Did Zvulun’s Tribal Portion Reach the  Mediterranean Sea

Quote from A Solution to Fundamental Problems Regarding Tekhelet

Although there is an opinion that holds that the Tribal portion of Zvulun did not reach the Mediterranean Sea, we hold like the Vilna Gaon’s viewpoint to the book of Yehoshua {Joshua} 19:14 “that we have to say that the border of Zvulun cuts through the middle of Asher’s boundary, and goes to Tzidon Rabba {Greater Sidon} and there it expands a bit in its width like the shape of a thigh“.

According to the Book of Yechezkel the tribe of Zvulun in the future will get a different area as a tribal inheritance than what was received in the past.

The tribe of Zvulun as well as a few other tribes will receive in the future a portion in the Sinai Desert. Seemingly the tribe of Zvulun will once again be able to complain that to other tribes You gave fields and vineyards but now, they will not even receive compensation of having the Chilazon near their shores, since dye producing mollusks do not appear to be found in the southern Sinai region.

According to the book Ohr Yechezkel, if you accept a 47 cm. sized cubit, the future division of the land of Israel looks like the map below. In my article The Future Borders of the Tribes of Israel as Evidence for the Size of a Cubit I provided alternative views and maps. See there for details.
According to Sifri, Devarim, Parshat Haazinu, Piska 315 the Land of Israel in the Future Will be Divided into 13 Strips of 150,000 Cubits, Which is Equivalent to 75 Talmudic Mil

In the article The Future Borders of the Tribes of Israel as Evidence for the Size of a Cubit I point out that by assigning different values to a cubit you could either include more parts of the Sinai or less than what appears in the map above. But all the major Biblical maps based on the last two chapters of Yechezkel (Ezekiel) agree that some of the tribes of Israel will receive their future portion in the land of Israel in the Sinai region which is currently a desert.

Is it fair to assign the Sinai region which is currently mostly a desert to the southern tribes including Zvulun while the northern tribes seem to be getting a more fertile region?

My general answer is that Zvulun and the other southern tribes will be compensated by other benefits, but not necessarily the Chilazon of Tekhelet.

On a more specific level, I would like to suggest that the compensation might be in accordance to a Youtube video at youtube.com/watch?v=lBRUFbR-S2M that I asked Gemini AI to summarize.

Video Title: Israel Built a Hidden Fish System Beneath the Desert — And It Actually Worked

This summary explores how Israel transformed a barren desert into a thriving agricultural hub by turning environmental “problems” into a high-tech, sustainable goldmine.

## The Discovery: An Ocean Beneath the Dust

In 1973, geologists drilling in the Negev Desert (which covers 60% of Israel) struck the Nubian Aquifer. They found a massive reservoir of “fossil water” trapped since the last Ice Age. However, the water was initially considered worthless for two reasons:

• Boiling Temperature: It emerged at 99°F to 104°F due to geothermal heat.
• High Salinity: It was brackish (salty), containing 3,000 ppm of salt—enough to kill standard crops like tomatoes or wheat within days.

## The Innovation: Tropical Fish in the Desert

Instead of abandoning the wells, scientists asked: “What thrives in hot, salty water?” The answer was tropical fish like Barramundi, Tilapia, and Sea Bass.

• Free Heating: In Europe, farmers spend a fortune heating tanks for tropical fish. In the Negev, the Earth provides the perfect temperature for free, even when desert nights drop to 41°F.
• Healthy Environment: The salt content mimics the natural brackish habitats of these fish, keeping them healthier than in freshwater ponds.
• Massive Scale: Today, farms like Kibbutz Mashabé Sadé produce over 3,000 tons of fish annually, exporting them to major European supermarkets.

## The “Double-Usage” System: Turning Waste into Food

The biggest challenge in fish farming is ammonia (fish waste), which is toxic to the fish. Israel solved this by creating a symbiotic closed-loop system:

1. Step 1: High-pressure water is pumped from 2,300 ft deep into fish ponds.
2. Step 2: As fish grow, they saturate the water with nitrogen-rich waste (natural fertilizer).
3. Step 3: This “dirty” water is piped directly to groves of Olive trees and Date palms.
4. Step 4: These specific trees are salt-tolerant. They filter the ammonia out of the water to use as food, while the slight salt stress actually makes the fruit sweeter and more flavorful.

## Why It’s a Game Changer

1. Economics

Fresh water in Israel is expensive ($0.70 per 35 cubic feet). Brackish water is nearly free ($0.05–$0.10). By sharing the water, the fish farm gets a free “disposal system” for waste, and the crop farm gets free water and free organic fertilizer.

2. Environmental Impact

The system is carbon negative. It avoids the massive CO2 emissions caused by:

• Manufacturing synthetic fertilizers.
• Pumping and transporting fresh water.
• Heating fish tanks with fossil fuels.
• Additionally, the trees sequester (trap) thousands of pounds of carbon annually.

## The Bottom Line

The Negev project proves that constraints are opportunities. By pairing “useless” hot water with tropical fish and “toxic” waste with salt-tolerant trees, Israel created a food production system that is cheaper, cleaner, and more productive than traditional farming. This model is now being piloted in other arid regions like Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

“Impossible is just another word for nobody’s tried the right combination.”

A comparison table between traditional fish farming and this Negev desert system to highlight the cost and energy savings

Here is a breakdown of how the Negev desert system compares to traditional aquaculture and farming methods. This table highlights why the “Double-Usage” approach is such a massive leap forward in efficiency and sustainability.

Comparison: Traditional vs. Negev Desert System

Key Takeaway

In the traditional model, waste is a liability that costs money to remove. In the Negev model, waste is an asset that powers a second industry. This synergy allows desert-grown fish and fruit to be priced more competitively than those produced in “easier” climates.

The section above covers the Nubian Aquifer in the Negev. To be thorough I asked Gemini AI: Does the Nubian Aquifer run beneath the Sinai Desert?

Answer:

Yes, the Nubian Sandstone formation extends under the Sinai Peninsula, though whether it is considered part of the main Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System (NSAS) depends on how hydrogeologists strictly define the boundaries.

Key Details & Characteristics

1. Regional Hydrogeology

• The Main NSAS Boundary: The formal “Nubian Sandstone Aquifer System” covers over 2 million km² across Egypt, Libya, Sudan, and Chad. Geologically, its continuous main basin lies predominantly west of the Nile in Egypt’s Western Desert.

• The Sinai Extension: The same Lower Cretaceous and Paleozoic sandstone formations (the Nubian Sandstone series) extend east across the Gulf of Suez and lie beneath central and northern Sinai. In regional hydrogeology, the deep, deep-seated water-bearing sandstone layers beneath Sinai are commonly referred to as the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer of Sinai or the Deep Nubian Aquifer.

2. Water Type & Depth

• Fossil Water: Like the main Saharan NSAS, the deep water trapped within the Nubian sandstone under Sinai is largely fossil groundwater. It was recharged tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of years ago during prehistoric wet (pluvial) climate periods.

• Depth & Quality: In Sinai, the Nubian aquifer sits at significant depths—often 1,000 to over 3,000 meters underground. The water is typically confined under high pressure (artesian in some places). While fresh-to-brackish in parts, salinity generally increases toward the northern and coastal reaches of the peninsula.

3. Separation from Main Saharan Basin

Hydrogeologists often analyze Sinai’s Nubian aquifer separately from the Western Desert NSAS because:

• Structural Barriers: The Suez Rift Valley / Gulf of Suez and associated faulting geographically and hydrologically separate the Sinai block from the main Western Desert basin.

• Local Recharge: While the deep sandstone contains non-renewable fossil water, shallow upper layers in central/northern Sinai receive minor modern recharge from flash floods along major drainage networks (such as Wadi El-Arish), mixing localized fresh water with older deeper brackish reserves.

What can be answered if it ends up that the Nubian aquifer, doesn’t reach Zvulun territory or can’t be used there for some other reason?

Answer: I will fall back on my general answer, Hashem will then find some other way to compensate.

Article by Shlomo Moshe Scheinman

1. Retention and Promotion of Disgraced Leadership

Chayun expresses deep outrage over a senior officer—whom he refers to as “General A” (תא”ל א’)—and other senior leaders from the Gaza Division and Southern Command.

• Promotions Instead of Dismissals: Rather than facing severe consequences for their severe oversight on October 7, senior figures involved in major errors were either promoted in rank or retained in key operational roles.
• Concealment of Mistakes: He describes a scenario where an officer responsible for medical/evacuation dispatch made critical delays that resulted in troops and civilians bleeding to death. Rather than being held accountable, that same officer was subsequently promoted.

2. Sabotage of Tactical Life-Saving Operations

Chayun shares a personal account from the war, claiming he used millions of dollars worth of resources—backed by international donors—to develop a tactical life-saving capability for troops on the ground.

• Deliberate Obstruction: According to Chayun, “General A” actively attempted to disrupt and sabotage this project simply because Chayun’s name was attached to it.
• Intervention by Field Commanders: The situation got so severe that Brig. Gen. Oren Solomon (serving as acting division commander at the time) had to intervene, telling “General A” to stop disrupting Chayun’s work and allow people who want to save lives to actually do so.

