After Being Mocked and Ridiculed Rav Deutsch Retracts From His Crazed Psak About the Song Being "Apikorsas"

 

This is too nuts to believe. Rav Deutsch issued a "fatwa" against a song that Harav Arush wrote calling it "apikorsas" and brought proof from a Chazon Ish! 

Now he states:

 “I was under the mistaken impression that the lyrics were written by a secular person [but] Now that I understand they were composed by a respected religious authority, I completely withdraw my previous statements. In fact, it’s now a mitzvah [religious duty] to share this song widely.”

This comment is crazier than his fatwa! If the words of the song are "apikorsas" then who cares who wrote it? So only a tzaddik is allowed to utter words of heresy? What happened with the Chazon Ish's explanation of Bitachon? Did that change because a frum guy wrote the song?

"Ela Mei" Rav Deutsch realized that he said something crazy and stupid and got called out by other Rabbanim who knew the words of the Chazon Ish very well, and nevertheless thought what Rav Deutsch said was ridiculous! Instead of saying "I am embarrassed by my stupidity" he said he "thought the song was written by a secular person" 

In a significant turn of events  Rabbi Avraham Deutsch, the Posek of Ma’ale Adumim, has retracted his previous criticism of the popular religious song “Hashem Loves Me” (God Loves Me) following a clarification of its message and authorship.

The controversy, which had gained media attention, centered around Rabbi Deutsch’s initial condemnation of the song in his published works, where he had labeled it as “corrupt” and said that no one should listen to it. However, in a dramatic reversal described on social media by Rabbi Arush’s disciples, Rabbi Deutsch withdrew his criticism after he had investigated the content of the song based on the writings of its author, Rabbi Shalom Arush. Rabbi Deutsch also allegedly said in a discussion with Rabbi Arush that “I didn’t know these were your words, you are my teacher and master and I have been studying your books for years.”

Rabbi Deutsch initially thought that the song’s lyrics “it will be even better,” implied that the present situation isn’t good, but that’s not what he was saying at all.

In fact, for the last 40 years, Rabbi Arush has consistently taught that everything happening in the present moment is absolutely the best it could be. His core message has always been that there is no true evil in the world and that everything God does is for the good. When he says “it will be even better,” he’s specifically talking about the future, not criticizing the present.

This aligns perfectly with traditional Jewish teachings. The Chazon Ish, Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin, and other respected rabbis all write about the commandment of faith – the obligation to believe that God will resolve our problems and that things will improve even further in the future. This concept of having faith in future improvement doesn’t contradict the belief that the present is already perfect in God’s plan.

Rabbi Arush’s message is actually very straightforward: whatever is happening right now is the best possible thing, and additionally it will get even better in the future. This is a fundamental belief that all agree on – it’s part of the basic commandment to have faith in God’s ongoing goodness.

In addition to this, Rabbi Deutsch explained that “I was under the mistaken impression that the lyrics were written by a secular person [but] Now that I understand they were composed by a respected religious authority, I completely withdraw my previous statements. In fact, it’s now a mitzvah [religious duty] to share this song widely.”

The Rabbi emphasized that his original comments were taken out of context by media outlets, leading to unnecessary controversy.

Record Number of Frum Women Enlist in Idf’s Shlav Bet

Over the weekend, more than 120 Orthodox women aged 26-50 enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces as part of the Shlav Bet (“Phase 2”) program track for religious women over the usual recruitment age.

This third and largest cohort of previously exempt religious women arrived at the Bakum recruitment center at Tel Hashomer in Ramat Gan, ready to serve their country.

The majority of these women will undergo a two-week basic training before being assigned to roles that align with their professional backgrounds, including nursing, social work and programming. Some recruits will be immediately integrated into units awaiting their expertise, bypassing basic training. These direct placements include as media representatives for the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, emotional support specialists for IDF Resilience Centers, and a podiatrist to care for soldiers returning from Gaza.

Yehudit Yeres-Weinstein from Otniel, who championed the project, expressed enthusiasm for the program’s success. Yiska Dekel, enlisting as a casualties intelligence officer after her brother Sgt. Maj. (res.) Yishai Greenbaum was mortally wounded in Southern Lebanon in October, embodies the spirit of determination among the recruits.

The integration of religious women into the IDF has been gaining momentum. In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that the Education Ministry must create pre-army programs for national-religious girls, paving the way for increased participation. In 2022, the IDF launched a company for women soldiers only, to cater to female religious women who wish to serve. In August 2023, Ohr Torah Stone launched a initiative called Maaminot BeMadim (“Believers in Uniform“) to provide Torah-observant women with spiritual, halachic and practical support during their service in the Israel Defense Forces.

