Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Why do Orthodox Jews refuse to serve in IDF?

For the past several months, I have been trying to understand the Charedi objection to the draft. I don't want to believe that they really believe that their Blood is redder than mine and while my son should risk his life (in addition to learning Torah), their son should just learn Torah.

Why should my son be forced out of the Beit Midrash to fulfill his national obligation while Charedi students - who may or may not be better at learning than my son - feel that have an automatic right to be exempt.

However all explanations I have seen from Charedi spokespeople are based on outright lies, and are insulting to anyone who disagrees with them.

The video below repeats the common claim that the only reason that the "Zionists" want to draft Charedim is to assimilate them.
They can't conceive of a possibility that Israelis see something unfair about putting their son's lives at risk while other's don't.
They can't imagine that the army can't automatically reduce the potential pool of soldiers by 30%.

Like other Charedi spokespeople, he (mis-)quotes early Zionist leaders as saying the objective of Zionism is to change the Charedim, and the only reason to draft them is so that the army can indoctrinate them in views that are contrary to traditional Judaism (without specifying exactly what values the army is pushing that they object to).
He didn't quote any contemporary politicians, only Jabotinsky who died before the IDF was created. Are there any contemporary politicians who want to use the army to "indoctrinate" the Charedim, if so, why doesn't he quote any of them?

He says further that even if the army was to adopt Halachic requirements, this wouldn't change the army's "indoctrination" objectives, without explaining what he means by this.

He can't even conceive of any reason to draft the Charedim other than the fact that all Zionists Hate Torah.

The video is extremely offensive, comparing "The Zionists" (including religious Zionists) to the Greeks, Romans, and other enemies of the Jewish people, and claim that the draft wants to take Yeshiva Students like Sheep to the Slaughter. Possibly the most offensive line is that he claims that All observant Jews, without exception, are against the draft - i.e. cutting off about half of the religious Jews in Israel.

But the most illogical argument I have ever heard is "Their [The Zionist's] Jewish heroes are our our [Charedi] Jewish villains" - for the Zionists Bar Kochba was a hero, but the Chredim call him Bar Koziva - the fraud.
So he claims that Rabbi Akiva who supported Bar Kochba was a Zionist, as was the RaMBaM who brings down Rabbi Akiva's opinion of Bar Kochba to form his definition of Moshiach.
Meanwhile the Charedim are aligned with the Romans and early Christians who opposed Bar Kochba.

I am still waiting for a real argument why there should be a blanket exemption for all Charedim.
If the army is unable to provide an environment that conforms the the Charedi lifestyle, I understand and even support the charedi objection to the draft. 
However, the law which passed its first reading yesterday allows for 1800 illuim (scholars)  to continue their learning without interruption, and the army is looking for ways to accommodate the Charedim without compromising their values - i.e., separation between men and women, higher standards of kashrut, time for learning and Tfilla. If the army is able to continue to provide such an environment for Charedi soldiers (as it does now in Nachal Charedi and other programs), what is the objection to the Chredi draft?

(Interesting that Wikipedia says that a synonym for "Villain" is "Black Hat", which I guess means that Bar Kochba couldn't have been a villain - he never wore a black hat)

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Earthquake in Wellington - building near Shul damaged

News reports are coming in about a 6.5 earthquake centered in the Cook Strait. is reporting that the Mercure Hotel on the Corner of Webb Street and Willis street was evacuated because of structural damage. This hotel is about 100 meters from the shul. There are no reports of death or serious injury, I hope that everyone is OK, and that the shul building wasn't damaged.

As an aside, the 2011 Earthquake in Christchurch (which killed 185 people including 5 Israelis) destroyed the Beit Chabad, which was never rebuilt.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Where's Moshiach this Tisha B'Av

As Tisha B'Av approaches, instead of focussing on Ahavat Chinam and learning to love one another, the religious community is again filled with accusations and insults against those who dress or think differently.
Not just around the Shabbos table, but in public speeches, letters to the editors, and even violent attacks against other Jews, the religious community (and I mean all parts of the religious community, including all different types of dress and ideologies) has managed to guarantee that we will have to fast again on this Tisha B'av.

Tonight as we sit on the floor and cry for events that happened almost 2000 years ago. We should look around the shul and around the Jewish world and remember that all over the world Jews are sitting on the floor crying and listening to the words of Yerimiyahu. If we manage to unite at least in our tears, maybe, just maybe, next year we will be able to unite in joy.