3. Deception of Bereaved Families

Chayun accuses the military establishment of actively misleading the families of fallen soldiers and victims.

• Illusion of Heroism over Truth: He asserts that while the fallen fought heroically, the military narrative conceals the systemic negligence and blunders that caused their deaths.
• Withholding 90% of the Truth: He claims bereaved families have not been told even 10% of the real truth regarding the command breakdowns, intelligence suppression, and operational errors that occurred before and during October 7.

4. Demands for Severe Consequences

Chayun argues that standard military dismissals or resignations are completely insufficient:

• Exile and Revocation of Citizenship: He argues that top officials responsible for the October 7 failure—as well as those who protected or promoted them afterward—do not deserve to live in Israel. He calls for them to be stripped of their status and expelled/exiled from the country.
• Systemic Corruption: He describes a self-serving network of high-ranking officers who protect one another’s career trajectories, prioritize internal politics over operational readiness, and operate without genuine accountability.

5. Tactical Misconceptions Regarding Enemy Leadership

Chayun criticizes the strategic mindsets of Israel’s defense leadership:

• Replacing Eliminated Targets: He points out that high-profile targeted assassinations of Hamas leaders do little to dismantle the enemy’s organizational structure.
• Enemy Succession Doctrine: He highlights how enemies like Iran or Hamas prepare two to four designated successors for every commander well in advance. Decapitation strikes without broader organizational destruction fail to disrupt enemy capabilities.

Chayun concludes that Israel cannot afford to leave these same decision-makers in place while expecting different outcomes, calling for a complete overhaul and total exposure of the truth surrounding October 7.

Background on Raphael Chayun

Raphael Chayun (often spelled Rafael Hayun) is an Israeli civilian intelligence operative based in Netivot, near the Gaza border. Over the past decade, he became a prominent and controversial figure within Israel’s defense and intelligence ecosystem.

Here is background information on who he is, his role before and during October 7, and why his criticisms carry weight:

1. Early Background & Private War Room

• Transition to Intelligence: Raised in an Orthodox family, Chayun developed self-taught technical skills in computing and radio interception. Around 2011 (at age 27), he began monitoring open-source intelligence (OSINT) and intercepting tactical radio communications from terror groups in Gaza, including Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
• Private Network: Operating from a dedicated intelligence hub (“war room”) in his home, he eventually led a network of roughly 30 analysts. He maintained a direct, informal network of forums with field officers, special forces commanders, and border security teams who relied on his real-time warnings.
• Official Authorization: For years, Israel’s Ministry of Communications granted him formal licensing and legal authorization to possess and operate non-standard interception and monitoring equipment.

2. The Pre-October 7 Warning Clashes

In the years leading up to 2023, Chayun repeatedly warned field commanders about Hamas preparations and military exercises taking place along the Gaza perimeter fence.

• Shut Down by IDF Leadership: In late 2022, senior IDF intelligence officials—specifically Col. “G,” the head of the Information Security Department—took steps to cut Chayun off from military channels.
• The “Concepcion” Argument: Leaked recordings of conversations between the officer and Chayun revealed that military officials dismissed Chayun’s warnings, arguing that the IDF’s internal intelligence apparatus (AMAN and Shin Bet) did not need “civilian assistance” or unvetted private collection.
• Revocation of Equipment: Months before October 7, his license was revoked, and his listening gear was confiscated under the reasoning that his independent operation posed a information-security risk.

3. Heroism and Actions on October 7, 2023

Despite the previous restrictions, when the attack began on the morning of October 7, Chayun became a crucial communications link for soldiers and civilians trapped in the border region:

• Directing Rescuers: Desperate civilians, local defense squads, and active commanders contacted Chayun directly via cell phone and encrypted apps.
• Guiding Special Forces: Using his knowledge of local geography and real-time reports, he guided IDF units (including elite units like Maglan and Duvdevan) directly to active firefights, hostage situations, and ambush sites across Kibbutz Holit, Kfar Aza, Nahal Oz, and the Nova music festival.
• Restoration of License: Due to media pressure and his instrumental role during the assault, Israeli authorities restored his official gear licenses shortly after the attacks began.

4. Post-October 7 Recognition and Role

• Official Commendations: Following the initial months of the war, Chayun received formal certificates of appreciation and commendations from numerous IDF elite units (Maglan, Duvdevan), the Air Force, Border Police, and counter-terrorism branches for saving lives on October 7.
• Testimony: He has testified before the Citizens’ Inquiry Committee into the October 7 attack, detailing how intelligence warnings were repeatedly suppressed or ignored by senior military leaders prior to the massacre.

I asked Gemini AI: has any top military official in Israel’s army gone to jail for the terrible performance of the IDF on Oct 7?

Answer:

No high-ranking military official in the IDF has been sent to prison or faced criminal prosecution for the intelligence and operational failures of October 7.

The Jerusalem Post

Under Israeli law, military failure, systemic oversight, or strategic misjudgment do not automatically constitute criminal offenses unless there is evidence of treason, corruption, or intentional criminal negligence. Instead, accountability across the Israeli Defense Forces and intelligence agencies has been handled through resignations, dismissals, and administrative penalties.

Anadolu Ajansı

The consequences top military leadership have faced break down into a few main categories:

1. High-Level Resignations

Virtually the entire top tier of Israel’s defense leadership on October 7 accepted command responsibility and resigned from their positions:

The Jerusalem Post

• Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi (IDF Chief of Staff): Resigned citing command responsibility for failing to protect the country.

PBS

• Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva (Head of Military Intelligence): Resigned after taking responsibility for the intelligence failure.

The Jerusalem Post

• Maj. Gen. Yaron Finkelman (Head of Southern Command): Resigned over the failure to defend the Gaza border region.

PBS

• Brig. Gen. Yossi Sariel (Commander of Unit 8200, Israel’s elite cyber intelligence unit): Resigned following internal probes into ignored intelligence warnings.

The Jerusalem Post

• Brig. Gen. Avi Rosenfeld (Commander of the Gaza Division): Resigned after stating he failed in his mission to protect the border communities.

The Jerusalem Post

2. Expulsions and Disciplinary Actions

Following internal military investigations, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir issued formal disciplinary actions against several senior officers:

Anadolu Ajansı

• Stripped of Reserve Status: Generals who had resigned (including Haliva, Finkelman, and former Operations Directorate chief Oded Basyuk) were formally expelled from IDF reserve duty, preventing them from serving in the military again.

The Jerusalem Post

• Dismissals and Expulsions: Lower-tier officers in key positions—such as the intelligence officers for the Gaza Division and Southern Command—were either formally discharged or expelled from service for directly ignoring intelligence warnings or withholding reports.

The Jerusalem Post

Why No Prison Time?

Imprisonment in military or civilian court requires proof of criminal acts (such as disobeying direct orders in combat, criminal negligence resulting in death, or treason). The failures of October 7 have been categorized legally as profound doctrine, analytical, and operational breakdown—failures of judgment and readiness—rather than criminal activity.

post by: Shlomo Moshe Scheinman

For the sake of ease I will quote from the Jerusalem Bible translation (published by Koren) of the Second Book of Kings chapter 17

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Ashshur took Shomeron, and carried Yisra᾽el away into Ashshur, and placed them in Ḥalaĥ and in Ḥavor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Maday.

For so it was, when the children of Yisra᾽el had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Miżrayim, from under the hand of Par῾o king of Miżrayim, and had feared other gods,

and walked in the statutes of the nations, whom the Lord cast out from before the children of Yisra᾽el, and of the kings of Yisra᾽el, which they practised;

and the children of Yisra᾽el fabricated matters that were not right against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fortified city;

and they set them up pillars and asherim on every high hill, and under every green tree; and there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; and did wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger; for they served idols, concerning which the Lord had said to them, You shall not do this thing;

then the Lord testified against Yisra᾽el, and against Yehuda, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the Tora which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

Yet they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the Lord their God.

And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed worthless paths, and became themselves worthless, and went after the nations that were round about them, concerning whom the Lord had charged them, that they should not do like them.

And they left all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made them molten images, two calves, and made an ashera, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served the Ba῾al.

And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and gave themselves up to do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

Therefore the Lord was very angry with Yisra᾽el, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Yehuda alone.

Also Yehuda did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the statutes of Yisra᾽el which they practised.

And the Lord rejected all the seed of Yisra᾽el, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out from his face.

For he rent Yisra᾽el from the house of David; and they made Yorov῾am the son of Nevat king: and Yorov῾am drove Yisra᾽el from following the Lord, and made them sin a great sin.

For the children of Yisra᾽el walked in all the sins of Yorov῾am which he did; they departed not from them;

until the Lord removed Yisra᾽el out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Yisra᾽el carried away out of their own land to Ashshur to this day.
Historian Dr. Henry Abramson identifies the main regions that the Ten Tribes were sent and genetic Y-chromosome tests seem to indicate that even today there are some people in those regions that share a similar Y-chromosome DNA to Jewish populations.

