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Report: Inductees Compelled to Cut their Peyos in IDF Induction Center


idffWhile the Yesh Atid party continues flying the ‘share the burden’ flag, insisting the IDF can and will accommodate chareidi soldiers, some inductees arriving in the Bakum induction base were faced with a different reality – compelled to cut their peyos.

According to the HaMevaser report, “the IDF took advantage of the naiveté of a group of chareidi inductees, compelling them to cut their peyos R”L.”

The inductees were headed to the IDF Navy, the Shachar Yam program. They were told they must have a “military haircut” and while their hair was short, the peyos must go. The soldiers instructed the barber to not to go under the 3mm setting as to avoid chas v’sholom removing their peyos entirely. The barber told them it must be a “military haircut” and they haircut was as close as possible, removing any trace of their peyos!

The soldiers explained after the fact that they were not aware that IDF regulations permits maintaining one’s peyos, and they feared being charged with insubordination – so they had the hair cut as instructed R”L.

For some it was truly a nightmare, and when it came time to go home for a leave they did not wish to leave their base, embarrassed to return home without their peyos, which their ancestors were moser nefesh to maintain during the most difficult of times.

The incident was no less traumatic for some of the parents, those who arrived in the State of Israel during the early years when peyos were routinely cut off to remove any sign of one’s Yiddishkheit, as was routinely done to the Jews from Yemen R”L. Some of those parents admit they could not believe their eyes – adding this sent them back decades to those dark times, the times they prefer to forget.

Askanim add that “if the details in the report are accurate, this should send a shockwave to Jews around the world,” adding that it is clear that the shmad campaign is operating under the guise of ‘sharing the burden’.

Shas MK Rabbi Nissim Ze’ev is not willing to let this pass, and he hopes to compel a Knesset session to address this. He adds that this is an affront to the Basic Law which guarantees every citizen basic rights, including his religious beliefs. Ze’ev adds this was a blatant affront to Halacha, and it must and will be addressed, lamenting the fact that the soldiers had to be embarrassed to return home with the crew cuts that left them without any signs of being frum Jews.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)



55 Responses

  1. to #1 read and weep

    The soldiers explained after the fact that they were not aware that IDF regulations permits maintaining one’s peyos, and they feared being charged with insubordination – so they had the hair cut as instructed R”L.

    it seems this was a rouge barber or a mistake we all know that in the frum world mistake never happen

  2. Mistake:
    Could any of YWN posters – who understand everything better than Gedolei Yisrael – still deny that the IDF is a place for shmad, a repeat of the Yemenite and Sephardi children?

    Shame on all posters who had the chutzpah to question and doubt Gedolei Yisrael who were/are 100% right for refusing charedim to join this anti-Torah corrupt army. Charedim must fight against it even if it’ll bring on a civil war.

  3. from my experience i can predict the idf will just make up some excuse. when your not bound by truth anythings possible.

  4. #1 – OK, if you really don’t understand, this is the story of a really dumb barber (not exactly officer material) and a group of inductees who should have just said ‘no’. IDF standing orders are that beards an payos are permitted for religious reasons and military barbers are not to touch them.

    If this story teaches us anything it is that charedi inductees need some preparation for army life. No D”L inductee would have allowed his payos to be touched because they are prepared for the army.

  5. If the actions occurred as reported in the story above, the officer in charge and the military barber should be court-martialed for a severe violation of rules. There have been cases where charges have been brought for deliberate Kashrus violations in the army, where career officers have been kicked out of the army for such violations. If this was a deliberate violation, similar or more severe punishment is in order.

    I believe that there are individuals with an agenda to try to harm the observence of Chareidi soldiers. However, these are individuals – as a whole, the army is trying to accommodate Chareidim as much as possible. Many of the issues (though not necessarily this one) that have come up have been more on account of ignorance than malice.

    an Israeli Yid

  6. i am one of those that say the current situation must change. However if this story is true, I cannot believe the stupidity of the IDF
    No soldier with peyos should have been forced to cut off their peyos.
    I am hoping this was a one time mistake and apology should be forthcoming.

