The Real Reason for the Season

 7 Av 5786

Many, many religiously observant people struggle with the practices performed during the Three Weeks period.  They can manage the outward forms required, but they are not invested in it mentally and emotionally.  

For example, many modern Jews feel that the redemption arrived with the founding of the State and that hi-rise buildings crowding the narrow streets of the capital constitutes the rebuilding of Jerusalem.  In their view, Jewish life is thriving in Eretz Yisrael despite the constant state of tensions and wars.  Try as they might, they can't work up any depth to the feeling of loss for something that happened 2000 years ago.

First of all, these fast days are installment payments on a past debt to HKB"H - the national sins which occurred at these times.  When the debt has been paid in full, they will no longer be necessary.  Instead, we will celebrate sort of like a couple who pay off a 25-year mortgage note.  What we should be feeling today is the burden of that 'note' that comes due every year at this time, along with regret over the life that we could be living but cannot while the debt remains.  In other words, we mourn over our current sorry condition.

I think there is another major reason people have trouble accepting the curtailing of their business-as-usual activities during this time.  It is a result of a major misunderstanding (or just ignorance) of the impact of spiritual forces in our physical realm.  These basics have been virtually lost in our rational, technological age.  

[I]n Kabbalistic and Jewish thought, the forces of tumah (spiritual impurity) and Din (harsh judgment) reach an annual peak during the months of Tammuz and Av.

Specifically, the 21-day period between the 17th of Tammuz and the 9th of Av (Tisha B'Av)—known as Bein HaMetzarim ("Between the Straits" or the Three Weeks)—is considered the most spiritually vulnerable time of the year. During this window, the forces of the Sitra Achra (the "Other Side") are in severe ascendance.

Why Tumah Ascends Now

The Concealment of Holiness: Kabbalah teaches that the physical destruction of the Holy Temples in Jerusalem during these months reflected a spiritual reality: a severe restriction of Divine light. When holiness is hidden, tumah automatically rushes in to fill the vacuum.

The Rule of Cosmic Judgment: According to the Zohar, the year is split into seasons of mercy and seasons of judgment. The hot summer months of Tammuz and Av are dominated by solar heat, which mystically represents blinding, raw Din (unmitigated justice/judgment). Without the tempering cooling effects of Chesed (loving-kindness), negativity holds great sway.

The Danger of Ketev Meriri

The Talmud (Pesachim 111b) and midrashic texts explicitly warn of a physical manifestation of tumah during these weeks: a destructive spiritual entity or plague-demon called Ketev Meriri. It is said to rule from the 17th of Tammuz until the 9th of Av. It is particularly active during the middle of the day—from the fourth to the ninth halachic hours (roughly 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM). 

Because of this ascendance, classical Jewish law (Shulchan Aruch) advises people to exercise extreme physical caution during these weeks, avoiding dangerous activities, remote areas, or intense physical confrontations.

The Kabbalistic Paradox: Hidden Light

While the Sitra Achra dominates the surface of Tammuz and Av, Kabbalah reveals a comforting paradox: the greater the darkness, the more powerful the hidden light inside it.

The Chassidic masters teach that the intense energy of these months was originally meant to channel the highest possible spiritual revelations. Because humanity could not handle that intensity, it shattered into tragedy. Therefore, any spiritual work, repentance, or Torah study done during this low point has a disproportionately powerful effect in dismantling tumah and transforming it into ultimate good.     (Source: Gemini)  

I hope this helps the readers as much as it helped me to be reminded.  With thanks to the one who started the conversation which turned into this blog post.   You know who you are. 😉💖

The Internal War - It Can Only End One Way

7 Av 5786  

This is another proof that it's not about needing more soldiers to fight the wars that they refuse to win, purposely extending them with endless "ceasefires."

It's all about distancing them from Torah and exposing them to bad influences.  (Something like assigning dati leumi sherut leumi girls to a missionary base where they would greet Chr*stian tourists.)

ALTERNATIVE TO CONSCRIPTION: Katz, IDF Move To Expand Civilian Service For Chareidim

Defense Minister Israel Katz is advancing a plan, in coordination with the IDF and the Civil Service Administration, to significantly expand civilian service opportunities for Chareidim who will not enlist in the military.

However, I doubt that any court will accept this plan as it doesn't have the added 'benefit' of killing off the soldiers in order to bring down the birth rate in that sector, r"l.  [See: Why are so many of Israel's fallen soldiers from religious Zionist camp?]

Dati Leumi Talmid: “They’re Turning Us Into Deserters Too”

Yishai, a Dati Leumi talmid yeshiva, told Kol Chai about a growing phenomenon of Dati Leumi talmidim who seek to defer their military service to continue learning Torah being classified as deserters.

Yishai said that many of his friends have already been declared deserters despite intending to serve in the IDF in the future.

“They want to enlist—just not at age 19,” he explained. “They want to postpone their service so they can learn for a few more years, but because of problems with obtaining draft deferments, they end up being classified as deserters.”