I asked Gemini AI to make a map of where the Ten Tribes were exiled to according to the Talmud in the Iraq- Iran area based on the DafYomi Adavance forum:

Ten tribe regions gemini based on an understanding of the Talmud dafyomi advancement forum

The Talmudic Background on the Status of the Lost Tribes

The Talmud in tractate Yevamot 16b and 17a discusses the status of the Ten Tribes.
For the sake of ease, I will use the translation and commentary, I found at https://www.sefaria.org.il/Yevamot.16b.10?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en

Everything quoted from there I colored dark blue:

Rav Yehuda said that Rav Asi said: With regard to a gentile who betrothed a Jewish woman nowadays, we are concerned that the betrothal might be valid, despite the fact that a betrothal of a gentile is meaningless, lest he be from the ten tribes of Israel who intermingled with the gentiles. The Gemara raises an objection: But there is an important principle in halakha that any item separated, i.e., not fixed in its place, is presumed to have been separated from the majority. In this case, it can be assumed that any individual singled out from the gentiles belongs to the majority of gentiles and has no Jewish roots at all.

The Gemara responds: Rav Yehuda means that there is a concern only with regard to those who came from the permanent dwelling places of the ten tribes…

In the end 2 reasons are provided to explain, why we would not give “Israelite status” to someone who lives in the permanent dwelling places of the ten tribes if he or she performed a marriage ceremony with a Jew. The following is the 2nd explanation provided by the Gemara/Talmud.

There are those who say that Rav Yehuda actually related the following: When I said this halakha before Shmuel, he said to me: They did not move from there, (the place where they deliberated on this matter), until they rendered all of them, including those who intermingled with the ten tribes in different locations, full-fledged gentiles. Consequently, there is no concern that their betrothals might be of any effect, as it is stated: “They have dealt treacherously against the Lord, for they have begotten strange children” (Hosea 5:7).

Ruling of Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserles) on the subject

Rama (Rabbi Moshe Isserles) in his responsa #62 holds that Jewish Law is in accordance with the 2nd view mentioned in the name of Shmuel. Namely, based on the verse of (Hosea/Hoshea 5:7) the ten tribes have lost their Israelite status.
Rama ends off by quoting a dispute between Rabbi Akiva and Rabbi Eliezer (See Sanhedrin 110b). Rabbi Akiva holds that the ten tribes will not return in the future. Rabbi Eliezer contends that just as the day darkens and then becomes light again, so the ten tribes, even their state of darkness in the future will brighten for them and for all of Israel, Amen.

On the assumption that most of the original Ten Tribers did not leave their places of exile to other regions, which at least was true at the time that the Talmud was written it turns out that most of the biological descendants of the Ten Tribes live in Islamic lands in our times.

Those Rabbis who wish to clear Islam of the sin of Idolatry are providing a tremendous stumbling block to the biological descendants of the Ten Tribes from returning to Hashem and hold back the fulfillment of a prophecy. Namely, what is stated in the last verse of Yishayahu chapter 27: And it shall come to pass on that day, that a great shofar shall be blown, and they shall come who were lost in the land of Ashshur, and the outcasts in the land of Miżrayim, and shall worship the Lord in the holy mountain at Yerushalayim.

Why Classify Islam as Idolatry?

Ritva: Coercion to Join the Yishmaelite Religion is Coercion for Idolatry

Let it be known that the faith of Yishmaelites, even though they are Monotheists, it is considered to be complete Foreign Worship (Idolatry) to be killed and not convert, for one that admits to their faith, denies the Torah of Moshe, that it is not true as it exists in our hands and all that is similar to this is Foreign Worship (Idolatry).

See the insights of Ritva to tractate Pesachim 25b.

Radbaz Was Presented with a Similar Dilemma and Issued A Similar Ruling

And I exerted myself and found that the Ritva of Blessed Memory wrote in accordance to my words, and I quote:

Let it be known that the faith of Yishmaelites, even though they are Monotheists, it is considered to be complete Foreign Worship (Idolatry) to be killed and not convert, for one that admits to their faith, denies the Torah of Moshe, that it is not true as it exists in our hands and all that is similar to this is Foreign Worship (Idolatry).

Radbaz, then quotes that there are two types of coercion to violate the Sabbath on the penalty of death. One type of coercion does not demand sacrificing one’s life for Sabbath. However, there is a type of coercion that will be interpreted that the Jew is admitting that the Torah is not true and that the Holy One Blessed be He did not command the observance of Shabbat. That type of coercion does require self-sacrifice.

(from Questions and Answers of Radbaz Vol. 4 Response 92 (1163)

Tosafot: Those That Designate the Wrong Day of the Week as Their Sabbath Day Are Not Testifying about the Truth of the Holy One Blessed be He and Those that Deny the Uniqueness of Israel Are Not Testifying about the Truth of the Holy One Blessed be He

Who is like your nation Israel, one people on the Earth – We say in the midrash, three things testify this one for that, Israel and Shabbat and the Holy One Blessed be He; Israel and the Holy One Blessed be He, testify regarding Shabbat, that it is the day of rest; and Israel and Shabbat testify regarding the Holy One Blessed be He that he is one; the Holy One Blessed be He and Shabbat testify regarding Israel that they are unique among the nations; and upon this do we rely to say, “you are one” in the Mincha prayer of Shabbat, even though it does not speak (directly) on the matter of the day, Shabbat in contrast to the Arvit and Shacharit prayers.

Tosafot Chagiga 3b

What Other Big Halachic Authorities Rule In Accordance to Ritva and Radbaz to Resist Forced Conversion to the Yishmaelite Religion with the Highest Level of Sacrifice

The Chafetz Chaim author of the Mishna Brura and other important halachic works, who often has final say on Halacha (at least for Ashkenazim) wrote a book called Nidchei Yisrael. In chapter 19 of Nidchei Yisrael, he sides with the opinion of Ritva and Radbaz brought earlier in this article.

Rabbi Yekutiel Halbershtam in his work Divrei Yatziv, Section Yoreh Deah, chapter 40 also rules in accordance to Radbaz (and Ritva). Among the points Rabbi Halberstam says in the name of Radbaz: one who is being forced to leave the entire Jewish religion and to be like one of the nations of the Earth and to deny all the Torah of Moshe, all the more so, he should be killed and not transgress; this and furthermore, that the person (being coerced into Islam) has to admit that there was a man by them whose stature was greater than the stature of Moshe Rabbeinu, peace be unto him and this is a destruction of the entire Jewish religion.

Rabbi Dov Lior who served as the Chief Rabbi of Hebron and Kiryat Arba in a letter stating his opposition to the average Jew participating in Muslim Iftar parties cited Ritva’s opinion quoted earlier, as part of his justification for his halachic ruling.

Didn’t Rabbi Yosef Karo Rule that Muslims are not guilty of Idolatry?

The following is an excerpt from the post:
Muslim Idolatry Trees – Do They Interfere With Davening Mincha on the Temple Mount?

Whoever Doesn’t Want to Hide His Eyes From Reality Will Discover That Some Muslims Offer Incense to a Demon.

The following is Pew research results of what the Muslims say about themselves.

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/08/09/the-worlds-muslims-unity-and-diversity-4-other-beliefs-and-practices/

Overall, Muslims in Central Asia and across Southern and Eastern Europe (Russia and the Balkans) are least likely to say that jinn {demons} are real. In Central Asia, Turkey is the only country where a majority (63%) of Muslims believe in jinn {demons}. Elsewhere in Central Asia, about a fifth or fewer Muslims accept the existence of jinn. In Southern and Eastern Europe, fewer than four-in-ten in any country surveyed believe in these supernatural beings.

In general, Muslims who pray several times a day are more likely to believe in jinn {demons}. For example, in Russia, 62% of those who pray more than once a day say that jinn {demons} exist, compared with 24% of those who pray less often. A similar gap also appears in Lebanon (+25 percentage points), Malaysia (+24) and Afghanistan (+21).

The survey also asked if respondents had ever seen jinn {demons}. In 21 of the 23 countries where the question was asked, fewer than one-in-ten report having seen jinn {demons}, while the proportion is 12% in Bangladesh and 10% in Lebanon.

It is important to note that while belief in jinn {demons} is widespread, relatively few Muslims in the countries surveyed believe it is an acceptable part of Islamic tradition to make offerings to jinn {demons}. As discussed in Chapter 6, Bangladesh is the only country surveyed in which more than a fifth of Muslims (28%) say appeals to jinn are acceptable. In 18 of the countries, no more than one-in-ten say this is an acceptable practice.

According to reports on the internet offering incense of such things as frankincense and similar materials is part of the gift offerings they give to the demons.

