Tzadikim called by name of G-d

 Bava Basra (075b) The righteous will in time to come be called by the name of G-d; for it is said: Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory. I have formed him, yea, I have made him.   R. Samuel b. Nahmani said in the name of R. Johanan: Three were called by the name of G-d, and they are the following: The righteous, the Messiah and Jerusalem. 

Megila (18a) Rav Acha also said in the name of Rav Eleazar: How do we know that G-d called Jacob G-d Because it says, And the G-d of Israel called Jacob G-d. For should you suppose that what the text means is that Jacob called the altar G-d, then it should be written, ‘And Jacob called it’. But as it is not written so, we must translate, ‘He called Jacob G-d’. And who called him so? The G-d of Israel.

Rabbeinu Bachye (Bereishis 33:20) A kabbalistic approach: the G-d of Israel called Yaakov “EL.” This is also what our sages have said in Bereshis Rabbah 79,8. The wording there is that G-’d said to Israel: “I am G-d in heaven whereas you are “EL” on earth.” This would reflect what we have quoted repeatedly that Yaakov’s likeness is engraved on the throne of G-d.

Rafah rocket volley targets Tel Aviv area, in first such attack in 4 months

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/rocket-volley-fired-from-rafah-targets-tel-aviv-area-in-first-such-attack-in-months/

The Hamas terror group fired eight rockets at central Israel on Sunday afternoon, marking the most significant attack out of the Gaza Strip in some four months and underscoring some of the challenges remaining for the Israeli military as it seeks to oust the Palestinian group from its last major stronghold.

Three of the projectiles were downed by the Iron Dome anti-missile system, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson, and five landed in open areas.

5 Criticisms of Trump’s New York Hush Money Trial That Are Just Wrong

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/5-criticisms-of-trumps-new-york-hush-money-trial-that-are-just-wrong?ref=home

Trump has proven himself to be a reflexive criminal: someone whose natural reaction to a variety of personal, business, and political situations is often to do whatever he wants regardless of whether it’s appropriate, ethical, or legal. Quite simply, he believes the rules do not apply to him, so he does not adjust his behavior to comply with the rules like the rest of us do. But the notion that falsifying business records over a $130,000 campaign finance violation was not well thought out does not mean it is not deserving of prosecution.

World narrative on ICJ ruling on Rafah wrong, officials say

 https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjazqrl40#autoplay

"This is the fourth time South Africa has asked for a complete halt to the war. The wording of the ruling is not accidental," the official said. "When we read the ruling, we see a few things stand out and when we read the judges words individually, they say the same things. South Africa's demands are not answered, for the fourth time. Even the South African judge acknowledges that."

Police uncover Rami Levy scandal: Cashiers steal approximately half a million in cash and products

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/crime-in-israel/article-802557?dicbo=v2-7Y7S3zu

By the end of the investigation in May 2024, the police had built a substantial body of evidence against the suspects and their accomplices. Following this, the police, through the prosecution unit, filed more than 50 indictments against the suspects, residents of Jisr az-Zarqa and Fureidis.

Iran supreme court rejects retrial for Jew facing imminent execution

 https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-802632

Sabti told the Jerusalem Post that “In these last days and weeks, there have been international efforts to release him and get the Muslim family to forgive him and turn the execution to a prison term.” He said "Jews in US and other countries raised funds amounting to over $1.5 million including an offer of an apartment, and the building of a mosque in name of the dead Muslim man. It seems that they did not agree.”

A Prisoner of Zion in Iran

https://mishpacha.com/tehran-fallout/ 

The execution, initially slated for early this week, has been temporarily delayed by international pressure, ostensibly by a month. However, sources within the local community confided to Mishpacha that the final decision could be carried out in a matter of days, potentially without prior notice.

“We urge Jews worldwide to pray to prevent the execution,” said Iran’s chief rabbi, Rav Yehuda Gerami, in an exclusive interview with Mishpacha.

From Tehran, Rabbi Gerami asserted that he is exerting every possible effort to nullify the grim verdict, though he indicated that the young man’s situation is exceedingly precarious.

Stoliner Rebbe and the Holocaust

 https://mishpacha.com/light-the-fire-in-your-heart/

Rav Avraham Elimelech’s dire warnings seemed taken from nowhere. Yes, the puzzle pieces of a dreadful world war were falling into place. This was the month when Germany and Italy signed the military pact that undergirded their Second World War alliance. But Britain was still busily practicing diplomacy to defuse German-Polish border tensions and Hitler’s threats against European Jewry seemed fantastical.

It wasn’t the first time the Rebbe had warned of a black future for European Jews, though. From 1933 onward, he spoke of Hitler’s threat constantly. A full year before the outbreak of war, Rav Zalman Brizel, a leading Karliner chassid from Yerushalayim, had spent Rosh Hashanah with the Rebbe and returned with a disturbing account of what went on.

Although British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain had returned from meeting Hitler with a proclamation of “peace for our time,” saying that the German leader wasn’t bent on war, unlike most observers, the Rebbe wasn’t heartened.

Before the tekios began, he addressed the crowd. “We’re faced today with the same threat as in the times of Mordechai and Esther. We need to storm the Heavens for miracles.”

