Rabboisai,
Klal Yisroel is in a tragic period. We are under the constant direct assault from hostile forces. They surround us on all sides and refuse to reach an acceptable agreement, preferring instead to destroy the culmination of our history in our ancient homeland.
I am talking of course about the evil actions of the anti-Semites who are trying to rip our men out of Yeshivois and force them to join the Zionist army as well as withhold funds from our Talmidim.
They are a Hakadoishboruchhu-less ungrateful bunch, after all we are doing for the war effort! As my colleague Rav Yaakov Hillel, Rosh Yeshivas Ahavas Shalom, so clearly told us, “Every Blatt Gemara is a missile, every Tosafos is a rocket, every Kapitel Tehillim is a bomb.”
We have selflessly been protecting those fighting… but for what? To be Mechalel Shabbos? To engage in Gilui Arayois? To eat Chazer? To go on the Internet, Chass V’Sholom? As was so eloquently explained by the Chairman of United Toirah Judaism Rabbi Yitzhak Goldknopf SHLITA, “The State of Israel arose to be a home for the Jewish people whose Torah is a Torah of truth… Without the Torah, we have no right to exist.”
And yet… the Zionists are endangering their state by forcing our community to join their army in a brash attempt to make us walk away from Yiddishkeit. That is unacceptable. My colleague Rabbi Zvi Friedman of the Jerusalem Faction has clarified the line that we must all walk: YeHuraig V’Al Yaavor. Experience shows that our Talmidim who join the army ultimately “leave religion”, a fate “that is worse than death… I have five daughters and three sons and about 30 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. And if they asked me what would I prefer — that the Arabs kill them or that they be secular, I prefer the first option. It is a thing worse than death.”
“Being in such a secular army is more serious for us than Shabbos and Kashrus and all those things. It’s better to eat pigs than to be in a place with secular people.”
The Sephardic Chief Rabbi has warned of the consequences of instituting the draft for Yeshiva Bochrim. The Chareidi community “will all move abroad”.
But it goes further. The Chareidi community has been targeted with horrific Sinas Chinum from the Zionists. I myself have heard terrible lies about our community with my own ears coming from the secular majority.
Some suggest that we do not love Klal Yisroel. That is a complete lie! We love every Jew – even the secular! We just do not like them. But someone has to do the menial work, such as collecting the garbage, cooking, cleaning, health care, banking, and the military.
Others suggest that many Charedim are focused on the economic benefits of our political arrangements around the draft. But that is a complete lie! We are not motivated by money! Farkhert - If we cared about money, Bnei Brak would not be the poorest city in all of Israel (just as Kiryas Yoel is the poorest town per capita in the United States). Boruch HaShem!
Finally, some suggest that Chareidim are cowards - that we are afraid to fight. There is nothing further from the truth!!! As Rabbi Yitzhak Goldknopf SHLITA made very clear, “We will fight in every way for the right of every Jew to learn Torah and we will not compromise on that.” Similarly, Harav HaGaon Meir Porush SHLITA spoke about this very issue. “We will not put up with this situation and will fight to cancel the decision immediately.” So, no! We are not afraid to fight! We just prefer to fight other Jews.
Shoyn.
So where do we go from here? As a nation we have several burning challenges facing Klal Yisroel at the same time:
The impending draft of the Chareidi community
The hostages in Gaza
The ongoing war
Indeed, the war has been a key catalyst for the evil plot of doing away with draft exemptions for members of our community because of the so-called “manpower shortage” of the IDF army. It is the secular, Yemach Shmum, who are shattering the status quo and who have linked these three subjects.
I would like to suggest a solution that will address the needs of all. Chareidim do not want to stop studying Toirah to put on a military uniform and be exposed to secular Israelis, and are willing to leave the country to avoid the draft. The Zionists want their hostages back. And the Palestinians see every Jew as a soldier.
Instead of solving these issues separately, we can architect a solution to ensure a win: win situation. Instead of serving in the IDF, Chareidi Buchrim will attend Yeshivois that will be established in Gaza, moving to Gaza in exchange for the return of the remaining hostages. Chareidim want to live in a religious environment, so what would be better than learning all day alongside Erlicheh Buchrim from Hamas? In fact, for every Israeli hostage, we would be willing to send 10, 20, even 50 Buchrim to Gaza in exchange. It is a painful compromise that will also satisfy Chareidi commitments to leave the country since, according to many, Gaza is not a part of Israel.
In exchange, the State of Israel will pay for the new Yeshivois in Gaza and ensure that there are adequate food and medical supply roots for the Buchrim and the surrounding Palestinian areas. In addition, the Global Jewish community will be brought in as partners in this historic venture. Indeed, the Golus has been supporting the IDF army, which has resulted in misplaced priorities. As Rav Yaakov Hillel has so clearly stated, “For those who are helping soldiers buy equipment that the army doesn’t provide, that is also good, although not at the expense of supporting Yeshivos, which are the ultimate inner strength of the Jews.”
Ah Gutten Shabbos, You Minuval
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Rabbi Pinky Schmeckelstein
Rosheshiva
Yeshivas Chipass Emmess
RabbiPinky@Gmail.Com