The United States began withdrawing troops from Afghanistan, the U.S. military said Tuesday, taking a step forward on its peace deal with the Taliban while also praising Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s promise to start releasing Taliban prisoners after he had delayed for over a week. The U.S.-Taliban deal signed Feb. 29 was touted as Washington’s effort to end 18 years of war in Afghanistan. The next crucial step was to be intra-Afghan talks in which all factions including the Taliban would negotiate a road map for their country’s future. But Ghani and his main political rival, Abdullah Abdullah, were each sworn in as president in separate ceremonies Monday. Abdallah and the elections complaints commission had charged fraud in last year’s vote.

Ben Gurion Airport is reportedly closing operations in half of its international terminals and reducing manpower by 79% following Israel’s announcement on Monday night that all travelers arriving in Israel will now be required to self-quarantine for two weeks. Scores of flights have been canceled in the wake of the announcement and two of the five check-in areas in Terminal 3 are being closed, Ben-Gurion announced on Tuesday. Israel Airports Authority (IAA) workers union stated it was operating on “Yom Kippur mode” with reports saying that only 30% of airport employees are reporting to work. All temporary employees have been put on leave without pay and other employees have been put on annual leave.

Emergency services were called to the Ramot Mall in Jerusalem on Sunday after receiving a report of a 16-year-old teenager from Ramot Gimmel who had suffered a severe wound on his hand. Passersby told the paramedics that the teen was playing with firecrackers which exploded, blowing off three of his fingers. “The teen suffered from a severe hand wound from playing with firecrackers,” said an MDA paramedic. “We stopped the bleeding and bandaged the wound and quickly evacuated him to the hospital.” (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)

U.S. regulators warned seven companies to stop selling soaps, sprays and other concoctions with false claims that they can treat the new coronavirus or keep people from catching it. The warnings were emailed Friday to companies based in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. and were announced Monday. Nearly all the targeted companies had complied by Monday morning, with mentions of the virus or products to treat it taken off their websites. The letters, sent jointly by the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission, warned the companies their products for treating COVID-19 were fraudulent, “pose significant risks to patient health and violate federal law.” There are no approved treatments for the new virus.

When no one else in Israel could be found willing to take the risk, Zaka volunteers stepped up to the plate and tended to the body of an Israeli man who passed away while in quarantine for COVID-19 on Monday. The body of the 50-year-old Netanya resident, who recently returned from France and passed away while in self-quarantine, lay on the floor for hours as authorities tried to find someone willing to perform the true chessed shel emes. As midnight approached, Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman-Tov turned to ZAKA chairman Yehuda Meshi-Zahav and requested his help. A select staff of volunteers took the sacred mission onto themselves.

For those struggling with infertility,  Purim can be an especially painful time. Here are some ways you can support a friend who is experiencing infertility. 
The post Support a Friend Through Infertility appeared first on The Yeshiva World.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com It is a mitzvah to have a festive meal on Purim (Ramah 695:1). It is during this meal that one experiences the most profound growth and escalation in our connection to HaKadosh Baruch Hu. This meal should include both meat and wine. One should also wash on bread at this festive meal because there are many authorities who hold that it is an obligation (Raavya Vol. II Siman 563).  By the same token, it is preferable to have beef during this meal and not just chicken, as there are some authorities who hold that chicken does not fulfill the requirement of simcha. STATE OF HAPPINESS A person should eat and drink the seudah in a state of happiness.

The Blue and White party experienced a great deal of political drama in the past few days due to party leader Benny Gantz’s decision to pursue the formation of a minority government supported by the Arab Joint List. Two Blue and White MKs, Yoaz Hendel and Zvi Hauser, who are both part of Bogie Yaalon’s center-right Telem party and former Likud members, are refusing to support a minority government with the Arab parties. The two were reportedly summoned to Yaalon’s office where a tense and loud exchange took place. Hendel and Hauser pointed out that Blue and White had repeatedly promised voters that they would never form a government with the Arab parties who deny Israel’s right to exist but to no avail.

By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for 5TJT.com Rav Yeruchem Levovitz zt”l writes something absolutely fascinating (Daas Chochma uMussar Vol. I page 76) about the Megillah.  He writes, basing himself on the Vilna Gaon’s pshat on the last pasuk in Megilas Esther, that the entire Megilah is a mussar sefer – wherein we derive lessons in both inspiring behaviors that we should imitate, as well as horrible behaviors that we should stay away from.  Everything act and character trait that Esther and Mordechai do in the Megillah are perfect prototypes for us all to follow. Conversely, every character trait and act that Haman and Achashveirosh do are examples of horrible character traits from which we must distance ourselves.  Examples abound.  Vechamaso baarah bo – and his anger seethed within him.

Dear Friends נדיבי העם אחינו כל בית ישראל רחמנים בני רחמנים, This Purim be מקיים the great מצוה of מתנות לאביוניםin its highest and best form by donating to and helping a very poor family that is struggling financially and has accumulated huge amounts of debt and is begging for your help. The פוסקים write that you should spend more on the מצוה of מתנות לאביונים than on משלוח מנות and סעודת פורים. The Gemara says that the eyes of the poor are looking out for מקרא מגילה as this is when they will get the מתנות לאביונים.