An atzeres chizuk was held on Tuesday night in Betar Illit, a week following the fatal fire which R”L claimed the lives of two children, Efrat (4) and Tzvi (2) Ginzberg. Over a dozen people were injured in the blaze, which appears to have been caused by a fault nightlight.
Thousands of residents of the chareidi city participated in the atzeres, listening to words of chizuk from HaGaon HaTzaddik Binyamin Finkel and from the Mashpiah Rebi Elimelech Biderman.
In preparation for the atzeres, the city’s rabbonim published a kol korei in which they called on the public: “At this time, we must prevent machlokes and loshon hora and rechilus as the Torah decrees upon us. With the authority of beis din, to warn the tzibur, to act appropriately and not to be drawn to forbidden words and actions chas v’sholom and to act exclusively as the Torah teaches us.”
In a directly related matter, an avreich reported asked HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita is one is required to install smoke detectors or fire extinguishers. Rav Kanievsky reportedly ruled that persons who learn Torah are not in need of additional protection. He adds one should increase one’s limud as much as possible.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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3 Responses
I don’t understand. Even if one learns Torah all day and all night, what’s the harm in having a smoke/CO2 detector? It costs a few dollars, and can save your lives! What happened to “U’shmartem es nafshoseichem”? What if someone’s learning is not at the level they believe it is, and therefore they haven’t earned the heavenly protection on which they are relying? These safety measures are especially important in Charedi neighborhoods, where safety codes are very often ignored. I guess that these people are relying on Shomer pesaim Hashem.
In addition, even if R’ Kanievsky did surprisingly determine that one is not required to have fire safety systems in their home, it is quite irresponsible of YWN to gratuitously publish that comment, and thereby possibly prevent readers from installing fire safety systems in their own homes.
I wonder whether the gaon understood it’s a major system when in fact it only costs a few dollars and is easy to screw into the ceiling.
Taireh Yidden, How can we possibly doubt the directions of the Godol Hador Maran Sar Hatorah Shlitah? He says it is not needed, but if you can’t sleep, because of a lack of safety measures, install them. He didn’t say that this hishtacdlus is ossur. May Hashem Yisborach safe us!