Matzav.com

LISTEN:

A beautiful and uplifting Simchas Bais Hashoeivah was held during Chol Hamoed Sukkos in the sukkah of Rav Yehoshua Krupenia, rosh kollel at Bais Medrash Govoha in Lakewood, NJ, drawing a distinguished gathering of leading rabbanim, poskim, dayanim and talmidei chachomim.

The gathering brought together many of Rav Krupenia’s longtime talmidim, including numerous figures who today serve in prominent positions of rabbonus, psak and dayanus throughout Lakewood and beyond.

For decades, Rav Krupenia has taught Choshen Mishpat at an advanced level, guiding generations of talmidei chachomim through some of the most complex areas of halacha. Many of those who gathered in his sukkah consider themselves his talmidim, having learned under his guidance before going on to serve communities and batei din of their own.

The highlight of the Simchas Bais Hashoeivah was the opportunity to hear divrei Torah from Rav Krupenia and to spend Yom Tov together in the company of a remarkable cross-section of his distinguished talmidim.

Among those in attendance were Rav Chaim Meir Roth, rov of Sterling Forest and dayan on Bais Din Maysharim; Rav Shlomo Zafrani, rov of Kehal Bnei Torah and posek at Bais Medrash Govoha; Rav Ari Marberger, rov of Faraday and dayan on Bais Din Maysharim; Rav Moshe Mandelbaum, rov of Waterview; Rav Moshe Peretz Schwartz, rov of Kol Aryeh; Rav Mendel Weinberger, sgan av bais din of Bais Din Maysharim; Rav Yonason Rubin and Rav Yehoshua Greenspan, dayanim at Bais HaVaad; Rav Daniel Harris, dayan on Bais Din Maysharim; Rav Dovid Leiser, dayan at Bais HaVaad; Rav Meir Bloch, dayan on Bais Din Maysharim; Rav Yosef Fund, dayan at Bais HaVaad and posek of KCL; Rav Hillel Freid, dayan on Bais Din Maysharim; Rav Avrohom Naftali; Rav Dovid Mordechai Rothenberg; and Rav Eluzar Falk.

The caliber of the gathering reflected Rav Krupenia’s decades-long impact upon the world of halacha and, in particular, the study and practical application of Choshen Mishpat. His talmidim have gone on to assume positions of responsibility in batei din, kehillos and institutions throughout the Torah community, while continuing to look to their rebbe for guidance.

Rav Krupenia is one of Lakewood’s senior gedolei Torah and a revered figure in the world of halacha and Choshen Mishpat. He is a son of Rav Levi Krupenia zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Kamenitz, and a son-in-law of Rav Shneur Kotler zt”l, rosh yeshiva of Bais Medrash Govoha. His decades of harbotzas haTorah have produced generations of accomplished talmidim, including many of today’s prominent rabbanim, poskim and dayanim. The Simchas Bais Hashoeivah offered a striking reflection of that legacy, as rebbi and talmidim gathered together in the sukkah for an evening of Torah and simchas Yom Tov.

[Video below.] Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu met at Ben Gurion Airport with one of the Israeli passengers who helped overpower the suspected attacker aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, praising him as a hero after the passenger described how he personally grabbed the aircraft’s controls and helped stop its terrifying plunge.

The emotional encounter took place following the return of the 174 passengers to Israel after their ordeal aboard the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight and subsequent emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Still wearing clothing stained with blood from the violent confrontation aboard the plane, the passenger immediately apologized to Netanyahu for his appearance.

“I apologize that I have blood on my clothes. I asked ten times for the suitcases so I could change my clothes before the meeting,” he said upon seeing Netanyahu.

“You don’t need to apologize. You’re the hero. We are a nation of lions, a nation that rises like a lion. I look at you and I see a lion, and I see a tremendous hero. What you did is simply unbelievable.”

The passenger told Netanyahu that the experience had left him deeply shaken and that returning to normal would not happen quickly.

“It will take a long time to recover,” he said.

Recalling the terrifying moments aboard the aircraft, he described how suddenly the situation changed inside the cabin.

“The lights went out and a woman screamed.”

He then recounted the extraordinary action he said he took as the aircraft was plunging downward, explaining that he grabbed the controls and pulled them upward in an effort to stop the dive.

“I pulled the controls up and stopped the plane’s dive. Good thing I watched ‘Air Crash Investigation,’” he said, referring to the television series examining aviation disasters.

According to Israeli officials and passenger accounts, the copilot stabbed the captain and apparently attempted to bring down the aircraft. Passengers and other crew members forced their way into the cockpit and overpowered the alleged attacker as the plane rapidly lost altitude.

Flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft dropped approximately 14,000 feet during the emergency, while passengers described screaming, being thrown around the cabin and believing they were moments away from death.

Other qualified pilots aboard the flight subsequently helped take control of the aircraft, while a doctor and other medically trained passengers treated the badly wounded captain.

The plane ultimately made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where the suspected attacker was taken into custody and the wounded captain was transported for medical treatment.

After spending hours in Saudi Arabia, the 174 passengers returned to Israel aboard a replacement Flydubai aircraft whose crew had been vetted and approved by the Mossad.

