This is a transcript of a recent YouTube video put out by Avi Abelow. Since many avoid using YouTube for various reasons, we have provided a transcript with the help of AI of Abelow’s thoughts on this topic.

Many Jews and Israelis still don’t fully see it. But we are dealing with a dangerous level of corruption and entrenched power at the high highest levels of our government institutions, a deep state of unelected officials that often works against the interests of the Israeli people and our elected leaders, against the voice of the people. Because our elected leaders represent a strong nationalist religious direction for the Jewish state of Israel as the majority of Jewish Israelis, which is abhorrent to those deep state officials.

 

Most Jews and Israelis remain in the dark about all this because the mainstream media is not reporting on it as they are active partners in protecting the agenda of those unelected officials. Now, take a step back and internalize this. It has been over 210 days now, maybe 211 days since the IDF military advocate general was formally declared a suspect in a criminal investigation for an offense that she herself admitted to. She subsequently allegedly attempted suicide, during which her mobile phone, potentially containing incriminating evidence, was mysteriously lost in the ocean. 210 or 11 days in which the Supreme Court, the institution of justice for the people, has blocked the appointment of an investigator to investigate the crime of the military advocate general, a crime again that she admitted to doing. 210 or 11 days in which the attorney general, the highest legal authority in the land, has not been questioned about her own role in the affair and covering up for it. It took the IDF Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, 209 days to finally announce the dismissal of the military advocate general from the army, a pathetic fake dismissal with no revocation of rank, no indictment, and no real accountability whatsoever. Meanwhile, she has been sitting comfortably at home collecting a generous lifetime pension while the entire senior echelon of legal security and intelligence officials who colluded with her continue to laugh in the faces of the Israeli public as they get away once again with their abuse of power.

 

And the worst part? This woman, the military advocate general, admitted responsibility for leaking the infamous video that pushed the vicious blood libel claiming that IDF soldiers raped Hamas terrorists. The video showed nothing, absolutely nothing, yet her poisonous messaging with the video turned it into international ammunition against our holy soldiers, racking up billions of views leading to UN condemnations and to the greatest ongoing international blood libel against the Jewish people in history that will plague the Jewish people forever. Yet how much attention is this injustice garnering in the Israeli Jewish public discourse? Zero.

She ruined the lives of our holy IDF soldiers. She falsely accused One soldier took his own life. Others saw their lives destroyed, divorced, businesses destroyed. The diplomatic damage to Israel was enormous. The UN just did something else against Israel because of this. If you ask me, the military advocate general did not think of this idea on her own.

 

Remember, this leaked scandal, this video scandal, occurred in August 2024 during the final months of the Biden administration and many in Israel believe the leak and the way it was pushed were intended to give the Biden administration ammunition to invoke the Leahy law and restrict US weapons shipments to Israel, which is exactly what the Biden administration did even without enacting the Leahy law. Not everyone remembers, but there were significant forces inside Israel’s establishment, including politicians, Lapid, Gantz, Yair Golan, and retired senior security and intelligence officers who worked and protested tirelessly to halt the war, weaken Netanyahu’s government, and help the Biden administration force Israel into submission. It is inconceivable that the military advocate general, whose core duty is to protect our idea of soldiers, acted alone in creating and promoting the most damaging blood libel against our own troops that will plague the Jewish people forever. No way. Other unelected officials were undoubtedly involved in that vicious backstabbing decision. Her firing now after 210 or 11 days, it’s not justice. It is the rotten elite system of unelected officials protecting one of its own, no matter how much damage she caused the Jewish state, the Jewish people, and our holy idea of soldiers.

The message to every idea of soldier is clear. If you’re religious, if you wear a Messiah patch on your uniform, if you fight with Jewish pride, you’ll be hunted and jailed for 30 days. 30 days!

 

That’s what happened to the soldier that had a Messiah patch. But if you’re part of the corrupt elite club, pushing dangerous agendas and blood libels that damage Israel on the world stage, helping a US administration that was bad to Israel, and you helped damage our soldiers, oh, you’ll be protected. This is the moral rot we are dealing with that the mainstream media covers up, and it must end. Instead, we are fed headlines about Minister Ben-Gvir taunting terrorist-supporting international activists.

Do you understand how warped the reality is that we are told day in and day out by our mainstream media, including in the Jewish Israel space? Don’t care about the real important issues. Care about these other insane, not really important issues, but those are really important. The Jewish people deserve real leadership and real accountability. We will overcome our external enemies and the internal channel challenges as well. Victory and truth are coming. Every day, more Israelis are waking up to this troubling reality as these people continue to expose themselves, these unelected officials, especially in the justice system.

The reason is painful but clear. They are far more frightened by the rise of a strong, proud, and unapologetically Jewish Israel than they are by the threat of massacre from our jihadi enemies. It’s difficult to have our heads wrap around and accept, but it’s the truth. We will overcome it all and hopefully one day this military advocate general responsible who admitted responsibility to leaking the video that caused all this damage will be sitting behind bars for many, many, many years.

We’re going to overcome it all, folks. We are an unbelievable generation. We are back home in our unbelievable, beautiful, ancestral, indigenous homeland.

Abelow concludes with an explanation why he brought up the issue and made an appeal to support his “Pulse of Israel” videos.

The motivation of vilnagaon.org to quote from Abelow was to provide necessary background information to some of our other posts, such as:

• According to IDF Leadership: Shaming a Statue of the Virgin Mary, Go Straight to Jail! But Shaming the Jewish Messiah, No Problem!
• Based on Tanna D’vei Eliyahu Rabbah it seems on the ideal level there is a value of Torah Scholars participating in a war against enemies like Sisera.
• About 200 bereaved family members—parents who lost their children in the massacre at the Nova party and in the war—have filed a complaint today (Sunday), at the Yarkon Police Station in Tel Aviv, against the former head of the Israel Security Agency (Shabak), Ronen Bar. They Blame him for the Oct. 7th / Shmini Atzeret Massacre.

