HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, HaGaon HaRav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, and other Gedolei Yisrael, Roshei Yeshivos, and Rabbanim attended a reception in Bnei Brak on Sunday evening celebrating the release of two yeshiva bochurim from military prison—Yitzchak Revivo of Yeshivas Rabbeinu Chaim Ozer and Yair Saada of Yeshivas Kisei Rachamim.

HaGaon HaRav Hirsch delivered an unusual and dramatic address at the event: “It’s a simcha that bochurim who were arrested for learning Torah—and one can say it’s a zechus to be arrested for this, but ultimately, the arrest itself is difficult—have now been released,” the Rosh Yeshivah began. “On the one hand it’s a day of simcha, and on the other hand it’s a day of tza’ar that Acheinu Beis Yisrael don’t understand this simple matter.”

“The simple matter is that it’s chutzpah to demand someone enter the army, where his ruchniyus could be diminished, chas v’shalom—not ‘could be’ but definitely will. It’s chutzpah to ask such a thing!. Everyone is forbidden from entering the army. There’s no such thing as demanding that a person lower his ruchniyus!”

“I have heard those among the general public who say: why shouldn’t they lower [their level]? We also make sacrifices. Let them sacrifice their ruchniyus! Whoever says this does not understand what ruchniyus is, what the purpose of creation is, or who the Ribbono shel Olam is—it’s the greatest foolishness ever uttered. It’s chutzpah to ask a person to lower his ruchniyus, and kal v’chomer—many times over—to do so to the Olam HaYeshivos, rachmanah litzlan.”

“As it is written: ‘So that the land not vomit you out’—a parable to a king’s son who was fed something repulsive that his body could not tolerate, and he vomited it out; so too Eretz Yisrael does not tolerate transgressors.”

“The question is asked: then why is there a state at all? And there is only one answer: because of lomdei Torah! Lomdei Torah are on the ones who sustain this entire state. It’s chutzpah and foolishness to demand such a thing! And it’s a simple matter—all the Gedolei Yisrael in the past and present forbid—definitely forbid—entering the army.”

“And I want to say one more point that the secular world needs to think about. Why were they willing in 1948 to give Eretz Yisrael to the Jews? For one reason: because Jews were there continuously, in every generation.”

“In the year 500, according to their counting, there was the Churban. The Churban was hundreds of years earlier, but the Churban of Yerushalayim—of the whole kehilla of Yerushalayim—was then, when the Catholics captured it and caused another Churban, and therefore all the yeshivos were then abolished.”

“And what happened in all the hundreds of years since—more than a thousand years—in Eretz Yisrael? It was only people of the Torah who came to Eretz Yisrael to weep over the Churban and to learn Torah. They left everything they had in Chutz L’Eretz and came to Eretz Yisrael to learn Torah, and as a result there were always Jews in Eretz Yisrael. Only we were there. For hundreds of years, more than a thousand years—only we were there.”

“The Torah is the reason there is a state at all, because of which the nations gave the state. And this is another aspect of the chutzpah of failing to recognize the exalted status of the Torah.”

“May Hakadosh Baruch Hu grant that they understand this and recognize Talmud Torah, and that every ben yeshivah and every Chareidi person is forbidden to enter any place that will decrease ruchniyus. May Hashem Yisbarch grant that we succeed in this and that there be only Kavod Shamayim. And from this koach—that we’re fighting against them—will cause a great Kavod Shamayim. And that Kavod Shamayim will bring Hakadosh Baruch Hu to have mercy upon us and merit us with the Geulah Sheleimah speedily in our days, Amen.”

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)