The above quote, from Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 44:25, tells us that Jews have no concept of infallibility; even sages make mistakes. How else can we explain the words of Rav Ovadya Yosef, this past Motzaei Shabbat (Sat. night)?
"Is this a wonder, God forbid, that in war certain soldiers die--those who are not Shabbat observant, who are not Torah observant, who do not pray every day, who do not lay tefillin every day--is it a wonder that they are killed? It is no wonder, may God have mercy on them; may He bring them back in complete repentance, that they may all live good lives in peace."
Rav Ovadya, in his weekly sermon, was discussing a certain Mishna (Sota 44a), which expounds the passage about warfare in the Torah:
"AND THE OFFICERS SHALL SPEAK FURTHER UNTO THE PEOPLE [and say: Whoever is fearful and fainthearted, should go and return to his home]" (Deut 20:8)--RABBI AKIVA SAYS: 'FEARFUL AND FAINTHEARTED' IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD LITERALLY: HE IS UNABLE TO STAND IN THE BATTLE-RANKS AND SEE A DRAWN SWORD. RABBI YOSSIE THE GALILEAN SAYS: 'FEARFUL AND FAINTHEARTED' ALLUDES TO ONE WHO IS AFRAID BECAUSE OF THE TRANSGRESSIONS HE HAD COMMITTED.
Now, what would you conclude from Rabbi Yossie's opinion? Can you draw any conclusion other than that the idea that the most pious and righteous, like yeshiva students, should be on the front lines? Well, Rav Ovadya drew a different conclusion: only sinners die in battle.
Now, Rav Ovadya is known throughout the Jewish world as one of the greatest halachic decisors of our time. Nevertheless, in this forum, his weekly post-Shabbat sermon, he has repeatedly made pronouncements of this sort, which significantly hurt the image of Torah and mitzvot in the eyes of the general public. At the same time, his halachic decisions are courageous, clear and sensitive.
I only find one way to understand this paradox: it's the difference between halacha and derasha. Halacha is a legal system, wherein the Torah finds its true objective expression; derasha is subjectively tailored to the audience. To put it simply, when he faces a rabble, he rouses them--with the desire to bring them to fulfill the mitzvot he mentions, no doubt, as he said today, but what difference does that make to the families of fallen soldiers, many of whom kept Shabbat, prayed three times daily and voted Shas. Wait, I apologize for bringing up reality; this isn't a halachic discussion. If it were, I might point out that the Mishna goes on to say that these exemptions are applicable only in a discretionary war, but not one in which Jewish lives are at stake (milchemet mitzva). But this a derasha, Ssh!
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