Yahadut Hatorah’s Rav Moshe Gafne spoke with Israel Radio’s Reshet Bet on Sunday morning, 16 Shevat 5773. The rav explained that while Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid party passed the 500,000 votes mark to earn 19 seats; Yahadut Hatorah and Shas passed the same mark and together, have 18 seats. Therefore Gafne feels that Lapid has the same to offer the prime minister as they enter into coalition talks and hopes that he will reach agreement to enter the coalition as has been the case in the past.

When asked if he foresees a situation in which Shas enters the coalition and leaves Yahadut Hatorah behind, he stated “Regarding talmidei yeshivos there is no disagreement between us – we are united and anyone trying to divide and conquer will see this to be the case.” Gafne stated with absolute confidence that both Shas and his party remain committed to remain united regarding the ‘share the burden issue,’ the effort to draft Bnei Torah into the IDF or a national service.

RADIO:

Don’t you think it is unfair however, they a majority of the population serves and works and your community is supported?

GAFNE:

Permit me to explain how we see the world, our hashkafa, one that is instilled in our children at a young age. The burden as you call it is divided and there are a number of components. There are combat soldiers, combat support soldiers as they are called and non-combatants. In addition, there are Bnei Torah doing their share to share the burden too, and from my perspective they are taking an active role in the national burden as well as the others.

Voters of Shas and Yahadut Hatorah are in agreement on this issue, as are some of the members of Bayit HaYehudi. I suggest you check before arguing for I know this to be true that some of the Bayit HaYehudi supporters are in agreement with us on this issue.

RADIO:

You can believe it and this is fine but the question is state funding. Where in our history can you point to a period during which no one works and the people must support this?

GAFNE:

I have grown tired of the cheap rhetoric and propaganda when in fact, over 50% of chareidi men do work and the women work too. Because of the stigma, how were have been depicted by the nation, many receive a poor salary, looked upon as inferior. This is a reality. Regarding all the funding we receive the average child receives considerably less than the non-chareidi counterpart and in addition; we pay a fortune for chinuch, to educate our children. No free public schools here.

RADIO:

Not true – I know they get more and have better conditions.

GAFNE:

Please, I head the Knesset Finance Committee. Give me a bit of credit for knowing something. I don’t like the words ‘you know’ and ‘I know’. Come and see my children, the overcrowding. I can’t say the majority of cases but in many many cases, students learn in very overcrowded conditions, in caravans and shacks, not classrooms. Forget what ‘they’ tell you and please accompany me once and you can get a true firsthand look at reality and not what ‘they’ tell you.

Back to the main point — the bottom line however this is our belief. Those not learning should serve and on this there is no question. It can easily be checked, and as you know there are inspections so this is not an issue regarding who is really learning and who is not.

History has shown what will occur if one seeks to challenge an entire population, to try to compel a group to act against its belief. This will bring us to a place we both do not wish to see.

I will add that even among those chareidim in the workplace and the IDF, they oppose this effort, to bring about change by compelling the tzibur against its will. You will lose them too. They are not going to sit by and see such betrayal against their tzibur. Trying to compel the community at large will have a negative effect and it will not achieve the intended goal. All that has been accomplished to date will be lost, take my word on this.

If the prime minister goes head to head I fear the results. I hope he will try to narrow the gap, to enter into a dialogue towards reaching a mutually agreeable solution. The concept of compelling an entire community won’t work.

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(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)