Jooish

A moment of alarm swept through Yeshivas Mir in Yerushalayim on Wednesday, Rosh Chodesh Kislev, when Hagaon Rav Asher Arieli suddenly fainted during Shacharis. The incident caused considerable concern among his talmidim, but after undergoing medical examinations and receiving reassuring results, Rav Arieli returned to his regular schedule and delivered his daily shiur to thousands of talmidim, beginning just ten minutes later than usual.

The incident occurred during morning tefillos at the Mir, where Rav Arieli has spent decades delivering what is widely regarded as the largest daily Gemara shiur in the world. His sudden collapse understandably frightened those present, who were concerned for the health of their beloved maggid shiur.

Following the episode, Rav Arieli underwent medical testing to determine the cause of the fainting spell. According to information provided about the incident, doctors found no concerning abnormalities and reassured those around him that the examination results were satisfactory.

Rav Arieli subsequently returned to his room to rest and recover from the episode.

Despite the morning’s unexpected developments, the renowned maggid shiur was determined to continue his regular schedule of harbotzas haTorah.

His daily shiur, ordinarily scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m., commenced at 12:40 p.m., a delay of just ten minutes.

For the thousands of talmidim who attend his shiur, the sight of Rav Arieli returning to deliver his regular Gemara shiur so soon after the frightening incident was a tremendous relief.

Rav Arieli’s shiur at the Mir has become an institution in the Torah world, attracting an extraordinary number of participants each day.

The shiur is known for Rav Arieli’s clarity, depth, and distinctive ability to explain complex sugyos in a manner accessible to a vast audience of serious bnei Torah. His daily delivery in Yiddish has become familiar to generations of talmidim, many of whom have followed his shiurim for years.

A son of Rav Chaim Yaakov Arieli, author of Be’er Yaakov, Rav Asher is also a son-in-law of the late Mirrer rosh yeshiva, Rav Nochum Partzovitz zt”l.

{Matzav.com}

A Lakewood family shared a chilling account with TLS after a Rav urged them to check their mezuzos just days before their father was scheduled to undergo major surgery.

The family, who asked to remain anonymous, said their father had suffered a serious fall several weeks earlier, severely injuring his neck. Doctors advised him to wear a neck brace for approximately eight to twelve weeks, hoping the fracture would heal without surgery.

“Wearing the neck brace was an extremely difficult and uncomfortable experience for my father,” a family member told TLS. “Nevertheless, we remained hopeful that, with siyata d’Shmaya, he would recover without needing surgery.”

But approximately seven weeks later, a follow-up X-ray brought difficult news. The family said doctors told them the fracture had not healed and his condition had worsened significantly. Major surgery would now be necessary.

Throughout that period, the family had been in contact with a prominent Rav in Eretz Yisroel who was davening for their father.

With the surgery just a few days away, the Rav called with an unexpected request.

“The Rav told us that he had been davening for my father and had a strong feeling that something was wrong with one of the mezuzos in my father’s home,” the family member said. “He urged us to have all the mezuzos checked immediately.”

The family arranged for a sofer to come to the house. According to the family, he found that a mezuzah on a doorway leading into their father’s bedroom, which also led outside, was completely pasul.

The family later clarified that the sofer told them the case was waterproof, yet water had still seeped inside.

“Water had seeped into the case, leaving the klaf completely drenched and the mezuzah entirely pasul,” the family member said.

When the family shared the discovery with the Rav, he asked them to publicize the story to encourage others to check their mezuzos.

“He explained that if, through hearing this story, even one person would be inspired to have their mezuzos checked, it would serve as a tremendous zechus and tikkun,” the family member told TLS.

Residents are encouraged to use proper mezuzah cases and to make sure that cases labeled waterproof are genuinely waterproof.

The gunman responsible for Thursday morning’s deadly shooting at a luxury condominium building in Washington, DC, has been identified as Dr. Matt Lambert, an emergency room physician who had been involved in a bitter legal dispute with his homeowners’ association over alleged mold damage inside his $1.1 million apartment. The shooting left one person dead and four others injured before Lambert barricaded himself inside his residence and took his own life.

The violence erupted at the Metropole condominium complex in the Logan Circle neighborhood, where Lambert lived in a seventh-floor apartment above a Vida Fitness gym. Authorities said the physician opened fire inside the fitness center before retreating upstairs, triggering a massive police response and an approximately hour-long standoff.

Investigators are examining whether Lambert’s longstanding conflict with the condominium association motivated the attack. The dispute centered on extensive building renovations that Lambert claimed had caused water intrusion, moisture accumulation, and mold contamination inside his home.

Lambert had filed a lawsuit against the Metropole Condominium Association in March 2025, alleging that construction and remediation work had left the building covered in scaffolding and protective sheeting, creating conditions that damaged his apartment.

