Archaeologists involved in excavations at the kevarim of tana’im in the north in Tzipori are the cause of the latest protests against the Israel Antiquities Authority and others involved in the project.
According to Rav Yisrael Kalmanovitch, he and others who traveled to Tzipori on motzei shabbos were truly surprised by the number of police waiting for them, expecting their arrival. He explained on Sunday morning that if they would have anticipated some 400 police, including Yassam and other commando forces, they would have left earlier.
Police stopped the protestors who were trying to make their way to Tzipori numerous times in a number of cities, and according to the rav, he personally was detained in Tiveria and other places, a total of four times, adding some of the chareidim were “beaten without mercy and the press was banned so the actions of police could not be documented”.
Four chareidim were also arrested on Malchei Yisrael Street in Yerushalayim as the taxis with public address systems circled the streets on Sunday morning calling on the tzibur in Yiddish and Hebrew to come out and protest the abomination, the “chilul kevarim” in Tzipori.
Rav Kalmanovitch explained he and others arrived at about 2:30am, adding the police and the use of “unjustifiable force” will not deter them, “nor will arrests”, stating “quite to the contrary, these actions will only serve to increase the determination of protests who understand the mesirus nefesh required to protect the kevarim of the holy tena’im”.
The rav lamented the reality that these are the kevarim of truly holy people, including Rav Yehuda HaChossid and Rebbe, stating “one policeman asked me ‘why do you call us Nazis?’ to which I explained even Nazis did not do the things you are doing”.
The rav added “The Brisker stated we must be moser nefesh for the kevarim and we will, without permitting anything to deter us from halting the chilul kevarim”.
Rav Kalmanovitch stated that protests will take place around the country, including Coca Cola Junction on Sunday night, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Yerushalayim and elsewhere, emphasizing their determination and commitment, vowing to continue until the “kofrim” back off.
When asked how many arrests were made, the rav state “I am not sure buy many many people were detained and arrested”.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
Do they know for a fact that kevarim ARE being desecrated, or is this a pre-emptive strike???
We have to realize how much these people are moser nefesh. They left Yerushalayim last night at 12am! they travelled upto two hours to get there! Even getting beaten and arrested dont stop them! This is true Kidush Hashem! Rabbeinu Yona in Sharei Tishuva writes that in reality it is impossible to honor Hashem, after all he has everything. What honoring Hashem means is that we show that to us Hashem is special. Thefore, explains Rabbeinu Yona, honoring Hashem means that even when it is difficult we do Hashems will. This is why one who dies Al Kiddush Hashem is considered to have been Mikadesh Shem Shamayim to the fullest extent. That is because he shows that doing Hashems will is worth more then anything! Honoring Hashem does NOT mean that people think we are doing the right thing! A person who dies so as not to worship an idol is Mikadesh Shem Shamayim even if everyone thinks he is nuts. Although we do find the idea of Kidush Shem Shamayim by a Jew who acts nicelt, this does Not apply when it comes to Mitzvas. When we do Mitzvas the biggest Kidush Hashem is when people think we are crazy and we do it anyway. This shows how much we value doing Hashems will!
They are digging it is not just a “pre-emptive strike”. We need Moshiach now!