 

Using Google Maps I tried to locate where one might be able to put a square of 500 cubits onto the Temple Mount, using the popular cubit measurement of Rabbi Chaim Naeh, who claimed the cubit was 48 centimeters, which would translate into 240 meters if we wanted to measure 500 cubits.

I asked Rabbi Itai Elitzur if this (picture) is indeed his viewpoint about the location of the sanctified 500 cubits by 500 cubits of the Temple Mount. He answered, yes.

Posted by Shlomo Moshe Scheinman. Elsewhere on this web site I provide evidence against using large cubits, such as the cubit of the Chazon Ish.

I wish to stress that although Rabbi Elitzur’s opinion is a very legitimate interpretation of the data we know, it is not the only interpretation. For those that read Hebrew, see my article about the Temple Mount, where other possibly valid opinions about the location of the Temple’s 500 by 500 sanctified cubits are discussed.

I am hoping my doubts will be resolved in the relatively near future by Muon detectors. See the article Studying What is Beneath the Temple Mount with Muon Tomography, AI and Pattern Recognition and a Discussion About Carbon-14 Proofs for an explanation of the concept.

Summary by GEMINI AI

Dr. Ben Ari opens his lecture with the traditional greetings of “Chag Sameach and Shabbat Shalom,” highlighting the unique calendar confluence (in 5786 / 2026) where the festival of Shavuot (the Giving of the Torah) directly connects into the holy Shabbat of Parashat *Naso*.

 

1. The Essence of Matan Torah: The ID Card of the Jewish People

 

The lecturer explains that just as every nation possesses a defining symbol or monument that captures its identity (like the Eiffel Tower for France), the Jewish people’s identity is defined by the Torah. He quotes Rav Saadia Gaon: *”Our nation is only a nation by virtue of its Torahs.”*

 

* **A Top-Down Revelation:** A foundational element of Jewish faith is that the Torah was not invented by human sages. Rather, it was a top-down revelation from G-d at Mount Sinai. The Talmudic concept that G-d *”held the mountain over them like a cask”* signifies that the Torah is an absolute, binding reality, not subject to human alteration or personal whim.

* **”Were it not for this day”:** Dr. Ben Ari shares the Talmudic anecdote of the sage Rav Joseph, who celebrated Shavuot by stating: *”Were it not for this day, how many ‘Josephs’ would there be in the marketplace?”* The Torah is what elevates, individualizes, and preserves the Jew; without it, the nation would dissolve and disappear in the diaspora.

* **Passing the Torch:** Mentioning the self-sacrifice of Jews during the Roman persecutions in the days of Rabbi Akiva, he emphasizes the commandment of *”and you shall teach them diligently to your children.”* Studying Torah with one’s children—even for just 5 or 10 minutes a day—is crucial for maintaining Jewish continuity.

 

2. Megillat Ruth: Simplicity, Nature, and the Spirit of Lovingkindness

 

As a Bible (Tanakh) teacher of many years, Dr. Ben Ari expresses a deep, uniquely emotional connection to the Book of Ruth. He describes it as a text that provides “tranquility to the soul” and a comforting place “to rest one’s head.”

 

* **The Landscape of the Land:** Most of the narrative unfolds in the wide-open spaces, fields, and threshing floors of the Land of Israel during the barley and wheat harvests. This agricultural setting infuses the story with a natural, serene atmosphere.

* **The Greatness of Small Acts (Boaz’s Toast):** The lecturer highlights the text’s profound simplicity through the scene where Boaz roasts grain for Ruth (*”And he offered her parched corn, and she did eat, and was sufficed, and left thereof”*). The Sages note that if Boaz had known this minor act would be eternally recorded in the Bible, he would have prepared a lavish feast with top chefs. Yet, the true power of the Megillah lies in this unpretentious, natural benevolence and open-heartedness.

 

3. The Sin of Elimelech vs. Mutual Responsibility

 

Dr. Ben Ari draws a sharp contrast between the altruism of the Megillah’s protagonists and the behavior of Elimelech, who deserted the Land of Israel for the fields of Moab during a famine.

 

* **Elimelech’s Alienation:** The Sages judge Elimelech harshly. As a wealthy leader of his generation, he should have opened his storehouses to help the community weather the crisis together. Instead, he chose self-preservation and fled.

* **Separating from the Community:** The lecturer references the rabbinic dictum: *”When the community is suffering, a person must not say: ‘I will go to my home, eat and drink…'”* Those who separate themselves from the community in times of trouble will not live to see its consolation—as evidenced by Elimelech’s family, who lost all their wealth and whose sons (Mahlon and Chilion) died abroad.

* **A Modern Analogy:** He shares a poignant story about the late father-in-law of Noam Federman (David Haramati, a righteous convert). During the Yom Kippur War, while still a non-Jew abroad, he witnessed young Jewish men rushing to public telephones to book flights back to Israel to fight for their country. This display of absolute mutual responsibility deeply moved him, inspiring him to convert and join the Jewish people.

 

4. Ruth’s Devotion and Her Heroic Speech

 

Upon hearing that *”the Lord had remembered His people in giving them bread,”* Naomi decides to return to Bethlehem. On the road, she attempts to convince her daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth, to return to their maternal homes, realistically painting a bleak picture of their future if they stay with her.

 

* **Orpah vs. Ruth:** Orpah makes a pragmatic, realistic calculation, kisses her mother-in-law goodbye, and turns back. In contrast, **”Ruth clung to her.”**

* **Ruth’s Absolute Resolve:** Ruth delivers a magnificent speech born of pure internal truth: *”For whither thou goest, I will go… thy people shall be my people, and thy G-d my G-d; where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried.”* Ruth is not seeking wealth or future royalty; she is entirely prepared to pay the heaviest price to bind her fate to the Jewish nation and its Torah under the wings of the Divine Presence.

