Tuesday, the 28th of Menachem Av, was the yahrtzeit of the Netziv of Volozhin who passed away 133 years ago. He was the successor of his father, Rav Itzele, who was the only son and successor of the Father of Yeshivos, HaRav Chaim of Volozhin. The Netziv stood at the helm of the yeshiva for forty years, producing thousands of disciples while simultaneously, illuminating the eyes of Jewry through his responsa and writings in all areas of Torah and ways of conduct.

His passing did not come in a vacuum but left a strong imprint for generations to come, leaving behind his illustrious son, HaRav Chaim Berlin. In a sort of will and testament for the coming generations, the day before his demise on the 13th of Tishrei, 5673, HaRav Chaim Berlin gave over a message, as meticulously recorded by his close associate, HaGaon R' Arye Levine, a message which, according to its content was apparently written out close to the events themselves. They appear as relevant today or in these times, as they were 133 years ago.

The Law of the Accused, which the Opposition promises to pass if it can muster a majority, determines that the head of state (president) cannot assign the task of putting together a government upon anyone who has been judicially accused. The significance is clear: If such a law had already existed in Israel, Netanyahu would have been prevented from setting up a government many long years ago.

Supporters of this law claim that it is a fitting law which would prevent a prime minister who had charges against him from serving as such, both from the judicial aspect and also from the conflict of interests due to his high rank which has impact on the judicial system as well as the public's faith on the governmental structure.

No such law exists regarding government ministers, but the court's decision did serve as a precedent regarding ministers against whom charges were made due to what the court called "an extreme lack of reasonability." That is why the then-serving prime minister ordered that ministers already serving in the cabinet be discharged.

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To remind us that antisemitism is nothing new. This was first published thirty years ago, in 1996.

Ivanov, a detective in Kiev's police department, stood at the opening of a cave at the outskirts of the city. Little did he know that a new antisemitic volcano, capable of putting an entire nation on trial, was about to erupt. His thoughts were focused in another direction.

The clues led to a known family in Kiev — to the apartment of the notorious Vera Cheberiak, a key figure in Kiev's underworld.

The district attorney of Kiev knew that the conclusions of Ivanov's investigation had been presented to Chaplinski, along with a request to arrest Vera Cheberiak.

However, the request, so it seems, was rejected, and for a good reason, too. Ivanov was employed by Kiev's police department, while Chaplinski was a government worker, a representative of the Czar. In government circles, the murder was regarded from a different angle.

Like the marksman who drew the circle after his arrow had landed, so had the authorities earmarked their victim — the Jews — long before the trial had begun. All that remained was to prove that the Jews were guilty. That was their plan!

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