This is a quote from a newspaper article:

"Rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman, do not seem to know why conflict erupted in north, but in joint published letter they recommend how to promote conflict's end "

If these Gedolim do not hazard to give reasons for today's events, can any of us have the nerve to?

Rabbi Kacev you quote that "but in joint published letter they recommend how to promote conflict's end". So what is it that the Rabbanim recommend?

Here were the suggestions;


"The Rabbis also specify what commandments should be emphasized: avoiding conflicts.

"One should do anything so at least he didn't fail doing the opposite of charity, meaning causing harm to his friends or the public."

The rabbis said that even in times when the Jewish people had foreign elements in their midst there was no conflict among the people. "We used to face the war and win, while it is not the case at times of conflict, may the All-merciful protect us, and we need to try our best to have peace between the people."

Keeping Shabbat is also a major point in the letter. "It is well-known that God almighty likes the Shabbat keeping, and the opposite is hated."
The rabbis also ask not contribute to desecration of Shabbat in cases that are not life-threatening and one should not sponsor places that desecrate the Shabbat. "This is one the things that should be accepted – do not despise the Shabbat," they rabbis ruled.

Matter of modesty

The rabbis also touched on the subject of modesty "that needs correcting, since when there is no modesty, God will ignore our requests."

Concluding the letter, the rabbis explain that they do not know what the reasons for the troubles are, "But clearly anything we strengthen could be useful for God to let up his wrath."

During last Saturday's sermon at a Jerusalem synagogue Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, leader of the ultra-Orthodox Sephardic movement, also urged the public to pray and recite verses from the book of Psalms, "as if it were judgment day." At the end of his sermon Rabbi Yosef blessed the IDF soldiers and recited a special prayer for the safe return of the abducted soldiers.

Is this article available online and which newspaper is it from?

Forgive me if I am wrong, but there are very well known reasons for the war that is going on now.

The idea of letting the other party slap you on the left cheek if they have slapped you on the right is very profoundly opposite to Judaism. And that is the reason of this war.


Hizbollah operatives kidnapped Israeli soldiers, in response to which Israel started bombarding Hizbollah's positions in the southern Lebanon, in response to which Hizbollah started sheling Israeli cities, kibbutzim, and moshavim in northern Israel, including Haifa, Acco, Tzefat, and Nahariyah.

There was a good timing to start it, and there was an opportunity to get rid of Hizbollah, just like during the 6-Day War. Not taking advantage of that opportunity would be wrong.

Yes, the lives of Israelis are in danger, especially in the North. IDF is shelling and bombing exclusively militant positions in Lebanon, and are now getting ready to start restricted surgical ground-troop incursions against militant positions, because they want to prevent deaths among Lebanese civilians.

Let us pray that this war ends soon with Israel achieving all its objectives - putting an end to the presence of militant terrorist organizations near Israeli borders, and that Israel and all of her neighbors start to live in peace.

If you have a medical problem and go to an endocrinolgist, he will give you an endocrine solution, a specialist in internal medicine, he will give you a theurapeutic regimin, if you ask a surgeon, he will recommend surgery. You are still the same person.

If you ask a political analyst, he will give you a political analysis, a military man will give you a military analysis and if you ask a Rabbi or any spiritual leader, he will give you a spiritual analysis.
The funny thing is that every religious leader, Jewish, Christian or Moslem, will give you the same answer. The divinity is not answering our prayers because of our sins and we must do repentance.
The Litai Rabbinical leaders are to be praised, as unlike some other groups, they have always maintained it is not in their ken to give political or military advice.

Aryeh Shore