In a powerful shmuess delivered during Chol Hamoed amid the ongoing war with Iran and its proxies, Slabodka Rosh Yeshiva Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch issued a strong warning against relying on human efforts and advanced defense systems, urging the tzibbur to recognize that everything comes solely from the Ribbono Shel Olam.

Speaking in the beis medrash of Darchei Ish in Bnei Brak, Rav Hirsch addressed at length the responsibility resting on the public during this time, emphasizing the spiritual danger inherent in placing confidence in technological advancements such as air defense systems and interceptions.

He opened with a striking historical account from World War II, when the threat of destruction loomed over the Jewish yishuv in Eretz Yisroel as Nazi forces advanced toward Egypt: “It is known that in 1943 or 1944, the Nazi enemy was ממש in Egypt, on the way to enter Eretz Yisroel, and, chas v’shalom, destroy all those here. And there was a very, very strong tefillah from the public, and in a miraculous way he decided not to enter and turned back. And the Chazon Ish said then that we see here the power of tefillah, and if this is the power of tefillah—what a shame that we did not know this earlier! We did not know everything that was happening in Europe. If we had davened then like we davened now, it could be that all the destruction of Europe would not have happened—that is what the Chazon Ish said.”

Building on that, Rav Hirsch continued with deep pain: “Regarding our situation here, there is a feeling that there is a lack in the ציבור in the power of tefillah—we are not feeling it enough. I think the reason people do not feel so much that tefillah helps is because a person does not see with his eyes each time that tefillah works immediately. In truth, if a person would really feel that if we daven with all our strength it would prevent anything from happening—then our tefillah would look completely different. We do not see among most of the ציבור a fundamental change in the way we daven now. Shemoneh Esrei should be much longer, there should be a fundamental change in the entire form of tefillah, and we do not see that. And that is what I wanted to speak about—to strengthen ourselves, because what we actually need now is tefillah! There are things happening, there are also nissim, but we need tefillah, and there is a lack of tefillah.”

He then explained the יסוד of true tefillah, drawing from the words of the Rishonim and Acharonim: “There is a fundamental condition in tefillah, and everyone agrees to it. The essence of tefillah is submission and ביטול before the Creator, and strengthening the recognition that a person has nothing and that his entire existence depends on the Borei Olam, and he feels himself like a poor and lost person who awaits to receive from Hashem. This is written in the Maharal and the Mabit—the foundation and condition of tefillah is that a person comes to Hashem and says: ‘I am nothing! I have nothing and everything is from You, every single thing is from You!’ And therefore I ask only in this way. Someone who just asks casually—that is not tefillah. Tefillah requires the feeling that I am nothing and everything is from Hashem and therefore I ask.”

At this point, Rav Hirsch delivered his central warning, directly addressing the reality of modern technology: “There are many levels to how much a person truly feels this. Imagine that suddenly some machine would be discovered that could certainly prevent everything—that every missile or cluster bomb that is launched would be stopped in the middle of its path and nothing would reach anywhere—everyone would feel ‘Baruch Hashem, very good.’ But how many would feel that the Ribbono Shel Olam performed a nes here and we must thank Him, or, chalilah, would there be a feeling that naturally we are now saved?

“There is a lack of importance and recognition that everything—everything—is from Hashem! There is a certain feeling that there is a ‘natural way’ that helps us, that all the developments and interceptions we have—that is what helps, that is what is good, and people do not attribute it to ‘Baruch Hashem that Hashem created this reality that we can intercept.’ A person must feel that everything is Hashem! Even if one does not say it out loud, he must feel it. Every small internal feeling that is not connected to Hashem, that we rely on something that is not Hashem—this weakens the כוח of tefillah! The power of tefillah must come from the fact that we are nothing. Nothing. And if Hashem does us a chesed that there are things that help in a natural way—Hashem did that! The moment there is a feeling that now ‘it is easier for us’ in a natural way, and therefore I am ‘not as close’ to Hashem—that itself is a tremendous חסרון in tefillah.”

Rav Hirsch concluded with a heartfelt call to action: “Tefillah must be strong, מתוך a feeling that it is what helps. Tefillah must be with the sense that nothing good happens except through Hashem. Everything that is called ‘natural,’ supposedly because of scientific advancement—that is not really scientific advancement, it is nothing! Everything is Hashem! Hashem did us a chesed that there is some level of advancement so that we do not need open miracles, but everything is from Him.

“If we feel that we depend only on Hashem, that without Him we have nothing, and we daven with all our strength and all our כוח—then, im yirtzeh Hashem, there will be success, there will be no harm, and everything will be good for us. But we must strengthen ourselves in tefillah! To strengthen and feel that everything is from Hashem and we have nothing besides Him, and then siyata d’Shmaya and tefillah will help.”

{Matzav.com}