 

5. The Encounter in the Field and Family Redemption

 

Ruth goes to glean ears of corn in the field of Boaz (fulfilling the biblical commandment of *Leket*, which protects the poor). Boaz, a wealthy landowner, is revealed to be a deeply sensitive man who treats his laborers with profound respect.

 

* **Welcoming Countenance (*Hesbarat Panim*):** Boaz notices Ruth, ensures her safety from harassment, and invites her to drink water alongside his youths. Ruth bows to the ground, asking why she has found such favor and hospitality since she is a foreigner. Boaz replies that he was fully informed of the immense kindness she showed Naomi, comparing her journey to that of Abraham, who left his father’s house and birthplace for an unknown land.

* **Initiative and Redemption:** Naomi realizes that Boaz is a close relative and a potential redeemer (*Goel*). When the harvest season concludes and no action has been taken, Naomi proactively orchestrates the encounter at the threshing floor. Boaz eagerly steps into the role of the redeemer.

* **Resolution of the Crises:** The lecturer concludes by citing the late Rabbi Professor Yehuda Kiel (editor of the *Da’at Mikra* commentary) regarding the two core crises in the Megillah:

1. **The National Crisis (Famine):** Resolved early on when God remembers His people with bread.
2. **The Family Crisis (Death and Extinction):** Resolved at the climax through the marriage of Boaz and Ruth and the birth of their son, Oved, the grandfather of King David.

 

 Conclusion and Contemporary Prayer

 

Dr. Ben Ari closes his lecture with a sobering yet hopeful reflection on current events. In these challenging times (May 2026 | Sivan 5786), marked by national grief, fallen soldiers, bereaved families, and widows, he offers a heartfelt prayer that G-d remember His people on both the national and personal levels, bring speedy salvation and redemption, and cause the horn of His servant David to flourish.

Revised 4th of Sivan, 5786 (May 20, 2026)

Case: #1

Recently two Israeli soldiers were sentenced to military prison for placing a cigarette in the mouth of a Virgin Mary statue in southern Lebanon. The soldier who placed the cigarette was given three weeks (21 days) in jail, and the soldier who filmed the incident received a two-week (14 days) sentence.

Case: #2

I asked Gemini AI Why was a soldier in Israel recently arrested for putting a messiah patch on his uniform? Who backs the army’s decision and who opposes and why?

The response:

The arrest and sentencing of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier to 30 days in military prison for wearing a “Messiah” (Mashiach) patch has sparked a massive political and social firestorm in Israel.

 

The incident occurred during a visit by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir to a Nahal Brigade guard post in the West Bank. Zamir noticed the unauthorized patch on the combat soldier’s uniform, leading to immediate disciplinary action. The fallout extended well beyond the individual soldier; four levels of the chain of command were penalized, including a suspended sentence for the platoon commander and a formal reprimand for the battalion commander.

 

Here is a breakdown of why the soldier was arrested, who backs the decision, and who opposes it.

---

Why Was the Soldier Arrested?

The official reason for the arrest is a strict breach of military discipline and dress code regulations.

 

The IDF implemented an updated dress code that explicitly bans non-military patches, stipulating that troops may only display the Israeli flag, their name, and their official unit emblem.

 

However, the context goes deeper than standard uniform rules:

• The Erosion of Discipline: Chief of Staff Zamir had recently warned commanders about a general decline in military discipline during the protracted, multi-front war. The patch was seen as a direct manifestation of this “rebellion” against army standards.

   

• Ideological & Geopolitical Concerns: The “Messiah” patch—deeply associated with Chabad-Messianism and religious-nationalist ideologies—frames military service as a divine or apocalyptic mission rather than a state-directed defense operation. The IDF command is highly sensitive to the perception that the army is fighting a religious war, especially amid international scrutiny and separate incidents involving soldiers displaying unauthorized religious behavior in operational zones.

   

---

Who Backs the Army’s Decision and Why?

The decision is supported by the IDF Senior Command, the military establishment, and center-left/opposition politicians.

1. The IDF High Command (Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir & Col. Arik Moyal)

• The Argument: An army cannot function effectively without absolute discipline and uniformity.

   

• Nahal Brigade Commander Col. Arik Moyal stated to his officers: “The story is not the patch, the story is the values on which we educate… a lack of discipline in operational incidents and in routine brings us loss of human life.”

   

• Zamir echoed this, stating that the uniformity of the uniform is what connects all Israelis, warning that without a strict adherence to orders, military frameworks “may fall apart.”

   

2. Centrist and Left-Wing Politicians (e.g., Opposition Leader Yair Lapid)

• The Argument: The military must remain a sovereign state institution, entirely separate from religious or political sectorialism.

• Opposition Leader Yair Lapid called the patch “really provocative” and demanded that politicians “take their hands off the army.” Supporters of this view argue that allowing ideological patches erodes the concept of the IDF as the “people’s army” and risks dividing troops along ideological lines.

   

---

Who Opposes the Army’s Decision and Why?

The backlash has been fierce, led primarily by right-wing, religious-nationalist ministers and Knesset members.

 

1. Right-Wing and Religious Ministers (e.g., Itamar Ben-Gvir, Amichai Chikli)

• The Argument: The punishment is wildly disproportionate and severely damages the morale of combat soldiers risking their lives on the front lines.

   

• National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir llamado the sentence “unnecessary” and harmful to the fighting spirit, stating that even if the patch is against code, a 30-day prison sentence for a combat fighter is absurd.

   

• Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli heavily criticized Zamir, accusing the military leadership of a double standard. He pointed out what he viewed as selective enforcement, contrasting the swift jailing of the soldier with the military’s handling of reservists who threatened to refuse service during the 2023 judicial reform protests.

