The Torah elders and leaders, members of Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, assembled in the meeting room of the Bnei Brak headquarters of Degel HaTorah, the holy movement which was founded by HaRav Shach and HaRav Yosef Shalom Eliashiv, together with ylct"a, HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman.
The members of the Moetzes had gathered for a special meeting in preparation of the upcoming municipal elections to fend off the enemies of Hashem who have arrogantly made serious breaches in Klal Yisroel. These enemies have struck at everything dear and sacred to the shomrei Torah umitzvos public already suffering severely to the choking point as a result of the heightened persecution. We are facing a terrible threat to every facet of our religious lives due to their oppressive decrees and measures of shmad. Their overt goal is to confound and uproot everything held holy by the Torah and yeshiva world, whose blessed development and growth are thorns in their eyes. And despite of it, the more they persecute us, the stronger we become and the more we proliferate, thanks to the guidance of `the eyes of the community', the Rosh Hayeshiva, who pilots the flagship of loyal Yiddishkeit through the roaring waves threatening to sink that ship.
Message from the Rosh Hayeshiva HaRav Aharon Shteinman shlita
We know that we are in constant need of Heavenly mercy. In the prayers of these past Yomim Noraim, we beseeched that the rule of the wicked be wiped off the face of the earth. This holds true for all times, but all the more now, when a government of the deliberately sinful is out to destroy our community. We desperately need our prayers to be heard, that this government be removed from our land.
This prayer mainly refers to Eretz Yisroel, where, boruch Hashem, Torah and yiras Shomayim have greatly increased and where so many yeshivos have sprung up. Indeed, the decree is mainly upon Eretz Yisroel, requiring us to pray that Hashem heed our plea and remove this government. Once this happens, we trust that all things will fall into place.
These are the tribulations which precede the coming of Moshiach. And just like with birth pangs, the more intense they become, the more imminent is the birth, so too is our intensified suffering a sign that the redemption is nigh.
The also Rosh Yeshiva addressed himself more directly to the upcoming elections and the fact that one need not expand on what is so obvious when so much is in the balance. He thereupon asked that the conclusions of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah from the protocol be read before him.
