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| Philanthropist and Nachal Charedi supporter, David Hager and R' Hirsch (IH) |
In a groundbreaking development, a prominent ultra-Orthodox rabbi (Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch) has voiced support for drafting members of his community who are not engaged in full-time religious study into the Israeli military. This shift in stance could potentially pave the way for thousands of new recruits and help bridge long-standing social divides in Israel.
I am flabbergasted.
For those with short term memories, Rav Hirsch along with Rav Dov Landau and other prominent Israeli Roshei Yeshiva and Chasidic leaders were so opposed to drafting Charedim into the IDF, they were willing to give up $100 million in government subsidies to Yeshivos and Kollelim rather than allow their students to be subject to the draft.
The government now requires Yeshiva students be subjected to the draft - if they want Yeshiva subsidies to continue. Charedi leaders had termed this new requirement a war on the Torah. In fact they didn’t even think all that much about the contributions of the IDF in general - considering it a near blasphemy to give them any credit for successes in the war. Credit for that should only be given to those who study Torah full time.
Upon rejecting that condition and thus accepting that loss they immediately embarked on worldwide fundraising tour to replace those funds. Which they were successful in doing. (About 75% from the US and 25% from Europe)
There have always been two reasons they were so vehemently opposed to drafting Charedi students. One is that by taking Charedim away from Torah study they were actually diluting the protection of the Jewish people ultimately granted by God. Not protected by the might of an army. (That God may be granting that protection through the army of the IDF doesn't seem to have occurred to them. But I digress.)
But the other reason often cited by that community for opposing the draft has been deemed to be the far more important one. It is that serving in the IDF weakens ones commitment to Torah and Mitzvos and may even drive them away from any observance at all. It was therefore impossible to allow any Charedi to serve in the IDF under any conditions.
That reason has just been completely wiped out! Now it appears that at least one Charedi leader is just fine with drafting Charedim that are no longer involved in full time Torah study.
I did not expect this. Although I don’t think it goes far enough, I think that there are a lot of Charedim spending their time in Yeshivos that are not living up to the rigorous standards expected of them. They are there because that is the way they live. Everyone is expected to learn Torah as long as they can regardless of their natural abilities.
While there are many who live up to those standards to one extent or another as they are expected to, there are significant numbers of them that don’t either because they can’t or they just aren’t as motivated as they should be. I don’t know what the percentages are. But I would not be surprised if at least 10% of them ought to be doing something else. But can’t because they are not given any other options. (If for some reason they don’t - they are bucking the system and not looked upon favorably by the rest of their community if not entirely ostracized.) Those that are in Yeshivos that are not living up to what is expected of them - should be subjected to the draft too.
That said what just happened sure changes how at least one Charedi leader sees army Charedi service.
Perhaps this turn of events can be explained by the fact that Rav Hirsch was born and raised in America and has a broader education and outlook than his Israeli born and raised counterpart, Rav Landau. I don’t know. Just speculating. What does Rav Landau in fact think? Does he agree with Rav Hirsch?
Who knows? Maybe a compromise with the government can now be worked out where enough Charedim will be drafted to satisfy IDF needs. And government funding will be restored? That would be a win for everybody!.