"Fake Rav" Seidenfeld from Monsey issues Fake Siruv Against Rav Mordechai Willig !

Who is this Seidenfeld who pretends to be a Rav? I lived in Monsey for over 30 years and never heard of this Bais Din? The chutzpa to issue a "siruv" to Rav Willig! 

A Monsey beis din has placed Rav Mordechai Willig - Av Beis Din of the Beis Din of America - in nidui.

The declaration, dated 8 Tammuz 5785, was issued on the letterhead of Beis Din Tzedek Mishpat Hatorah at 207 Bates Drive, Monsey, and calls on the public to distance themselves from him.

Rav Willig is one of the senior dayanim of the most established beis din in North America - the body that has issued seruvim against Gett refusers for decades.

The community deserves public answers from this Gett abuse-enabling “Dayan” named Seidenfeld on Bates in Monsey.

 

Baal Teshuva Lunatic Traveled from the USA to Israel so he "Can spit on Tziyonim"

 

This raving sicko says that he lived in the USA but came to Israel so that he can spit into the face of Tzyoinim! He adds that he became a "Baal Teshuva" after witnessing a Hafgana! 

But what I'm surprised is that there are adults all around them looking like normal people who are listening to this meshiginar and have no reactions! 

And he is saying this with children around him! 

Is it any wonder that Chardeim are splitting away from these sickos?

Toms River Rabbis Want Our Teenagers Who are a bit Off to eat at MacDonalds! They don't Want them in Kosher Restaurants!

This story out of Toms River is simply unbelievable. A group of rabbanim are upset that teenagers are hanging out at Smash House, a kosher restaurant.

I know these rabbanim personally, and until now I had tremendous respect for them — but this is sheer madness.

Where exactly do they expect these kids to go? Would they prefer the teens hang out in treif places instead?

And if the concern is that their own children might be influenced, there are literally hundreds of other kosher restaurants in Lakewood where they can take their kids. No one is forcing them to go to Smash House.

I can’t help but wonder: If it were their own children or grandchildren, would these rabbanim still think it’s better for teens to end up in non‑kosher environments rather than in a supervised, kosher restaurant?

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Ray of Hope ...... She Refused to Stay Silent About Abuse

 

"Disconnected" Litvishe Roshei Yeshiva Running Scared as their Followers Wake Up and Enlist

As I’ve been writing over the past two weeks, there is a noticeable shift taking place in the thinking and hashkafah of many within the Charedi community. More and more people are recognizing that they cannot remain separate from the rest of the Jewish people, and that this separation is creating real resentment.

We all live in this country, and every individual has a responsibility to be part of Klal Yisrael and not to be poretz geder.

Many are beginning to realize that their elderly spiritual leaders are, in their view, increasingly out of touch — disconnected from the realities unfolding around them — and that these leaders are often influenced by handlers who filter what they see and hear.

We are at war, yet when speaking to a typical Charedi individual, you might not sense it. Some openly say that this is not “their war,” a statement that echoes language historically used by those hostile to the Jewish people.

At long last, some within the community are waking up. There is a small but genuine ray of hope that people are beginning to see the larger picture and reassess long‑held assumptions.

 An emergency gathering attended by dozens of Lithuanian-haredi yeshiva deans was held Sunday to warn against what they described as a "grave spiritual danger" posed by the enlistment of haredim into army frameworks tailored for the haredi public.

Central to the gathering was the reading of a sharply-worded letter from leading rabbis opposing military enlistment, even in frameworks that claim to accommodate religious observance and allow soldiers to maintain their haredi lifestyle. In the signatories' opinion, these arrangements "regrettably do not endure over time despite promises and commitments."

Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch wrote: "It has unfortunately come to my attention that, as part of efforts to enlist Torah students, various tracks have been established and given names such as ‘Kodkod’ and others, and recently additional enlistment tracks have been added in the south, in Netivot and Be’er Sheva."

"And it is certain that all of these tracks are an integral part of the army, and one who goes there hands himself over to the control and authority of the military rulership, and becomes a full soldier in every respect, and it is similar to joining the army, which has no permissible aspect at all."

The letter also included remarks by yeshiva dean Rabbi Dov Lando, who warned: "Anyone who, G-d forbid, joins these tracks or similar, should know that beyond the personal tragedy that he brings upon himself and his household, others may, G-d forbid, be drawn after him, and his sin would be great to bear."