And so I found on the internet a report of Muslims of offering incense to demons at the web site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7waqNdtOF4&ab_channel=WildFilmsIndia

Incense to Demons

And so too another video complains of Muslim religious figures that are involved in mysticism that practice all types of magic with demons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PWawUcQYvQ&ab_channel=IslamicGuidance

I also found a written article on Muslims who offer a type of incense to demons and bring them other gifts and request from them, all types of requests.

https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/residence-of-jinns-where-muslims-and-hindus-come-together-to-pray-17283

Muslim Demon Worship Idolatry

One Who Offers Incense to a Demon – Insights of “the Ran” to Tractate Sanhedrin 61b

Introduction

A Jew should be willing to sacrifice his life rather than worship Idolatry. But what if he makes the wrong choice and does not sacrifice his life? The Talmud says the punishment for those that serve Idolatry out of love and fear is less severe than someone who does not have this excuse. Most commentaries understand that love and fear, means love of a person or fear of a person. Rambam however has a different understanding of love and fear which “the Ran” criticizes.

“And Rambam of blessed memory in chapter 3 (of the Mishna Torah) on the Laws which discuss Idolatry, defines, “out of love”, such as, he desires an image because its service is very attractive – or when one serves it out of his fear of it – i.e., he fears that it will harm him – as the [idol] worshipers imagine that it provides benefit and harm but did not accept it upon himself as a Deity, he is exempt”.

The Ran disagrees with the definition of serving “out of love and fear” offered by the Rambam and brings as proof the ruling of the Gemara, that someone who offers incense to a demon is considered to have served Idolatry.

Now the normal case of someone who offers incense to a demon is that he does not accept it as a Deity but nevertheless incense worship to demons is classified as Idolatry.

“The Ran” concludes that anyone who does an act of worship to any form {or image} in order to derive from it some benefit, behold he has in essence given it, Deity status and dominion in that matter and therefore the one that serves it is doing an act of Idolatry.

Rabbi Karo

The Ruling of the Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh Deah, Chapter 179 Halacha 19

He who offers incense to a demon to bring it and to compel it to do his will, he is liable on account of serving Idolatry (see Tur and Beit Yosef commentary for background on this ruling).

For a defense of Rabbi Karo’s Shulchan Aruch ruling, see footnote IV in the Hebrew article

הסרת המסגדים בהר הבית על ידי ממשלת ישראל

Clarification: Normally, I would not rebuke scoffers. In this particular case, I thought doing so would benefit the Jewish people.

Other Muslims are guilty of:

• Tree Idolatry
• Deification of their (false) prophet
• Pantheism
• Moon Worship
• Intermediary Worship
• Belief in Multiple Deities (Alawite Muslims, who got a stamp of approval from the Nazi Mufti of Jerusalem)

In theory if you go according to the Rabbi Yosef Karo viewpoint and you encounter a Muslim, who is not guilty of Demon Worship, Tree Idolatry, Pantheism, Moon Worship, Intermediary Worship, and Multiple Deities and observes all the other Noahide commandments is he on solid ground with Hashem?

No! According to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Hashem will punish this person with premature death for believing in false prophet M.

Question: What Happens if the Muslim has some special merit based on other deeds, will this cancel his premature death decree?

Answer: I don’t know.

A Warning to those Rabbis that wish to overlook all this based on Talmud, Gittin 88a (translation by Sefaria)

A Repentance Message to the Tribe of Efrayim from the last Chapter of the book of Hoshea with Rashi’s commentary

Article by Shlomo Moshe Scheinman

Wednesday, 5 Tishrei 5787 [approx. September 16, 2026]

Shock in New York, Equanimity in Jerusalem…

Hitler with his friend the Mufti of Jerusalem

The Jewish world is shaken by difficult sights in the heart of New York—neo-Nazi activists have held an antisemitic demonstration in the city in recent days, wearing armbands bearing swastikas, chanting “Heil Hitler,” and shouting slogans against Jews. The event occurred just a few streets away from where the official memorial ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks was being held, and the protesters continued their activity without intervention from the authorities.

Behind the demonstration stands a neo-Nazi organization that defines itself as “White Socialist,” presenting as part of its goals the preservation of the white person’s status and the struggle against what it defines as Jewish influence. Alongside the Nazi symbols and calls praising Hitler, chants of “Free Palestine” and antisemitic slogans against what the protesters termed “Jewish power” and “Jewish manipulations” were also heard at the scene.

What do you say? Shocking, isn’t it? Brings gloomy thoughts? Illustrates how the ground is shaking beneath the feet of New York’s Jews, when the city with the largest Jewish population in the world is under attack from a Hamas-supporting mayor, and two ends of the political spectrum in the US join hands in a coalition that at first glance seems completely absurd? But in practice, one sees that there is much in common between neo-Nazis and radical Islam, and the main thing in common is the hatred of Israel. The love story between the German Führer and the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem during World War II—who was the only non-German allowed to enter Auschwitz and view the work of extermination—certainly serves as inspiration for the alliance of haters.

And it is already brought in the book Kol HaTor (Part 2, Chapter 2, Letter B)—”The special role of Mashiach ben Yosef is against Eisav (Esau), the Klipah (shell) of the Left, and the special role of Mashiach ben David is against Yishmael (Ishmael), the Klipah of the Right, and both together against Eisav and Yishmael, who are the impure Ox and Donkey. The joining of Eisav and Yishmael occurs through Armilus, the minister of the Erev Rav (Mixed Multitude), and it can destroy Israel and the entire world, Heaven forbid.”

Indeed, it is shocking to see the fulfillment of that coalition of Eisav and Yishmael in the streets of New York. However, before we express our disgust at the phenomenon, it is worth putting things into the proper perspective—not to minimize the danger posed to New York’s Jews, but to point a finger at the far more urgent danger.

In the US, neo-Nazi groups constitute a noisy and vocal minority that, while enjoying the First Amendment to the American Constitution regarding freedom of speech, still stands on the margins of society and receives fierce condemnation from all sides of the political spectrum. In the Land of Israel, on the other hand, stand their Muslim allies, who openly aspire to destroy Israel and enjoy broad international legitimacy—and even among their potential victims, the Jews in Israel, they receive understanding and forgiveness.

The terrible massacre in the Gaza envelope enjoyed massive support from a population that, even when their homes were destroyed and they were forced to evacuate en masse with tens of thousands of dead and wounded, did not prevent them from providing a backing that allowed the murderers to hold the Israeli hostages for two full years. The Arabs of Judea and Samaria also overwhelmingly supported the massacre; according to one survey, about 81% admitted to this openly, and among the rest, it is unclear how many opposed it for reasons of expediency and what negligible minority actually saw a problem with murdering Jews. Israeli Arabs—those holding blue ID cards and enjoying all rights—also vote in droves in Knesset elections for parties that openly call for the erasure of the Jewish state, aside from those who are unwilling to recognize Israel even for political purposes and support the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement. Yoseph Haddad is a curiosity in the landscape of Israeli Arabs, drawing his support overwhelmingly from the Jewish public.

Are you still worried, dear readers, about those nonentities who salute with raised arms in the streets of New York and spread various strange conspiracy theories about Jewish power in Washington inspired by The Protocols of the Elders of Zion? Indeed, they should not be underestimated, especially if a severe economic crisis pushes many Americans to look for easy solutions and a charismatic leader might arise to direct the arrows of frustration toward the Jews. But I am much more worried about Achmad Tibi and Mansour Abbas, who with their smooth talking become legitimate interlocutors in Israeli political discourse, while in speeches in Arabic they reveal their true aspiration, which is no different from that of the Nazis in New York or anywhere else in the world.

The problem is that in the discourse of political correctness dictated by progressivism, antisemitism and hatred of Israel are forbidden only when they come from the political right. When they come from a place of the struggle of the oppressed against the oppressors, when they serve the “Palestinian” narrative of colonialist Zionism, of the Nakba, of Israel as an apartheid state—it is not only legitimate, but it wins prestigious awards at international festivals. When it is backed by political support from European countries like Britain, Norway, and others—it becomes the ultimate expression of enlightenment, progress, and all good things.

The time has come to strip the mask from the Yishmael-Nazi coalition and relate to the neo-Nazis in our midst exactly as we relate to those marching in the streets of New York. There is no difference between the swastika and the flags of the PLO and Hamas, and Israel’s readiness to negotiate with those murderers instead of wiping them off the face of the earth is nothing less than surrender to the progressive narrative that turns the aggressor into a victim and the victim into an aggressor, light into darkness and darkness into light, good into evil and evil into good, and generally intentionally blurs the entire world of values in order to remove all restraint and deny the Creator of the world.

May the words of Kol HaTor be a lamp to our feet, and may we merit to fulfill the destiny of Mashiach ben Yosef, to break the coalition of Israel’s haters, to eradicate the heirs of Hitler and Haj Amin al-Husseini, and then the scripture will be fulfilled in us—”And saviors shall ascend Mount Zion to judge the mount of Eisav, and to Hashem will be the kingdom!”

This article is a translation of the words of Rabbi Yehuda Epstein, Chairman of Agudat Kedushat Tzion (Zion)

The Crime of Britain

I asked Gemini AI: Please describe actions taken by the British government since the start of the October 7th War and onward that should be interpreted as hostile to Israeli control of territories conquered in the Six Day War?

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war triggered by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, successive British governments (both Conservative and Labour) have enacted a series of diplomatic, legal, and economic measures that directly challenge Israeli sovereignty and administrative control over territories captured during the 1967 Six-Day War (the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights).

