The Ceasefire with Iran Does Not Please Everyone

I have much more to write about. For instance, the dollar has dropped to a level that hasn’t been seen in thirty years, and is now trading at less than three shekels. For Torah institutions and chessed organizations that receive donations in dollars from abroad, this has caused tremendous financial damage. In other news, the municipality in Bnei Brak decided to declare war on the vending machines where food and drink can be purchased at all hours; these machines have turned street corners into noisy hangouts, drawing complaints from residents. Another significant story is the visit from the president of Argentina, who came to Israel to light a torch on Yom Haatzmaut and made the Kosel Hamaaravi his first stop and visited Yeshivas Chevron. President Milei is an interesting person; you may recall that I once interviewed his good friend, Rav Shimon Wahnish, who is the Argentinean ambassador to Israel today. And in another noteworthy story, the hillula of Rabi Meir Baal Haness at the end of this week is expected to draw a crowd of a hundred thousand people.

I am sure that you are aware of the ceasefire with Iran. It was the front-page story in Israel’s Yated Neeman last week, and for good reason. An entire country breathed a huge sigh of relief when the truce was declared; no one can deny that we had all grown weary of constantly running to our bomb shelters and safe rooms. When the exact details are released about the number of fatalities during the Iranian missile and drone strikes, you may be surprised to learn that there were far too many tragic deaths. True, we experienced incredible miracles; if Hashem hadn’t protected us and had allowed events to run their natural course, there would surely have been hundreds, or possibly even thousands, of deaths, which is precisely what the defense establishment projected. But while we were spared from such a horrific calamity, every death is deeply painful to all of us, and even a few lives lost is far too many.

As for the damage to property, when the statistics are released, you will discover that thousands of homes were destroyed, as well as hundreds of cars. Thanks to Hashem’s great kindness, the bulk of the damage affected property rather than people. But even that was difficult to endure, and there were many other trying aspects of the situation, such as the prolonged closure of schools, which led parents to the brink of insanity as their children suffered from the long days at home, the collapsing economy, and the constant need for millions of people to run for shelter upon hearing air raid sirens.

I will admit that there was another reason that we all felt relief—the imminent arrival of Lag Ba’omer, when tens of thousands of people hope to visit Rabi Shimon bar Yochai’s tziyun and attend the various bonfires on Mount Meron. Moreover, as soon as the ceasefire was announced and the Home Front Command opened the Kosel to visitors, thousands of people flocked to the site to daven there as well. And a similar phenomenon took place this week in Kerestir. Thousands of Israelis who had planned to travel to Kerestir for the yahrtzeit of Rav Yeshaya ben Rav Moshe were pained by the closure of the airport. As soon as the ceasefire was announced and the airport resumed its operations, thousands of travelers rushed to sign up for flights to Hungary.

To make a long story short, there were many reasons that all of us here in Israel were waiting eagerly for this ceasefire. But now we are hearing that the truce is fragile, and there is no guarantee that the usual Lag Ba’omer festivities will be permitted to take place this year. Let us daven that Lag Ba’omer will be a joyous time as usual.

Furthermore, not everyone is pleased with the ceasefire. For one thing, President Trump forced Israel to extend the truce to Lebanon as well, which means that the Israeli plan to completely eliminate Hezbollah is now on hold, to the great displeasure of the residents of the north. The residents of communities in northern Israel are tired of the vicious cycle of ceasefires that allow Hezbollah to rearm and then launch fresh rounds of missile attacks, targeting the cities of Kiryat Shemonah, Metula, and Nahariya. When the government announced a return to routine this Sunday, Mayor Avichai Stern of Kiryat Shemonah pushed back, announcing that even though the Home Front Command was permitting schools to reopen, the municipality would not comply with the decision. In fact, not only were schools shuttered in the city as a protest against the ceasefire, but the municipality sent the residents to Yerushalayim to demonstrate against it. “We strongly protest the dangerous ceasefire and the abandonment being arranged over our heads,” the mayor wrote. “For over two years, our children have been suffering from instability, frequent evacuations, and extensive time spent in bomb shelters, with no sign of security on the horizon. The agreement that is taking shape, led by the Americans and on an Iranian initiative, serves as a political ploy to benefit the Lebanese government in advance of its elections in May, but we are no one’s game pieces. We will not be the victims of illusory quiet…. Our demands are unequivocal: dismantling Hezbollah as a military and civilian organization, ensuring effective defensive lines and defense systems on the northern border, and full protection for every resident and public institution, with an emphasis on educational institutions.”

