Rav Nir Yaakov Mas, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Lev Tel Aviv-Shir Leneriya, is currently serving as a Humvee driver deep in the Gaza Strip.
“I continued until the age of 45 as a regular soldier, but they took me out at 45, and now, when the war began, I wrote to them asking if they could rescind my exemption, send me into combat,” Rav Mas said in a conversation with Arutz Sheva.
Rav Mas is a father of nine and has passed the age of 50.
“Turns out that one of the skills that I learned in the army is to be an operational driver in the dark, which is a rare commodity, drivers who know how to lead a convoy in the dark,” he told Arutz Sheva. “Therefore they rescinded my exemption, and I find myself every day driving convoys into Khan Yunis.”

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Ephraim Zalmen Steinwurtzel zt”l, longtime rebbi at Yeshiva Torah Temimah in Brooklyn.
Rabbi Steinwurtzel left an indelible mark on the hearts and minds of generations of talmidim who had the privilege of learning from him. His dedication to chinuch and harbotzas haTorah made him a beloved rebbi to so many.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rabbi Chaim Herzel Kranz zt”l, zekan harabbanim of Washington, DC, and founding rov of the Silver Spring Jewish Center/Cong. Ahavas Yisrael shul and day school.
Rabbi Kranz was predeceased by his wife, Mrs. Miriam Tzivia (Heller) Kranz a”h.
He is survived by his son, Arye Kranz; his daughters, Adina Greineman, Chaya Kranz and Esther Pinter; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Slabodka in Bnei Brak, called for chareidim who work to earn a living to be able to participate in kollel learning.
Speaking at an event for employed chareidim at Binyanei Haumah in Yerushalayim, Rav Hirsch urged that these men be given greater respect.
“It is very important to treat them – and this is how they need to treat themselves – not as baalei batim who do not belong to the ‘Torah learning’ community,” Rav Hirsch said. “The foundation needs to be that a person thinks, ‘I am absolutely a Torah-learner, who has no choice and I need to work for a livelihood, but I am definitely a Torah-learner.”

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Rav Menashe Menashe zt”l, R”M at Yeshiva Or HaChaim in Yerushalayim. He was 72.
Rav Menashe was born on the 28th of Adar, a son of Rav Yaakov Menashe. He became a close talmid of Chacham Ben Zion Abba Shaul.
Rav Menashe was one of the founders of Yeshiva Or HaChaim, which is under the leadership of Rav Reuven Elbaz.
At Ohr HaChaim, Rav Menashe taught generations of talmidim,
Like his brother, Rav Reuven Menashe, author of Bikurei Reuven, Rav Menashe spent his  life engaged in harbotzas haTorahand avodas Hashem.
Rav Menashe leaves behind children and grandchildren who continue in his path.

During his weekly shiur in Yerushalayim, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, the Sefardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, urged those in attendance to devote their tefillos to the safe return of hostages.
Expressing the heartfelt plea from members of the Hostages Families Forum, Rav Yosef emphasized the importance of continuous tefillah and remembrance for the individuals currently held captive. He shared this sentiment with the attendees, underscoring the collective responsibility of the Torah-observant community to uphold these tefillos.
“A few parents and family members from the Hostages Families Forum … they all came to me, they asked that everyone pray and not forget the hostages,” he said.”

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the petirah of Reb Aryeh (Leibel) Rubin z”l, a prominent and beloved figure in the Bobover community in Boro Park. He was 73 and passed away after suffering from a serious illness.
Reb Leibel was a son of Rabbi Yona Rubin.
He connected with the Bobover Chassidus in Boro Park and remained devoted to the admorim of Bais Bobov, Rav Shlomo of Bobov and the current Bobover Rebbe.
He was one of the major supporters of Bobov in Boro Park and beyond. He generously contributed to the support of talmidei chachomim and the establishment of botei medrash and yeshivos.

It is with great sadness that Matzav.com reports the passing of Rav Avrohom Nissan Neiman zt”l, Vizhnitzer Dayan of Monsey. He was 92.
Last night, he suffered a heart attack shortly after returning home from a simcha. He was rushed to the hospital, where he passed away a few hours later.
Rav Neiman was born in the United States, a son of Rav Zvi Hershel and Mrs. Rivka Neiman.
Rav Neiman became a close talmid of the noted posek Rav Moshe Tzvi Aryeh Bick zt”l.
In אלול תשי”ב, he married his wife, a daughter of Rav Pinchas Shlomo Zohn. She served for decades as the principal of Bais Rochel girls school in Monsey.

Since the petirah of Rav Chaim Kanievsky zt”l on the eve of Purim two years ago, sales of items belonging to the Sar HaTorah have reached unprecedented proportions that the Torah world has never seen before. The belongings of Rav Chaim consistently break sales records.

The following is from a conversation that was had with Maran Rav Dov Landau, rosh yeshiva of the Slabodka Yeshiva in Bnei Brak.
Rav Landau was asked what action can be taken in America to be mechazeik the situation in Eretz Yisroel.
Rav Landau responded, “Torah, Torah, and lomdei Torah, nothing else! Other things are bal yeiraeh and bal yematzei! All the new things they say, it’s all vanity! Strengthen only Torah. That is the essence of Am Yisroel!
“There are those who travel to America and say to give… I don’t want to say what they say, It’s foolish, it’s nonsense….
“…Only Torah! Don’t pay attention to anything else. In the merit of Torah study everything will be good, with the help of Hashem.”