He said that these are talmidim attending well-known Dati Leumi yeshivos rather than Hesder yeshivos.

He added: “This isn’t just a war against the Chareidi community—it’s a war against everything that is holy. The same people who want to dismantle the Chareidi Torah world also want to dismantle the Religious Zionist Torah world.”

He added that, in his view, this is part of a broader campaign against Torah institutions. He also referred to protests within the Religious Zionist community over religious issues in the IDF, including the integration of women into the Armored Corps, saying that these developments make it more difficult for young men who wish to enlist while maintaining their religious way of life.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)

It's way past time for real "brothers" to act like true brothers and join hands in this battle. The Religious Zionists have to decide whether to be religious or Zionist because you can't be both. Not anymore.

UNITY among Jews - from our very beginnings - was only ever around the Torah of Hashem.  There is, and never has been, and never can be any UNITY with those who reject and rebel against God's Law.

Will Mashiach Be 'Born' This Tisha b'Av?

6 Av 5786 

Maybe the concept of Mashiach's "birth" on Tisha b'Av is not referring to a literal physical birth, but to his actual anointing from Heaven releasing him to act as the Mashiach.  This would necessarily result in the revelation of his identity.

In Jewish tradition, the messiah (Mashiach) does not receive a brand new soul when he is anointed. Instead, his existing soul, which already has a very high and holy root, is elevated. When he is officially chosen by God, he is granted a powerful, higher level of divine consciousness and prophetic power. (Source)

1. His Soul is Already Here 

According to Jewish teachings, the soul of Mashiach is not created on the day he becomes the redeemer.  It is an ancient soul that is constantly present in the world, waiting for the right moment.  Some mystical traditions teach that the soul of Mashiach is closely connected to the souls of great leaders from history, like King David and Moses.    (Source)

2. The "Anointing" Awakens Hidden Potential

When a king or a high priest was anointed with oil in ancient times, it was never just a symbol.  It was a physical sign that God was setting that person apart for a holy job.  According to [some] teachings ..., the moment Mashiach is revealed, God pours a new and special "spirit of Mashiach" upon him.   (Source)

Think of it like a musician who is already great, but when they step onto the main stage, a brilliant spotlight is turned on them.  The spotlight (the anointing) gives them the bright, supernatural energy they need to complete their mission, but the musician (the soul) is the same person who has been preparing for this job all along.

3. It Fills Him with Divine Knowledge 

The anointing from on high fills the Mashiach with an advanced level of wisdom and divine inspiration.  It gives him the ability to successfully lead all people toward peace, justice, and the ultimate repair of the world.    (Source)

[Source for the following...]

Zechariah 8:19

Thus said the LORD of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Judah; but you must love honesty and integrity.

Pesikta Rabbati 28:1

“For there our captors asked us for words of song…” (Psalms 137:3)  At the time (of the Temple's destruction), the nations of the world said to them: Stand up and sing before idols just as you would sing in the Holy Temple.  They replied: If we had sung songs in our place, we would not have been exiles.  And now how could we sing songs before idols?!

... Immediately [the nations] arose and killed heaps and heaps of them, and even though many of them were killed Israel rejoiced that they did not sing songs before the idols, as it says “…and our tormentors [asked of us] mirth…” (ibid.)  At that moment the Holy One swore a whole oath to Israel. He said of Himself, so to speak, if I do not keep my oath, as it says “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget [its skill].” (Psalms 137:5)  At the moment Israel was exiled, the Holy One took His hand and placed it behind Him, just as it says “He has withdrawn His right hand from the enemy…” (Lamentations 2:3)  The Holy One, so to speak, did not return it to its place.  And so too the Holy One said to Israel: I will forget My right hand which I placed behind Me if I do not fulfill my oath to you and not forget you among the nations.  “May my tongue cling to my palate, if I do not remember you, if I do not bring up Jerusalem at the beginning of my joy.” (Psalms 137:6) 

In the future the Holy One will return to Jerusalem all of her joy, as it says “And the redeemed of Zion shall return, and they shall come to Zion with song, with joy of days of yore shall be upon their heads…” (Isaiah 35:10)  And anyone who mourns for Jerusalem in this world will rejoice with her in the time to come, as it says “Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her all those who love her: rejoice with her a rejoicing, all who mourn over her.” (Isaiah 66:10)

They said in the name of Abaye: joy only comes on the ninth of Av, because they mandated mourning then in this time and in the future the Holy One will make it into a holiday, as it says “…and I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:12)

Eikhah Rabbah 1:26

“…she has no comforter…” (Lamentations 1:2)  R’ Levi said: every place where it says ‘has no,’ she has.  “And Sarai was barren; she had no child.” (Genesis 11:30)  And she did have, as it says “And the Lord remembered Sarah…” (Genesis 21:1)  Similarly, “…but Hannah had no children.” (Samuel I 1:2)  And she did have, as it says “For the Lord remembered Hannah…” (Samuel I 2:21)  Similarly, “…that is Zion whom no one seeks out.” (Jeremiah 30:17)  And she did have, as it says “And a redeemer shall come to Zion…” (Isaiah 59:20)  And so too you say that she has no comforter - she has, as it says “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12) 

Shabbat Chazon 5786

3 Menachem Av 5786
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Devarim - Chazon 

Passing along "Shabbat shalom" from Moshe Feiglin...

