I think the spiritual danger issue is a bunch of nonsense. If you go in weak, you’ll come out weak. The IDF doesn’t try to take anyone away from Torah. They even give out Chumashim at the induction ceremony. They as accommodating as possible. Maybe something is wrong with the Chinuch process if people feel their boys are at risk spiritually.
The have been plenty of people become Baalei Teshuva because of the IDF and their interaction with Frum soldiers.
CHAZAL tell us that Noach was lacking. The issue is in what way? The Zohar says that Noach, while he was a Tzaddik, was solely focused on himself and didn’t try to reach out to others. This as opposed to Avraham Aveinu. Isn’t the Chareidi world doing the same thing as Noach? If someone is strong in their beliefs, no one will negatively influence them.
Torah learning is vital for the survival of the State. However, the Chareidi position is that no one should serve, whether they are learning or not. The Yeshiva Bocher statements are used to divide. Not all Chareidi boys are learning and not all are capable of really learning. The mentality is flawed. Boys, who are not learning, are even discouraged from learning a trade to be able to support a family. It’s an unsustainable situation and others are rightfully resenting it and it’s causing a backlash.
If the positions in the Chareidi world weren’t so severe, it would be different.
To Spice of Life: Do you feel it’s ok for other people’s children to risk their lives to protect you, but your children should be immune? All our children are precious, your and other peoples. Without the IDF, we would all be massacred. Don’t say Hashem will protect us without the IDF. Hashem protects us within the framework of our own Hishtadlus. Moshe Rabbeinu wasn’t told to sit back and let Hashem do all the fighting for us. We had to fight too.
Think of Chevron 1929. That’s what we’d be facing without the IDF. No one wants their children in harms way, but what choice is there?