"Shabbos opponents have declared war against the Shabbos, and
during a time of war it is imperative to raise the banner of
Shabbos in every possible manner. As such, instructions
should be issued to everyone to use only goods produced in
shomer Shabbos factories. Even a company that keeps
Shabbos, if it owns another company or store open on Shabbos
then the Shabbos-observant [company] should not be patronized
until it closes all of its associated businesses on Shabbos,"
Maran HaRav Eliashiv shlita told the members of Vaad
HaRabbonim Lemaan Kedushas HaShabbos during a recent visit to
Maran's home to seek halachic guidelines and directives
regarding various factories that do not close on Shabbos.
At a recent Vaad HaRabbonim meeting in Ofakim attended by
local councilmen and leading askonim, information was
presented showing that all of the paper companies that claim
to be shomer Shabbos in fact operate seven days a
week. A call by gedolei Yisroel was conveyed, urging
the public to use only paper products not produced through
chilul Shabbos, from the production stage through the
packaging stage.
The participants were told that Shaniv, located in Ofakim and
owned by R' Avrohom Brandt, is the world's only factory that
shuts down completely on Shabbos. The factory produces toilet
paper, paper towels, tissue paper and napkins.
Vaad HaRabbonim members revealed all other factories, even
those which print the words "Mifal Shomer Shabbos" on
the packaging, operate 364 days a year.
HaRav Menachem Mendel Mendelson, the rov of Komemiyus,
addressed the meeting, speaking at length about the
importance of crying out in defense of Shabbos. He recalled
that when the Chazon Ish visited HaRav Amram Blau in jail
after his arrest for protesting Shabbos desecration he called
his visit "a Shabbos visit." He went on to say that it is a
big mitzvah to encourage and remind people to keep Shabbos,
noting that in only one place throughout the Mishnoh
Berurah did the Chofetz Chaim write, " . . . all who take
part would merit sons who are gedolei Yisroel":
Chaburas Mazhirei Shabbos, a group which would make the
rounds of the town, sounding the cry that Shabbos was coming.
Today the rabbonim and their shlichim and all those in
a position to protest are the ones sounding the cry, he
said.
HaRav Hillel Weinberg also spoke, saying that the bigger the
factory, the bigger the yetzer hora and the more
attempts on its part to explain why the factory can or should
operate on Shabbos. "It is terrible for us to see how so many
of the factories look for ploys, such as selling to a goy,
etc., to pose as shomer Shabbos. Here we see an
enormous factory like Shaniv, which is run by a Jew who keeps
Torah and mitzvos. It openly proclaims to other factories
that they should learn from its example that even a large
factory can shut down all its machines and totally halt on
Shabbos.
"Today there are many religious or traditional Jews who do
not want to desecrate the Shabbos but are forced to do so by
their place of work. We have the ability to prevent this by
not lending a hand to Shabbos desecraters." He also shared
the message he heard during the visit to Maran HaRav
Eliashiv's home the previous week.
