Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein Calls Torah Students Israel's True Defense Against Iran's Nuclear Threat

Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein, a member of the Council of Torah Sages, delivered a heartfelt speech to the teaching staff at the Beit David Talmud Torah in Holon to mark the start of the Elul study period. Addressing the current tense security situation, Rabbi Zilberstein emphasized the existential threat posed by Iran's nuclear ambitions, calling it the greatest fear of Israeli leadership. He declared that the pure, sinless children studying Torah are the greatest weapon against this threat, highlighting their prayers and learning as a spiritual defense.

Rabbi Zilberstein urged educators to instill discipline and proper conduct in their students, warning that public displays of unruliness among Torah learners provoke severe resentment from the broader society. He stressed that these students represent the "real Israel Defense Forces," lamenting that the name has been appropriated by the military. According to him, the true defense of Israel lies in the dedication and seriousness of these children and their teachers.

He shared inspiring stories of righteous figures from Jerusalem, including Rabbi Isser Zalman Meltzer, to illustrate the importance of fear of Heaven and spiritual vigilance. These anecdotes serve as moral lessons and tools for awakening yirat shamayim (fear of Heaven) among students. Rabbi Zilberstein concluded by encouraging the teaching staff to continue their sacred mission with dedication, asserting that the answer to the Iranian nuclear threat is not fear but increased Torah study and prayer.

The speech was delivered in a packed study hall filled with dozens of advanced Torah scholars, embodying the spiritual "army" Rabbi Zilberstein described. He blessed the educators with success in their mission, emphasizing the critical role of Torah learning in safeguarding the Jewish people.