Soon the avreichim and the bnei yeshivos will begin their bein hazmanim, says HaRav Emanuel shlita. "It is important to know before this that every avreich and bochur be fully aware just how great his potential is. Also, he must be aware of how much he can lose in these days, choliloh.

They say in the name of the Chazon Ish that every bochur can grow and become the godol hador! Know all you bnei yeshivos that each and every one has the potential to be a great leader. This is on condition that you use your life properly and not waste it on shtuyot. If you see to it that you learn strongly and are not tempted by havolim you can actualize this power.

You were zoche to spend the learn in the yeshiva or kollel, and now you are leaving those walls. You should know that the dangers outside are truly awesome and they can take a pure bochur who has spent months growing and make him forget everything R"l.

It is not every day that the American president — or any head of state in the world, for that matter — directly reacts to a report in an Israeli newspaper. But President Trump is not like any other head of state in the world, and he says whatever is on his mind, even if it is not quite politically correct.

In an interview which Trump gave to a Rightist Israeli channel 14, he related to an article written by columnist Barak Ravid which claimed that there was a significant strain between the top echelons of the Israeli government and the government in Washington. Ravid's analysis is a direct continuation of the media reports almost since the beginning of Trump's entering office which report consistently of a tension existing between the two figures, pointing to a discord on Trump's side regarding Netanyahu's behavior and warning of a crisis soon in the offing.

Trump is apparently updated of all these matters, which is why he feels free to use sharp words in order to discount the 'report' which Ravid publicized. He dubbed it as "one big mistake, a blatant lie and fake news." But Trump, like Trump, does not spare words and even went as far as to call it "fake news at a third grade level." The "actual reality," maintains the American president, "is altogether the very opposite of what is described in the public media." The fact, he noted, quite pleased, is that "the relations between our two nations were never better."

This is the third of four articles we plan about HaRav Moshe Feinstein that were first published in 1996, exactly 30 years ago.

This 13th of Adar marked the 40(10)th yahrtzeit of the legendary gaon and tzaddik, the poseik hador, HaRav Moshe Feinstein zt'l.

Part 3

Extracts From Igros Moshe They Know of No One to Turn to But Me

Although it is not for me to give a definitive ruling in a matter which is subject to a difference of opinion between Rishonim, there are nonetheless instances where it is impossible to follow a course which encompasses all the differing opinions. In such cases, one is compelled to issue rulings to those who come to ask and they know of nowhere else to turn but to me...

I am therefore forced to render a clear decision, that I can teach to those who ask to know my humble opinion as to what appears to be correct. Not only is it permitted for the wise men of the generation to issue practical rulings of this nature, they are obliged to do so, ruling according to the conclusions they reach after much toil and labor in clarifying the halacha from the gemora until the works of the poskim, according to their capabilities, earnestly and with the fear of Heaven. (Orach Chaim IV:12)

No Mistakes In Klal Yisroel's Practice

I am prefacing my reply with an important general principle. By calling something practiced by all of Klal Yisroel a mistake, your honor is presuming himself to be greater than all of our teachers, the Rishonim and Acharonim, and all the great scholars of our own generation as well. You consider all of them to have been mistaken, whereas you alone have spotted the mistake.

May your honor forgive me, but just to entertain this idea betrays excessive pride, let alone to utter it and write it down. Your honor should be aware that any practice that we find a large community observing, is no mistake. Since the community consists of observant Jews, we can assume that the practice was surely instituted under the guidance of a Torah scholar. It is therefore incumbent upon us to seek a reason for it, rather than simply to imagine them to be mistaken, just because this is not the practice in other communities. Such a practice is not followed when one is on one's own however, because it nevertheless remains the practice of just one community. Every matter should be considered on its own merits.

When however, a practice is followed by all of Klal Yisroel, halacha obliges the individual to follow it, even if he thinks it is a mistake. One ought to know that Klal Yisroel as a whole acts correctly. Even though you may have some difficulty which you do not know how to resolve, it is nothing. (Orach Chaim IV:17)