There are two sides to every coin, and there are two sides to every ceasefire as well.

The Welcome Sight of Bochurim Returning to Yeshiva

This time of year always brings us the beautiful images of the country’s yeshiva bochurim returning to their botei medrash. Thousands of bochurim crowded bus stops around the country, waiting for buses to take them back to their yeshivos for the new zman. Is there any more stirring sight than the image of yeshiva bochurim standing with their suitcases and their hat boxes as they wait for buses, with Gemaras tucked beneath their arms? Rosh Chodesh Iyar ushers in a new zman and the return to the benches and shtenders of the bais medrash. Here in Israel, the religious newspapers typically print notices expressing their best wishes and appreciation for the talmidim returning to their yeshivos.

Bein hazemanim, as we know, is a difficult period of time. Whenever the country’s Torah learners go on vacation, we all feel apprehensive. The Torah protects us from our enemies, and it is somewhat unsettling when that protection is absent. Rav Gershon Edelstein always decried the natural decrease in Torah learning during bein hazemanim, which he pinpointed as the reason for the proliferation of tragedies during such times. He once wrote, “During bein hazemanim, having a fixed commitment to learning Torah is akin to a life raft for someone who strives to be a ben Torah.” Rav Meir Greineman related, “During wartime, the Chazon Ish increased his exertion over Torah learning even beyond his natural abilities. I witnessed this, and it is relevant to our difficult times as well.”

Last week, I wrote about the brothers Yissochor Dov and Avrohom Yeshayahu Spiegel, who drowned at the beach in Netanya. Yissochor Dov, who was pulled out of the water in critical condition, has since passed away from his injuries. The funeral was heartrending, and when Rav Dov Landau visited the family during the shiva, he expressed the sentiments that we all share: There are simply no words with which we can comfort the bereaved parents. Only Hashem can give them comfort. At the levayah, Rav Shlomo Spiegel, the bereaved father, begged Hashem for his other son, who had been missing since the last day of Chol Hamoed Pesach, to be found. His listeners joined him in begging Hashem for mercy. “The fire that is most destructive during sefiras ha’omer is the fire of bein adam l’chaveiro,” he declared in a message to the public. Begging for mechilah, he called on everyone to resolve during this time to be especially cautious not to offend or harm others. He hoped that his plea would benefit his sons.

A Holocaust Survivor Shares His Memories

The past two weeks have been emotionally draining here in Israel. Last week, the country marked Yom Hashoah, the Israeli government’s official day of commemoration for the Holocaust, and the media was filled with stories about the Holocaust and interviews with survivors. Once again, we read about the horrors inflicted on our people by the previous generation’s incarnation of Amalek. Every year on Yom Hashoah, the March of the Living takes place in Auschwitz, attended by participants from all over the world, including Israel. This year, about 60 Holocaust survivors who are still capable of traveling were slated to participate in the event, but their plans were canceled on account of the war. When the ceasefire was declared at the last minute, the flights of eleven of the survivors were reinstated. The media reported on the personal stories of both groups—the survivors who participated in the march and those who remained in Israel—and it was chilling to read about their experiences.

