Ask Your Local Charedi Rabbi
An important question that needs addressing
In light of the report this morning that Aryeh Deri insists that not a single Torah student will be drafted into the IDF, it occurred to me that there is an important research project to be be done - and you can help!
Do you know a charedi rabbi (or MK) who is opposed to yeshiva students joining the IDF, and believes that it is more important for them to stay in yeshiva and learn Torah to protect the nation, and avoid the spiritual dangers of IDF service?
If so, please can you ask him the following question:
Does he also believe that dati-leumi (National Religious) yeshiva students should also not serve in the IDF, and should instead stay in yeshiva?
If he says no, he thinks that they should serve - then ask him what the difference is. Does their Torah not also protect? Does their spiritual safety not matter? Do their lives not count?
If he says yes, they should also not serve - then ask him if he believes that there should therefore be about 30% fewer combat soldiers. And if the IDF forces defending charedi towns such as Beitar and Kiryat Sefer can be reduced, despite these towns wanting the forces to be increased. And if the religious soldiers who lost their lives therefore died in vain, because they would have offered better protection had they been in yeshiva instead of fighting Hamas.
I would be very interested to hear the answers. I’m also interested to hear whether the question catches them by surprise, because they’ve never even thought about it. And I’d wager that it will be difficult for them to answer.
Please post the answer that you receive in the comments, or email me. Thank you!
The difference between the charedi and DL isn't just serving in the army. I say that Slifkin should make his own decisions, leave the charedim alone and focus on the problems of his own community, which are not insignificant.
English-speaking charedi spokesmen sometimes speak of how great hesder and other dati leumi yeshiva students are, but there's almost always a whiff of condescension and box-ticking when they say it. So not-so-deep-down, the answer from them is no.
I doubt it even registers to Israeli charedim. Anything that's not "unzerer" doesn't even register, let alone rate. Why do you think Artscroll just published a book about Hatzala's efforts on Shmini Atzeret but would never do so for Magen David Adom- or the Police, or the IDF? Because Hatzala is viewed (incorrectly) as "unzerer."