A psak Halacha released by Rabbi Moshe Ze’ev Zargar (זארגער) – one of the Satmar Rabbonim in Yerushalayim -states that IDF uniforms can make one tamei, if worn by a chareidi individual, citing the tuma of “מגע ומשא”. The rav, who is the mechaber of Shu’t וישב משה was referring to the chardakim (Chareidi/Dati Leumi Chareidi) as they are referred to, the chareidim who feel it is acceptable to serve in the IDF.
The pashkavilim posted in chareidi areas on Tuesday 13 Iyar 5773 quoting the psak Halacha; one must expel chareidi soldiers in uniform from a shul and/or beis medrash because the uniform is metamei מגע ומשא. The psak calls to oust such people from chareidi areas.
The psak Halacha has been publicized through pashkavilim, which state “To our sorrow, we are witness to an increasing number of those opting to wear the uniform. As we know, they do not have a shortage of soldiers and they do not need the chareidim in their army. There entire goal is to penetrate the chareidi community with this ‘nega’.
The rav adds that the army compels them to wear the uniform in their community, for this is part of the psychological warfare to bring more chareidim into the IDF. The rav adds they are given easy jobs with a good salary to entice them into coming on board, but a condition is they wear the uniform, which for them is the biggest gain. The rav calls on the tzibur to shout “טמא צא מכאן” (tamei get out!) to any chareidi walking into a shul or beis medrash in such a uniform.
The rav concludes “If you see a young man arguing with them, believing he is wise enough to affect him, approach him and tell him ‘leave the sheigetz alone’.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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48 Responses
BH, this is posted during Sefiras HaOmer!! Best time of year to incite more tension and fighting amongst Yidden!
Thank you for this “frum” website that does such a great service for Klal Yisroel!!
Is anyone surprised; but yet if they need a Tamei policeman they know who to call, and if G-D forbid there is an attack they would be the first to call in the IDF. Shameful position to be taken in public and further highten the tensions.
I’m not a Zioni. Far from it. But having seen this psak, I would say the same about this Rav: When you see him, tell him טמא צא מכאן and if you see someone talking to him tell him ‘leave the sheigetz alone’.
outrageous
So on one side is Satmar (meaning, Eidis Hareidis), which is adopting a very hard line in opposing the army. It is very certain that they will resist any attempts to conscript their community. As they don’t accept zionist subsidies, the only think the government could do to fight them would involve brute force (meaning arrests for not serving in the IDF and sending armed men to close down their yeshiovs). However if the government doesn’t actively fight Satmar (and the Eidis Hareidis) there is nothing to prevent someone from announcing they support their shitah and therefore don’t have to serve in the army.
Then you have the religious zionists who are support conscription, and based on their websites and newspapers appear to believe that in a few months thousands of hareidim will leave the yeshiva world to join the Israeli army. The bulk of Israelis have never dealt with open resistance to conscription (in part due to the “legal fiction” that all Hareidim are learning full time and therefore are deferred for life), not to mention the possibility of a large number of soldiers who will disobey their officers, citing “higher orders”.
There is a famous curse that goes “may you live in interesting times” – and these times will be interesting.
This is a distortion of Torah.
between Israel’s nuttly Left and this p’sak (?) halacha, it is difficult for any Jew to be normal and balanced.
feh!!
So if I fly over an army base, do I need to put on a giant ziploc bag?
and we wonder why we are in golus.
shameful
!צא מכאן שונא ישראל
Yasher Koach to הרב משה זאב זארגער שליט”א for taking a courageous, albeit unpopular, stand that he surely knew in advance the many amharatzim would defame him for.
To whomever said “Is anyone surprised; but yet if they need a Tamei policeman they know who to call, and if G-D forbid there is an attack they would be the first to call in the IDF.”
Actually, they try to avoid the police and try to be neutral in the war between the zionists and the Palestinians. Since they are trying to stay neutral, if they are attacked (most likely by the IDF or the Misteret Yisrael), they will not be the first to call Hamas for help – but are likely to complain to international human rights organizations (which is why the zionists will probably leave them alone, though doing so means the only sanction for army refusal will be loss of government benefits which is not a very effective sanction).
Who ever read his sefer or knows him say he is a big tzadik and a big talmid chacham and ga’on. He is very respected and his psak is accepted and very effective by all god fearing Jews.
Maybe this “Posek” can end the Machlokes between the Zalmanites & the Aaronies! He sounds like such a smart sensible person. Lol
#8 LOL that is really funny.
Many of our present and past G’dolim, Roshei Yeshiva and Manhigim have family members who do/have/had served in the IDF…so this psak is almost as ridiculous as many that resounds today.