While maintaining support for Israel’s core defense inside its 1949 Armistice lines (1967 borders), London has taken increasingly hostile measures against Israeli activities in these disputed territories:

1. Bans on Trade and Imports from Settlements

• Import Ban on Settlement Goods: The UK introduced legislation banning the import of all goods manufactured or grown in Israeli settlements in the West Bank. This effectively rejects Israeli commercial jurisdiction in those areas.

• Prohibition of Settlement Advertising: New regulations prohibit the advertising or promotion of land, residential real estate, or commercial properties located in West Bank settlements within the UK.

• Corporate Restrictions: The UK updated its Overseas Business Risk guidance to explicitly urge British companies against financial transactions, property purchases, tourism services, or investments that benefit Israeli presence beyond the 1967 lines.

2. Legal Reclassification of the Occupation

• Formal “Unlawful” Occupation Designation: Moving past traditional statements that settlements are merely “illegal under international law”, the British Foreign Office formally concluded that Israel’s ongoing occupation of Palestinian territories is entirely “unlawful” in its entirety. This stance relies heavily on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) 2024 Advisory Opinion.

• ICJ & ICC Legal Stances: The UK dropped its initial procedural challenges to the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) application for arrest warrants against Israeli leadership over actions in Gaza, signaling a shift toward international judicial scrutiny over Israeli military presence in the territories.

3. Target Sanctions on Israeli Entities and Citizens

• Sanctions on Outposts and Developers: The UK implemented sanctions targeting organizations and construction entities that facilitate, build, or finance infrastructure in the West Bank (including major housing developments such as E1).

• Sanctions on Individuals & Activists: The Foreign Office placed financial and travel sanctions on dozens of Israeli citizens, extremist activist groups, and hill-top youth figures accused of destabilizing or forcibly displacing Palestinian communities in Judea and Samaria.

4. Partial Arms Export Suspensions

• Restrictions Tied to Operations: In September 2024, the UK suspended approximately 30 military export licenses to Israel. The decision was predicated on official legal assessments determining a clear risk that exported military hardware could be utilized in violations of International Humanitarian Law in the Gaza Strip or the West Bank.

5. Multi-National Declarations Against Territorial Control

• Rejection of E1 and Land Claims: The British Foreign Office, alongside European allies (such as France and Canada), issued formal declarations condemning Israeli state projects designed to bridge East Jerusalem to West Bank communities like Ma’ale Adumim.

• Asserting Palestinian Sovereignty: The UK consistently reaffirms that East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank constitute a single territorial unit that belongs under future Palestinian sovereignty, rejecting any unilateral Israeli territorial annexations, land declarations, or administrative takeovers.

When a Mega-Disaster Will Hit Britain, the Biblical prophet Yoel, tells us not to ascribe the tragedy to a thousand other reasons. Instead ascribe it to their support for the division and theft of Hashem’s holy land!

The Biblical book of Yoel (Joel) Chapter 4 as translated by https://www.sefaria.org.il/Joel.4.2?lang=bi states:
For lo! in those days And in that time, When I restore the fortunes Of Judah and Jerusalem,
I will gather all the nations And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will contend with them Over My very own people, Israel, Which they scattered among the nations. For they divided My land among themselves.

Dividing Biblical Israel is a crime for which the nations will be punished.

See also Why G-d let Bin-Laden Succeed! A Jewish Perspective on the Destruction of the World Trade Center in New York for greater details of why America’s support for the Oslo Terror Accords brought and brings disaster to America.

Question: Maybe, only when the Gentiles reach the Valley of Yehoshafat (Jehoshafat) will they be punished for the crime of dividing Hashem’s Holy Land?

Answer: It is my understanding that when the Gentiles reach that valley, it will be clear that the punishment they will be getting is on account of the words of the prophet Yoel. But even before that event, Bible believers should be aware that scattering Israel among the nations and dividing up the land of Israel among the nations strongly angers Hashem.

Rashi, whose commentary, unlike other commentaries is obligatory for Jews who fear heaven (see Mishna Brura on 285:2) states the following:

‘You have seen what I have done to Egypt’ – For many transgressions were they liable to receive a punishment from me, before they harmed you, yet I punished them only on your account.

Similarly, if one looks at the Biblical book of Amos, chapter 1, (together with the traditional commentaries) one will see, that although the idolatrous neighbors of the nation of Israel, namely, Dammeseq, Azza, Tzor(Tyre), Edom, and Ammon, were guilty of many sins, nevertheless, the harm that they did to Israel is what sealed their fate.

Article by: Shlomo Moshe Scheinman

Rambam

He prohibited us from marrying Deniers. And that is His, may He be exalted, saying, “And you shall not marry them” (Deuteronomy 7:3). And he explained what marriage is – “do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons.”

Negative Commandment #52 of Rambam’s (Sefer Hamitzvot)

Wikipedia states about Haddad:

Since May  2021,  he has been engaged to Emily Schrader ,  an  Israeli-American journalist and social media  activist  , and a columnist for the Jerusalem Post .

Elsewhere on the Internet it says that Emily Schrader is Jewish.

Update: A friend of mine suggested Schrader might not be Jewish according to strict halachic standards. I have not researched her parents background to say yes or no. As long as Schrader is not clearly identified as as not jewish, her relationship with Haddad still promotes intermarriage. 

Rabbi Karo

Maggid Meisharim of Rabbi Yosef Karo on appointing a foreign king over the nation of Israel in the commentary on Parshat Shoftim

And after this, it says: “When you come into the land… and say, ‘I will set a king over me [like all the nations that are around me]’” (Deuteronomy 17:14)—meaning, should it enter your mind to say “I will set a king over me like all the nations around me,” it shall not be so. For while you may indeed appoint a king over yourself, it must not be in the manner of the idolaters (accum). Idolaters appoint a king based on their own choice, whereas you [shall appoint] “him whom Hashem your L-rd chooses.” (Deuteronomy 17:15).

Furthermore, idolaters appoint a king even from another nation—as we find with the eight kings who reigned in the land of Edom, and Balak king of Moab—whereas you [must appoint one] specifically “from among your brothers,” and not from another people.

Furthermore, the kings of idolaters multiply wives, horses, silver, and gold, but your king shall not be so; rather, “he shall not multiply for himself…” (Deuteronomy 17:16). And do not say that if this is so, the King of Israel is inferior, for it is not so. Rather, the reason is “that his heart be not lifted up [above his brethren]… so that he may prolong his days over his kingdom.” (Deuteronomy 17:20).

The Talmud Kiddushin 76b as translated by Soncino broadens the prohibition mentioned above:

R. Adda b. Ahabah’s host was a proselyte, and he and R. Bibi were at variance, each claiming, I
must carry on the administration of the town. So they went before R. Joseph. Said he to them, We
learn it: One from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee: 21 all appointments 22 which thou
makest must be only from the midst of thy brethren. Said R. Adda b. Ahabah to him: Even if his
mother is a Jewess? — If his mother is a Jewess, he replied, we apply to 23 him, ‘from the midst of
thy brethren’. Therefore let R. Bibi, who is a great man, give his attention to Heavenly matters, 24 and
do you, Sir, pay attention to affairs of the town. 25 Said Abaye: Therefore, when one provides a
scholar with residence in his boarding house, let him provide it for one like R. Adda b. Ahabah, who
is able 26 to argue 27 in his favour.
R. Zera took trouble over them [sc. proselytes]; Rabbah b. Abbuhah took trouble over them. In the
west [Palestine] not even an Inspector of Measures 28 was appointed of them. In Nehardea, not even
an irrigation superintendent was appointed of them.

Footnotes

(21) Deut. XVII, 55.
(22) Lit., ‘settings.’
(23) Lit., ‘read of.’
(24) Rashi: the charity collections and distribution, synagogue administration.
(25) E.g., taxation etc.
(26) Lit., ‘knows’.
(27) Lit., ‘turn (things) about.’
(28) Kori fr. kor, a measure.

Note: The leniencies that Rabbi Zera and Rabbah b. Abbuhah took for converts are not necessarily applicable for non-Jews. With Haddad there is an additional issue here, that he does not meet the halachic standards of a Ger Toshav. See Chazon Ish on Shviit #24. In addition, see Rambam, negative commandment 362 in Sefer Hamitzvot.

One should also note that even if you argue against the definition of Ger Toshav offered by the Chazon Ish and try to put Haddad into the Ger Toshav category, the Torah informs us in Deut. 28:43 that one of the curses for not following Hashem is that the Ger is above the Israelites. To quote Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan in the Living Torah (probably based on Onkelos): The alien among you will rise higher and higher over you, while you will descend lower and lower.

Regarding the issue of Edom and Moab appointing foreigners as kings, see Rashi’s commentary to Gen. 36:33 and Numbers 22:4. Even without Rashi, Genesis 36:34 is explicit that Chusham from the land of Temanites served as one of the Kings of Edom.