Below is a poem by Rabbi Yitzchok Feigenbaum that you've probably seen this before. It was originally titled "Ode To Purim", but I think that it is more suitable for Tisha B'Av than Purim.

May we all have an easy and meaningful fast.

"כשם שחרבנו, וחרב העולם עמנו, בשנאת חינם; כך ניבנה, וייבנה העולם עמנו, באהבת חינם."
(הראי"ה קוק, אורות הקודש)


"yeshno am echod m'Foozar umi'forud"
To all of "us", from one of "them".
By Rabbi Yitzchok Feigenbaum


T'was the night of the geulah,
and in every single shteibel,
sounds of Torah could be heard,
coming from every kind of Yeidel.

This one in English,
some in Hebrew, some in Yiddish,
some saying pshat,
and some saying chiddush.

And up in shomayim,
the Aibishter decreed,
"The time has come
for My children to be freed.

Rouse the Mashiach
from his heavenly berth,
have him get in his chariot
and head down to Earth."

The Moshiach got dressed,
and with a heart full of glee,
went down to the Earth, and entered
the first shteibel he did see.

"I'm the Moshiach,
Hashem has heard your plea,
your geulah has come,
it is time to go free!"

They all stopped their learning,
this was quite a surprise,
And they looked at him carefully
with piercing sharp eyes.

"He's not the Mashiach!"
said one with a grin,
"Just look at his hat,
at the pinches and brim!"

"That's right!", cried another
with a grimace and a frown,
"Whoever heard of Mashiach
with a brim that is down?!"

"Well", thought Mashiach,
"If that is the rule,
I'll turn my brim up
before I go to the next shule!"

So he walked on right over
to the next shule in town,
confident to be accepted
since his brim was no longer down.

"I'm the Mashiach!", he cried
as he began to enter.
But the Jews there wanted to know first,
if he was left, right, or center.

"Your clothes are so black!"
they cried out in a fright.
"You can't be Mashiach --
you're much too far right!

If you want to be Mashiach,
you must be properly outfitted."
So they replaced his black hat
with a kipa that was knitted.

Wearing his new kipa,
Mashiach went out and he said,
"No difference to me
what I wear on my head."

So he went to the next shule,
for his mission was dear,
But he was getting a bit frustrated
with the Yidden down here.

"I'm the Mashiach!" he cried,
and they all stopped to stare.
And a complete eerie stillness
filled up the air.

"You're the Mashiach?!
Just imagine that.
Whoever heard of Mashiach
without a black hat?!"

"But I do have a hat!"
the Mashiach then said.
So he pulled it right out
and plunked it down on his head.

Then the Shule started laughing,
and one said, "Where's your kop?
You can't have Mashiach
with a brim that is up!

If you want to be Mashiach,
and be accepted in this town,
put some pinches in your hat,
and turn that brim down!"

Mashiach walked out and said,
"I guess my time hasn't really come,
I'll just have to return
to where I came from.

So he went to his chariot,
but as he began to enter,
all sorts of Jews appeared,
from left, right, and center.

"Please wait, do not leave,
it's all THEIR fault!" they said
And they pointed to each other,
and to what was on each other's head.

Mashiach just looked sad,
and said, "You don't understand."
And then started up his chariot
to get out of this land.

"Yes, it's very wonderful,
that all of you learn Torah,
But you seem to have forgotten,
a crucial part of our mesorah."

"What does he mean?
What's he talking about?"
And they all looked bewildered,
and all began to shout.

Mashiach looked back and answered,
"The first place to start,
is to shut up your mouths,
and open up your heart.

To each of you, certain Yidden
seem too frum or too frei
but ALL Yidden are beloved,
in the Aibeshter's eye."

And on his way up he shouted,
"If you want me to come,
try working a little harder
on some ahavas chinam."

(c) YZF Toronto 1992. This may be freely reproduced and
distributed under the following conditions: 1) That it is
reproduced EXACTLY as it appears here, including the heading on
side one, ALL 30 stanzas, and this note; 2) it is distributed
free of charge; 3) it is not used by ANY organization or
promotional purposes. Any breach of these conditions shall
constitute gezel and a breach of the copyright.

LI'N Yikuse'el Zussman B"R Yitzchok Z"L and Pesha B"R Avrohom
Halevi Z"L