"With Justice and With RIghteousness We Will Be Redeemed"

3 Menachem Av 5786
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Devarim - Chazon 

Stone Edition Chumash Commentary on Parashat Devarim:  "...R' Hirsch explains that Devarim was Israel's introduction to the new life it would have to forge in Eretz Yisrael." 

Am Yisrael were standing on the other side of the Jordan River opposite Yericho preparing to cross and conquer.  Everything was about to change for them.

Today, parashat Devarim, Am Yisrael is standing on the threshold of the Final Redemption and everything is about to change for us!!

It's Shabbat Chazon.  Envision a different future...

(Haftarat Devarim)  "...Woe!  O sinful nation, people weighed down by iniquity, offspring of evil, destructive children; they have forsaken Hashem, they have angered the Holy One of Israel, they have turned away backward...."

"Hear the word of Hashem, O chiefs of Sodom; give ear to the Torah of our God, O people of Gomorrah...."

"Wash yourselves, purify yourselves, remove the evil of your doings from before My eyes; desist from doing evil.  Learn to do good, seek justice, strengthen the victim, do justice for the orphan, take up the cause of the widow."

"...If you will be willing and you will obey, you shall eat the goodness of the land.  But if you will refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword - for the mouth of Hashem has spoken."

"...Zion shall be redeemed with justice, and her returnees with righteousness."

___________ 

~ SHABBAT SHALOM ~ 

Does This Mark the End of the Memshelet Zadon?

2 Av 5786 

So much ink has been spilled over the term of the 25th Knesset, which will effectively come to an end Thursday after completing its full term — the first Knesset to do so since 1988 and the 11th Knesset. The words that best capture the situation are “who would have believed it.” Who would have thought October 7 would befall us and, even more than that, who could have imagined that after such a disaster, Netanyahu would survive, and so would his government.  (Continues here,)

Great Analysis

The next election has been scheduled for October 27, 2026 or 16 Marcheshvan 5787 on the Hebrew calendar - one day prior to the anniversary of the Great Flood of Noah.  l don't believe it will ever take place.  I believe the revolution is upon us - out of the darkness and into the pure light.

* * *

Memshelet Zadon (מֶמְשֶׁלֶת זָדוֹן) is a Hebrew phrase that translates to "rule of arrogance," "government of malice," or "tyranny of wickedness."The term is deeply rooted in Jewish tradition, history, and philosophy.

It's not just the government.  The Erev Rav is embedded among us and they are fighting to eliminate Torah observance and to destroy the Torah itself for all time. 

And they are being ably assisted by Chr*stian missionaries and Erev Rav Jews.

(Join the Change - Liberal Jerusalem: "The Secular Return to Jerusalem") 

Everyone understands now that there is no longer room for accommodation.  One of the two sides has to be in control and whichever side wins will coerce the opposing side to comply with their vision.

This is located at the Hayovel base and they have even bigger plans to expand and bring yet more Chr*stians to live and work and fill the first Chr*stian Zionist yishuv in the Shomron.

You can bet Old Friend Huckabee will be in attendance.

All of this is destined to disappear from this reality along with the Memshelet Zadon which protects it and promotes it.

MAY THIS BE THE

LONG-AWAITED MOMENT!!

Now Who Is Bein Hametzarim?

2 Av 5786 

Bein Hametzarim (בין המצרים), or "Between the Straits" (often called "The Three Weeks"), is an annual period of Jewish mourning. It begins on the 17th of Tammuz (the fast commemorating the breaching of Jerusalem's walls) and culminates on Tisha B'Av, the 9th of Av (when both Holy Temples were destroyed).  (Gemini)

This may be the first time in all of human history that the nations of the world are caught "between the straits" during this period of time.  

The One Consistent Voice Upholding the Truth

1 Av 5786
Rosh Chodesh

[Translated from Hebrew.  See original.]

Rosh Chodesh Av.

Days of painful historical memory: "All her enemies have overtaken her between the straits."

And I think about Turkey, which is steadily entrenching itself in Syria and, through Jolani, establishing a modern and strong army on our northern border.

And I think about the Egyptians with their five divisions positioned on our southern border—ready and primed to charge toward Be'er Sheva—and I think about the alliance being forged between them for our destruction, and about the war drums and the horrifying rhetoric both in Turkey and in Egypt.

The Arabic translation of *Mein Kampf* remains the bestselling book in Cairo, and the Turkish interior minister wants to become the governor of the Jerusalem District...

