An impressive gathering took place this past Motzei Shabbos parshas Vayakhel-Pekudei in the Tamir auditorium in Jerusalem, initiated and attended by gedolei Yisrael and thousands of yeshiva students from abroad who live in Eretz Yisrael. Its purpose was to strengthen this community against the ravages of modern technology lest they forfeit their Torah study gains in the break, before many of them return to their homes in the Diaspora.
HaRav Yosef Elefant
The gathering was opened by HaRav Yosef Elefant, one of the rabbonim of Yeshivas Mir who presented the theme and purpose of the event, describing the pollution which leads to a severance from the vitality and presence of kedushoh. Surely it is vital to be on guard that there be no recess or laxity during the zman nor in the following vacation intercession in the manner of conducting a nonstop sequence of study.
A shiver passed through the audience when the Mashgiach, HaRav Don Segal, began speaking. His words were uttered, accompanied by tears and pain, as he shouted, "And Your words are true and everlasting and not subject to change.
"The intent is not to exclude falsehood because it is inconceivable that Torah be false. The interpretation refers to one of the thirteen principles of emunah, that the Torah never be changed. The great advantage of Klal Yisrael is the Torah, because of which Jewry survived throughout the generations. Hashem's prime honor derives from mankind, and when one separates oneself from sin and fights against it, this is the greatest honor one can convey [upon Hashem]."
He shouted from the depths of his being: "The mighty power of communications lies through the eyes. When we seek to acquire Torah, we pray that Hashem "illuminate our eyes in Your Torah" and "reveal to my eyes that I can gaze upon the wonders through Your Torah." This is the purity of one's sight. The Chofetz Chaim commented on, "And He shall not see anything unseemly in you," that there are various levels of kedushoh and one can say today that had it not been for HaRav Aharon Kotler, there would have been no Lakewood. We have heard how terrible is the propelling of decent ones into the abyss, especially now as the evening shadows begin to fall and we anticipate the imminent coming of Moshiach. One who sits on the ground is a young fool. The true path is only through fortification in Torah and yiras Shomayim and the preservation of the grandeur of man."
HaRav Yehoshua Eichenstein expanded on his words, "The Jews merited the liberation from Egypt because they did not change their [Jewish] names, language and attire. There is a big difference between Eretz Yisroel and America, where many of our people are influenced by the `street' which abounds in immodesty. The whole concept of the forbidden devices is to cast a person into ruin.
"In order to preserve kedushoh, one must make safeguards, but if a person does not heed these properly, his negligent attitude filters to his children and lowers him from his stature. It erodes the concept of shteigen, of rising upward spiritually. Therefore it is imperative to create protective measures. And if a person, who has human fallibilities, wishes to attain holiness, he must sanctify himself at least in some measure in order to gain Heavenly assistance in great measure."
HaRav Chaim Mordechai Ausband aroused the audience through his vignette of a student of Yeshivas Ponovezh who was a tremendous masmid and is today a foremost Torah personage. Sufficing with only three hours of sleep, his parents were concerned for his health. He went to HaRav Shach who told him that he must sleep more. The young student dared ask if HaRav Shach also slept more hours. The latter explained that these times are altogether different from those of the past. "When I learned in my village, I had no notion of what was going on around me. The atmosphere was one of quiet, while today, everyone knows what is going on in the whole world. A person needs more sleep in order to recapture his peace of mind."
HaRav Boruch Shapira conveyed messages from gedolei haTorah. HaRav Gershon Eidelstein wished to say to the audience as follows: "Gatherings designed to fortify the public are very important because the technological devices prevalent in our times have scored many victims, especially during bein hazmanim when they are outside the yeshiva framework and environs and the danger is so much greater. One must amplify encouragement in Torah study as well as warnings to distance oneself from all forbidden things. One who makes the effort to be purified is assisted therein."
He also read the letter from HaRav Chaim Kanievsky that those who come from the pollution and impurity of the world abroad must distance themselves completely from all of those devices."
