Rosh Yeshivah, HaGaon HaRav Baruch Dov Povarsky, spoke words of hesped last week to hundreds of avreichim in the Keter Torah network of HaGaon HaRav Yechezkel Abramov.
During his speech, HaRav Povarsky said tearfully: “Truthfully, I already don’t have koach. I can only cry and cry. And only after crying, I want to say – the hesped is that the hespedim of tzaddikim prevent puraniyas (punishment). When HaRav Chaim, z’tl, was with us, we were sure that there wouldn’t be explosions [in Bnei Brak].”
“Rav Chaim, z’tl, wasn’t afraid [of attacks] and the Chazon Ish wasn’t afraid – there would be no explosions in Bnei Brak.”
“But what will be now?” the Rosh Yeshivah bemoaned. “We need rachamim and we must daven to Hakadosh Baruch Hu to help us, that the hespedim of tzaddikim will prevent puraniyas. We’ll all be maspid, we’ll cry and be maspid together, and we’ll remember that we had an adam kodesh who held the world up. What will be now? We need to be mechazeik. What should we be mechazeik in? To learn more and more Torah, without a stop.”
During Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, when Gazan terror groups launched hundreds of rockets into Israel, HaRav Chaim, z’tl, promised Bnei Brak residents that “no rockets will fall in Bnei Brak.”
HaRav Chaim, z’tl quoted the Chazon Ish who said in his time that there would never be any explosions in his city of Bnei Brak. HaRav Chaim said the words of the Chazon Ish will surely be fulfilled as the words of tzaddikim are not necessarily abolished after their death and there’s no reason to be afraid. HaRav Chaim’s promise was fulfilled despite the fact that during the war, neighboring Tel Aviv was hit by a missile for the first time since the Gulf War in 1991.
Additionally, as is well known, HaRav Chaim, z’tl, promised in 1991 that no Scud missiles fired by Iraq will fall in Bnei Brak. HaRav Chaim’s promise was fulfilled despite the fact that
38 Iraqi Scud missiles were launched into Israel, mainly hitting the neighboring Tel Aviv area, directly killing two people and indirectly causing the death of 11 people [due to hearts attacks and and incorrect use of chemical warfare kits], and injuring hundreds.
Ramat Gan, which shares a border with Bnei Brak was the worst-hit area – 1,162 buildings were damaged, including over 3,700 apartments, and some 28 buildings were totally destroyed, including 118 apartments.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
4 Responses
In fact when the Scuds were falling in 1991, it was Rav Chaim who was most reassuring. It was he who said that all get the gas masks but that would not be needed.
(If my memory serves me correct)
& when Rav Shimon Bar Yochai lived there were no rainbows in his entire lifetime, but already on very day of his death there was a rainbow.
Following our tragic loss 11 days ago, B’H Bnai-Beraq hasn’t been bombed nor shelled, so IY’H these fears hopefully are not pertinent.
כל ישראל ערבים זה בזה, Reb Chaim was concerned with every Jew not only in Beni Brak. To think because of Reb Chaim’s death no longer protects the people of Beni brack is a disgrace to him.
To quote Reb Chaim Shumelevits one who takes an exemption from the army and bitul Torah, they are like a Rodef, they are causing danger to am yesroel
we say in Aycha, Jews take personal responsibility for what happens, we don’t blame. If we truly believe in הקדוש ברוך ה, then we need to look at our selves why so many Jews were killed and none Jews who died על קידש השם
When Moshe Rabbeinu’s passing was honored greatly there was no danger to the people.
When Yehoshua/Joshua’s passing was not honored sufficiently, there was trouble that led to loss of life.
_If you have not already, then try to listen to a hespid/eulogy of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, and/or learn from one of his books, even a translation, in order to bring more mercy from Heaven and help mitigate any potential danger to the people.