However within the Chasidic-haredi community: In groups such as Belz, Sanz, Karlin, and others, married working men are permitted to participate in supervised military initiatives.

Charedi Recruits Enlist In Combat Units: Netzah Yehuda, Chashmonaim, Chetz, Avnet And Negev ...Despite Gedoilim Writing Kol Koras!

 

Finally, it seems that parts of the Charedi world are beginning to recognize that they are being led by “gedolim” and roshei yeshiva who, in the view of many, are increasingly disconnected from the broader reality of Klal Yisrael — including large segments of their own Charedi communities.

October 7 changed everything. Many Charedim saw, in real time, that their leadership had painted itself into a corner with no clear way out. The long‑standing opposition to army service and to yeshivos that offer vocational training is becoming harder to defend, and it is isolating the community from the rest of Israel’s Jewish population.

Some observers believe that unless Torah leaders such as Rav Landau and Rav Hirsch open their eyes and begin to compromise, the Charedi community may face a serious internal split. In many ways, that process has already begun.

Rav Landau and Rav Hirsch are not fully aligned. Rav Hirsch, with his American background, is seen by some as more aware of the need for yeshiva students to acquire a trade, and he has expressed the view that those who are not learning full‑time should enlist. Yet he continues to sign strong kol kora declarations against the IDF — likely, as some suggest, due to intense pressure from factions within the community who prefer to maintain the status quo, allowing others to work and serve while they do neither.

A special enlistment day for the charedi sector was held on Sunday at the IDF Induction Center  in Tel Hashomer. Young charedi men arrived at the recruitment office to integrate into meaningful service in the Israel Defense Forces, with an emphasis on combat units and frameworks adapted to their religious lifestyle.

The recruits were assigned to a variety of units, including the Netzah Yehuda Battalion, the Hashmonaim Brigade, the “Hetz” platoon in the Paratroopers Brigade, the “Avnet” platoon in the Israel Border Police and the Negev platoon in the Israeli Air Force.

One of the central focuses is the Hashmonaim Brigade, the first charedi brigade in the IDF, which operated during the war in the Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria sectors. Recently, its forces completed raids in western Lebanon.

The brigade runs an independent training base that includes squad commander courses, combat medic training, and technological tracks such as drone operation. In recent weeks, it also completed its first officer training cycle tailored for Haredi soldiers.

A notable feature of this enlistment day is that many recruits arrived after a long preparation process in pre-military academies run by the Netzah Yehuda Association.
Among the academies attended by the recruits are “Nitzotz Be’emunah,” “Derech Emunah,” “Tiferet HaArazim,” “Yadav Emunah,” “Batzavta,” and the chasidic preparatory program “Beit David.” Over the past year, students in these programs underwent training focused on strengthening values, building personal identity, and mental preparation for the challenges of combat service.

Israel’s Chief Rabbi Rabbi David Yosef Warns Against Lag Baomer Pilgrimage to Mount Meron

 

What the article below doesn't mention is that right now there are around 20,000 chareidim in Meron, who came last week and are staying there in tents etc.

This is what I have been writing all along, Charedim are reckless! Safety regulations mean nothing to them, should Hezbollah start launching missiles at Meron, there could be c"v thousands of casualties, and who will they blame? The Zionists! 

Rabbi David Yosef issued a sharp warning ahead of Lag BaOmer, urging the public not to travel to Mount Meron in defiance of security restrictions.

Speaking amid heightened concerns in northern Israel, Yosef said attempts to reach the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai despite official guidance are not acts of religious devotion but violations of core Torah principles.

“The Torah commands that a person should live by the commandments, not die because of them,” Yosef said, rejecting claims that such travel constitutes mesirut nefesh, or self-sacrifice.

He cautioned against relying on faith alone in dangerous conditions, saying individuals must not place themselves at risk while assuming divine protection. Yosef added that when security authorities unanimously determine there is danger, Jewish law requires adhering to their instructions.

Drawing a comparison to established religious rulings, he noted that a person instructed by a doctor to eat on Yom Kippur must do so, underscoring that preserving life overrides other obligations.

Yosef also warned of the risks posed by large crowds gathering under unsafe conditions, including the potential for panic and trampling.

