Upon hearing of the murders of the three abducted bnei yeshiva, Maran HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita responded
“אוי וויי.. אוי! אה… אשרעקליכע זאך”.

Kikar Shabbos quotes Rav Moshe Yehuda Schneider, who describes the moment when the Rosh Yeshiva was given the difficult besura, that the bodies of the young bnei yeshiva were found in a field near Halhul.

Rav Shteinman is quoted saying
, וראה ושמע את האנחות הקשות של רבינו – אוי וויי.. אוי! אה… אשרעקליכע זאך… – דבר מפחיד… – הבין מעט מה נקרא “מיצר בצערן של ישראל”.

“Rav Shteinman closed his eyes from the pain and asked ‘all three’, then sighing and sighing again, endlessly”.

Rabbi Shteinman adds that Rav Shteinman explained that he was reminded of the incident with the Maharam of Rotenberg who was imprisoned by a non Jew who did not wish to release him until he received a ransom. Even after his petira the non Jew did not wish to release the body for kvura until receiving the ransom. After many years a wealthy man did make the payment to redeem the body. The Maharam of Rotenberg came to the wealthy man in a dream and asked him what he wants in return, to die soon and enter Gan Eden immediately, to a place near him, or perhaps wealth for generations. He opted for the first and he died immediately”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)