As Chag Matan HaTorah approaches, HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau published a special letter to bnei yeshivos on their tafkid before Kabbalas HaTorah, and in a rare statement, the Rosh Yeshivah stated that if bnei yeshivos are forcefully recruited to the army, “we will be required to take actions we do not desire.”
The letter states: “As everyone knows, for over a year now we have been in a period of great confusion, as the legal status of Lomdei Torah regarding their conscription has not yet been regulated as it has been for all the years, and many of the authorities are openly plotting to conscript Lomdei Torah. More and more time has passed, and to our regret, a legal solution as we had in the past has not yet been found.”
“Our thoughts are constantly on this matter, that the limmud of bnei yeshivos and kollelim should take place in peace and tranquility for them and their families. And if chalilah, they will forcibly conscript bnei yeshivos, we will not be able to stand idly by, and we will be required to take actions we do not desire. We will all stand up for every single individual so that, chalilah, they will not be conscripted.
“And as we stand before Chag Matan Torah, we must be mechazeik ourselves and one another and our families, for our tafkid is only in limmud Torah. And this tafkid is the most praiseworthy, exalted, and glorious that exists in creation. And we should also be mechazik in love of friends and correcting our middos.”
אשרנו מה טוב חלקנו ומה נעים גורלנו שנתן חלקנו בתורתו וקדשנו במצוותיו.
“ויה”ר שיזכנו השם לשיש על תורתו (ולייחדו באהבה), ולא ימוש ספר התורה מפינו ומפי זרענו מעתה ועד עולם.
HaRav Landau signed the letter: “Writing with great sorrow and great hope, Dov Landau.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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10 Responses
I was left very unclear after this article. One question: what constitute “actions we don’t desire”?
No one is forcing anyone. The Supreme Court ruled that they must serve. 2: There are a lot of Orthodox Jews in the army and we pictures of people wearing Tallis and Tefillin.. Some rabbi threatening isn’t what a rabbi does however, what”actions ” will he take. He doesn’t say….. Anyway, he’s using brainwashing to say the army is bad…
I understand why the court ruled that Chradim must now serve… Why should the Government support yeshivas when they don’t contribute anything and many people are proud to serve in the army (here to).. No big deal… Tired of all these “rabbis” who think they know what’s better for a person then the person themselves… If a person wants to follow the law and join the army that’s their right.. Would these rabbis tell women they can’t go either?
levi365248, “actions we don’t desire” probably means Hafganos – demonstrations including blocking streets.
They don’t want Chareidim in the army. They just want to cut all funding as the government needs money. It’s all about money. That’s why they tolerate the Arabs as it’s cheap labor . Money is the name of the game. Chareidim in the army would cost too much to train. For soldiers in front lines only settlers are the real idealistic fighters.
Fortunate are those who support Torah! May the rosh yeshiva be healthy enough to make the trip and may we all be smart enough to come and give him a check!
At a deep philosophical level, no one does what they don’t desire. It may not be their ideal, but the choice is theirs. We read the signs and listen to the words: “Jail rather than giyus, death rather than giyus, we’ll leave E’Y, etc.” The days of being left alone to learn for years and years without serving in the army or sheirut leumi have passed. That ship has sailed. Hard decisions will be made, but the choice will ultimately reflect what the gedolim DO desire when pushed against the wall. Let’ see what that will be.
make Israel a Torah State and Shabbos honored period….change the standard as was as to what it has to be …….
Are the actions he does not desire something like – oh, I don’t know – actually participating in the Mitzvah of defending one’s fellow Jews? Now that would be a shocker…
an Israeli Yid
Reading the comments here is like reading the comments of some lefty liberal site.
This site is called the yeshiva world, 🤔 perhaps it’s the yeshiva of Eiruv Rav.
Am Haratzim always hated the Talmidei Chachomim and the Bnei Hayeshivos nothing new here. And for all you fools who think that it’s a about fairness, look how they treat the Mizrachnikim who serve more than anyone, ( they are probably the largest group percentage wise who sacrificed in this war, yet they are mocked and conspired against by the same people who scream fairness to the chareidim. In fact a judge recently said that the Mizrachnikim are worse than Hamas…
Fools will be fools
This is a war against Hashem, his Torah and those who cherish it, PERIOD!!!
Which side are you on?
ezzy and israeli yid- keep in mind that your statements are essntially two straight to gehennom. do you know what the gemara says about people who speak lashon hara about talmidei chachamim?