Be there anyone who has imagined that here, in Eretz Yisroel, which is the remnant home for the yeshiva world of yore, the issue of army enlistment will be a strong issue? Apparently, if the motto of "being like all the nations" holds sway, should not even they be exempting Torah students from army service?
The Chief Rabbi has already declared that, with all respect to the Israeli heroes standing at the front lines against the enemies of humanity, the Amolekites of this generation, we should similarly respect the national heroes who stand by night and by day, immersed in Torah study, since Torah 'protects and saves'?
This should be clear and apparent, but this does seem to be so to the press journalists who begrudge those students who devote emergency measures in their so-called 'unproductive' activity. Each writer and commentator airs his advice and suggestions, his demands from the chief rabbis, feel obligated to cry out, and why should they remain silent? Why are they not rushing to draft those Torah students?
Because they are apparently basing their actions on quotes from Chazal etc. — everything for 'the sake of Heaven'. When you review daily all of such writing, you cannot help being surprised and amazed at the various newspaper columnists who pretend to be expert of the dire need for the draft, the question arises why they themselves are not publicly minded to practice what they are preaching, namely to enlist themselves?
If five newspapers were to consolidate into one and all of their correspondents sent to the army, couldn't the remaining paper provide the necessary news and current events without the various commentaries and opinions — and would the world come to an end? Such a suggestion is not forthcoming and will not be presented because it would be impossible to combine all of the newspapers into one, since each one represents a different outlook.
And if, indeed, there is no possibility of consolidating all of the papers into a single one, nor can one overlook any columnist or newspaperman and what he has to say, so is it impossible to do without any single yeshiva student, whose merit study is the very underpinning of our lives which are dependent upon them. If the secularists in our midst do not acknowledge this, and do not appreciate the value of Torah, its honor and holiness, and continue to write whatever comes to their mind,, no wonder that those who speak loftily about Torah and its devotees, can come and advocate the destruction of Torah, which was begun by that wicked one.
The few youths within the walls of the yeshivos, are truly the reserve power of the Torah leadership of the upcoming generation. Each nation understands the needed respect and homage due to its students of higher education, while the People of the Book fail or refuse to understand this basic principle.
What is especially strange and inexplicable, is where they have the audacity and boldness to speak out against Torah leaders. It is accepted that chutzpah will abound in the Messianic generation, but it is doubtful that chutzpah of such virulence was envisioned by Chazal.
It is in our hands, however, for only in the merit of Torah have we survived up until now. Would that selfsame sinner have his head crushed upon the walls of Judaism. Heaven forfend the very idea that Torah students be removed from the walls of Torah.
When Rabbi Yochonon ben Zakkai was faced with the imminent destruction of the Bais Hamikdash and the loss of Jewish independence, he stood and pleaded for the salvation of Yavne and its scholars, a fortress which no enemy, brutal as it be, could defy. This sage's counsel has stood us and our ancestors in good stead that they not perish, and with the help of Hashem, may we continue to survive in the very merit of those who dedicate their days to study within the tent of our Torah.
Rabbi Mordechai Shmuel Karol (1899-1945) served in the rabbinate of Zorovitz and Novogord in Europe. In 1932, he immigrated to Eretz Israel and was rabbi of Kfar Chassidim until his death. His son-in-law, Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Mishkovsky, succeeded him in the rabbinate of Kfar Chassidim.
