Rav Moshe Shternbuch On Rav Chaim’s Petirah: “Worse the Churban Bais Hamikdosh”

Rav Moshe Sternbuch, raavad of the Badatz of the Eidah Hachareidis, told his talmidim that with the petirah of Rav Chaim Kanievsky, “we remain orphans, like sheep without a shepherd.”

He said that the passing of Rav Chaim “is more difficult for Klal Yisroel than the churban of the Bais Hamikdosh and all the curses mentioned in the Torah. He explained by quoting the Chazal that says “קשה סילוקן של צדיקים יותר משריפת בית אלוקינו.”

“Now we are like sheep without a shepherd. We have been orphaned all over Klal Yisroel and there is no one to pray for us. The Shechinah was with us on Purim, and now the Holy Shechinah has departed from Klal Yisroel… We do not now have anyone who will guide us with yosher. We cannot know how many decrees he saved us from, and there is a great danger when we do not have such a righteous person who will protect us.”

{Matzav.com Israel}