HaRav Zalman Baruch Melamed Shlita, Rosh Yeshivat Beit El, released a statement that Bayit HaYehudi will not agree to anything that will harm the yeshiva world and the lomdei Torah.
The rav was responding to a Bnei Brak rosh yeshiva who was inquiring as to the dati leumi party’s position regarding the sharing the burden issue and the planned drafting of chareidim into the IDF or national service.
“Bayit Yehudi will not play a hand in diminishing funding for yeshivos or the number of lomdei Torah continuing to learn” he is quoted as saying. “I believe this is how they will conduct themselves. Nevertheless, the majority of its representatives will adhere to the words of the rabbonim for there cannot be a version [of an agreement] that is not approved by the roshei yeshiva.
In a letter published by Arutz-7, the rav speaks of “the chareidi community which fears the non observant and their malicious intent to destroy Torah, explaining he does not believe this is so, citing most of the Jews are respectful of the Torah and those who study it. There is however an effort to have the chareidim play a role in sharing in the security and economic burden of the nation.”
“If those who are not learning Torah would enter the IDF or an appropriate program, or simply enter the workplace, this would be sufficient to be acceptable to all involved” Rav Melamed explains. Ultimately, the rav believes the coalition will include Bayit Yehudi and the chareidim, and the progress will be made by agreement, not by coercion.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
He should talk to Bennett and his good buddy Lapid, not to mention Netanyahu, since those guys are NOT talking about limiting conscription to Hareidi who have quit learning full time. Indeed, under current law, once someone stops learning full time they are conscripted.
I don’t believe Rav Melamed is a liar or is acting in a sinister way, but he does appear to be naive, and ill-informed at one his party’s leaders are saying in public (meaning to the hilonim media).
“If those who are not learning Torah would enter the IDF or an appropriate program, or simply enter the workplace”
This has been the breaking point for so long….why are they not entering IDF, programs or workplace? Because their kehilla will ostracize them, their families and cause undue pain to all involved.
“once someone stops learning full time they are conscripted” – This may be a law yet one that is completely ignored, violated and looked the other way on.
keep from the strain of perturbulating over ludicrousness
R. Melamed is spot on. No one – not Lapid and certainly not Bennett – wish to close down the harm the chareidim or their so-called yeshiva world, but unfortunately the chareidi community is represented by those deeply invested in keeping the status quo of rampant poverty, ignorance and batlanus.
Indeed under current law one who stops learning full-time is supposed to be conscripted, but the only yeshivas that obey the law are Merkaz HaRav and the other non-hesder Dati-Torani yeshivas. In the chareidi community, however, the vast majority of chareidi men claim the status of lifelong full-time students, even as they find the abundant time to marry and have kids, watch their kids while the wives try to eke out some form of a parnasa, serve as foot soldiers for the chareidi parties at demonstrations and shnorr for money for themselves or their ‘mosdos’.
“Nevertheless, the majority of its representatives will adhere to the words of the rabbonim for there cannot be a version [of an agreement] that is not approved by the roshei yeshiva.”
31 likud + 6 kadima + 2 mofaz + 19 lapidees = 58 All you needs is bennet +2 more of bait’s MKs and it’s passed (even if the entire opposition will be present, vote against it, not abstain)
I think that if the Chareidi Rabbanim and the Dati Leumi Rabbanim are the ones to develop a plan it will be good. If it is left to the politicians it will probably cause a major rift between the Orthodox groups.
What could he mean by this? RZs have been harming yeshivos since 1902.
Bayit Yehudi Will Not Harm Yeshivos
Well, that is a relief to know.