Just hope you dont need a YAHREZEIT minyon one day and the congregants or shul are not to your liking.
A Shande and a Cherpa. This is exactly what caused the problem and what will cause further problems. If we would have voted on a united front by the elections we would have had a stronger voice at this time and it may not have come to this, but being as it was every man for himself, now we are totally every man for himself, and have no say on what is being done to us in the Knesset.
These bochrim did not choose to go the army they had no choice and there is still an inyan of Dina Demalchusa dina.
Back in Europe the yeshiva bochrim also had to go to the army. It was because the communitee was there for them that they were able to stay strong and frum.
Instead of ostracising them we need to be mekarev them and show them that we are there for them.
There should be people to give them chizuk and Rabbonim to be available to them to ask their Shealos and to give them Chizuk at all times. This way they can stay strong and pass this nisayon.
Maybe if the army gave them long jackets and Samet Berets this Rov would approve.
Is this “psak” only for Kohanim?
Rav Aharon Lichtenstein was once visiting his father-in-law, R’ Yoshe Ber ZT”L, and had some sheilos regarding boys from his (hesder) yeshiva who were currently serving in the IDF.
One of the boys asked the following question: His job in the army is maintenance of tanks and his uniform routinely gets greasy and grimey. Though not impossible, it is difficult and time consuming for him to change his clothes in order to daven mincha on time. Is he required to make the extra effort to change to clean clothes?
The Rav answered, “Why would he need to change his clothes? He is wearing bigdei kodesh!”.
THAT’S a gadol.
This is not a “Gadol.” This is a nut job. His levush is no holier than the young men who volunteer their lives to protect useless “rabbonim” such as these. Actually, the IDF uniform is much holier. Rabbi Zargar, I find you contemptible.
Since when is there tumah nowadays? AND ON A UNIFORM?? And even more so – it only says that its tamei maga u’masa NOT OHEL, so why would he have to leave the building??!! Totally insane!
I think Rabbi Moshe Ze’ev Zargar is metamei other yidden
number 13 the next tike your car is stoned by arabs dont call the IDF or the police call abbas. The next time you need electricity in jerusalem call the Turks. I guess you dont read history./The riots in Chevron in 1929 couldnt have beern caused by the ” Zionists” nor could the Muftis help to hitler.
#12. Real smooth. So you write that “he surely knew in advance the many amharatzim would defame him for”. So you try to intimidate anyone from arguing with him. Hilarious. You are a funny dude. As you can see, not working.
Tell this Satmar person this: “Rambam (Hilchot Sanhedrin 26:7) and Shulchan Aruch (C.M. 26:1) add a surprisingly harsh condemnation of those who adjudicate their disputes in non-Jewish courts: “Whoever submits a suit for adjudication to non-Jewish judges…is a wicked man. It is as though he reviled, blasphemed, and rebelled against the Torah of Moshe.”
That’s the funny thing about religion, it causes people to be able to say ridiculous things with such conviction. And you can’t talk sense into them, because they stand behind religion.
How would thes Rav feel if I went up to him and called him a fool for wearing white sweat socks up to his knees, and a waiter’s vest? What a shame.
The individual who issued this opinion is free to say what he wants, but how can this be called a “psak”? There is no Halachic basis for this made-up “tumma”, so this is, by definition, not a “psak”.
The fact that this view is assinine is another point entirely.
an Israeli Yid
When a kehillo comes out against voting in the Israeli election, the ‘yashur b’dvar hashem’ is then to keep quiet on all issues of the state.
#20- The “nut job” you are referring to was R’ Yoshe Ber Soloveitchik. And he was referring to the IDF uniform that the young man in question was wearing.
Shame on YOU!
#28: I think you misread #20. From the last line in his post, it’s clear he’s referring to Mr. Zargar, not to R’ Yoshe Ber zt”l. What probably happened was he wrote his post before #19 was approved, and because it happens to be the post right after it, it can be mistakenly read as referring to R’ Yoshe Ber.
I know not to confuse the tree for the whole forest, but I am being driven to the thought that chassidus was a mistake, that Satmar is and even bigger mistake, and the biggest misfortune to bring this to EY.
to Yanky55: did you read my whole comment? I was referring to Mr. Zargar. Apology accepted. 🙂
The word “tumah” is being used as a euphemism. It is not being used in a discussion of the halachos of tumah and taharos. The Rav is saying that the IDF is so much of an enemy of Torah and Yiddishkeit, that it is disgusting to wear its uniform.
Similar euphemisms include “Sheigetz” and “Shiksa” (which are often used to refer to either goyim or free Jews even though the word itself refers to small non-mammilian animal), or the word “glatt” (often used to mean “very” kosher even though the word itself refers to a technical term only applicable to large slaughtered mammals).
