The head of Mishmeres HaKodesh & Chinuch, Rabbi Mordechai Blau, is calling on the chareidi tzibur not to permit its children to dress as IDF soldiers this Purim in light of current events.
“Dressing up on Purim is not some cheap carnival like in Brazil or Venice but it has depth and during periods that Jews were harassed G-d’s presence was hidden and the masks were intended to increase happiness. Now we are in a similar period of hidden and for certain not happiness regarding induction of chareidim into the IDF. We are in a time of a gezeira and to dress as a soldier will not enhance our joy but diminish it. There are children for whom a soldier may represent something scary as if their older brother is going to be taken.”
The rabbi added there are many other popular costumes available, even costumes of American or British soldiers.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
Dressing up like Hamann makes us also feel bad and we still do it.
horav: Haman was defeated, remember?
More to the point: does his tzibur know what he means by “Brazil and Venice”?
Not to spoil it for him but ” but it has depth ” isn’t true at all. It was something picked up LATER during the renaissance. Yes we can still allow the children to put them on etc. but it doesn’t have any REAL connection to Purim.
And he has 0% authority to dictate if someone can or cannot put on an IDF costume.
Come to think of it, since we are digging deeper- the costumes “represent” something that one is not. For example getting dressed as Haman or other such things, now that the kids will grow up go actually go to the I.D.F. and be soldiers, perhaps he is correct is saying they shouldn’t get dressed as soldiers because guess what one day they WILL be soldiers.
TzViD: Not to spoil it for you, but minhag Yisroel Torah and therefore have depth. The inyan to wear a mask is certainly authentic and there would be no reason to mention in halachah not to wear costumes to Megillah or to davenning due to the need to have proper kovod; simply say there is no minhag. Also the Shulchan Aruch discusses the issue of beged ish(ah). Just say the minhag has no deep source or meaning.
As far as becoming members of the IDF, I believe the Torah states “nasi b’amecha lo ta’or.”
It would be just as tasteless to dress up as German soldiers from the Third Reich, which I’ve never observed being worn as Purim costumes.
I did not think I would see the day that YWN would allow someone to compare holy IDF soldiers with Nazis. Perhaps this poster and this website forgot that we JEWISH soldiers of the IDF put our lives on the line every single day to defend all Jews, even those who learn Torah, believe it or not.
I am shocked and disgusted and really have nothing more to say. Perhaps this vile poster akuperma, should go live in Gaza or Lebanon and learn Torah there.