A minor earthquake was felt across Eretz Yisroel this morning at approximately 11:30AM. The quake was measured at 4.2 on the Richter scale and its epicenter was reported to be in the Dead Sea. Yeshivaworld received multiple emails from residents in the Old City, Bnei Brak, Chaifa, Ramat Eshkol and other locations telling us that their entire apartments shook.
Boruch Hashem, there were no reports of of any injuries or damage.
The earthquake originated in the Northern Dead Sea, with witnesses reporting that they saw a huge wave coming towards them on the shore.
Some news sources are reporting that there was actually two separate quakes. The first measured 3.0, and the second a few minutes later measured 4.2.
Yeshivaworld had reported (HERE) that a minor tremor – mesuring 3.0 – had hit the Jordon Valley on October 15th, 2007.
(YW Israel Reporters)
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24 Responses
There is a major fault line running north-south through Eretz Yisrael. Earthquakes have occurred there forever. Hence the tefillah: “shelo tihiyeh bateihem kevureihem.”
Mi ba’ra’ash…
I was about 2 miles south of the Old City when it happened, and I felt my chair shaking. But I needed someone to tell me that it was an earthquake, because otherwise I thought that it was someone who bumped my chair.
i would like to know what the Gedolim in Eretz Yisrael say about this? It didn’t just happen in a place where Jews live.
Everyone I know says they didn’t even feel it.
I was walking outside (toward the western side of Yerushalayim) at 11:30 am and I didn’t feel or hear anything. Other people told me that did.
shazam: i believe that tefila refers to the mudslides from the ample rain after Sukkos
meirg: i don’t get you, from all accounts it DID happen where yidden live
We live in Neve Yaakov, not too far from the Yam HaMelech. I was in one room with my daughter & my husband was in another room with his chevrusa. We also saw the liquid in a soda bottle on my desk swaying like the waves of the ocean.
Earthquakes are common in Eretz Yisrael – most of the built up area were destroyed when a major one hit about 1300 years ago. More intriguing is the fisherman struck by lightning!
When i wrote “It didn’t just happen in a place where Jews live.”, i meant to say that an earthquake just doesn’t happen unless decreed by Hashem and therefore, if an earthquake happens in Eretz Yisroel,where Jews live, we need to ask our Gedolim why. I should have written it like this “It didn’t “just happen” in a place where Jews live.”)
I was sitting in a shul in Ramot and felt enough shaking that I thought it might be an earthquake so I looked at my watch. It was 11:19:06, I keep my watch accurate to within a few seconds. May Hashem protect all His children from any kind of harm.
feif un;
the letzonus and onus devorim were quite unnecessary,
and unbecoming of you.
this is all he said:
“i would like to know what the Gedolim in Eretz Yisrael say about this”
i would also be interested in knowing.
wouldnt you?
tefillah shel kohen gadol be’tzeito min hakodesh said by nusach sfard after the avoda on yom kippur — “v’el anshei haSHARON amar ‘shelo ya’asu bateihem kivreihem’ ” — note my emphasis!!!
(anshei hasharon insisted on living in the valleys where they were subject to mudslides, etc) as per kitzur_dot_net #6 and shazam #1
the big earthquake in 5597 — 1837 was commented on by gedolim all over the world. a few thousand died in zfat and galil area. the chatam sofer (drashot) said it was because we were ignoring yerushalayim (to simplify his words; see drashot chatam sofer on the earthquake).
historically, the earthquake was significant. aid was sent in from all over the world; the zdakot rabbi meir baal haness were established at the time (zdaka exclusively for aniyim in israel — halach forbids a gabbai zdakah from using zdaka rav meir baal haness money for other purposes). the turks saw what was going on, and when the damascus blood libel came three years later, saw the world uproar, and established embassies from all the european powers. thus the “migrash russim” for russians, “notre dame hospital” for french, the italian “post office”, the british also had something (i forgot what), and the us opened a “consulate” that exists to this day in “east” jerusalem (which reports straight to washington, not to the israeli embassy in rehov hayarkon; also separate from the consulate in west jerusalem; if you need a passport renewed quickly, etc, the east jerusalem consulate is a quick way to do it, if its “safe” that week to go there).
once there was a “consulate” sir moshe montefiore (hanadiv hagadol) could bypass the turks forbidding land being purchased by jews by using a consul as a notary instead of a turkish notary (which no turkish notary would do for a jew; a consul is automatically a notary) and bought land for the yishuv outside the “gates” of the old city, the beginning of today “yemin moshe” (expensive real estate today; at the time, it didnt succeed as a real estate development) and then “meah she’arim” (succesful then, today, not so “cheap” real estate)
feif un
now that i see your additional post (12), i imagine my words were wasted.
i dont know, perhaps the moderators feel that posts which reflect childishness and clear lack of respect for other posters should be permitted.
not so terrible i guess, it’s up to YW.
Meir g:
Good question. What do the Gedolim think?
Well what about what the Amoraim think – would that be ok for you? Have a look at the Gemora in Brochos which describes the meaning of an earthquake. I seem to recall its on NUN BEIS omud Aleph or thereabout. Let the website know your findings…
We also live in Neve Yaakov and I didn’t feel anything. I didn’t check the soda.
QUOTE*********”meirg: do you think any gedolim would have been able to tell you why Hashem does what he does? Sure, they can say why they THINK it happened, but unless I missed something, Hashem doesn’t explain himself (for lack of a better pronoun) to anyone these days.”***********UNQUOTE
there is the Gemorah, of course, and it’s Meforshim, and Midrashim, and their unending depths, and many believe that Ruach HaKodesh is still present today.
in addition, there are those with pure hearts of flesh, who have carefully guarded their eyes and mouth( both what comes in and what leaves), and filled their Neshamas with the Torah Kedosha. they don’t even touch the modern world of falsehood and emptiness. rather they live with a simple and profoundly deep Emunah. they see with a Light that you and i cannot even imagine.
Let’s all stop with the Nevuah!
Everyone seems to have their opinions why this happened, but, I’m not sure anyone, besides real Gedolim, can explain why it really happened.
meirg – i think it is sad when people need a gadol to tell them what to think – not just what to do.
My parents are at yam hamelech this week – but i havent been able to get in touch with them – I am sure they will have a good story
Why do we need the gedolim to explain why when we have zionflag (2:57) to tell us why?
In unrelated news – it’s pouring buckets outside!!! Has been for 5 hours and I heard we are getting rain for the next 3 days!!! Boruch Hashem!!!
The reason for earthquakes is clearly stated in Thilim 104:32 “Hamaabit L’oretz Va’tirod”. What else do we need? Also, “Yechezkiel: 38:19 “Raash Godol Al Admas Yisroel”
that tfilah means not to let those rich people bury themselves with gashmius
Could be the buckets of rain is from Rav Yehuda Levin’s tefillahs down south, hashem listens and sends the rain where ITS desired..
There was another earthquake Friday night just after midnight! This one was reported as a 4.1 and I felt it indeed. That’s 3 earthquakes in one week!