Maranan Verabbonon the members of the Nesius of the Vaad Hayeshivos, including HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, and HaRav Gershon Edelstein, call upon the bnei hayeshivos hakedoshos to be mitchazek and to increase toil in Torah during Chanukah, and to see them as time for increasing the learning of Torah and not, chas vesholom, a period of weakness of distancing from learning Torah.
In a special letter, the Nesius wrote:
To the Talmidim of the Yeshivos Hakedoshos:
We hereby call upon the mezurozim, to strengthen Torah as is always necessary, and in particular we come to emphasize this in the days of Chanukah that need encouragement, and chas vesholom not to be weakened during them. The period is one that should inspire to increased Torah, in response to the original scheme of the zeidim to try to make us forget the Torah. As we know the power of those who are osek in Torah was increased and they prevailed.
It is desirable for the Roshei Yeshivos shlita to make rules and limits so that the talmidim continue their growth, and these were never considered vacation days.
In this period we have a special need for merits for the fortresses of Torah and their students and the merit of Torah will stand for those who toil in it, and as in days of old we will merit salvation, and blessed is he who fulfills all of this.
Signed onto this letter is Sar HaTorah HaRav Chaim Kanievsky who added: "I also join to strengthen those who learn, and it is like what it says in the Yerushalmi towards the end of Brochos: If you see that people give up on Torah, stand up and do it with strength and you will get the reward of them all.
Also Maran HaRav Gershon Edelstein added: It is poshut that there is no heter to stop learning Torah during Chanukah and it is a great merit for all those who are mitchazek during these days to learn Torah.
