A new psak was released Monday by some of the most prominent poskim affiliated with leading Chassidishe groups, firmly reiterating a total prohibition on joining the Israel Defense Forces.
In their declaration, the rabbanim assert clearly: “According to Torah law, it is strictly forbidden to enlist in the army, which serves as a melting pot for the gravest transgressions and for casting off the yoke [of Torah and mitzvos].”
This psak was issued in light of inquiries from members of the chareidi public who are not exclusively dedicated to full-time Torah learning and includes references to military programs specifically designed for the chareidi community.
“The prohibition also includes haredi enlistment tracks, whether existing or future,” the statement reads. “These frameworks have proven to be deceitful, and they aim to alter the character of the Torah-observant public. Furthermore, they are subject to secular authorities, among other concerns.”
The ruling bears the signatures of the rabbonim of several of Israel’s largest Chassidishe courts, including Gur, Belz, Vizhnitz, Sanz, and others.
Rav Mechel Zilber, lending his endorsement, shared a personal recollection: “I personally heard from the Gaon of Tchebin, of blessed memory, who ruled based on the Gemara that even Dovid Hamelech would not go to war without consulting the Sanhedrin and the Urim VeTummim. The Gaon, of blessed memory, asked: how can one send a Jewish youth to the army and to war when there is no Sanhedrin and no Urim VeTummim? This applies to any young man, whoever he may be.”
By this logic how is EVER mutter to join ANY army? Does anyone think that the Russian army which the Steipler joined or the American army which Rav Kulesvsky (RY of Ner Yisroel) were better places for a frum soldier than the Chashmonaim unit of the Israeli army today? If you have any such illusions that they were and want to start screaming about Tzionim and their army , first see how the Chofetz Chaim describes army life in Machne Yisroel. The CC certainly does not say there that joining the army is forbidden.
You’re comparing apples to oranges by comparing religious boys who were forcefully conscripted in an army in a Communist country to an army in a supposedly Jewish country. Had the Israeli army been a Jewish army according to Torah and halachah, no doubt many religious Jews would have joined. Hence, the Draft Law in this army is definitely against Torah.
How many chasidic and othe Frum jews faught in 67 and 73? Answer, thousands.
Idiotic comment at best ,if it made more sense
What does your saying “Idiotic comment at best ,if it made more sense” add to the conversation? It really does speak well of you on a personal if you express yourself that way. And it really doesn’t speak well of your intellect if you can’t understand that comment. Even if you don’t agree with it.
They weren’t given the option, it was the army or Siberia.
Is Rav Mechel Silber saying that absent a Sanhedrin there should be no army?
We should not defend ourselves and just be destroyed by the Arabs?
I agree. Be destroyed and then you will have haolam esmes!
That’s why the Satmar Rav had the foresight and stood strong with his convictions that any connection to the Medina will eventually come back to bite them. And boy is it coming with avengance
Did the Gedoley Torah in the US tell people who were not in Yeshiva that they must avoid the draft no matter cost? Lieutenant Birnbum who was learning in Chaim Berlin part time said that Rav Hutner refused to write a letter that he was a full time divinity student saying that the cost to the frum world if it got out that it was helping draft dodgers was not something he can take on his achrius for. So did many others. Look at a Torah Vodaas yearbook from those years and you will see that some bochurim served in the army. Including the future Ner Yisroel Rosh Yeshiva, Rv Kulefsky. Does anyone think they had it easier frumkeit wise than someone in Nachal Charedi? Why did no one say it was assur then?
Until 1973 US military service was mandatory. If Israel considers themselves a Jewish country, they cannot enforce military service to chareidim if the army is not geared for chareidim.
For the record, Nachal Charedi is NOT chareidi.
Yes it is. in 67 and 73 there were many chasiddim and litvish in the IDF.
Help me out with the logic here. Chareidim don’t consider Israel to be a Jewish country. Non-Charedim (including frum ones) don’t see any contradiction between Judaism and serving in the army. So who DOES subscribe to the logic of “as a Jewish country, Israel should not draft Chariedim?”
That is putting aside that the e.g. the Chashmonaim unit or the the Schacher unit are certainly a lot more compatible with Chreadi life than a typical American workplace. Even many frum ones
Harvey Gornish. In the second Temple there was no Aron Hakodesh, no Urim VeTumim, and no prophecy, yet the religious Chamonoyim had no problem forming an army to protect the spiritual life of Israel from the Syrian Greeks.
You saved me from posting same. Bravo !
Abolish the draft and create a professional army, then the whole issue goes away. the israelis don’t need charedim in the army, they just want to stop yeshiva bachurim from learning.
We have our rabbonim who vehemently disagree. We follow them, their words are True Torah indeed.