   

2. Right-Wing Lawmakers (e.g., MK Boaz Bismuth, MK Tally Gotliv)

• The Argument: The IDF command is buckling under media and foreign public-relations pressures.

   

• Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Boaz Bismuth called the move “grave and scandalous,” pointing out that a year prior, Zamir had suggested he wouldn’t personally tear patches off soldiers and would leave it to local command. Bismuth questioned if “external pressures” caused the shift.

   

• MK Tally Gotliv went as far as saying that Zamir’s “severe distortion of thinking” should warrant the Chief of Staff himself being sent home.

   

3. Religious-Nationalist Public & Commentators

• The Argument: The army is treating foundational Jewish concepts as public relations liabilities.

   

• Many critics argue that unauthorized patches (like sports team logos or home country flags) are routinely handled with a simple command to “take it off.” By issuing prison time for the word Mashiach (Messiah), critics argue the IDF is signaling that it views Jewish spiritual motivations as dangerous or embarrassing, rather than a legitimate source of strength for religious soldiers.

A translation of Tanna D’vei Eliyahu Rabbah (Ish Shalom) Parsha 11″

Another interpretation [of the verse]:  There let them recite the righteous acts of Hashem, the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel … (Judges 5:11):

If there is a small town in Israel, and the people stood up and built for themselves a synagogue and a house of study, and hired for themselves a Sage, and hired for themselves teachers for the children—then even another town close to it, once they saw this, they too stood up and built a synagogue and a house of study and hired for themselves teachers for the children.

The result is that many houses of study are established in Israel forever, as it is said: “Then the people of Hashem went down to the gates” (Judges 5:11).
And from within these many houses of study in Israel, happy is the one who innovates words of Torah from his own mouth; he is like one who is made to hear [the word] from Heaven. The Holy One, Blessed be He, says to him:

“My son, My great House of Study is yours,” as it is said: “Let the L-rd choose new things (ie. new innovations)“ (Judges 5:8).

From here they said: If forty thousand of Israel gathered and went out to war, and there is among them even a single pair of Torah scholars, it is as if [G-d] delivered [the enemy] into their hands, as it is said: “A shield if it shall appear and a spear among forty thousand in Israel” (Judges 5:8).

Comment #1 Tanna D’vei Eliyahu Rabbah interprets Judges 5:8 in a positive light. The shield and spear are symbols of the pair of Torah scholars appearing among the forty thousand soldiers.

Comment #2 Each person should consult with a recognized Halachic authority on how to implement this ideal in the face of current difficulties.

According to current surveys, Religious-Zionist families in Israel that encourage serving in the secular I.D.F. lose a much larger percentage of their children to the secular world in contrast to the Charedim who do not encourage joining the I.D.F.

I leave the responsibility of how to implement the ideal of Tanna D’vei Eliyahu Rabbah in the hands of others.

Here is the original Hebrew of Tanna D’vei Eliyahu Rabbah to double check the translation

תנא דבי אליהו אליהו רבה (איש שלום) פרשה יא

דבר אחר, שם יתנו צדקות ה’ צדקות פרזונו בישראל, עיר קטנה שבישראל, ועמדו ובנו להם בית הכנסת ובית המדרש, ושכרו להם את החכם, ושכרו להן מלמדי תינוקת, אף עיר אחרת קרובה לה כיון שראו עמדו אף הן ובנו בית הכנסת ובית המדרש ושכרו להן מלמדי תינוקת, נמצאו בתי מדרשות רבים בישראל (לעולם), שנאמר אז ירדו לשערים עם ה’ (שם /שופטים ה’/), ומתוך בתי מדרשות שרבים בישראל (לעולם) אשרי מי שמחדש דברי תורה על פיו, דומה כמי שמשמיעין אותו [מן השמים], (אמר) [ואומר] לו הקדוש ברוך הוא, בני בית המדרש (גדול) [הגדול] שלי שלך הוא, שנאמר יבחר אלהים חדשים (שם /שופטים ה’/ ח’), מיכן אמרו ארבעים אלף מישראל שנתקבצו ויצאו למלחמה ויש ביניהן זוג אחד של תלמידי חכמים דומה שהוא מסרם (בידו) [בידן], שנאמר מגן אם יראה ורומח.

In-Depth Summary (English)
1. The Six Days of Gratitude

Rabbi Weber emphasizes that the victory of the Six-Day War wasn’t a single event but a cumulative miracle. He chronologically lists the achievements—from the initial air strikes to the liberation of Samaria, Jerusalem, Hebron, Sinai, and the Golan Heights. His core message is holistic gratitude: one shouldn’t just thank G-d for the “main course” (Jerusalem) but for every detail and territory returned to Jewish hands.

2. The Laughter of Rabbi Akiva

The Rabbi draws a parallel between our generation and the famous Talmudic account where Rabbi Akiva laughed while seeing foxes roam the ruins of the Holy of Holies. While others saw only destruction, Akiva saw the validation of prophecy. If the prophecies of doom were fulfilled so precisely, the prophecies of redemption (Zion being rebuilt) are guaranteed to follow.

3. Sovereignty and Sanctity on the Temple Mount

Addressing modern controversies regarding the Temple Mount, Rabbi Weber argues:

Location Clarity: Using the verse “The top of the mountain,” he argues that the site of the Temple is topographically obvious, just as a person knows where their own head is.

Purity (Tum’ah): He dismisses the claim that we are “too impure” to engage with the site, noting that the Jewish people have maintained laws of purity for marriage for millennia and can do the same for the Mount.

The Greater Desecration: He posits that the presence of “foxes” (foreign elements/neglect) in the Holy of Holies is a far greater Halakhic and spiritual crisis than Jews entering the permitted areas in purity.

