At a nationwide conference held at the end of last week gedolei Yisroel shlita told Hatzoloh Union and Hatzoloh Gush Dan volunteers they should carry out their holy work only through the existing framework under the management of observant Jews who firmly uphold the directives of the rabbonim, based on guidance from gedolei Yisroel shlita, not subjecting themselves to the dictates of Magen David Adom figures seeking to distance chareidi volunteers.
HaRav Ezriel Auerbach shlita, a member of the Hatzoloh Union's Rabbinical Committee, read an excerpt from a message sent by Maran HaRav Eliashiv shlita: "The matter is clear and you must stand firm. Rescue organizations can only be managed in a framework subordinate to the instructions of the rabbonim, and efforts must be made by those who have the power to thwart figures seeking to disrupt the continued work of the volunteers involved in saving lives in accordance with halochoh."
In his central address HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman shlita said: "It would seem this whole gathering is superfluous. Everybody knows saving lives is a great thing, and lehavdil, even the nations have rescue organizations.
"What we would like to point out...is that one cannot save another person's soul and lose his own in the process! And if he is not safeguarding his own soul, is he truly engaged in saving people? No, he is engaged in losing lives!
"...If [a rescue worker] does not act properly he loses his soul, which is prohibited. This is what we wanted to point out, and although this should come as nothing new, it is the essential point — one must always keep in mind his task is to engage in saving lives, and not in causing souls to perish. Not a single soul should be lost, not his own and not other people's.
"And may HaKadosh Boruch Hu help those who operate under the supervision of rabbonim and engage in saving lives rather than allowing souls to perish. May HaKadosh Boruch Hu help them in all matters, may they and their family members succeed in their undertakings and may they be granted goodness always."
HaRav Nissim Karelitz and HaRav Yissochor Meir also spoke, telling the volunteers to stand firm in adhering to the directives of maranan verabonon.
