Rosh Yeshivas Porat Yosef, HaGaon HaRav Moshe Tzadka, the leading Rosh Yeshivah of the Sefardi yeshivah world in Israel who said that yeshivah bochurim will not serve in the IDF even if they have to go to prison, reiterated his message on Tuesday and added to it.
A group of avreichim visited the Rosh HaYeshivah on Tuesday and HaRav Tzadka requested that they record him in order to send a clear message to the Shas MKs as the coalition struggles to formulate a new Chareidi draft law, Kikar H’Shabbat reported.
HaRav Tzadka said: “We need to believe with emunah sheleimah that yeshivah bochurim who are oisek b’Torah are the ones who protect the IDF soldiers, protect those who were wounded and protect the hostages.”
“And even bochurim who aren’t oisek in Torah all day, are a little weak – it’s forbidden for us, chalilah, to take them to the army. Because they are still davening and learning and if they join the army, there are great nisyonos there that they won’t be able to withstand. And we’ll lose a tremendous koach for the protection of Am Yisrael, a tremendous koach for the protection of the soldiers.”
“The protection of soldiers is dependent only on yeshivah bochurim and even the weak bochurim – on what they do learn and are shomer in avoiding aveiros. It’s very very very difficult to be careful of issurim in the army.”
“If the army was like that of Dovid Hamelch, it would be different. But it’s clear to all that that’s not the situation. And therefore it’s a great responsibility to send bochurim to the army – even those who don’t learn all day. All the bochurim need to learn and daven and protect the soldiers.”
“And it’s clear be’emes and emunah that there are nissim and niflaos in the army only in the zechus of Bnei Torah.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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24 Responses
This is quite the condemnation of the Chinuch these Chareidi Bachuirim receive. Is it so weak that they’re afraid that any exposure to the outside world of the army will cause them to go off the derech? That doesn’t speak well for the level of emuna they managed to instill in these boys over the years they had them…
an Israeli Yid
Somehow Rosh Yeshiva started talking in Yinglish with Ashkenazi accent (Dovid, oisek,bOchurim,zechus,neflaos). Hope this is a genuine message lost in translation. Maybe he is quoting Ashkenazi poskim in their language after not finding Sephardi sources to support this position.
Why don’t they just say it as it is. They don’t want their children going to fight against Hezbala.
anIsraeliZionist:
That is actually quite the condemnation of the Zionist shmad including in their army, in which the Zionists redefine the meaning of Judaism to its recruits in addition to the gimmel chamuros and more.
As well, the Torah records that shevet Reuven, merely due to their proximity to Korach, joined him in rebelling against Moshe Rabbeinu. That was the Dor Deah’s shevet Reuven.
Yet, in your opinion – which is against all the gedolim of the past almost century – you dare claim that the bnei Torah should shmad themselves in the Zionist army?
ader:
He said it exactly as it is: they don’t want their children to be (forcibly) converted from Judaism to Zionism and to be tempted by all three of the gimmel chamuros and more.
It’s really plain as day and very easy to see, unless one is a Zionist idolater.
Always_Ask_Questions:
Nope, it’s assur according to all. One of the Rabbis Yosef recently remarked that they would leave the country if the Zionists made that the way to avoid shmad in the Zionist army.
So according to this Rav, should we expect lots of soldiers to get killed during Bain Hazmanim ?
Ok I’ll say it as it is they don’t want their children going off the derech and becoming a state Jew instead of a Torah Jew.
vilo leydei neesayon
All of you tzaddikim and gaonim in the comments should be much more careful on voicing your opinions against actual Tzaddikim and Gaonim. Honestly who do you think you are commenting against a Tzaddik and Gaon from a generation well before you were born? Would you have the chutzpah if he was sitting in front of you?
Do teshuvah and the enemies of klal Yisroel will fall. (As opposed to now, where the enemies of klal Yisroel are rising up.)
Nisyonos aren’t necessarily a bad thing, but i agree in this case its particularly bad. What bothers me though is the lack of responsibility for the state and society. They should at least negotiate for a better situation. If they really cared about the ruchnios of the soldiers they would offer 10k bochorim in exchange for ending the draft of all women into the army.
anIsraeliYid: Where have you been educated?
Daas Torah is and we say it every day in שמע, that we must be careful from getting a Nisoyan and one is not allowed to put himself into one.
