Question

Hello to Rabbi Michael, and happy holiday,
I heard in one of your recent interviews that, in your view, there is no connection between prayer, and perhaps Torah study as well, and protection in war; and that those who do these things themselves rely on Iron Dome…
And in truth, with part of that last point I agree — namely, that many important people, whose mouths are full of lofty talk about God, rely on themselves and on flesh and blood [though a minority really does rely on its spiritual portion].
But my main astonishment is at the statement itself, irrespective of the people — after all, there are explicit verses regarding the Egyptian bondage: “And they cried out… and their cry for help rose up to God because of the labor,” “I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel,” “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,” “Seek the Lord when He may be found, call upon Him when He is near.”
And likewise in Maimonides [I do not remember the exact source], that there is an obligation to cry out in a time of distress, and he further holds that the entire concept of prayer is from the Torah; and in prayer there are requests for protection and rescue from death, and for vengeance against enemies. So too in the Book of Esther, with Mordechai’s outcry and the rescue of Israel, and Jonah the prophet from the belly of the fish, and more…
As a person who believes with firm intellectual faith in the Creator and His Torah, it would seemingly be called for to believe in the most basic thing — namely, the personal connection between the created being and the Creator.
Perhaps I did not understand you correctly — please clarify this for me.
I enjoy hearing your reflections — even if they do not always align with my faith and religiosity.
Yosef