qwerty: “I spoke to Poskim on this question when the Jews in Pittsburgh were killed and I was told unequivocally that any Jew who is killed because he’s identified as a Jew dies Al Kiddush Hashem and is guaranteed an immediate ticket to Gan Eden”
I heard not that long ago that there is actually no reliable source that a Yid who was killed because he is Jewish goes straight to Gan Eden. I would like to a source either way. And I certainly hope what I heard was incorrect.
But notwithstanding that, I don’t believe that “poskim” can “pasken” who gets into Gan Eden. It is beyond their area of expertise. Therefore, R A Miller is no less authoritative on this matter than they are.
Avirah, I don’t think it is right to say that Rav Kook z”l was “heretical”. There were a great number of gedolei Yisrael who held him in very high regard despite not agreeing with his views. RSZ Auerbach was a talmid of his, as were other great poskim. And I remember once seeing a letter by the Gerer Rebbe z”l saying that he was a great man.