Hila Gonen, who manages a Resilience Center in Sderot and is enlisting to provide therapeutic interventions and rebuild resiliency for those suffering from trauma, highlighted the importance of their contributions.

“Today, I’m actualizing a dream. I’m enlisting in the IDF, albeit 30 years too late, but I have the excitement of an 18-year-old. When people teach the history of the Iron Swords war, they will also talk about the fact that we were here and we enlisted. Us women, some with four children at home, or six, or eight, some who are pregnant, others who are nursing, we all came and we all took part. We are here.”

Dekel is a teacher from the Golan Heights. Originally, she wasn’t going to be allowed to enlist because the army didn’t have a job for her. She fought for her position and asked what was needed until she received the answer that there was a need to fill positions as soldiers who notify family members of casualties.

She responded, “Wherever there is a need, I will serve,” and that is what she will be doing for her service.

“My friends thought that I was crazy and told me that there is no way they would ever do that job,” she told the Srugim news site.

“I will be doing this holy work with as much passion and compassion as humanly possible. I feel that it is my mission to serve, we all do. We look like a high school trip as everyone is so excited, but no one here knows anyone else. Not yet. But we are now a part of history and that is exciting,” she said.

The Shlav Bet program isn’t the only program bringing in religious women to serve in the IDF. Many who are younger are enlisting on their own or in smaller groups. An administrator from the Aish Seminary program, a Jerusalem-based religious women’s seminary catering to students and young professionals, reported that several students and alumnae from the seminary’s Aspire program have enlisted in the military over the past year, while some current students are seriously considering doing so in the future.

Meah Shearim Tzaddik Menachem Yova Accused of Rape

 The Jerusalem Magistrates Court extended by six days the remand of Rabbi Menachem Yova, the head of the Chachmei Lublin yeshiva in Meah Shearim, who is suspected of committing serious abuse offenses against his students.

Rabbi Yova (51), a resident of Jerusalem, was arrested Tuesday evening is suspected of performing the abuse over a period of many years against his students.

“This is an ongoing and sensitive investigation,” a police spokesperson stated. “Our Central Unit is thoroughly investigating all allegations, particularly given the vulnerable nature of the alleged victims and the position of authority held by the suspect.”

The investigation remains active as detectives work to determine if there are additional victims. Police have established a hotline for anyone with information related to the case.

As Rabbi Yova entered the court Wednesday, members of victims families called out at him: “Rapist, rot in jail.”

Channel 12 reports that police have received many complaints as well as documentation which corroborates the serious nature of the acts which Rabbi Yova allegedly committed.

One of the sisters of the victims said that “We were sure that our brothers learning in yeshiva were pure and unsullied. We now discovered that they were suffering for years from severe sexual harassment from Rabbi Yova. This has ruined their lives.”

The investigation started after police received a report and after signs were hung in Geula and adjacent regions lambasting the Rosh Yeshiva for his actions. A few months ago Channel 13 published an investigative piece on the matter.

A group of prominent charedi rabbis including Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and Rabbi Tzion Boaron published a warning about Rabbi Yova earlier this year, calling him “evil, depraved and causing many to sin. He exploited the innocence of young students to perform forbidden acts.” They encouraged people to contact the police and inform about the rabbi’s acts.

Court finds insufficient evidence to prosecute Eli Feldstein for intending to harm state security

Ironic it took an Arab Judge to release a Jew!

 Tel Aviv District Court Judge Ala Masarwa ruled on Tuesday that there is insufficient evidence to charge Eli Feldstein, the chief suspect in the alleged leak of classified documents concerning Hamas hostages in Gaza, with intent to harm Israel’s state security, according to local reports.

At a hearing on extending Feldstein’s arrest, Masarwa said prosecutors had presented “sufficient apparent evidence” regarding the charges of illicit transfer and leaking of classified information.

“However,” the judge concluded, “I have found weakness in the evidence for the charge of transferring classified information with the intent to harm the state.”

Prosecutors had charged Feldstein, a former spokesman in the Prime Minister’s Office, with leaking secret information intended to damage state security, an offense carrying a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

A noncommissioned officer who has not been publicly named and who is part of the Israel Defense Forces’ Military Intelligence Directorate, has also been indicted in the case.

The officer, who is accused of passing Feldstein the documents, is being charged with five counts of providing confidential information, obstruction of justice and theft.

