Chassidishe Rebbes Decide: Draft Protest Rally Postponed by a Day

Leading chassidishe rebbes have ruled to postpone a major protest rally against the Israeli draft law by one day in order to avoid unnecessary ביטול תורה and ensure that yeshiva students participate at a time when regular learning schedules are anyway suspended.

In advance of the large-scale Yerushalayim gathering titled Kol Shav’asam, to be led by prominent Sephardic and chassidic Torah leaders, mashgichim and roshei yeshiva from the chassidic yeshiva world visited the home of the Tchernobyler Rebbe to seek his ruling regarding the timing of the rally.

The question presented was whether the protest—originally scheduled for Monday of next week and expected to draw tens of thousands of chassidic yeshiva bochurim—should be moved. Since Nittel falls on the following day, Tuesday, those making the request suggested that holding the rally then would prevent additional loss of learning time, as there is in any case no regular seder on Nittel.

After considering the arguments, the Tchernobyler Rebbe agreed with the proposal but asked to first hear the opinion of the Rachmastrivka Rebbe. Following his review of the matter, the Rachmastrivka Rebbe concurred with the decision.

As a result, the Kol Shav’asam protest rally against the draft law will take place on Tuesday in Terushalayim. The event s scheduled to pass through the streets of Yirmiyahu, Brandies, and Sarai Yisrael, with mass participation from the chassidishe world.

{Matzav.com}