schmutter there.

 Here are two standout questions:

There is a certain type of person who was once very committed to asking a daas Torah, followed rabbinic guidance faithfully and then felt he was led in the wrong direction. He’s now disillusioned and hesitant to ask again or to follow a decision. What would you say to someone like that?

RBC: Answer: I have to be honest: the phrase “asking a daas Torah“ is one I don’t particularly care for. The phrase implies that only some talmidei chachamim are capable of dispensing the Torah’s view on matters of hashkafah. The truth is that “daas Torah“ is the Torah’s view on a subject and is not its own category of Torah. It’s applying one’s chochmas haTorah in areas of hashkafah and public policy. It’s not the purview of a “specialist” in daas Torah.

That said — the answer I would give to someone who has been disillusioned is this: find a Rav or a Rebbe or a Rosh Yeshivah you can have a real relationship with, and ask him your questions directly. Not what you heard this one says in a shiur, not what that one posted online. A personal and sincere question deserves a clear answer.

Try to engage the person and try to understand what’s bothering him in his question. Try to answer his question and have a discussion with him about it. When we talk in learning, sometimes there’s a clear answer and sometimes there’s not. But one of the most important things a Rav can do is simply say: “I don’t know.” I cannot overstate how much comfort those words can give. If someone who had been stung by what he felt was overconfident guidance were to go to a Rav and ask a genuinely hard question, and if the Rav were to sit with it for a moment and say, “I don’t fully understand this either — let me think about it,” that person would feel validated in a way that years of confident declarations never could accomplish.

The starting point on issues of public policy and hashkafah is that we should implicitly trust and accept what the Gedolei Yisrael are saying about these issues. That doesn’t mean that I understand everything that is being said by them or in their names. My confidence in them doesn’t require me to understand every decision and every nuance. That doesn’t mean questions should be stifled or explanations shouldn’t be given. In general, the tzibbur is entitled to ask questions respectfully and sincerely, and we should do our best to answer their questions.

The Pope's Perfidy Against His own Faith

The Pope signing the “Golden Book” ceremonial guestbook in the Great Mosque in Algiers

When US President Donald Trump sent Vice-President JD Vance to negotiate with members of the Iranian regime in Islamabad, people initially thought that Vance — reportedly the most outspoken voice in the Trump administration against going to war with Iran — would be a soft touch.

When the talks in Pakistan broke down, however, Vance’s position could hardly have been tougher. Having seen the Iranian regime up close, he said, he was absolutely certain that these people must never be allowed to get nuclear weapons.

In recent days, he has again taken a position which contradicted previous assumptions about his worldview.

The MAGA movement is currently convulsed by a faction of poisonous, unhinged Jewish-conspiracy theorists, led by podcaster and political commentator Tucker Carlson. Believing that Israel drags America into needless foreign wars, they’ve been inflamed to the point of hysteria by the war against Iran.

A number of these people are Catholics who have positioned themselves against Christian Zionism, largely associated with evangelical Protestantism. Younger Catholics, particularly recent converts who reject modernity, are leaning into older, more “authentic” versions of the faith — and are thus embracing its earlier virulent antisemitism.

Vance, a passionate Catholic convert, has caused great unease among the Jewish community by refusing to distance himself from this tendency.

This past week, an explosive row was detonated between Trump and Pope Leo XIV that played straight into the MAGA convulsions.

Is the "mezizia be'peh" practice an actual requirement of a Bris! Not so fast!

 

 From 

 EMAILIM BATORAH <friedmanmoishe771@101211442.mailchimpapp.com>

The Most Controversial Teshuvah of the Chasam Sofer Of the 1,246 printed Teshuvos Chasam Sofer, there is one Teshuvah that stands out as the most controversial ever written by the Chasam Sofer. This Teshuvah was intentionally omitted from the original printed editions of Teshuvos Chasam Sofer and remained unpublished until recently, when it appeared in the Biton edition. In this Teshuvah, the Chasam Sofer writes that מציצה בפה is not mentioned anywhere in Halacha, but is practiced only according to קבלה. He then adds, “אין לי עסק בנסתרות”—“I do not involve myself in mystical matters”—indicating that he does not attach particular importance to Kabbalistic practices. He further states that even if the משנה had explicitly required מציצה בפה, it would not necessarily apply today, since מציצה is not part of the מצוה of מילה itself, but rather a medical procedure. Therefore, if it can be safely performed in another manner—without using the mouth—it would be entirely permissible to do so. When this Teshuvah first became known, some Gedolim claimed that it was a forgery fabricated by opponents of מציצה בפה. However, this was later proven false. The original manuscript of the Teshuvah still exists and is currently in the possession of descendants of R. Yisroel Stern זצ״ל of London. The מהר"ם שיק and others argued that the Teshuvah was a הוראת שעה—a temporary ruling made under exceptional circumstances—and therefore cannot be used today as a היתר (leniency) to refrain from מציצה בפה. Although the Chasam Sofer himself does not describe it as a הוראת שעה and the wording of the Teshuvah does not suggest that it was one, Chassidic and Hungarian (Heimish) communities accepted the Maharam Schick’s interpretation. As a result, they do not rely on this Teshuvah as a basis for permitting Milah without מציצה בפה. On the contrary they are the biggest opponents of those not requiring מציצה בפה

Fragile Ceasefire: Strikes in Lebanon and Escalating Iranian Moves

 

IDF forces carried out multiple strikes in southern Lebanon in response to Hezbollah ceasefire violations. Several militants were eliminated.

