Tens of thousands participated in prayer and
his'orerus rallies in Bnei Brak and Ashdod, held in
the wake of the terrible catastrophes which have beset many
families during the past months, when heads of households
passed away, leaving the behind tender orphans and widows.
In Bnei Brak's Bartenura Square, over twenty thousand people,
headed by maranan verabonon the gedolei haTorah
and poskei hador who initiated the rally, assembled.
In attendance were residents of Bnei Brak and the nearby
cities, from all circles who had come to beseech rachmei
Shomayim. Bartenura Square and the nearby streets, which
are at the foot of the hill leading to Ponevezh yeshiva,
teemed with people.
At the end of mincha, selichos were recited and
shofars blown. Afterwards, the moro de'asra and
gaavad of the Zichron Meir neighborhood, HaRav Shmuel
Halevi Wosner, spoke. In his speech, which was delivered in
Yiddish and translated by HaRav Yitzchok Koledetzky, he
called to parents to supervise their daughters who work in
offices, and to women to strengthen their tsnius. He
also said that all televisions and radios, which destroy the
souls of our children, be removed from our homes. HaRav
Wosner also cautioned against the problems that arise from
the employment of non-Jewish domestic help, including
bishul akum, issues of chilul Shabbos, and also
tsnius difficulties.
Rabbi Yitzchok Koledetzky read a message from HaRav Aharon
Leib Steinman, and HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, in respect to our
need to strengthen our attitude toward tefilla,
because the disregard for its importance causes heavy
calamities. He also said that we must avoid all disputes.
HaRav Chaim Kanievsky raised 5 points: 1] Dovid Hamelech said
that one should say 100 brochos daily in order to stop
a plague. Being careful with the kavono of
brochos brings chaim and brocho to the
world.
2] Answering Omen yehei Shemei rabbo, has the power
to tear up evil decrees, as explained in Shabbos 119
and the midrash.
3] Chazal said that if one is liable to death min
haShomayim, he should increase his learning from one
perek to two, or from one daf to two. We see
that adding more to regular Torah learning and strengthening
it brings chaim and brocho to the world. So we
should add to and increase regular Torah learning.
4] Around 40 years ago, the Steipler said that it is
explained in Brochos (8) that coming to daven in
shul and being there from beginning to end is why the
residents of Bovel were zoche to long lives. Whoever
is mechabed the tefilla by coming on time and
staying from beginning to end, will merit long life. One has
to work on oneself to get used to coming on time, but once it
becomes a habit it is entrenched in one's soul and in that
merit one gets long life.
5] The Steipler used to say that we have a tradition from
HaRav Chaim Volozhin that the prayers of Yom Kippur Koton are
a segulah to nullify evil decrees. Therefore on
erev rosh chodesh Kislev, whoever can should, in the
mincha of the preceding day, accept a fast of half a
day, say Aneinu, and the prayers of Yom Kippur Koton.
If fasting is difficult, one should give tzedokoh. In
the merit of the mass prayers let there be no more cries of
woe and destruction in our camp, but only yeshu'os and
nechomos.
Another issue HaRav Koledetzky raised is that of
shemiras and kedushas Shabbos, in particular
travel on erev Shabbos late in the day. He noted that
the rabbonim said that one should arrive at his destination
at least an hour and a half before Shabbos. Similarly, the
arrangements made within the city, including travel and
bathing in the mikveh, should be completed in time so
that everyone reaches Shabbos in a state of menuchas
hanefesh.
In Ashdod, a large throng gathered in the Vishnitz beis
medrash in Rova Zayin of the city for an unusually
impressive prayer rally. People from all parts of the city
flocked to the beis medrash, which was filled to the
brim.
After mincha, selichos, 13 middos and kabolas ol
malchus Shomayim, fervent words of chizuk were
delivered by HaRav Dov Tzvi Karelenstein, the rosh
yeshiva of Grodno, who participated in the rally despite
his weakness. It was originally announced that he would be
unable to attend. He focused on a number of vital and painful
points that are crucial for chareidi Jewry. He noted that we
are getting one warning after another, and that he does not
remember such a flood of tragedies since the days of the
Holocaust. Teshuva, tefilla and tzedokoh cause
the evil decree to pass, even if we do not understand its
source and reason.
