Rav Moshe Sternbuch Declares: “We Are Not Afraid of Iran but of Israel's Government Policies"

The article on Matzav only reinforces my belief that certain Gedolei Yisrael today are completely disconnected from the lived reality of the rest of Klal Yisrael. This Shabbos, we spent hours running to shelters, and a cluster bomb even struck Eshtaol near Beit Shemesh, right across Highway 38, injuring nineteen people.

Yet Rav Sternbuch declared that “the greatest danger facing Klal Yisrael is not external enemies, but internal spiritual decline and government policies.”

Anyone actually living in Israel knows that this statement does not reflect reality. It is a narrative fed to him by those around him. Rav Sternbuch does not follow the news, has no TV or radio, and relies entirely on the people who surround him—people who benefit financially from maintaining a particular anti‑Medina agenda and who rely on naive American donors who are unaware of what is really happening here.

The truth is that since October 7, Israel has experienced a remarkable spiritual awakening. Entire communities have become shomrei Torah u’mitzvos, and the change is visible to anyone who opens their eyes.

Rav Sternbuch then quoted the Chazon Ish:

“I am not afraid of the bombs; I am afraid of the desecration of Shabbos, because that is what causes the bombs. And today as well, we say: we are not afraid of the missiles from Iran—we are afraid only of the leaders here who are defiling the people of Hashem and trying to take yeshiva bochurim into an army that is entirely heresy and apostasy.”

But now that bombs actually did fall in Bnei Brak—injuring people and destroying buildings—a new version of the Chazon Ish’s words suddenly appears.

For years, many in Bnei Brak insisted that the Chazon Ish promised the city would never be bombed. When that proved false, the claim shifted to “no one will be injured.” And now that injuries did occur, the narrative has changed again: “The Chazon Ish said he is not afraid of bombs.” The inconsistency speaks for itself.

Even more troubling is the statement that the Jewish army—whose soldiers protect every one of us—is “entirely heresy and apostasy.”

Anyone living in Israel knows this is simply untrue. My own neighborhood is filled with hundreds of IDF soldiers, and they are shomrei Torah u’mitzvos. To label these young men and fathers as heretics is a baseless accusation against Jewish children in uniform and must be rejected forcefully.

For a Rav to make such claims in a Shabbos Hagadol drasha is deeply painful and, frankly, a cChillul Hashem. Of course, he was speaking to an audience predisposed to accept these messages, surrounded by the most extreme elements.

Rav Sternbuch also claimed that the government is closing yeshivas and cutting funding. This is demonstrably false. Not a single yeshiva has been closed, and no funding cuts have taken effect. In fact, just last month, the Zionist government transferred 800,000 shekels to mosdos haTorah. Yes, there is debate about future cuts—but that debate exists because certain leaders refuse any form of enlistment, even for those who are not learning and who spend their days loitering and harassing girls in the streets.

 In a dramatic and forceful drashah delivered for Shabbos Hagadol, Rav Moshe Sternbuch warned that the greatest danger facing Klal Yisroel is not external enemies, but internal spiritual decline and government policies.

Thousands streamed Thursday night to the main beis medrash of the Dushinsky chassidus in Yerushalayim to hear divrei Torah from the senior posek. As is customary each year before Pesach, Rav Sternbuch addressed a packed crowd that included senior rabbonim, members of the Badatz Eidah Hachareidis, admorim, and prominent Torah figures, all seated without ceremony as they listened intently.

Opening with profound Torah insights, Rav Sternbuch soon turned to urgent issues confronting the community. Speaking with deep emotion, he addressed the security situation and the broader challenges facing the Torah world.

He said, “The Chazon Ish already said: I am not afraid of the bombs; I am afraid of the desecration of Shabbos, because that is what causes the bombs. And today as well, we say: we are not afraid of the missiles from Iran—we are afraid only of the leaders here who are defiling the people of Hashem and trying to take yeshiva bochurim into an army that is entirely heresy and apostasy.”

Rav Sternbuch also spoke strongly against efforts impacting the yeshivos, including closures and funding cuts, emphasizing the foundational role of Torah learning.

He said, “These criminals here do not understand that the entire world stands on the Torah of tinokos shel beis rabban. This is literally the destruction of the world.”

In another part of the address, Rav Sternbuch sharply criticized those who ascend the Har Habayis against halachic guidance, warning that such actions provoke danger.

