Haredi Leader Asks Jews To Pray For “People Of Israel” – But Does Not Ask Them To Pray For IDF

"Because of the severe situation prevailing in our Holy Land, I request from the Jewish people to increase their prayers for our brothers the people of Israel who need great mercy.…It is a time of distress for the Jewish people. We must strengthen ourselves in observance of the Sabbath, guarding against negative speech, and observe the laws of modesty."

Above: Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman

Haredi Leader Asks Jews To Pray For “People Of Israel” – But Does Not Ask Them To Pray For IDF
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com

The leader of the mainstream non-hasidic Ashkenazi haredi mainstream faction, Rabbi Aharon Leib Steinman (also spelled "Shteinman"), called on Jews to recite psalms and increase observance of halakha (Orthodox religious law) due to the war in Gaza, the Jerusalem Post reported.

"Because of the severe situation prevailing in our Holy Land, I request from the Jewish people to increase their prayers for our brothers the people of Israel who need great mercy.…It is a time of distress for the Jewish people. We must strengthen ourselves in observance of the Sabbath, guarding against negative speech, and observe the laws of modesty,” Steinman said in a front page notice published in the Israeli haredi daily paper he controls, Yated Ne'eman, Friday.

Steinman and his #2 faction rabbi, Chaim Kanievsky, together also called for special psalms and prayers to be recited before Shabbat in synagogues and yeshiva study halls.

Neither notice mentions IDF soldiers or the IDF by name, and neither mentions the State of Israel or its government.

Similar calls have been issued by hasidic leaders, as well.

Almost no haredim serve in the IDF and both Steinman and Kanievsky have vehemently opposed drafting any haredim into military service in the IDF, no matter how reduced that service is or how many accommodations are made by the IDF for extreme haredi modesty and kosher food demands.

Comments

[JD]

Since when does the term "people of Israel" exclude soldiers? i wish fm would stick to the important task of being a fearless watchdog and not go reaching for whatever chance there is to defame a religious leader.

[Shmarya]

Are you really this stupid?

The statement did NOT mention the IDF or IDF soldiers and it did not mention the State of Israel or the government of Israel – the people who are fighting, dying and protecting these ungrateful haredim.

[JD]

The statement didn't mention Israeli army, the Israeli government, or even the Israeli population specifically for that matter - just "the people of Israel" - no divisions, no distinctions, . Any special exclusions may exist solely in your own head unless otherwise proven.

[Dave]

I have to agree with JD ,he mentions "the people of Israel", not the "orthodox jews of Israel", not even "the Jews of Israel", The people of Israel would mean all citizens. Its a catch 22 if they say nothing they are evil and even when they say something they are evil, a person who hates will look for any reason to fuel their hatred

[Shmarya]

Oh, please. Stop your BS, stop your lies, stop your feigned ignorance.

Again, the people risking their lives are IDF soldiers – not haredi rabbis sitting on their asses in yeshivas.

Pray specifically for them and for the entire Jewish people – which, as you should well know, is the correct halakhic formula.

(See, for example, a mishebayrach made for an ill person. The correct prayer says "Ploni ben Plonit among all the other sick of the people of Israel." You SPECIFY the person in danger and then INCLUDE him with others. So too here, where the correct formula would have been IDF soldiers and residents of Israel among the rest of the Jewish people.)

If you can't speak phrases "Israel Defense Forces" and "IDF soldiers," then you're an ungrateful, sick person.

[Dave]

that is your warped opinion because of your extreme hatred, "The people of Israel" means the entire nation so you can stop your BS, because it makes you look very childish

[Alter Kocker]

Here is a real prayer. May hashem protect and defend the IDF and the brave soldiers protecting the land of Israel. That is a prayer.

[amijustnaive]

i too agree that the people of israel is an inclusive phrase. if he only wanted to pray for the haredim, he would have said the haredim of israel. imagine he would say "the people of israel want to study in yeshiva all day" would you argue he meant only the haredim or would you be frothing at the mouth screaming that many people of israel dont want to study in yeshiva every day??!!

[Shmarya]

Idiot.

The amazing thing is how the halakha haredim claim to follow, and the history haredim (falsely) claim to uphold, mean nothing when they get caught with their pants down behaving badly.

Again, the proper thing to do when soldiers are in extreme danger fighting to protect your shiny, pimply ass is to help them in any way the IDF allows.

Among the ways the IDF will allow is to pray for them.

To do what haredim are doing and praying for these men and women who are risking their lives as if these soldiers on the front lines face no more danger than haredim sitting on their asses in Bnei Brak is disingenuous and completely wrong according to the normal way prayers are formulated in halakha.

And if you're too stupid – or too dishonest – understand that, tough. You're still wrong, your rabbis are still wrong, and when this lates war is over, I hope you're all made to pay a very high (but legal) price for your draft dodging and assholery.

[ah-pee-chorus]

What a complete piece of shit. This ungrateful
and selfish lowlife doesn't even have the decency to mention the soldiers out there dying so that he and his parasitical followers can leech off taxpayers who not only support the charedim against their will, but then have to defend them too.
AFAIC he can't die soon enough.

