I've been waiting for someone to use the phrase 'mesirat nefesh'. So I can describe the experience of getting a phone call on Shabbat morning saying "someone was just killed, we need you to leave your wife and kids and come replace him, now". They have no idea.
The fact that she equated chareidi suffering of being worried about a child remaining chareidi to worrying for your child's actual life was such a slap in the face to parents of soldiers.
1- If someone was being abused would you also counsel them to avoid Sinat Hinam and not speak out? Achdut does not mean that we have to tolerate an intolerable situation.
2- The refusal of most Hareidim to serve is causing direct loss of life. Have you read of the recent suicides including those of Miluim soldiers? Maybe some of those could have been prevented if they weren't pushed beyond their limits, leaving their families and serving for hundreds of days. Several of the recent combat deaths of our soldiers in Gaza were caused by safety rules being ignored...i.e. battle fatigue, indirectly due to the shortage of soldiers. The effects of a short-staffed army don't scare you? They certainly scare me.
3- You state that you appreciate the value of Torah learning. So why are you willing to accept your son being taken out of Yeshiva to serve, while Hareidim who are not learning are exempt from the draft?
Many suggestions and solutions have been offered, and a detailed plan needs to be worked out (I don't consider "put them all in jail" to be a plan). Nevertheless, I also don't think that accepting the unacceptable offers us a path towards a more cohesive society.
>"This is no more praiseworthy than a man who ignores the cries of his wife who is desperate for help on erev Shabbos and goes to learn instead. What value is there to his “spiritual dedication,” when it comes at the cost of neglecting his responsiblities (sic) to those who need help? ....
There is no value or sympathy warranted for personal choices involving suffering when it comes at the cost of neglecting responsiblities (sic) to those who need help."
Worth noting that the Talmud gives this exact example as one which is praiseworthy, see my summary here, footnote 9:
"On Torah study as a supreme value, overriding even basic material concerns, compare the extreme statements about self-deprivation and “cruelty” to family for the sake of Torah study in Eruvin.21b.25-22a.2:
The passage there starts with the biblical phrase "black as a raven" is interpreted by Rabba to mean that one who truly dedicates himself to Torah study "blackens ([…]) his face like a raven" (a metaphor for fasting and enduring hardship in order to study).
Rava takes a harsher view, saying that true dedication requires being “as cruel (אכזרי) as a raven”, even to one's own family.
He cites Rav Adda bar Mattana, who prioritized Torah study over his family’s basic welfare, telling his wife to feed their children whatever was available, even rushes (קורמי) from the marsh (אגמא)."
I've been waiting for someone to use the phrase 'mesirat nefesh'. So I can describe the experience of getting a phone call on Shabbat morning saying "someone was just killed, we need you to leave your wife and kids and come replace him, now". They have no idea.
The fact that she equated chareidi suffering of being worried about a child remaining chareidi to worrying for your child's actual life was such a slap in the face to parents of soldiers.
I can't believe she would say that out loud.
Even non religious soldiers are harmed spiritually by having to partake in violence or witness it.
It turns out she had a blog post in the Times of Israel, all about achdut and unity...
[https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-draft-debate-doesnt-matter-this-does/]
I just posted the following:
1- If someone was being abused would you also counsel them to avoid Sinat Hinam and not speak out? Achdut does not mean that we have to tolerate an intolerable situation.
2- The refusal of most Hareidim to serve is causing direct loss of life. Have you read of the recent suicides including those of Miluim soldiers? Maybe some of those could have been prevented if they weren't pushed beyond their limits, leaving their families and serving for hundreds of days. Several of the recent combat deaths of our soldiers in Gaza were caused by safety rules being ignored...i.e. battle fatigue, indirectly due to the shortage of soldiers. The effects of a short-staffed army don't scare you? They certainly scare me.
3- You state that you appreciate the value of Torah learning. So why are you willing to accept your son being taken out of Yeshiva to serve, while Hareidim who are not learning are exempt from the draft?
Many suggestions and solutions have been offered, and a detailed plan needs to be worked out (I don't consider "put them all in jail" to be a plan). Nevertheless, I also don't think that accepting the unacceptable offers us a path towards a more cohesive society.
>"This is no more praiseworthy than a man who ignores the cries of his wife who is desperate for help on erev Shabbos and goes to learn instead. What value is there to his “spiritual dedication,” when it comes at the cost of neglecting his responsiblities (sic) to those who need help? ....
There is no value or sympathy warranted for personal choices involving suffering when it comes at the cost of neglecting responsiblities (sic) to those who need help."
Worth noting that the Talmud gives this exact example as one which is praiseworthy, see my summary here, footnote 9:
"On Torah study as a supreme value, overriding even basic material concerns, compare the extreme statements about self-deprivation and “cruelty” to family for the sake of Torah study in Eruvin.21b.25-22a.2:
The passage there starts with the biblical phrase "black as a raven" is interpreted by Rabba to mean that one who truly dedicates himself to Torah study "blackens ([…]) his face like a raven" (a metaphor for fasting and enduring hardship in order to study).
Rava takes a harsher view, saying that true dedication requires being “as cruel (אכזרי) as a raven”, even to one's own family.
He cites Rav Adda bar Mattana, who prioritized Torah study over his family’s basic welfare, telling his wife to feed their children whatever was available, even rushes (קורמי) from the marsh (אגמא)."
https://www.ezrabrand.com/p/talmudic-interpretations-of-the-book-9d0
Agreed. This is off topic , however ,eagerly awaiting a write-up of the recent exotic dinner in LA.
Thanks