Reply To: Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetsky and the modern State of Israel

Chaim87 said something like this,
on 2025 September 11 at 5:06 PM,
in a discussion named: “Going OTD in the IDF”:
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Some myths need to be dispelled:

Zionism is not shmad or off-the-derech.

Its a machlokos and dependent on Shokul HaDas,
as to who your Rav or Daas Torah is.

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Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook ZTL ZYA was big tzadik.

Rabbi Isser Zalman was maspid him, and the Chafetz Chaim defended his honor.

He was sent by Rabbi Elchanon’s own brother-in-law,
who was the gadol at the time Rabbi Chaim Ozer to America,
to represent the holy Rav (together with the Ohr Somayach).

These are facts and there are pictures of the historic visit.
Not only was Rabbi Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook
a huge tzadik, but so was Rabbi Herzog ZTL.

Does anyone know how much he ran around trying to save Jews during the Holocaust?
Listen to Rabbi Berel Wein ZTL talk about the time Rabbi Herzog spoke about
trying to save Jewish children in monasteries after the war.
The tears he shed as he told everyone to fight for the next generation.
Only a tzadik can do that.

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Then we have the holy Rizyna Rabbis, all who embraced Zionism.
So Zionism is Al-Pi-Torah and has legs.

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This story with Rabbi Aron Lieb is likely made up or exaggerated.
Rabbi Shteinman started Nachal Charedi and Vadas Tal.

Everyone knows he supported the [Israeli] Army at least
for those not holding by going to yeshiva.
You can’t make up a shita from one isolated story that likely never happened!

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There is an issue with secularism.

As others pointed out its a case by case basis.
What unit does the army-joiner join?
Was he using the army as an exit strategy but off before hand?

The big issue with Rabbi Shteinman’s comprise of Nachal Charedi
was that it was established for weaker boys,
which means from the get-go, you are doomed.
A system like Hesder Yeshivahs where there are
a lot of good boys could only elevate the others.