Speaking at the motzei Shabbos the eve of 2 Shevat 5773 atzeres tefilla for Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita, HaRav Reuven Elbaz spoke of Rav Ovadia who began crying after reading an article that spoke of the imminent drafting of 3,000 talmidei yeshiva.

“How unfortunate it is that they don’t get it, that they fail to realize the magnitude of what is taking place, the disaster that awaits if too few are learning and the koach of the limud Torah falls” Rav Elbaz explained.

“Imagine for yourselves if the budget for talmidei yeshivos is cut and this will be followed by another law, cutting the budget for avreichim” he adds.

Rav Elbaz explains he was in Hadassah to visit Rav Ovadia after he suffered a mild stroke earlier in the day, on Shabbos morning. “While receiving intravenous therapy and not feeling well Rav Ovadia was preoccupied with concerns over the drafting of bnei Torah.”

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)