Harav Yehudah Aryeh Dunner, Rav of central Bnei Brak and a renowned posek, called to the public on Wednesday to welcome the upcoming Shabbos ten minutes early for the victory of US President Donald Trump.
“This week, we changed the clocks to winter time in Eretz Hakodesh,” Rav Dunner said. “This means that tzeis hakochavim is an hour earlier and this greatly affects us our preparations for Shabbos. In another few days, it will be erev Shabbos Kodesh and everyone should be aware and be prepared ahead of time that Shabbos will begin at 4:15 p.m. [in Jerusalem] instead of 5:15 p.m. No one should wait until the last minute.”
“This could be very difficult for some. There are those who in the summer who haven’t even finished their Shabbos preparations by 7 p.m. and now it will be 4 p.m. Everyone should start early and not chalilah cause chillul Shabbos.”
“We know that the zechus of Shabbos, to bring in Shabbos early, is a great thing and brings many yeshuos,” Rav Dunner said, illustrating the concept with a story about the Chofetz Chaim harnessing the power of bringing in Shabbos early by ten minutes on one Shabbos only as a zechus for a choleh, who was subsequently healed.
“We don’t have the slightest concept of the tremendous benefit Shemiras Shabbos brings us. We know that Rosh Yeshivah Hagaon HaRav Shteinman, z’tl, said that bringing in Shabbos ten minutes early brings us great merit.”
Rav Dunner then strongly emphasized how Jews have a tremendous obligation of Hakaras HaTov (gratitude) to President Trump: “The US election is next week and Hagaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein already said a few weeks ago that since Trump has done many favors for Am Yisrael we must have great Hakaras HaTov to him and he requested that all the shuls daven for his refuah [when Trump contracted the coronavirus].”
“We very much hope that Trump is victorious – for the benefit of Am Yisrael and limmud Torah and for Torah institutions and the kiyum of Torah. So what’s the eitzah? It’s worthwhile to consider bringing in Shabbos early – the zechus of Shabbos will stand by him.”
“In other words, we’re requesting from Hakadosh Baruch Hu that in the zechus of Shabbos that we’re bringing in early, Hashem will see fit to have mercy on us and assist us in seeing the continuation of Trump as U.S. president next week.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
