Thousands of Sanzer chassidim from across the country gathered on Thursday outside Prison 10 for an atzeres tefillah following the imprisonment of two chassidim who were arrested after arriving at the military recruitment office to regularize their status.

Addressing the thousands in attendance, the Sanzer Rebbe said that although people sometimes feel spiritually diminished compared to previous generations, the very struggle being waged against the Torah world demonstrates the great value of Torah and mitzvos even in our generation.

“Sometimes we feel discouraged about our spiritual state,” the Rebbe said. “What are our tefillos and our Limud Torah worth compared to the previous generations, who served Hashem with simplicity and under difficult circumstances? But when we see today the war being waged against us by the forces of tumah, rachmana litzlan, it is mechazeik us to know that our Torah and mitzvos still make an impression in Shamayim, and every good deed remains precious Above.”

The Rebbe emphasized: “The war is not over Limmud Torah; the war is over our Yiddishkeit. They want to uproot our way of life and make us ‘like all the nations,’ chalilah.”

The Rebbe stressed that the public at large should not be viewed as enemies, saying that, in his opinion, most of Israel’s citizens appreciate the Torah and the Chareidi community, even if they themselves do not observe Torah and mitzvos.

“We must know and repeat this, so as not, chalila, to speak negatively about fellow Jews: in truth, most of the people living here appreciate religion, the Torah, and Chareidi Jews, even if they themselves are, to our sorrow, like children who were taken captive. They want their children and descendants to remain Jewish. They believe that Am Yisrael has no right to exist without Torah and mitzvos.”

“It is a small group of leaders and haters of religion, whose Jewish lineage is doubtful, the Erev Rav, as the holy Zohar calls them, who are trying to impose their views on the public and incite the public against us using the tools at their disposal, presenting it as though this is the opinion of the ‘majority.'”

He also related that Sanzer askanim who met with police officers before the atzeres heard expressions of regret from them over the situation.

“They told me that during the meeting between the organizers and the police regarding today’s rally, most of the officers were embarrassed and openly apologized, saying they were ashamed of who was being put in prison and whom they were guarding. They respect Lomdei Torah. They are only carrying out orders.”

“Over the past two years we have all witnessed nissim and wonders from Hashem, how the Shomer Yisrael protects the remnant of Israel. Who but a fool could say that this is not solely due to the zechus of Torah and mitzvos that protect us?” the Rebbe emphasized.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)