After learning that Defense Minister Ehud Barak summoned Har Bracha Hesder Yeshiva rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Eliezer Melamed to a Sunday evening ‘hearing’ following the rav’s meeting last week with Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, MK (Ichud HaLeumi) Dr. Michael Ben-Ari released a statement that “the reason they are trying to break Rabbi Melamed really stems from the attempt to break Torah and halacha”.

The MK aligned with the right-wing opposition party stated that “those who sit in pubs will never replace the hesder yeshivot”.

Rav Melamed was instructed by Vilnai to release a public statement no later than today, Sunday, testifying to his and the hesder system support of the IDF and its commanders, and their absolute authority.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)