Mishpacha newspaper reported this past week on an interesting conversation between Rav Yissachar meir and Rav Chaim Kanievsky.

Rav Yissachar Meir is a Rosh yeshiva in the south of Israel. He opened a new Yeshiva in Sderot this year. Rav Yissachar Meir has been ill and spent some time recuperating by a relative in Bnei Braq. Rav Chaim Kanievsky went to visit him recently during this period of recuperation.

Rav Meir described to Rav Kanievsky the difficulty of being in Sderot during this time, with the Kassam rockets falling on them. He described the story of a student in the yeshiva who was miraculously unharmed during a Kassam attack.

Rav Meir also described how the yeshiva had many avreichim come to the Sderot to learn in the yeshiva. But when the Kassam rocket attacks intensified, many of them stopped coming because of the danger.

Rav Kanievsky said that the avreichim should return to the yeshiva and gave Rav Meir a bracha that the merit of studying Torah in Sderot should protect them and the whole city from danger.

Rav Meir recalled that when Israel, under Golda Meir, decided to establish Sderot, Golda Meir said that Sderot she is reserving for secular residents and Netivot would be established for religious residents. Golda Meir said, "Where the kippa rules, there will be stagnation".

Rav Kanievsky responded with a story from Poland. He said that in Poland there was a city that was under heavy fire during the war. Upon investigation it was revealed that when the city had been established the authorities had prevented religious Jews from living there.

The implication is that Sderot is under fire because when it was established the State of Israel designated it for secular residents only and did not allow religious people to move there.

In case you did not see it or do not recall it, my daf yomi shiur went to Sderot about 8 months ago to learn and show support to the people of Sderot.