The story of the Megillah comes to teach all of the coming generations that what took place is not what we see with our eyes. What actually took place in Iran and everything connected to it is truly not what we see and think. Only with time will we understand why it all came about and how it was all for the best.
We are in the midst of a war. There are those who seek to utilize this situation in order to draft yeshiva students into the army. In the past they also attempted to draw yeshiva students into military service, so how did they prevent this?
HaRav Hacker: I believe that it took place in the war of 5708 when we were faced with the threat of the fedayeen, the incited, bloodthirsty Arab rabble, who circulated among the orchards surrounding Jewish enclaves and murdered. During this period, the army approached the Rav of Ponovezh to supply the yeshiva students with whistles and have them circulate in the neighborhoods of Bnei Brak. If they discerned Arabs of the fedayeen, they were to at least warn the populace by blowing their whistles or have people rally to the defense, but the Ponovezher Rov refused this out of hand, not even as far as to supply students with whistles.
Instead, he said, "The students are already enlisted in the army through their Torah study," adding, "They are not exempted from duty; they are verily executing their duty."
In the course of his address, HaRav Hacker returns to the war times of his youth:
It was when I was studying in Yeshivas Kol Torah. I had a unique study-partner, HaRav Simcha Zilberstrom HY"D. I said that he was 'special' because we studied Mussar together, namely, "Mesillas Yeshorim." HaRav Gedaliah instituted this study of Mussar with a chavrusa for the entire yeshiva.
HaRav Zilberstrom used to walk in the fields surrounding the city of Lod en route to the sessions with his students in Kfar Chabad. It was there that the fedayeen attacked and murdered him. I am only telling you this in order to describe how fearful this period was. This, in effect, was how the Ponovezher Rav was able to state that "the students are already enlisted". He was totally infused with the promise that "Torah protects and saves." This is what he ingrained in the students so that they understand and conduct themselves accordingly with the full responsibility it demanded.
Incidentally, the Rosh Yeshiva tells us, that some time later, when they seized the murderers of HaRav Zilberstrom, they told that when they sought to kill him, he requested that they allow him a reprieve of several moments of contemplation. He sat, deep in thought, in preparation to die "al Kiddush Hashem." They went on to tell that when they finally murdered him, "he died with a smile on his face."