He called on the public to avoid traveling to the site under current circumstances, saying those who value their lives should stay away.

American Agunah Receives Get In Israel After Court Seizes Husband’s Israeli Assets

  L., who had been denied a religious divorce for three years, received her long-awaited get in recent days after heavy financial sanctions were imposed on her recalcitrant husband, who lives abroad but owns property in Israel, according to a Ynet report.

The couple, who lived together for more than a decade in the United States, separated in 2023. Since then, L. had tried unsuccessfully to obtain a get. Despite proceedings she pursued in rabbinical courts in the U.S., and despite a ruling requiring the husband to grant the get, he continued to refuse, declaring he would never give it.

L. turned to Yad La’isha, which represents agunot and women denied a get, for help in securing the divorce. After learning that the husband owned real estate in Israel, attorney Tehila Cohen, who represented L. on behalf of Yad La’isha, petitioned the Haifa Rabbinical Court to impose liens on his properties and bank accounts in Israel.

After the court granted the request and the husband was notified of the liens, the parties agreed to arbitration in the U.S. Despite a ruling in the case, the husband continued to impede the proceedings.

In response, Cohen and the Agunot Department of the rabbinical courts moved to renew proceedings against him, including a ruling in Israel obligating him to grant the get and the transfer of his seized assets into receivership.

Once he realized he could lose his property in Israel, the financial pressure had its effect. Just days before a hearing scheduled to advance the proceedings against him, the husband unexpectedly appeared at the rabbinical court and agreed to grant the long-awaited get.

“Once again, we have seen the enormous leverage financial sanctions can provide against men who refuse to grant a get, even when they do not live in Israel,” Cohen said. “Thankfully, L. received the long-awaited get thanks to the dedicated cooperation of the Agunot Department and the Haifa Rabbinical Court, and she can now continue her life as a free woman. We will continue working for the freedom and independence of every chained woman in Israel and abroad.”

The back story of the Relationship of Rebbe Akiva and Bar Kochba!

 

 Just seven miles from my home in Beit Shemesh lies Churvat Itri — חורבת עתרי, a fascinating archaeological site.

Among its remains are the ruins of a Jewish village from the Second Beis HaMikdash period — including a shul and several mikva’ot.

But what makes this site especially remarkable is that it contains underground hideouts from the Bar Kochba revolt. Many such hideouts have been discovered across the region, but this one is practically in my backyard.

And that leads to a bigger question:

What exactly was the relationship between Bar Kochba and Rabbi Akiva?

First let's talk about Bar-Kochba!

In the early 1960s, archaeologist Yigal Yadin uncovered a collection of 14 letters written during the Bar Kochba revolt (132–136 CE). Some were in Hebrew, some in Aramaic, and some in Greek. Alongside them were about 70 documents belonging to a woman named Babatha, which together provide a vivid picture of the period.

Interestingly, these letters refer to Bar Kochba as בר כוסבה — Bar Kosva, which seems to have been his actual name. Those who learned Sanhedrin 93b will recall that Chazal call him Bar Koziva, meaning “the false one.” more on that later.

From the letters, we see that Bar Kochba was a strong, disciplined leader and a capable administrator. His authority was widely accepted. On the coins he minted, he even referred to himself as “Nasi Yisrael.”

It’s also clear that not all Jewish communities joined the revolt. The Galilee abstained, and so did the people of Tekoa. In fact, three of Bar Kochba’s letters threaten Tekoa’s commanders, demanding they force the local men to enlist — a dynamic that feels surprisingly familiar.

Let's talk about Rebbe Akiva

The Rambam writes in Hilchos Melachim that Rabbi Akiva was second only to Moshe Rabbeinu in Torah greatness. The Gemara in Menachos 29 even describes Moshe Rabbeinu marveling at Rabbi Akiva’s brilliance.

"You have a person like him and you choose to give the Torah through me?"

Rabbi Akiva began learning Torah at age 40, rose to become the Rosh Yeshiva of thousands, and ultimately gave his life al kiddush Hashem under Roman persecution. His neshama was so bound to Torah that any anonymous Mishnah is attributed to him.

But Rabbi Akiva was not only a giant in Torah. The Rambam (Hilchos Melachim 11:3) writes that Rabbi Akiva was

נושא כליו של בר כוכבא — literally, “the arms‑bearer of Bar Kochba.”

