In Torah halls and everywhere a concentration of yirei'im
ledevar Hashem can be found, numerous tefillos are
being held for the speedy recovery of Maran HaRav Yosef
Sholom Eliashiv, shlita, in a united effort to stir
rachamei Shomayim for Rabbenu Yosef Sholom ben Chayoh
Musha.
Special prayers were recited at yeshivas and heichalei
Torah everywhere, even during Shabbos itself. Although
HaRav Eliashiv was fully conscious on Shabbos, reciting all
of the tefillos, eating the Shabbos meals and learning
Torah, doctors say his state of health is precarious. As such
the public is being asked to pray for Heavenly mercy and to
cry out in tefilloh for the recuperation of Rabbenu,
the godol hador, who all of Beis Yisroel rely on.
Friday evening, shortly before candlelighting time, HaRav
Eliashiv felt ill and, after consulting with a doctor, it was
decided to rush him to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, where he
was admitted to the intensive care unit and is being treated
by the hospital's top experts.
Maran's medical condition is stable but his doctors say that
as long as his present condition continues without
improvement he remains in serious danger. Therefore the
public must bolster its supplications and prayers until he
merits a full recovery.
News of HaRav Eliashiv's serious condition spread throughout
the Torah world in Eretz Yisroel and abroad, filling hearts
with dread and inspiring prayers to open the Gates of Heaven
and to bring Beis Yisroel's cry to the Borei Olom, that He
may take pity upon His people and send a refuah
sheleimoh and robust health to Maran HaRav Eliashiv.
Late motzei Shabbos thousands gathered at the Kosel Maarovi
and on Sunday a large gathering was held at the gravesite of
Rabbenu Hagodol Maran HaRav Shach zt'l, where the
recitation of chapters of Tehillim, the Thirteen
Attributes, Shema Yisroel and Hashem Hu
HaElokim were led by HaRav Shmuel Yaakov Burnstein, one
of the roshei yeshivos of Yeshivas Chevron Geula. In a
voice choked with tears he then offered divrei
his'orerus, saying we are asking that the holy Torah
beseech Hashem, coming before Kisei Hakovod to plead
for the recovery of godol hador and sar
haTorah, the greatest lover of Torah of our
generation.
HaRav Yosef Tzvi HaLevi Dunner, one of the elder sages among
European rabbonim and ravad of the Union of Chareidi
Communities in London, issued a notice on Sunday addressed to
bnei Torah in Europe saying this is an "eis tzoro
for Yaakov" and therefore the entire tzibbur must
"cry out and plead for the remnants of pleitas
sofreinu and to grow stronger in milei deShmaya,
so that he may continue to shine the light of his holy Torah
learning upon us as well as his pure spirit in the way it is
passed down, until the arrival of the Goel Tzedek."
The Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of the US issued a call to the
entire Torah world to hold tefillas rabbim for HaRav
Eliashiv's recovery.