According to the lawsuit, Lambert’s residence had experienced “no significant water intrusion, mold, moldy smells, moisture accumulation, or related damage,” before the association undertook the work.

After the exterior construction began, however, the apartment “experienced suspected water intrusion, mold, significant moisture accumulation, and/or related damage,” the complaint alleged.

The physician had also publicly complained about the situation on social media, posting photographs of the apartment’s deteriorating condition and describing the disruption caused by the renovations.

On Wednesday, just one day before the shooting, an X account associated with Lambert posted photographs of the ongoing work and described the difficulties he claimed to have endured.

“Two years of living in luxury (and the start of 6 months with no shower, dryer, HVAC, and cooking),” the account stated.

Police said Lambert fled to his apartment following the shooting and barricaded himself inside as officers surrounded the building. The confrontation ended when he fatally shot himself.

The attack prompted a large emergency response in the upscale neighborhood, with police officers, tactical personnel, and medical crews converging on the building as authorities worked to secure the scene and assist the wounded.

Lambert described himself professionally as “a board-certified emergency physician with over two decades of clinical experience” and also worked as an executive in the medical technology industry.

His personal website highlighted his experience at the intersection of medicine, technology, and healthcare policy.

“He has a deep understanding of healthcare regulations and their impact on technology adoption,” the website stated.

Lambert also described dividing his time between the “mountains of West Virginia and the Logan Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC.”

DC Council Member Brooke Pinto, whose district includes Logan Circle, said preliminary information suggested the gunman had deliberately targeted an individual at the fitness center who was connected to his ongoing condominium dispute.

Pinto said investigators believed Lambert had been involved in litigation with the intended target “that he had been in active litigation with over a condo issue.”

“It’s just so sad and so senseless to kill someone over a dispute that should be worked out reasonably,” Pinto told NBC News.

Additional accounts from the scene indicated that the violence began shortly before 8 a.m., when gym members were exercising inside the facility. Witnesses described hearing gunfire, seeing a wounded man collapse, and rushing toward the exits as alarms sounded.

Police said the gunman subsequently shot four additional people, including one victim who remained in critical condition. The other three survivors sustained injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

During the standoff, officers established telephone contact with Lambert in an attempt to negotiate his surrender. Authorities said he fired through doors at least twice before a final gunshot was heard. Tactical officers entered the apartment and discovered him suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The emergency prompted nearby schools to impose lockdowns, residents to shelter indoors, and police to close several surrounding streets. Federal law enforcement personnel also assisted local authorities.

Investigators have not established whether all five victims were deliberately targeted or whether some were struck as the gunman moved through the building. The identity of the person killed had not been publicly confirmed in the initial reports.

A new financing concept has entered Israel’s chassidic clothing market, with a shtreimel manufacturer introducing a leasing-style program that allows customers to obtain a new shtreimel through fixed monthly payments rather than paying the entire purchase price upfront.

The program, advertised by the Israeli shtreimel company Shem Tov Fried, offers two payment options: a Silver Plan costing 299 shekels per month and a Gold Plan priced at 399 shekels per month, both extending over three years.

The arrangement represents an unusual approach to purchasing one of the most expensive items in a chassidic man’s wardrobe. Shtreimels, traditionally worn on Shabbos and Yom Tov by married men in numerous chassidic communities, can cost thousands of shekels, with premium models carrying considerably higher price tags.

Under the advertised program, customers can obtain a new shtreimel and receive ongoing maintenance services without additional charges during the three-year period. The company is promoting the arrangement as a way to eliminate the financial burden and inconvenience associated with purchasing and maintaining a shtreimel.

The advertisement highlights several features of the new offering, including a new shtreimel with an extended appearance, fixed monthly payments, maintenance services throughout the year, and what the company describes as particular attention to the shtreimel’s fit, strength, and finish.

Perhaps the most distinctive feature is the opportunity to replace the shtreimel after three years. According to the company’s promotional material, participants can renew their arrangement and receive a new shtreimel without a substantial additional expense.

The Silver Plan amounts to 10,764 shekels over 36 months, while the Gold Plan comes to 14,364 shekels over the same period. The advertisement does not specify whether customers retain ownership of their original shtreimel after the three years or whether additional conditions apply when receiving a replacement.

The initiative comes as shtreimel prices have risen considerably in recent years. A report published earlier this year described an Israeli market in which basic models can cost several thousand shekels, while high-end, custom-made shtreimels can exceed 25,000 shekels. Differences in fur quality, workmanship, size, and design contribute to the wide variation in prices.

The leasing concept is not entirely without precedent. A shtreimel business in the United States has also promoted a subscription-style service involving maintenance and upgrades. The Israeli advertisement, however, specifically combines a new shtreimel, monthly payments, maintenance, and a three-year replacement cycle.

{Matzav.com}