And as far as you pathetic defenders of shteinman, even in america, when leaders speak of the situation they say, "god bless the men and women of the armed forces, and god bless america. In asking for prayers for the 'people of israel', he knows exactly what the implication is. Just today at least 13 SOLDIERS DIED. How many non soldiers have died in the entire 14 days of the operation?
2 ? It's pretty obvious who are the ones in a fight for their lives and it's the soldiers. Meanwhile his yeshiva boys might have to grab their coffee and cigarette and go to a shelter for 10 minutes.
My friend's nephew was one of those golani killed today. My own nephew is in the gaza and his parents havent heard from him in 5 days. They're scared. But shteinmans charedim aren't. And he won't ask that they be prayed for?
those who daven make a general prayer every day for the sick amongst us and for general health. But when someone is facing a specific threat, a special misheberach is made which uses the actual name. And when someone's life is really in danger tehillim are said just for them. So don't give me your BS about soldiers being included in 'the people of israel'. He does not want to acknowledge them and their role in keeping him safe.

[amijustnaive]

what are you all moaning about? you want special prayers?? what for? you dont believe in them anyway.

[Shmarya]

Moron.

YOU believe in them. Steinman believes in them. Haredim believe in them.

And therefore your lies and Steinman's disgusting behavior is very significant.

[amijustnaive]

well he believes in them and he has said that we should pray for the people of israel which is all inclusive.

you, however, are not happy with his prayer - you want more specific prayers which you dont even believe work!.

he is doing the prayer that he believes works for everybody.

[Shmarya]

amijustnaive –

You're not just naive – you're a certifiable idiot.

As I noted several times above and as APC noted, as well, there is a correct formula for this type of prayer. Steinman did not use that formulation, however, and instead used a weaker formulation that and did not mention the IDF or the soldiers.

That you are too stupid and too dishonest to understand this isn't really surprising.

Nonetheless, there is a history of these types of prayers within halakha. The way they are supposed to be formulated is clear.

Steinman, however, broke those rules and issued a prayer request that does not mention the name or categorey of the people who are actually risking their lives to protect hi.

He is an ungrateful, dishonest, sick person – as are you.

[Shmarya]

APC –

No one should ever forget how badly haredim have behaved here. I'm sorry for your friend's loss, and I hope your nephew's time in the IDF is successful and that he comes out unscathed as do his comrades and all IDF soldiers.

[ah-pee-chorus]

ditto on shmarya's replies to amijust.

Shmarya-

Whenever i think charedim and their leaders have hit rock bottom, they seem to find a shovel to dig deeper. What's more troubling than the thoughts and orders of the evil shteinman is that he has thousands of delusional and robotic followers who would never dream of questioning his judgement.

Thanks for your good thoughts and wishes.

[Dave]

I wouldnt talk about pimpily asses fat boy, I'm sure that massive ass of yours has a crap load of them, you an evil vindictive ass, SMR really pissed you off when he refused to provide chicken for you in St. Paul when you wanted to open that meat shop, you fat lonely bitter soul

[Jeff]

apc, we all certainly hope your nephew turns up safe & sound.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Thanks Jeff. I think when the soldiers were told they were going in they were prohibited from calling anyone to say where they were going and had to leave their cellphones behind. His parents are assuming he's involved.

[Allan]

APC- Well said and I'd also like to extend my hearfelt wishes for the safe return of your nephew and all the heroic IDF soldiers, as well a condolences to your friend.

[ah-pee-chorus]

Thank you Allan.

[Shmarya]

Dave –

I'm not bitter – I'm disgusted with you, with your friends and the rest of Chabad and Orthodoxy.

As for Rubashkin, he never refused to sell me anything – except non-glatt meat, as I've written several times. And he did that because of his local distributor's rabbi's insistence, not because of any antipathy toward me. He had to choose between selling to me as he promised or keeping the rabbi happy. And since my local distributor was then his national distributor, I lost out.

The problem with you Chabadniks – besides, of course your worship of a dead man – is your frequent inability to distinguish between your sick fantasies and lies on one hand and reality on the other.

[amijustnaive]

so shmarya and apc as you have been so polite, i will explain it to you.
you can either do a prayer for the klal (public) or for the prut (a private individual prayer). most prayers are for the public, but in some cases we wish to make a specific prayer for an individual i.e a misheberach for a specific choileh. in these cases we make the prayer for the specific case and also then include the klal. so to copy and paste one of shmaryas comments from above - "See, for example, a mishebayrach made for an ill person. The correct prayer says "Ploni ben Plonit among all the other sick of the people of Israel." You SPECIFY the person in danger and then INCLUDE him with others." - this is correct.

also when there are specific soldiers who have been captured or are injured we pray for them specifically and then include the klal.

however, when we would like to pray for a klal i.e. the whole idf - that is not an individual prayer. that is a prayer for the klal and therefore there is no reason not to pray for all people of israel. once you pray for a klal it is not more specific to mention the idf (which comprises a few hundred thousand people) rather than all people of israel.

[amijustnaive]

btw, i too would like to wish your nephew (apc) and all the soldiers much brocha and hatlzoche to go and return well and healthy.

