Rav Shteinman on the Hospitalization of Gedolim and Iran

My translation from Kikar:

In recent months, the Haredi public in Israel and the Diaspora has been increasing their prayers for Gedolei Yisrael whose medical situation is dire and have been transferred to various hospitals.

In his weekly Shiur yesterday, like every Motza'ei Shabbat, Maran the Rosh Yeshiva Hagaon Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman related to the hospitalization of Gedolei Yisrael recently, starting with Rav Elyashiv, the Mashgiah - Rav Matisyahu Salomon, and even - Lehibadel - the Vishnitzer Rebbe ZTVK"L, who passed to the next world.

"Lately, HKB"H is making it that there will be many people that are needed by the public to be ill," Rav Shteinman began his words.  "HKB"H desires the prayers of the righteous, and all those who learn Torah are considered righteous.

"You need to know that there is a wicked non-Jew in Iran who is preparing a large bomb.  He wants to destroy, kill and wipe out all the Jews from young until old.  However, since people talked so much about this, people became used to it and nobody is praying regarding this.  Everyone thinks, 'Nu?  Hashem will help and nothing will happen.'  But these are fools who do not understand that there is a decree in Heaven.

"However, HKB"H is merciful and gracious and desires our prayers, so HKB"H tries to shake us in every way - the main reason being so that we will pray already.  You need to know that every chapter of Tehillim recited, even if it appears that it doesn't help - as behold, the Tzaddik [the Vishnitzer Rebbe] is lost to us and it appears that as if no one is paying attention to our prayers - you should know that by HKB"H, nothing is wasted.  What did not help here will help elsewhere.

"HKB"H wants the whole world to pray.  Behold, by Rav Elyashiv, we see that people are praying and the secular doctors who are not believers are standing in shock - in their lifetimes, they have not seen open miracles [like what they saw with Rav Elyashiv] and everything is in the merit of Tehillim.  And he still need a lot of mercy from Heaven.

"Sometimes, a person thinks, 'There are so many people reciting Tehillim!' or he thinks, 'Nu?  Really, this is not our rabbi - this is the rabbi of others.'  You should know that these thoughts are improper.  In all cases, every chapter of Tehillim is important.

"Behold, now, there is a situation that everybody has a reason to say Tehillim even outside of Israel and everywhere, and HKB"H will help Am Yisrael in all types of things in which we need protection.

"Someone came to me and said, 'Who said that we need to stop our Torah learning and recite Tehillim?  These Jews are so old already!'  I said to him, "What - are they deserving a death-penalty?'  A Jew needs to know that every moment of life is a merit and with Tzadikim, there is a special importance that they live longer and longer.

"HKB"H desires the prayers of the righteous - only our prayers will help.  People don't understand - or they prefer not to think or understand - how dangerous the situation is here in Eretz Yisrael and every moment here is fear and trepidation, and if it weren't for HKB"H saving us from their hands, everything would become Tohu Vavohu - Has Veshalom.  Therefore, HKB"H is testing us in every way so that perhaps, it will cause us to pray in order to fill the repository of prayers.

"Hashem should help that they should all have a quick speedy recovery," concluded the Rosh Yeshiva's words.  This caused a great awakening among the community of listeners [of his speech].

[YY - after I wrote this up, YWN has another translation of his holy words that just came through the wires.]