The Letter
In a special letter appearing in Tuesday's Hebrew Yated Ne'eman under the title, "Likras Shabbos," our leading poskim, HaRav Yitzchok Zilberstein, member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah; HaRav Shimon Ba'adani, member of the Moetzes Chachmei HaTorah; HaRav Sariel Rosenberg from the Beis Din of HaRav Nissim Karelitz, and HaRav Moshe Shmuel Klein from the Beis Din of HaRav Shmuel Wosner ztzvk"l, write:
"We come to reinforce the principle to our people who sanctify Shabbos regarding the obligation for caution to avoid desecrating the Shabbos and allowing enough leeway in intercity travel on Fridays and certainly regarding air flights which have a high likelihood of delays of several hours. The obligation to be cautious obligates leaving a large margin of safety, especially since this is included in the positive mitzvah of `shamor' to keep Shabbos, as explained by the Chofetz Chaim ("Shem Olam Shaar Shemiras Shabbos").
The poskim stress further in their directive-letter: "The obligatory teaching of the Chazon Ish, HaRav Yisroel Yaakov Kanievsky, HaRav Shach, HaRav Eliashiv, HaRav Shmuel Wosner and yacht"a HaRav Nissim Karelitz is to be extremely careful in this matter already from the early Friday morning hours."
This explicit letter concludes with their strong words: "And one with eyes in his head will make clear to his household to be vigilant and to carefully avoid the risk of violating the Shabbos, both regarding preparations for Shabbos and with travel and flights before Shabbos. In the merit of properly guarding and safeguarding Shabbos which is the source of all blessing, may we merit the geula sheleima, speedily and in our times."