And I think about Hamas, which has already rebuilt most of its capabilities and tunnels and even boasted yesterday about launching new rockets—thanks to the steady supply from Israel—and I think about Hezbollah, which has returned to its full strength, and I think about the Iranians, whose status as the Middle Eastern hegemon has only grown stronger, and I think about the Americans, who are pressuring us to withdraw from Erdogan's and Jolani's Syria and from Iran's and Hezbollah's Lebanon, and about Trump, who has grown tired of us—understandably from his perspective, since he initially expected us to take on the superpower responsibility for the Middle East, expel the Gazans, and seize a third of Syria, but we preferred to kick the ball back to him and remain an American client community, so Trump has placed all his chips on Erdogan and Jolani.

And I think about Abu Mazen's terrorist army—this one called the "Palestinian Authority"—which trains in broad daylight in Jericho for the conquest of Kfar Saba, and I think about the Bedouins and Arabs in Israel who, according to Col. Erez Weiner, already possess more weapons than the IDF,

and I think about our corrupt generals who have abandoned our security over the past 30 years and nothing substantial has changed in them since the disaster they brought upon us on October 7th, and I think about our statesmen, who have abandoned our security over the past 30 years and nothing has changed in them since the October 7th disaster.

And I think about the two political blocs whose leaders most accurately represent the two sides of the conception that led to the disaster and the terrible deterioration that followed it—Eizenkot as the representative of the military conception and Netanyahu as the representative of the political conception—thinking about the two sides of that same conception, accusing each other and seeking to continue exactly down the same path toward the abyss.

And I think about all the golden opportunities our Father in Heaven gave us to settle the campaign, to become the unassailable regional power, and to truly change the Middle Eastern reality from end to end—I think about the water valve whose closure would have brought Hamas's surrender within a week and the return of most of the hostages in Gaza, surrender followed by total conquest, total expulsion, and total sovereignty that only they would have brought to total victory. And I think about exploiting the success following the stunning pager operation shock, which should have led to conquest, expulsion, and settlement up to the Litani and a security strip up to the Zaharani and nonstop strikes on the capitals until the exile of all of Hezbollah—as we did with the PLO in the First Lebanon War and the establishment of an Israel-dependent regime in the capitals.

And I think about exploiting the opportunity in Syria that suddenly vanished, joining the Druze in southern Syria and the Kurds in the north, and I think about Iran, where with less than the capabilities we demonstrated in destroying its air defenses, we could have eliminated its oil production, its power stations, what remains of its dams and drinking water—yes, gas prices for New Jersey drivers would have risen and Trump would have paid the price in the midterms, but the price of our soldiers' blood, turned into sitting ducks due to an Iranian ultimatum to Trump—is higher.

They'll surely say to me now, Feiglin, what does he understand, he's not there and doesn't really get it...

That's exactly what they told me when I protested against Oslo, which brought the terrorists here.

That's exactly what they told me during the Disengagement.

That's exactly what they told me when I explained that Netanyahu's policy would lead to an Iranian nuke.

That's exactly what they told me during the Disengagement. That's what they said during Sinwar's release, in the endless opportunities when I warned of the disaster.

And what do they say today? Right, so you were right then, but now you don't understand, there's no choice...

And the truth?! The truth is it's always convenient to go back to the one who tells you everything's fine, and even after the disaster convinces you that the whole problem is only with the demon on the other side.

My friends in the Right and Religious Zionism. In the end, it's our children and grandchildren, the magnificent generation of heroes rising among us, who pay with their blood for our unwillingness to take responsibility, who pay for the reins being in the hands of leadership devoid of identity—lacking any vision beyond the Oslo vision of bloodshed.

Leadership that doesn't send our sons out to win...

This is the time! Let's start the faith revolution in leading our precious state, because only such a revolution can save it.

It will hurt, it will require all of us to step out of our comfort zones—to start building true national faith-based leadership.  

Over the grave of my grandson Yair HY"D, I swore I wouldn't let them take victory from him. This generation of heroes deserves to win. We can't dump on their shoulders the responsibility for the Oslo conception that continues to run us. Right now I'm running for the position of Defense Minister, but the ultimate goal is leading the state. 

IT'S ALL FOR OUR GOOD

1 Av 5786
Rosh Chodesh 

Do you have any idea how much merit goes to the Erev Rav for supporting Torah learners?  Do you have any inkling how much merit accrues to our oppressors around the world for their "friendship" and "support"?

Now, it's all being jerked back right out of our hands, right before our eyes.  If this makes you feel lost and abandoned, it's only because you don't see the bigger picture.

HaKadosh Baruch Hu is anxious to bring the complete redemption.  In order to remove the power of the nations and the Erev Rav from upon us, they must lose these merits.

Until now, HKB"H caused some of them to be disposed kindly towards us.  He overrode their natural hatred for us.  Lest you think antisemitism is an aberration.  NO!  That is their natural state.  When there was "friendship," THAT was the aberration.  

