After two weeks of discussions among Gedolei Yisrael, the Degel HaTorah party announced on Wednesday morning that the Roshei Yeshivos of Slabodka gave their final approval for the advancement of the Chareidi draft law.

HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch held a lengthy meeting with the Degel HaTorah MKs two weeks ago, during which the Rosh Yeshivah reviewed the bill clause by clause and listened carefully to the MKs’ reports about the Attorney General’s demands. The Rosh Yeshiva later gave his initial approval to the law but held further discussions on the issue with HaGaon HaRav Landau and other leading Rabbanim over the past two weeks.

Following the announcement, the Agudas Yisrael published an announcement that its chairman, MK Yitzchak Goldknopf, has not yet received the draft proposal for regulating the status of bnei yeshivos and that the party will not support any bill that includes sanctions, direct or indirect, or any harm to the status and rights of lomdei Torah in Eretz Yisrael.

Degel HaTorah issued a statement this morning saying, “At this moment, an instruction to the MKs has come from the Gedolei Yisrael, HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau and HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, that a decision has been made to approve the advancement of the [draft] law in the Knesset committee as soon as possible. It was further stated in the decision that after the full draft law is submitted and before the vote in the Knesset, the proposal will be placed on the table of the Gedolei Yisrael, where a final decision will be made regarding how to vote on the law.”

“The Degel HaTorah party asks the public of Bnei Torah, especially in this period when we need much Siyata Dishmaya, to continue being oisek b’Torah in the heichelei yeshivos and kollelim. We are confident that in the zechus of increased limmud Torah and adherence to the da’as of Gedolei HaTorah, we will merit to magnify and glorify Torah, which is the greatest shemirah for all of Am Yisrael.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)