Former IDF Chief Rabbi Avichai Ronsky feels that residents of Yehuda and Shomron will continue hitchhiking despite the current criticism surrounding the practice.
Rav Ronsky, a rosh yeshiva in Yishuv Yitzhar, spoke with the dati leumi Srugim website. The rav visited the homes of some of the hostages, telling reporters when he emerged that he received a chizuk from the visit and the unity surrounding their plight. He was full of words of praise for the parents and the relatives, their bitachon in HKBH and their steadfastness during this most difficult situation.
Regarding the criticism the boys hitchhiked and may be at least partially at fault, Rav Ronsky stated “this is not the time and place for such a discussion”. He added that “youths traveled by hitchhiking and they will continue to do so in the future”. The rav added that it never entered the minds of area residents to not travel on a specific road because of rock-throwing attacks and this is their reality.
Names for Tehillim:
1. Yaakov Naftali ben Rachel Devorah
2. Gilad Michael ben Bat Galim
3. Eyal ben Iris Tesurah
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
Sounds sensible. And while you’re doing that, keep on smoking, eating a high fat diet, not wearing seatbelts, and everything else that people have always been doing.
living in EY is not on the list of יהרג ועל יעבור
so even though it’s a great mitzva, one can’t put one’s life in danger for it
and in case you were wondering – i left the comfort of the USA to live in EY a few years ago. even still, i watch where i’m going, and don’t go in the “dangerous” areas
i’m not c”v blaming the boys (may Hashem recover them speedily). it’s a common practice to hitchhike there, and i’ve done it myself a few times.
but to say a blanket statement that “we will keep on hitchhiking…” sounds a bit gaava-dig, and placing this mitzva much higher than what it really is
#2: he never actually said that “we will keep on hitchhiking”. That is a misquote. However if you were to read what he actually said, and not the sensational headline, you would see that he is merely stating that boys shall be boys and at the end of the day this would change little in the ways of the youth in the area.
Fine. Let these bochurim continue their reckless behavior by hitchhiking but if they are abducted, don’t put the lives of someone else’s children in the security forces at risk by expecting them to go searching. If your that stupid, and even after this tragedy you insist on going out and doing the same thing, your on your own.
@hippie,
Then if it is simply a case of “boys shall (will) be boys”, would there be any benefit in a philanthropist( or a group) setting up a fund to sponsor van services(at the cost of a bus ticket) for, at least, nighttime hours, when it is most dangerous? (I advocated pursuing this idea)If it’s just a case of the impetuosity of youth, then waiting 20 min. for a sherut might not even be an answer to this problem. I don’t think that all the people who live in the yishuvim look on hitchhiking as an answer to transportation problems. I seem to remember that certain yeshivot in the Gush don’t permit their students to hitchhike, even in daylight hours. Yes, one should be able to travel unmolested but that doesn’t mean it’s wise, in all circumstances, to do so, and maybe precautions and prudence are in order. I teach my children to either wait for a responsible ride from inside the yishuv or to wait until public transportation becomes available. I then pray to H’ that they will follow my advice.
“And while you’re doing that, keep on smoking, eating a high fat diet, not wearing seatbelts…”
There have been literally MILLIONS of hitches in Israel w/o event until this kidnapping took place, whereas TWO THIRDS of smokers die earlier as a result of their habits.
Pop-thinking about different risks utterly appalls me!
“living in EY is not on the list of יהרג ועל יעבור”
So why do we make מלחמת מצוה for Yishuv Eretz yisroel – I’m not saying this applies nowadays לכו”ע, but why are you making such across the board statements.
What about Rav Yosef Chayim Sonenfeld when he went through arab areas in violence to show – all of a sudden when it’s a Mizrachi you can’t be Mertaretz. (and I’m not Mizrachi, but I have spoken to Rav Ronsky who tried helping me save yiddens lives.)
@tirtzah
I wasnt speaking about what should be done. Perhaps in that i respect i shall agree with you. However, what i was talking about was what the rabbi said and how to interpret it.