Mashiach is here now, although as yet unrevealed, but that revelation is imminent.  Therefore, as the verse says, "There will be survivors on Mount Zion."  It is safe now for HKB"H to remove His restraint in order that our enemies may be judged fully and finally and removed from this reality.

We should be grateful and thankful to HKB"H for our persecution.  Feel confident and hopeful in the face of it for it doesn't happen without His prior approval and ...

IT'S ALL FOR OUR ULTIMATE GOOD

CHODESH AV TOV

Rosh Chodesh Av 5786 : What's coming ...

1 Av 5786
Rosh Chodesh

If this is truly to be the year of our redemption, we can expect the scariest parts of what is leading us to the ultimate victory to begin at this time.  But, have no fear.  HKB"H is doing all of this FOR us, not TO us.

* * *

(July 13, 2026)  The Midnight Interdiction: United States Orders Total Naval Blockade of Iranian Coastline Starting Tomorrow Night   [i.e., TONIGHT]

A sweeping maritime quarantine is about to close the vise on the Persian Gulf, forcing global shipping networks into an immediate state of high alert. The United States Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center officially announced that the American military will begin enforcing a total naval blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas starting tomorrow, July 14, at exactly 20:00 GMT. The sweeping operational order is explicitly designed to halt all Iranian maritime trade, including critical crude oil exports and illicit ship to ship transfers.

The looming enforcement deadline has sent immediate shockwaves through international shipping corridors, causing commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz to collapse to historic lows. Trade intelligence tracking data confirms that only fourteen vessels, including just four crude oil tankers, crossed the vital chokepoint on Sunday. This represents a staggering sixty percent drop from the thirty seven crossings recorded on the same day last week, illustrating the severe logistical paralysis gripping the region.

...Neutral vessels have now been explicitly warned by the Pentagon to depart the blockaded zones immediately, with official notifications making it clear that any blockade runners risk being fired upon by American warships.

"They Do Not Want You There": Trump Demands Netanyahu Pull Troops Out of Syria and Lebanon During Tense Call

* * * 

Let This Song Infuse Your Heart and Mind:  "Kol Ha'Olam Kulo"

Kol ha'olam kulo gesher tzar me'od,

Veha'ikar lo lifached klal.

The whole entire world is a very narrow bridge, 

And the most important thing is not to fear at all

(The melody was composed by Rabbi Baruch Chait, and the lyrics are adapted from the writings of the Hasidic master Rebbe Nachman of Breslov.)

 ~ CHODESH TOV UMEVORACH ~

Lindsey Graham: A Cautionary Tale

29 Tammuz 5786
Yom Kippur Katan 

The way US Senator Lindsey Graham was seemingly snatched right out of thin air; a seemingly healthy, vital human being, active at a very powerful level, was truly shocking, as it was meant to be.

It is irrelevant whether "natural causes" was the method or a political assassination carried out by enemy states, the true Source of the event was, and always is, the Master of the Universe - HaKadosh Baruch Hu.

The outpouring of Jewish and Israeli "love" which follows, however, is very relevant.  The goyim who "love" and "support" the State of Israel are, in fact, lovers and supporters of the Erev Rav regime which constantly seeks union with the "Judeo-Chr*stian" West.  And it is not they who are becoming Jewish.  It is Jews who are becoming goyim!!  

In recent weeks, with the ongoing destruction of US bases in our region by Iran, there has been open discussion about the US "relocating" their military bases to Israel.  This comes after the CENTCOM takeover of IDF forces.  

Israel’s Move to USCENTCOM is Transformational

(BESA Center Perspectives Paper No. 2,184, February 27, 2023)

...The move has transformed the strategic landscape. Under USCENTCOM’s umbrella, the IDF is now conducting exercises with Arab militaries, opportunities in long-range air operations have emerged, efficiencies in missile defense have been created, and former adversaries are now eager to purchase Israel’s military technology. Also, the shift creates a more natural and cooperative military environment for the IDF.

The second anniversary of Israel’s shift to US Central Command (USCENTCOM) has arrived, and the regional and strategic impact of the change is readily apparent. Security cooperation with Arab states, multinational exercises, and frequent visits by the USCENTCOM commander are all indications of Jerusalem’s deepening role as a regional power.

In January 2021, as part of the Trump administration’s adjustments to the Unified Command Plan (UCP), Israel was officially transferred from US European Command (USEUCOM) to USCENTCOM. This meant Israel was expected to engage in security cooperation (e.g., exercises, military sales, operational planning) with US regional allies and partners also in USCENTCOM – specifically, with moderate Arab states. The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020, were a vital precursor to this move and a harbinger of future Arab-Israeli collaboration.

The goal is ALWAYS to bring Israel under Western control and basically hog-tied by the so-called shared Judeo-Chr*stian values!!  Hey!  What are "friends" for???

So, the reason this is so compelling now, another three years on is that THIS is what was on Senator Graham's mind just before his ticket was punched.

