In his motzei Shabbos shiur HaRosh Yeshiva HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita addressed today’s worrisome situation, referring to the hospitalization of gedolei hador shlita. He referred first and foremost to Maran Posek HaDor HaGaon HaRav Yosef Sholom Elyashiv Shlita, then HaGaon HaRav Chaim Pinchos Sheinberg Shlita, and the recent petira of the Vishnitzer Rebbe ZT”L.

“HaKadosh Baruch Hu of late has stricken many important people to Klal Yisrael with illness. Hashem craves for the tefilos of tzaddikim and all those who learn Torah are tzaddikim” stated Rav Shteinman.

“We must realize there is a wicked goy in Iran who is preparing a large bomb for us, wishing to annihilate us all; men, women and children alike. Due to the abundance of talk about this too many have become numbed to the reality and as a result, there is not enough tefilla. We believe ‘nu, Hashem will look out for us and nothing will happen’ and therefore, the fools don’t realize there is a gezeira from Shomayim.

“HaKadosh Baruch Hu however is merciful and yearns for our tefilos. Therefore Hashem seeks ways to awaken us to tefilos and every perek of Tehillim is essential, even if it appears it will not help, and suddenly a tzaddik is lost so we believe no one is hearing our tefilos. One must remember that Hashem wastes nothing and the tefilos that do not help in one area do assist in another area.

“At times, one thinks to oneself there are so many important people saying Tehillim – so he thinks. Or ‘so he is not our rav anyway but the rabbi of others’. One must realize these thoughts are not correct. Every single perek Tehillim has an impact.

“Today the situation is such that everyone has reason to recite Tehillim, even in the Diaspora, everyone. HaKadosh Baruch Hu will assist Am Yisrael in so many areas that we require his protection.

“Someone came to me and said ‘who said we should stop learning to recite Tehillim. These Jews are old men already?’ I asked them should that have a death sentence. A Jew must realize that every minute of life is precious, a zchus– and with tzaddikim it is especially significant that they continue living.

“Hashem yearns for the tefilos of tzaddikim. We can only help with our tefilos. People do not understand or simply do not wish to understand or think about just how precarious our situation is today in Eretz Yisrael. At any moment the peril may strike and it is Hashem ‘saving us from their hands’ as if there was chaos (Tohu U’Vohu) chas v’sholom. Therefore Hashem continues to test us in any way that may compel us to begin davening.

“May Hashem grant everyone a refuah shleima immediately”.

The tzibur is requested to continue being mispallel for Rav Yosef Sholom ben Chaya Musha b’soch kol cholei am yisrael.

The tzibur is requested to daven for HaRav Chaim Pinchos ben Yosfa for a refuah shleima b’soch kol cholei am yisrael.

The tzibur is requested to continue being mispallel for Rav Yaakov Chai ben Margalit Yosef b’soch kol cholei am yisrael.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)