It took a long time for the bochurim of “Yeshivas Nesivos Chachmah -Wolfson” to regain their equanimity after the unbelievable neis that occurred outside the yeshivah on Motzei Yom Kippur when an out-of-control bus rolled down the street, narrowly missing wreaking injury or death on those in its way. The bus crushed three cars in its path and knocked down an electrical pole while bochurim on the street fled for their lives.

The Rosh Yeshivah, HaGaon HaRav Doniel Wolfson, wrote an emotional letter the next day to the bnei hayeshivah in which he shared his emotions about the great neis and what the bochurim should be mechazeik in to ensure that their zechuyos weren’t decreased by the magnitude of the neis.

Rav Wolfson wrote: “We all have the zechus and obligation to thank Hashem Yisbarach in a kahal rav on the wonderous hashgacha that we were zocheh to last night -the wonderous shemirah and protection. ‘רבות עשית אתה ד’ אלוקי נפלאותיך ומחשבותיך אלינו צדקתך לא כיסיתי בתוך ליבי.. לא כחדתי חסדך ואמיתך לקהל רב'”.

“The bnei yeshivah have a great zechus that through them it was made known to all of Yisrael – what happened at the gates of yeshivah, mamash in a rare timing, right after the signing of the din of the Yom Kodesh – to see how effective the tefillah of the tzibur kodesh is, how beloved the tefillah of each individual is, and how much all of us are in need of tefillah and protection and hissorerus, chesed and rachamim.”

“And when the incident was so soon after the end of the Yom Kodesh, at a time when hearts were open for chizzuk of emunah and tefillah – there’s no doubt that it happened in order to teach us and awaken us to the greatness and power of tefillah,  as our Rosh HaYeshivah, HaGaon HaRav Baruch [Neubert] already emphasized.”

“A very similar incident not so long ago ended in heavy and very difficult tragedies, r’l, Hashem Yisbarach should heal all the injured, and Baruch Hashem that last night everyone returned home without harm and not chalilah….”

“And as mentioned, on one hand it was truly a great zechus that such an incident occurred right outside the yeshivah and at a such a special time. But on the other hand, in order that there shouldn’t chalilah be a fear of ‘מנכים לו מזכויותיו’ and like Rav Ada Bar Ahava feared in Taanis 20 when he was brought into a makom sakanah against his will…and in the passuk ‘דקטונתי מכל החסדים’ about Yaakov Avinu, like Rashi says…Therefore it’s incumbent on each one of the dear bnei yeshivah…to be mechazeik from this koach [of the neis], from the magnitude of the protection of the bracha of “מגן אברהם” like it says ‘אל תירא אברם אנוכי מגן לך שכרך הרבה מאוד.'”

“The kavanah [in the bracha of Magen Avraham] is crucial…as well as in the bracha of Modim ‘על חיינו המסורים בידיך וכו’ – like it says in Kehillas Brachos … that one who doesn’t have kavanah in Birchas Avos [in Shemonah Esrei] should be extremely cautious that at least he should have kavanah in Modim and according to the סמ”ק – if one can’t have kavanah in all the brachos [of Shemonah Esrei], at least he should have kavanah in Birchas Avos and Modim, and how much we must awaken ourselves from this incident -על חיינו המסורים בידיך ועל נשמותינו הפקודות לך – and halavei that this will help the public at large who were moved by this great incident and through this, not only will our zechuyos not be reduced but adaraba they will be increased from the zechuyos that we’ll be zocheh to be mezachei harabim.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)