But when asked about tefilos for Israel’s physical army, he declined comment. Shtikah k’hoda’ah – his silence in the face of the official position of the organization he heads makes it very clear what his views are.
Rav Sternbuch is a major talmid chacham. He is a direct descendant of the Vilna Gaon. In his knowledge of Shas and poskim he has few peers in the Torah world. I have his nine-volume sefer “Moadim U’Zmanim.” There are few people alive today who can write seforim like that.
But it is very hard for me to understand why anyone would refuse to pray for a military that is fighting a war against those whose avowed goal is the annihilation of the Jewish people.
Praying for the welfare and success of Israel’s army should go beyond politics. Rav Shmulevitz understood that. One does not have to agree that the State of Israel has validity. One is entitled to believe what one wants and daven the way one desires. But it is beyond me how a major talmid chacham – whom many consider to be one of the gedolei hador – could publicly, through a spokesman, effectively preclude tefilos for an army of Jews putting their lives on the line to protect Klal Yisrael.
Though I disagree with it, I understand the shitah that does not want to recognize a non-religious Jewish state. I even understand the reluctance to say prayers designed for specific institutions of that state. And I appreciate that most haredim are at this time sincerely saying prayers for the welfare of the entire Jewish people, asking for mercy from God.
But to make a public pronouncement rejecting specific prayers for the very people who are putting their lives on the line for Am Yisrael is the height of insensitivity.
Where are the Rav Chaim Shmulevitzes of today?