I am reprinting a letter sent by Rav Betzalel Rudinsky Shlita Rosh Yeshivas Ohr Reuven and one of the greatest talmidei chachomim and geonim in the USA.
The Gedolai Yisroel have requested that kish echod blev echod we join together in lower Manhattan today, to daven Mincha byachad, say Tehillim followed by Avinu Maklkei, Slichos and Kabolas ol Malchus Shomayim. My strong feeling is that any time the Gedolai Yisroel make a request for us to join together to daven on behalf of Kllal Yisroel, it is a privilege for us to be part of it.
As I have said on many occasions, I have the deepest sense of appreciation for the Misras Nefesh of the many young Jewish men in the Israeli army. Whenever I visit Eretz Yisoel, I never fail to ask a soldier for a bracha for myself, my family and the entire Kehilah. Invariably they seem puzzled by my request and so I explain to them that they are in a state of constant mesiras nefesh for Kllal Yisroel and are therefore the most worthy to give a bracha.
This being said, there is a tremendous need for Toras Eretz Yisroel to survive, in order for us to maintain our security in Eretz Yisroel. Whenever that balance comes into question, we must daven to Hashem that the Torah continue in full force as we are in need of tremendous Rachamei Shomayim to be protected from the many enemies that surround us.
The Torah should never be used as an escape for those who falsely claim that they are learning, when in reality they are idling around while others are giving up their lives to protect the country.
Lastly, from my perspective, the fact that we are in a position today, where hundreds of thousands of Jews are in a state of constant machlokes over these issues, is alone a need for Tefillah, so when one davens they should daven for the achdus of Klal Yisroel.
I heard many times from Rav Yaakov Kaminetzky, ZT"L that the reason why Tzom Gedaliah was chosen as a fast day, commemorating the death of Gedaliah rather than picking another time when tzadikim died, is because Gedaliah was killed by a Jew. The greatest Tzar, is when things get to a place where Jew is against a Jew. Hopefully through our Tefillos, Sharei Shomayim should open up and the Torah of Eretz Yisroel will continue to usher in success on the battleground and ultimately the achdus of Klal Yisroel will bring Moshiach Tzidkeinu, Bimhairah v'Yameinu.
I would suggest for all those who are unable to join in Manhattan to take upon themselves an extra hour Torah or Tefillah learning.
