Tefilos and concern can best describe the atmosphere in Eretz Yisrael as the tzibur at large davens for the refuah of Maran Posek HaDor HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita.

The following information is from combined sources, including media statements from Shaare Zedek Medical Center, from MK Moshe Gafne and Uri Maklev. In addition, information is from the director of Shaare Zedek, Professor Yonatan Halevy, Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Yitzchak Pindrus, Kol Chai Radio and Kol B’rama Radio.

Rav Elyashiv is listed in critical/stable condition. The gadol hador is in a medically induced coma and connected to a mechanical respirator, fighting the fluid buildup in his lungs, the result of diminished cardiac output as seen in congestive heart failure.

Family members are in the hospital, where hundreds continue to gather, compelling hospital security and police to deploy additional manpower to keep people outside. Officials report that while the avreichim and rabbonim mean well, they are not assisting the rav’s situation and they are hampering hospital personnel, interfering with them. Additional security has been placed at the second floor entrance to the emergency room, the hospital’s night entrance.

In the meantime, taxis are driving around frum neighborhoods with PA systems calling on the tzibur to come to the Kosel to join the mispallalim, now numbering over 1,000 and growing rapidly. Egged has activated drivers and is running buses from frum areas to the Kosel. Many Yerushalayim yeshivos are heading to the Kosel on foot, realizing buses are overcrowded and traffic around the Old City is backing up as police have closed the area down.

According to all reports, the only thing left is tefilos, and in Eretz Yisrael, shuls are opening around the country as mispallalim gather to recite tehillim. There are reports of a number of shuls opening in Brooklyn, New York as well, hooking into chareidi radio stations that are bringing special coverage from yeshivos, the Kosel and periodic updates from the hospital.

YWN-ISRAEL will continue updating readers on the rav’s condition as information is being made available to the media.

Announcements have already been made designating tomorrow, Tuesday, 14 Shevat as a yom tefilla, and talmidei torah and yeshivos will be continuing around-the-clock tehillim for leader of Torah Jewry.

The tzibur is urged to continue davening and reciting tehillim for Yosef Sholem ben Chaya Musha b’soch kol cholei am yisrael.

UPDATE 11:55PM IL: Rav Shlomo Kook, who is a spokesman for Beis Rav Elyashiv, reports the rav’s condition at this time is “very very serious”.
 
The tzibur is urged to continue davening and reciting tehillim for Yosef Sholem ben Chaya Musha b’soch kol cholei am yisrael.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)