BNEI BRAK (VINnews) — One of the senior Gedolim in Israel expressed a strong, emotional message to hostage families.
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Rav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshiva of Slabodka, recently met with relatives of hostages being held captive by Hamas. He offered brachos and compassion to the families and discussed the efforts to secure the release of their loved ones. The Rosh Yeshiva also wondered if Israel’s position on a hostage deal would be different if the relatives of government officials were being held.
מנהיג הציבור הליטאי הרב דב לנדו על עסקת החטופים: “מה היה עושה ראש הממשלה אם הבן שלו היה בשבי?”@AkivaWeisz
(צילום: שלומי גיל, עיתון משפחה) pic.twitter.com/lhWt22YbW2— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) November 13, 2024
In video footage released on social media, Rav Landau was asked about Prime Minister Netanyahu’s concerns that a deal could increase the risk and empower Hamas terrorists.
He said, “I’m not a political person. Maybe if they had abducted the Prime Minister’s [own] son, what would he have done?” Rav Landau asked.
Bibi lost a brother trying to free Yiddisher hostages.
I’m no rosh yeshiva but I wonder if R’ Landau would have asked the same question if his talmidim would not currently be pressured to join the army.
He was trying to be mechazek the families of the hostages who were meeting with him. That’s all. Wasn’t intended as a political statement.
Bibi is determined that whatever peace deal is worked out, must be a lasting peace. Not one turned over in a few months the next time a Muslim animal decides he’s had enough of Jews and goes it and kills a Jew Chas v’shalom.
I’m not sure what Rav Landau’s point is. Does he support making a hostage deal and leaving Hamas in power?
Would the Rosh Yeshiva agree to a deal of releasing all the hostages in exchange for the Yeshiva of Slabodka closes down, or is that too high of a price? Or let’s not be so dramatic. Would he agree to a deal of releasing all the hostages if yeshiva boruchim all join the draft? Just wondering what red line he won’t cross for a deal.
The Rav is a truly humble and great Tzaddik who was willing to sacrifice his time to comfort these families. That being said, I must add:
I wouldn’t ask a mathematician about health issues and I wouldn’t ask a computer engineer about dentistry and Rabbanim should not be quoted about political issues.
And then what?
Dont agree at all
Under those circumstances, he’d be a נוגע בדבר and would not be able to issue a decision, just like any posek [lehavdil] would not be able to pasken when he is נוגע בדבר.
American law prevents a President from rendering decisions if his/her own family is held hostage and Israeli law is probably the same.
I don’t understand why Chareidim should have a say in a country they don’t support or believe in. It’s fine to reject the Medina but why should they have a right to vote or have any political influence!
If learning is the only effective tactic then why should any strategic advise be important.
It would be worth sharing the context. This is a very controversial and divisive thing to say. There was only one interesting comment that the rav said in his entire meeting with them? Whoever is disseminating this piece, has an agenda. I wonder what preempted this statement, and if this statement was possibly a set-up where they coerced this answer out of him.
Israel would deal with the barbarians of Hamas in the same way. It’s doubtful that Israel would release hundreds of terrorists and agree to a total withdrawal for Gaza in exchange for Hamas releasing a measly number of hostages, even if they were family members of high-ranking government personnel. There are enough checks and balances in the Israeli govt and Israeli society. The unfortunate precedents that they have had when capitulating to terrorist demands have taught Israel an unforgettable lesson.
A quote from a friend ” What about all of the hostages Rabbi Landau has kept by keeping students from getting a secular education so they will be held in a life of poverty?”
Here’s the context, as explained in the Life in Israel Blog:
end the war so that…
Yaakov Rivlin of the Bakehilla newspaper (a Haredi weekly that is only in print, not online, though they have a not very active Twitter/X account) reports in this week’s edition that an unnamed MK from UTJ has said:
“There is no chance for the Draft law to pass that the Tzionut Hadatit [party] could live with as long as the war is ongoing with nearly daily reports of “hutar lpirsum” [soldiers deaths].. r”l. We have to pray for a diplomatic arrangement that will finish this war.”
Sad. Disconnected. Even enraging. This disconnect is what so many people including in the National Religious are so upset about right now, and they just dont get it.
We dont have to daven to finish the war so that no more young men, and middle aged men, will die. We dont have to daven to finish the war to bring some stability back to the people of Israel, to the citizens, to the economy. We dont have to daven for the end of the war for the hostages to come home. We have to daven for the end of the war so that the National Religious people will finally agree to a Draft Law so that we, or almost none of us, will have to go to the army.
gut gezugt!