Due to the alarming rise of daily coronavirus cases in Israel, which reached a red line number of over 2,000 cases on Thursday, the Gedolei Yisrael have joined the call of Chief Rabbi Rav Dovid Lau to begin saying Avinu Malkeinu every day after Shacharis and Mincha, Kikar H’Shabbos reported.

Hagaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, Rosh Yeshivah HaRav Gershon Edelstein and Rosh Yeshivah HaRav Chacham Shalom Cohen wrote in response to the shaila of Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau if it’s appropriate to begin to recite Avinu Malkeinu after davening.

In the letter he sent to the Gedolei Hador, Harav Lau wrote: “Difficult times are upon us and the doctors have not found a remedy. We understand that we have no one to rely on except Avinu She’beShamayim. Therefore I’m requesting instructions on whether to say tefillas Avinu Malkeinu in public during these days, especially to cry out during the recital of ‘Avinu Malkeinu Mena Mageifah M’Nachlasecha’ (‘Our Father, our King, withhold plague from Your people’).”

HaRav Chaim signed Rav Lau’s letter that Klal Yisrael should begin saying Avinu Malkeinu and wrote in his own handwriting that is a “devar nachon” – the right thing to do. When HaRav Gershon Edelstein received the letter, he considered it carefully for an extended period of time and then agreed and instructed that “it is appropriate to say Avinu Malkeinu.”

The Nasi of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, Rosh Yeshivah HaRav Shalom Cohen wrote in his handwriting on the letter: “The koach of the tefillah is definitely powerful… and therefore it’s important and one should daven as much as possible with a full heart and with supplications and Hakadosh Baruch Hu should accept our tefillos and answer us with ratzon.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)