The Zakein Chevrei Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah, HaGaon HaRav Moshe Maya, said on Tuesday evening, hours before the Supreme Court’s ruling mandating the recruitment of bnei yeshivos, that even bochurim who aren’t learning cannot serve in the IDF due to ruchniyus issues.
Speaking to Kol B’Ramah, he said: “Even a bochur who isn’t learning in yeshivah cannot serve in the IDF. Whoever goes to the army today comes out as a mechallel Shabbos.”
He then sharpened his tone further, saying: “Serving in the army is a transgression of religion. There’s a clear halacha that tells us that it’s assur for a ben yeshivah to serve in the army. If they enter the yeshivos to recruit us – we’ll fight it. It’s like they’re trying to force us to be mechallel Shabbos.”
HaRav Maya then condemned those in the Religious-Zionist sector who supported the recruitment of Chareidim, explaining: “Those with kipot who attack lomdei Torah are making a grave mistake because if there wouldn’t be lomdei Torah, there would be many more fatalities in the war. Our tafkid in the war is to learn, learn and learn – only then will Hakadosh Baruch Hu instill fear in our enemies.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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21 Responses
If the Medinah places itself in the position as an organization trying to destroy Yiddishkeit, then even pro-Zionist Bnei Torah who have no problem serving the IDF will have to reconsider. Can you serve in an army that is trying to destroy Torah, while at the same time the very same army is fighting a group of Muslims whose goal is genocide of the Jewish people.
The closest historical analogy is probably the situation of Jewish soldiers in Finland during World War II in which they were fighting the anti-Jewish Red Army, while Finland was a co-belligerent (not an ally, but fighting a common enemy) of Nazi Germany. During the same period, there were Zionists whose approach during World War II was to “fight the British as if there no Germans, and to fight the Germans as if there were no British” – but that is very awkward.
Chilukei Deot: He’s view is inline with Maran Ovadya Y. Zt”l. HaRav Shteinman Zt”l disagrees and holds anyone not learning full time (3 sedarim) can enlist.
Tzionim say it ain’t so. Every non tzioni Talmud chochum, everyone be it Hasidic Sephardic Lithuanian says no go for a frum Jew in the army. The only ones that permit it are daati leumi, all who are nogeia bedovor because they are tzionists. That means anyone not nogeia bedovor, who can think about the matter objectively states assur, forbidden or yehoreig veal yaavor that’s all you really need to know my zionists brothers.
Did you notice the soldiers made a siyum on Baba Metziah Wednesday in Gaza? The Chareidim in yeshiva have an argument against being drafted but I don’t see why those not in Yeshiva have a right to live in Eretz Yisroel and refuse to serve.
he would set a far more convincing example if he didn’t play politics or accept government money, when saying things like that. just sayin’…
Why doesn’t he try fixing the religious situation in the army
jpa:
That’s a slander of Rav Steinman. He never said that. Where is that written?
History Buff:
Did you notice that the Zionist army is shmad, regardless of the siyum they made? Everyone has a right to live anywhere and not be forcibly converted to another religion, as happens in the Zionist army where they convert Jews into idolatrous and heretical Zionists.
akuperma:
Why do you write “if” as if it’s a question. It’s plainly obvious that this is exactly what the Zionist State is. Rav Chaim Brisker said over a century that that’s exactly what it would be.
More Torah has been learned in Gaza over the last six months than at all other times in history. This is because many of the soldiers are shomrei Torah and mitzvos, and kovea itim, even while they take part in the active protection of our people.
This “rabbi” should consider looking into keeping the Torah himself, last I checked there are halachos that pertain to motzi sheim rah.
Why would the rabbi say that? There are thousands of frum men and women who serve in the IdF who continue to live frum lives while serving and after. Is he saying that men who dress in white shirts and black pants everyday should be exempt EVEN if not actually doing any learning? How could he be so wrong? If he hates the state so much then don’t take state funds. Set an example.
@chareidi amiti – I don’t disagree with your main point, but you should note that the Gush Katif residents were, for the most part, shomrei Torah uMitzvos – so there was plenty of Torah being learned there before 2005. There also was a Jewish community in Gaza City before 1929, for what it’s worth.
an Israeli Yid
“Whoever goes to the army today comes out as a mechallel Shabbos.”
This is simply wrong.
Just like college.. one that is a makom kefira, is assur al pi din the same applies to Tzahal which is a makon permeated with kefirah, along with Hefkeirus/ permiscuity
@chareidi amiti,
I suppose in the zionist abridged twisted version of “halacha”, it is not only acceptable, but a mitzvah to clarify that any rav who expresses something remotely against your zionist diety shituf avoda zara is not a rav as a consequence for not agreeing with zionism…
Besides, a friend of mine who was in nachal chareidi, at the time he was still there, told me that on the outside they make a whole picture of it being a “frum” place, but told me that on shabbat, the soldiers all walk around using their phones, smoking etc..
Pure: If you are going to play “Name That Hypocrite,” there are a few examples in the פֿאַרפֿרומטע community who should not be left out. For instance, men who wear the מלבוש but cheat in business. You know the type. ספרי תורה with the גאַרטל on the outside because they are פסול.
What you say I understand, but what is your point….?
Saying “no” to everything sounds strange. Why not propose something that will make both sides happier than now – can chareidim be delivering food, do cyber and signals work, etc? start doing what is possible. make a proposal.
Think of the 370 families of those whose sons and daughters serving in the IDF have been niftar in Gaza since Simchas Torah and hundreds of thousands of others who are still actively putting their lives on the line daily. R Maya’s words that even those bochurim who are not learning are entitled to continue their lives without interruption is like pouring salt in an open wound. I suspect he inadvertently has increased political support for mandating an end to what a vast majority of Israelis consider an unjust and immoral system where some may die so others can continue to stay at home and fraudulently claim they are shteiging.
Gadol: Thank you for making this excellent point.
For all of you posters who support this I ask one question: how weak is your Torah education that you fear it cannot withstand the challenges every day Jews must deal with? How weak must have all the years you have spent in yeshiva been for you to not be able to retain your Judaism in the army? You either believe in Hashem and Torah/mitzvos or you don’t.
The fact is that people who are no longer religious after the army were probably not religious enough to begin with and would have found another excuse to walk away from Hashem and Torah. Maybe instead of teaching their talmidim that it’s “us vs them” regarding their fellow Jews, they should follow the actual Torah model that Kol Yisrael aravim ze b’ze.
The obvious reason the YW hate the hesder guys so much is bc they are living proof that one can be a Torah Jew and still protect our people and the land through his Torah study AND commitment to the mitzvah of fighting on behalf of the land and the Jewish people as Hashem commanded.
Maybe teaching a love of the Jewish people not like you AS THE TORAH COMMANDS instead of a hatred of all things not yeshivish they YW might find their education can withstand the challenges of the world around them and still be Torah true Jews. But then again why follow Torah law if you can make up your own?