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Opinion & Comment
Drafting Yeshiva Students
by HaRav Aharon Yeshaya Roter

The drafting of yeshiva students is again one of the hot issues of the day, as Prime Minister-elect Barak made it a cornerstone of his policies for more than a year. Religious parties are insisting that such a draft is nonnegotiable.

My only aim here is to refresh our memory. The Mesilas Yeshorim ("Introduction") tells us, "I did not write this work to teach people what they do not know, but rather to remind them of what they already know and of what they have already been well informed. Precisely because of their incontestable knowledge of these things and this obvious truth being known to all, they are frequently overlooked and widely forgotten." Moreover I am writing the following since it is impossible for a beis midrash to be without a chidush and arranging these matters properly is in itself a meaningful chidush.

The foremost principle of which one must be conscious is that the Torah is actually the living neshomoh of am Yisroel. It is therefore understood that our nation's existence is dependent upon its connection to Torah and to those studying Torah. When Torah study diminishes, the spring that has sustained the Torah's vitality and mitzvah observance dries up. The results are, chas vesholom, assimilation.

There are individuals or groups who, though not Torah- observant, maintain some connection to am Yisroel only because others toil over their Torah studies. These bnei Torah are the lifeline even for the parts of the Jewish Nation that are remote from our nation's heart.

It is evident that the Torah's existence depends upon true Torah scholars guarding the Torah in its authentic form. The only way to produce gedolei Torah and genuine talmidei chachomim is through their total devotion to Torah and by concentrating all their will and talents, without engaging in other matters (quoted from Maran HaRav Aharon Kotler zt'l).

It is therefore clear that from all "yeshivos" where Torah study is combined with other studies -- including the yeshiva high schools in Eretz Yisroel (yeshivot tichoniyot), the yeshivos with an officially linked university program, and yeshivos with a program for joint military service (yeshivot hesdeir) -- no real Torah scholar will emerge. The only fountains from which the Jewish nation will satisfy its existence are the yeshivos kedoshos where there is a complete commitment to Torah study.

Likewise we should be aware that yeshivos regularly existed in our nation ever since Avrohom Ovinu who "was an elder who studied in a yeshiva." Afterwards Yitzchok and Yaakov also studied in a yeshiva (Yoma 28b). Yaakov Ovinu educated all his sons in Torah and designated Levi as rosh yeshiva to teach the ways of Hashem and the path of mitzvah observance that he had received from Avrohom. Yaakov commanded his children that Levi always continue in this position so that Torah study would never be forgotten. In time, Yisroel in Egypt learned from the ways of the Egyptians and worshiped avoda zorah like they did. The only ones who remained with the mitzvos of the Patriarchs and did not worship avoda zorah were sheivet Levi (Rambam, Avoda Zorah, 1:3).

We see from the Rambam that although all of bnei Yisroel studied Torah, only the tribe of Levi refrained from worshiping avoda zorah. They were able to do this since they studied Torah without engaging in any other affairs. Rashi (Shemos 5:4) writes that Levi was not enslaved in Egypt. The Ramban (ibid.) comments that, "Each nation is accustomed to have scholars and teachers of their religion's principles, and therefore Pharaoh left Levi, who were their scholars and elders. This was all for a Heavenly purpose." From the Ramban too we can infer that even Pharaoh understood that it was impossible for there to be real Torah scholars unless they devote themselves entirely to Hashem's Torah.

A third principle of which we must be aware is that sheivet Levi never took part in wars (except for the war against Midian, according to our version in the Sifrei, see Sha'arei Aharon, parshas Mattos 31:4). The Rambam (end of Hilchos Shmittah VeYoveil) writes: "[The Tribe of Levi] is not privileged to have an inheritance in Eretz Yisroel nor spoil [from the wars] like their brothers since they were separated to worship Hashem, to serve Him and to teach His righteous ways and moral statutes to the masses. They were therefore detached from the way of the world and would not wage war like the rest of Yisroel . . . And not only sheivet Levi but any person in the world who donates his spirit to separate himself and stand before Hashem, to serve Him and worship Him, to know Hashem . . . has cast off from his neck the yoke of considerations of the multitudes that men follow and has become sanctified kodesh kodoshim."

From this ruling of the Rambam we can understand that it is impossible for there to be chachmei Torah in Klal Yisroel teaching Hashem's just ways and righteous statutes unless they separate from the ways of the world and refrain from engaging in anything else. (See Nechemia 13:10- 11 -- "I then became aware that the portions of the Leviim had not been given and the Leviim, the singers and those who performed the services, had fled, each to his own field. So I contended with the rulers and said, `Why is the house of Elokim forsaken?' "). Furthermore we see from the Rambam that sheivet Levi does not wage war, and since the Rambam does not differentiate between the types of wars, we understand they cannot even participate in a milchemes mitzvah. Although the Rambam writes (Melochim 7:34) that even a chosson and kallah must participate in a milchemes mitzvah, this ruling does not include sheivet Levi.