One of the eleven people whose stories were published last week was a man named Avrohom Blau from Bnei Brak, who was born in Budapest during the war and is shown in a photograph in the newspaper sitting beside a Gemara. He related, “I was born on April 17, 1941, into a religious family. When I was a child, Hungarian ruffians used to torment me. During the fighting, we ran away several times from the ghetto in Budapest and wandered from one abandoned home to another, with danger constantly looming over us. In March 1944, the Nazis invaded and began their vicious persecution of the Jews. Thousands of Jews were slaughtered by the soldiers of the Arrow Cross, the local fascist regime, and many were shot on the banks of the Danube. They were ordered to stand on the docks, facing the water, and were shot in the back. The bodies fell into the water and were swept away by the current instead of being buried with respect. The murderers later decided to save ammunition by tying the Jews to each other, adding stones and weights, and then shooting only some of them, causing all of the people to fall into the water and drown. In 2005, the Shoes on the Danube memorial was erected in memory of these victims.

“During the siege, the situation in the ghetto steadily worsened,” Rav Blau recalled. “There was barely any food to eat, and we had no way to warm ourselves in the frigid cold. Dead bodies were strewn in the street; the Arrow Cross continued murdering Jews until the last minute. There were two months when a fierce battle raged over Budapest; it was one of the most destructive battles in eastern Europe during the Second World War. Toward the end of the war, my sister died of starvation beside me, and I, at the age of three, was on the brink of death as well, as I was later told. When the battles came to an end, there were about 70,000 Jews still alive in the ghetto, while thousands of others were being housed in the homes of foreign diplomats. Many of them were severely weakened and ill. We lost more than 60 percent of our family members during that time. In February 1945, the Red Army liberated Budapest and the city was flooded with red flags. I remember waving a red flag with all my might at the young age of four. I didn’t exactly understand its meaning, but one thing was certain: I realized that something terrible had finally come to an end, and we were waving the flags to mark its conclusion. In the eyes of a four-year-old, that seemed like a good thing.”

Rav Blau hoped to participate in the March of the Living, but he was unable to renew his travel plans after the disruption caused by the war. “I was very exited to join the delegation of Holocaust survivors from Israel,” he said. “I was hoping to recite Kaddish there, on the accursed soil of Auschwitz, in memory of my grandfather and his many family members who perished there…. But the war with Iran caused the delegation to be canceled, and the city of Bnei Brak, where I live, suffered numerous shrapnel strikes and damage to many buildings before the ceasefire. Nevertheless, we must also loudly proclaim that every day brings its own miracles. There could have been a great tragedy here, and we clearly have Someone Who is protecting us.”

Preparations for Lag Ba’omer Underway in Meron

By the time you read these lines, we will be counting the 22nd day of the Omer. A simple mathematical calculation tells us that Lag Ba’omer will therefore be only 11 days away. The official preparations in Meron for Lag Ba’omer and the hillula of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai actually began long ago, before the ceasefire with Lebanon and amid continued, unending rocket fire from Hezbollah. Despite the situation, the preparations needed to begin, in case a ceasefire was declared—which, after all, is exactly what happened. Had there been no ceasefire, however, all of that work and investment would have gone to waste. Nevertheless, the minister responsible for the festivities in Meron decided to take the risk and act as if a ceasefire was certain.

Once the ceasefire was declared, Shlomo Karchi wrote jubilantly, “As the minister responsible for the hillula of Rabi Shimon bar Yochai, I am obligated to continue advancing the preparations in Meron, out of a sense of responsibility, faith, and hope that by the time Lag Ba’omer arrives, our soldiers will return, with Hashem’s help, crowned with victory and salvation, and we will restore quiet and security to Israel. Yesterday, we conducted a professional tour of the area of the hillula together with MK Tzvika Fogel, chairman of the National Security Committee, and with all the professional authorities from the Ministry of Yerushalayim Affairs and Israeli Heritage, the director-general of the ministry, and representatives of the Israel Police, the firefighting service, Magen Dovid Adom, the production company, the Merom HaGalil Regional Council, and others. Thank G-d, the preparations are proceeding very well from a safety standpoint, in terms of infrastructure, and with regard to the general organization. Subject to the instructions of security personnel, this should ensure a hillula that is joyous, safe, and respectable on Lag Ba’omer.”

