Using Safety Rooms as Shuls

Question

I live in Beit Shemesh, and boruch Hashem many miracles have taken place during the current war, though last week a great tragedy took place in our community. Our shul took a direct hit from a missile, and nine people were killed, including three children from the Bitton family. All of us are trying to figure out how to do teshuvah, and I was wondering if we should consider the fact that some of the casualties took place in a bomb shelter in a shul.

It also seems to me that we are very close to redemption, but there is something that seems to be holding this back. Does the rov have any suggestion what we should be focusing on these days?

Rav Zafrani 

Indeed, it was a great tragedy that the Bitton family lost three children, and I personally went to pay them a shivah call. May they have true nechomah alongside the other individuals who lost family members.

As far as your question—should we consider that this tragedy took place in a shul and that some of the victims were in a bomb shelter?—the initial answer is no. Hashem’s ways are far beyond us, and since the consensus among almost all of the poskim in Eretz Yisroel is that it is the correct hishtadlus to go to the bomb shelter, those who died in, or while going to, the bomb shelter died fulfilling the words of the rabbonim.

Even though we are seeing miracles daily, the rule is that “ein somchim al haneis” and we must take the accepted precautions to protect ourselves. Here in Har Nof, large pieces of missile shrapnel have fallen on people’s porches and cars.

That said, there is always room to strengthen ourselves in kedushas bais haknesses. It is not so fitting that the same place that is used as a public safety room is also used as a shul. Many times, people were davening, and in the middle of the tefillos, they were interrupted by others coming to use the area as a safety room. Often, people talk and eat in these safety rooms and do not treat them with the proper sanctity of a bais haknesses.

It is true that the level of their kedusha is contingent on how they were initially established, but care should be taken not to be mezalzel (to treat dishonorably) places that are designated for tefillah.

As far as what we need to do to bring the redemption, each person knows the areas in which they personally must do teshuvah. However, there are two general thoughts to keep in mind. The first is that in order for the yeshuah to come, we need to be metzapeh l’yeshuah, yearning for the redemption. If we do not outwardly express that yearning, we cannot expect that Hashem will bring it.

The second area is to try and eliminate sinas chinom, as Chazal reveal to us (Yoma 9b) that the second Bais Hamikdosh was destroyed for this reason. People mistakenly think that sinas chinom does not apply to someone who unjustly hurt them. The Vilna Gaon (Mishlei 11:19) explains that even if someone hurt you, you should not have sinah toward them, for they were only carrying out the shlichus of Hashem.

I have been told that Rav Gershon Edelstein felt that this was the main issue holding back the geulah today, and he asked as many people as possible to try to take upon themselves not to get upset with others, no matter what they do to you. Of course, one has full rights to reclaim any damages, and one does not have to spend time with such individuals. The important thing is to try not to feel hatred toward them.

May Hashem end this war and bring the redemption speedily. Amein.