Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef on Monday morning echoed the words of a leading Lithuanian-haredi rabbi, instructing that yeshiva students avoid any non-Torah learning activity, due to the security situation.
In a letter, Rabbi Yosef explained, "In these days, when Israel's enemies have raised their heads, and alongside miracles and Heavenly wonders that we have merited to see each day, they do not cease their attempts to increase the fallen in Israel, certainly we must not act in these days as if it were routine, and we should completely cancel any trip out which is not connected to Torah study or prayer."
He added, "Thank G-d, we have merited that the benches of the study hall have remained full, and Torah learners have continued to stand guard in prayer and Torah study and have persisted in their holy task, and made their nights like day in the tent of Torah, throughout the entire period of this terrible war."
Jewish people "have no power other than with their lips," he concluded, calling on yeshiva students to "pray for the welfare of the security forces in any place they may be, for the recovery of the wounded, and for the return of all of Israel's prisoners."
Earlier, Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, a leader of the Lithuanian-haredi community, instructed his students to cancel all planned trips during their study break.
"All trips will be canceled and the students will sit in the study hall to study Torah for the merit of Klal Yisrael (the entire Jewish nation), for the return of the abductees and for the speedy recovery of the wounded," Rabbi Hirsch instructed.