The following are excerpts from the weekly shmuess of HaRav Povarsky:
We find ourselves in a time in which the middas hadin is outstretched, and the Hand of Hashem causes storms throughout the world, to the extent that many places have been disrupted and some are at an almost complete standstill.
It is worthwhile to think deeply about what Hashem has wrought and who or what is the cause of this great storm, as it says (Eichah 2,3): "He caused a fire to burn in Yaakov, a flame destroys all around." The medrash there comments: "Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says, `When calamities come only Yaakov feels them.' Everything that happens in the whole world is with Yisroel in mind, and HKB"H wants to arouse us. The end is that Yaakov will burn and we will come to arousal and the take care of what needs fixing.
Certainly we are obligated to be careful and to conduct ourselves responsibly and not to put ourselves into danger. The great obligation upon us is to feel that we are the cause of it all and to search and inspect all our deeds, to see what we must fix. When we do this the purpose of the problems will have been fulfilled and the flaws will be mended and the world will return to its normal functioning, be'ezras Hashem. This obligation is incumbent on each and every one, without exception, and especially to bnei Torah upon it is said that HKB"H pays detailed attention in His immediate surroundings even to a single hair.
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Also now that bein hazmanim is coming up and anyway it is difficult to maintain the routines of the yeshiva because of the difficult situation, the obligation is incumbent upon us to continue our closeness to Torah will increased intensity and strength. Because the power of Torah protects from all bad things and all the dangers.
HaRav Povarsky noted that it is important and valuable to remain connected with the community, so one should try to at least learn together with a chavrusa, and one should seek to remain attached to the yeshiva and its way of learning.
The following are excerpts from the weekly shmuess of HaRav Povarsky:
We find ourselves in a time in which the middas hadin is outstretched, and the Hand of Hashem causes storms throughout the world, to the extent that many places have been disrupted and some are at an almost complete standstill.
It is worthwhile to think deeply about what Hashem has wrought and who or what is the cause of this great storm, as it says (Eichah 2,3): "He caused a fire to burn in Yaakov, a flame destroys all around." The medrash there comments: "Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish says, `When calamities come only Yaakov feels them.' Everything that happens in the whole world is with Yisroel in mind, and HKB"H wants to arouse us. The end is that Yaakov will burn and we will come to arousal and the take care of what needs fixing.
Certainly we are obligated to be careful and to conduct ourselves responsibly and not to put ourselves into danger. The great obligation upon us is to feel that we are the cause of it all and to search and inspect all our deeds, to see what we must fix. When we do this the purpose of the problems will have been fulfilled and the flaws will be mended and the world will return to its normal functioning, be'ezras Hashem. This obligation is incumbent on each and every one, without exception, and especially to bnei Torah upon it is said that HKB"H pays detailed attention in His immediate surroundings even to a single hair.
...
Also now that bein hazmanim is coming up and anyway it is difficult to maintain the routines of the yeshiva because of the difficult situation, the obligation is incumbent upon us to continue our closeness to Torah will increased intensity and strength. Because the power of Torah protects from all bad things and all the dangers.
HaRav Povarsky noted that it is important and valuable to remain connected with the community, so one should try to at least learn together with a chavrusa, and one should seek to remain attached to the yeshiva and its way of learning.
