DIN: There is a growing chasm between certain Torah leaders and the broader community of Jews who are shomrei Torah u’mitzvos—those who live by the commandments and uphold the values of our tradition. This disconnect becomes painfully clear when we hear statements that defy logic and insult the sacrifices of those truly giving their lives for Klal Yisrael.
How can anyone say, with a straight face, that bochurim “gave their lives” by refusing to enlist in the army? What lives are they giving up? They sit in air-conditioned yeshivos, surrounded by refreshments, free to take smoke breaks and enjoy lunch outings. They close their Gemaras to go on tiyulim with their families while our soldiers—our sons and brothers—are on the front lines, risking everything to defend the only Jewish country in the world.
This is not mesiras nefesh. It’s a distortion of the term.
And then we’re told to have the government in mind when we recite Avinu Malkeinu, pleading for an end to plague, sword, and destruction upon bnei brisecha? That’s not just misguided—it’s a mockery of Torah.
Most shocking of all is the comparison made by the Gaavad between the Israeli government’s enlistment policies and the Spanish Inquisition. This is a gross misrepresentation of history and a dangerous rhetorical move.
Let’s be clear: the Inquisition persecuted Jews not because they were keeping Torah and mitzvos, but because they had converted to Christianity—often under duress—and were suspected of secretly maintaining Jewish practices. These conversos, or “New Christians,” were hunted down, tortured, and burned at the stake. That is not what’s happening to yeshiva students in Israel today.
No one is burning them. No one is torturing them. They are being asked to serve in the army of a Jewish state, to protect their fellow Jews from enemies who openly declare their intent to kill us.
To equate enlistment with the Inquisition is not only historically inaccurate—it’s an insult to the memory of those who truly suffered under religious persecution. It’s also a betrayal of the values of achdus, responsibility, and truth.
We must demand honesty from our leaders. We must insist that Torah not be used as a shield for political agendas or communal isolation. And we must stand with those who are truly sacrificing for Am Yisrael—not with those who distort reality to preserve their comfort.!
On Thursday night, the main Dushinsky Beis Medrash as hundreds of bnei torah gathered under the leadership of Admorim, Rabbanim, and members of the Badatz of the Eidah HaChareidis to hear the Shabbos Shuvah drasha from Harav Moshe Shternbuch shlit”a.
For nearly an hour, Rav Shternbuch spoke divrei halacha and aggadah .
Opening his words, the Gaavad spoke with heartfelt emotion about the plight of the bochurim who have been imprisoned in recent months due to the gezeiras hagiyus.
“Many bochurim are sitting now in detention, for the sole reason that they gave their lives not to go into their army. We must strengthen them—ashreichem that you were caught for the sake of Torah. Stand strong with mesirus nefesh against them.”
From there, he turned to the government, decrying its actions in extraordinarily sharp terms. He compared today’s decrees to the darkest periods in Jewish history.
“The heads of the government act worse than the nations, like the Inquisition in its time, which persecuted Jews only because they kept Torah and mitzvos. And woe to us that this is what has befallen us in our days, when they seek to disturb our avodas Hashem. The entire world must be shaken over this.”
In a voice choked with tears, he exclaimed:
“These days we say Avinu Malkeinu, kallei dever v’cherev v’shmad mei’al bnei brisecha. We must have kavana in these tefillos that Hashem should annul this gezeiras shmad! Their entire goal with drafting bnei Torah is to uproot shmiras haTorah, chas v’shalom.”
Concluding his drasha, Harav Shternbuch issued a clear psak regarding yeshiva bochurim and the draft.
“I have said many times, and I repeat:
according to halacha it is absolutely forbidden to go into their army. This is not a chumra or a middas chassidus, but pure halacha. Bochurim who receive draft notices must discard them immediately. Do not argue with them, simply say clearly: we are following our Rabbanim, who have forbidden joining the army.”
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