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Watch: Hareidi Mass-Prayer Rally Ends With Shema Recital
Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman, Rav Shalom Cohen, Vizhnitzer Rebbe
Decisions by consensus of the three major councils of Torah sages, which met last week in Bnei Brak – that of Shas, Degel Hatorah and Agudat Yisrael. Mass Tefillah Gathering Called For Sunday In Yerushalayim by Dovid Hoffman and Avi Yishai http://www.yated.com/mass-tefillah-gathering-called-for-sunday-in-yerushalayim.7-1184-7-.html
"First to speak at the conference was Rav Shteinman, who decried the terrible chillul Hashem embodied in criminal sanctions. Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman said at the meeting that "chillul Hashem is a worse sin than avodah zarah, for which we are obligated to give up our lives rather than transgress.
"Everyone knows that there is no greater chillul Hashem than to be rodef those who learn Torah, because Torah and Klal Yisroel are one and the same, and Yisroel and Oraisa and Kudsha Brich Hu are also chad. If there is no Torah, the world will be destroyed. Our tachlis is to learn Torah, and there is nothing worse than to disrupt those who learn Torah.
"This is our life, the life of Klal Yisroel from the time of Matan Torah until this very day… May Hakadosh Boruch Hu ensure that all those who wish to impede this will fail, and that we will merit to be saved from them, and to learn Torah and more Torah."
"The whole purpose of existence is to study Torah and there is nothing worse than harassing those involved in this mitzvah. This is our life, the life of Klal Yisroel in all generations from the time the Torah was given until today. We must know that there is nothing except Torah. This is our life!
Rav Shalom Cohen of the Shas Moetzes said that the danger hanging over the heads of Sefardi bnei Torah is even greater.
"All the Sefardim are like hanefesh asher asu beChoron [the people Avrohom and Sarah saved from spiritual destruction]," he said. "I know from my yeshiva that many talmidim's parents want them to go to the army. They don't understand anything. If their sons were not close to their rabbonim, they would go to the army. The rabbonim watch over them. If they don't do something and announce that there should be no army [enlistment] at all, it won't work, chas vesholom.
"The media incites against the bnei yeshivos. This influences Sefardim. Our community may be the hardest hit from this decree. We must learn from hanefesh asher asu beChoron and draw as many people to Torah as we possibly can. I request that a decision be issued from here that there be no army [enlistment] and nothing [else]. Their money doesn't interest us. We are only interested in Torah."
The Vizhnitzer Rebbe emphasized the importance of putting up a united resistance to the draft law.
"The posuk says, 'Yisroel encamped there opposite the mountain,' and Chazal explain, 'Like one person, with one heart.' The goal is unity," he said. "I think that the many rebbes and rabbonim present here must unitedly, publicly, and clearly announce that we will not enlist at all. We have nothing to do with the army, nothing at all. This is the message that must come out from here. If we all unite, with Hashem's help we will persevere and merit the coming of Moshiach Tzidkeinu, soon in our days."
At the end of the meeting, the joint decisions of the three Mo'atzos Gedolei Hatorahwas announced:
"This is not a time to keep silent. Under the prime minister's directive, a plot has arisen among the authorities to rebel against Hashem's Malchus. Their intention is to uproot the Torah and to impart criminal sanctions upon those [for whom] Torah is their livelihood to the extent of throwing them into prison.
"We tremble at the terrible chillul Hashem and humiliation of the Torah this entails. We are fearful of what may result, and pained at the continued attacks directed against the Torah world and the unending attempts to put obstacles in their path. In light of this, we have decided as follows:
1. The Moetzes Gedolei Vechachmei HaTorahdemands that the government immediately annul the decisions of the committee that seeks the coercive draft of talmidei yeshivos and kollelim. We call upon all bnei yeshivos and kollelim not to enlist in the army under any circumstance, not be persuaded by any blandishment or punishment, and not to participate in the army's plan to set up a central sorting center for chareidi [IDF inductees], but instead to continue studying Torah day and night.