Inside Lindsey Graham's final push for Saudi-Israel peace

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who died suddenly Saturday, spent his final weeks laying the groundwork for an ambitious new push to normalize relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel, he told me in multiple conversations over the past several weeks.

...Graham was one of Washington's most influential and energetic foreign policy figures. He spent decades trying to shape America's role in the world and was still pursuing some of his biggest diplomatic ambitions in the final hours of his life.

...Graham saw Saudi-Israel normalization as the defining prize of a broader postwar settlement in the Middle East — one that could outlast the military campaign against Iran and fundamentally reshape the region.

He had worked on the issue for years, including with the Biden administration, and believed the opening created by Iran's weakening could give President Trump a rare chance to broker a historic agreement.

Graham's plan was to begin an intensive diplomatic push after Israel's October elections and the U.S. midterms, with the goal of reaching a deal before the new Congress was sworn in in January.

...In mid-May, Graham began urging Trump to make Saudi-Israel normalization the centerpiece of a broader regional "day-after" plan for the war.

A week later, Trump told the leaders of several Arab and Muslim countries during a conference call that he wanted them to establish relations with Israel if an agreement could be reached to end the war with Iran. His primary focus was Saudi Arabia.

...Saudi officials continued to insist that any deal must include an irreversible, time-bound path toward the creation of a Palestinian state.

...He had been planning a trip to Saudi Arabia and Israel in the coming weeks to assess the appetite for reopening talks.

Graham told me that, should there be an opening, he wanted intensive work to begin in September so the pieces of a deal could be in place by November. 

Graham told me he intended to work with Trump and his team to make clear to Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders that Washington expected the next government to move in that direction — and to press it hard to do so.  

[Yeah, this is typical treatment by our Western "friends."]

A person who spoke with Graham shortly afterward said the senator complained that he was feeling unwell. When the person urged him to seek medical attention immediately, Graham said he would do so Sunday morning after his scheduled appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Graham then joked: "I can't die now... 

I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization."

He passed away several hours later. 

And so will be that fate of all who continue to push their own agendas in contravention of their Creator's will regarding the future of Israel. "Friend" or no friend.
__________________

RELATED:  REPORT: Saudi Arabia Open To Abraham Accords, But Sets Conditions For Israel

Saudi Arabia Draws a Red Line: Peace With Israel, But Not With Netanyahu

SHOCKING NEWS!

 27 Tammuz 5786

Marked in Tehran, Dead in South Carolina Days Later:
The Chilling Coincidence Around Lindsey Graham's Death

* * *

A few days ago, he was at the top of Iran's hit list.  On the day he would die a new list came out.  He was no longer on it!

During the funeral procession for the slain Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on July 6, 2026, mourners and state-backed participants carried large placards designed as assassination target lists. These posters featured red crosshairs superimposed directly over the faces of several prominent U.S. and pro-Israel figures under the warning, "Sooner or later...".

The specific names displayed on those red-crosshair target lists included:  Lindsey Graham (U.S. Senator); Donald Trump (U.S. President); Ben Shapiro (Conservative commentator); Laura Loomer (Political activist); Miriam Adelson (Israeli-American billionaire); Mark Dubowitz (Chief of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies); Peter Thiel (Tech investor).

While Donald Trump noted he was considered "number one" by Tehran's intelligence, Senator Graham's prominent placement on the funeral placards explains why his name was so heavily associated with the regime's public hit lists right before his sudden passing on July 11.   (Gemini)

Early Saturday morning in Tehran, the Hamshahri newspaper published a new hit list.  Senator Graham was not on it.  Twenty-four hours later, he was being eulogized after his "sudden" demise.  He was supposed to be interviewed on Meet the Press this morning.  So both "sudden" and "unexpected"!

Playing Right Into the Hands of the Enemy

27 Tammuz 5786

Nachlaot is not what it used to be.  It was my home from 2002 until 2012, except for one year when I lived in Talbiya.  It had the Old Jerusalem charm while being the most affordable neighborhood in the center of town and right on the doorstep of the Mahane Yehudah market.  But, when it ceased to be all Jewish and foreign workers began renting in the area, the missionaries were not far behind.

The place of winding pedestrian pathways framed in hanging vines and baskets of flowers against weathered stone and archways on this Shabbat was the scene of a murder and a public battle over an open cafe.

 

Second Weekend of Clashes: Ultra-Orthodox
Extremists Protest at Jerusalem Cafe
(WARNING on some images: Turn on auto-dub for English voice-over.)

I know the chareidi protesters mean well, but their actions have actually increased the Shabbat desecration and what's more, it has brought money and publicity pouring into the endeavor. This is a missionary's dream come true. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain from this attention.

The following information comes directly from the Google AI Gemini...

Yoel Ben David is a Jerusalem-born entrepreneur who recently gained significant local attention as the owner and founder of Cafe BaSimta. 

