Just a few short days ago, at an assembly of rabbonim in Jerusalem, Rabbi Yigal Levinstein of Yeshivat Bnei David spoke out harshly against the growing issues in the IDF facing religious soldiers. He mentioned the Education Corps is working to bring in more female combatants, more members of the toeiva community and is not a fan of the religious soldiers from the mechina yeshivot. He stated that religious officers are ‘marked’, explaining they are well-aware if they dare speak out, their chances of advancement are over.
The rabbi came under a hail of criticism including a statement from the Defense Ministry, that it was reevaluating funding for Bnei David.
On Tuesday evening 20 Tammuz Rabbi Levinstein sent a letter of clarification to the Defense Ministry, in which he explains there is a place for everyone in the IDF.
In the letter to the director-general of the ministry Levinstein stated “Last week, my words were interpreted by many a certain manner, not the way they were intended – as if I would like to exclude one population or another from the IDF. Everyone has a place in the IDF regardless of one’s background, worldview, or one’s personal inclinations”.
He expresses the need to introduce educational values into the IDF that unite, rather than divide, and how he has been working with the military for 30 years, dedicating his life to the IDF. He adds that there is a sharp difference in the family makeup as viewed in the liberal world as opposed to those who follow a Torah lifestyle, stating “I still maintain the place for this dispute between the different hashkafos is in the civilian arena and not in the army which is dear to all of us”.
Rabbi Levinstein adds his criticism of the military does not come from a place of losing faith in the military but rather from a place of love and pain in his heart, citing at times, harsh criticism is expressed out of genuine concern and this was the case here.
“I have dedicated my life to the IDF out of a trust and dialogue and this is the path I believe in and the spirit in which our talmidim are educated”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
4 Responses
Why have we heard no further outcry regarding the policy forcing religious soldiers to remove their beards? And why has there been no legal challenge?
Charedim need to wake up and stand together with Rabbi Yigal Levenstein
and Rabbi Karim
Where are the Charedim?!
First they came for the …, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a ..
Then they came for the …, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a …
Then they came for the … and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a ….
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.
cont..
Lest some will attempt to contend that there have been other cardinal Sins violated in Israel in the past
These are Poretz Geder
i.e breaking down new borders/ boundaries/ a whole new level of descent
Our responsibility/job
is to collectively hold the line firm proclaiming ” They shall not pass!”
Rav Shternbuch took out a Medrash on Tehillim and read the words of the Medrash on the posuk of “ותגעש ותרעש הארץ.” The Medrash there says that for sins of immorality – such as non-traditional marriage – Hashem becomes “angry.” and “the earth will shake and the mountains will smoke.”
“According to the Medrash,” said the Raavad, “we are to view this earthquake as a warning from Heaven to do everything we can to prevent the desecration of Hashem’s name via the proliferation of this transgression [of immorality]. Indeed, Hashem, in His great mercy, did not bring the punishment upon us, but in order not to forget the notion that there exists the terrible punishment of an earthquake for this transgression, Hashem sent us a warning in a country far away to remind us that this penalty exists.