The Gerer Rebbe emerged after a month-and-a-half of not being able to see his followers due to the health restrictions in place in Israel, and stood at the window of the Beis Medrash Hagadol on Yirmiyahu Street in Yerushalayim in order to participate from afar in the Levaya of Reb Efraim Landau Z”L. Rabbi Landau was one of the main people responsible for helping to build the Bais Medrash in Yerushalayim. He recently passed away after a long ordeal with an illness.
The last time the Gerer Rebbe was seen in public was during the Yartzheit for a previous Admor of Gur, just after Purim. Then also the Gerrer Chassidim were very limited in attending in order to protect the Rebbe and only his immediate family were allowed to participate. Many Chassidim stood on the roadways and saw the Rebbe as he entered and left.
Following the passing of Rabbi Landau, The Rebbe expressed his desire to participate in the funeral procession. As the procession approached the Bais Medrash, a window opened above and the Rebbe was seen behind the open widow standing next to his personal Gabbai.
The rumor of the sighting of the Gerrer Rebbe spread like wildfire among the Chassidim and droves of Chassidim rushed to Yirmiyahu Street in order to try to get a glimpse of the Rebbe. The Chassidim wore masks and filled the sidewalks and traffic circles of the street while distancing themselves from one another. For close to 20 minutes the Rebbe stood at the window listening to the Funeral procession and the Hespeidim given for Rabbi Landau as well as the kaddish which was said at the Levaya.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
How inspiring! I guess that as 20 people are allowed to participate in a funeral, those droves of Chassidim who rushed to Yirmiyahu Street in order to try to get a glimpse of the Rebbe were taking part in a demonstration which is a permitted activity, unlike davening in the Gerrer Beis Hamedrash. Unlike political demonstrations which are usually raucous affairs against someone or something, this was a raucous demonstration in favor of the Gerrer Rebbe. As I said, how inspiring!