The Sentry
Real life stories. Documents. Quotes.
The new draft-law has passed the first reading in the Knesset. It would need three readings to become law, may it not happen. One of the novelties of the new law is the introduction of an abbreviated three week track. Instead of three years of service, one can train for just three weeks and fulfill his army requirement. Although at first glance this may seem as good news, it is actually a sly maneuver. The authorities realize that a sudden acclimatization to chareidi military service is not feasible. They therefore hope that with the offering of an abbreviated track, a larger contingent will agree. They hope that this will introduce the concept of chareidim and army service being compatible, on a much larger scale.
Additionally; if the issue with military service was one of bittul Torah, then one could correctly make the calculation that instead of facing an extended prison sentence for issues with his deferment, it is worthwhile to do the three week service during bein hazmanim and go scot-free. However the issue with the army is the destruction of the emunah and dei’os, as well as the immoral atmosphere. And three weeks is plenty of time to become affected and ruined, particularly when that is the objective in the first place.
Some have pointed-out the oddity of the three-week track. As the entire argument for the chareidi draft has been “equality of sharing the burden.” If that’s the case, how is a three-week track an equal sharing of the burden to a secular youth who serves a full three year stint? The answer is that “sharing of the burden” is only a facade for the true ideal of integrating the Torah Jew into the Israeli melting pot, and this ideal can be somewhat achieved in only three weeks.
A “chareidi” recruiter Chanoch R. recently testified the following; “There is no doubt that integrating chareidim in Tzahal is not for the purpose of providing the security needs of the army, rather there is a national and societal ideal to integrate the chareidi community among Israeli society… Typically chareidi youth are not educated about Zionism… The [army] need to complete [the education of these] youth about Zionism, “values”, and [to learn about] what an army is in a Jewish and democratic state.”
In 5698 Hagaon Rav Simcha Zisel Broide zt”l [who later became the Rosh Yeshiva of Chevron] wrote his father a letter. He related that he asked the Chazon Ish if he should should join the defense organizations of the Zionists’, being that it was an issue of pikuach nefesh. The Chazon Ish responded; “Although pikuach nefesh overides everything, this does not pertain to matters of religiosity and emunah.” Rav Simcha Zissel continued to ask; “What if I am certain that will not become influenced by them?” The Chazon Ish responded; “There is no difference in this regard, [and it is assur] even for a Gadol B’Yisroel.”
To bring to the public’s attention the seriousness of the impending law, a large demonstration was held last Wednesday. At 3:50 in the afternoon a group of about one thousand yirei Hashem descended on Route 4 of Bnei Brak, a major traffic artery that is connected to most of the country. They sat on the road for two hours, and declared to all that the issue of drafting chareidim is one that we are willing to be moser nefesh for. In order to achieve the maximum benefit of expressing the point of the protest, many signs were displayed. They read; “[We will go] to jail, but not to the army”, “The draft-law is an edict of shmad”, “Disturbing the yeshivos is an existential danger to Klal Yisroel.” Papers were also handed-out to the held-up drivers explaining the grounds for the protest.
A yungerman related the following story that highlights the impact that protests have on the public. He hitched a ride one night with a somewhat modern chareidi fellow. He asked the driver were he’s heading in middle of the night. The driver explained that a soldier had been killed by an Arab, and he was traveling to participate in the funeral. This fellow then mentioned that when he sees the protests from time to time of the followers of Rav Shmuel Aurebach zt”l opposing the draft-law it reminds him that the army is not a place for a Torah Jew.
Do you find The Sentry informative? Please share the message with two friends.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-sentry/CA%2BLbpguhe-nZE5euXgpBynXsT84ty8jDY1dD1b6YYJwV3jXWrw%40mail.gmail.com.
