Rabbi Michael Barclay has been sending updates to his congregation since the start of the Iran war, and he has kindly shared them with PJ Media. Here's his latest in the middle of Passover and following Easter weekend.
President Donald Trump "extended" the deadline date for Iran until Tuesday evening, which means, as could be expected, rhetoric has increased, and there have been multiple conflicting reports about what is happening.
Trump promised to destroy Iran's power plants, energy sites, and infrastructure if the Strait of Hormuz is not opened by 8 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday. But senior Iranian official Mohsen Rezaei claimed that "Trump's ongoing threats, stemming from despair and anger, are drowning in the swamp of war with Iran." Multiple Iranian officials went on to threaten the U.S. and Israel's energy sites and facilities. Multiple sources report that Iran refuses to even sit down to discuss stopping the war, unless Iran is guaranteed to ever be attacked again, and that around refused financial compensation for all the things that have been damaged in this war so far.
And at the same time, Axios is reporting that the U.S., Iran, and a group of several Middle Eastern mediators are discussing terms for a 45-day cease-fire in the war. Reuters is reporting that a proposal was sent via Pakistani mediators to both the U.S. and Iran for a ceasefire that would include the Strait of Hormuz opening; and that Iran "will not accept deadlines that pressure it to make a decision," and noted that the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened in exchange for a "temporary ceasefire."
One thing we know is that Iran continues to launch barrages of missiles at Israel, most of which include multiple fragmentation bombs that have been exploding in residential areas. Haifa has been hit especially hard, and numerous people were injured from both the different explosions and the falling rubble.
We also know that Kuwait and the UAE were repeatedly attacked by drones and missiles from Iran on Sunday and Monday, but neither has yet retaliated in any way, which says volumes about their recalcitrance to attack another Muslim nation, even when being attacked.
And so we will see in the next days what will really happen: whether there is a ceasefire, if Iran is destroyed, if the entire region burns (as Iran once again promised on Sunday night), if the U.S. totally capitulates to Iran, or if something unforeseen occurs.
But we are still in the midst of Passover, a time of faith and freedom. We need to remember that the miracle of the Exodus is not truly revealed until the crossing of the Sea of Reeds, and like our ancestors, we must act based upon our faith and let that faith deepen and guide us in these challenging days.
Chazak u'Baruch
Rabbi Michael Barclay
April 6, 2026
19th of Nisan, 5786
4th Day of the Omer
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