Hundreds of Ramat Beit Shemesh residents participated in an
outdoor rally in response to breaches in modesty and
education at the new commercial center in Ramat Beit Shemesh
Alef.
"The center draws a segment of the population whose way of
life is incompatible, in terms of clothing and behavior, with
our way of life, and it is incumbent upon all of us to
consider this immediately and act against this problem," said
the emcee of the event.
HaRav Shlomo Zalman Perlstein, the moro de'asra of
Ramat Beit Shemesh, cited the verse about how the dove's
return to the ark with an olive leaf in its mouth made Noach
realize that the earth was dry. Asks the Ramban: How did the
dove find an olive leaf after the Flood? Says the Medrash,
the dove brought the olive leaf from Gan Eden, where
there was no flood.
If so, how is this evidence the earth had dried?
The answer is that the Flood indicated a breach and there
could not have been a Gan Eden where the flood waters did not
reach had the gates to Gan Eden not closed beforehand. They
only reopened after the Flood had ended.
"There can be yeshivas, botei knesses, tzedokoh and
chessed, a mikveh, talmudei Torah, etc., but if the
gates are not closed the flood of licentiousness and lack of
modesty will enter. One store after another was opened here
and now we are discovering the licentiousness and
chinuch problems. A committee has been set up to
oversee all modesty matters and we hereby notify the store
owners: We seek peace but the chareidim in the neighborhood
demand modesty and strict adherence in these matters."
HaRav Aryeh Shechter spoke about the problem of fringe youth
in decline due to such commercial centers and called on the
public to heed the instructions issued by the rabbonim.
HaRav Mordechai Goldstein, the moro de'asra of the
Mishkenos Yaakov neighborhood, said that worst of all is that
many people are unaware of the spiritual problems the
commercial center brings. "How can parents send their
children to make purchases in a place that causes such great
harm . . . ? If we take this matter to heart and all of us
care about these spiritual problems we will have siyata
deShmaya and HaKodosh Boruch Hu will help us
succeed. I call upon all of the store owners to accommodate
the public. Our children's education is dear to us. If we
insist on it they will see they have no choice other than to
change their ways."
Following the last speaker, HaRav Tzvi Davidovich, the rov of
the Chassidic congregation, called on each and every resident
to join the campaign. When HaRav Nosson HaKohen Kopshitz
joined the rabbonim together they strode into the commercial
center with hundreds of local residents, asking store owners
to uphold the spiritual character of Ramat Beit Shemesh. Many
business owners agreed to honor the regulations formulated by
the rabbonim.
Holy Shabbos
Moments before Shabbos began last week, hostile elements
whose identity is not known, damaged the generator system
used to provide kosher electricity on Shabbos to residents of
the chareidi section of Beit Shemesh — the latest in a
string of incidents in recent months in Beit Shemesh and
Jerusalem.
Shortly before Shabbos several avreichim called to
complain that the generator was not providing them with
electricity. When a quick inspection revealed the generator
was operating properly it was discovered the central cable
had been severed where it passed over the roof of an
educational institution. Since it was too late to repair the
cable on time, hundreds of residents were left without kosher
electricity throughout Shabbos.
Following previous incidents leading rabbonim including HaRav
Shmuel Auerbach, HaRav Chaim Pinchos Scheinberg, HaRav Nissim
Karelitz, HaRav Yitzchok Scheiner and HaRav Aryeh Finkel,
signed letters denouncing these acts by inshi delo
ma'ali.