2. If, chas veshalom, those who persecute religion enact their plots and make a coercive enlistment law, the Mo'atzos Gedolei Vechachmei HaTorah will convene to make plans against them and their plots, and consider forbidding visiting army induction centers [even to merely receive deferments].
3. The Mo'atzos Gedolei Vechachmei HaTorah demand that the government cease persecuting the Torah world and instead help the growth of Torah and chinuch institutions in the Holy Land in the path forged by our forefathers.
4. The Mo'atzos Gedolei Vechachmei HaTorahturn to the Jewish people with this message: 'Nothing is left to us but this Torah.' Torah study and fulfilling its mitzvos in holiness and purity are a defending wall for the Jewish people against every distress and tribulation wherever they live. This is a protection from public and private, physical and spiritual difficulties that oppress them in all the places they dwell. We must hugely increase Torah study and the holy performance of its mitzvos, and the precise performance of every detail of halachah.
5. The Mo'atzos Gedolei Vechachmei HaTorahcall upon our Jewish brothers in every place they dwell, in Eretz Yisroel and abroad, to grasp the skill of our forefathers [prayer]. All Jews must gather, men and children, to cry out and plea to our Father in Heaven to have mercy upon us as a father spares his children. We hereby announce that those who fear Hashem's word will gather at a rally of prayer and outcry and mass protest… This will be a kiddush Hashem to counteract the chillul Hashem made by those who plot to uproot religion.
Rabbi Tuvia Schulzinger, the Rabbi of the city of Kiryat Ata and a close associate of prominent hareidi leader Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach
The hareidi public will fight the enlistment of Torah students in the IDF no matter what sanctions the government imposes, warned Rabbi Tuvia Schulzinger, the rabbi of the city of Kiryat Ata and a close associate of prominent hareidi leader Rabbi Shmuel Auerbach.
Speaking to Arutz Sheva, Rabbi Schulzinger compared the expected anti-enlistment protests to recent violent riots in Ukraine.
"Remember what happened in Ukraine, the President had to step down. Here, too, if the powers that be fight us and religion, they will not succeed, none of them will succeed," he declared.
"One million people will flood Jerusalem, and [Prime Minister] Netanyahu will need to step down," he predicted.
Hareidi Jews would rather die than enlist, he predicted. "Rabbi Shach already said that we won't stay in the country. People need to sacrifice for this, and it's likely some will be killed in this war.
"But under no circumstances will we allow young men to be prevented from learning Torah," he declared.
He expressed skepticism over the government's ability to counter hareidi resistance to the enlistment law. "What are they going to do, put tens of thousands of men in jail?" he asked.
Rabbi Schulzinger argued that the real motive behind the enlistment law is a hatred of hareidi Jews, and a desire to change their way of life. "There is a deep hate of hareidi Jews, a hate led by Yair Lapid," he accused.
"They want to change our faith. It won't work," he continued. "Tanks, APCs – nothing will crush us. The Torah is eternal." http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/177918#.UxTX6fldVps
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My comments:
I lived in Kiryat Arba for many years and have a deep connection with Hebron. I pray for Hashems help that this bond remains an eternal one for me and my children and my children's children.
Living near Chevron and Maarat Hamachpela, brings forth a passion and Love for the Torah, Eretz Yisroel and love for all of our people, Chareidim, Dati Leumi and Chiloni.
I admire the leadership that it took to unite 600,000 to say Tehillim. But it deeply pains me to suspect that some of the energy from this rally came from an unholy source. Surely not Chevron!
As we say in davening " LeOlam Yehei Adam Yirei Shamayim BaSeser Uvagalui, Umodeh al HaEmes VeDover Emes Bilvavo..
My question to you and to all the Rabbanim and Yeshivoth who participated is as follows: How is it that the organizers of the chareidi million Man Rally didn't acknowledge the real Haman of today, the Palestinians whose founder the Grand Mufti partnered with Hitler Yemach Shemo VeZichro or the Iranians like the Ayatollah Khomeini or Rouhani Yemach Shemum, busy preparing nuclear gallows for the State of Israel. Why such a harsh attack, surely not as deserved in comparison, on the Jewish govt, and religious Zionists and their Rabbi's. There was too much Rechilus and Motzei Shem Ra, Diba Raah in the rhetoric reported in their meeting and subsequent news articles that promoted and called for "Leich kenos es kol haYehudim".
