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NEWS
The Message of HaRav Shteinman for 5775
By Yechiel Sever
This past Monday morning, HaRav Shteinman arrived at Yeshivas Orchos Torah and Gaon Yaakov to deliver a message of chizuk and arousal in anticipation of the upcoming Yom Kippur. Among other things, he spoke about the role of Torah students during these Aseres Yemei Teshuvoh in general and all the more so now in this difficult period when certain elements seek to uproot everything.
"We are standing now in the Aseres Yemei Teshuva. Each year, Rosh Hashana is the determining day for all that will transpire in the coming year, as is written, `On Rosh Hashana they are inscribed and on Yom Kippur they are sealed.' While everything has already been spelled out in general, still, during these Ten Days we also undergo an exacting judgment over the entire world, the details of which we have no way of knowing. And yet, we know that we can `call out to Him when He is near,' a posuk which specifically refers to these Ten Days.
"In our times, there are very many enemies of the faith, wicked people who cause so much trouble to all Torah scholars, to yeshivos gedolos and ketanos, to kollelim and chadorim, one and all. What can we do against them? Torah is the only [weapon] and everything is dependent upon it. But the very source of Satan's vitality is in decreasing it, so that we must do whatever we can to thwart it by fortifying ourselves in Torah study. You, who are immersed in Torah, will surely merit Hashem's help, for whoever comes to be purified is assisted. We hope and trust that Hashem will save all of Klal Yisroel and enable the bnei Torah to continue their study and not, G-d forbid, the reverse. We hope that everyone will be enabled to sit and learn without any impediments.
"May we merit that these Aseres Yemei Teshuva, including Yom Kippur, be utilized to their fullest, for whoever merits atonement on Yom Kippur is fortunate for the rest of his life, and conversely, the reverse is true. May Hashem pass only good decrees upon us and enable us to delve in Torah and pursue mitzvos throughout our lives. Thus will we earn eternal life. All we need is plentiful Heavenly mercy, and the more we strengthen ourselves in Torah study, the more important it is in Hashem's sight. Let us hope that He will hear our outcry and save us from all those evil ones from amongst our own people who seek to interfere and to pass laws deterring us from studying Torah, for these enemies are not only from the world around us but wicked ones from our own very ranks. We hope that Hashem helps us and showers upon us all the good things to enable our Torah scholars to continue their study until the entire world be filled with knowledge of Hashem like waters covering the sea, and that we all merit a favorable judgment.
"May each and every one of you enjoy [much blessing] both materially and spiritually, you, your parents and your entire families, and be inscribed for the good in the books of the perfect tzaddikim, speedily, for good life and peace."
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