In a pronouncement to bnei Torah throughout the
world, gedolei Yisroel stress that in light of
the current state of affairs endangering the lives of
the residents of Eretz Hakodesh, everyone should
take stock of his ways and feel that this calamity has
occurred due to his shortcomings.
Maranan verabonon say:
Woe to us at what has befallen us! `The sword kills
outside and inside there is fear!' Every heart melts at
the terrible situation in which our enemies are rising
against us with the explicit goal of annihilating us.
Each subsequent day is worse than the preceding. Jewish
blood in Eretz Hakodesh has become worthless to
our enemies. Infants cry for their fathers and mothers,
but remain unanswered; babies are snatched from their
mothers' arms, and mothers and children alike are
ripped to pieces.
Heaven is demanding that we improve our deeds. This is
the only way that this terrible time of trouble will
come to an end. Therefore, bnei Torah the world
over must strengthen themselves by assembling and
arousing themselves to Torah and teshuvoh, to cry
out and shout and to resolutely entreat Hashem to
rescind his anger.
Each person should resolve to set aside Torah study
sessions during bein hazmanim, studying a regular
session of at least a few hours a day. No trips should
be taken during bein hazmanim because this is
both physically and spiritually dangerous.
May Heaven have mercy upon us that we hear no more
cries of woe amongst us, and may Hashem pronounce,
`Enough!' to our troubles.
(Signed) HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, HaRav Aaron
Yehuda Leib Shteinman, HaRav Moshe Shmuel Shapira,
HaRav Michel Yehudah Lefkowitz, HaRav Chaim Pinchos
Scheinberg, HaRav Nissim Karelitz, HaRav Chaim
Kanievsky, HaRav Shmuel Auerbach