Though Meir Porush is no longer the minister in charge of the preparations in Meron, his staff is still in the picture, including Yossi Deitsch, the project manager and Porush’s close associate who previously served as deputy mayor of Yerushalayim. The ministry that Porush used to head (the Ministry of Yerushalayim Affairs and Israeli Heritage Heritage) is likewise still responsible for the hillula, and the ministry’s director-general, Shimmy Elbaum, is another of Porush’s men. However, I am certain that Meir Porush feels a pang of sadness upon seeing himself excluded from the preparations. Although Shlomo Karchi, who was appointed by the government to be responsible for the hillula, tries to involve Porush in every decision, it is clearly not the same.

As in previous years, work began on Area 89 at the bottom of the mountain, which has served the participants in the hillula since the Meron tragedy several years ago. In recent days, the ground was prepared and tents were erected for the large crowds that are expected to visit the mountain, subject to Home Front Command approval. The next step is the wave of competition for the coveted entry permits that enable a person to pass through all the police checkpoints. This week, Shlomo Karchi published the criteria: “Permits will be issued to rabbonim and public figures with a long history of participating in the hillula, and whose presence at the hillula is important to the public or for the success of the event, as well as to official guests of the State of Israel from abroad and to diplomats. Requests for permits according to these criteria will be discussed by a public committee appointed by the relevant minister and will be submitted in accordance with the attached procedure no later than the 3rd of Iyar 5786…. The list of recipients of the permits will be released on the ministry’s web site after they are issued, at a reasonable amount of time before the hillula.”

I can predict with complete confidence that the uproar surrounding the permits that we see every year will be repeated this year as well.

A Reckoning for Israel’s Independence Day

This week, on Tuesday, Israel marked Yom Hazikaron—the official day of remembrance for fallen IDF soldiers and the victims of terror. The next day, Wednesday, was Yom Haatzmaut, when the country celebrates its independence.

As usual, some painful statistics were published in advance of this week’s events. The number of fatalities in Israel’s battles from the year 1860 until the present day stands at 25,644. To date, 5,313 citizens have been murdered in terror attacks, including 1,017 who have been killed since the calamity of October 7. Since the previous Yom Hazikaron, another 170 fatalities have been added to the list of terror victims, and another 54 individuals who were disabled as a result of hostile actions passed away due to their disabilities and were recognized as victims of Israel’s battles. Today, there are 59,583 people in the State of Israel who are considered members of bereaved families, including 8,420 bereaved parents, 4,872 widows, and 14,430 orphaned children. Since 1851, when the Jewish yishuv was established in Eretz Yisroel, the number of civilian fatalities has reached 5,313 (620 before the War of Independence, 931 over the course of the war, and 3,762 since it ended). Since the establishment of the state (on the 5th of Iyar 5708/1948) until today, 4,587 civilians have been murdered, including 810 children under the age of 18. Over the past year, since last year’s Yom Hazikaron, 79 civilians have been murdered in terrorist attacks, including 35 who were killed during Operation Rising Lion (the campaign against Iran in June 2026) and 27 in the course of Operation Roaring Lion in March 2026.

Yom Haatzmaut should be an occasion for a cheshbon hanefesh for those who celebrate this country’s existence. The protocols of the Knesset, the parliament of the Jewish state, are filled with heretical comments, insults directed against Torah learners, and expressions of contempt for things that should be our most precious values. And the appalling words are complemented by horrific actions as well. Over the past two years, yeshiva bochurim and kollel yungeleit have been subjected to an endless campaign of persecution, as senior officials in government ministries, not to mention leading figures in the state prosecution and attorney general’s office, are working hard to stamp out every allocation of government funding that could possibly benefit the country’s bnei Torah.

