"Our Hands Did Not Spill the Blood of This Plague"

"..., so that you may say with sincerity and testify, 'Our hands have not shed the blood of this plague'." The firm letter of the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Brandesdorfer shlit"a, Head of the Heichal Hora'ah Rabbinical Court, to the honorable Rabbinical Committee for Communications Affairs.

"It is known to all that the people of Israel are in need of abundant Heavenly mercy now, as the terrible plague of the Coronavirus spreads, consuming many souls of Israel, may Hashem protect us.... No calamity comes to the world except for the sake of Israel, 'to instill fear in them so that they will return in teshuvah (repentance)."

Rabbi Brandesdorfer opens his letter by mentioning the severe troubles afflicting the people of Israel as a whole, and immediately links this to the despicable activity of persecuting the tzaddik, Rabbi Eliezer Berland shlit"a, and the holy community of Shuvu Banim. A persecution that reached the level of actual 'mesirah' (informing), utilizing terrible means of slander, distortion, bribery, etc. (as testified by the rabbis who worked in their basements and became disillusioned following the plague; for further reading, see Rabbi Menachem Kluger and Rabbi Pinchas Bunker).

Rabbi Brandesdorfer continues in his firm letter:

"..., therefore I have come to deliver the judgment according to clear Torah law - that according to Halacha, you are obligated to act and stop the plague by immediately closing and blocking all the lines that are flawed due to the sin of lashon hara (evil speech) and gossip, etc., and in particular, one line that operates under the guise of the 'Breslov Line', which is broadcast by a few young individuals and instigators of conflict who cast terror upon the rabbis. As I have heard from the leaders of the Breslov communities, they do not stand behind this line at all, and not one of them takes responsibility or says, 'It is upon me and my neck' regarding the content heard there. And as you know, this line is entirely founded on words of lashon hara and gossip, insults, and baseless hatred, and it ignites the fire of conflict that burns the souls of the children and youth of Israel who listen to these lines."

"... Therefore, it is simple that according to Torah law, you must immediately close this line with all its numbers and branches, so that your hands may be clean and you may be able to say with sincerity and testify, 'Our hands have not shed the blood of this plague.'"

"May Hashem help that in the merit of removing this stumbling block that exists under your authority, Hashem will remove His burning anger and have mercy on the members of His people who are writhing under suffering and death, may the Merciful One save us. May the people of Israel be saved from this harsh decree, and may Hashem hasten the Geulah (Redemption) for us, speedily in our days."

The file for download, distribution, and the merit of the public

Update: Member of the Council of Torah Sages, the Gaon Rabbi Shimon Baadani shlit"a, and the Chairman of the Committee for Purity of Communication, the Gaon Rabbi Aharon Feinehandler shlit"a, have added their signatures and their opinion to the letter. For the updated letter, click the following link: