A conversation with Rav Chaim Ozer Sternbuch, son of Rav Moshe Sternbuch

 

Since the devastating attack which has been labeled “October 7,” the ongoing war and overall situation of the Yidden in Eretz Yisrael has remained at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Despite the geographical distance, we all sense an innate bond and connection with acheinu bnei Yisrael, and we express that throughout our constant tefillos on their behalf and whatever other support we can offer, be it monetary or zechusim of Torah learning and chessed.

Over the last few months, the news has reported a lessening in the fighting in Gaza, lending a small sense of relief. However, at the same time, a different war has begun—a war on religion. The Israeli government, hiding behind a facade of promoting equality between chareidim and chilonim, has begun to wage a fierce war on the Torah world by freezing funding to the yeshivos and kollelim and demanding that the bachurim and yungeleit be drafted to the army.

These “Adirei Hatorah” have displayed tremendous strength in the face of the attempts to essentially destroy them in a spiritual sense, but the pressure is tremendous, and the real danger of many of them being put into jail is imminent. Where can they turn to receive guidance and chizuk? The answer, of course, is da’as Torah.

Rav Moshe Sternbuch, who is known as a phenomenal gaon in Torah and tzidkus, who authored at a young age the prolific and classic set of sefarim Mo’adim U’zmanim and currently serves as “Ga’avad” of the Eidah Chareidis, has recently assumed a new unofficial title—“Zekan Hador.” In this capacity, he gives over the crystal-clear message of da’as Torah, attained by the many decades of unrelenting hasmadah, guiding the tens of thousands of bnei Torah in their battle.

His son Rav Chaim Ozer, rosh kollel of Kollel Teshuvos Vehanahagos, met with the Voice to give over his father’s words. He was accompanied by his son, R’ Dovid, currently the gabbai of his grandfather.

Ominous warnings

During the weeks and days preceding the horrific events of Simchas Torah last year, R’ Moshe repeatedly warned that dangerous times may be coming, something which can only be attributed to an elevated level of ruach hakodesh. Before ne’ilah on Yom Kippur, he cried out in his yeshivah that there are only moments left to daven for the gezeiros of the coming year to be annulled.

These warnings became more explicit during chol hamo’ed Sukkos when, on two occasions, he discussed how one should conduct themselves on a Simchas Torah during a time of massacre. Upon being informed during the hakafos on Simchas Torah what had transpired, he simply responded, “I have warned about this for a while already” before proceeding to instruct everyone to pause the hakafos to recite tehillim.

The unrest and ongoing war in Eretz Yisrael would naturally cause anyone to be afraid, however R’ Chaim Ozer, quoting his father, says, “For those who keep the Torah, there is nothing to fear.” After seeing the open miracles which occurred to the areas of shomrei Shabbos, including Ofakim and Tifrach, in which the terrorists who had previously mapped out these areas as part of their path of terror, inexplicably turned in the opposite direction, R’ Moshe is confident that no harm will befall those who heed the mitzvos.

A rosh kollel’s account

As a rosh kollel, R’ Chaim Ozer witnesses firsthand the incredible pressure facing yungeleit as a result of the draft law. “It is a greater nisayon for avreichim than bachurim,” he explains. They are promised monetary support and an ability to get a job eventually, something which could be very enticing for a yungerman.

“However, they have exhibited tremendous gevurah and strength, not bending to the pressure,” R’ Chaim Ozer exclaims. The numerous potential pitfalls facing someone who is shomer Torah u’mitzvos in the army include a laxity in shemiras Shabbos being as everything is labeled as “pikuach nefesh,” being forced to use a smartphone, and an immoral atmosphere.

“Never before has there been a situation like this,” says R’ Chaim Ozer, the pain evident in his voice. “It’s a very difficult situation. Some bachurim who have been jailed couldn’t withstand the pressure and decided to get drafted.”

The real warriors

The refusal of the chareidim to serve in the army may seem to some, especially those with a secular mindset, as cruel and heartless. At face value, this accusation seems well-grounded. A war is going on, and hundreds of soldiers are being killed on the battlefield, while the chareidim evade the draft and comfortably stay in the beis medrash.

What’s the correct response and attitude in the face of such an accusation? “The hashkafah of my father,” says R’ Chaim Ozer, “is that they are the ones evading the army. Any person who has the ability to bring protection through keeping Torah and mitzvos is a soldier of the highest degree. By attempting to draft them, you are destroying the best soldiers.”