  7. If this report is true, the time has come for the middle class frum community to fight back.

    We stop buying Israeli products from companies who support share-the-burden.
    We stop using their hotels.
    Make this a worldwide effort to include all our business connections.
    Have the Israeli Yeshivos teach all their students basic Kiruv and start going after all non-frum Jews in Israel to explain true Torah Judaism. Lets take the battle to their back yards. Go after all their children with a smile and to use sophisticated advertising techniques for promoting our point of view. Perhaps the time has come to try to change all children of the next generation to Orthodoxy.

    If they see we are fighting back seriously, maybe they will stop or MOSHIACH will come.

  8. If in the Induction Center they’re already compelled to cut they’re peyot, you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know what would happen in TZaH”L (TZva Hashmad Leyisrael), Hashem Yishmor!

    They want to be an oberchacham, they know better than Gedolei Yisrael who said not to go, that’s what they get.

  9. I am pro sharing the burden…let them share the burden of maintaining yidishkeit by daveneing three times a day, by being koveah ittim b’torah, taharas hamishpacha, shmiras shabbos, raising frum ehrliche kinderlach, kashrus, etc… otherwise, who’s going to ensure the continuity of klal yisroel??

  10. . . . lamenting the fact that the soldiers had to be embarrassed to return home with the crew cuts that left them without any signs of being frum Jews.

    Really? No signs at all? No Kipa, no tzitzit? Does this mean that payot are the only sign of being frum? What about those who are frum and don’t have payot?

  11. It’s very simple: Zionists need a State in order to shmad, said the Brisker Rav. Hostory and current events maintain this plain truth. The whole purpose of Zionism was and is shmad.

  12. I think this is all propaganda. I have seen first hand Israeli navy members with peyos. Show me a before and after photo and I will believe.

  13. They were oiver a lav di’oraisa, to which they should’ve allowed themselves to be committed to prison, rather than acquiesce to the haircut. There’s no sh’ev v’al ta’aseh by a haircut under the rule of אחד התקיף ואחד הנקיף

    Of course we’ll get the comments that’s it’s only a lav, and not kares, so it’s not such a big deal.

  14. #1- Yes. I will explain it. The article clearly states that the soldiers found out later that IDF regulations PERMIT peyos to be maintained. Therefore, this was obviously the work of one anti-religious officer who should absolutely be booted out of the army (the same way my brother had a career colonel court martialed for refusing to remove a leben he was eating from a flieshig mess tent).

    Three dozen posters are now going to say that this incident proves that the IDF is looking to shmad young men, while the article clearly shows that this is false. If they were looking to shmad people, there would not be such regulations.

  15. It’s about what they did to the Jews of Yemen and Morocco, In such cases Mesiras Nefesh applies even to Arkesi Demsaani, and all Rebbanim should come out against any form of joining the IDF, and the politicians shouldn’t talk half hearted that they only have a problem with Yeshiva boys.

  16. Serious protests are in order. If anyone had any doubts about what sharing the burden meant they are all cleared up now. They don’t want to be the only ones bearing the burden of a Torah free life, they want to force it on all the frum as well. Share the burden of chilonism.

  17. Don’t you think you should’ve waited for more facts before posting this? I’m sure there’s a reason why this happened which has nothing to do with what’s being insinuated. There are many chareidi soldiers with beards peyos, so something here is missing. Of course, the Zionist bashers don’t want to hear facts, their minds are already made up.

  18. Gerer chasidim & some religious zionists maintain long peyos while serving in the army. Story as written doesn’t seem true at least not the whole truth.

  19. It’s truly sad to hear this story, if it is true, and it indicates that there are individuals in tzahal, like there are everywhere, who take advantage of naievete for their own ends.

    The irony in this, though, is that IF these individuals were familiar with IDF and Bakum procedure as a matter of course, like, for example, hesderniks, they would have known from the outset that IDF regulations PERMIT them to keep their peyos.