4. Prophecy Realized

The talk concludes with a powerful observation of modern Jerusalem. The prophecy of Zechariah—describing elderly people sitting in peace and children playing in the streets—is no longer a dream; it is the daily reality of Jerusalem’s neighborhoods and its bustling Yeshivot.

• This time it’s not the High Court and not Bluth. Prime Minister Netanyahu personally stopped the advancement of the bill to cancel the Oslo Accords.

The meaning is the continued existence of the Palestinian terror authority and its control over most of the territory in Judea and Samaria (West Bank).

What reason does Netanyahu have for taking this step?

Source: Elisha Yered

HILLTOP MACCABEES
https://chat.whatsapp.com/GNDLHyNGINA4qECDQ9rZ2D

• Three settlers arrested in the Binyamin region have been held for eight days already in the Shin Bet (Shabak) basements under an exceptional order that prevents them from meeting with a lawyer.

  Today, one of the detainees — a minor — was brought to a court hearing only two hours after his detention order had expired.

  This led his lawyers from the Honenu organization to accuse the Jewish Division of the Shin Bet of believing it runs the court and simply ignoring the law.
  Despite this failure and the lawyers’ demand to release him, the minor’s detention was extended by two more days, and the detention of the two other detainees was extended by four days.

  Attorneys Adi Kidar, Nati Rom, and Daniel Shmshilishvili stated that the incident the Shabak is trying to portray is far from reality, and that they will continue to fight for the rights of the settlers.

  A gag order has been imposed on all other details of the investigation.

  News from Yesha (Judea and Samaria)

  HILLTOP MACCABEES
  https://chat.whatsapp.com/GNDLHyNGINA4qECDQ9rZ2D

 

• Terrorism Under the PA Authority’s Auspices:

PA Policeman Arrested with Weapons in Area C.

IDF forces stopped a suspicious vehicle at the Mail Junction in Binyamin. A hidden handgun was found in the vehicle, intended for smuggling.

Investigation revealed that the driver is a policeman in the Palestinian Authority’s security services. The policeman and two additional suspects who were with him were arrested and transferred for interrogation.

The disturbing connection between Palestinian Authority personnel and terrorist activity has been exposed once again.

Over the past Shabbat, a Palestinian Authority (PA) policeman was arrested in Area C with a smuggled weapon in his vehicle, in a serious incident that took place in the heart of Binyamin.

The event once again highlights the involvement of security apparatus personnel in hostile activity against Israelis.

The incident began when an IDF force operating at the Mail Junction in the Gush Talmonim area identified a suspicious vehicle and stopped it for inspection. During a thorough search of the vehicle, the soldiers found a handgun that had been hidden with the intention of smuggling it into Judea and Samaria territories, apparently for criminal or security-related activity.

To the soldiers’ surprise, an identity check on the driver revealed that he is an active policeman in the Palestinian Authority’s security services.

The three occupants of the vehicle, including the policeman, were arrested on the spot and transferred for further interrogation at the Modi’in Ilit police station in the Shai District.

HILLTOP MACCABEES
https://chat.whatsapp.com/GNDLHyNGINA4qECDQ9rZ2D

Translation of II Kings chapter 17 verse 6 according to the Koren Jerusalem Bible:

Maday (the nation of the Medes) was situated in part of modern day Iran. And according to tractate Yevamot, pages 16b & 17a the biological descendants of the Israelites still remained in significant numbers in the areas of the original exile at the time of the writing of the Talmud, although according to the Talmudic sage named Shmuel, for one of 2 reasons these biological descendants of the Israelites lost their religious status as Israelites.

Rabbi Yosef Karo (Beit Yosef, Even Haezer, 157) approves of the first reason offered by Shmuel. However, Rabbi Moshe Isserles in Shu’t Harama #62 sides with Rabbeinu Chananel that that the second reason provided by Shmuel is the reason the the biological descendants of the ten tribes lost their status.

I asked Gemini AI which non-jewish group in Iran if any has the strongest genetic link to the Jews?

Gemini AI answered:

Research in population genetics generally identifies **Kurds** as having the strongest and most direct genetic link to Jewish populations among non-Jewish groups found in Iran.

 

While linguistics and religion have diverged significantly over millennia, several major studies have highlighted a shared ancestral root in the northern Fertile Crescent.

 

### 1. The Kurdish Connection

The most frequently cited study (Nebel et al., 2001) found that **Muslim Kurds** and **Jews** (specifically Kurdish and Sephardic Jews) share a remarkably high degree of Y-chromosome affinity.

* **Indistinguishable Markers:** The study indicated that, in certain paternal lineages, Kurdish and Sephardic Jews were “indistinguishable” from their non-Jewish Kurdish counterparts.

* **Northern Origins:** Geneticists suggest that the ancestors of modern Jews and Kurds both originated in the northern Fertile Crescent (an area spanning modern-day northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, and eastern Turkey) before the southward migration of the ancestors of the Israelites.

 

### 2. The Northern Fertile Crescent Cluster

Beyond the Kurds, other non-Jewish minorities in Iran share a similar proximity to Jews, forming a distinct genetic cluster often referred to as “Northern West Asian.”

* **Assyrians:** As a Semitic-speaking but non-Jewish group, Assyrians show a very high degree of genetic similarity to Jews. Because the Assyrian community has remained relatively closed for centuries due to religious and cultural traditions, they have preserved a genetic profile that is very close to the ancient Mesopotamian populations from which many Jews also descend.

* **Armenians:** Along with Kurds and Turks, Armenians are part of the “Northern Fertile Crescent” genetic group that is more closely related to Jewish populations than many neighboring Arab groups.

 

### 3. The Central Iranian Foundation

While the Kurds, Assyrians, and Armenians have the “strongest” links, most major ethnic groups in Iran (including **Persians** and **Lurs**) share a common genetic foundation known as the **Central Iranian Cluster (CIC)**.

