In a powerful address delivered at a fundraising dinner for Keren Olam HaTorah, the mashgiach, Rav Don Segal, spoke about the current cuts in government funding to yeshivos and kollelim, declaring that this shift reflects the will of Heaven. “It is the will of Hashem at this time that the funding for yeshivos come solely from Jews who are shomrei Torah u’mitzvos, who fear Hashem,” he proclaimed.
The dinner took place at the home of philanthropist R’ Jimmy Khezrie, with many prominent supporters of Torah in attendance. Despite his frail health, Rav Segal made a special effort to attend. As he entered, the evening’s host acknowledged the mashgiach’s effort to be present “despite his weakness, in order to help save the yeshivos and kollelim.” The crowd rose to their feet to welcome him with heartfelt singing before taking their seats to listen to his words.
In his speech, Rav Segal framed the current funding crisis not as a misfortune but as a Divine opportunity. “The lack of government support is not a setback,” he said, “but rather a sign from Heaven. Hashem wants to bring merit to the Jewish people by having the Torah supported by them—not by those who do not observe Torah and mitzvos.”
He continued, “It seems that in order for klal Yisroel to be saved, Torah must now be sustained with pure funds, given by yirei Hashem who uphold the holy Torah. That is why Hashem has brought us to this point, where the money that supports Torah will come from religious Jews—from bnei Torah across all circles—so that the funds are zach, pure. As the Chovos Halevavos writes, ‘The little that is pure is the greatest.’ It may be less—but it is pure—and that makes it far more.”
{Matzav.com}