The 29 students of the Har Bracha Yeshiva, formerly a yeshiva affiliated with the nation’s hesder community, have had about three months to reach a decision regarding their future and military service.
The talmidim were offered an option, to move to another hesder yeshiva, or alternatively, leave hesder and serve 36 months as a regular IDF soldier, without a yeshiva framework.
According to Israel Radio, about 20 of the talmidim arrived at the Bakum induction base earlier this week, announcing their willingness to move to another hesder program and continuing their military service in a hesder framework.
The others appear adamant in their refusal and as a result, they will be informed that they are being ‘mainstreamed’ into the general military population, serving 36 months without the benefit of a Torah environment. Alternatively, if they refuse the mainstreaming option, they face imprisonment for refusing a military directive.
One such soldier is Avidan, who began his hesder career this past summer. His mother explained on Thursday morning that he is in the Shimshon unit of the Kfir Brigade, and he is unwilling to move to another hesder framework, explaining this is his home and this is what he has grown accustomed to, adding the family supports his decision.
The entire episode began with statements released by the rosh yeshiva Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, used cynically to portray a man who ‘supports insubordination’. The rav in his addresses and writings stresses Torah Law must remain the ultimate law and as such, a soldier cannot adhere to orders that negate halacha. Like other rabbonim, he calls on IDF commanders to avoid placing soldiers in an untenable situation.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak decided to flex his ministerial muscle and ultimately, he ousted Rav Melamed’s yeshiva in a unilateral move, unwilling to accept a road of compromise, appearing content to push the case to the extreme.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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5 Responses
The Wonders of Zionism.
I don’t understand. Isn’t a person learning full-time in Yeshiva patur from serving? If so, why are they mechuyav to switch to a different Hesder yeshiva? Or is it b/c they have already ‘enlisted’?
#2 — See #1.
The were religious Jews living in Eretz Yisroael for many hundreds of years befor ethe secular state was founded.
The Frum Yiddin did not need or ask for the secular state which was built against Halacha (but now that is there it must be supported and defended because if dismantled it would G-d forbid, cause another holocaust) and his since grown up around them.
Now the state tells them the state superceeds Halacha and seculars tell them they should be “greatful” for the states protection, which they get along with for a long time, before 1948.
The state has absolutely no right to tell this rabbi that he is “fomenting insubordination” for saying Halacha must be followed.
Would they tell an Imam or Christian Priest who would tell their respective congregations that Islam and Christianity, respectively must be followed over any “state laws”.
No, because the state change it’s laws to accomodate them so as to appear “tolerant” of different religions (They just will be so “tolerant” of Torah and Halacha).
Liberal hypocrisy strikes again.
Sorry; I meant to say No, because the state would change it’s laws to accomodate them so as to appear “tolerant” of different religions (They just will ””’NOT”””, be so “tolerant” of Torah and Halacha).