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Rav Avigdor Miller on Praying For The Marines
Q: I was hoping you’d speak tonight about the Iraq War? Is there a reason you haven’t spoken about it?
A: Question: What do I say about this war with Iraq? And I say nothing at all. Nothing at all. And I’ll tell you why I don’t say anything. I want a little time to think it over. So speak to me אם ירצה השם ten years from now and we’ll discuss it.
Q: Could you at least comment about whether we should be praying for the safety American soldiers?
A: It says הוי מתפלל בשלומה של מלכות (Avos 3:2). You have to pray for the government at all times. Did you ever do that? It’s a good idea. You should pray for the government at all times. We need the government. We must have a government. We need police. And we need soldiers, certainly.
It’s good to pray. It’s a command, by the way. It’s a mishna – “Pray for the government.” So certainly you should be praying for the government. How do you do it? Not that the cantor should get up. and he should gargle a public prayer, and show off. No, you should do it privately! Privately, each and everyone of you should say a few words to Hakodosh Boruch Hu that He should keep the government safe.
I’m not talking about the wicked people in the government; the wicked congressmen, people who are fleecing us by raising our taxes in order give out more money to buy votes. I’m not taking about that, that’s something else altogether. That’s not the government. We’re talking in general, about the structure of the government. We want it to function properly for the benefit of the nation.
Tape # 814 (February 1991)
I’m not talking about the wicked people in the government; the wicked congressmen, people who are fleecing us by raising our taxes in order give out more money to buy votes. I’m not taking about that, that’s something else altogether. That’s not the government
yeah that never happens to the frum community
Marines are not soldiers, and soldiers are not Marines.
The fastest way to make a Marine angry would be to call him/her a soldier.
So we have one Rav who had respect in many segments of the tzibur and was regarded as a posek tell us its OK to daven on behalf of the government and soldiers (most of whom are goyim). Is the issue that we are doing this on our own rather than in response to a “request for prayer” by the goyim. If the Trumpkopf was to ask the nation to “pray for our soldiers” would Joe start a new thread warning us NOT to do so since it violates Halacha?
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