Thursday, March 20, 2014

Rabbonim Speak out - No contradiction between Jewish Army and Learning Torah - Rabbi Dovid Milston audio, Rabbi Steve Pruzansky, Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel, Rabbi Nachman Kahana, Rabbi David Bar Hayim

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One comment on Nosei Ol Chaveiro, Carrying the burden of my brother by Robin.  It seems to me that the Chareidim are carrying the yoke of their fellow secular Jews when it comes to Mitzvoth like Tefillin, Shabbath, Keeping Kosher, Family Purity etc.We owe the Chareidi population tremendous Hakoras Hatov for carrying this burden and we need to recognize that those Tinok Shenishba, uneducated or OTD (off the Derech),  need stronger love and outreach to be better educated because it is simply too much for a portion of the population to bear the negative consequences of violation of these precious Mitzvoth by a large segment of the  Israeli population.  

 It seems to me like the non Chareidi Jew is carrying the yoke when it comes to Mitzvoth like Milchemet Mitzvah and by extention Yishuv Haaretz.  This  includes the Mitzvoth Telyim Baaretz, commandments dependent on the Land. How can one truthfully claim a desire to keep Mitzvoth Teluyot Baaretz while at the same time not protest when it is given to Fatah and Hamas? How can one not protest when 10,000 Torah observant Jews had their homes bulldozed and their communities destroyed. Will one agree to amputate his arm and not try everything possible to save it, if they truly understood the importance of their hand. Isn"t it often impossible to fulfill the Mitzvah of Tefillin without that arm.  Can one amputate the heart and still survive? What about Hakoras Hatov?  The Chareidim have spent 70 years in Israel seeing tremendous growth in Torah Learning?  How was this possible if not for the support coming from  State of Israel and Hashem's miraculous miracles and the return of Jews to their ancestral Homeland? Isn't is Motzei Shem Ra to compare the hand that supported Torah to evil antisemites who wish to destroy Torah? 

After reading Rabbi Pruzansky's post, please listen to powerful audio, Rabbi Milston Rosh Yeshiv of Midreshet HaRova in Old City,  end of blog post by Rabbi Pruzansky. 


Synopsis of Rabbi Milston audio: Chareidi Rally - A demonstration against a Mitzvah?!?  Moshe Rabbeinu, Yehoshu, Dovid Hamelech all fought.  Bitul Torah?  Did anyone ever say don't build a Succah cause it's Bitul Torah.  Torah is not only about learning but about living and a way of life.  The Torah wasn't given just to study but to live.  Where is there any source in Torah that a Jewish army is against Torah. There is no source!  How did they compare this to the antisemitic decree of the Romans?  It's an evil manipulation of fact for political purposes and not truth. There is no law in the land that forbids learning Torah!  Just a law that everyone should fight for the land united. Rabbi Milston said that there were many mines found and many terrorist attempts during his Miluim. He davka demanded to be transferred to active unit. He didn't enjoy the actual duty but he enjoyed being part of the Nation.  Shma Yisroel.  What does it mean? The Shma Yisroel at the rally couldn't be the same as the Shma Yisroel cried out facing those who wanted to annihilate us!

Rabbi Milston does not believe people should be coerced. Rather, they should be honored to join the Israeli army. Other people should die so I should learn? Rabbi Milston said, I am not a Zionist.  Israeli army is part of Torah. If we believe in Torah we don't play that game of manipulation. Rambam says, someone who gets money for learning Torah loses their Chelek in Olam Haba.

Here is one of the comments to Rabbi Pruzansky's article: 

Dear Rabbi Pruzansky,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic. I appreciate the honesty which you express in all of your posts and your openness to the feedback you receive in the comments.

While I take issue with several things that you wrote (at least some of which have been raised by others), they all pale in comparison to one: Why do you a feel the need, let alone the right, to use the loshon of "Talmid Chacham she'ein bo da'at"?

I understand that you think you're correct on this matter. Whenever one expresses his opinion, by definition he believes it to be correct. And perhaps other rabbonim agree with you as well. But aren't we talking about dozens of big Talmidei Chachamim, Poskim, Roshei Yeshivos and Marbitzei Torah who have spent their lives immersed in Torah?! Isn't it at least possible that they're right and you're wrong? Couldn't you have expressed your position while still showing a bit of respect for theirs?

And even if you'll say that you're 100% convinced that you're right and they're wrong, why do you feel the need to denigrate these Torah scholars by speaking of them in such a way? Couldn't you have at least shown some kavod, if not for their opinions, for their gadlus in Torah?

Actually, I think that is the point of the Midrash. There can be great Torah scholars who have no "daat," meaning common sense, derech eretz, etc. Far be from me to even suggest that any particular person, rabbi, Gadol is in that category. Chas v'shalom. But what interested me most is that Chazal had such a concept, and that concept was in the Midrash Raba of Parshat Vayikra, when all these events were taking place.
Again, I was not at all insinuating that such is applicable to any particular Rav, and I thank you for giving me the chance to clarify.
Thanks for writing.
-RSP

  • Dodging the Draft Because of God?!by Rabbi Jeremy Gimpel –Never in history have religious Jews hidden behind Torah study to evade defending Jewish lives. http://mizrachi.org/dodging-draft-god/  
  •  We Must Bridge the Divide - Vayikra 5774 Rabbi Nachman Kahana http://nachmankahana.com/vayikra-5774/
  • Haredim Demonstrating They Have Reached a Dead End Rabbi David Bar-Hayim's response to the massive haredi demonstration in Jerusalem.   The position of Chareidi World is that all young men whether or not they are learning Torah should not be drafted to protect them from secularism. No solution for the Jewish people including Chareidi society for those not cut out for Chareidi box)  http://machonshilo.org/en/eng/component/content/article/34-featured/703-haredim-demonstrating-that-they-have-reached-a-dead-end

Rabbi David Bar-Hayim discusses: Haredim, the Army & Spiritual Challenges

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Sincerely,

Robin Ticker
Activist emails sent to my list  are L'Ilui Nishmat Yisrael ben David Aryeh ob"m (Izzy - Kaplan) and Howard Chaim Grief great activists and lovers of Eretz Yisroel, Am Yisroel and the Torah. Yehi Zichronum Baruch.  May their memories serve as a blessing.

Most of these emails are posted on Shemittahrediscovered.blogspot.com 

Personal emails to individuals will not be posted to my blog. 
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