Standing now by the Kosel, one Karliner chassid turned to the Rebbe and asked what was on everyone’s mind. “Why is the Rebbe scaring us so much?”

Alien life

The Sefer HaBris (Stars chapter 9) says this is support that there is life outside the earth

Shoftim (05:23) “Curse Meroz!” said the angel of GOD.“Bitterly curse its inhabitants,

Moed Katan (15a) Meroz is the name of a star   

the reference is to a star and not a human being, and that it did not aid the Jewish people in their battle, as it is stated: “The stars fought from heaven; in their courses they fought against Sisera,” (Judges 5:20). This star, which did not help the Jewish people, was cursed. 

Rashi (Moed Katan 15a) Curse Meroz! One opinion is that this was a star. According to others, this was a distinguished person who was near the battle field but failed to appear.

Why does gemora record this?

 Sukkah (56b) It happened that Miriam the daughter of Bilgah apostatized and married an officer of the Greek kings. When the Greeks entered the Sanctuary, she stamped with her sandal upon the altar, crying out, Wolf! Wolf! How long wilt thou consume Israel's money! And yet thou dost not stand by them in the time of oppression! And when the Sages heard of the incident, they made her ring immovable and blocked up her alcove.

Tosefta (Sukkos 04:13) Bilgah's ring is for ever fixed and his window closed, because Miriam, the daughter of Bilgah, apostatized and married an officer of the kings of Greece, and when the Greeks entered the Temple, Miriam came and struck the top of the altar, saying to it, “Wolf, wolf, you have destroyed the wealth of Israel, and have not helped them in the time of their distress!” There are some who say that because he delayed to take up his watch, and Jeshebeab his brother came and took his place, that he is excluded for ever and Jeshebeab included for ever. Those who are neighbors to evil men receive no reward, save Jeshebeab, the neighbor of Bilgah, who received a reward. 

Avos DeRabbi Nosson (01:06)“Do not bring the foot of the arrogant upon me”: This is Titus the wicked, whose bones would grind in the grave because he would raise his hands and then strike the altar with them, and say: Locus! Locus! [Latin for “the Place,” i.e., “the Omnipresent God.”] You are a King, and I am a king! Come and make war with me! How many bulls have been slaughtered for You? How many birds’ necks have been snapped for You? How much wine has been poured out for You? How much incense has been burnt for You? And yet, You are the one who destroys the whole world! As it says (Isaiah 291–2), “Oh Ariel, Ariel, the city where David camped! Through year after year, and the cycle of festivals [I will assault Ariel, and there will be groaning and sighing].”

How Trump used his own court filing to claim an ‘assassination’ attempt

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/23/how-trump-used-his-own-court-filing-claim-an-assassination-attempt/

The original citation was in a three-month-old filing by Trump’s lawyers — a filing that misleadingly quoted from standard FBI language in search-warrant instructions. As is typical in social media frenzies, quotes were taken out of context without due diligence or actual reporting. Then Trump used the outrage to gin up a fundraising appeal.

Ironically, Trump in his effort to win immunity for his actions as president has suggested that ordering the killing of a rival would not be subject to criminal prosecution. Whether he’s successful will depend on the Supreme Court.

In the court of facts, the former president and his supporters earn Four Pinocchios.

Rabbinical court imposes million-shekel divorce payment on husband, citing ketubah

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/rabbinical-court-imposes-million-shekel-divorce-payment-on-husband-citing-ketubah/

The 34-year marriage came to an end after years of harassment and surveillance by the man who apparently suspected that his wife, identified by Hebrew media on Tuesday only by her first Hebrew initial “Aleph,” was cheating on him.

The suspicion, which the court found to be groundless, came despite Aleph having taken care of the man over many years while he suffered from health problems, including cancer, even donating a kidney to save her husband’s life.

The court, in response to the husband’s “unprecedented ingratitude,” ordered him to pay his wife the full sum specified in their ketubah: one million shekels, to be paid immediately.

Jimmy Kimmel Rips MTG for ‘Dangerous’ Assassination Claims

 https://www.thedailybeast.com/jimmy-kimmel-rips-marjorie-taylor-greene-for-dangerous-assassination-claims?ref=home

Kimmel finished off the topic by accusing Trump’s “hysterical, dishonest scrooges” for presenting the news in an inflammatory, hypocritical way, while downplaying any story that reflects poorly on Trump himself.

“They’re so dramatic,” Kimmel joked. “The temperature in the courtroom is a ‘freezing icebox,’ recovering stolen documents is ‘an assassination attempt,’ but this?” He showed some brief clips of Trump supporters storming the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “That’s just tourism.”

The Israelis Prove Biden Wrong on Rafah

 https://www.wsj.com/articles/rafah-evacuation-israel-biden-administration-antony-blinken-jake-sullivan-hamas-3e3c85f7?mod=hp_opin_pos_2#cxrecs_s

Remember Rafah? For months, the Biden Administration bitterly opposed an Israeli invasion of Hamas’s last stronghold in Gaza. The mantra was that Israel had “no credible plan” to evacuate the city’s 1.3 million civilians. Yet the Israelis went ahead anyway, and two weeks later they have safely evacuated an estimated 950,000 people.