Many roshei yeshiva affiliated with the pre-army Mechinot yeshivot in Israel have signed a letter that was sent to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, expressing their opposition to the release of terrorists to bring Gilad Shalit home.
33 rabbonim and secular directors of the pre-IDF yeshivot have signed the letter which was sent to Barak about ten days ago, many aligned with the moderate right-wing centrist philosophy and not necessarily those viewed as extremist in their political view. Signatories include Rav Eli Sadan of Bnei David, a rav viewed as the father of the Mechinot, founder of the first one some 23 years ago, and well respected as a talmid chacham. He is perceived as a political moderate and has never instructed soldiers to disobey orders, a move he feels would have a devastating impact on the IDF, something that society cannot tolerate.
Other signatories include the head of the Maagal Michal Yeshiva, Mouki Batzar, who was Yoni Netanyahu’s HY”D second in command during the 1976 rescue of Israeli hostages at Entebbe. There is also the rosh yeshiva of the Atzmona Yeshiva, Rav (Lt.-Colonel reserves – fighter pilot) Rafi Peretz. They explain the IDF is not an insurance policy, and there are risks.
The rabbonim express their appreciation for the decision-makers, who once again find themselves faced with a most difficult situation, explaining that as leaders of institutions committed to training the next generation soldiers and officers, they share in the realization that such decisions have profound ramifications.
The signatories explain they understand and empathize with the parents and families of the captive and missing soldiers, adding “we daven and hope that Gilad Shalit will return home soon” and lend support to the decision-makers, who exhibit fortitude, hoping the decisions made will not compromise the security of the State of Israel.
Danny Zamir, who heads the Rabin Mechina, and was the impetus behind the letter, stating the release of terrorists with blood on their hands for one soldier displays a loss of our senses and he and his colleagues call on the government to refrain from such a deal, adding “every young man entering the army must also realize he does not have an insurance policy”.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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11 Responses
Although the above may be the correct view according to those Poskim and Rabbis, however about a year ago Chacham Dovid Yosef son of Chacham Ovadia Yosef sent this very question to his father Chacham Ovadia specifically regarding the release of Gilad Shalit,and Chacham Ovadia ruled that IT IS PERMISSABLE TO RELEASE TERRORISTS in exchange of the captured soldier!!!!
Agree with Pashuteh Yid. I am shocked that any Rabbi could say such a thing; especially when it’s known how much HaRav Ovadia Yosef is involved in the case.
Why would any 18 year old put himself into a matzav of doing the army if he thought that “his people” would just leave him to rot?
This is a political gesture by these rabbis, not a halachic one.
If they cared about the halacha they would have asked Maran…
No 1 If they release terrorists to bring gilad home, there is a vadai that more soldiers will be kidnapped in order to ransom them for more terrorists.
The government are not worried about these terrorists with blood being able to hurt anyone, there are millions of terrorists like them not in jails. The concern is preventing these kidnappings from happening again!!!
Respone to #1
http://www.inn.co.il/Articles/Article.aspx/8068
Your Rav must be getting his religious instruction from Peace Now.
The Rabbonim are not saying that Shalit is not suffering. They are not saying that there is no obligation to free him. They know this already. They know this better then we do. Most of them have been solders themselves. They know how Gilad feel, But they also realize that if they give back terrorists they are not only putting Israel in danger of these terrorist coming back and attacking again, but also the are making Israel vulnerable to more kidnappings for sure, and Israel will be perceived as a week nation in the hands of Hamas and Hizbulaah. This is not how a country should run, nor how a country could run. Gilad unfortunately is suffering for a greater good.
#5 & #8 ARE RIGHT as is stated clearly in the Gemora. It is well-known that the Maharam Rottenburg (a Rishon!) refused to be redeemed and died in jail because he knew it would cause more kidnappings for ransom. This is all totally besides the issue of the danger of released terrorists…
This is a major shayla with posak on both sides of the coin. The rav m’rottenberg did not want to be ransomed for this reason, to stop other rabbanim from being kidnapped for cash purposes.
To #3: you are right when you say “who would join an army that leaves its soldiers out in the battlefield?” But in this case the halacha is like the rabbis in the letter. It is not their fault that Gilad is paying the price of the corrupt (and morally bankrupt) Israeli government.
Cast Lead was started and abruptly stopped for political reasons. The leaders at the time were coming to an election and were dropping in the polls so they went to war. Then, regardless of where the war stood they quit due the political needs in the USA. Israel should have bombed Gaza and liquidated Hamas leaders until Hamas begged us to take Shalit back and stop the shelling. Then 1) we would not be seen as weak in the eyes of the enemy 2) they would understand not to kidnap more soldiers since it only brings hurt to them and not 1000’s of terrorists released in an endless revolving door policy.
Im still speecless that they traded 20 terrorists for a video