The murderous terror attack in Bnei Brak on Tuesday night was the first one that the city has suffered.
As is well known, the Chazon Ish had promised that the limmud Torah in the city will protect it from attacks, and HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, z’tl, the Chazon Ish’s nephew and talmid, repeatedly promised that the Chazon Ish’s promise will be upheld even after his death, saving the residents from fear during the Gulf War in 1991, two intifadas, and several Israel-Gaza wars.
Tzaddik gozeir v’ Hakadosh Baruch Hu mekayeim but the tzaddik, z’tl, is sadly no longer with us.
A B’Chadrei Charedim reporter spoke with Rabbanim, many of whom quoted the words of Yeshaya HaNavi: “הַצַּדִּיק אָבָד וְאֵין אִישׁ שָׂם עַל לֵב וְאַנְשֵׁי חֶסֶד נֶאֱסָפִים בְּאֵין מֵבִין כִּי מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָה נֶאֱסַף הַצַּדִּיק” (נז, א).
According to Rashi, the tzadik is taken prior to the evil that has been decreed on the world because Hakadosh Baruch Hu doesn’t want the tzadik to ask for mercy for Klal Yisrael.
Just yesterday, HaGaon HaRav Meir Tzvi Bergman said in the course of a hesped for HaRav Chaim, z’tl, “Who doesn’t fear in the wake of the petirah of HaGaon HaTzadik, z’tl? What will be – who will protect us? Who will protect the world? Who will protect Eretz Yisrael and Bnei Brak in particular?”
“Whoever is truly afraid must do teshuvah sheleimah and this will be a zechus and illui neshamah for the tzaddik, z’tl.”
Rosh Yeshivas Slobodka HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch expressed a similar sentiment during a hesped on Tuesday night. And as YWN reported, HaGaon HaRav Baruch Dov Povarsky said last week: “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.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
If there is Achdus peace in Klal Yisroel, that will protect us. This is a Gemara and also a Medrash.
If we give people the benefit of the doubt, then there will be no Lashon HaRah in our hearts. Hashem will not let anyone to harm us. If we throw a Shtender, then the arabs might throw something else. Sorry, but this is the way that Hashem created this world. If we are going to fight amongst ourselves, then I think that we are going to lose some of the protection that Hashem has showered on us.
How can we say that Rav Chaim protects us? It is HASHEM who protects us.
Since 12 days ago we blessed with outstanding גדול-הדור Rav גרשון Edelstein שליט”א, so it is exceedingly disrespectful to talk in terms of not right now having a גדול of absolute highest caliber.
If we wish to discuss the horrendous lack of כבוד by bennett & his ilk to שמירת-המצות invoking Divine wrath, tragically this is most likely a reality.
To Yussel Hashem does protect but Hashem many times will accept the zechusim of gedolim to protect us
Does that means that only R Chaim ZT”L was truly learning Torah in the whole Bnei Brak? Something to think about…
The community needs to learn from Yehoshua HaNavi. Too often we cry to Hashem when tragedies occur but fail to take note what He answered Yehoshua when “the heart of the nation melted and turned to water.” and what Yehoshua did to repair the covenant broken by the nation. (comment from LinkedIn)