Excerpt from the post:

The Messiah Coming In a Generation That is Completely Liable [For Extinction] – The Vilna Gaon Explains on What Point Are They Liable

Undue Flattery to Agripas and Those Similar to Him

    It is stated in tractate Sotah at the end of chapter 7 that at the time when King Agripas was reading the verse, “You may not appoint a foreigner”, etc. [Deuteronomy 17:15] tears dripped from his eyes because he was not from the seed of Israel. They said to him, “you are our brother”. Now at the same time Israel became liable to extinction because they unduly flattered Agripas. For even though they didn’t have the ability to protest, nevertheless, they should have been silent and not  strengthen him in this way [by saying you are legitimate, you are our brother]. And this is the punishment of one who gives undue flattery in the matter of a transgression because he is afraid of the other person and is not concerned about the fear of the Holy One Blessed be He [until here is the translated quote of the Mishna Brura chapter 156].

The Vilna Gaon Predicted That The Generation In Which The Son Of David Arrives In Will Be Entirely Liable Based On A Sin Similar To The “Agripas Sin”

Article by Shlomo Moshe Scheinman

G-d will intervene to make you hated no matter what treason you try to gain the favor of the Gentiles.
Since you, the Bernie Sanders type Jew probably do not take the Bible seriously, I will bring up an argument from history.
While early Soviet ideology officially condemned antisemitism, Joseph Stalin systematically targeted, purged, and executed ethnically Jewish Old Bolsheviks and loyal Soviet allies. Because secular Jewish revolutionaries had played a massive, disproportionate role in the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, Stalin increasingly viewed them as ideological rivals, political threats, or potential foreign spies.—

The Great Purge and Old Bolsheviks (1936–1938)

During the Great Terror, Stalin targeted many of his former allies who were key architects of the revolution. Ethnic Jews held prominent positions in early Soviet governance, making them major targets during the Moscow Trials.

• Leon Trotsky (born Lev Bronstein):** The co-architect of the 1917 Revolution, creator of the Red Army, and Stalin’s primary rival for power. Stalin expelled him from the USSR in 1929, waged a global smear campaign against “Trotskyism,” and ultimately ordered his assassination in Mexico in 1940.
• Grigory Zinoviev and Lev Kamenev:** Both were secular Jewish Old Bolsheviks and close allies of Vladimir Lenin. They initially formed a triumvirate with Stalin to block Trotsky’s rise. Once Stalin secured power, he turned on them, forcing false confessions during the First Moscow Trial in 1936 before having them executed.
• Karl Radek and Grigori Sokolnikov:** High-ranking party intellectuals and diplomats who helped draft early Soviet economic and foreign policies. Both were arrested during the 1937 trial of the “Parallel Anti-Soviet Trotskyist Center” and died in the Gulag.

—

The Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee Purges (1948–1952)

• During World War II, the Soviet regime created the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee (JAC) to mobilize international support and fundraising—particularly from secular Jewish communities in the United States and Britain—for the Soviet war effort. Once the war ended, Stalin viewed these international connections as treasonous.
• Solomon Mikhoels (1948):** A renowned Yiddish actor, director, and chairman of the JAC. In 1948, Stalin personally ordered his assassination in Minsk. His death was staged to look like a hit-and-run truck accident, and he was initially given a state funeral.
• The “Night of the Murdered Poets” (August 12, 1952):** Thirteen prominent ethnically Jewish intellectuals, writers, and government officials—most of whom were committed communists and JAC members—were executed in Moscow’s Lubyanka Prison.
• Solomon Lozovsky:** A veteran Bolshevik, former Deputy Commissar of Foreign Affairs, and head of Soviet international radio propaganda.
• Itzik Feffer & Peretz Markish:** Devoted communist Yiddish poets who had toured the West during WWII to raise millions for the Red Army.

The “Rootless Cosmopolitan” Campaign and Slánský Trial (1948–1952)

Following the establishment of the State of Israel, Stalin launched a state-sponsored ideological campaign against “rootless cosmopolitans”—a thin code word for ethnically Jewish intellectuals accused of lacking patriotism and harboring Western sympathies.

The Prague Slánský Trial (1952):** At Stalin’s directive, Eastern European satellite states conducted similar purges. In Czechoslovakia, **Rudolf Slánský**, the General Secretary of the Communist Party and a loyal communist, was arrested alongside 13 co-defendants (11 of whom were ethnically Jewish). They were accused of a “Zionist-Imperialist” conspiracy, forced to confess, and executed.

—

The Doctors’ Plot (1951–1953)

• In the final months of Stalin’s life, the regime concocted a conspiracy claiming that a group of prominent physicians—predominantly ethnically Jewish—were plotting to poison high-ranking Soviet political and military leaders.
• Miron Vovsi:** Chief internist of the Red Army during WWII and cousin of the murdered Solomon Mikhoels. He and dozens of senior doctors were arrested, severely tortured, and forced to confess.
• Intended Mass Deportation:** Historians widely agree that the plot was designed as a prelude to a massive party purge and the potential mass deportation of the Soviet Jewish population to labor camps in Siberia and the Far East. The campaign only halted due to Stalin’s sudden death in March 1953.

For more about Stalin’s attempt to murder most of the Jews of the Soviet Union, which was stopped on Purim 1953 (5713) read the post:

The Purim Downfall of the Soviet Communist Dictator, Stalin as Related by Political Prisoner, Rabbi Yitzchok Zilber

Who Will Build the 3rd Temple? Will It Descend from Heaven or Will Man Build It?

based on a Hebrew video on the Haftarah of Ki Tavo about 11 months ago by Rabbi Elisha Wolfson

To the holy congregation ascending the Temple Mount in purity, seeking out this holy place—how fortunate you are! This is a great mitzvah.

We have a very, very beautiful Haftarah today, and we are blessed to read it and fill ourselves with strength, joy, and understanding. In the Book of Yishayahu (Isaiah), chapter 60, it is written: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of Hashem has risen upon you.” The Holy One, Blessed be He, is telling us that the time has arrived. After an exceedingly great concealment of the Divine Countenance—after a long, painful exile—Hashem is shining His light back upon us.

Think about what this means. Over the course of such a long exile and immense pain, what extraordinary faith was required! Through so many years of suffering and afflictions, our ancestors held fast to the truth that the word of our Hashem shall stand forever. And now, the words of the prophets are coming to life before our eyes! “Your word is truth and endures forever.”

The prophet continues: “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the nations; but Hashem shall shine upon you, and His glory shall be seen upon you.” What a beautiful verse. Essentially, those who once held power and light—the enemies who tormented the Nation of Israel for 2,000 years—will be covered in darkness. But upon Israel, the light of Hashem will shine.

This light will bring darkness upon the wicked, but it will also awaken the good that exists within the nations of the world. As it is written: “Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by the brightness of your rising.” Just as we recite in our prayers, “For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” Once judgment passes over the wicked, the good within the nations will be able to shine, and they will all walk toward the light of Israel and the light of the Creator.

“Lift up your eyes round about and see: they all gather together, they come to you; your sons shall come from afar, and your daughters shall be nursed at your side.” Look around—how can we not see this being fulfilled right now? The ingathering of the exiles over the past century is beyond belief! It is historic! From every corner of the globe, Jews of all languages and backgrounds, once scattered, are gathering and returning home.

“Then you shall see and be radiant… and your heart shall thrill and rejoice… because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, the wealth of nations shall come to you.” Those who were once our enemies will turn around and deeply desire to stand by our side, to assist us, and to merit a portion with the Nation of Israel. The prophet describes caravans of camels bringing gold and frankincense, proclaiming the praises of Hashem, just as it was in the days of King Shlomo (Solomon) when the whole world sought to bestow gifts upon him. Flocks and rams will be brought to be accepted willingly upon the altar in Zion, restoring glory to the Temple Mount.

Now, pay close attention, because there is a crucial point here in these verses.

Yishayahu (Isaiah) states: “Foreigners shall build up your walls, and their kings shall serve you… The glory of Lebanon shall come to you, the cypress, the plane tree, and the pine together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary, and I will make the place of My feet glorious.”

What does this mean? During the First Temple, where did King Shlomo get the timber? From the cedars of Lebanon! Here, Yishayahu prophesies that for the Third Temple as well, timber—cypress, plane trees, and pine—will be brought to build the sanctuary. The nations surrounding us will bring us wood specifically so that we can construct the Temple!

This is not just a poetic metaphor. Ibn Ezra explicitly explains that “to beautify” means to build the House of Hashem. The Radak writes: “‘To beautify the place of My sanctuary’—that they shall build the Temple with them.”

These are simple texts, yet we must remind people of them. Regrettably, there are many today who believe that we are not supposed to actively build the Third Temple. Why? Because they rely on a Midrash stating that the Holy One, Blessed be He, will lower a Temple of fire directly from the heavens, leading them to conclude there is no commandment for human hands to build it.

But the prophet tells us explicitly that the nations of the world will bring materials for its construction! We have an explicit prophecy that the Third Temple will be built by human beings—by us!

