Imagine An Orthodox Israeli Military

ג' לחודש השנים עשר תשע"ג

YNET: United Torah Judaism MK: Haredi Soldiers Will Make IDF Orthodox

Moran Azulay, February 11, 2013

United Torah Judaism MK Menachem Eliezer Moses said after Yesh Atid's Yair Lapid's speech in the Knesset: "I want to let you know what very few people do: Even the Nahal Haredi is mostly financed by a rich Los Angeles Jews and not by the IDF." Moses added: "If you want to enlist them (haredim) to non-haredi units, I tell you – these yeshiva students will draw your children into Jewish orthodox practices; you will not recognize them when they return from service."

MK Lapid apparently being pulled away from Rabbi MK Mozes, who does not look amused

I am certain that Rabbi MK Mozes did not plagiarize me.  Yet, I have been saying this for years!

The Left only wants to enlist Haredim for the purposes of indoctrinating them into State loyalism.  It has NO interest in having IDF units which inspire curiosity in its children about God and His Torah, about prayer, Shabbath, and Tefillin, or any other authentic Jewish observances.

I am disappointed, though, that Rabbi MK Moses made Haredi enlistment sound like a threat.

I can understand this strategy, but I also think that it is too bad that he does not see this as an opportunity for qiruv, bringing Jews back to Torah, like I wrote here a year ago in The Top Ten Reasons To Join The IDF.

Haredi rabbis need to face the inevitability of increased Haredi enlistment.  If not that, then they must at least face the inevitability that the Haredi community will need the training that the IDF has to offer.

I do not subscribe to the belief that Mashi'ah will be fighting the battles for our physical and spiritual freedoms alone.  Whether needing to defend themselves against Erev Rav, or against invading armies, where else are they going to get free training, and be able to do qiruv at the same time?

"Sharing the burden" is not even the half of it.