The message. Quite a few words of admiration, respect, and rare appreciation have been directed at Rabbi Kanievsky over the years. The short nickname 'Rabbi Chaim' was affectionately used by countless Jews, and the many stories about his righteousness, perseverance, and holiness are part of the Haredi narrative, in whose light every child in the sector, and beyond, grows up. Quite a few have also personally experienced the stories of miracles that have been associated with his name.
However, it seems that the rabbi's unequivocal statement prior to the Hamas rocket attack on Israeli cities, that "bombs will not fall on the city of Bnei Brak as promised by Maran Chazon Ish," is one of the monumental, or faith-boosting, statements made in the public sphere in recent decades.
This is not a blessing, good advice, or the hagiographic stories of fans whose credibility needs to be confirmed, but rather a promise from an old Jew, who is not a military expert, in the days leading up to the heavy barrage. The distance between Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, and Bnei Brak is so tiny, and the standard deviation in launch accuracy does not need to be great for a light breeze to tip it toward Rabbi Akiva Street.
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But Rabbi Kanievsky took responsibility, and in a confident, sharp voice, without a trace of hesitation or apprehension, declared, just as before any offensive operation, that there was absolutely nothing to worry about. Is there any entity in the cosmos capable of presenting such a statement even before Hamas' first barrage? If anyone knows such a figure, please let me know.
Enoch series. The directors of the Beit Yaakov seminars, as reported on the Haredim10 website, are feeling increasing frustration: "The Minister of Education is 'harassing' them, leaving the status of the seminars unclear, not responding to inquiries, scheduling meetings and then canceling them, and harassing those who contact him in a way that jeopardizes the start of the year, with no answers to allocations and budgets.".
Seminarians also complain that "the Ministry of Education's treatment of Haredi educational institutions is like treating them as less than second-class citizens. As part of the harassment, seminar representatives are sent from one agency to another within the Ministry of Education itself, and the various agencies play with them like a ball.".
I sought to identify traces of embarrassment, resignation, or even cynicism in the seminar directors' text, and found none. Among the multitude of statements, no one stood up and mentioned that what the Minister of Education is doing to the directors, they have done, for decades, to thousands of their students, mainly those of a certain ethnic origin.
If we use their terminology, it would sound something like this:
""The parents of the girl, Hava Amsalem, are feeling growing frustration. The director of the Ashkenazi seminary is 'harassing' the candidate of Mizrahi origin, leaving her in limbo. He does not respond to the parents' inquiries, and harasses those who contact him in a way that jeopardizes the girl's studies at the beginning of the year.".
The parents of the Eastern girl also complain that "the Lithuanian principal's treatment of the Spanish girls is like that of less than second-class citizens. As part of the harassment, the girl's parents are being taken from one agency to another, and the various agencies are playing with them like a ball.".
King of the Malls. When one of the managers and founders of the major casinos in Las Vegas died, the writer Mario Puzo wrote that the bets of the thousands of people who attended the funeral the following night were so great that the spirit of the deceased could have enjoyed the outcome. I was reminded of this statement when David Azrieli, the king of the malls, passed away this week [in contrast], and that day I found myself in one of the malls he owned. Hundreds of people – most of them, by the way, ultra-Orthodox, including mainly seminary girls giggling, holding each other's hands, and holding small cardboard bags – did not stop shopping in the shoe and textile stores, and stocking up on fast food, with only a modest sign at the entrance to the mall announcing the death of the man to whom we all donate our money.
An act that happened. Returning from the funeral was difficult. He died young, leaving behind two small children. It was especially sad to see the face of his friend, Shimei, who could not stop crying bitterly. 'I understand that you are having a hard time recovering from the passing of your friend,' I asked to share in his grief.
''No,' he answered me between bursts of tears, 'I'm crying because I was honored to give a eulogy.'.
''So what's the problem?'
'"I spoke after Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau and before Rabbi Baruch Mordechai Ezrachi," he replied, and he seemed as unhappy as he had ever been.