He identifies deeply as a Jerusalemite. He has expressed publicly that he opened the cafe out of personal frustration regarding the lack of secular, social spaces open during weekends in central Jerusalem. He has praised the overwhelming wave of secular residents who showed up at his cafe to create a peaceful barrier against the demonstrators, turning him and his business into a focal point for the ongoing cultural debate regarding weekend business operations in Jerusalem.

Although individuals like Yoel Ben David manage day-to-day operations at its physical sites (such as Cafe BaSimta), Ariel 23 (the actual owner) is entirely funded and owned by the international Messianic Jewish missionary organization Jews for Jesus. 

The organization holds all the shares of the company. Public corporate registration records show that Ariel 23 is legally registered at the exact same physical address as the primary Jews for Jesus offices located in Tel Aviv.

The “Cafe Ministry” Model: The organization uses Ariel 23 as a business vehicle to secure real estate and open commercial venues, particularly cafes. 

The Objective: Rather than operating under an overt religious banner, the company sets up trendy, secular-facing spaces. This approach aims to establish local community touchpoints, create financial sustainability, and provide subtle platforms for outreach.

Instead of playing right into the hands of our enemies and actually fueling their successes, let's finally get smart about it.  Understand that it is the Government itself which allows Shabbat desecration, as well as missionary activities, and even enshrines their "rights" in their own anti-Torah laws.

A Jewish State must have a Jewish government.

The Message Is Finally Getting Through, B"H!

25 Tammuz 5786
Erev Shabbat Kodesh
Parashat Matot-Mas'ei/Mevarchim

"...this is about far more than military enlistment."

Political Firestorm After Candidate Says Chareidi Society Must Be ‘Dismantled’ to Increase IDF Enlistment

A political uproar has erupted after Inbar Harush-Gitty, a former Defense Ministry official who helped establish several chareidi military enlistment initiatives and is now running as a candidate in Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, argued that increasing chareidi enlistment requires far more than military recruitment—it requires, in her words, dismantling the chareidi community’s autonomy.      (Read on...)

May their fate be one with the Midianites who also thought they could corrupt Klal Yisrael and thereby break the eternal covenant between us and HKB"H. 

~ SHABBAT SHALOM UMEVORACH ~

It's All Good!!

 24 Tammuz 5786 

The last time Iran fired missiles directly at Israel was on June 7, 2026. The barrage targeted northern Israel around 10:00 PM local time, but the missiles were intercepted by Israeli defenses with no immediate reports of casualties.

This strike occurred during a broader regional escalation following an Israeli operation in Beirut and came roughly two months after an April 2026 ceasefire paused a joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran.   (Gemini)

That day was the 23rd of Sivan...

In a famous discourse, the Rebbe explained that 23 Sivan is an auspicious day. Drawing from the Purim story, when the scribes were called to write Mordecai’s decree allowing Jews to defend themselves, the Rebbe taught that every Jew holds the power to ask Hashem for any request and have it granted.  

The Rebbe elaborated on this date during a farbrengen on 23 Sivan 5743 (1983) and in subsequent talks, highlighting the following spiritual lessons: The Eternal Decree: The Rebbe taught that whatever was accomplished on 23 Sivan in the Megillah—turning darkness into light and nullifying the decree of annihilation—repeats itself every single year on this exact Hebrew date.

You Can Ask For Anything: The Rebbe described 23 Sivan as a day when Hashem Himself acts as the King who allows His scribes to write whatever we command. He explained that every Jew is like Mordecai on this day, possessing the spiritual leverage to request all necessary blessings and have them granted by Heaven.

Now, I've lost count of how many times the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump, has proclaimed over and over that the Iranian regime has been a rogue nation for 47 years.

President Trump has taken a highly aggressive stance, declaring that Iran's leaders act like "scum" and that the country has been nothing but "trouble" and deception for exactly 47 years, dating back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.  (Gemini)

Forty-seven (47) is the gematria of bitul (nullify) and of ki tov (for it is good).  Together with the words of Baba Baruch, it reminds me of the Midrash about the End of Days conflict between Edom and Paras...

...Israel will shake and panic and ask: " 'Where will we go?'  And (God) will say to them, ‘My children, do not fear, because everything I did, I did for you. Why are you afraid? Don’t be afraid. The time has come for your redemption’.”

And if that is not enough, here is another sign that the Erev Rav regime is finished and will give way to the rule of Mashiach...

Eisenkot's Yashar edges out Netanyahu's Likud for first time in new Channel 13 poll    The results are the first in which Likud fell below Eisenkot's Yashar, following weeks of a tie between the two parties.

Netanyahu's days as Prime Minister are numbered.  

Eisonkot says:  “I am a Ben-Gurionist,” he said. “Unlike some of my colleagues, I will not say ‘zero exemptions.’ During the War of Independence, Ben-Gurion insisted that 400 yeshiva students continue learning despite the existential war.”

The winds of geulah blowing across the globe are too strong to allow a backward step like this to materialize.  Full steam ahead ...

~ Ki Tov!!! ~

More Testimony That the Time of Our Geulah Has Arrived

24 Tammuz 5786

The following video was uploaded one week ago... 