We can offer a proof to this assumption. The Rambam himself writes (ibid., 5:31) that the milchomoh against the seven nations living in Eretz Canaan was a milchemes mitzvah. The Rishonim (Ramban and Rashbam) write that the count mentioned in the beginning of Bamidbar was to find out the number of soldiers who were later to conquer Eretz Yisroel. "The Leviim after the sheivet of their fathers were not numbered among them" (Bamidbar 1:47) -- since they do not wage war. Although the milchomoh against the seven nations was surely a milchemes mitzvah, the Leviim did not take part.

The basis of the National-Religious camp which maintains that there is a religious obligation to serve in the IDF (army) is pure ignorance. I think that since we were promised, "It shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of its seed" (Devorim 31:21), we will never have a religious defense minister. Although there is no religious coercion in Israel, they think it does exist.

The fourth principle is when the Torah writes (Shemos 17:16): "Hashem will have war with Amolek from generation to generation," it refers to Torah study. HaRav Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, the author of Mesilas Yeshorim, writes in Derech Eitz Chaim, that the only remedy for our nation's suffering is engaging in Torah study. There is nothing that can weaken the power of the Sitra Achra except studying Torah.

"We heard that in the times of the mekubal, the chossid R' Shimshon Ostropolar (in the year 5608- 1848), when there was a gezeira, Rachmono litzlan, he forced the Sitra Achra to divulge why it denounces our nation more than all others. The Sitra Achra answered that by annulling three things it would stop. The three were Shabbos, mila and Torah. The Rav immediately responded that even if they and more would be destroyed, they will never, cholila, annul even one letter of our holy Torah.

"A proof that all of the kabolos that I have given you are true and that Torah study is to the yetzer hora and the Sitra Achra like a deadly poison, and for our brethren Beis Yisroel a life-saving drug, is that the churban of the Beis Hamikdash was caused by the sin of bitul Torah, as our Torah (Devorim 39:24) writes, `Because they have forsaken the bris of Hashem' and the bris mentioned there refers to Torah. We find that HaKodosh Boruch Hu waived punishing for avoda zorah, promiscuity, and bloodshed but not for bitul Torah."

The fifth principle is that Amolek comes only when we are negligent in our Torah study. "If you should neglect the study of Torah, there will be many who will mevateil you from it" (Ovos 4:10). The Bach (Hilchos Chanukah) asks why the avoda was taken from the Kohanim in the time of the Chashmonaim. We have a principle that there is no gezeira on spiritual matters. He answers that since the Kohanim were negligent in their avoda it was taken away from them. The only possibility left for them to regain the avoda was to act with mesiras nefesh.

If, today, we increase our efforts in Torah study and are more diligent, we will not have to fear those against us. They themselves admit that they do not want to touch those who study Torah the whole day. The entire power of Amolek is upon those who "were feeble in your rear" (Devorim 25:18). Chazal say (Shabbos 30a) that even the mal'ach hamoves was unable to overcome Dovid Hamelech as long as he was engaged in studying Torah.

At present the noisy minority of the erev rav wants to overwhelm us and, chas vesholom, to stop us from studying Torah. I believe their main reason for doing so is their jealousy of the natural increase of those loyal to Hashem. They are accustomed to a lifestyle with one child and two dogs while we, beli ayin hora, are constantly growing. This jealousy eats them up, as Shlomo Hamelech (Mishlei 14:30) writes, "Envy is the rotting of the bones."

This principle is evident from what happened in Egypt. Pharaoh the king of Egypt said (Shemos 1:9), "Behold the people of bnei Yisroel are more and mightier than we. Come let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to pass that when any war should chance they also join our enemies and fight against us and so go out of the land." The Oruch HaShulchan (in his droshos) asks that the order of the pesukim should apparently have been different. The Torah should have written, "Come let us deal wisely with them," after "Behold the people of bnei Yisroel are more and mightier than we. When it come to pass that when any war should chance they also join our enemies and fight against us." A plan only needed to be made because of the fear that bnei Yisroel, who have become so many, will join their enemies. The result should have been written after the cause and not beforehand.

The explanation is that since Pharaoh saw bnei Yisroel had so multiplied, that in itself was sufficient reason for "Come let us deal wisely with them." Since "A tzaddik hates sheker" (Mishlei 13:5) therefore sheker in turn hates the tzaddik. Only as an excuse to the world did Pharaoh say, "When it comes to pass that when any war should chance they also join our enemies."

Today too their hatred of us is because we have, beli ayin hora, become so many, and therefore they said "Come let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply." Let us stop them from studying Torah and we will persuade them to enlist in the army, to look at films full of worldly pleasures and temptations, to smell the alien ketores, to listen to mockery about emunah and tsnius. After all this, they will be ours and their multiplying will, chas vesholom, discontinue. Although for others they say, "When it comes to pass that when any war should chance" -- your brethren will fight in the war but you will remain in the rear, the truth is that they do not need us anyway.