[Account Deleted]

Best wishes to the family and loved ones serving in harm's way. Condolences to everyone who has lost...

A few points to consider for the Haredim reading this post.

We are to understand that because of the profound faith in god claimed by the Haredi leadership, they will not allow service, in any form that provides practical benefit for the State. Claiming metaphysical assistance to the State should be returned with metaphysical welfare checks, and metaphysical utility service, healthcare, etc. The argument is so absurd. Imagine your child would refuse to clean up his room because god will take care of it. Very weak foundation for a world view.

Consider, if the Haredim are so concerned with their Faith, why are they not praying for any innocent Arabs that may come to harm (calm down, I know they started it)? Haters are going to hate. Haredim hate so much that they can never love their fellow Jew, because they have no gratitude for the soldiers, no gratitude for the welfare, etc. Perhaps they need to start practicing gratitude and love. Care about arab innocents, if only to practice compassion. care about the IDF that obviously deserve your thanks.

Your own god must really find you guys disappointing.

[Account Deleted]

Even this guy had enough sense to thank those who deserve the thanks:

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/182902#.U80JnfldV8F

[Shmarya]

amijustnaive –

You are a complete moron.

A prayer for people FIGHTING IN GAZA needs to mention the person, people of identifier of those people.

When a bus of yeshiva students veers off a road and over a cliff, and we don't yet know all their names and if they are dead or alive, the prayer said is NOT simply a prayer for all of the Jewish people. Instead, the prayer is formulated to include those unidentified students AMONG all of Israel or AMONG all the sick of Israel.

In the same way, there Kohen of war led the troops (something your midget rabbis would never do) and prayed for their success in battle and for their safety.

What prayers were said during the Crusades and other pogroms when one town heard the mob was approaching another town with a Jewish population? Any thoughts, moron?

The prayers mentioned the the Jews of that specific town AMONG the rest of Klal Yisrael.

The only reason a similar prayer was not issued by Steinman and the other dwarves you follow is that they can't acknowledge the IDF directly because of their sick theology and because of the draft issue.

You misrepresent the halakha, you lie, you don't even know your own history and you're dumb as a tree stump.

Another 'stellar' example of haredi education.

[amijustnaive]

firstly i'm not sure a masters degree would classify as a stellar example of haredi education, but that is beside the point.

your examples are obviously ridiculous. they are not the same as in this situation where all israeli citizens are in danger. we cannot start measuring who is in more danger otherwise according to your logic we should have a specific prayer for unit x, unit y and unit z. not all of the idf serve in the front line.

instead of trying to split hairs, it is obvious to anyone without an agenda that the rabbi wants to pray for all israelis who are in danger.

your crusade of hate will lead you to misrepresent halacha to lead you to any conclusion you have predetermined. you hate the halacha you don't believe in prayer, yet you try and convince yourself that you are an expert and based on these false premises you attack the haredim.

the fact here is that the rabbi called for prayers for all of israel. you have decided to twist this to fit your hate agenda and decide that this excludes the idf.

the rabbi does believe in prayer. he believes that his all encompassing prayer include everyone. its your hate filled mind that insists it doesnt. thats your problem!

[Account Deleted]

amijustnaive, yes indeed you must be.

Can I make a brocho on food by just saying "thanks for the food," or is the specific mention of Whom I am thanking of any import?

Name, specifically the soldiers, the soldiers who are ready to bleed for ungrateful Haredim, in your prayers.

[amijustnaive]

how ironic pard. the rabbis created the nusach of prayers and yet you, the non religious one who doesnt believe in prayers, wants to tell them how to do it!!!

[Account Deleted]

You know nothing about me or or my beliefs. In any case, the issue of who I am is irrelevant.

You are demonstrating an attempt to defend the indefensible, and that does not glorify your cause or your god.

[amijustnaive]

well mentioning the phrase "your god" pretty much gives us an idea of your beliefs.

and they are very relevant. you are trying to argue with the rabbis (the architects and experts on broches) on the correct way of making a broche.

the chutzpa of that is outstanding and i would say your background and knowledge is a very relevant factor to determine whether your views on the subject have any merit whatsoever.

[Shmarya]

Idiot.

There's actual halakha and history that clearly shows how to formulate these prayers, and Steinman violated it in order to avoid mentioning the IDF or the soldiers.

It doesn't matter who is and who is not religious. But the facts do matter, and your continual lies and BS will not obscure them.

[Account Deleted]

youarejustnaive. You and I could never worship the same god as your god seems to value ingratitude. My god values gratitude and prefers that his name be written in lower case letters out of humility.

[Abe]

Shmarya, could you point to your handbook halachik source?

[Martin Samuels]

I really enjoy watching Shmarya get angry. All the shit comes out then. In fact he hates Chareidim. However, his definition of who he means is not always consistent. I guess that because he realizes that ultimately most of his fans, except for the few low life regulars that appear here, probably would not appreciate his views if they knew what they really are. It is much easier to bash "Hareidim" whatever that means, than to admit that you dislike all Jews who don't agree with you.