Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, on Wednesday night spoke to thousands of yeshiva students about their role while Israel is at war.
"We must not forget our brothers who are hostages held captive in Gaza by accursed murderers, the families of the murdered and fallen," he said at a conference for yeshiva students held at the International Convention Center (ICC). "May G-d bring them out of suffering, to comfort, and from darkness - to light."
"We must not, in any way, behave rowdily or wander around the streets or places of entertainment during a time when the People of Israel are suffering. 'I am with him in suffering' (Psalms 91:15). We need to feel this - each and every one of us, truly, within himself, and may G-d's Name be sanctified by us."
Rabbi Yosef added, "We are now only a short time before the Seder night (the first night of Passover - ed.). 'In [the Jewish month of] Nissan, the Children of Israel were redeemed, and in Nissan they will be redeemed in the future' - we have a special obligation to use the lofty days of the holiday to pass the Torah traditions on to the next generations, to draw [others] closer and arouse everyone regarding whom there is a concern that they do not find joy in learning, to help them taste the sweetness of the Torah."
"This is our responsibility as Torah learners, and this is the Torah learners' obligation of 'and you shall teach it to your sons' (Exodus 13:8) - to pay attention to those around them, and strengthen all who need support," he concluded.
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