The Malbim offers a fascinating synthesis to reconcile these sources. He notes that the physical structure of the Temple will be glorified through a building constructed by human hands. However, “the place of My feet”—the Holy of Holies, which transcends physical dimensions—will be glorified directly by Hashem Himself. The outer structure is our duty to build, while the Divine Presence sanctifies the inner realm.

Even Rashi agrees with this framework, noting that the trees of Lebanon will be taken by us to build the Third Temple. No sage disputes these verses. Therefore, this serves as a direct answer to anyone who refrains from ascending the Temple Mount, seeking out the Temple, or striving toward its reconstruction under the passive assumption that we must simply sit back and wait for it to fall from the sky. That is simply not the case!

Our Sages note that if the nations of the world truly understood how much blessing the Temple brings to them, how beneficial and essential it is for the entire world, they wouldn’t try to stop us—they would be pleading with us to build it immediately! For Zion is the ultimate source of blessing: “For there Hashem commanded the blessing, life forevermore.”

The prophecy concludes with unmatched comfort: “Whereas you were forsaken and hated… I will make you an eternal pride… Violence shall no more be heard in your land, devastation or destruction within your borders; you shall call your walls Salvation, and your gates Praise… Hashem will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.”

Instead of resources being consumed by war, wealth will go toward building the Temple, toward life, and toward peace.

We are standing here today, just after a terribly painful terror attack, carrying immense grief. Yet, despite all the hardships, the Nation of Israel only moves forward. The light of Hashem continues to shine upon us more and more. May we soon merit the complete fulfillment of this entire prophecy, a complete redemption in mercy, and the privilege of rebuilding the Temple in joy and gladness of heart. And let us say, Amen!

While the media competes to estimate how many young people live on the hills, hundreds of pioneering families have quietly taken the wheel in recent years. What is the current number of populated hills in existence today, and how did a handful of teenagers keeping a flame alive transform into a public sector leading the struggle for Judea and Samaria?

Every few months a stormy debate erupts in the media over the number of people belonging to the group known as the “Hilltop Youth.” “We are talking about seventy youth from broken homes,” the prime minister recently stated in an interview on American television. “Security officials” warned that the number has jumped to 300, while others argued the opposite—that it is roughly 150 people staying on the hills and outposts.

A government plan launched by Avichai Tnaami, the coordinator for Hilltop Youth affairs in the Ministry of Defense, claimed to have determined the exact number after a mapping process: 657 across the farms and hills combined. Yes, no more and no less. So, what is the answer to this million-dollar question? I will give you a disappointing spoiler: Even in this column, despite being a resident of the hills, I cannot state the exact number.

Still, you should not miss this column. The number of pioneering youth on the hills today is highly respectable, and many more join every month. The staggering statistic, however, is the growth rate over the past decade. It is not merely the growth in the number of young people, but the transformation of a small, alienated group into a fully fledged public sector that is making history in Judea and Samaria and winning broad support from wall to wall.

“They Are Not Loners”

Back in the Hebrew year 5775 (2015), during my early days on the hills, a few friends and I sat in a small wooden shack that could barely withstand the fierce winds battering the mountaintop. Smartphones were not really part of our lives then; even mentioning them was frowned upon. Our only connection to the outside world—meaning what people were saying about us in the media—came through video clips of news reports downloaded onto our basic Nokia devices.

Elisha Yered and his wife in Ramat Migron. Photography: No credit.

One of the reports broadcast on Channel 2 transitioned into a heated panel discussion. “But Amnon, why aren’t they catching them? After all, we’re dealing with just a few lone youth,” host Oded Ben-Ami asked political and legal commentator Amnon Abramovich. Abramovich quickly and decisively pushed back: “They’re not loners. They’re a few thousand loners. And that’s why they’re not catching them.” To this day I will never forget the roars of laughter that echoed across the hill, because at that exact time there were only two populated hills in all of Judea and Samaria.

Those hills were occupied by twenty youth at most, none older than seventeen. It was a difficult transitional period. The previous generation, which had begun with the “Youth for the Land of Israel” organization, had mostly settled into bourgeois life. The few who remained were largely wiped out by a wave of administrative restraining orders and severe harassment. Any young person who stayed on a hill for more than four consecutive months received an administrative order that was renewed from time to time, resulting in a ban from Judea and Samaria for at least the next two years.

Only Two Hills, Back Then

I fully joined the activities during this period. We remained on the ground—a handful of teenagers lacking basic experience but filled with stubbornness and simple faith that compensated for everything. There were only two hills, total: Geulat Zion in the Shilo bloc and Givat HaBaladim near Kochav HaShachar. Once a week a campaign of destruction would take place on these two hills to ensure that neither managed to establish itself.

A Jewish shepherd tends to his flock of sheep and goats at Zarda Farm near the Israeli settlement of Peduel in the West Bank, July 28, 2026. Photography: Hilel Ben Or/Flash90

In addition to the demolitions, special task forces from the Central District Police (Yamar) and the Special Patrol Unit (Yasam) would raid the hills at least once a day and arrest anyone they managed to catch. There is no doubt we came out of those days in good physical shape. Only one family—the Shapira family—managed to survive on the hills throughout this entire period despite the harsh routine of evictions on Givat HaBaladim, where they lived.

They lived in wooden shacks that were destroyed and rebuilt, then moved into cheaper tents. When those too were repeatedly destroyed, the family tried to replace their residential tent with a towed caravan in the hope that the bulldozers would bypass it. Instead of demolishing it, Civil Administration inspectors loaded it onto a tow truck and carted it off to the impound lot. Bringing additional families was something one could not even dream about.

The Campaign for Open Spaces Will Decide the Fate of Judea and Samaria

For nearly three years we held on by our teeth entirely on our own—a group of young men without families, driven by one clear goal: keeping the flame of settlement alive outside the fences of the established communities. We knew with all our hearts that the campaign for the open spaces would decide the fate of Judea and Samaria. We received banishment orders, passed the reins to others, and returned to the field the very day the order expired.

About eight years ago the severe wave of persecution that had battered the hills began to fade. Police raids stopped, the security establishment ceased treating mere presence on a hill as a grave criminal offense, and the campaigns of destruction moderated somewhat. Simultaneously, the Israeli public began to be exposed to the plans of the Palestinian Authority and to understand the vital importance of settling the open areas. The debate shifted from asking why this needed to be done at all to seeking advice on how to do it right.

The widening support brought two developments: an increase in the number of activists and families seeking to join, and a reduction in the scope of institutional harassment. For the first time, reasonable conditions for families were created. You still needed to be “crazy” to move with your family to one of the hills, but only a year earlier, even if you were, the atmosphere of persecution had simply made it impossible.

Givat Kumi Ori in Yitzhar Signaled the Change on the Ground

The first sign of the changing reality came from Givat Kumi Ori in Yitzhar. After several years of single young men living on the hill, one of them got married and established his home there. It was a day of celebration for all the hills, whose number had already grown to five. A few months later another young man from the hill married, and subsequently two more couples moved there. The reality of four families living on a single hill still seemed entirely imaginary.

Destruction of the Maoz Esther hilltop village. Photography: Yonatan Sindel, Flash 90.

It is strange to think about it now, but when my wife and I got married and became the first family in Maoz Esther, we were actually only the seventh family across all the hills combined. This happened just seven and a half years ago, yet it feels as though a generation has passed. In those days the first great breakthrough began. After a year in Maoz Esther and three evictions, another family joined the hill.

At the same time two other families moved to Givat HaBaladim, which had meanwhile received its official name, Ayira Shachar. Joining the list of hills that changed status within a short time—from a youth outpost to a hill of families—were also Kol Dodi near Kochav HaShachar, Geulat Zion in the Shilo bloc, and Oz Zion near Givat Asaf.

The Directors of the Hills

During the twilight of the Bennett-Lapid government, a harsh wave of destruction was unleashed across all the hills. Week after week, bulldozers accompanied by hundreds of police officers moved from hill to hill and erased any new construction. The goal was single-minded: to break the spirit. The families held on by their teeth and demanded that the right-wing Members of Knesset put an end to this injustice the moment they returned to power. Indeed, this powerful wave was halted on the night the current government was established.

Minister Smotrich. Photography: Yonatan Sindel, Flash 90.

A few secondary waves still followed, including the destruction of three family homes in Givat Ayira Shachar under the authority of Minister Smotrich, but the intense frequency that had made it impossible to keep one’s head above water ceased. Later, evictions on these veteran hills stopped completely. A few months before the war, a new era began on the hills. The six or seven veteran hills experienced accelerated absorption of families, and a new wave of settlement outposts establishing themselves on the land was launched.

The breathing room granted to the veteran hills led, for the first time, to the joining of families with many children and even relatively middle-class families who could not have withstood a routine of evictions and destruction. The front line skipped forward to the newly established hills. The removal of the constant threat of destruction from the older hills meant that within a single political term they all turned into young communities in every sense. Each now has twenty to thirty families, and the momentum continues to grow. This achievement, by no means minor, is undoubtedly credited in significant measure to Minister Smotrich.

