According to HaRav Shlomo HaKohen Aviner, “morality requires that every citizen go to the army. How can you determine state affairs, if you do not give your soul over? We want an army of people, an army in which every citizen is a soldier, not an army of professionals.

“We do not want a small, smart army. We want a large and smart army. We are a small country surrounded by enemies, and we need a large army. Every soldier is vital. Everyone has to enlist. If you live in Israel, you have to take responsibility for security in Israel, and go to the army.”

In his statements, Rav Aviner adds one might recite “Baruch Ata H’ Elokeinu Melech HaOlam, who sanctified us with His commandments and the command to serve in the IDF” when entering service, because as he views it, “This is performing the will of HKBH”.

ברוך אתה ד’ א’ מלך העולם אשר קדשנו במצוותיו וציוונו ללכת לצבא.

The rav praises those who serve, highlighting each and every citizen must serve, for if not, “How may one decide matters pertaining to the state if one does not exhibit mesirus nefesh for the state?”

The rav adds, “Anyone who does not go to the army is simply not a human being. In the Torah, it is written to count every army veteran in Israel. Anyone who is not an army veteran simply does not count him.

“Are you patriotic? certainly. But patriotism is not just words, it’s an army.

“Are you in favor of friendship, for mutual trust? Certainly. But these are not just words, but an army.”

“If an army of professionals, mercenaries – then we might hire soldiers from other countries, other armies. The main thing is to be professional. Perhaps soldiers of the Duke of Hessen, as the British had hired to fight against the liberation of the Americans. Everyone knows that Germans know how to fight.

“No and no! But an army of us all. All of us, religious and secular, right and left, Ashkenazim and Sephardim, Yemenites and Ethiopians, rich and poor, simple and geniuses. All of us.

“To an army of professionals, important people will not want to go, and simple people will not be able to walk, just as in Rome they did not recruit the proletariat at first because it is under the distinguished status of Infra Classem.

“But we all meet in the army, we all wear the same uniforms, we all lie down in those ambushes and go on those patrols. Under these uniforms, there are no classes, we are all equal, we are all equal in Israel’s virtue, we are all equal in devotion,” the rav concluded.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)