The belief and understanding that limud HaTorah is what is truly protecting everyone and preventing more casualties is so ironclad to R’ Moshe that he targets the accusation right back to them. Why are they evading the army of Hashem and not learning Torah?

Once, after responding such to a Jew from a secular background, this individual persisted by asking that at the end of the day, soldiers are necessary to physically combat the enemy; how then can you avoid this responsibility? “You’re asking a general to become a soldier?” was R’ Moshe’s response. With this, he demonstrated that our understanding that Torah protects the world is not merely esoteric but as real and down to earth as can be—we are the generals of the army.

In a similar vein, R’ Moshe constantly reiterates that bachurim shouldn’t sense that by not serving in the army, they are less important than the soldiers; to the contrary, they are the ones providing protection through their limud haTorah.

Recognizing the king

A recurrent theme which R’ Moshe discusses is that it is incumbent upon us to acknowledge and entrench our belief that it is only Hashem who can protect us and save us. The media and secular mindset which gives credit to the army seeps into our mentality and subtly affects the way we view current events.

It is for this reason, says R’ Moshe, that the attack happened in the first place; Hashem was demonstrating that without His protection, nothing can stop the enemies from inflicting harm. He quotes Rav Chaim Soloveitchik, who said, “I walk in the streets of Brisk and a goy is walking next to me. The goy wants to kill me and has the ability to accomplish that, why then doesn’t he kill me? Only because Hashem is preventing him.”

Even more so, explains R’ Moshe in the name of the sefarim hakedoshim, the objective of the chevlei Mashiach is to bring us all to the recognition that we only have our Father in Heaven upon which to rely on. Those who place their trust in the power of the army and interpret the current events as coincidence are unwittingly preventing the geulah.

By reinforcing this fundamental tenet of our faith that Hashem and only He conducts the events of the world, and that our protection and salvation can only come from Him, we can merit a yeshuah, says R’ Moshe. He quotes a vort on the pasuk, “me’ayin yavo ezri,” this can be interpereted as, me’ayin—by recognizing that nothing happens without Hashem, yavo ezri’—the yeshuah will come.

Ever since we heard the news on Simchas Torah, Yidden worldwide have been saying one or two perakim of tehillim following davening. R’ Moshe constantly reminds the bachurim in his yeshivah that it is not enough simply to daven but rather we must cry out with a genuine and deep sense of anguish, as implied by the Rambam’s terminology in hilchos ta’aniyos.

Segulos for protection

R’ Moshe is constantly being asked what one can do during these times as a “segulah” to merit being protected from danger. His response varies depending on the individual, but most often he says that strengthening oneself in learning Torah is the greatest potion for protection as Chazal say, “Torah magna u’matzla.” Even one minute is of immeasurable value, R’ Moshe reminds them.

Other times he recommends being stringent about saying krias Shema with kavanah and in its correct time and reciting amein yehei shmei rabah aloud and with kavanah. He also quotes one of his rebbeim, Rav Moshe Schneider, who told his talmidim during the Second World War that they should be diligent in two mitzvos to merit being saved: reading shnayim mikra with Rashi and reciting 100 brachos daily.

Secret to success

Evidently, becoming a gaon in Torah like R’ Moshe, who has the entire gamut of Shas and poskim at his fingertips, comes from more than simply learning with hasmadah. I took the opportunity to ask his son R’ Chaim Ozer if his father ever shared how he managed to attain such an incredible bekius.

Indeed, his father had once told him the key to his phenomenal memory. He chazered every Tosafos until he knew it by heart. This is a practice he had from a young age, as already at the time of his marriage, he had memorized every Tosafos in Nashim and Nezikin, as testified by his rosh yeshivah, Rav Chatzkel Sarna, by his sheva berachos. Presumably as a chizuk to the other bachurim, R’ Chatzkel said that this feat isn’t due to the chosson having a better memory than anyone else; he simply learned every Tosafos 80 times!

During these difficult times, our hearts are with acheinu bnei Yisrael, both the hostages and soldiers who are facing physical danger and the bnei Torah facing a spiritual danger. May our tefillos during these yemei harachamim have their desired effect and bring a yeshuah from all these hardships, ushering in a year which will bring with it happy tidings.