The R’Y is a tzadik and a Kadosh and a Gadol B’Torah. His “elter-bubbie” was a sister of the Ben Ish Chai. One of his great-granparents was Tzdaka Hutzin who was a gaon and kadosh, well known among the tzaddikim of Yerushalayim. His father was HaRav HaGaon Yehudah Tzadka, Rosh Yeshiva of Porat Yosef; also a Gaon and Gadol B’Torah and a Tzaddik and Kadosh. Rav Moshe Tzadka is on the highest levels of Torah and Avodah; rest assured he carefully considers each word. Other commentors here should do the same before daring to speak against him.
Let’s cut through the nonsense. Bottom line, secular and national-religious soldiers are dying and losing limbs or worse, and Chareidi bochrim are eating chulent on Thursday nights. And no matter what the excuse, that is morally indefensible, and everybody knows it. If the current positions hold, here’s how this is going to end. The government will fall. In the next election, the Chareidim will lose power and will not be part of the next government. A universal conscription law will be passed, likely with some minimal exceptions. The horrible Zionist (tsk, tsk) government funding, which has resulted in more Torah being learned in EY than in any time in history will end. Some Chareidim will leave the country. Some Bochrim will be arrested. The Shas Yidden will continue learning. Some Bochrim will join the army in Chareidi units, and either continue learning or maybe join the workforce after leaving. And yes, some Bochrim may decide not to stay frum after being in the Army, just as some Bochrim decide not to stay frum after any other stage in their lives. And fifty years from now, people will look back and ask what the fuss was all about.
HaKatan – I actually like your nickname for me – I am Israeli, and I most certainly am a proud Zionist, as well as being a Shomer Torah uMitzvos to the best of my ability.
Unfortunately, the nickname is just about all I like about what you said. You sit in Shmutz laAretz and condemn “THE ZIONISTS!!!!!!” – those fantastical boogeymen who sit awake at night dreaming of how to make eriliche, temimusdik, Yeshivaleit into Chazer-fressing Goyim in the IDF. As with most boogeymen, though, these are purely fantastical creatures – they simply don’t exist.
The IDF does NOT try to make anyone not Frum – in fact, there are strict rules around this, and soldiers have been sent to jail for things like cooking on base on Shabbos, offering Treif food that they brought from home to other soldiers, and the like. The IDF would be still more accommodating toward Chareidim and their requirements if Chareidi society would just engage with them, rather than trying to use all kinds of false arguments to avoid serving.
Your argument about proximity to others is also a rich one, coming from one sitting amongst non-Jews in Shmutz laAretz. Here in Israel, a good reason for Frum people to interact with those who are not yet Frum is the opportunity to make a Kiddush Hashem and draw those other Jews closer to Yiddishkeit – why do you assume that influence goes only one way? I can tell you that by striving to be a good example in the professional world where I spend most of my days, I have influenced others to become closer to Yiddishkeit – whether the co-worker who asked to borrow my Tefilin for a while until he bought his own, or the one who asked that I bring in my Arba Minim on Chol HaMoed (yes, I was allowed to work then – I asked a She’eila) so that she could shake them. Why are these Chareidi boys neglecting Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh l’Zeh?
As to my opinion being against “THE GEDOILIM” – please, get a life. The fact that there are Rabbanim who hold one way does not mean that all Rabbanim hold that way – and Asei Lecha Rav means that I can choose which Rabbanim I follow. Screaming over and over that all must follow your Rabbanim does not make it so.
an Israeli (proudly Zionist) Yid
DavidtheKanoi – In the finest Yeshivos, that’s where I was educated.
“Lo lidei nisayon” does not exempt one from being Mekayem a multitude of Mitzvos involved in protecting the Am Hashem haYoshev b’Tzion. I also don’t see people in the US using this as a reason to not work – where there’s no specific Mitzva; here in Israel, where protecting the lives of one’s fellow Jews is what’s necessary, this is a poor excuse to not serve.
an Israeli Yid
Let’s cut through the nonsense.
There are two types of Jews commenting here.
There are those who believe in the Torah and there are those who believe in holding up tradition as best as possible but not to go crazy about it. The latter are not actual God-fearing Jews. They are weak hearted Jews who are doing their best but are misguided by the eiruv rav. The good news is, as the Aibishter prepares the world for Mashiach, it’s becoming harder and harder for the yetzer hara to eiruv rav the yidden.
One question I’d ask everyone is…
The yidden that are fighting either because they feel that they have no choice (or are willingly sacrificing themselves) on the front lines…do you think they’d prefer if less of klal Yisroel was learning Torah while their lives are in harms way?
