Tens of Thousands of Kollel guys and Avreichim Excited about Having a Day Off and Not having to Learn While Collecting their Checks

 

Avreichim enjoying their ride to Yerushalayim this morning 

 I walked into my Kollel this morning, as I do every day. But today, the Beis Medrash was “more or less empty.” אין קול ואין עונה

 What does that mean? It means the Baalei Batim—those who come out of love for Torah, unpaid and uncelebrated—were there, learning as always.

 But the Avreichim? The ones on the payroll? Gone. Even the Rosh Kollel was missing.

Where were they?

They were in Yerushalayim, protesting. Not for the dead hostages rotting in Gaza tunnels. Not for the soldiers sent to the front three and four times over. Not for the widows, orphans, and shattered families. No. They were protesting for a draft dodger.

No rabbi called for a day of protest when our brothers were kidnapped. No mass rally when soldiers died defending our land. But today, thousands closed their Gemarras to chant slogans and pray! 

Will someone please make a cogent argument why a milchemet mitzvah—which overrides Shabbos and Yom Kippur according to all respected poskim—is somehow not a mitzvah for Charedim?

Will someone justify how a massive segment of Israeli society takes every benefit—housing, stipends, protection—yet refuses to share in the burden of defending the nation?

And yes, they’ll still get paid today. For a day spent not in Torah, but in politics. For turning their backs on their brothers in arms. For choosing division over unity.

Hashem yerachem.