Residents of a neighborhood of Bnei Braq sent a letter to Rav Yitzchak Zilbershtein, rav of Ramat Elchonon neighborhood, asking what to do about a rat infestation their neighborhood is suffering - what segula could they perform to get rid of the rats, as exterminating them has not worked. They asked, what segula should we do and what ( ie of our failures and bad character traits) should we repair to rid our neighborhood of the rats?

Hamechadesh brings the response of Rav Zilbershtein to this question.. Rav Zilbershtein said there are several known segulas to rid one of a rat infestation (he doesnt mention it but one of the popular ones today is hanging the picture of Reb Shayale of Kerestir in the area), but now, he says, is not the time for segulas but the time for action. Rats go to areas that are generally dirty and where they have food in abundance, especially from garbage, and water, and old disposed of furniture they can hide under. 

Rav Zilbershtein said the presence of the rats in this area is a chilul hashem because it means these areas in Bnei Braq, which is the city of Torah, are filthy, while streets and courtyards in the areas nearby abutting Bnei Braq are clean and do not have rats.

Rav Zilbershtein says the idea that they should be more concerned about spirituality than about physical beauty and cleanliness is not true. There is a mitzva to beautify Eretz Yisrael, especially areas where talmidei chachomim live. And not being clean does not just result in an area not being pretty and clean but it also brings infestation and disease, and scares children and women. Before looking for segulas, clean up the filth! Rats naturally will be attracted to such a filthy area. Possibly they should also look at the presence of the rats as a sign from Heaven that they should clean up.

Rav Zilbershtein advised a campaign, in coordination with the municipality to encourage and fund the campaign to spruce everything up and clean the courtyards and buildings entrances, but not just clean but actually upgrade everything and make it look nice, plant grass or astroturf, cleaning campaigns for the courtyards, set up a neighborhood committee to administer all this, etc...

I love it - they ask the rabbi for a segula to get rid of rats and he tells them to just clean up their mess.