* **Shared Ancestry:** Research shows that despite the Indo-European languages spoken by Persians and Kurds, their genetic makeup is deeply rooted in ancient West Asian Neolithic farmers, similar to the ancestry found in Jewish groups.

* **Zoroastrians:** Some studies have noted that Zoroastrians and Jews in Iran are genetically “distinct” from the broader population. This does not mean they are related to each other more than others, but rather that both groups have experienced higher levels of endogamy (marrying within the community), which has preserved older genetic signatures that might have been diluted in the general population.

 

### Summary Table: Genetic Proximity to Jews

 

| Group | Nature of Link | Primary Shared Markers |

| :— | :— | :— |

| **Kurds** | **Strongest** | High Y-chromosome (paternal) similarity; shared Fertile Crescent ancestry. |

| **Assyrians** | **Very Strong** | Shared Mesopotamian/Semitic roots; high genetic homogeneity. |

| **Armenians** | **Strong** | Part of the northern West Asian cluster; shared Neolithic ancestry. |

| **Persians** | **Moderate** | Shared “Central Iranian” foundation; more regional divergence. |

 

In short, if looking for the group in Iran with the most striking scientific evidence of a common paternal ancestor with Jews, the **Kurds** are the primary focus of genetic literature.

 

Gemini AI asked: What specific aspect of these genetic links are you most interested in—is it the ancient migration patterns or the specific DNA markers they share?

Answer: DNA markers

The genetic link between Jews and non-Jewish groups in the Iranian sphere is primarily defined by a set of **Y-chromosome (paternal)** haplogroups and specific **autosomal** clusters.

 

Research identifies these markers as remnants of a shared ancestral population that lived in the northern Fertile Crescent before modern religious and linguistic boundaries formed.

 

### 1. Paternal Markers (Y-DNA)

The most significant overlap occurs in the **Haplogroup J** lineage, which is divided into two primary branches:

 

* **J-M172 (J2):** Often referred to as the “Northern” branch of the Fertile Crescent.

* **Relevance:** This is the dominant marker shared between **Kurds**, **Armenians**, and **Iranian/Iraqi Jews**.

* **Significance:** In studies like Nebel et al. (2001), J2 was the marker that made Muslim Kurds and Kurdish Jews “indistinguishable” from one another. It is associated with the spread of early agriculturalists in the region.

* **J-M267 (J1):** Often associated with the “Southern” or Levantine branch.

* **Specific Marker (J-P58):** While J1 is common across the Middle East, the specific subclade **J-P58** is a key marker for both the **Cohen Modal Haplotype** and many **Assyrian** and **Kurdish** lineages. This indicates a shared “Proto-Semitic” or northern Mesopotamian ancestor.

* **T-M184 (Haplogroup T):**

* **Relevance:** This is found at an unusually high frequency (up to 20% or more) among **Assyrians** and is also frequently found in Middle Eastern Jewish populations. It is a rarer global marker, making its presence in both groups a strong indicator of a shared genetic pocket in the northern Zagros/Mesopotamian region.

 

### 2. Autosomal “Cluster” Markers

Beyond individual markers, scientists look at **Autosomal DNA** (inherited from both parents) to see how groups “cluster” on a genetic map.

 

* **The “Northern West Asian” Cluster:** In global genetic plots, Iranian Jews, Kurdish Jews, and Iraqi Jews do not cluster directly with modern Palestinians or Jordanians. Instead, they plot significantly closer to **Kurds, Assyrians, and Armenians**.

* **The “Iron Age Levant” Baseline:** Recent paleogenomic studies (2024–2026) using ancient DNA from the Southern Levant show that while there is an indigenous “Levantine” baseline, the Jewish groups from the Iranian sphere carry a distinct “Northern” shift. This “shift” is defined by markers shared with the **Caucasus Hunter-Gatherers (CHG)** and **Neolithic Iranians**, which are also the primary ancestral components of modern Iranians and Kurds.

 

### 3. Microsatellite Markers (STRs)

When looking at very specific “fingerprints” within a haplogroup, researchers use **Short Tandem Repeats (STRs)**.

 

* **DYS388 and YCAII:** Specific values for these markers (such as a high number of repeats at DYS388) are used to distinguish the “Jewish” and “Kurdish” branches of J1 and J2 from the “Arabian” branches.

* **Coalescence:** The similarity in these STR values suggests that the “break” between these groups happened roughly **3,000 to 4,000 years ago**, aligning with the historical emergence of early Northwest Semitic and Iranian-speaking tribes.

 

### Summary of Marker Distribution

 

| Marker Type | Specific Marker | Primary Groups Sharing It |

| :— | :— | :— |

| **Y-DNA (Paternal)** | **J-M172 (J2)** | Kurds, Armenians, Iranian/Iraqi Jews. |

| **Y-DNA (Paternal)** | **T-M184** | Assyrians, Mizrahi Jews. |

| **Y-DNA (Paternal)** | **J-P58 (within J1)** | Coanim {probably meant Cohanim}, Assyrians, northern Kurds. |

| **Autosomal** | **CHG / Neolithic Iran** | All Iranians, Kurds, and Eastern Jews. |

 

Gemini AI asked: Are you looking for more technical data on the specific subclades, or perhaps how these markers relate to ancient DNA samples from the region?

 

Answer: The Bible says that some of the ten lost tribes were exiled to the land of the Medes (Northern Iran). which of the groups mentioned has the strongest likelihood of being connected to the tribes of Israel?

Gemini AI: The biblical account in II Kings 17:6 states that the Israelites were exiled to “Halah and Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.” Geographically, the “Land of the Medes” corresponds to the Zagros Mountains and northwestern Iran.

When correlating this with genetic and historical data, two groups stand out with the most compelling connections.

