Israel – Prominent rabbis from the Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox sector have offered their own curious interpretations for the upheaval that is spreading through the Middle East, stating that the events are a clear proof that a higher power is at work.
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The cellular portal Haredim, which offered a collection of responses on the matter, quoted Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman, the leader of the ultra-Orthodox Lithuanian sector in Bnei Brak, as blaming the instability in the region on contemptuous attitudes towards Torah study.
“Recently it appears that there is a powerful effort to destroy and agitate the world of the Torah, through various attempts to prosecute kollels and yeshiva students,” Steinman said. “When you try to agitate the world of the Torah, God agitates the world.”
Steinman explained that the sages of the Talmud teach that there is a connection between Torah study and the existence of the world.
“God does great and strange things in the world, to make them deal with the (disasters) instead of looking for ways to mind those observing the Torah and the mitzvot,” he said. “Because if they don’t study, it will continue to move closer to us.”
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, an unconventional Lithuanian leader who is believed to have mystic powers, offered a different explanation. “It is evident that many unnatural things are happening,” he said. “People have come to me and said that it’s ‘Gog and Magog’ (Armageddon). We cannot know. But it’s probable that any unrest that God creates shows that the Messiah is coming, and that we must begin to prepare for it and become stronger.”
Another prominent rabbi, Michel Yehuda Lefkowitz, is certain that God is causing the turmoil in order to put the people in their place.
“God goes and humiliates (those feeling) sinful pride,” he said. “At first there was this little fire here, and a state that thought that it is big and strong suddenly needed help from the entire world. Not a war, nothing special, just a small fire.
“When they continued to think that they are smart, and see everything and understand what to do and how to do it, God came and disturbed the nations, and here they are, scared again because they could not predict such a big thing, and again they do not know what to do,” he added. “God is laughing at them, waiting to see when they will understand and become wiser.”
The one who does not see that God is running the world, Lefkowitz concluded, is not evil, but a fool.
wise words from wise men. we should be wise & listen.
interesting they all know what god thinks does and why things are happening this boggles my mind how someone can say theese things its like they are above it all #1 you are a gigantic shoite you think people can be fooled all of the time well surprise they arent.
it would be helpfull if you can get a video clip ,where we can view and listen to them saying it in context.
sadly so much of the holiness is lost when translated to an article on the web.
it almost makes them sound like what they are not.
for anyone who has ever met them and spoken to them personally, the experience is surreal. They are most human and caring people it is hard to imagine one can reach such great heights, and still be willing to help anyone in need.
their homes as tiny as they are seem like grand central station no privacy whatsoever tiny homes, simply fasicnating.
may we be wise and pay attention to the happenings and realize it is unusual times.
I said that all along! Hashem has His way of sending signals to His people.
Seichel it is the same Islamic hordes which invaded Europe in 16th century robbed, killed, maimed and finally were beaten back, and during WWII aligned with Hitler. Platitudes are not a response if these radical Imams fire up wild hordes who are unemployed, ignorant and ready to kill mayhem will result
Too right! When even the Litvish start talking about Moshiach, we have to take notice…
I think that the anti-semites are starting to self-destruct.
he who wants to be spared the pangs of moshiach should be involved in torah study and loving kindness.
to bubbi # 2.
they are above us all. I fear for your unbelieving neshama, to knock the gedolims words. you should be trembling in fear.
to # 7 . same to you, to support an apikores
It took the Litvishe Velt 30+ years to jump on in Lubavitch outreach wagon. They seem to have jumped onto Moshiach a little quicker. Kudos to them 🙂
It’s interesting that while the other two are certain that G-d is behind this and also tell us what G-d has in mind, Rav Chaim seems to hedge his bet:
“But it’s probable that any unrest that God creates shows that the Messiah is coming, and that we must begin to prepare for it and become stronger.”
Seems to me that he’s not even saying that it’s certain that G-d created this, only that IF He created it, .. .
of the 3 Gedolim quoted, only 1 allegedly indirectly mentioned Moshiach. BTW, why are Chasidishe so quiet?
It’s common sense. Anyone who is a maamin knows that we are definitely close to Moshiach’s time. It is not something to take lightly or to scoff at. Only those who deserve it will merit the coming of Moshiach. I hope I am one of them.
To Bubbii: Those that learn and live the Torah with all their being, are inculcated and imbued with a Torah perspective. They view the world and all it’s happenings from that ingrained Torah perception. That is what gives them the vision, the sense, and the right – even more – the responsibility, to tell Klal Yisroel what they feel. Furthermore, those that live a Torah life, look to those Gedolim to tell us their visions and heed their warnings.
Seems to me that you don’t live a Torah life – or you would not have written what you did.
So what? The Arabs are revolting and suddenly Moshiach is coming? The Arabs are ALWAYS revolting!
Oh, no, here we go again. Great Torah personalities making childish statements, popular with the hysterical BY girls, but not good for much else.
The Turks on their march through Greece and Serbia, Bosnia reached Vienna aoprox. 1675-1678 and were rebuffed by Prinz Eugen later an elite SS division
I wonder the Palmach in Galil haelyon in 1948 was instrumental in staving off the Syrians. The Palmach , Kibbutz Artzi members were not from the dati . Someone besides their blood helped Maybe you don’t have direct line to the himmlen
tanach is not just for notzrim check out daniel 11:40-12:3
40. And at the time of the end, the king of the south will clash with him, and the king of the north will storm over him with chariots, with horsemen, and with many ships, and he will come into the lands and inundate and pass. מ.
41. And he will come into the land of beauty, and many will stumble, and these will escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the choice of the children of Ammon. מא.
42. And he will stretch forth his hand upon lands, and the land of Egypt will not survive. מב.
43. And he will rule over the treasures of the gold and silver and over all the precious things of Egypt, and the Lybians and the Cushites will be at his steps. מג.
44. And tidings will terrify him from the east and from the north, and he will go forth in great wrath to destroy and to exterminate many. מד.
45. And he will pitch his palatial tents between the seas and the beautiful holy mountain, and he will come to his end, and no one will help him.
12:1 Now at that time, Michael, the great prince, who stands over the children of your people, will be silent, and it will be a time of distress that never was since a nation existed until that time, and at that time, your people will escape, everyone who is found inscribed in the book. א.
2. And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken-these for eternal life, and those for disgrace, for eternal abhorrence. ב.
3. And the wise will shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who bring the multitudes to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.
Just because they are quoted as saying these things doesn’t mean they said them, many holy people have been misqouted before. And I find it hard to believe they said these things because the whole premise is ridiculous. The revolts in Egypt , Tunisia etc. are to promote democracy and freedom. Whether or not these will be attained is questionable , but that is the goal of the protesters. So how does it make sense that a lack of Torah study is bringing about these “evil” events ? Seems to me it shows we are learning so much Torah that all people around the world are now gonna be zoche to better lives.
Even if one is not willing to accept that these are the ultimate reasons why Hashem did it, one can still take these valuable lessons from this situation. Hashem of course knows these lessons will be understood and perceived by our gedolim. Are these the sole reasons of Hashem? I imagine no one has a clue, but that is totally irrelevant, for these lessons are definately from Hashem.
actually i asked my father this week and he told me it’s written in teh baal tenura about the arab uprsining before mashiach comes