Top Rabbi Warns Against Secularization, Defends Yeshiva Students

Thousands of Jerusalem residents gathered on Monday evening to hear Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch, a prominent halachic decisor, deliver a "Shabbat Shuva" sermon. The event, held at the Beit Midrash Gadol D'Chassidei Dushinsky, was attended by numerous senior rabbis, rabbinical judges, and community leaders.

Rabbi Sternbuch strongly condemned perceived attempts to undermine religious life and warned against "paths of temptation." He specifically decried the jailing of eighty yeshiva students who refused military conscription, stating, "The blood of our brethren is not forfeit!" He urged a complete separation from "the wicked" and strict observance of the Sabbath as the path to salvation.

He explained that a period of intense spiritual impurity precedes the final redemption, citing Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, who interpreted a prayer as referring to this difficult era. Rabbi Sternbuch emphasized that only those who completely separate themselves from "the wicked" will merit salvation.

Addressing the issue of yeshiva students drafted into the army, Rabbi Sternbuch declared that the decree against them is akin to a death sentence, as life without Torah is impossible. He prayed for the annulment of the decree, attributing the potential salvation to the self-sacrifice of Torah scholars.

Furthermore, Rabbi Sternbuch issued a stern warning against military tracks that are presented as religiously observant but are designed to draw students away from their studies. He also cautioned against the dangers of the internet, calling it the generation's most difficult trial, and praised those who abstain from its use, even filtered versions.

He concluded by highlighting the importance of the Sabbath, especially since the first day of Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbat this year, preventing the sounding of the shofar. He stressed that proper observance of Shabbat serves as a defense, while its desecration can lead to condemnation. The event concluded with Rabbi Sternbuch distributing over $100,000 from his charity fund to support rabbis and scholars.