The district court ordered the release of both suspects to house arrest by Thursday, barring a possible appeal. Masarwa ordered prosecutors to announce by 1 p.m. on Wednesday whether they will appeal the ruling.

Yehoshua Feldstein, Eli Feldstein’s father, told reporters outside the court on Tuesday afternoon that the ruling had restored his trust in the state.

“It was tough that my son was suspected of harming state security, and I am glad that the judge ruled that there are no such suspicions,” he said. “We are sure justice will be served regarding the other counts as well.”

Feldstein stands accused of leaking a classified file to the German daily Bild with the aim of reducing public criticism of the government after Israeli forces in Gaza discovered the bodies of six murdered hostages.

The PMO has sharply criticized the probe, noting that dozens of leaks have poured out of hostage talks and Cabinet meetings, and yet only the one that has implicated the PMO is being investigated.

Critics who have taken Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s side have questioned why the files were withheld from the PMO to begin with.

They have also attacked Feldstein’s treatment by the authorities, as well as the treatment of the others arrested as part of the probe.

Feldstein was held for weeks without being charged. Late last month, a makeshift noose was found in his cell. He was immediately transferred to “a suicide-prevention observation cell,” the Israel Prison Service said.

Though Netanyahu himself has not been accused in any of the probes, he last month denounced the investigations as an “unprecedented campaign against the Prime Minister’s Office in the midst of a war.”

The premier in a statement on Nov. 12 accused Israeli law enforcement of detaining employees of his office “in basements” without access to lawyers, in an attempt to extract false statements against him.

Meet Faiz Akbar who screams at Jews in Miami Beach that they are "Baby Killers"

 WARNING! PROFANITY! 

Meet Faiz Akbar from Virginia—a man who takes pride in approaching visibly Jewish people in Miami Beach to hurl vile threats and accusations, like calling them 'baby killers!' pic.twitter.com/RRZvTMB9RU

— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) December 2, 2024

Hysterical !Pro=Hamas Students think they are talking to a Hamas Terrorist but he is really an Israeli!

 

Great video by @_danieltbraun showing the absurdity of colleage students who are pro Palestinian

Free Palestine 🇵🇸 sharmuta pic.twitter.com/Kv5IkIRtzc

— Uri Israel (@Israel2252) December 2, 2024

37% aged 14-18 Jewish Teens sympathize with an enemy actively working to murder as many Jews as possible and publicly vowing the destruction of Israel.

 

By MICAH HALPERN

Israel and the Jewish people have a serious perception problem – that fact is known to all who care. Yet, in this case, the bigger and less-known problem is one of self-perception.

In the United States, a significant percentage of young Jews are sympathizing with Hamas. Some 37% aged 14-18 sympathize with an enemy actively working to murder as many Jews as possible and publicly vowing the destruction of Israel.

The phenomenon is so befuddling it takes time to set in. I had to read the headline several times because I thought it was a typo or an editorial mistake. I ran to the study commissioned by the Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry.

How can young Jews come to such an obtuse conclusion? The issue further complicating this puzzling fact is that out of the 662 young people studied between June 16 and July 23, 2024, 80% of them had visited Israel at least once. The study reveals an even more troubling reality, specifically regarding 14-year-olds.

In the 14-year-old group, 60% felt sympathy for Hamas. As they get older the sympathy numbers drop. For 18-year-olds, the Hamas sympathy rating is 10%. According to the study, 60% of the youth sympathize with the Palestinian cause.

These are very significant findings. Maybe the study is wrong. If the findings are correct, the entire premise of focusing on Israel education has been mistaken – totally mistaken.

The working assumption was that a solution to the floundering future of young Jews was sending them to Israel: that seeing Israel with their own eyes was a solution. According to this study, however, it is not. Those studied saw the “real Israel” and they left prepped to criticize Israel. And they did not stop there but actually joined the Hamas side.

Some will retort that 94% of the teens “feel a connection to Israel,” and 94% want to foster a deeper connection to Israel through education.

Those youth who were studied in the US who sympathized with Hamas are casting their lot with the murderers of Jews and Israelis. It is absurd.

However, when you look at those who went on Birthright trips, the numbers tell a different story.

The Principle behind Birthright was to get Jewish youth to Israel. Once there, they cannot help but be moved into a transformative relationship with the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Sounds perfect.

Mega-donors Bronfman, Steinhardt, and Adelson, as well as the Israeli taxpayers, contributed tens of millions of dollars, all in the hope that bringing young Jews to Israel will help reinvigorate the Jewish people. They were investing in the future.

