by Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5tjt.com He was one of the greatest students of Rav Chaim Soloveitchik zt”l. And yet for the past 31 years his chiddushim were unavailable. Rav Shlomo Polyachek (December 21 1877 – July 8th, 1928) was known as the Meichitzer Ilui – the Genius of Meitchitz and his Torah has been studied in Yeshivos across the world.  But if you had the sefer you had it. If you didn’t, you couldn’t get it. You had to make do with photocopies.  Until now. Rav Polyachek was born in the village of Snicinjic near the town of Mołczadź in the Grodno region of the Tsarist Russian Empire – in the very heart of the Pale of Settlement. The Jews of the village actually belonged to the Mitchett Jewish community, hence its nickname.

The leader of the Hamas terror group on Sunday warned Israel that his organization has missiles capable of striking the city of Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial and cultural center, and areas beyond it. Ismail Haniyeh’s comments during a visit to Lebanon followed an escalation in recent weeks in which Hamas-affiliated groups fired rockets into Israel and Israeli warplanes struck areas in the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by Hamas. Hamas announced last week that international mediators had brokered a new set of “understandings” with Israel, halting the latest round of fighting for the time being in exchange for an easing of Israeli restrictions on the Gaza Strip.

   The below advertisement is the expressions of the author and is not the view of TheYeshivaWorld.com. YWN in no way endorses any ad.  Three years ago when Rav Doniel Hool went to Hagaon Hatzaddik Rav Dovid Abuchatzera shlita to request his approbation for his procedure to remove ayin horah, Rav Dovid shlita told him: “You are successful with this (removing ayin horah)- you do not need my approbation!” Rav Dovid exclaimed three times: “You are a man who is blessed! You are blessed! You carry blessing with you!…. Bless me!” He then stretched out his hand to receive the brochoh of Rav Hool!    It’s not just remarkable -it’s incredible!

Five people, including a 6-year-old boy, were shot in an area where people had gathered for an overnight celebration known as J’Ouvert in New York early Monday, police said. News outlets reported the shooting happened at an intersection in Brooklyn’s Crown Heights neighborhood as people were out in the area for the festivities. But it’s unclear whether the shooting had any relationship to J’Ouvert, which is meant as a celebration of freedom from slavery. The boy was shot in the leg, police said. A 47-year-old woman and three men, ranging in age from 34 to 45, also suffered gunshot wounds in their legs and feet. All five were taken to a hospital with injuries not considered to be life threatening.

Coronavirus czar Prof. Ronni Gamzu publicly apologized on Monday for speaking against Hagaon HaRav Chaim Kanivesky regarding his words about coronavirus testing in yeshivos. HaRav Chaim had said that yeshivah bochurim in yeshivas gedolos learning in capsules (who aren’t in contact with high-risk populations or anyone else for that matter) shouldn’t be tested for the coronavirus so as not to cause bittul Torah. Gamzu had stated on a visit to Beitar Illit last that HaRav Chaim’s announcement “is endangering the Chareidi public,” raising the ire of the Chareidi population and calls for Gamzu to resign from his position.

President Donald Trump will highlight his environmental agenda as he campaigns in the battleground states of Florida and North Carolina on Tuesday. The White House says Trump will stop in Jupiter, Florida, on Tuesday to remind voters there of his conservation and environmental protection efforts in the Everglades region. For the federal budget year beginning Oct. 1, the White House said, Trump asked Congress for $250 million in annual funding to accelerate construction of infrastructure for the Everglades as part of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration. The project aims to improve the Everglades by enhancing regional water storage capacity and reducing harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee. The president will also hold a campaign rally Tuesday in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is set to fight for his freedom in a British court after a decade of legal drama, as he challenges American authorities’ attempt to extradite him on spying charges over the site’s publication of secret U.S. military documents. Lawyers for Assange and the U.S. government are scheduled to face off in London Monday at an extradition hearing that was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. American prosecutors have indicted the 49-year-old Australian on 18 espionage and computer misuse charges adding up to a maximum sentence of 175 years. His lawyers say the prosecution is a politically motivated abuse of power that will stifle press freedom and put journalists at risk.

The NYC Health Commissioner has written a letter to Orthodox Jewish media outlets on Sunday night, regarding an uptick in COVID-19 cases in the Jewish communities. As YWN has previously been reporting, there is an uptick in cases in various Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods. While the overwhelming majority of the cases are seeing mild to no symptoms at all, there have been some cases of hospiizations and even some patients in the ICU and on respirators. The following is the full letter by NYC Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi: Dear Colleagues, I am writing to share concerning COVID-19 news that I hope you will convey to your readers in your ongoing coverage. In recent days, we have observed heightened rates of COVID-19 in many neighborhoods with large Orthodox Jewish populations.

Former US envoy to the Middle East Jason Greenblatt announced on Friday that he has joined Eli Rozenberg’s company as an advisor in its quest to acquire El Al. “Delighted to join Aviation Eagles Wings as an advisor to acquire El Al and ensure a secure future,” Greenblatt wrote on Twitter. “We’re in a historical period for Israel and its national airline, with new opportunities for airlines to the UAE and points east. Israel needs and deserves a strong national airline.” Delighted to join Aviation Eagles Wings as an advisor to acquire El Al & ensure a secure future.We're in an historical period for Israel & its national airline, with new opportunities for airlines to the UAE & points east. Israel needs & deserves a strong national airline.

Political battles and pending court fights threaten to upend months of planning for the pandemic election, election officials are warning. In key states, they remain hamstrung with only weeks to prepare. Ongoing partisan litigation could dictate dramatic last-minute changes to rules and procedures in several states. Legislatures continue debating laws that could change how votes are processed. Meanwhile, money to pay for counting 150 million or more votes during the pandemic is stalled in Congress. Time is short. Though Election Day is two months away, ballots are being mailed to voters on Friday in North Carolina. By the end of the month early voting will be underway in states like Minnesota, Virginia and Vermont.