Chareidi MKs during recent weeks have been working hard to push through their amended version of the draft law, which will eliminate the criminal sanctions component of the law. The cabinet on Sunday, 3 Kislev approved the amended version, as did the Ministerial Law Committee. What remains to pass it into law are three votes in Knesset.
Despite what appears is an imminent success, HaGaon HaRav Shmuel Auerbach Shlita published a letter on Monday, 4 Kislev, in which he expresses his total opposition to the amended law.
The rav explains it is forbidden to give any legitimization to the draft law, the current or amended version. Rabbi Auerbach maintains his policy of not cooperating with IDF authorities in any way regarding the draft.
The rav’s affiliated HaPeles newspaper reports the amended version only offers cosmetic changes and fails to address the main issues that are problematic. The rav’s Yerushalmi faction adds that all the fuss being made by MK Moshe Gafne and his colleagues to push the amended draft law through is nothing more than an effort to save him from internal chareidi unrest.
“Just as the changes to the conscription law are cosmetic and intended for internal consumption, the rush process demanded by Gafne, to push the amended bill through and present the new bill as law stem from his need to avoid dealing with the wave of harsh criticism against him and his colleagues who failed to do anything towards a courageous draft law that will eliminate this treat entirely from the heads of talmidei yeshiva who might enlist as a result of temptation to do so or as part of the numbers required to meet the quota”, HaPeles reports.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
If the Rav had not said “There is nobody to vote for”, he might have had more representatives in the Knesset and been able to block the law
#1 – you missed the boat.
No I didnt, people who follow the Israeli elections say the Rav comments likley cost the Charedim at least One seat in the Knesset and maybe 2. They could have flipped the seats and the vote would not be 3 short.
” . . . talmidei yeshiva who might enlist as a result of temptation to do so. . .” OR as a result of being followers of Rav Aharon Leib or the Gerrer Rebbe, or others who support the idea of the Nachal Chareidi. Just saying.
shuali #4: Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman wrote a letter, in his ksav yad, that he doesn’t support and never did support the Nachal Chareidi.
@Bogen – B”H. Then I guess the machlokes between HaGaon Rav Shmuel and HaGaon Rav Aharon Leib doesn’t exist. Thanks for clarifying.
Rav Shteiman was actually involved in the founding of nachal chareidi, although he says it was meant
only for boys who wouldn’t be learning otherwise.
The problem is that R’ Shmuel Auerbach’s party siphoned off enough votes from UTJ that it led to them not being in the coaltion which led to the draft bill, now he opposes mitigating something that he caused. Worse he tried blaming the draft bill for passing on UTJ when they weren’t even in the coalition because of him. Also because they weren’t in the coalition the stipend for Kollel families was slashed, hurting many Torah families. Even worse, R’ Auerbach’s followers have publicly said some of the most vial and disguting things about the UTJ rabbanimin including R’ Shteinman, the Belzer Rebber and the Gerer Rebbe, and he refused to condemn them (though several of the leaders of his followers suffered great tragedies in their families including deaths, yet they don’t seem to get the hint from Hashem about their conduct or disrespect for the Gedolei Torah).
I cannot respect someone who has done so much to harm Torah in Erezy Yisroel and whose followers show such disrespect to the Gedolei Yisroel, no wonder his Brothers support UTJ and Rav Shteinman and not him. He may be a talmud chacham, but anyone who supports such degradation towards Gedolei Yisroel, causes such Machlokes, and has done as much to harm Torah in Eretz Yisroel I cannot respect beyond the fact that he knows a lot of Torah
#5 Bogen- Rav Shteinman (as #7 Shlugger points out) was the founder of Nachal Charedi, he even proposed the original idea in the the 1980’s as an idea for Bochurim who weren’t learning and were battling the whole day. He felt tha such a program would put them to something productive, help the Image of the Charedi Community and keep the Chilonim from drafting those that actually learned. He also came up with the idea of a Charedi Hesder. In 1999 Rav Shteinman met with the IDF to help get Nachal Charedi started and just last year he had an event for the soldiers in the unit.
What he wrote against was that until the current draft law was repealed or modified that it was assur to join the IDF including Nachal Charedi, but reiterating his support for the concept and those currently serving in it. I don’t know what Ksav Yad you’re talkign about but I have a copy of the letter published in the Israeli Hamodia at the time
#6 Shauli- Rav Auerbach has a problem with Rav Shteinman, Rav Shteinman has never responded and ignores Rav Auerbach. It’s a one way fight, because the other side won;t get involved.