From the COLlive inbox:
A video has been making the rounds from Israel, and I think it’s worth a moment of attention.
There’s obviously no shortage of serious news coming out of Israel right now that deserves our focus. This isn’t instead of that, it’s in addition.
The clip shows an elderly man walking into a shul or beis medrash and returning a sefer to a wall-mounted bookcase. Within seconds, the entire case rips out of the wall and comes crashing down on him.
It appears he walked away unhurt, which is honestly a miracle. Anyone who has ever lifted a stack of seforim knows how heavy they are. A full case like that falling on someone, adult or child, could cause real, serious injury.
It feels like a simple but important reminder for those responsible for maintaining a shul: take a few minutes and do a basic safety check. With Pesach cleaning coming up anyway, it’s a perfect time. Do a walk-through and check that bookcases are secure, shelves are stable, and anything mounted is properly fastened.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Hire a handyman, or have a capable volunteer look things over.
And it’s not just bookcases. Loose flooring, exposed outlets, or a mezuzah that came loose in a side room are small things that are easy to overlook but can matter.
Venishmartem is a Mitzvah just like biur chametz is…
Thank you for your attention to this matter 😉
VIDEO:
Next thing he knows he’s waking up as a sickly 4 year old girl in a world without books……
(Okay I know this won’t be put through but I still had to….)
Pls explain, your thoughts dont seem coherent
This isn’t right to post
have some respect
This should bring awareness to us when building and installing book cases which we do all the time, to do it right!
Children love to climb on book shelves .
What kind of parents allow children to climb on bookcases? Do you allow your children to climb up onto and sit on the stove?
This couldve happened to a child
Who wouldve been buried under the seforim!!!
Great reminder to secure our bookcases amd dressers to the wall!!!
Be aware! A bookcase collapsed on a person, please be sure that all bookcases are securly attached to the wall.
A famous legend tells that the 18th-century Lithuanian Rabbi Aryeh Leib ben Asher Gunzberg, known as the Shaagas Aryeh, died after a heavy bookcase fell on him (though this is considered more of a story or “myth” rather than a documented historical fact). According to the tale, the books that fell were those of authors with whom he had disagreed. He asked forgiveness from each sefer he disputed with, and each forgave him, except the Levush, a large, heavy set of seformin like-shulchan Aruch, which refused to forgive me, and he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
What a miracle. And thank you for posting to bring this to people’s attention. It seems people in our community rely on miracles too much but we really ought to do our part and protect those around us