Pretty amazing! Here is how the United States captured the President of one of the largest countries on earth 👀 pic.twitter.com/GE87b3NbtG
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) January 5, 2026
“I don’t speak because I have the power to speak; I speak because I don’t have the power to remain silent.” Rav Kook z"l
Pretty amazing! Here is how the United States captured the President of one of the largest countries on earth 👀 pic.twitter.com/GE87b3NbtG
— Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) January 5, 2026
Embassy of Palestine in London Officially Opened After United Kingdom Recognized the State of Palestine
The ceremony is being hailed as historic by Palestinian officials, while Israel warns the shift risks rewarding diplomacy without confronting the terror and governance realities still driving the conflict.
In this week’s parsha, we encounter a remarkable exchange between Moshe Rabbeinu and the Ribbono Shel Olam.
Hashem instructs Moshe to go to Paro and to Klal Yisrael and announce that the time has finally come for the Jewish people to be taken out of Egypt.
Moshe responds with a question: “What if they don’t believe me?”
Hashem is not pleased with this, and immediately the staff in Moshe’s hand turns into a snake.
Rashi asks: Why specifically a snake? What is the message here?
Rashi explains that Moshe’s question amounted to speaking Lashon Hara about Klal Yisrael—assuming they would not believe him. To show His displeasure, Hashem turns the staff into a snake, the very symbol of Lashon Hara.
But Hashem doesn’t stop there. To drive the point home, He afflicts Moshe’s hand with tzaraas, another classic sign of Lashon Hara.
This raises a powerful question: What were the Jews in Egypt actually like, that Moshe’s words were considered Lashon Hara?
Were they tzaddikim?
Let me share something that isn’t often emphasized: Chazal say openly that the Jews in Egypt were idol worshippers.
The Midrash states:
?ואמרו מלאכים הללו עובדי עבודה זרה והללו עובדי עבודה זרה מה נשתנו אלו מאל
“The angels said: These are idol worshippers and those are idol worshippers—what makes Israel different from the Egyptians?”
And further:
שה"ר פרשה ב או הנסה אלהים לבא לקחת לו גוי מקרב גוי, ר' יהושע בשם ר' חנן אמר גוי מקרב עם ועם מקרב גוי אין כתיב כאן, אלא גוי מקרב גוי, שהיו אלו ערלים ואלו ערלים, אלו מגדלין בלורית ואלו מגדלין בלורית, אלו לובשי כלאים ואלו לובשי כלאים, אם כן לא היתה מדת הדין נותנת שיגאלו ישראל לעולם, אמר ר' שמואל בר נחמן אלולי שאסר הקדוש ברוך הוא עצמו בשבועה לא היו ישראל נגאלין לעולם, הדא הוא דכתיב (שמות ו') לכן אמור לבני ישראל אני ה' והוצאתי אתכם מתחת סבלות מצרים, ואין לכן אלא שבוע
They were uncircumcised, they dressed like the Egyptians, they behaved like the Egyptians. According to Reb Yehoshua in the name of Rav Chanan, there was almost no visible difference between the two nations. And Rav Shmuel bar Nachman teaches that if not for Hashem swearing that He would redeem them, the attribute of justice would never have allowed it.
And yet—despite all this—Hashem was upset with Moshe for questioning the belief of these very people.
Charedim took The name of Harav Avraham Yitzchok Kook z"l and rubbed it into the mud? Why?
Because he dared believe in the Chilonim that were building Eretz Yisrael!
Woe to those who denigrate and badmouth those living in Eretz Yisrael!
They may very well be "Gedoilim" nevertheless they are עתיד ליתן דין וחשבון!
Hashem wasn't "mevater" when the greatest of prophets "hinted" that the Jews would not believe him, HE will certainly not be "mevater" for anyone talking ill of those living in the Land of Israel! Be they frum or even Oivdei Avoda Zara!
This has been going viral, and I saw that many comment that he is deranged!
