Sztencl was born in Sosnowiec, Poland on 3 August 1904 to Rabbi Shlomo and Miriam Baila Zweigenhaft.

Sztencl's mother Miriam was the daughter of Rabbi Efraim Mordechai Mottel Zweigenhaft who served as a Posek and Shochet in Sosnowiec.

His study partner, Moshe Mordechai Biderman would later become Grand Rabbi of the Lelov dynasty.

In 1935, Sztencl immigrated to Palestine and settled in Tel Aviv where, in addition to serving as the Rabbi of a local synagogue named "Bais Chassidim - Erlanger", he was appointed as a member of the Chief Rabbinate of Tel Aviv.

Initially his duties involved overseeing the Kashrut in Tel Aviv, a position which he held jointly with Grand Rabbi Shemuel Eliyahu Taub of the Modzitz dynasty.