Lapid's position: How would the Chareidi community view army service if indeed they were running the gov't of Israel in a Torah State based on Torah law? Would they say there is no need for a Jewish army????This is a point Lapid brought up when talking to Chareidim when he acknowledged their strength that has grown over the years. I read this speech and it is not anti Chareidi rhetoric in my opinion. There are some very valid points Lapid makes and I believe he is sincere when he calls the Chareidim his brothers. I do think that in other speeches he and others in the Chareidi parties lost it by getting angry especially when money and funding was being discussed. But deep down there is a love of his fellow Jew and I believe it is authentic. But judge for yourself! Video and Translation of Yair Lapid's Speech to Chareidim in the Wake of the New Law - Delivered at the Knesset http://baltimorejewishlife.com/news/print.php?ARTICLE_ID=39819 By Yair Lapid Posted on 07/08/13
The Dati Leumi Position:
Is the govt of Israel defying Torah when they call Chareidim to be included in the draft? Are they being Rodef those who learn Torah as Rav Shteinman seems to say? Lehefech, the opposite the Religious Zionist Rabbis teach their students. They are consistent with Torah and in keeping with and fullfilling the Torah of defending the Land in fighting a Milchemet Mitzvah.
I looked up the word Milchama in the Concordance and found numerous examples and precedent (several pages of fine print) from Tanach where going to War was a Mitzvah and required, (Avraham Avinu, Yaakov Avinu prepares for war, Moshe Rabbeinu with Amalek and then with Sichon and Og, Moshe Rabbeinu rebuking Reuvein and Gad for wanting to settle on the other side of the Jordan and asking them if they will allow their brother to fight alone? Yehoshua and the many battles, Shoftim, Deborah and Balak and Shirat Devorah which rebukes the tribes who did not fight, Dovid Hamelech and the many battles not to mention Mordechai and the Jews in the time of Purim after they were given permission to fight back and destroyed those who wanted to implement Haman's evil decree and what about the Chashmonaim? etc). There are many commandments associated with counting the people according to those of army age, and going to war and making sure that the army is Holy and conditions as per who is exempt from army service etc.... How can we honestly call a draft into a Jewish army anti Torah?
Learning Torah is indeed very important. But that doesn't mean that the army isn't necessary. Both are necessary. Recently, the Rabbanim of Kiev felt that Israel would come to their rescue of they were attacked. For that operation you need an army. Pikuach Nefesh! Would we be able to respond in kind without an army?
During the Holocaust did Jews have that option? What was the end result?
Moshe assembled and disassembled the Mishkan even though Hashem actually built it so it stood. The Jews all participated and Hashem needed their Hishtadlus, participation, as a Kli a vessel for His Blessings. Their pure intentions and motives in their Melacha, their work, was a necessary precondition. They didn't only learn about how to build the Mishkan. They actually used the tools of their trade and material to build it!
Why is the act of going to war any different from any other Mitzva especially when one goes to War to Battle for the Torah and for the Land of Israel?
Isn't it true that those most G-d fearing were especially, chosen for fighting since they are considered the best soldiers, the necessary vessel through which Hashem fights for us and through which Hashem's Salvation can happen?
Weren't the people reprimanded for allowing their brethren to go to war alone and not sharing the burden?
To deny parts of Torah and to pick and choose is to deny Torah. Rather than condemn the draft unconditionally, why not negotiate how being in a Holy and Jewish army is an honor and privilege and will enhance Torah and actualize Torah! Even a student who learns Torah day and night should belong and be an integral part of a G-d fearing Jewish army. I believe Prime Minister Netanyahu, MK Naftali Bennett and MK Yair Lapid might all agree with that as well.
All comments are welcome!
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
Rabbi 
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?