Don’t Rely on Mystical Protection,” Rabbis Warn Bnei Brak Residents After Deadly Missile Strike

 

In the wake of a direct Iranian missile strike that killed 75-year-old Avraham Cohen in Bnei Brak early Monday, leading rabbis are urging residents to ignore rumors of supernatural protection and instead adhere strictly to the life-saving instructions issued by the IDF Home Front Command.

Yedioth Ahronoth reports that senior rabbis from United Hatzalah—including Rabbi Avraham Yeshayahu Karlitz, national halachic director Rabbi Naftali Halperin, and Bnei Brak branch head Rabbi Effi Feldman—met Monday morning with some of the generation’s leading halachic authorities. The delegation presented video footage, photographs, and firsthand accounts from the impact site, which is located just steps from a local school.

Following the meeting, the rabbis released a public letter warning against complacency and theological misunderstandings. “There is a complete obligation to enter a shelter or safe room upon hearing a siren,” the rabbis wrote. “Only if no such option exists should one move to the stairwell. Do not rely on statements falsely attributed to the Chazon Ish regarding protection over Bnei Brak. Such claims are inaccurate and endanger lives.”

The warning comes amid reports that some Bnei Brak residents have continued to dismiss alerts, citing the presence of Torah learning and revered sages in the city as a form of spiritual shield. While these beliefs have deep cultural roots, the rabbis made clear that they cannot substitute for practical action in a time of war.

Radio host and journalist Yisrael Cohen addressed the issue on Monday’s broadcast of his show on Kol Barama, saying, “Even I didn’t always take shelter during sirens. But now, we go down to the basement. My wife cleaned it out. There’s a sense that this time is different—this is more serious than anything we’ve known.”

According to United Hatzalah, their rabbinic team is in ongoing communication with Home Front Command officials to ensure the needs of the observant community are being met. Among the practical concerns discussed is the dissemination of emergency alerts on Shabbat, a matter that will be addressed in accordance with halachic rulings issued by top rabbinic authorities.

In the words of one rabbi involved in the meeting, “Pikuach nefesh—saving a life—overrides everything. There is nothing more mystical than preserving life through responsible action.”