The Rambam's ruling (Hilchos Dei'os 6:31) about a person being influenced by his environment is well-known. The Rambam tells us that a person naturally follows the actions of his fellow countrymen and he should therefore join with tzaddikim and chachomim and learn their ways and distance himself from reshoim so that he will not learn their evil ways. Furthermore Rabbenu Bechaye (in the beginning of Lech Lecho) writes that an unfavorable environment is a reason for someone's free will to be annulled. Consequently Avrohom Ovinu was especially commanded, "Go you out of your country and from your kindred and from your father's house to the land that I will show you" (Bereishis 12:1).

This concerns a person who lives in an undesirable environment and is still free to choose what he wants. Even in such a case the Rishonim write that a person is naturally tempted by the environment. How much more so in an army camp where he is forced to be in adverse surroundings, where people mock all sacred values and he has no possibility to run away. He will then, chas vesholom, surely cast off the yoke of Hashem in order to be like everyone else.

I will offer as a proof to what I have written an extract from Hamodiah (18 Cheshvan, 5744-1984) that cites a letter from a reserve lieutenant printed in Ma'ariv (a popular Israeli daily) depicting the problems and suffering of religious soldiers because of their religious background. The writer concludes: "Doubtless a young religious boy enlisting into the IDF and even in the hesdeir arrangement finds himself facing many temptations and difficult-to-overcome tests. I therefore think it is possible to understand why there are fathers who live poorly (and surely do not buy a television or car) so their sons can study Torah day and night. A spiritual loss for their sons will cause them suffering to a degree no less than that of the suffering of someone bereft."

Their criticism of there being a huge amount of chareidi boys is not only open jealousy towards us but also an expression of hidden fear. Tumah is frightened of kedusha. The Ponim Yofos (in parshas Shalach on the posuk "The earth devours its inhabitants," (Bamidbar 13:32) when the meraglim went to Eretz Yisroel, writes that the Canaanites died because Yehoshua and Koleiv already entered the land and brought kedusha to Eretz Yisroel. Those Canaanites who lacked the strength to withstand the kedusha were immediately vomited out of the land and died. Chazal (Shabbos 34a) write that R' Shimon Ben Yochai stared at someone who made an unfitting statement and he became a pile of bones. Through staring, R' Shimon caused excessive kedusha to dwell on that person. The person could not endure so much kedusha and therefore became a pile of bones.

When they say there are too many chareidi boys they really mean that kedusha and tohoroh have increased, which is a reason for tumah to burst. This is their great fear but they themselves do not know how to express it.

On the same great day of the enormous tefilla rally in Yerushalayim at the end of Shvat, I saw two interesting things on the first page of the (Hebrew) Yated Ne'eman: (1) An announcement about the tefilla rally, and (2) Beli ayin hora, a large amount of engagement announcements. I said that the results of the rally do not interest me any more since we have already won. This is what Hashem said to Odom Horishon, "Be fruitful and multiply fill the earth and subdue it" (Bereishis 1:28) -- whoever fills the land will subdue it. We must keep in mind only one thing: "The more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew" (Shemos 1:12). "In the zechus of noshim tzidkoniyos our fathers were redeemed from Egypt" (Sotah 11a) and in the zechus of the righteous Jewish mother we will be redeemed in the future too.

One more problem remains to be explained. There are today three sorts of lomdei Torah who receive military deferrals: (1) Those of whom Toroso umnosom (literally meaning "the Torah is his trade"), who learn full time without any other endeavor. Some of these are incredibly diligent, real masmidim, while there are others who are less so, but in any case all keep the daily yeshiva schedule. Someone who is not Toroso umnoso is immediately removed from any yeshiva's student body. I know that this was the opinion of Maran the Chazon Ish zt'l and this is actually what the contemporary roshei yeshivos and the Vaad Hayeshivos do. (2) Kollel students who discontinue their studies for some reason. This group enlists willingly in the IDF, but the army is just not interested in many of them. (3) Boys who unfortunately do not have a desire to study Torah. Understandably when they reach the age of entering the army their names do not appear on the Vaad Hayeshivos' list. We are concerned about this group since their being recruited into IDF will make them easy prey for those who mock Yiddishkeit. Maran the Chazon Ish zt'l wrote (Kuntres Igros 1:113) "The remainder of our patience is tried in this demanding situation .. With a worried heart and broken spirit we see how the young goats look and we are engaged in building walls and erecting separations between them and the wild street . . . full of deceit and love of abominations."

The Amoleikians lay in ambush for them as the Torah writes, "Smote the hindmost of you, all who were feeble in your rear." For them we must, day and night, continually think of ways to help them. "Our toil are our children" (Haggodo) who were reared with great love by their mother. The hope for their future atoned for all the difficulties in the period of bringing them into the world. We cannot rest or remain quiet until we find a solution so that not even one nefesh will be lost to Yiddishkeit, and Hashem will help us.


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