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Harold Landa's avatar

Again and again and again: יישר כוחך speak truth to power.

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Charles Hall's avatar

"nobody today relies on Torah to protect from disease."

Sadly, many frum Jews appear to have adopted this attitude during the COVID pandemic. Many died as a result. :(

Rabbi Yisrael Salanter understood. He famously made kiddush and ate in front of the entire community during a cholera epidemic in 1848.

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Joe Berry's avatar

I think you meant to include the fact that this was on Yom Kippur. At least that the story I recall (but I didn't remember who did that).

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Chana Siegel's avatar

It's in תנועת המוסר

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Ezra Brand's avatar

Great piece!

Just a minor note on point #3, bolding mine:

"There are merely some non-legal statements criticizing certain people for drafting Torah scholars for angariya, which means *personal services in combat and other matters*"

For clarity, "angareia" (a loanword from Greek) refers to "community service, impressment into public service." This is also how the term is used in the Talmud, the few times it's used.

See Wiktionary on this word: https://en.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E1%BC%80%CE%B3%CE%B3%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%B1#Ancient_Greek

https://he.m.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D7%90%D7%A0%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%99%D7%90

See also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angary

So the statement in the talmud:

מפני מה נענש אברהם אבינו ונשתעבדו בניו למצרים מאתיים ועשר שנים? מפני שעשה אנגריא בתלמידי חכמים שנאמר 'וירק את חניכיו ילידי ביתו'.

Would likely mean either using their property, forcing them to quarter soldiers, or forcing them to act as auxiliary/ logistics, for a foreign invasion that they didn't care about. (Compare the famous complaints of the Americans against the British for forcing them to quarter soldiers.) This isn't comparable to forcing people to draft for a war that they support.

Bottom line, angareia is about pressuring individuals into tasks for the public or state for which there's no personal stake, as opposed to conscription or military draft for a defensive war. (Meaning, I essentially agree with the definition given in the post, just framing things slightly differently.)

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Charles Hall's avatar

"complaints of the Americans against the British for forcing them to quarter soldiers"

One of the specific complaints in the US Declaration of Independence! The practice was forbidden in the Third Amendment to the US Constitution.

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Harold Landa's avatar

BTW, thank you for that article in Academia. The lists are very helpful!

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Ezra Brand's avatar

Thanks for the thanks, glad you found them helpful!

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Harold Landa's avatar

….there are Brands here in Boca….

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Ezra Brand's avatar

Probably not related. Regardless, feel free to reach out to me by email, my email address is at my website

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Avi Rosenthal's avatar

RE myth #10: The religion of the Haredim is not Judaism. Judaism has only one God. The Haredim worshi two or more gods: the Real One + one or more Rabbis, like Admorim and "Gedolim".

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Gili Houpt's avatar

This is a great list, very helpful for those lacking the knowledge to respond to Haredi arguments, but want to follow your encouragement to speak out against them

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Michael's avatar

Sorry, I don't remember the source but with respect to #8, I read that many charedim are disqualified for combat duty because of poor health (caused by poor diet, lack if exercise etc).

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Chana Siegel's avatar

People, especially young ones, can get into shape pretty quickly. It happens in the IDF all the time.

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Chana Siegel's avatar

Ever heard of the Gurkhas? They are a mountain tribe in Nepal. For generations, they British Army has trained them to be one of the toughest, fiercest fighting units in history. Malnutrition and poor medical care are NOT more common among Israeli haredim than among the Gurkha.

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Charles Hall's avatar

"secular Israelis who receive exemptions"

And all Arabs. A few volunteer, but not many.

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Gili Houpt's avatar

many Druze and bedouin Arabs serve in the army

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Ezra Brand's avatar

Not all, only Muslim arabs

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Charles Hall's avatar

Christian Arabs, too, but they are small in number.

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