#23 the riots in chevron was caused directly by the zionists who happened to have fled as soon as they saw the arabs approaching, there recorded testimonials from survivors. Please do your research before blaming or defending anyone
#29- I just reread his post and I see that you are correct. I deeply apologize to #20.
#29: Are you sure he is referring to HaRav Zargar shlita rather than to JB?
And we wonder why the non frum don’t respect rabbonim
And we wonder why the non frum don’t respect rabbonim. Interesting, the article says “IDF uniforms can make one tamei, if worn by a chareidi individual”. Is that because the non charedi is already tamei or because the charedi is so holy and this will only affect him, like tzaraas only affecting Baalei madrigals.
We all know the satmar shita by now so get over it!!
I think Responsible Haredi Leaders must now speak out clearly with such Exstreme Chilul Hashem Traitorious Behavior. It is Absolutley CLear This Kind of Behavior is NOT DAS TORAH. It is brain washed from childhood nonsense. I understand before there was a state Satamr and or others felt it dangerous to have non-religous and anti-religous running the country. But the State of Israel is now 65 years old. In it live 6 million Jews. I undertand some may say many Satmar or the like consider all the non-Hasidim as Goyim and its therefor really less. Many tens of thousands are very religous and Torah scholars. Those that are in the army are Heros for protecting millions of Jews in Erets Hakodesh. Israeli soldiers pictured in Tefilin and Talis make a Kiddush Hashem. Meshuganas that spwe Hate at such soldiers and shout Shaigets! or Nazi! cause CHillul Hashem! It is the Mechalel Hashem and Goreim Sinah from many thousands for such Traitorious behavior that are Shaiegets. It is the respinsibility for HAredi leaders to speak EMES and be brave. Bimkom SHeAin Ish Hishtadeil LiHiyos Ish. And especially when some join with Palestinian terrorist supporters and Iran. BOGDIM and SONEI YISROEL TSAI MICAN!
#35, You are obviously Not a chachom. Besides for the fact that I explained myself (see comment 31), when I posted, his comment wasn’t in yet. They obviously came in at the same time. I’m glad I put that last sentence in, however, i can’t help it if some feeble minded individuals like yourself can’t understand. I would never say a bad word about HaRav JB, as I am sure that the Rav would never make a “psak” as stupid as this – as you call him “HaRav Zargar Shlita”.
Continued: This Zargar character needs to learn some Hilchos Derech Eretz, of which he obviously knows little to nothing about.
BH, this is posted during Sefiras HaOmer!! Best time of year to incite more tension and fighting amongst Yidden!
Especially at this unique time of the year, when we transitioning from Yom ha’Atzmaut to Yom Yerusholayim.
As a Kohen who has learned many of the hilchos tumah, I feel insulted that this so called Rav would say that there is tumah involved in wearing a uniform. If he has political, philosophical, and religious issues with wearing a uniform I can respect his opinion and him as a person and as a Rav (even if I disagree with him). However, when he starts saying clear misstatements of Halacha (at least as reported by YWN) for a purely political or ideological purpose then he loses any respect or right to an opinion nor can he be trusted regarding his Torah knowledge.
i believe the original comment stooped even lower-comparing the uniform to Shesi V’erev- a cross.What a pity that what was done to us for 2000 years by the carriers of that symbol can be used by a filthy mouth.
The classical definition of Chilul HaShem is one saying if this is Torah-i want no part of him, his father or his rebbi
and there is no forgiving such blasphemy
You failed to report that the writer compared the uniform to Shesi v’erev- a cross. A great shame that the symbol that caused us so much harm for 2000 years can be used to describe our sons who protecting our lives.
The classical definition of chilul HaShem- “if this is Torah, i want no part of it, his father or his teacher”
what requires moderation?
Thank G-d we still have rabbonim such as Rav Zargar shlita who are unafraid of the uneducated masses who get all itchy and outraged when their liberal zionistic ideals are violated with Torah truths.
You know, every time there is an outrageous act by those acting in the name of Chareidim – such as the story reported on YWN re: a soldier on leave who was kicked out of the Meah She’arim Shtiblach when he came in to catch a minyan, with almost the exact language quoted in the story above, there are those – including, reportedly, the Gabbai of the Shtiblach – who say that “those are the acts of a few misguided extremists, and don’t represent the view of the group”. If what is reported in this story is true, that excuse falls by the wayside – here is one of the leaders of the Satmar community in Israel explicitly instructing his followers to behave in this manner.
So now, all the appologists for bad behavior by certain groups of Chareidim – what’s the excuse???
an Israeli Yid