The Sentry
Real life stories. Documents. Quotes.
u In Eretz Yisroel there is a Va’ad HaRabbanim L’Inyanei Tikshores which provides a hechsher to stores that sell technological devices, to ensure that they are not selling devices that can cause severe spiritual damage. In the past year there has been an awakening in Eretz Yisroel [particularly in Yerushalayim and Bnei Brak] to gather in front of the stores who have refused to accept a hashgachah, and call them out for causing the public to sin. The authorities are particularly disturbed by these protests, as they wish to see technology “advance” among chareidim. To add to this; the government is battling to abolish the kosher phone system, one that has been extremely successful for the past two decades in maintaining a high standard of kosher phones among the chareidi populace.
How do the authorities fight the population that gathers to rightfully express their grievances? They take a page from the Soviet playbook. They arrested the mashgiach Rav Tzemach Tzarfati, who is tasked with ensuring the kashrus in the cell phone stores. He was arrested and jailed for over one hundred days, including Purim, Pesach and Shavuos.
This past Erev Shavuos a number of Sephardic Rabbanim sent a letter of encouragement to his wife, to express the appreciation for her husband’s standing at the forefront of Klal Yisroel’s struggle. And outside of the prison where Rav Tzarfati was held, groups gathered nightly to call out encouragement to Rav Tzarfati, as well as to protest the incarceration of an innocent man.
Rav Tzarfati was held without any charges ever pressed against him. Obviously he is a “counter-revolutionary” [i.e. he is a nuisance to them], only in “democratic” Israel they are grappling with the proper expression. Perhaps they are attempting to “re-educate” him as well, as they refused to allow him a room in prison without a television playing.
Baruch Hashem Rav Tzarfati has been released from prison. Please daven that Rav Tzemach Yosef ben Miriam Sabin be freed from all attempts to sideline him from continuing his avodas hakodesh, one that Klal Yisroel desperately needs.
A special phone line has been set up to leave messages of thanks and encouragement for Rav Tzarfati and his wife. The number from the U.S. is 011-972-77-507-0372.
u With a pained heart we regret to inform you of the petirah of habocher Meir Shimon Darshan z”l who tragically drowned.
Hagaon Rav Sender Erlanger zt”l once expressed; “Halevai that my portion in Gan Eden should be a fiftieth of a one-hundredth of those who are moser nefesh to not report to the draft offices.” May Meir Shimon merit a lichtige Gan Eden.
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