This past Erev Shabbos was the 24th yahrzeit of HaGaon HaRav Elazer Menachem Man Shach, z’tl.
On the day of the yahrzeit, HaGaon HaRav Meir Tzvi Bergman, HaRav Shach’s son-in-law, visited his kever and spoke words of chizzuk at his yeshivah, Yeshivas Rashbi in Bnei Brak.
At the kever, HaRav Bergman addressed the situation in the Olam HaTorah, saying, “It must be stated here that for a long time already, the bnei yeshivos hakedoshos have been persecuted. Already many years ago, I heard from Rav Shach that such an era will come—when every father would have to protect his children himself, that chas v’shalom they be taken into the army, and that one must be prepared to sacrifice oneself for this.”
“Woe unto us that this has befallen us in our days, and we have no one to rely on. Therefore, we ask here from Rabbeinu HaGadol, z’tl that he go before the Kisei Hakavod and plead for mercy on the Olam HaTorah, that this evil gezeirah be annulled.”
It should be noted that HaRav Shach, z’tl also foresaw the withdrawal of state funding for yeshivos.
HaRav Bergman has said many times in the name of HaRav Shach, z’tl, that if a day comes when all bnei yeshivos are drafted, it is considered a gezeiras shmad and one must give up their life to avoid complying with it.
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Why do we complain when some go to the Ohel and ask their Rebbe to intercede on their behalf? I always thought that was forbidden. Isn’t that EXACTLY what the Rosh Yeshiva Shlita did? As quoted, “…we ask here from Rabbeinu HaGadol, z’tl that he go before the Kisei Hakavod and plead for mercy…”
Question: Mishnah Berurah 581:27 clearly writes: We visit graves because a cemetery where tzaddikim are interred is a place where prayers are more readily answered. But one should not place his trust in the dead. He should just ask Hashem to have mercy on him in the merit of the tzaddikim who are interred here.