So let me let you guys into a secret
HE IS NOT DERANGED!
I have spoken to him on many occasions and if you don't speak about Zionists or the IDF to him you can hold an intelligent conversation with him!
When Chardeim are embarrassed about their very own, instead of going over to him and chastising him ...they walk away and say "Well he is deranged" This is a cop out !
BTW I have spoken to many Yeshivishe people who look sane and say this as well!
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he expects the Senate to vote this week on whether to formally authorize the Trump administration's military actions in Venezuela.
The New York Democrat said he is co-sponsoring a resolution to block further U.S. action following the strikes tied to the operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, now detained in a New York federal prison.
Schumer argued the administration violated the War Powers Act by failing to notify Congress in advance, according to Politico.
A heated confrontation unfolded during the Cabinet meeting on Sunday regarding the stance of the Attorney General, who believes the Prime Minister should advance the dismissal of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Minister Yitzhak Wasserlauf opened the discussion, stating: "Every time we raise a discussion, the Legal Advisor blocks it and the Attorney General prevents it. Now they want to fire Minister Ben Gvir. This is not just against him; this is against all of us."
Government Secretary Yossi Fox added, "There is no precedent for firing a minister without an indictment. This is breaking the tools, it’s the end of democracy."
Minister Ben Gvir remarked, "They tried to blackmail me, someone from the Legal Advisor’s office, saying that if I don’t appoint Rinat Saban, they will fire me. Gil Limon, who is here, knows this person."
Deputy Attorney General Gil Limon responded, "What Ben Gvir is saying is a lie. We raised concerns about the policy on the Temple Mount. The Prime Minister said that the status quo would not change, but Ben Gvir is making changes."
At this point, Prime Minister Netanyahu intervened and said, "We said there will be no change in the status quo, but the changes Ben Gvir is making do not alter the status quo, and they are in coordination with me."
Limon attempted to continue, "There needs to be an independent police force, and Ben Gvir is harming the independence of the police. It’s true that no indictment has been filed against him. Take for example what happened last night when Ben Gvir immediately backed the police. A citizen was shot in Terabin, and Ben Gvir didn’t check; he immediately backed them. This is interference in the investigation, he’s interfering with investigations, and not for the first time."
The Prime Minister responded angrily: "This is simply embarrassing. The firing of Minister Ben Gvir will not happen. Pay attention to what you’re saying here. It’s not uncommon for there to be investigations in the IDF about a particular event, but that does not prevent the Defense Minister and the Chief of Staff from continuing in their roles, and sometimes I also give them my support. No one is convinced by this, you are using absurd arguments."
Minister Ben Gvir added, "If we’re talking about interfering with investigations, you (Gil Limon) are a criminal. You interfered in an investigation you shouldn’t have regarding the Military Advocate General. You sent a letter asking when the investigation would end, and you were in a conflict of interest, which is prohibited."
Limon argued, "I sent an email and did not intervene."
The Prime Minister concluded the discussion, clarifying: "I suggest the Attorney General reconsider his position. I will not fire Minister Ben Gvir."
The bulletin, titled "In the Brigade," was distributed over the weekend in Charedi population centers. According to the Yedioth Ahronoth daily, it features Torah teachings written by brigade commanders, personal accounts from soldiers serving in the unit, and photographs documenting operational activity.
IDF officials say the publication is intended to introduce young Charedi men to the dedicated service framework developed for them within the military, while highlighting the experiences of soldiers and commanders who serve in the brigade.
However, the initiative has drawn sharp criticism in Bnei Brak and other Charedi strongholds. Anti-draft activists circulated messages urging synagogue caretakers to verify whether the bulletin had been distributed on their premises and to remove what they described as “dangerous materials," warning against allowing the content to reach the wider public.
The controversy reflects ongoing tensions within Israel’s Charedi community over military service and the IDF’s efforts to expand haredi enlistment through tailored frameworks.