    It is an outcome of the guidance they have received until now that they were not in a position to be aware.

  20. Yanky55
    Your opinion is meaningless if you aren’t shaken to the core that a whole bunch of people were forced by fellow Jews in Eretz Hakedosha to be oiver on an issue deoraysoh. Such mistakes are not supposed to happen. If they weren’t drafted this would never happen. You want to be blind be blind.

  21. #8…Do you have all the facts about the Yemenite children? I don’t think so because the chareidi version we heard all these years and were expected to believe are not totally accurate.
    AND…… Everybody who doesn’t learn , and I mean LEARN full time, must join the army.
    There’s a d’Oireisu of ” Lo Taamod Al Dam Reiecho” , which no rav can cancel. Ask Dovid Hamelech vs. Plishtim, Moshe vs. Sichon, etc. Tou cannot go against the Torah no matter who you are. Shame on you for trying to stifle free speech.

  22. Alex..#13…. Why should any parent want their children to be orthodox when they see hate, violence , curses and self-righteousness?
    When we stop this shame that’s when Moshiach will come.
    As an orthodox Jew , I’ve never been so ashamed of the chillul Hashem that been perpetrated by the chareidim lately , and DAVKa in the three weeks. Moshiach ??? Please……

  23. The “guarantees” of religious freedom are worthless under the forced-command structure of the military.

    Sure, you can get a lawyer and fight back…if you are the agressive type and you’ve got lots of money.

    Most of our amcha bochurim are neither, so they go like lambs to the slaughter, which was the original intention of Yair Lapid and company, in the first place.

  24. This story is one of the many that underscores the current reality in Israel 2013. The overall hate for Torah True Jews is palpable. There is hardly a day that passes without another story appearing in the news. For the naïve among us we can try spinning the story to read otherwise. We are reading it right hear – it was the barber’s fault, the soldiers were naïve, this reason that reason, etc. But the writing is clearly on the wall. Zionist Israel is, was and will be haters of Torah True Jews. This is the reality, no need for excuses.

  25. to everyone that replied saying if this story is true….

    say that when chareidim “beat people up”.

    to the answer “it was a rogue barber”, right and every situation that happens is a rogue something or other

    i wholly agree that the barber should be court marshalled

    goq let me think about it, uh……no

  26. The tziyonim have been doing exactly this, forcibly cutting off Jews peyos, since the early days of the State with the Teimanim children.

  27. Perhaps these were guys who availed themselves of the opportunity of removing their payos at the first opportunity that the had.
    Let’s see if they regrow their payos. I f not, then my suspicions are accurate. I am not convinced that this story is as presented here. But i do agree the Hareidi soldiers should be aware of their rights before joining the IDF.

  28. I think the operative phrase is “uninformed”. I have seen pictures of recent inductees with peyos intact.

  29. Everybody wants the charaidim to join the idf yet the idf isn’t going above and beyond to make sure the charaidim are comfortable there. Why should they go somewhere where they are unwanted?

  30. My son is in the IDF navy too. He spent Tisha B’Av with the other 11 frum boys in his unit sitting in an air conditioned room, exempt from all training. They all had Nine Days (or Three Weeks) beards, which no one forced them to shave. They also are hesder boys, which means they spent the past month in preparation for the army. Who prepared them? Their rabbanim! They know all their rights at beinishim (bnei yeshivot). They have their rav’s number on speed dial, and use it for any halachic shailos. And their rabbanim have army priviliges, which means they visit their talmidim on the base. Compare their situation with haredi soldiers who have no support from their rebbeim or their families. Mistakes are bound to happen.

  31. BUNCH ON NONSENSE. This is the type of story in order to get people riled up. It is called “PrOpOgAnDa” Get your facts straight. their are religious soldiers in the army and people have rights. Know your rights and implement them. That is all. It is not official state policy to uproot the Torah, this it is not a Shmada. IF and I say if this story is true, it is more of an accident and such and not the official policy.