Iran announced a renewed closure of the Strait of Hormuz, claiming the American naval blockade violates the ceasefire terms. At least two vessels reported being attacked over Shabbos.

The United States is warning that military action could resume within days.

The bridge used by Hezbollah that the IDF destroyed just yesterday has already been rebuilt by the Lebanese Army

 

Question: This bridge was only a benefit to Hezbollah, why did the Lebanese Army rebuild it?

Could it be that the entire "peace talks" are fraudulent?

Zera Shimshon Parshat Tazria - Metzora

 

Video of Reb Shayele of Krestir

Some of my nephews from the USA planned a trip to Europe to visit our Kever Avos and to visit the grave of Reb Shayele of Krestir, and they invited me, and we were to meet in Budapest! 

Because of the war, my tickets were cancelled, but my nephews were kind enough to send me the video of Reb Shayele! I had no idea that the rebbe was still alive, and here I thought we were going to his Kever! Everyday I learn something new, B"H!

Shout out to Sendy, Binyamin, Chesky

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Open Letter to the Roshei Yeshivos and to the Chareidie Community

An open letter to the Roshei Yeshivot and to the entire Chareidie public.

We are now on vacation from the yeshivas, your students are flooding the north, vacationing, bathing and having fun until they return to school. And we saw them this week in droves in the Sea of Galilee and in the north in general.

It could have been done differently. An entire country has been at war for two and a half years, more than 100,000 reservists are enlisted, their families are collapsing, businesses in the north are collapsing, farmers and residents of the conflict line are crying out for help.

One would have expected someone with a Jewish neshama to stop and say:

This year we will doing it differently.

This year, my students, won't go buy snacks and go to the Kinneret. This year we will volunteer, we will take part and inherit together with the people who sustain and protect  this country.

Tens of thousands of Rabbi Akiva's students died in the plague at this very time because they did not show respect to each other.

 Learn from the punishment they received from Heaven.

Hoping someone will hear this message and understand!

כתב פתוח לראשי הישיבות ולציבור החרדי כולו.

יש עכשיו חופשה מהישיבות, תלמידיכם מציפים את הצפון, נופשים, רוחצים ומבלים עד שיחזרו ללימודים (בין הזמנים). וראינו אותם השבוע בהמוניהם בכנרת ובצפון בכלל.

אפשר היה לעשות את זה אחרת. מדינה שלמה במלחמה כבר שנתיים וחצי, מעל 100 אלף אנשי מילואים מגויסים, משפחותיהם קורסות, עסקי הצפון קורסים, החקלאים ותושבי קו העימות משוועים לעזרה.

היה מצופה ממי שנשמה יהודית באפו לעצור ולומר:

השנה עושים את זה אחרת.

השנה תלמידי אל תלכו לקנות חטיפים ולכנרת לכו להתנדב, קחו חלק ונחלה יחד עם אנשים שמחזיקים את המדינה הזו.

עשרות אלפי תלמידיו של רבי עקיבא, מתו במגפה בדיוק בתקופה זו משום שלא נהגו כבוד זה לזה. תלמדו מהעונש שקיבלו מידי שמיים.

אני מקווה שאוזניים להם וישמעו.

 

Israel’s economy surges past $700B despite war

 New IMF data for 2026 shows Israel’s GDP has crossed $719.85 billion for the first time, marking a historic milestone. 

Despite over two years of war, the  economy continues to expand at a rapid pace, with projections pointing toward $800 billion within the next year and a potential $1 trillion economy by the end of the decade.

Court Refuses to Fire Ben-Gvir but curbs his powers in major ruling

 The Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, published a ruling on Thursday significantly limiting National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir in all matters related to managing the police, appointing senior officials, and his freedom of speech on operational matters.

The judges' decision follows a hearing held a day prior and seeks to settle the tense relationship between the Minister and Attorney General Gali Baharav Miara.

The most significant part of the ruling concerns two court orders, which are effective immediately and until another decision is made.

This being said, the court denied the Attorney General's more extreme demands to order the minister's total impeachment or completely suspend his authority over appointments.

The Supreme Court has ordered Ben-Gvir not to comment on the use of police force on citizens, including the issue of interrogations.

Restriction on senior appointments: The promotion and appointment of officers at the rank of superintendent and above, especially in sensitive positions affecting investigations, law enforcement, freedom of expression, and protest, will be carried out only in accordance with the recommendation of the General Command staff.

Additionally, the Minister must give seven days' prior notice to the Attorney General about every such appointment to allow her to submit her opinion.

In addition, the court granted validity to the outline of principles submitted previously and clarified that the sides are permitted to raise claims in the event of a violation of the outline or procedures.

Per the ruling, it was determined that the Attorney General will submit to the court by April 19 the drafts of the procedures exchanged between her and the minister's representatives, in a sealed envelope.

It was also determined that the Prime Minister, the Minister, and the Attorney General will continue dialogue to complete the work on the procedures, and will submit a joint statement by May 3 detailing whether agreements have been reached. In the event of disputes, the parties will be required to specify the content within the statement.