Thank you Yankel Berel. The real change began in the mid-90s when the Barak SC began forcing the IDF to adapt Progressive ideas of “gender integration”. There is zero connection between the situation the Chazon Ish was dealing with and the situation today. There were also other ways of avoiding IDF service then and now… The increase in “Torato Umanuto” exemptions after ’77 doesn’t mean that those people would have gone to the IDF, just they would have to be more creative… How do thousands of Eidah Yerushalmim etc. get out of the IDF, without even registering their Mosdos with the Medinah? That didn’t change at all, then or now. (Hint – the IDF aren’t stupid, but they really don’t want them…)
It is also very interesting when a MO professor, publishing through YU Press, all of a sudden is very interested in the Chazon Ish and his Shittos in Daas Torah. Don’t you think that is a little odd Reb SQUARE_ROOT?
Another question. If there is or ever was a real operational need for drafting Chareidim, why is it that the calls for doing so never come from the IDF leadership itself? Why is this primarily being spearheaded by the SC/AG and friends? (Hint – see above hint…)
It is an oft-repeated canard that masses of Chareidim who don’t actually learn benefit from the “Torato Umanuto” exemption. According to the Institute for Democracy in Israel, no friend of the Chareidim AT ALL, the real numbers are far lower. Within the age group expected (by Chareidi standards) to still be single, the numbers are over 90% (according to the IDI, a think tank hostile to Chareidim who analyzed the data to figure out better ways to hurt the Chareidim through sanctions…) From the age of marriage, the number goes down (what a shock.) In the last year before age 26 (when they will anyway be allowed to work legally within a year) up to 25% (again, according to hostile analysts with an explicit agenda to besmirch the Chareidim) do in fact work illegally. Which of course means that (at least) 75% are still actually learning full time even at that age. I suspect that the 25% who don’t probably married earlier like many Chassidim, and could already have several kids to support at age 26.