  32. to #42 and # 44 truth be told they see the hareidim as a threat to the future face and makeup of israel not the religious zionists so their hate is at the chareidim not the dl becuase with the dl they are brothers in zionism zionism comes be4 the torah “ha’daat who ha’adama” they have no need to target the DL becuae they pose no threat- when push comes to shove they are on the same team. the chareidim ar eth ereal threat they represent torah yiddishkeit not zionist yiddishkeit. yes truth hurts.

  33. Whether they were forced or not, lack of preparedness, a rogue barber etc – Frum, young boys should not be forced into a position where they have to be consistently fighting, wary and savvy in order to maintain basic halachos. Puttin Zionistic and Share the Burden ideals aside, The army is, euphemistically, not a healthy environment for the neshamah and that is why ehrliche bachurim have no place there. Tzahal is a place of perpetual pitfalls and battles – it is assur to put ones-self in a position where the yetzer hara is so rife. Our gedolim are unequivocal. There is no room for debate.

  34. If you want to know why we have problems some perhaps insurmountable just read some of these posts. The venum against the state is palpable. But yet when these people come to israel they want to be protected by these same soldiers who they are vilifying . When they walk to the Kotel( which is ours only becauase of these soldiers) they want protection.Yes there are [problems but clearly this is an exceptional case and we can be sure that it will be addressed not by the hysteria manifest in these posts but by the authorities. By the way for your interest 40% of the officers are Kipot Srugot and there is more Torah studied today than at any time in the history of our people.

  35. #45- Your “truth” is hogwash. If R’ Yoshe Ber Z”TL did not represent Torah Yiddishkeit, then I don’t know what did. The man LIVED to be marbitz Torah. Period.

  36. “they feared being charged with insubordination – so they had the hair cut as instructed ”

    Any Jews who fears being charged with insubordination from the IDF, yet is not afraid of being guilty of insubordination to Ha-Shem, is not really frum.

    If they do tseuvah, they should demand an immediate discharge, with all privileges of someone who has served in the army, and they should demand that the commanding officers of Bakum be dismissed.

  37. #46 Olam HaTorah – I disagree with you. The issue here is that the boys were TOO sheltered, to the point that when something challenged them, they had no idea how to react. While I’d not want to deliberately expose my son to some of the issues that do come up in the army, I’d hope that the Chinuch I’ve given him is strong enough that, when he is inevitably tested, he is able to overcome the Nisayon.

    We should all, of course, strive to improve the Ruchnius in the army – but the best way to do so is from the inside, not by self-satisfied criticism.

    an Israeli Yid

  38. i read this and am dismayed,,,,why would Yeshiva World publish this nonsense before it being verified…To instigate and cause great striff..amongst friends and yes within families….This is called “blood libel” for which through the centuries thousands of innocent Jews were killed…no peyas were shaved and cut off…Jews are allowed to look and daven as they wish….please delete this disgusting addition to your site,,,it is causing terible problems….LRR18

  39. Clearly the barber made a mistake. The army has regulations already to allow soldiers to keep peyos and beards and actually to enforce Halacha. The soldiers were unfortunately unprepared of how to deal with the situation and should have demanded their rights be observed. As other posters have mentioned – any dati Leumi soldier would have known to insist on keeping it because they are prepared by their schools for these situations. But you would be surprised how far the army actually goes to observe halacha and ensure it is enforced. I personally am aware of a soldier who was arrested and spent time in military jail for smoking in an army mess hall on Shabbos after he was warned that smoking is not allowed on Shabbos in army mess halls and he ignored the warning.

  40. Who would have thought that milchemes gog u’magog would be like this? The Novi said it would be in EY but like this???

  41. Why are people saying they were oiver an issur? They kept their halachically valid peyos. “All” that was removed was the long peyos which is a minhag. Proper of the IDF to do this? No! But stop blaming the inductees for doing issurim!

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