Last week's call by maranan verabonon to strengthen
Shabbos observance in Petach Tikvah was circulated in all
Petach Tikvah synagogues this past Shabbos as well as to the
thousands of the city's Torah-observant Jews.
A proclamation entitled, Kri'oh Ne'emonoh lemaan Shabbos
Kodesh, calling upon Petach Tikvah residents to fortify
the walls of Shabbos in their city was issued last week by
the Chief Rabbi of Petach Tikvah, HaRav Boruch Shimon
Solomon. Other signatories to the proclamation were are Maran
HaRav Yosef Sholom Eliashiv, HaRav Yehuda Leib Steinman,
HaRav Simcha Zissel Broide and HaRav Shmuel Halevi Wosner.
The proclamation entreats all residents of Petach Tikvah and
its environs not to patronize stores in the Yarkonim junction
mall that desecrate Shabbos.
The proclamation reads: "Recently, the wall of Shabbos has
been breached in a most serious manner by the opening of the
[stores in] a large commercial center in the city on Shabbos.
Such [a course of action] poses a great threat to the image
and character of the day of rest and kedusha in a
major city, founded al taharas hakodesh.
"We are bidden to do all in our power to forestall and thwart
the evil decree. Therefore, we direct and entreat all
residents of Petach Tikvah not to patronize these stores
throughout the entire week, until these stores discontinue
their errant behavior and close the gates of their stores on
Shabbos kodesh.
"Chazal's exhortation that we not patronize a store owner who
breaches prevalent price rates until he lowers the rate in an
equitable manner is surely even more applicable in respect to
the breach of the gates of Yiddishkeit and Shabbos
kodesh."
The call closes with the blessing that by fortifying the
sanctity of the Shabbos we will merit abundant brocho,
since Shabbos is the source of brocho.
The call of maranan verabonon was accompanied by an
unprecedented emergency meeting held in Petach Tikvah's
Mishkan Yosef hall. Approximately 150 municipal rabbis,
neighborhood rabbis, and other official rabbis from the Dan
and Sharon regions participated in the meeting as an
expression of protest over the distressing breach in the
walls of Shabbos there. Out of fear that this phenomenon is
liable to spread throughout the country, the purpose of the
meeting was to devise plans to curtail the ever-increasing
trend of turning Shabbos kodesh into a weekday. This
trend is unfortunately expected to gain impetus in light of
the rise of the Leftist government.
The meeting opened with the recitation of chapters of
Tehillim for the deliverance of Klal Yisroel,
led by the admor of Petach Tikvah. Stirring speeches
decrying the terrible deterioration in Shabbos observance in
our times were delivered by HaRav Y. Nagar of Hod Hasharon,
HaRav Y. Edelstein of Ramat Hasharon, HaRav Yitzchok Peretz
of Raanana , HaRav S. Unsdorfer, and HaRav Stern of Elkana.
Closing remarks were delivered by HaRav Boruch Shimon
Solomon.
At the end of the rally, decisions regarding forthcoming
measures and modes of action were made.
Throughout the day, circulars containing the call of the
moro d'asro to boycott stores which open on Shabbos
were distributed to residents of the city.
HaRav Boruch Shimon Solomon, along with the other rabbonim of
Petach Tikvah, visited the shopping mall at the Yarkonim
junction a week ago, in order to inform shoppers of the
Shabbos desecration taking place there. Since that visit,
many of the stores' regular clientele have announced that
they would stop patronizing these stores in protest of the
Shabbos desecration.