1. The Kurds (The Geographic & Genetic Frontrunners)

The Kurds are widely considered the modern group most closely associated with the ancient Medes. They inhabit the exact region mentioned in the biblical text—northwestern Iran and northern Iraq.

• Paternal Affinity (Y-DNA): Major studies (Nebel et al., 2001) have found that Kurdish Jews and Muslim Kurds are more genetically similar to each other than to their respective host or neighboring populations. Specifically, the high frequency of Haplogroup J2 (J-M172) in both groups suggests a shared ancestral root in the northern Fertile Crescent.

• The “Indistinguishable” Link: In certain paternal markers, Kurdish Muslims and Sephardic Jews are genetically “indistinguishable,” indicating they both descend from an ancient population that occupied this region before the distinct religious and linguistic splits occurred.

2. The Assyrians (The Ethnic & Linguistic Link)

While the Assyrians are a distinct ethnic group from the Medes, their history is inextricably linked to the Israelite exile, as it was the Assyrian Empire that carried out the deportation.

• Shared Semitic Markers: Unlike the Indo-European-speaking Kurds or Persians, Assyrians speak Aramaic (a North-West Semitic language closely related to biblical Hebrew).
• Haplogroup T and J1-P58: Assyrians carry high frequencies of Haplogroup T-M184 and specific subclades of J1-P58. These same markers are central to Jewish priestly lineages (Cohanim). The presence of these markers in a non-Jewish population in the very heartland of the ancient exile suggests either a shared proto-Semitic ancestor or the absorption of Israelite exiles into the local population.

3. The Pashtun Theory (The “Eastern” Candidates)

Though largely located in eastern Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, the Pashtuns have the strongest traditional claim to being the “Bani Israel” (Children of Israel).

• Tribal Names: The Yusef-Zai (Sons of Joseph) and Afridi (possibly related to Ephraim) are frequently cited.
• Genetic Divergence: Despite the strong traditions, autosomal DNA often shows Pashtuns clustering more closely with other South Asian and Central Asian groups. However, specific paternal lineages among them do show West Asian signatures that align with Levantine origins, though the data is less uniform than that of the Kurds or Assyrians.

Comparison of Connection Points

Group	Biblical Connection	Genetic Marker Alignment	Primary Geographic Match
Kurds	Directly inhabit the “Cities of the Medes.”	High J2 and autosomal overlap with Jews.	Northwestern Iran (Zagros).
Assyrians	Centered in the Neo-Assyrian heartland.	High J1-P58 (shared with Cohanim).	Northern Mesopotamia / Iran border.
Pashtuns	Strong oral traditions of exile.	Mixed; some western paternal markers.	Eastern Iran / Afghanistan.

The “Cohen Branch” Perspective

In the context of the Avotaynu DNA Project and the study of priestly branches, the subclades found in the Zagros region (specifically J1 and J2a) are highly significant. The fact that the most “priestly” markers (like those in the J1-P58 cluster) are found in high concentrations among both Jews and the northern non-Jewish populations of the Fertile Crescent provides a scientific bridge to the biblical narrative of the exile.

Information presented by Shlomo Moshe Scheinman

Regarding what conclusions we should draw from this information, I would leave it to others to decide who are smarter than me!

An AI summary and translation of the video

האור החיים הקדוש זועק: כמה אפשר להיות רחוקים מהר הבית??

“The holy Ohr HaChaim says that the Redemption will occur by awakening the hearts of mankind and saying to them: ‘Is it good for you to sit outside, exiled from your Father’s table?’

How long can we be far from the Mountain of the House of G-d? Two thousand years were not enough for us. We returned to the Temple Mount after 2,000 years, yet we still remain outside, still clinging to exile, still leaving the property of the Holy One, Blessed be He, in the hands of the nations of the world. How is it possible?”

This is a fascinating intersection of ancient Jewish tradition and cutting-edge genetic science. Below is a translation and organized summary of the text you provided, which bridges the halakhic (legal) perspective of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef with modern DNA research.

Translation and Genetic information was primarily from Gemini AI for the sake of saving time.

Part I: The Rabbinic Perspective

Citation from *Shut Yabia Omer* (Vol. 9, Even HaEzer, Siman 5)

Before citing my own sources, I shall quote the **Responsa Yabia Omer**:
It cannot be denied that many disagree with the aforementioned *Maharshdam*. Among them are the *Mabit* (Vol. 1, Siman 219), *Maharimat* (Siman 149), and *Maharhash* (Vol. 3, Siman 54), and others.

However, in **Sefer Hasidim** (Mekitzei Nirdamim edition, Siman 630), the following is recorded:
“Our Master, **Rav Hai Gaon**, would ascend from Babylon to Jerusalem every year for the festival of Sukkot. On Hoshana Rabbah, they would circle the Mount of Olives seven times, reciting psalms arranged by Rav Hai. Priests (Cohanim) dressed in fine silk and beautiful cloaks would walk about 100 cubits ahead of him, and the people would follow 100 cubits behind him, with Rav Hai in the center.

After the festive meal, Rav Hai was laughing and joyful. A righteous man asked him: ‘Why did you walk alone behind the Cohanim?’ Rav Hai replied: ‘Every year when I ascend the Mount of Olives, **Elijah the Prophet** (of blessed memory) walks with me. This time, I asked him when the Messiah would arrive. He told me: “When they circle the Mount of Olives with Cohanim.”

I gathered all the Cohanim I could find to circle with them. But then Elijah said to me: “Look at all these Cohanim you see dressed in fine cloaks walking with pride—**not one of them is from the seed of Aaron.** Only the very last one following them, who is despised in their eyes, wears tattered clothes, seeks no honor, and makes himself as if he is nothing—who is also lame in one leg and missing an eye—**he alone is a true Cohen of the seed of Aaron.**”‘

Rav Hai concluded: ‘That is why I laughed—because among all of them, there was no true Cohen except for that one man with a physical blemish.'”