What did the Baba Sali say
to Baba Baruch in the dream?

The Major News Today...

"The Most Hated Country..."

22 Tammuz 5786 

Badge Of Shame Or Honor? | Rabbi Richter

The Inconvenient Truth: America Will Never Be Great Again

21 Tammuz 5786 

Before getting into today's post, here is a follow-up video to yesterday's report and a not-to-be-missed article from Matzav.

America 250 - The Message in the Day After

Yeshiva Bochur’s Response to Soldier’s Mother Sparks Widespread Discussion Online

* * *

Regarding the picture of the double-rainbow accompanied by lightning over the Statue of LIberty, the Gentiles are missing the message because they view the rainbow as a positive sign - a sign of blessing - as attested to by the comments accompanying this picture of the event.

It is also clear that the frightening lightning bolt - imagery which universally connotes Divine anger - has conveniently been edited out.  This is typical.  By them, unconvenient truths are mostly ignored or wished away.

For the Jews, however, whose very foundation and eternal mission are established on the ultimate and unadulterated Torah Truth, there is no ambiguity or lack of clarity on these points.

In Jewish sources, the symbolism of the rainbow is complex and explicitly both positive and negative simultaneously. While it visually stands as a beautiful reminder of divine mercy and peace, it contextually serves as a spiritual warning sign that humanity is misbehaving.

The primary Jewish texts break down this duality through several distinct layers:

The Negative Aspect: A Sign of Guilt and Judgment

A Reminder of Deserved Destruction:  According to the Torah text ..., the rainbow appears when the world has sinned enough to justify destruction. Its presence indicates that an "accusation" is pending against humanity in heaven.

The "Bad News" Law: Because it is an indicator of collective guilt, traditional Jewish law listed in the Mishna Berurah states that if you see a rainbow, you should not tell others. Sharing the news is viewed as spreading a bad report or a spiritual warning.

The Righteous Generations: The Midrash teaches that during the lifespans of exceptionally holy individuals—such as the great mystic Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai—a rainbow never appeared. Their merit alone protected the world, meaning the cloud never required the rainbow's secondary defensive covenant.

The Positive Aspect: A Weapon Inverted for Peace

The Inverted War Bow: In biblical Hebrew, the word for rainbow (Keshet) is the exact same word used for a soldier’s war bow. The 13th-century commentator Nachmanides (Ramban) pointed out that the rainbow is aimed away from the Earth. By pointing the firing arc upward toward heaven, God symbolizes that His "arrows" of wrath are drawn back and He is choosing peace.

Divine Faithfulness and Grace: It serves as the physical proof of the Noahic Covenant. It proves that no matter how severely humanity falters, God promises to never wipe out life via a global flood again.

Harmonious Diversity: Chassidic philosophy observes that a rainbow requires both sunlight (fire) and rain (water) to exist. This blending of opposing elements symbolizes unity, harmony, and peace out of diverse forces.

The Mystical Aspect: The Light of Redemption

In Jewish mysticism, the Zohar flips the rainbow into a deeply positive, messianic symbol:

The Garment of Glory: Kabbalistic texts associate the rainbow with the Shechinah (the indwelling Divine Presence). The multi-colored bands mirror the lower spiritual emanations (Sefirot) reflecting divine light into our physical world.

A Harbinger of the Messiah: The Zohar explicitly states that a uniquely brilliant, radiant rainbow will paint the sky just before the arrival of the Messiah (Moshiach). It represents the final spiritual refinement and purification of the universe.        (Source:  Gemini via Chabad.org and Aish.com)

Of all the famous landmarks representing America, it is the Statue of Liberty - an Ashtoreth image - which appears to be the focus point.  "Lady Liberty" she is called.  She stands for freedom.  In America today, that means freedom from all constraints, primarily freedom to satisfy any lust or craving.

The forces of nature (See Tehillim 29) have been marshaled to declare the Creator's displeasure, but does it cause them to look to the Source and ask why? what does it mean? how are we to understand this?  No. They feel no need to ask and there is no remorse because they feel no guilt.  They are so righteous in their own eyes, all they can imagine is the fulfillment of all their dreams.

The Coming of Mashiach will be a dark day for Edom...

(Ovadia 1.18)  "And the house of Jacob shall be fire and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall become stubble, and they shall ignite them and consume them, and the house of Esau shall have no survivors, for the Lord has spoken."

Rashi asks, from where has "the Lord spoken"?  And he cites Bamidbar 24.19:  "A ruler shall come out of Jacob, and destroy the remnant of the city."  (Bila'am's Prophecy about Kochav Ya'akov)

Rashi explains:  "...this is the most prominent [city] of Edom, that is, Rome.  He says this regarding the King Messiah, of whom it says, 'and may he reign from sea to sea,' (Ps. 72:8),“ and the house of Esau shall have no survivors” (Obad. 1:18). - [Mid. Aggadah]