HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein signed a letter on Thursday afternoon instructing Talmudei Torah to be closed for a short period due to the soaring number of coronavirus cases in Israel in recent days and ahead of a full lockdown beginning on Thursday at midnight.
“Since due to our many sins, children will be forced to learn at home for a short period due to the increase in [virus] cases, the principals, melamdim and parents should make every effort that there won’t chas v’shalom any bittul Torah of Tinokos shel beis Rabban and encourage even more learning and davening,” the letter stated.
“And the Talmudei Torah should be reopened as soon as possible.”
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called the home of HaRav Chaim Kanievsky and spoke with HaRav Chaim’s grandson, Yanky Kanievsky. The prime minister wanted to ensure that HaRav Chaim would issue a statement about closing schools.
The prime minister hinted that there will be increased enforcement by the police during the upcoming lockdown without any compromises under the new police commissioner who recently entered his position. Netanyahu also emphasized the risks caused by the British virus variant.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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One Response
While closing the schools, they remain silent regarding the behavior of some of their peers, as reported here on YWN, who are still mindlessly holding simchas with no masks and no social distancing while the world is literally burning around them. Is it that they are in fear of criticizing the reckless behavior of other rabbonim or just are willing to accept it as something over which they have no control.