He believed that Bar Kochba fulfilled the pasuk “דרך כוכב מיעקב” — a star will emerge from Yaakov. Hence the name Bar Kochba, “son of the star.”

The Rambam writes:

שֶׁהֲרֵי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא חָכָם גָּדוֹל מֵחַכְמֵי מִשְׁנָה הָיָה. וְהוּא הָיָה נוֹשֵׂא כֵּלָיו שֶׁל בֶּן כּוֹזִיבָא הַמֶּלֶךְ. וְהוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר עָלָיו שֶׁהוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. וְדִמָּה הוּא וְכָל חַכְמֵי דּוֹרוֹ שֶׁהוּא הַמֶּלֶךְ הַמָּשִׁיחַ. עַד שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג בַּעֲוֹנוֹת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג נוֹדַע לָהֶם שֶׁאֵינוֹ. וְלֹא שָׁאֲלוּ מִמֶּנּוּ חֲכָמִים לֹא אוֹת וְלֹא מוֹפֵת.

Rebbe Akiva thought and held the view that Bar Kochba was Moshiach!

Correcting a Common Misconception

Many secular historians — and this has also seeped into the frum world — try to separate Bar Kochba’s fighters from Rabbi Akiva and his students. They claim the soldiers were not Torah‑observant or connected to the spiritual leadership of the time.

This is simply not true.

The letters discovered by Yadin show soldiers concerned about kashrus, shatnez, and halachic observance. Rabbi Akiva’s talmidim were holy, devoted Torah scholars — and they supported the national struggle for independence.

Anyone who claims Rabbi Akiva fought Roman decrees on Torah study while being disconnected from the national uprising idea is contradicting the Rambam himself. Rabbi Akiva was actively involved in the revolt. He believed in Bar Kochba. He believed in Jewish sovereignty. He believed in the possibility of redemption.

A Lesson for Today

Bar Kochba was not known for his piety or spiritual refinement. Many rabbis of the time opposed Rabbi Akiva’s support for him. They argued — much like some do today — that the army was too secular, that Bar Kochba didn’t meet their standards, that he wasn’t “one of them.”

Rabbi Akiva saw something different. He saw Bar Kochba’s mesiras nefesh for Am Yisrael. He saw a leader capable of uniting warriors and inspiring a national revival. And that is why he believed Bar Kochba could be Moshiach — despite the opposition.

The Rambam teaches that the only reason we know Bar Kochba was not Moshiach is because he died, and not because he wasn't spiritual. Rabbi Akiva knew good and well who Bar Kochba was, he was no one's fool and yet he supported him.

Moshiach will not die; he will succeed.  

Lag B'Omer celebration in Meron - canceled: Police close the mountain, set up checkpoints and warn extremists

 

The Israel Police officially announces the cancellation of the Rashbi celebration on Lag B'Omer in Meron, and the deployment of police forces alongside increased alert on all roads leading to Meron - including in the forests • Entry to Meron will be allowed only to residents of the community or registered guests • The police warn that it will adopt zero tolerance for violence against police officers 

Police forces, Border Police fighters and Traffic Division officers have been deployed since the end of the week on all roads leading to the settlement of Meron and the surrounding areas. The forces will prevent the entry of vehicles and pedestrians until May 6, 2026, when entry will be permitted only to residents of the community or to those staying in a pre-registered B&B.

Extensive roadblocking starting today

As of today, 03 May 2026, a number of main arteries have been closed to traffic: Route 89 at Ein Zeitim Square, Route 866 at the Parod Junction, Route 89 at the Gush Halav (Jish) Junction, and Route 89 at the Safsufa Junction.

Starting Monday, 04.05.26, at 06:00, until Wednesday, 06.05.26, at 06:00, additional routes will be completely blocked. For those coming from the direction of Elifelet, Route 89 will be blocked in Elifelet, Safed Square and Ein Zeitim Square. For those coming from the area of Route 85 (Hananya), Hananya Junction will be blocked to Route 866, Parod Junction and Shamai Junction in the direction of Meron.

For those coming from the direction of Hiram to Meron, Route 89 will be blocked at the Hiram Junction, at the Gush Halav (Jish) Junction and the Regional Council Junction, as well as Route 886 from Dalton in the direction of Ein Zeitim and Route 866 from Dalton to Gush Halav Square.