A special meeting took place in the home of HaRav Boruch Dov Povarsky, Rosh Yeshivas Ponovezh and member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

It was attended by a roster of eminent rabbonim together with rabbonim from the Mishmeres HaShabbos to discuss the pertinent Shabbos halochos regarding water pumps being installed in new buildings. Torah leadership permitted their use only after the disconnection the electronic sensor systems and the automatic operation of the pumps.

The recent meeting was called to institute that every Shomer Shabbos building in the country and the world receive full information and the apparatus necessary to avoid Shabbos desecration through electronic water pumping systems for every G-d-fearing Jew.

Only now, 39 years later, are being publicized a series of shocking documents certifying heavy accusations which were denied for many years. The world heard about them only through intimations from the Italian president Francisco Kosiga in an interview to the Israeli press back in 2008. These documents were squirreled away far from the public eye, but were exposed this past Friday in the Italian press.

In an interview granted to Yediot Acharonot fifteen years ago, Kosiga spoke about information which was liable of creating "an earthquake." He claimed that Italy permitted Palestinian terrorists to strike at Jewish-Italian targets within its borders, under an agreement known as "Ludo Moro" (Dark Game).

According to these agreements, in exchange for the Italian authorities looking the other way, the Palestinians promised not to attack Italian targets in Italy or outside it, so long as the Italians would not maintain any contact with Israel or the Jewish State.

The traditional public in Israel has begun voicing its protest. The spiritual crusade which the Israeli people is waging against the protective walls of the Jewish people regarding reforms and Reform geared to storm the barricades of Judaism is tightening its noose.

The heavenly city of Jerusalem is under siege. The remnant of the Beis Hamikdash (the Kosel) is under attack: conversion, kashrus, education, Shabbos, the family structure and its pure genealogy. They have even mongrelized the Hebrew language in which Knesset representatives express themselves ideologically and maliciously. They ostensibly speak in the name of "the public" in order to obfuscate issues and definitions. They primarily attack our educational institutions in order to raise a generation of not only apikorsim, but a generation altogether ignorant of Judaism but expert in Christianity.

Part 2

This extensive appreciation of HaRav Chaim Shmuelevitz zt"l was first published in our English Yated in 5754 (1993-94) at the fifteenth yahrtzeit.

Beware — Fire!

R' Chaim was generally able to control his emotions and refrained from outbursts of temper which might hurt another person, even indirectly. One of his disciples, whose niece had suddenly taken ill, came to R' Chaim in a turmoil. Word had reached him from the hospital that the situation was critical. By this time, the family already knew that it was too late, but they were afraid to tell him outright.

In his sensitivity, R' Chaim was aware of the situation. Nevertheless, he listened to the outpouring of woe and gave his blessing. As soon as the man left the room, however, he burst into hot tears. When his study partner asked him why he had held them back all the time, R' Chaim replied, "I saw how overwrought he was and feared that if he saw me weeping, he would break down altogether. I had to control myself until he left in order not to compound his despair."