Do Charedim Pray for the Success of the State of Israel? Why Don’t They Say the Prayer for the State in Shul?

This question touches on a delicate and often misunderstood point in the relationship between the Charedi world and the modern State of Israel. Many Jews—especially those raised in religious Zionist or secular communities—wonder why, in most Charedi shuls across Eretz Yisrael, there is no recitation of the “Tefillah l’Shlom HaMedinah” (“Prayer for the Welfare of the State of Israel”).

Do Charedim not care about the country?Don’t they want peace, prosperity, and protection for their fellow Jews?Don’t they appreciate the freedoms and opportunities available in the land?

The answer is more nuanced than many realize—and it begins with an understanding of how Charedim relate to prayer, government, and Geulah.

Yes, Charedim Pray—for Safety, Peace, and All Jews

Let’s be absolutely clear: Charedim daven fervently for the safety of Klal Yisrael, and especially for their fellow Jews in Eretz Yisrael. When there is war or terrorism, when rockets fall from Gaza or Hezbollah threatens from Lebanon, you will find Charedi yeshivos crying out in Tehillim, fasting, learning extra Torah, and storming the heavens on behalf of Acheinu Bnei Yisrael.

Charedim deeply value the opportunity to live and thrive in Eretz Yisrael and are grateful for any freedom that allows them to learn, build, and raise families according to Torah.

So what’s the issue with the specific prayer known as “Tefillah L’Shlom HaMedinah”?

The Origins of the Prayer: A Political Statement

The “Prayer for the State” was introduced in 1948 by the Chief Rabbinate (Rav Herzog and Rav Uziel), shortly after the founding of the State. It includes the phrase:

“Reishit tzmichat geulateinu” – “The beginning of the flowering of our redemption.”

This is the core issue.

The idea that the secular State of Israel—founded by leaders who were often openly anti-religious—represents the beginning of the redemption is, to the Charedi world, not only theologically problematic but halachically premature. Redemption in Jewish thought comes with Mashiach, the Beis HaMikdash, the Sanhedrin, and full teshuvah of Klal Yisrael—not a political or military success story led by those who denied Hashem and His Torah.

To declare the secular state “the beginning of the Geulah” is, in the eyes of many Gedolim, a distortion of Torah eschatology.

Gedolim Who Opposed Saying the Prayer in Shul

From its inception in 1948, the “Tefillah L’Shlom HaMedinah” was met with deep concern by leading Torah sages. Their issue was not with the idea of praying for safety or peace, but with officially integrating a politically framed, theologically loaded prayer—especially one that referred to the secular State of Israel as “reishit tzmichat geulateinu”—into the formal nusach hatefillah of a beis knesses.

Many Gedolim firmly opposed reciting this prayer during davening, especially within Charedi and Chassidic shuls, where every word in the siddur is treated with awe and rooted in mesorah. Among those who rejected the prayer for use in shul were:

• Rav Aharon Kotler zt”l – One of the most outspoken opponents of Zionism in America, he saw the prayer as a theological distortion. He strongly opposed introducing it into any prayer service or implying that a secular state could be linked to Geulah.
• The Chazon Ish zt”l – While less publicly political, he never endorsed the prayer, and his talmidim confirmed that he did not allow its recitation in any minyan under his influence.
• Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv zt”l – The leading posek of the generation in Eretz Yisrael, Rav Elyashiv rejected the tefillah on halachic grounds. He held that it was inappropriate to introduce new prayers into the standard liturgy—especially one that suggested redemption had begun through secular leadership.
• Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l – Though known for his measured tone, he too did not allow the prayer to be said in any of his institutions, and opposed connecting political institutions to Geulah language in tefillah.
• Rav Shach zt”l – A fierce ideological opponent of secular Zionism, he rejected the entire premise of the prayer and worked to ensure it was not recited in the Charedi world.
• The Satmar Rebbe, Rav Yoel Teitelbaum zt”l – He viewed the prayer not just as mistaken, but as bordering on apikorsus for labeling a secular, anti-Torah state as the beginning of redemption. In all Satmar kehillahs worldwide, its recitation is strictly prohibited.
• The Gerrer Rebbe, the Beis Yisrael zt”l – Did not allow the prayer in Ger institutions, maintaining a sharp distinction between religious life and the secular state.
• Rav Yitzchok Hutner zt”l – Rosh Yeshiva of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Berlin, he viewed the language of the prayer as a misrepresentation of Jewish belief about redemption and forbade its use in his yeshiva.
• Rav Moshe Feinstein zt”l – While generally careful not to make sweeping political statements, he too did not incorporate the prayer in his yeshiva or in his halachic writings, and left the matter clear: new politically charged prayers do not belong in our davening.

Even Gedolim who were personally grateful for the ability to live and learn Torah in Eretz Yisrael never permitted the public recitation of the prayer in Charedi shuls. In fact, there is no mainstream Charedi yeshiva or kehillah where this prayer is part of the siddur.

Halachic Concerns: Changing the Nusach HaTefillah

Charredim are extremely careful not to introduce new prayers into the formal davening without overwhelming halachic precedent. The siddur is sacred. Rav Chaim of Volozhin and others taught that we may not innovate tefillos into the liturgy—certainly not ones that reflect political ideology.

Moreover, many Charedi poskim were concerned about saying Hashem’s name in a blessing when the legitimacy of the prayer was under dispute. This invokes the rule of safek berachos l’hakel—when in doubt about saying a bracha, we refrain. Since the majority of Torah authorities rejected this prayer, it is certainly a safek—and saying it aloud with Hashem’s name and kingship is highly problematic.

But Do Charedim Care About the State?

Yes. Deeply. They care about the Jews who live here, about the safety of all citizens, about the ability to learn and keep mitzvos in peace. Many Charedim work, vote, pay taxes, and contribute to Israeli society in countless ways.

But they distinguish between “supporting the Jews who live here” and “endorsing the theological claim that this secular state is the beginning of the Geulah.”

Their tefillos are full of concern and care for fellow Jews—but the official tefillah l’medinah is avoided because it implies a hashkafa they cannot accept.

Praying Without Proclaiming Redemption

Many Charedi shuls will say Tehillim for the safety of Jews in Eretz Yisrael. Some say additional tefillos during times of war or national danger. But these tefillos do not declare that we are in the midst of the Geulah.

They pray not to glorify the State, but to honor the value of every Jewish life.

Conclusion: Yes to Prayer, No to Political Theology

So do Charedim pray for the State?

They pray for the people. For safety. For peace. For Teshuvah. For Geulah.

But not for a flag. Not for a parliament. Not for a secular government with power over Torah institutions.

They pray with all their heart for Eretz Yisrael and Am Yisrael, but they await a day when the redemption will be complete—not partial, not political, but entirely spiritual, with Mashiach Tzidkeinu leading the way.

Sources & Footnotes

1. Siddur Avodat Yisrael, 1948 – Original publication of the Tefillah L’Shlom HaMedinah.
2. Igros Chazon Ish – On the dangers of attributing spiritual significance to secular institutions.
3. Mishnas R’ Aharon, Rav Aharon Kotler – On Geulah vs nationalism.
4. Emunah u’Bitachon, Chazon Ish – On the dangers of false redemption.
5. Michtavim uMaamarim, Rav Shach – Repeated critiques of assigning religious meaning to the state.
6. Teshuvos Rav Elyashiv – On avoiding new tefillos in official nusach.
7. Avos 1:1 – The unbroken chain of Mesorah, central to defining Torah truths.
8. Shulchan Aruch, O.C. 46:9 – Safek Berachos L’Hakel.