If you’re not actually fighting on the front lines, and you’re not actually learning or serving Hashem, why are you giving your opinion?
YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem said:
“Rosh Yeshivas Porat Yosef, HaGaon HaRav Moshe Tzadka,
the leading Rosh Yeshivah of the Sefardi yeshivah world in Israel…”
MY RESPONSE:
Rabbi Moshe Tzadka is NOT a Sefardic Rabbi — he is an Ashkenazic Lithuanian Rabbi who PRETENDS to be Sephardic.
Even though his ancestors where Sephardic Jews, his hashkafah is those of the Ashkenazic Lithuanian Rabbis, and the way he dresses is like the Ashkenazic Lithuanian Rabbis, and he even talks like Ashkenazic Lithuanian Rabbis.
In our times, Sephardic minhagim and Sephardic pronunciation and Sephardic hashkafah are LOST, because Sephardic Jews are running as fast as they can, to abandon their own ways, and imitate the Ashkenazim in every way possible.
@anIsraeliGoy,
you are the epitome of the cocktail mixture of hegelian and fascism mixed with “religious nationalism” (the invention of the mix-rachi looney nazis and their eirev rav’s).
You are a typical abomination to the Jewish Religion, if you want to ostrich-head-in-the-sand, than so be it, but others don’t act as stupid.
As the Holy revered Satmar Rav asked [The ashkanazim start the bracha of Velamalshinim with the words Velamalshinim Velaminim]:
Why do we mention slanderers in the bracha of cursing the heretics, and not only that but before the heretics we mention the slanderers?
The Satmar Rav ztkl”l answered, that whenever someone stands up to speak/state what the Torah says against the heretics ym”sh, there are those that start shouting, telling them off etc, so we pray to Hashem, firstly; Velamalshinim al tehi tikva, the slanderers should have no hope/relief, so that we can speak out against the enemies of hashem- Vechol haminim Kerega Yovedu, all the heretics should speedily be wiped out (doesn’t matter what kind of attire the min wears whether it is leftists, rightists, jean wearers, kipa wearers- if he’s a kofer he’s a kofer).
please do teshuva!!
Dear stupid people of the world who don’t understand the magnitude of preventing limud Torah in Eretz Yisroel.
Do teshuva quickly!!!!
@Moishe Ooffnik (you must be a fan of the old Israeli version of Sesame Street) – I am the parent of several sons currently fighting in Gaza – all of whom learned in and some of whom were learning in Yeshiva until called to serve. They understand the value of protecting their fellow Jews, and while they wish they did not have to serve, will not shirk their responsibility to the Am Hashem haYoshev b’Tzion. They would prefer that those who do not serve would take the time to learn Koheles – “lakol z’man” – and now it’s unfortunately an Eis Milchama, and all who can should be fighting alongside them.
@PureNarishkeit – there you go again, spouting off based on your self-important view that your Rabbanim are the only “Gedoilim”. The Satmar Rav, ZT”L, was an unquestioned Adam Gadol – but his positions were not accepted by the vast majority of Shomrei Torah uMitzvos. Attributing my views to a mix of a German philosopher, a discredited political philosophy, and a misdescribed Jewish philosophy that you shamelessly and baselessly link to a group that tried to kill all Jews (regardless of religious views) is not only ridiculous, it’s pathetic. Quote all the vertlach you want – they don’t make what you’re saying any more accurate (or cogent, for that matter).
an Israeli (proudly Zionist) Yid
anIsraeliZionist:
It’s a pathetic “Religious Zionist” meme that it was “only” the Satmar Rav who decried Zionism as the idolatry and heresy that it always was and is. Every gadol held that way. For example, relevant to your flavor of Zionist idolatry, the Brisker Rav wrote, and the Gerrer Rebbe and many others signed on to this, published in the newspaper, that “Religious Zionist education is a sea of heresy mixed in with a drop of Torah”. Zionism is against Judaism. Period.
The Sfardim have been becoming Ashkenazim for 500 years.
Between 1500 and 1800 CE, most Sfardim moved to Europe and became Ashkenazim
People who dont understand Charedim and don’t respect the sheltered culture they live in (no internet, no exposure to other things), have NO RIGHT commenting here.
First UNDERSTAND Charedi culture and respect Charedi shelterdness, and then you can talk.
They didn’t sent their kids to yeshiva and protect from being exposed to other people, places and things; only to have them go the army and be exposed to everything.
Yes, the other side might be influenced too, true.
But, influence goes both ways. And that’s a problem.