In these trying times, we can draw encouragement and strength from the knowledge that the world is under the absolute control of its Creator. Sometimes, we can observe that Hashem has turned the plans of the wicked against them, causing their schemes to yield results that are precisely the opposite of what they intended. Yom Haatzmaut itself is a striking illustration of this idea. It was instituted as a day of recreation and idleness, a time for hot dogs and barbecues with little connection to ruchniyus. But Hashem had other plans, and for thousands of religious Israelis, it has become a day of vacation from their regular jobs when they can dedicate their time to Torah learning. I believe that this practice was introduced by the Kaliver Rebbe, but it has since become almost ubiquitous. Tens of thousands of Jews throughout Israel, who are off from work, spend their time learning Torah at a series of shiurim from morning until night.

“One Plus One Is Much More than Two”

Alas, several days after Yissochor Dov Spiegel’s levayah, Hashem answered the bereaved father’s prayers, and the body of the deceased boy’s 18-year-old brother, Avrohom Yeshayahu, was found. The second levayah was held on Sunday night, mere hours after the body was located at the seashore in Tel Aviv. Like his brother, Avrohom Yeshayahu was a talmid at Yeshivas Tushiya in Tifrach, and the rosh yeshiva, Rav Aviezer Piltz, delivered a tearful hesped at his funeral. “The Voice of Hashem breaks the cedars,” Rav Piltz began, quoting a posuk, “Hashem is speaking to us in a very loud voice, as He has broken two powerful cedars. The two Spiegel brothers were known in the yeshiva as outstanding bnei aliyah.”

A hesped was also delivered by Rav Binyomin Finkel, who is personally acquainted with the boys’ father, who heads a chaburah in the Mir yeshiva. Another hesped was delivered by Rav Yisroel Gans, one of the roshei yeshiva of Yeshivas Kol Torah and a rov in the area of Rechov Ponim Meiros, where he lives near Yeshivas Imrei Moshe, the yeshiva attended by Avrohom Yeshayahu Spiegel last summer before he transferred to Tifrach. Rav Gans davens in the yeshiva, and Avrohom Yeshayahu forged a bond with him and even learned with him b’chavrusa. Rav Yehoshua Mishkovsky, the rosh yeshiva of Yeshivas Imrei Moshe, delivered a hesped as well.

Once again, Rav Spiegel delivered a heartrending hesped as he prepared to bury another son. “We davened and cried out so much to see you brought back for your final rest. We have suffered a double blow…. One plus one is much more than two,” he added. Indeed, the tragic deaths of two outstanding young bnei Torah should leave all of us deeply shaken.

Permit me to add a comment on a personal note. I was well-acquainted with the boys’ grandfather, Rav Yisroel Spiegel, who was one of the leaders of Tzeirei Agudas Yisroel in Eretz Yisroel and an editor at Hamodia. He was responsible for introducing me to the world of writing. After my marriage, I was his neighbor; I rented an apartment that belonged to the father-in-law of Avrohom Ravitz in a building occupied by several distinguished individuals: Rav Leib Heiman, the mora d’asra, as well as Rav Yisroel Spiegel, Rav Avrohom Ravitz and Rav Aryeh Goloventzitz. During that time, I developed close friendships with all my neighbors, chief among them Rav Spiegel.

And that isn’t my only personal connection to the tragedy. I have a grandson who just completed his third year in Yeshivas Imrei Moshe and has now enrolled in Yeshivas Bais Mattisyohu. As it turns out, Avrohom Yeshayahu Spiegel was his chavrusa and close friend in the yeshiva for three years. My grandson, along with the rest of his circle of friends, is in complete shock due to the tragedy. This week, he said to me, “Do you remember that when I used to visit you on Shabbos, I was accompanied by a bochur whom you found very impressive? That bochur was Avrohom Yeshayahu Spiegel.”

Indeed, I remembered that he visited my house on several occasions and was always equipped with an outstanding vort. He was highly knowledgeable about every subject he studied in yeshiva, and he enjoyed hearing my stories about my grandfather. His death is a profound tragedy.