The very first trip took place in 1999. At first, the target group of Jewish youth was ages 18-26. They then raised the upper limit to 32.

Most studies on Birthright show that participants are 16% more likely to marry Jews than non-participants. And they are more committed to the Jewish community, Jewish learning, and Israel.

How do we make sense of this new study?

Maybe because these young people are more familiar with Israel, they are closer to Israel and hence more likely to criticize Israel.

Some might say that it is criticism out of love of Israel. Remember, that is how former US president Barack Obama would couch his scathing attacks against Israel – masquerading as a friend.

Or maybe it is a Haaretz-like style of criticism: that their hatred for a certain dimension of Israel is so vitriolic that it colors every aspect of how they view the Jewish state. Israel’s leaders are so bereft of morality that everything they do is tainted with evil.

They disagree with the policies of Israel. The study showed that more than 60% believe that Israel is perpetrating a genocide on the Palestinians.

Why is Iran claiming the US and Israel are behind Syria escalation?

 

Iran was initially shocked by how fast Syrian opposition groups had advanced in Idlib province late last month.Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni rebel group, led the advance and swept aside Syrian regime forces to take Aleppo.

Days later, it looked like HTS would also take Hama, a city on the road to Damascus. The rebels are now stalled outside Hama. Iran is gathering support for the Syrian regime.

“Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the developments on the ground in Syria indicate that there is complete coordination between the Zionist regime, the United States, and terrorist groups aimed at destabilizing the Arab country,” Iranian state media reported Tuesday.

Araghchi made his comments during a TV interview. The attack on Aleppo was a “plot” hatched by the US and Israel, according to the Iranians. Araghchi said the timing proves this.

“There is complete coordination between the Zionist regime, the US government, and terrorist groups, and the course of events indicates such coordination because these attacks followed a ceasefire in Lebanon,” he said.

Why does Iran see it this way? It cites the ceasefire in Lebanon on the eve of the attack by HTS. The Syrian opposition surprised the Syrian regime. This is because the regime was likely watching developments in Lebanon relating to the Israel-Hezbollah war.

Syria’s regime and Iran back Hezbollah. Once the ceasefire began, however, HTS launched its attack in northern Syria. In all likelihood, the defeat of Hezbollah by Israel contributed to the timing of the attack.

There is no evidence that the US and Israel are cheering over the attack by HTS. On the contrary, Israel may be concerned that chaos could develop in Syria. When there is chaos, there are threats to Israel, usually by Iranian-backed groups that exploit the vacuum in power.

13 Ministers Call for the removal of Israel's AG

 

What Trump Told Trudeau at Mar-a-Lago Meeting

Six Thousand Chabad Shiluchim Singing "Ani Maamin"

 

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Schumer "I got nothing further on you on that! Refuses to Answer Simple Question

 

Hilarious! Extremists Rabbis Now Going After songs

This is what happens when your children are not in the army and you don't have to worry if they will ever come home!

 Rav Deutsch a good friend of the Peleg extremists has plenty of time on his hands! Rav Deutsch based his accusations on an interpretation of the Chafetz Chayim!  Rabbi Yisrael Groweis, the editor of the Kulmus magazine of Mishpacha, also criticized the popular song, claiming that it contradicts the Chazon Ish’s views on Bitachon!

I don't get it! Who says that the meaning of Bitachon is as the Chazon Ish wrote, in fact the Chazon' Ish's meaning of Bitachon goes against many Rishonim? There are many differents hashkafos out there that aren't based on the Chofetz CChayim or the Chazon Ish! 

Rav Deutsch says that the refrain of the song "“And it will be better and better, better and better”is "possible Apikorsas! And brings proof from a bubba maasah from the Chafetz Chayim! Mamash crazy! The hilarious part is Rav Deutsch showed the song to Rav Ezrial Auerbach and he says that Rav Auerbach agreed! 

In what alternate universe are these people living in? Rav Ezrial Auerbach once a moderate has become an extremist since his brother R' Shmuel passed on and has taken over the Peleg crazies!! So he shows it to him! Hilarious! 

The meaning of Bitachon has been explained in many ways all the way back to the Rabbeinu Bachya, who lived 1,000 years ago! Taking one explanation over another is not apikorsas! There are 70 ways to learn the Torah! 

Rav Deutch is jealous of Rav Arush who has written best sellers on Bitachon and has now written a song that went viral! That bothers Rav Deutch who before taking on Rav Arush no one ever heard of him!

