Top Rabbi Warns Against Military Service, Internet Use

Thousands of Jerusalem residents gathered on Monday evening to hear Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch deliver a "Shabbat Shuva" (Sabbath of Return) sermon. The prominent rabbinic decisor, known for his strict interpretations, spoke at the Dushinsky Great Beit Midrash, with numerous other rabbis, judges, and religious scholars in attendance.

Rabbi Sternbuch strongly condemned perceived attempts to undermine religious observance and warned against "paths of temptation." He specifically decried the detention of eighty yeshiva students who were imprisoned for refusing military conscription during the High Holidays, stating, "The blood of our brethren is not forfeit!" He argued that forcing yeshiva students into the military, which he characterized as "full of impurity and heresy," is akin to a death sentence, as Torah study is essential for life.

He urged a complete separation from "the wicked" and those who promote secularism, emphasizing that this isolation is the key to survival and success. Citing Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, Rabbi Sternbuch explained that a spirit of severe heresy and impurity will pervade the world in the final hours before the coming of the Messiah, and only those who completely separate themselves from the wicked will be saved.

The rabbi also issued a stern warning against programs that lure yeshiva students into military service under the guise of religious observance, calling them "traps." He further cautioned against the dangers of the internet, labeling it the generation's most difficult trial and the source of "the father of all impurities," advising complete avoidance, even of filtered internet access.

Rabbi Sternbuch concluded by emphasizing the importance of observing the Sabbath, especially since the first day of Rosh Hashanah fell on a Saturday this year, preventing the observance of the shofar ritual. He stated that proper Sabbath observance acts as a defense, while its neglect can lead to negative judgment. The event concluded with Rabbi Sternbuch distributing over $100,000 from his charity fund to support rabbis and scholars.