One of the issues upon which litvish gedolim shlita are not in agreement is how a talmid is to conduct himself upon receiving a draft notice from the IDF. HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita has instructed talmidim to respond to a draft notice by reporting to an induction center and filling out personal information forms only, nothing more. HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita instructs talmidim not to report to any induction center and not to cooperate in any way.
In the erev Shabbos Yated Neeman Rosh Yeshivas Yad Aaron HaGaon HaRav Yehoshua Eichenstein writes at length on this matter in an effort to explain and clarify Rav Shteinman’s position.
Perhaps the main point addressed by Rav Eichenstein is the issue of protests. He explained that while in the past there were come calls for protests in line with the position of the Chazon Ish ZY”A regarding protests against drafting women, at present, this is not the case. He stresses Rav Shteinman is opposed to protests against the drafting of bnei torah at present.
The explanation given is back then, following the establishment of the state, the ruling establishment wanted to flip the chareidim into becoming not frum. He explains they believed the chareidim were weak so the protests were ordered to show strength and to signal to state leaders the chareidi tzibur would stand firm and it would not be broken.
Rabbi Eichenstein explains the Rosh Yeshiva Shlita feels that today, not only will protests not help the cause; they may harm it for non-frum residents will become frightened over the might of today’s large chareidi tzibur.
HaPeles, the newspaper representing Rav Auerbach Shlita maintains the same viewpoint today and calls for “organizing the entire world against the harassment of Israel’s minority Torah in Eretz HaKodesh”, maintaining its more hard-line approach in addressing draft officials.
Kikar Shabbat adds that askanim affiliated with the Bnei Torah party have sent a message to IDF officials that if they attempt to being arresting bnei torah, there will be an extremely large protest at Kikar Shabbos that will also harness Agudas Yisrael and its followers as well as rabbonim from Shas and their followers.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
This may be more damaging than the draft itself, when the Gedolei HaPoskim have chilukei daos. It has the potential to cause machlokes at the “street level” and really tear us apart.
Yatzmich:
Everything these days has the potential to cause machlokes at “street level” and really tear us apart. That shouldn’t prevent the Gedolim from expressing their views as to what Torah requires of us. They disagree with each other as to what that might be? So, those who follow one Gadol will do what his Gadol says, and others will do what their Gedolim say. I still believe that the Gedolim are trying to guide us in our responsibilities to Torah, and are trying to help us seek truth. For myself, Rov Shteinman seems to be taking the most reasoned approach on the draft issue, as he has on numerous others.