Rabbeinu Yonah (Sefer HaYirah) And we should not assign any sign except what the Sages said, and if a person has a mitzvah to perform, such as reviewing a gemora or starting his son’s education, he should not say, "I will wait until Rosh Hashanah or until Pesach"... And those who are not concerned with omens will not be influenced by them, but those who are concerned, Satan stands at their right hand to oppose them and strengthen them in their error.
Monday, November 17, 2025
Work
Bava Basra (110a) I have the following tradition from my grandfather's family: At all times shall one rather hire himself out to idol-worship than be in need of the help of his fellow creatures. He thought that Abodah Zarah meant actual idol worship, but it is not so, the meaning being, work which is strange to him; as Rab said to R. Kahana: Flay a carcass in the street and earn a wage, and say not, I am a great man and the work is degrading to me.
Hamas’s Popularity Rises in Gaza, Complicating Trump Plan to Disarm Militants
https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/hamas-gaza-popularity-rises-03efb873?mod=hp_lead_pos9
Hamas’s popularity has edged up among Palestinians in Gaza since the cease-fire, ending a slide during the war and posing a challenge to President Trump’s plan to bring peace to the enclave by disarming the militant group.
Once ‘the best’ place for Jews, Canada sees rising antisemitism even after Gaza ceasefire
Attacks continue to force some in the country’s 400,000-strong Jewish community to reconsider their future, even as many believe ‘the vast majority of Canadians are good people’
Trump Backs Vote to Release Epstein Files in Sharp Reversal
President had urged House Republicans to reject the proposal but faced defections within the GOP
Trump says House Republicans should vote to release Epstein files in stunning reversal: ‘Nothing to hide’
President Trump said Sunday that House Republicans should vote to release the files related to late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein — a surprising reversal after previously dissuading the GOP from backing the measure.
Trump does Epstein U-turn as House Republicans prepare to spurn him
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/16/jeffrey-epstein-vote-house-republicans-00652460
President Donald Trump is suddenly reversing his monthslong campaign to bottle up a bipartisan effort to disclose federal records dealing with Jeffrey Epstein — just as scores of House Republicans prepare to defy his demands concerning the late convicted sex offender.
At the end of last week, Johnson and senior House leaders appeared powerless to stop perhaps as many as 100 Republicans from breaking ranks and voting with Democrats to release the files. The situation worsened over the weekend, as Trump lashed out in deeply personal terms at Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who is leading the effort to force a House vote on Epstein, and publicly spurned Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), a one-time close ally who has recently broken with Trump on Epstein and other matters.
Trump, in reversal, calls on House GOP to vote to release Epstein files
https://thehill.com/homenews/5608565-trump-truth-social-epstein-files
President Trump on Sunday night called on House Republicans to vote to release files linked to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, reversing his previous position.
Trump’s announcement came amid signs that a vote this week on a measure forced by a discharge petition might have won dozens of Republican votes despite the president’s opposition.
Sunday, November 16, 2025
Measles patient exposes masses at Bnei Brak event hall
https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/417861
Israel's Health Ministry on Sunday reported that a measles patient was present at an event held last Tuesday in the “Keter Harimon” hall on Aharonowitz Street 10 in Bnei Brak.
The event took place starting at 11:00 p.m. The Health Ministry requests that anyone who was in the hall during that time verify that they are vaccinated against measles according to the updated recommendations.
The Ministry also stated that guests who were present in the hall during the above time are requested to contact the “Kol Habriut” hotline in order to receive guidance regarding their vaccination status and possible exposure risk.
Saturday, November 15, 2025
US says its plan for postwar management of Gaza offers pathway to Palestinian statehood
In a joint statement arranged by the US on Friday, multiple countries working toward an end to the Gaza conflict voiced backing for Washington’s UN Security Council resolution to establish an International Stabilization Force in Gaza, amid pushback from Russia and China.
The statement, supported by Qatar, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Jordan and Turkey, noted that the process “offers a pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.”
The Epstein Email Cache: 2,300 Messages, Many of Which Mention Trump
37 years in prison for Orthodox Jewish man from New York convicted of multimillion-dollar fraud
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/nfnr1axca
New York resident Eliyahu (Eli) Weinstein (51), who was released from custody in 2021 after receiving a pardon from President Donald Trump, has been sentenced to 37 years in prison for a new fraud scheme. According to prosecutors, Weinstein, who belongs to the Orthodox Jewish community, used the alias "Mike Konig" to conceal his identity and solicited money from investors claiming he would invest in COVID masks, baby formula and emergency equipment destined for Ukraine. The money was actually used for gambling, real estate purchases and luxury watches. The federal court in New Jersey determined that Weinstein defrauded more than 150 investors of $41 million and ordered him to pay $44 million in restitution.