He said, “There are those who provoke the nations and ignite a fire of hatred. About this it is said: ‘Who asked this of you, to trample My courtyards?’ This is unnecessary and dangerous provocation, and it must be protested with full force.”

Following the drashah, a rare and notable moment took place in the beis medrash, as Rav Sternbuch personally distributed financial assistance to rabbonim of the Eidah Hachareidis through his private fund, Kupas Tamchin D’Oraisa.

Amid financial strain and delayed salaries within the Eidah, Rav Sternbuch organized a group of donors—including supporters connected to Satmar and benefactors of his yeshiva in Beit Shemesh and the well-known kollelim of Teshuvos V’Hanhagos—to provide relief ahead of Yom Tov.

He reviewed the checks and personally handed envelopes containing $1,000 grants to each rov and moreh horaah. In total, more than $100,000 was distributed to dayanim and members of the Badatz, in coordination with the leadership of the kollelim and the Vaad Hapoel of the Eidah Hachareidis.

Is Ger Ripping off the public by Fundraising for Arad? When they get Government funds?

It is heartening to see that every Jew—regardless of where they live or which community they belong to—feels the pain of a fellow Jew who is hurt or suffering, and instinctively looks for ways to help.

For this reason, when the families in Arad were left with nothing after the disaster and received no immediate assistance, it became the responsibility of the broader public to step in and support them in every possible way.

Yet when it comes to Arad, the Gur Hasidim have turned the situation into a major fundraising opportunity, collecting millions. They established a committee and a foundation and are now calling on the public to donate.

But for what purpose exactly?

Even if money is needed before government compensation arrives, are the Gur institutions truly unable to lend the necessary funds temporarily? Of course they can. But this is not about loans. They are capitalizing on a tragedy, knowing that many people will donate out of compassion—despite the fact that a significant portion of the money may ultimately end up elsewhere.

In Bnei Brak, the government will only compensate for buildings that were legally constructed. Where illegal additions—rooms, balconies, and other structures built without permits—were damaged, there will be no government reimbursement. Those areas will need to be rebuilt privately.

According to government policy, war-related damages and injuries are compensated generously, as these individuals are considered war victims. These payments are substantial. The question is why the public is being asked to contribute millions when official compensation is already part of the process?

Sergeant Moshe Yitzchak Hacohen Katz fell in southern Lebanon

 Sergeant Moshe Yitzchak Hacohen Katz, aged 22, from New Haven, Connecticut, a soldier of the 890th battalion, Paratroopers Brigade, fell during combat in southern Lebanon, it was cleared for publication on Sunday morning.

During the incident in which Sergeant Moshe Yitzchak hacohen Katz fell, three IDF soldiers were moderately injured.

The soldiers were evacuated to receive medical treatment at the hospital, and their families have been notified.

On Friday, an IDF officer was severely injured, and an additional officer was moderately injured as a result of an anti-tank missile fire during an encounter in southern Lebanon.

During an additional incident early on Saturday morning, an IDF officer was severely injured, and six soldiers were moderately injured as a result of rocket fire toward IDF troops operating in southern Lebanon.

The soldiers were evacuated to a hospital to receive medical treatment, and their families have been notified.

Six injured near Beit Shemesh following launches from Iran

 Vyacheslav Vidmant, 52, has been named as the man killed by shrapnel impact on Friday night in Tel Aviv.

Vidmant was struck by a fragment from an Iranian cluster missile. Two people lightly injured in the barrage were treated at another site in the city.

Since the start of the war against Iran, 22 civilians have been killed, in addition to four soldiers killed over the past month.

Senior Magen David Adom (MDA) paramedic Lipa Hirsch described the scene: “We arrived in the Tel Aviv area within minutes with ambulances and mobile intensive care units. We saw a man around 60 years old with multi-system trauma. We conducted medical checks, and unfortunately had to pronounce him dead at the scene. We are continuing to search to ensure there are no additional casualties."

A cluster missile barrage launched overnight toward central Israel and Jerusalem struck 12 different sites in central Israel, including several impacts in Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Petah Tikva, and Givatayim.

Additionally, 13 people were injured Shabbos afternoon by a strike in Eshtaol, near Beit Shemesh. They were evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem suffering light injuries, blast injuries, and shock. All are in mild condition, and five of them are under the age of 15.

Zera Shimshon Parshat Tzav

 

Gerer Chassidim recklessly entering their bombed homes that are on the verge of collapsing!

