Burning Issues 37: The Tal Law and IDF non-enlistment

JPost's best opinion writers on whether haredi youth should be obliged to join the army.

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Kassams on fire 298 ap (photo credit: AP)
Kassams on fire 298 ap
(photo credit: AP)
The Tal Law and IDF non-enlistment Question #37 Taking into account the alarming hike in IDF non-enlistment, do you believe the recent 5-year extension of the Tal Law was a mistake? Contributors:
  • Isi Leibler
  • Calev Ben-David
  • Saul Singer Isi Leibler: In 1948 when Ben Gurion mistakenly agreed with the Chazon Ish to exempt yeshiva students from being conscripted, only four hundred were involved. This year that number has risen to about 50,000 youngsters. Setting aside a miserable political system that encourages political parties to prostitute themselves in order to retain office, the principal responsibility for this state of affairs rests with the leading haredi rabbis and heads of yeshivot. Many of them have learnt how to exploit the nation for their own ends but have yet to absorb the obligations of living in a Jewish state. There are no halachic grounds for draft evasion. Judaism does not promote pacifism. Indeed Halacha is very explicit of the obligation to support milchemet mitzvah - a righteous war. Read the rest of this blog »
    Read more blogs on Jpost.com's BlogCentral »
    *** Previous blogs