Support for the Hills and Farms Reached New Heights

The October 7 war that erupted without warning shook the entire nation of Israel and changed the security perception of its citizens. Within a few months almost every right-wing person—especially those living in the settlements—understood that control over the open spaces is vital. Without it, even their own fenced communities would not be secure. Support for the hills and agricultural farms reached new heights, and the number of people who physically joined the effort soared.

Within just one year another wave of new settlement points was launched, many of them already within Area B. Automatically the line of friction skipped forward as well, and the second generation of hills became rear positions free of evictions, allowing them to begin establishing themselves. If we briefly review the state of the hills today, the figures are highly impressive. No fewer than seventy hills are spread across Judea and Samaria, with the Binyamin and Samaria sectors topping the list.

Tel Talpiot Hill. Photography: Naama Stern.

About ten hills are already young communities, and accelerated absorption is expected to double the number of families living in them within a year or two. Behind them are another fifteen hills in intermediate stages, each housing between three and ten families, and roughly forty-five newer hills established over the past two years, which accommodate an average of one to four families each.

Families Present in More Than Ninety Percent of the Hills

In fact, more than 90 percent of the hills today have families, and those families manage the sites themselves. The father of the first family usually serves as the director of the hill. He is aided by the single young men who form the settlement nucleus in the area; he guides them, gives them a warm home and a listening ear, and provides everything the youth require.

We tend to speak repeatedly about the youth on the hills, while the families who navigate the ship and lead the operations are barely mentioned. In the Frontline Hills Directorate—the organization I am privileged to belong to, which established twelve new hills in the past year alone—we emphasize exactly this point. Every hill has a director who holds authority over the place and navigates operations at every crossroads. The youth are proud to follow him and learn from his experience.

And since we are already talking about youth, let us present a few data points. Every hill has an average core group of five to eight young men defined as permanent residents. They bear responsibility for running the farm and developing the territory, pull guard shifts and herding duties, and define the place as their actual home. In addition, every hill has a secondary circle of several dozen volunteers who are an inseparable part of the nucleus; without them the permanent residents could not withstand the workload.

Ramat Migron. Photography: Haim Goldberg, Flash 90.

Driven by a Sense of Mission and a Desire to Take Action

The volunteers are yeshiva students or young men who have entered the workforce. They arrive at varying frequencies—ranging from staying overnight on a regular basis to pulling night shifts once a week. They define themselves as full-fledged Hilltop Youth (“Giva’onim”) in every sense, but for the time being they choose not to bear the full commitment of the grueling daily routine on the hill. I meet these young men during their very first days on the hill, when they are enthusiastic yet still bashful.

They are driven by a sense of mission and a desire to take action, arriving with the mindset that they will conquer the world. Most of them did not leave the yeshiva because of difficulties with studying, but rather out of a desire to give more to the People of Israel than they felt they were contributing there. Some are also looking for a bit of action, but for most this quickly balances out—and those who do not adapt simply leave. People often label the youth on the hills as “youth at risk” who come to cast off burdens and accountability, but the truth is that the demanding routine governing the hills simply does not allow such youth to survive here for long.

No teenager searching for direction in life and looking to escape accountability would willingly throw himself into a life of guarding for three hours a night, herding sheep for eight hours in the blazing sun, working until dark, and being scrambled for unexpected incidents around the clock in any weather. This column is far from a final summary. In two months, God willing, the data here will likely no longer even be relevant.

Nevertheless, this is undoubtedly a gratifying moment to stop and observe this wondrous community that is taking shape right before our eyes. Pioneering families, dedicated and high-quality youth, and soon the second generation will join them. The results: Hundreds of thousands of dunams, including areas within the Oslo Accords territories, are returning to Hebrew hands after two thousand years of exile through a determined struggle filled with faith and love for the Land. How fortunate we are to have merited this.

Source of the English version translated from the Olam Katan article: https://hilltopmaccabees.org/the-hilltop-youth-its-been-a-long-time-since-they-were-just-youth/

Altalena – Then and Now…

Tuesday, 12 Elul 5786 [Aug. 25, 2026]

Yesterday we were informed of the finding of the Altalena ship in the depths of the sea, that same ship that was sunk in the early days of the State of Israel while murdering 19 Jews in cold blood by those who pride themselves on love of man, democracy, values of tolerance and peace, and all good things—which reminds one quite a bit of the spiritual heritage of their Soviet patrons at that time. The ship was intended to bring weapons for the battle for Jerusalem in the War of Independence, but those who wanted to establish the State of Tel Aviv preferred to sink their ideological opponents together with the aspiration for Jerusalem, which was contrary to their entire essence and the entire cognitive identity that they sought to pour into the state being established in those days.

Menachem Begin

Much water has flowed in the Mediterranean Sea since it was stained with the blood of the murdered, and the State of Israel, too, took on a different shape from how those murderers planned it. Jerusalem was liberated against their will 19 years later, after they failed to convince King Hussein of Jordan to refrain from joining Egypt and Syria in an attempt to complete the work of the Nazis and destroy Israel. Menachem Begin—who was the main target in the murder campaign—rose to power, and the aura of Socialist Zionism gradually faded away, as the masses of the House of Israel grew weary of Stalin’s legacy, and slowly but surely—they are returning to their Father in Heaven.

However, within this entire historical saga, there is one very topical fact that it is important to focus on, so that we learn the correct lesson from the legacy of the Altalena and do not fall into another cognitive trap. Many on the Israeli Right pride themselves on Menachem Begin’s responsibility in not returning fire toward the murderers on that day off the shores of Tel Aviv and Kfar Vitkin. According to them, that restraint prevented a disastrous fratricidal war at a time when Arab armies threatened to consume the newly established state. However, whoever draws an analogy from that affair to our present day should remember that a critical difference exists, which changes the face of the picture!

In those days, the tyrannical rule of the Left was indeed achieved through thuggery and all known means taken from the Bolshevik world from which they drew their worldview, but after all—they were indeed the majority. It was a steamrolling, tyrannical, cruel majority, but a majority. This was expressed in the Knesset elections for thirty years, until the political upheaval in 5737 [1977]. By virtue of this majority, they represented the people living in Zion, for better or worse, mostly for worse. In such a reality, everything must be done to reverse the trend, to move the people to a different cognitive state, to change the reality, but as long as it remains as such—one must take into account the fact that they largely embody the face of the nation. Today, by contrast, they are very far from being a majority. The people of Israel in their masses left their path long ago, and even the secular Right no longer speaks to the masses. The young Jew in Israel today wants more Jewish identity, more Torah, more fulfillment of the covenant with the Creator of the World. Heretical education, the bringing of masses of non-Jews through a perforated Law of Return, the treacherous attempt to join forces with the Arab enemy, the attempt to bring infiltrators here who will assist our enemies in pushing back the blessed demographic growth of the G-d-fearing public—all of these failed, and they can no longer speak in the name of the majority!

Consequently, their threat of a fratricidal war is not supposed to impress us. The restraint in the face of the massacre on the Altalena cannot serve as a model for surrender before their ideological heirs, who strive to force their minority opinion upon the nation. When those descendants of the Altalena murderers took to the streets following the judicial reform in order to prevent the faith-based public from governing according to the mandate it received from the public—they should have been handled with an iron fist, perhaps not as they in their murderousness did to us at the time, but definitely not to surrender and allow them to rule here even though the people have grown weary of them. When the government of Israel dismissed the criminal Attorney General and the High Court ruled that this was unreasonable, they should have taken the Attorney General together with the High Court judges and put them on trial for rebellion, with all that this implies. When the limp General Staff opposes the government’s policy, we must exercise the majority granted to us by the public to send them respectfully home and bring under them loyal officers who will express the will of the people.

The remains of the Altalena were found, but that is not enough to fix the wrong done on that day. The Left strives to this day to replicate the murder, and on more than one occasion its spokespeople expressed nostalgia for that shameful event. Ben-Gurion was not ashamed to announce in the Provisional State Council following the sinking of the Altalena—“Blessed is the holy cannon! It will be displayed in the Third Temple!” About forty years later, following an antisemitic pogrom carried out in the city of Givatayim, they wrote in Hashomer Hatzair’s newspaper Al HaMishmar—“How sweet it is to see the leaders of Hashomer Hatzair and Noar Oved brandishing clubs… Joined yesterday to the holy cannon that sank the Altalena was the holy stone that shattered the windshield of Kahane’s car.” And there is no need to mention the thuggery of recent years; everyone knows it.

Let us not be confused: they are no longer a majority; they are a negligible minority trying by force of arm to impose its opinion on the majority. While they look with nostalgia upon that painful affair, we are still steeped in a trauma that grips us with paralysis whenever they threaten a fratricidal war. But if we desire life, we must free ourselves from it as soon as possible. When they were the majority, they could run us over (not only Begin and the Irgun, but all their opponents, including the G-d-fearing public, the immigrants from Eastern countries, and anyone who threatened their hegemony). No more! We are the majority, and the time has come for us to know how to realize it!

The author is Rabbi Yehuda Epstein – Chairman of the Kedushat Zion Association, the association of Haredim demanding Zion on pure holy grounds.