 

Charedie Causes Chillul Hashem by putting on his Talis and Tefillin

What???? How could one cause a Chillul Hashem by putting on Talis and Tefillin? 

When you do it in public in Egypt!!

The Chardeie culture is a culture of "recklessness" they have no problems climbing up on crains 30 stories high! They have no issues with cramming in 25,000 people in a stadium in Meron designed for 5,000 and then blaming  the disaster on Zionists who had warned them that this was a disaster waiting to happen. They have no issues bringing their babies in strollers to their violent protests then blaming the Mishtara for turning over the carriage! They are playing the "victim" game but no one is buying this anymore! 

Here is a guy who is leaving Israel via Egypt a hostile country, and he has no qualms of displaying his Talit and Tefillin to a bunch of Jew-Hating Muslims. He was detained by the Egyptians, and who got him out of this self-inflicted quagmire?? Satmar ass'kanim? Rav Landau????

The Zionists!!!! That's who!! if it wasn't for the Zionists that he hates he would have been in Egypt during Pesach screaming ..... לשנה הבאה בירושלים!

A young Israeli man was detained at the Taba airport in Egypt on Sunday after praying with a tallit and was not allowed to board his flight. He was released and permitted to fly only after intervention by Israeli officials, according to a Ynet report.

Due to restrictions at Ben Gurion Airport, many Israelis have been using the small international airport in Taba — located about a 40-minute drive from Egypt’s Taba border crossing — to leave or enter Israel.

Aviel, an Israeli passenger on the flight, witnessed how some of his fellow Jewish passengers were treated by Egyptian security officers.

“I arrived at the airport early. It’s a very small terminal with no internet and almost nothing there. We were flying to Athens on a plane carrying 180 Israelis. Sitting next to me in the terminal was a Haredi man reading a Gemara and moving his head. Suddenly, an Egyptian security officer pounced on him and said: ‘It is forbidden to pray in this terminal. Give me your passport immediately.’”

Aviel said he stepped in and told the officer the man was not praying but reading, and the Egyptian security officer was convinced and left him alone. However, later, as passengers waited to board, another young Israeli took out a tallit and tefillin. A military officer approached him, said prayer was not allowed and demanded his passport. The young man was detained, taken away and did not board the flight.
Following intervention by Israeli officials, the young man was eventually released and allowed to board a later flight.

“In Egypt you have to be careful,” Aviel said. “It was really frightening. They don’t allow anyone to pray there. People were afraid to speak up or get involved.”

Monsey Gets Hit by an Iranian Missile

 

The above photo is an ad by a Chassidishe store selling hats!

They think that they are being clever, but what it shows is that many Chassidim living in the USA are totally disconnected with the Jews in shelters in Erez Yisrael! They have no empathy and no sympathy whatsoever! 

The American Chassidim "stuck" in Israel during this war, couldn't get out fast enough, and went back to the USA via Mitzrayim

 Ironically, it is the season of celebrating the RBS"O taking us out of Mitzrayim, but these Chassidim decided to leave Eretz Yisrael to go back to Mitzrayim!

One returning chusid being questioned upon his arrival at JFK laughingly said, that "Sharm El Shech" reminded of his "Shteeble back home!" Totally clueless to the pain and suffering of his fellow Jews in Eretz Yisrael! 

At the end of the seder they will mockingly yell:

לשנה הבאה בירושלים

Though Hashem Took Jews Out of Egypt to Bring them to Israel Now Jews Leave Israel to go back to Egypt

 

Two Chareidie brothers Indicted for espionage for Iran

 The indictment was unveiled against the two ultra-Orthodox brothers from Beit Shemesh and Beitar Illit for espionage offenses against Iran. (Off the Record)

The court allowed the publication of the indictment against two ultra-Orthodox brothers from Beit Shemesh and Beitar Illit, who are accused of communicating with Iranian intelligence officials and passing security information to the enemy.

According to the indictment, the two brothers fabricated information and used artificial intelligence software to produce documents and information that they passed on to an Iranian agent named "David" – in return they received more than 100,000 shekels.

One of the brothers, the main defendant in the case, used the false identity of a young man who stole his ID card and photo from the Telegram app, and posed with them as a soldier in Unit 8200.

The brothers' lawyer claims that they are two Zionist and patriotic brothers who wanted to 'sting' the Iranians. "The state should award them the Israel Prize for their contribution to the security of the state."