With the pending legislation in Eretz Yisroel which would cut funding and severely cripple the Kollel Youngeleit and Yeshivahs, Gedolim in America have joined Gedolim in Eretz Yisroel in calling for a Yom Tefillah this Thursday.
The Gedolim are calling on Yeshivas and Batei Medrashim to set Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan as a day of Tefilla to be Mevatel the Gezeirah.
Translation Of The Kol Korei (Was originally written in Hebrew):
Nation of Hashem! Let Us All Be Strong!
And increase our prayers on behalf of our holy Torah in our holy land.
It is a distressing time for Torah and its students in Eretz Yisroel. Various powerful political forces have been emboldened to seek to undermine the invaluable treasure of our lives and the very soul of our people – the study of Torah in the holy yeshivos and kollelim brimming with precious young men who dedicate their days and nights to Torah-study, becoming fonts of Torah for all of Klal Yisroel.
Before us is a clear and present danger, chalila, the removal of students of Torah from their botei medresh through varied pressures and threats. Both yeshivos as institutions and their talmidim as individuals are currently imperiled, both physically and spiritually, may it never come to pass.
It is likewise reported that the government is planning to issue a decree against the pure chinuch of the youth, seeking to interfere with the education provided by mosdos hachinuch and veer them from the path laid down by the “eyes of the community” over generations.
At a time of crisis like this, the order of the hour is to lift our eyes Heavenward and increase our prayers and supplications, and engage in repentance and good deeds, for the sake of our Torah and our holy tradition in the holy land.
And so we join the call of the rabbonim and gedolei Torah in “the palace of the King,” Eretz Yisroel, to designate a day of tefilla on this Erev Rosh Chodesh Sivan, to gather in our holy yeshivos and batei kneisios and say Tehillim and the order of Yom Kippur Katan, to awaken ourselves to repentance before our Father in heaven.
May HaKodosh Boruch Hu hear the sound of our cries and grace us with mercy, kindness and everlasting salvation.
Iyar 5773
Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah in America
CORRECTION says
It is important to note that this has nothing to do with Yeshiva funding. We do not make such a ruckus about money. That is not what they mean when they say “they seek to undermine the invaluable treasure of our lives and the very soul of our people – the study of Torah in the holy yeshivos and kollelim brimming with precious young men who dedicate their days and nights to Torah-study, becoming fonts of Torah for all of Klal Yisroel.” They do not mean money.
I personally recently heard the following from R’ Aharon Feldman shlita. He spoke to R’ Aharon Leib Shteinman about the ongoing events in Eretz Yisroel.
As we know, there were some Gedolim and Rebbes from Eretz Yisroel who wanted to come and make a demonstration in New York to protest these terrible decrees. Rabbi Shteinman was strongly against this demonstration.
Rabbi Feldman said that he did not ask him why he opposes the demonstration, but he assumes it was for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons is because if we demonstrate, the secular Israelis will think we are protesting budget cuts. Rabbi Feldman said “We do not demonstrate for money.”
The reason we should demonstrate is because the government thinks that they could decide who should be learning and who should not. They are deciding how many people we need in Kollel and for how long, and how many should not be there.
This, Rabbi Feldman said, is a Gezairas Shemad, and is Yaharog V’al Yaavor. They are trying to uproot Torah from K’lal Yisroel. It is purely a battle against the Torah.
In addition, they want to cut down the pure Limud Hatorah from the Yeshivos in Eretz Yisroel, and introduce secular studies int the Yeshivos there. We cannot imagine how pure the Torah is in Eretz Yisroel. They are raging a war against the Torah and those who learn it.
The experts say that the army doesn’t even want us. Under the new law, they would have to make a separate battalion for the Chareidim. They would have an army within the army. It would never work.But all that is irrelevant. They just want to stop the Torah Learning, no matter what.
We should, and need to protest for the honor of the Torah. It should be a “Machaa L’kovod Hatorah”. But since the seculars would never understand this, and they would think it is all about money, we cannot make the demonstration.
However, Rabbi Shteinman did agree that we could and should make an Atzeres Tefila. But we need to understand, IT IS NOT ABOUT MONEY!! It is about Kavod Hatorah, and the battle against it.
Rabbi Feldman said he, and the other Gedolim, are afraid that Torah Life in Eretz Yisroel is now over. It was good for a while, but not anymore. Soon they will pass a law that those in Kollel and Yehivos will not be allowed to vote. We will lose our seats in the Knesset, ch”v, and the Gezairos will get worse.
R’ Feldman said that these decrees are happening as a result of our slacking in yegias Hatorah, toiling in the Torah. It is true we are learning, but are we leaning with the yegiah we should be?
R’ Feldman was asked: But are we so much worse now then we were a few years ago? Why now?
He responded: It’s simple! Until now, we were protected by the super unnatural Yegias Hatorah of Reb Elyashiv zt”l. His learning filled the gap which we were missing. But now that we lost Reb Elyashiv, the gap is there, and we are being pushed.
So we asked Rabbi Feldman: Are you saying that the decrees are a direct result of the passing of Reb Elyashiv zt”l.? He said: for sure. It’s not a doubt.
Let us all Daven and strengthen our learning, and nullify the decrees of sh’mad that are upon us!
Frumm says
If the chareidim push for a chareidi unit and the IDF refuses, at least then there will be an excuse for not joining the IDF. (edited)
D. Sidney says
Pardon my ignorance, but do the Israeli government’s plans regarding Haredim affect anything aside from money? My impression is that they are generally proposing (a) to cut funding to Haredi schools that do not teach math and English, and (b) to deny various financial benefits to those who are drafted but refuse to do national service. These are obviously both financial measures. The “correction” to this post suggests that at issue are non-financial measures. Are any actually planned? Any sources on this matter would be appreciated. Thank you.
More than Money says
No, it’s not just money. They are planning on arresting anybody who does not report to the draft. And they want to close down any Yeshiva who does not have secular studies in their curriculum.
They view the chareidem as parasites, and will do anything to stop Torah learning.
D. Sidney says
More Than Money: I believe you are incorrect. I don’t know about the draft, but they are NOT planning to close down yeshivos that do not teach secular studies. Those yeshivos will simply receive less or no funding. (As evidence, see the second paragraph of this article: http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/news-detail.php?SECTION_ID=1&ARTICLE_ID=37755.) There’s a lot of misinformation going around; that’s why I asked for sources. Do you know of any reliable website that discusses what consequences the government intends for Haredi draft-dodgers? Thanks.
More than Money says
D. Sidney,
First of all, the fact that those who do not report to the army will be arrested, has been all over the news. Both the secular news, and the chareidi news sites. See here http://www.timesofisrael.com/ultra-orthodox-draft-dodgers-to-be-jailed-in-future/ or here http://www.timesofisrael.com/hundreds-of-arrests-warrants-sent-to-draft-dodging-ultra-orthodox/
I personally heard from R’ Aharon Feldman shlit”a, who heard from people “in the government”, that the real agenda is to close down the Yeshivos.
Instead of linking to your article, maybe see here http://matzav.com/dov-lipman-in-his-own-words-kind-david-is-my-guy-a-warrior-a-politican and see what this fellow’s agenda really is.