{Matzav.com}

A cherished tradition of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin continued last night as the yeshiva held its annual Simchas Bais Hashoeivah, highlighted by a maamar delivered by the rosh yeshiva, Rav Tzvi Fink, in the presence of rabbonim, talmidim, bnei yeshiva and distinguished guests.

The gathering was held in the sukkah at the former building of Congregation Gvul Yaavetz, located directly across from the yeshiva in Brooklyn, the building of Rav Dovid Cohen’s shul now owned by the yeshiva.

At the center of the evening was the maamar delivered by Rav Fink, continuing the yeshiva’s longstanding practice of marking the Simchas Bais Hashoeivah with words of Torah and machshavah. Seated alongside Rav Fink was his fellow rosh yeshiva, Rav Yosef Haliou.

Among the special guests who attended the maamar was Rav Yaakov Bender, rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Darchei Torah in Far Rockaway, who joined the Chaim Berlin roshei yeshiva and the assembled bnei yeshiva for the occasion.

The gathering reflected the distinctive character of Chaim Berlin, where the Simchas Bais Hashoeivah has traditionally been far more than a festive Chol Hamoed event. The evening has served as an opportunity for generations of talmidim to gather around their roshei yeshiva, hear a substantive maamar and experience the simchas Yom Tov through the yeshiva’s particular mesorah of Torah, machshavah and avodah.

For longtime talmidim of the yeshiva, the scene itself carried particular meaning. The faces at the front have changed with the passing of generations, but the essential image remains familiar: a crowded sukkah on Chol Hamoed, talmidim gathered closely together, and the rosh yeshiva sharing a maamar intended to illuminate the deeper meaning of the Yom Tov.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] A BBC presenter made an eyebrow-raising on-air mistake Wednesday while covering the suspected attack aboard a Flydubai flight bound for Israel, repeatedly referring to Ben Gurion Airport as “Ben Gvir Airport” — apparently confusing Israel’s main international airport with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

The slip came as the BBC was reporting on the dramatic events aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073, which had been traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv before a violent cockpit confrontation forced the aircraft to divert to Saudi Arabia.

“Two pilots who sat at the back of the plane helped land the aircraft after this altercation and this plane should have landed at Ben Gvir Airport, which we continue to monitor t was indeed diverted to Saudi Arabia,” the presenter stated.

The airport is, of course, Ben Gurion International Airport, named for David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister. Itamar Ben Gvir is Israel’s national security minister and has no connection to the airport’s name.

The mistake quickly drew attention online, particularly because of Ben Gvir’s prominence in Israeli politics and the BBC’s extensive coverage of Israel since the October 7 attacks and the ensuing regional wars.

The error occurred during rapidly developing coverage of the Flydubai emergency, as international news organizations were working to piece together conflicting initial reports about what had happened aboard the Boeing 737 MAX 8.

The aircraft had been heading for Ben Gurion Airport when a violent confrontation erupted inside the cockpit. Israeli officials say the copilot stabbed the captain and apparently attempted to crash the aircraft with its passengers aboard.

Passengers and other flight crew members rushed toward the cockpit, overpowered the alleged attacker and allowed other qualified pilots aboard the flight to take control. The aircraft subsequently made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu later praised the passengers who intervened, saying they had prevented a major disaster. Defense Minister Israel Katz described the episode as an attempted “jihadist terrorist attack,” although Saudi authorities and Flydubai have not publicly confirmed that characterization.

The passengers subsequently left Saudi Arabia aboard a replacement Flydubai aircraft and arrived safely — at Ben Gurion Airport, not “Ben Gvir Airport” — on Wednesday evening.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] A remarkable display of humility unfolded today in Yerushalayim when the Dushinsky Rebbe chose to walk down eight flights of stairs rather than inconvenience a group of workers riding in an elevator.

The Rebbe had been visiting a chassid who resides in a luxury penthouse on the eighth floor of a building. When the visit concluded, the Rebbe and those accompanying him waited for the elevator.

When the doors opened, they found the elevator filled with Arab workers. Recognizing the Rebbe, the workers immediately began stepping out to make room for him.

The Rebbe refused to allow them to leave on his account. He warmly instructed the workers to remain inside and even directed one worker who had already exited the elevator to get back in.

One of the workers, astonished that the Rebbe would give up the elevator and walk down eight floors rather than inconvenience them, pleaded with him, “B’Chayat Rabbeinu!—Please, Rebbe!”

The Rebbe remained firm. The workers continued their ride, while he made his way down all eight flights of stairs on foot.

The moving incident, documented by photographer Shlomi Cohen, is an extraordinary example of the Rebbe’s humility and consideration for others.

Another episode illustrating the Rebbe’s sensitivity occurred during a separate visit that day. As he made his way to a shivah home located on the third floor of a building without an elevator, he noticed a man struggling to carry cases of soda and water.

The Rebbe asked where the delivery was headed. Upon learning that the drinks were intended for the very shivah home he was visiting, he took a six-pack of water from the man and began carrying it himself. He then instructed those accompanying him to help bring up the remaining packages.

{Matzav.com}

LISTEN:

​​For more info, email [email protected].

LISTEN:

LISTEN:

​​For more info, email [email protected].

LISTEN: