Rav Moshe Sternbuch Condemns Effigy Incident in Meah Shearim: “I Cannot Remain Silent Over Such a Desecration”
Rav Moshe Sternbuch, leading senior posek, issued a sharp and emotional protest after extremist youths in Yerushalayim’s Meah Shearim neighborhood hung effigies bearing the names of gedolei hador. The act was seen as a shocking humiliation of revered gedolei Torah, and Rav Sternbuch declared that he could not remain silent in the face of such disgrace.
The incident involved fringe youths who hung dolls labeled with the names of senior rabbonim, apparently distorting the Purim custom of hanging figures symbolizing Haman. Community leaders described the act as crossing every red line and constituting a grave insult to the honor of gedolei hador.
Because of the seriousness of the matter and the importance Rav Sternbuch placed on issuing a clear and forceful protest, unusual footage was released from inside his private study. The video shows him carefully dictating the exact wording of his condemnation, word by word.
In the rare recording, Rav Sternbuch is seen instructing his longtime chavrusa to prepare a strongly worded public statement condemning what he described as a disgraceful act carried out by irresponsible youths on the fringes of Meah Shearim.
The footage captures his chavrusa, his grandson Rav Eliyahu Sternbuch, head of the Teshuvos V’Hanhagos kollel in Modi’in Illit, seated beside him at the end of their regular learning session, writing down each sentence precisely as dictated by his grandfather for publication in his name.
Observers noted how Rav Sternbuch carefully weighed every word before speaking, following closely as each line was written to ensure that the statement accurately reflected his position.
In his recorded remarks, Rav Sternbuch said: “I hereby strongly protest the mockery in Meah Shearim that was done to disgrace talmidei chachomim. There is no limit to the severity and gravity of this sin, R”l. The wrongdoing is terrible and frightening, and I cannot remain silent over such a desecration even for a single moment.”
Rav Sternbuch concluded his remarks with stirring words: “What more can we do other than cry out to Hakadosh Boruch Hu that He should not punish us, that He should pour upon us a spirit of purity from above, and that He should hasten our redemption speedily.”
{Matzav.com}