Chareide Blogs are mocking Rav Deutch:

נטען על ידי מי שטען כי  השיר "ועוד יותר טוב.. " הוא אפיקורסי .

כי הקב"ה  תמיד עושה לנו את הטוב ביותר עבורנו.

ויעקב אבינו מתפלל לפני פגישתו עם עשיו :

"הצילני נא מיד אחי מיד עשיו, כי ירא אנכי אותו, פן יבא והכני אם על בנים ".

 נראים הדברים, שיעקב אבינו לא חשב שהמצב הזה הוא "הכי טוב בשבילו".

אם כן, אליבא  דדרשנים ידועים גם הוא אפיקורס, או "ספק אפיקורס"?

אתמהא !

Others question :

?על פי האוסרים האם מותר לאחל שתהיה שנה "טובה" ומתוקה

  

Rabbi Avraham Deutsch, the Av Beis Din of Maale Adumim, published a sharp criticism of a trendy new song: ‘Hashem always loves me and things will always be good for me’, claiming that the song, which is based on the words and teachings of Rabbi Shalom Arush, demonstrates a lack of faith.

Rabbi Arush stresses that one who believes and says that Hashem loves him and does good for him will indeed merit good. “Like a child believes his father loves him and then when his father sees him run into the street he’ll hold him tight- it’s clear that this is because he loves him and wants his good. In the same way we need to believe that whatever Hashem does is because he loves us and wants our good,” Rabbi Arush’s students explained.

Rabbi Arush was surprised by the success of the song, which he says he has been singing “for years” and which expresses the faith of the Jewish nation in Hashem.

Yet Rabbi Deutsch disagrees. In a booklet published in honor of his son’s Bar Mitzvah, Rabbi Deutsch referred to the refrain of the song “And it will be better and better, better and better” and called it “possible heresy[apikorsut].”

Rabbi Deutsch based himself on the Chafetz Chaim, who wrote that a person can say that something bitter occurred to him but one cannot say it is bad, as “Whatever Hashem does is for the good.” On one occasion the Chafetz Chaim asked somebody how he feels and the man said “a few more kopeks wouldn’t hurt.” The Chafetz Chaim responded that “Of course it would hurt. Hashem is merciful and wishes to give you more than you need and if he didn’t this is the best situation for you.”

Thus whoever says unthinkingly that it will be “better and better” is demonstrating that he doesn’t believe that what Hashem does is the best possible thing, and this is Apikorsus and a basic lack in the faith that whatever Hashem does is for the good.”

Rabbi Deutsch added that he had presented his interpretation to Rabbi Azriel Auerbach who agreed with him and said that the song “should be cancelled.”

Rabbi Deutsch added that “due to lack of understanding and lack of common sense they bring inadvertently words of lack of faith to all the schools and all of the homes…it is obvious to any G-fearing person that one mustn’t express doubts in faith and which go against our simple faith which we received from generation to generation.

Rabbi Yisrael Groweis, the editor of the Kulmus magazine of Mishpacha, also criticized the popular song, claiming that it contradicts the Chazon Ish’s views on Bitachon, that one may pray that things will always be good but one should truly believe that everything is from Hashem and not that they must be good. However, many readers noted that the Chazon Ish’s view is not in consonance with the rishonim, many of whom define Bitachon as believing that things will indeed be good.

Things Are Moving Fast

 

by Saul Sadka

This thread from a month ago aged well, and faster than I imagined. The end game is here.

Hamas' Al Aksa flood didn’t flood Israel. Instead, it has been swept away by Israel's rising tide, dooming its Hezbollah allies and quenching the Ring of Fire that Iran spent 30 years building around Israel, crippling its own economy in the process.

Iran was playing chess, but Hamas didn’t understand the game and didn’t realize it was just a pawn.

I wrote that thread a month ago because I realized almost nobody had any idea what the real game was.

People needed to know that Hamas and Hezbollah did not exist to "liberate Palestine." They were nowhere near powerful enough to do that. Their purpose was to protect the otherwise defenseless Iranian regime and its nuclear program from Israeli attack.

Iranian air defense is two generations out of date and has been shown to be farcical in Ukraine. Their air force was designed in the 1960s and hasn’t been properly maintained since the 1970s. So to protect themselves, they disfigured the Middle East, from Yemen to Syria, setting up terror armies as proxies.

The plan was to have them sit on Israel’s borders and menace the country, offering an occasional show of force, but never enough to provide a casus belli that would invite a knockout blow from Israel. They were simply there to ensure that Israel wouldn’t dare attack Iran.