Harav David Stav, Chair of the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization, harshly rejected the criticisms voiced by Gafni (UTJ) targeting the Religious Zionist community amidst the ongoing debate over the IDF Enlistment Law.
In an interview with the Mashav channel, Rav Stav said, “Political powerbrokers show up and start making up halachot that are nowhere to be found in the Torah. There is no exemption in the Torah that allows yeshiva students to be absolved from serving in defense of the Jewish homeland, and there is certainly no exemption from the commandment to 'not stand idly by as your fellow man bleeds.' When your fellow Jew is in danger, you have no right to stand aside.”
Rav Stav further stated, “Haredi rabbis are demanding an exemption for all, simply because they wear a specific type of kippah or jacket. Where does such an idea come from that the Torah would possibly exempt religious people from a positive commandment of 'Milchemet Mitzva' (obligatory war), to go out and defend the land in times of war?”
Rav Stav urged members of the Religious Zionist community to avoid being intimidated by the haredi criticisms, saying,
“Don’t be ashamed by those who stoop to insults, and from those powerbrokers that have no real connection to Torah values and fear of God but are only driven by a quest for power, control, and dominance. We will continue on our path of the traditions laid by our forefathers, the path of love and respect for one another, the Torah, and the land of Israel.”
1 comment:
The RZ community's problem is a lack of self-sufficiency. There are not enough RZ sofrim, shochtim, teachers, etc. to make it independent of the Chareidi community so they always have to knuckle under to the UO fanatics' demands. This needs to change.
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