A Look at the Global Jewish Population

Here are some more statistics that were published this week: On the 78th anniversary of Israel’s founding, the country has a population of 10,244,000. This includes a large group of people who are officially recognized as non-Jews, but it also includes many people who are registered as Jews but are not halachically Jewish. Some estimates put the number of such people—the non-Jewish immigrants who are officially classified as Jews—at about two million. And there are also slightly more than two million Arab citizens of Israel. In addition, 296,000 people, or about 2.9 percent of the country’s population, are foreign workers. When the State of Israel was founded, in contrast, its population stood at only 806,000 citizens. Since Yom Haatzmaut last year, the population of Israel has grown by about 146,000, or about 1.4 percent. The Israeli population has increased by 110,000 (or 1.1 percent), while the population of foreigners has increased by about 36,000. During this period, about 177,000 babies were born to Israelis, about 21,000 immigrants arrived in the country, approximately 48,000 people passed away, and the net balance of Israelis living abroad was negative, at about 45,000, while approximately 5,000 people entered the country through family reunification programs. Since the establishment of the state, Israel has absorbed over 3.5 million immigrants, of which about 1.68 million (or 47.8 percent) arrived since the year 1990. The Central Bureau of Statistics also reported that there are 15.8 million Jews in the world, and over seven million Jews, or about 45 percent of the global Jewish population, live in Israel. Of course, this does not answer the question of how many of them actually lead Jewish lives and how many have assimilated.

By the end of 2024, about 45 percent of the world’s Jewish population resided in Israel. About 81 percent of Jews in Israel are “sabras,” or native-born Israelis. Surveys have also found that 91 percent of Israelis are either satisfied or very satisfied with life. Israel is ranked among the top ten countries in the world in the United Nations World Happiness Report. (As of 2026, it ranked eighth in the world.) About 66 percent of Israelis are satisfied or very satisfied with their economic situation, 83 percent of Israelis consider their health situation good or very good, and 96 percent are satisfied or very satisfied with their relationships with their families.

Antisemitism Remains a Troubling Trend

The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism released some statistics that show a sharp spike in antisemitic incidents around the world. This includes incidents of harassment of Jews, vandalism of Jewish-owned property, arson attacks on community buildings, physical assaults, and murderous attacks on individuals and Jewish institutions, which took the lives of 19 Jews around the world. During the period covered by the report (April 2025 through April 2026), 958 incidents of antisemitism were reported in 72 states, making an average of over 74 incidents every month. In April of last year alone, 118 antisemitic incidents were reported. Over 70 percent of those incidents took place in Western countries that are home to the world’s largest Jewish communities. The United States leads the list, with over 300 incidents (one third of the total), followed by Britain with over 130 incidents and then France, where 58 incidents took place against the backdrop of hatred of Jews. There were also dozens of incidents in Italy, Spain, Germany, and Canada. A detailed analysis of the events points to an uptick in violence and hatred over the past twelve months. There have been hundreds of incidents of vandalism, including attacks on shuls, communal institutions, and Jewish property, over 130 physical attacks on Jews, dozens of antisemitic demonstrations with messages of incitement, and dozens of economic boycotts and other forms of delegitimization.

The statistics show a monthly average of 11.5 incidents of physical violence, with the peak in August 2025. After a decrease in violent incidents at the end of 2025, a gradual upward trend began at the beginning of the current year. Almost 40 percent of the incidents included destruction or damage to property, with visibly Jewish sites such as shuls, cemeteries, and businesses being consistently targeted. One of the most worrisome statistics shows that 27.2 percent of the total number of incidents included physical assaults. Even though these incidents were less frequent than the episodes of vandalism, it is certainly a more severe type of offense, in a category that includes mass casualty incidents and targeted killings. The report’s findings indicate stable, ongoing high levels of antisemitic incidents and phenomena in areas primarily inhabited by Muslim and Palestinian populations, especially in countries where such activities are permitted to occur on the pretext of “freedom of expression.” Those countries include Britain, Australia, France, Canada, Germany, and certain states in the United States.

