Note: This letter issued by HaRav Shteinman and also
signed by HaRav Chaim Kanievsky has already had a big impact
in the Torah community in Israel. Maggidei shiurim and
roshei yeshiva have been inspired by it and are passing the
message on to their students. On Thursday evening there will
be special chizuk gatherings in most of the yeshivas.
*
To our regret, at this time our demolishers and destroyers
have arisen from among our own people and are scheming to
uproot Torah and its scholars. Never before have Jews risen
up to forbid Torah study and prevent us from delving into
the holy Torah. Woe unto us to be experiencing this in our
times.
When we see that Hashem has receded from us so pronouncedly
(hester ponim), when we do not know wherefore this
storm is upon us, and we have no prophet to tell us what we
must amend in order to forestall this terrible decree, let
us therefore examine our ways and scrutinize if it is not
because our very hands have become weakened in Torah that we
are being taken to task in this very area.
Consequently, it is absolutely incumbent upon us at this
time to protect the Torah and its scholars exceedingly. It
is written in Nefesh HaChaim (Gate 4 Chapter 15),
that if one sees troubles coming upon him, he should rush
off to the chambers of Torah so that those troubles will
immediately flee from him, as it is written, "Go my people,
enter your chambers."
We come here to suggest that we fortify ourselves and
increase our uninterrupted Torah study, without
disturbances, especially on those days where there is a
flagging and decline, like on Friday and Shabbos, and
establish sessions to strengthen ourselves in study. The
roshei yeshivos are also asked to encourage this.
In addition, we must reinforce ourselves in prayer and
pleading before Hashem that He abolish the terrible
decrees.
By strengthening ourselves in Torah and tefillah, we hope
that Hashem will remove from us all evil decrees so that we
may merit very speedily [the fulfillment of the prophecy]
that the land be filled with knowledge of Hashem like water
covers the ocean.
We appeal to everyone who seeks to harm Torah scholars to
desist, "Do not touch My moshiach." For at a time when our
enemies rise up against us to destroy us, only our holy
Torah can protect us. [We say to you:] Do not touch or
decrease the ranks of its scholars for this constitutes a
danger to the body and the soul, Heaven forfend.
