Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party and longtime antagonist of lomdei torah, has openly called on police to prosecute the gedolim for allegedly “encouraging draft evasion.” His accusations, laced with contempt, were directed at none other than the Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka and leader of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, Hagaon HaRav Dov Landau shlit”a, as well as the former Rishon LeTzion, Harav Yitzchak Yosef shlit”a.
Lieberman, no stranger to anti-chareidi rhetoric, claimed that Rav Landau had “ordered bochurim not to report to recruitment offices,” and that Rav Yosef had made remarks about discarding draft notices. In a social media post, he expressed outrage over the continued refusal of yeshiva bochurim to join the IDF, and demanded that law enforcement prosecute those who “incite” others to reject the draft during wartime, a move which he says is punishable by 15 years imprisonment.
Knesset member Yaakov Asher (UTJ) responded sharply, mocking Lieberman’s Soviet roots. “If the Israel Police are having difficulty, perhaps the KGB could lend a hand,” he quipped. Other chareidi representatives remained silent, with one insider telling the press, “We refuse to fan the flames of Lieberman’s sinas haTorah.”
Just days ago, Rav Landau issued a clear psak on the front page of Yated Neeman, reaffirming the Torah world’s stance: no yeshiva bochur should cooperate with the army. Bochurim were instructed not to speak with IDF representatives, not to respond to summons, and to contact the Vaad HaYeshivos or the newly established “Lema’ancha” hotline for guidance. Those deemed “deserters” were told to avoid contact with authorities at all costs.
This was not Rav Landau’s first public stand. In a speech reported in Kikar HaShabbat, the Rosh Yeshiva made it clear that Torah learning is the true protection of Klal Yisrael and criticized modern distortions of Torah hashkafah, which he said had led to spiritual and even physical casualties.
Meanwhile, Rav Yitzchak Yosef has previously warned that if the government removes draft exemptions for lomdei Torah, the chareidi tzibbur may be forced to leave Eretz Yisrael en masse. “If you force us into the army, we’ll go to chutz la’aretz,” he said at the time.
According to newly released IDF statistics, of the 10,000 draft notices sent to chareidim since last summer, only 205 have responded by enlisting—just over 2%. Over 1,000 arrest warrants have been issued for noncompliance, but military police have yet to enforce them.
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15 Responses
Meanwhile, Rav Yitzchak Yosef has previously warned … “If you force us into the army, we’ll go to chutz la’aretz,” he said at the time.
Perhaps the United States or Poland?
No.one cares what the Russian amalek has to say! Whoever speaks against a gadol will pay the ultimate price and the Torah is not disposable for his shmad army! The way they treat the soldiers is so terrible that I can’t understand why anyone would want to go even if they’re not religious. They let you die instead of the terrorists families that they’re so scared to kill accidentally. We should serve them? God forbid. Whoever worships the army all those charedi hating “dati leumis’ that have no in fear in them to belittle the biggest rabbis on Earth, how dare they call themselves religious. Stop kissing up to the lefties they hate you also
How would 66,000 bnei yeshivos eligible for the draft be relocated to chutz l’aretz? Maran Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka is obviously aware of the expense and logistics involved in such a lofty plan. What is the plan?
I do not support what Lieberman said, but I wonder if any lawyers here could explain the basis for a law (prohibiting the encouragement of draft evasion) not being equally applicable to all citizens.
Maybe Guatemala? Or the Ukraine? or Shanghai? Any place willing to take him/them….
I actually feel terrible that so many lost members of klal Yisrael are going to be lost to these horrific ideologies! 20% left mitzrayim and 20% see mashiach. The 80 gets lost and all who call for defying gedolim and shutting the seforim are going to be in that 80! I beg of you to stop before it’s too late for you and your family. This is the time to send kollels a check! Even if all you can afford is 18$!! Just to show hashem you were on his side and the gedolim. Don’t be left behind
I’m not sure what’s shocking or how it is chutzpah. If Rabbanim in the US we’re to encourage or lead a scheme to, say, have all Bnei Yeshiva file falsified Section 8 applications, then would it be a chutzpah if the DA charged them with criminal conspiracy?
The law in Israel requires that all eligible young men serve – and those who give explicit instructions on how to violate the law are themselves in violation – regardless of titles or organizational affiliation. They are doing this knowingly, including knowing of the risk of jail (see the signs they’ve been carrying – “to jail and not to the army”) – so it’s now time to put their words to the test.
an Israeli Yid
Shlomo 2 – a lot of laws go unenforced because the police realize they don’t have the resources to enforce all of them. If they were to put someone of Rav Landau’s stature in prison they would have hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to contend with and the police know they have more important things to do with their time. While I agree with the approach of not cooperating with the army, I also think of a saying from the Brisker Rav, ztl, that whenever there are gezeiros against Torah, the underlying cause min haShamayim is that the bnei Torah need to improve in some way. For years I’ve been saying that all yeshiva bochurim should be given training in kiruv 3rechokim, perhaps this is the “national service” Hashem expects of them and it would certainly discourage the army from wanting so many trained kiruv professionals in their midst.
rofehardamah – There is a place for you too- extremely hot!!
Is the psak of R Landau that clear – applies to bnei yeshiva? Can there be a compromise – those who truly learn, stay to learn, and the draft applies to the rest – those who are not learning; those who are registered but not learning; those who can not pass a test?
Repeating my previous post on how seriously Mir Rosh Yeshiva Rav Laizer Yudel approached exemptions:
Rav Laizer Yudel, with tears in his eyes, would tell each student that asked for his signature on the statement that “Torah is his profession” the following: “I have never told a falsehood in my life. I am signing that your profession is to study Torah. Please learn diligently and commit yourself to it, so that I am not a liar.”
It’s easy for yeshiva boys to get out of the draft. Just as they refused to draft Ben Gevir because he followed kahane. Every yeshiva boy should wear on his shirt a kahane slogan with Reb Meir kahanes picture. They will not draft him
Should we give the $18 to Mosad Rav Kook or Shaalvim for their Kollel? These people served.
Its perceived as a chutzpah because we are accustomed to the “state within a state” that chareidi society has created. Logically, Leiberman is 100% right. He is encouraging 10s of thousands of people to break the law. The chareidim benefit from what they want, and refuse what they don’t. The problem is that this destroys the social cohesion and assumed responsibilities of citizens within society.
Arizona
what was klal yisraels plan when they left Egypt for the dessert? no plan their plan was lechteich acharei bamidbar beeretz lo zorua
that was to save their souls from the decadence of shaar nun so is this
An Israeli yid; “The law in Israel requires that all eligible young men serve”
Really? I don’t see the 20% of the population who are Arabs being drafted.