It appears from here that there is support for the *Maharshdam’s* view [regarding the doubt of modern priestly lineage]. Therefore, it is appropriate to include this as a factor for leniency in our case.
**— Ovadia Yosef**

The Precedent of Talmud Yerushalmi, Yevamot 8:3 as translated by Heinrich W. Guggenheimer, 1999-2015 (a relative of the Rosh Yeshiva of Dvar Yerushalayim).

Guggenheimer translation is one of the English translations of the Yerushalmi used by the yeshiva.

 

Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, Pashḥur ben Immer the priest had 5000 slaves, and their traces have disappeared in the high priesthood. These are the insolent in the priesthood.

The Precedent of the Vilna Gaon

The Vilna Gaon was a first born son. He was not satisfied with the Pidyon Haben done for him by his father being concerned that the money given to the Cohen in the Pidyon Haben ceremony wasn’t a definite Cohen. According to Otzar Pidyon Haben Vol. I by Rabbi Y. D. Weisberg chapter 7 footnote 4 the Vilna Gaon did the Pidyon Haben ceremony many times with different Cohanim (for himself) until the doubt had left his heart. In footnote 9 of the same chapter it was reported that after the Vilna Gaon did the ceremony with a Cohen from the Rappaport family (who have an excellent pedigree) the Vilna Gaon stopped asking additional Cohanim (Hebrew plural for Cohen) from doing a Pidyon Haben on his behalf.

Another expert told me that it is the Rappaport family from Tehran that has the best pedigree.

Part II: Genetic Research on the “Cohen Gene”

Genetic research on Cohen DNA is a field combining history and modern science. The “9 Groups” refer to **Haplogroups** based on the **Y-Chromosome**, which passes from father to son just like the Priesthood.

1. The Core: The Cohen Modal Haplotype (CMH)

In 1997, researchers (including Dr. Karl Skorecki) discovered that most Cohanim share a genetic signature. The most famous is **J1-P58**, often called the “Modal Cohen Haplotype.”

 

2. Breakdown of Major Haplogroups
Research shows Cohanim are not one single biological lineage but fall into several groups:

| Haplogroup | Frequency | Historical Meaning |
| :— | :— | :— |
| **J1 (Z18271)** | High (~46%) | The “core” Aaronite lineage; Semitic/Middle Eastern origin. |
| **J2** | Moderate | Ancient Mediterranean/Levantine lineage. |
| **E1b1b** | Low-Moderate | Common in North Africa and the Middle East. |
| **R1a / R1b** | Low | European influence or later entry into the priestly class. |

 

Part III: The Nine Cohen Branches (CB-01 to CB-09)

Modern projects (like those by Dr. Skorecki) use these labels to distinguish the “Main Lineage” from others.

The Main Lineage

* **CB-01 (J1-Z18271):** The “Aaronite Lineage.” 45–50% of Cohanim worldwide. Its common ancestor dates back roughly 3,000 years (matching the Exodus era).

Secondary Lineages (Ancient entries)

* **CB-02 (J2a):** Common in the Fertile Crescent.
* **CB-03 (J2b):** Found in Balkan and Middle Eastern communities.
* **CB-04 (E-M123):** Identified with the Levant (Ancient Canaan/Israel); found in both Sephardic and Ashkenazic Cohanim.

Admixture Lineages (Later entries)

* **CB-05 (R1b):** Common in Western Europe; likely joined the community during the Roman Empire.
* **CB-06 (R1a):** Common in Eastern Europe; dominant among **Ashkenazic Levites**, but exists in a small percentage of Cohanim.
* **CB-07 (G2a):** Originates in the Caucasus/Anatolia.
* **CB-08 (T):** A rare lineage found in small pockets of the Middle East and Africa.
* **CB-09 (I / Q / Others):** Rare sub-branches from various stages of the Diaspora.

—

Part IV: What Gemini AI Said About The Rappaport Family

You specifically asked about the **Rappaport family from Tehran**.

The Rappaport family is one of the most well-documented priestly families in Jewish history.
* **Genetic Association:** Most descendants of the Rappaport line (specifically descendants of the author of *Mincha Belula*) belong to **CB-01 (J1-Z18271)**.
* **Findings:** While some branches show J2 or R1b, the “ancient core” of the family aligns perfectly with the primary Aaronite lineage (CB-01).

Famous Families in CB-01:

* **Cohen-Yonatan (Djerba):** Extremely strict tradition, almost exclusively CB-01.
* **Shapiro (Katz-Shapiro):** Certain branches.
* **Yemeni Cohanim:** Families like Yitzhaki or Amrani.
* **Moroccan Cohanim:** Families like Alkaslasi.
* **Mazeh:** (An acronym for *MiZera Aharon HaKohen*).

In the Book of Yechezkel / Ezekiel chapter 40 and onward, it appears that at the time that the Temple will be built in the future in accordance with the rules in the vision of the prophet, the important Temple activities will be restricted to the Cohen family that descends from Tzadok (Zadok).

Article by Shlomo Moshe Scheinman (author of the article on Argaman) in Techumin.

New Comment by the author- 16 Iyar 5786: Those who wish to derive Halakhic leniencies or stringencies from the information presented here, should consult with a competent Halakhic authority.

Regarding the usage of DNA to establish ancestry, for those that understand Hebrew see:  https://www.medethics.org.il/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/04%D7%A4%D7%A1%D7%A7-%D7%93%D7%99%D7%9F-%D7%91%D7%93%D7%99%D7%A7%D7%94-%D7%92%D7%A0%D7%98%D7%99%D7%AA13.pdf . Also see Chief Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu’s Hebrew article at https://www.daat.ac.il/he-il/refua/author/alef/eliyahu/eliyahu-geneti.htm which has relevance to our subject.