One Must Talk to the Judges in Their Own Language

Last week, I wrote about the recent machinations of the Supreme Court. The justices of the Supreme Court have managed to infuriate the entire population of Israel—sometimes the political right, sometimes the chareidim, and sometimes the national religious sector. They simply have no red lines. As I reported here, the judges convened on Shabbos to hear a petition filed by left-wing protestors in Tel Aviv against the police, evoking widespread outrage with their decision to meet on Shabbos and with their ruling. Since that incident, there have been two noteworthy developments. First, some of the other judges on the court voiced their objections to Chief Justice Amit at their weekly meeting about the desecration of the Shabbos. In addition, official complaints were filed with the Ombudsman of the Judiciary about this utterly foolish move on the court’s part.

Last week, the court also held a publicly televised hearing over the petitions demanding the dismissal of Minister Ben-Gvir. I could easily write an entire article about this subject alone. There was one particular lawyer, David Peter, who represented Ben-Gvir and the government and managed to teach the judges a lesson or two. It was fascinating to listen to him; Peter managed to make the judges look as small as possible. Among other things, he said to them, “Not only do you not have the authority to discuss dismissing a minister, which is under the jurisdiction of the prime minister, but you also do not have the authority to decide that you do have the authority.” He responded sharply to every comment from the judges; nevertheless, they were not intimidated. In the meantime, the judges offered a compromise: Ben-Gvir will not be dismissed, but his authority will be reduced, mainly with regard to appointing officials and giving orders to the police.

On that note, I recently heard a recording of Avrohom (Avi) Mimran, the founder of Mesugalim. Since the coronavirus pandemic, and throughout the recent war, Mimran has been advising and assisting families with children with special needs, who must contend with exceptional hardships at times of crisis. These children are affected to an extreme by experiences such as quarantine during a pandemic or taking shelter in a cramped safe room while a terrifying air raid siren blares overhead. Mimran’s explanations shed light on the closed, frightening world of a child with special needs or a person on the autistic spectrum. As he pointed out, an adult might think that he is communicating with such a child, as the child nods his head and appears to understand him, but the reality is that the child is somewhere far away. “You are speaking Hebrew to him, but he hears Chinese,” Mimran said to a group of struggling parents. “You need to learn his language.”

Upon hearing that, I suddenly had a flash of insight. People are often perplexed by the fact that the judges of the Supreme Court have the audacity to repeatedly chip away at any remaining public trust in their institution. First, they convened on Shabbos. Then they offered the absurd explanation that the case demanded chillul Shabbos because it is a matter of pikuach nefesh to permit demonstrations in Tel Aviv. They went on to insist that they were completely justified in applying a different standard to this case than to permitting tefillah at the Kosel Hamaaravi, and that there was no need for them to issue a similar ruling to permit the Kosel to reopen to mispallelim. This left many people scratching their heads. Do these judges live in a bubble of complete detachment? Are they unaware of the fact that the public sees them as an enemy? Even an animal would change direction to avoid falling into an open pit; how could the judges of the Supreme Court stubbornly refuse to bend? For a while, I considered this a mystery that was impossible to solve, until I realized that we are simply speaking different languages. Until we figure out how to communicate with the Supreme Court justices in their own language, we will all be talking to a wall, and they will continue issuing the same type of rulings, which are out of touch with reality.

Meanwhile, a chareidi organization recently filed a petition with the Supreme Court against Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, claiming that her constant demands for more sanctions against lomdei Torah are absurd and excessive. There is some logic in appealing to the court; Baharav-Miara has based her demands on the Supreme Court’s rulings, which means that if the judges rule against her, she will have no basis for continuing her campaign of oppression. It will be interesting to see how the court responds to this petition.