Rav Melamed May Agree to Compromise

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rabbi-eliezer-melamedHar Bracha Yeshiva head Rabbi Eliezer Melamed, who is at the center of the recent IDF insubordination storm, is mulling a compromise proposed by some of his colleagues, according to which he would sign a statement declaring political protest in the military to be wrong, Israel Radio reported last night.

If Rabbi Melamed signs such a statement, it may lead Defense Minister Ehud Barak to reverse his Sunday night decision to remove the Har Bracha Yeshiva from the roster of Hesder yeshivos.

In his column in the Sheva newspaper published today, Rabbi Melamed wrote that he was leaving the decision on the matter to the Hesder yeshiva union leaders, who are expected to convene on Sunday.

Rabbi Melamed mentioned that his yeshiva was already preparing to operate outside the Hesder yeshiva framework to ensure that its financial situation will not be damaged when it stops receiving Defense Ministry funds.

Removing the Har Bracha Yeshiva from the roster of Hesder yeshivos will harm the IDF, Rabbi Melamed reportedly warned in his column.

Meanwhile, 150 former Hesder yeshiva students signed a letter addressed to Barak condemning Rabbi Melamed and expressing support for the defense minister.

The letter calls to “clearly condemn” any political protest in the army. The former students stressed that while they felt the “pain” caused by settlement evacuations, most students understood that the army must be detached from the political arena.

They also called on both parties to return from their “extreme positions” and reach an agreement.

Last night, Barak and Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai met with head of the Hesder yeshiva union Rabbi Chaim Druckman.

During the meeting, which was held at Druckman’s request, Barak said that he would not reverse his decision to oust Har Bracha from the hesder arrangement with the IDF, under which soldiers serve 16 months in the IDF and spend close to four years in yeshiva.

“The IDF needs to be outside of the political debate and there can be no compromises on this,” Barak told Rabbi Druckman. “The decision to sever the ties between the IDF and the Har Bracha yeshiva will not be changed.”

Ashkenazi said that the IDF would not tolerate soldiers who do not follow their commanders’ orders. “In the IDF there is a chain of command, and soldiers swear that they will follow their commanders’ orders in full,” he said.

Rabbi Druckman said after the meeting that he made it clear to Vilnai and Barak that there was no ultimatum and that the Hesder yeshivos would keep channels of communication open with the Defense Ministry.

“We have not issued any threats of an ultimatum,” said Rabbi Druckman. “We will continue to maintain a dialogue with the defense ministry in an attempt to find a solution.”

{JPost/Yair Alpert-Matzxav.com Israel}


4 COMMENTS

  1. So now the religious zionists hesder Yeshivas are backing down from a halachic position to accomodate non-religious zionism.

    Very predictable.

  2. #1 Zionism is kfirah it’s by definition non-religious.

    #2 you can’t be a politician and a charedi at the same time.

    gezugt der heileger Rebbe fun Satmer…

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