The Wonders of Harav Yitzchack Kadouri

265 fall on some empty plot of land, without causing harm. Jerusalemites and residents from other cities in the central and southern parts of Israel invite their brethren from the north to be their guests. Unity in- creases. Some are offered free lodging in hotels. Those who choose to stay behind, though, make constant vi- sits to their bomb shelters. Fear and trepi- dation grip men, women, and children, as more sirens sound. Again they descend to their bomb shelters, hoping that this time it should be their last, but the end has not yet come. After a while, the rest of the country continues on with life, forgetting their brethren who languish in their bomb shelters, not sympathizing enough or uttering a prayer on their behalf. This time, they did not learn their lesson from our Patriarch Yaakov and the bundle of reeds. The lack of prayer, when compared to the Gulf War, was apparent. True, we commiserated with their suffering. But the unity was not there. We needed an extra-abundance of Divine compassion. Without a doubt, the passing of these three righteous tzaddikim, who passed away that winter, Harav Kadouri and his two close friends, Harav Darazi and Harav Atun, is what protected us from harm. We were still reeling from their loss, and their deaths atoned for our sins. Otherwise, how could we have wit- hstood the onslaught of rockets which rained down upon us, without great losses of life? It was in their merit that we were saved from annihilation. May their merit continue to protect us and all future generations, upon all of Israel, in the Land of Israel as well as in the Diaspora, Amen. May we see the ful¿llment of the verse, “May G-d bless you and watch over you. May He shine His countenance upon you and favor you. May He turn towards you and give you peace.” As the Rav would constantly bless us, “You shall have peace, your home shall have peace, and all that is yours shall have peace. G-d has given strength to His nation, may G-d bless His nation with peace,” Amen.