Rav Yitzchak Yosef: ‘Military Police At The Door? Get Up And Fight Them’

Rav Yitzchak Yosef, the former Sephardic chief rabbi of Israel, used his weekly motzoei Shabbos shiur to make clear that yeshiva bochurim should not cooperate with the Military Police if they attempt to arrest those avoiding the draft.

At the beginning of his words, Rav Yosef declared that the victories of the IDF and the very survival of the state are due solely to the power of Torah. “Your Torah, yeshiva students, and the heads of households who study in the morning and evening – it is in this merit that even the heretics are victorious,” Rav Yosef said.

“How is it possible? The Chief of Staff was a heretic, what about Rafael? Do you remember him? How was Ariel Sharon? How were the heretics? How were the anti-religious? And they succeeded? How did they succeed? Torah.”

Rav Yosef noted that political leaders have no real grasp of what Torah learners contribute to Klal Yisroel. He explained, “They don’t know this. If they knew, they would grant us all sorts of benefits. Anyone who learns in yeshiva, who is a son of Torah, would get a free apartment, exemption from municipal taxes. The sages have always been exempt from taxes,” he said. “But they don’t know, they don’t understand. Poor things, they were educated in non-religious schools; they don’t understand what this is.”

In his sharpest comments, Rav Yosef urged bochurim not to allow security forces to enter the yeshivos. “Thank God, they don’t enter the yeshivas. Don’t be afraid. If the Military Police come, stand up to them. It is unacceptable for them to go there. They will not come. Don’t think about it at all,” he emphasized.

He repeatedly underscored the idea that Torah learning provides protection for Klal Yisroel. “The entire people of Israel who were saved from the missiles the Houthis are firing – it is in the merit of Torah study. You are giving strength to the soldiers. This is our Torah,” he said. He concluded: “Anyone who says otherwise is a heretic, G-d forbid.”

{Matzav.com Israel}