In remarks delivered last week at Yeshivas Shaar HaMelech in Yerushalayim, Shas party chairman Rav Aryeh Deri strongly urged yeshiva bochurim not to consider leaving the walls of the beis medrash, even in light of the ongoing war in Gaza.
“Chas v’shalom it should even enter the mind of a ben Torah, even in a moment of weakness,” Deri said, “that perhaps now, during this time of war, we should think about doing something different—to contribute in another way. Chas v’shalom.”
Deri, a close adviser on national security matters as a member of the Prime Minister’s inner cabinet, was responding to public discourse around growing calls for increased enlistment from chareidim. His remarks, captured on video and aired by i24News, were directed specifically at yeshiva bochurim, stressing their irreplaceable role in defending Klal Yisroel through Limud Torah.
The issue of military exemptions for lomdei Torah has become a national flashpoint, following a High Court ruling last year that invalidated the longstanding draft deferment system for yeshiva students on the grounds of “inequality.” The ruling has put immense pressure on the government to legislate new protections for bnei yeshiva—something that has yet to be finalized.
Last month, the Shas party temporarily left the government in protest over the delays in passing such legislation, though it has continued to support the coalition. Meanwhile, Defense Ministry officials say the IDF urgently needs an additional 12,000 soldiers due to prolonged wartime deployment of reserve units. Currently, approximately 80,000 chareidi men between the ages of 18 and 24 are eligible for military service but have been exempted due to full-time Torah study. About 2,700 enlisted in the past year, still far below the military’s target of 4,800.
“Our strength,” Deri told the bochurim, “is in our Torah. That is your contribution, and it is no less critical—no less heroic—than anything happening on the battlefield.”
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13 Responses
I couldn’t agree more. What about those that aren’t learning? That is the elephant in the room.
Anyone who does not serve in the IDF should follow Deri and sit in jail or leave the State of Israel permanently.
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yes, Mr. Deri would do well to say what we all should know: that if we should be learning Torah to protect Klal Yisroel, certainly we should be KEEPING the Torah to protect Klal Yisroel, and that certainly means NOT doing the many aveiros intrinsic to any sort of army service or other service to the zionist state (hischabris l’rashoyim, kefira in moshiach, higaris b’imos, etc.) and that “Klal Yisroel” that is being protected by keeping and learning Torah does not include michlilei shabbos and apikorsim.
And yet Israel won much more difficult wars without 100,000 people in yeshiva. Meanwhile reservists are suffering terribly due to their repeated call-ups. Whatever happened to נושא בעול חבירו ?
@Settler:
As you know, until the wicked Zionists recently increased their attacks on the Jews there, the wicked Zionists force those not learning to remain in yeshiva until age 26 – impoverishing them in the process – at which point they are allowed to work without first being shmaded in the Zionist army.
I suppose MK Deri is uniquely placed to provide advice on how to learn while in prison – where many of those who refuse to draft are likely to end up.
an Israeli Yid.
@yissacher,
And yet Israel won much more difficult wars without 100,000 people in the army
Obviously it isnt because of manpower
I’m not sure I understand. I think someone learning full time constantly should be exempted. The vast majority of Israelis sacrifice their lives and certainly their livelihoods to join the army. If you’re not learning full time what possible excuse could you have not to join? You eat kosher. You keep Shabbos and mitzvos to the extent possible which unless you’re actively fighting should be easy to accomplish. All of the others Israeli are making a great sacrifice that it seems like a lot of people here really do not appreciate. They are sacrificing for us, their brothers and sisters. I always thought the controversy was for people that are learning full-time. If you are not learning full-time, I don’t understand why you would expect your brothers and sisters to put their lives at risk, but not you? Maybe I don’t understand.
HaKatan, your name matches your intellect. Do you not know that many zionists like the Rav, Rav Kook, RAL, etc. all zichron tzaddikim le’verocha, were zionists? Shame on those who will not be noseh be’oll chaveiro!
Arye served. Maybe a one time heter like the Netziv gave in 1891. You are using your Torah to protect those you discredit? Shita is not clear.
DrYidd – So let the Chilonim help be נושא בעול of their Chareidi חברים by going to Yeshiva if its so much easier… Who is stopping them?
Keith – The real reason Chareidim don’t go to the army (although until about 30 years ago many did in some form, including Aryeh Deri) is because over the last 30 years the Israeli Supreme Court has issued a series of ‘activist’ decisions pushing a ‘progressive’ agenda of ‘gender integration’. I.e. enforced mingling and working together in close quarters of 18 year old boys and girls. Other things go on there that can not be elaborated upon on a Frum website… Everyone knows this, including the Religious Zionists, most of whom ignore this issue, because for them the IDF is a ‘sacred cow’, and some of whom do try to protest (including a NGO of WIVES of milluim soldiers… וד״ל…), but are always stopped by the progressive activist Supreme Court. For those of us who believe גילוי עריות is יהרג ואל יעבור, this is an insurmountable obstacle, as long as the Israeli powers that be refuse to meaningfully change the system.
Deri obviously does not actually believe what he’s saying or he would cancel Bein Hazemanim forthwith to protect Am yisroel. The torah learning should also presumably protect them from the AG. I wonder why he won’t do this?
R’ Chaim Shmuelevitz used to give a klop on the Bima when a soldier was killed and say to the beis medrish, “We cannot say yadeinu lo shafchu es hadam hazeh”. If you want to argue torah protects, you need to take responsibility and be “nosei b’ol”.
Dr. Yidd – WADR, he probably doesn’t know what ‘RAL’ stands for… You are two sincere people trying to debate while not speaking the same language. There are and were plenty of Rabbanim/Roshei Yeshiva/Admorim who strongly disagree with your position, including many who were highly respected by the three you mentioned.