Rabbi Eichenstein On Draft Law: It’s All One Big Deception, Their Goal Is To Uproot Religion

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JERUSALEM (VINnews) —Rabbi Yehoshua Eichenstein, the head of the Yad Aharon yeshiva, explained during a meeting with roshei yeshiva his philosophy regarding the draft law and regarding his opposition to all attempts to create frameworks for drafting yeshiva students to the IDF.

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“In the past, yeshivot were established solely for the purpose of producing great Torah scholars. There was no need to worry about Judaism itself, as the entire community was observant. However, today, with the presence of an improper surrounding environment, yeshivot have an additional role—to ensure that students remain observant and uphold Torah and mitzvot.

“The reality today is that those who are not in a yeshiva environment face immense spiritual danger. It is nearly impossible for someone who does not study in a yeshiva and remain in that framework to stay properly observant. Perhaps when he is older, more mature, he can stand strong, but in his youth, it is almost unthinkable that one who is outside the yeshiva system can maintain his religious commitment.

“Thus, the demand to enlist yeshiva students is not truly for the sake of national security—it is simply not true. The real agenda is to secularize us. That is the true objective.

“We accepted the state and recognized its existence—this was the ruling of the Chazon Ish. But we never accepted the religion of the state. There are two religions in this country. One is called Zionism, which seeks to create a new nation. In recent years, another ideology has emerged—liberalization, or progressivism—which has essentially become a new religion. And those who adhere to a religion place it above everything else.

“The goal of the state and the army was to create a new people. That was their original mission. We never accepted the concept of a Zionist religion. We acknowledged the existence of a state, we live in it, we participate in it, we even enter the Knesset and join the government, but we never accepted the Zionist religion. And certainly, we never accepted the religion of liberalization. Today’s new religion of the left is to be liberal—permissiveness, lack of restraint, and moral relativism. We never accepted that ideology.

“A fundamental democratic right is that every person may maintain his beliefs and way of life. This right must not be violated. What the state is trying to do—this “melting pot” policy—is against the very essence of democracy. No democratic country in the world imposes an ideology upon its citizens in such a way. This is a socialist idea, derived from communist thought. Karl Marx himself described communism as a religion. Zionism, in essence, is a new kind of religion, one that seeks to create a new people. The army plays a key role in this agenda, including the institution of the Education Corps—something that exists in no other military in the world.

“In recent years, a new notion has emerged: “equal burden-sharing.” This is a completely new concept that never existed before. It is also anti-democratic. Throughout history, different people had different roles in society. The idea that “equality” supersedes national security is a lie. It is a fundamental misunderstanding of a person’s obligations according to his religious duties.

I want to read you something from the Charter regarding the state of Israel:

“Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.”

The attempt to enforce military enlistment goes against this principle. It contradicts the very foundations of democracy.

At the end of the UN Charter it is explicitly stated that no one’s religious rights shall be harmed. And yet, this is precisely what they are doing today, while accusing us. But what are they accusing us of? We live by our conscience, by our Torah, as our ancestors have for generations. They seek to uproot and change that—to change us.

It will not succeed.

“In the United States during World War II, there was a draft. However, yeshiva students were exempt due to Christian doctrine. Christianity divided society into clergy, nobility, and commoners, and clergy were exempt from military service. This was a standard principle—not just for Jews, but for all religious figures. Despite the hardships of World War II, no one argued for “equal burden-sharing.”

“It is a fundamental principle that religious individuals have their unique role, and they must be allowed to fulfill it. This is their portion and their destiny, and it must not be tampered with. These modern concepts that have arisen here in Israel are entirely new inventions.

“And let me make this clear: If you think you will defeat us, you are mistaken. We live a life of eternity. We have endured throughout the generations, through every trial and challenge, and Hashem has promised us eternal existence: “For it shall not be forgotten from the mouth of His offspring.”

We will overcome you.

“Do not think for a moment that we will fall in this battle. The religious community is strong. What did the Chazon Ish tell Ben-Gurion? “We are the full wagon, and you are the empty wagon.” We are full of thousands of years of Torah from Sinai and generations of tradition. We live, we exist, and we will endure for eternity. We have overcome every challenge.

“During the Holocaust, nearly all Torah giants were murdered. A few survivors remained and rebuilt the world of Torah. This is a miracle beyond comprehension. It is only due to the promise of Hashem.

“This draft law is just another test for us. We will overcome it, and we will continue to live and uphold the Torah.

“The spiritual dangers of military service are enormous. Aside from forgetting Torah—because great Torah scholars do not emerge from such an environment—the spiritual risks are immense. Do not believe the lies they tell. They make many promises, but they do not fulfill them. If they truly wanted to accommodate religious Jews, they would have abandoned the “melting pot” ideology, dismantled the Education Corps, and formed genuine, independent religious units—without any hidden agendas.

“But they will not do that. It is all one big deception. They do not fulfill their promises. They fabricate claims about national security when their true goal is to uproot religion. That is their objective. And if that is their goal, we must not participate.

“We must understand the true intentions behind this effort. They may establish religious battalions here and there as a means of enticing us, but that is not the real goal. If they were truly honest, they would abandon the melting pot, the Education Corps, and all these new ideological doctrines.

“One must recognize the immense danger of entering such a framework. It is a spiritual risk of the highest degree.

“Above all, we must stand firm, knowing that Hashem will grant us the strength to overcome this, and with His help, we will witness the flourishing of Torah in Israel. And they will not succeed in leading us away from the commandments of Hashem.

 

 

 

 

 

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Alta Bubby
Alta Bubby
14 days ago

It’s a big problem of education if the Rabbi is afraid for Frum boys to go into the Army, that they will fall out.
If that’s the case, he and others like him are to blame for this horrible weak situation!
What!.
Obviously very poor education system from both home and school!.
I live in E.Y
I don’t want to see any of my kids or grandchildren hurt or killed.
No one does
But our enemies really want to devour us and destroy us completely!
Our enemies need to be destroyed, at least frightened to such heights that they won’t think of attacking or hurting us!
This war, due to International intervention, is absolutely crazy!
Who ever heard that before attacking, we tell our enemies that the innocent should move to a safer area, since we will attack your area shortly!
Allowing humanitarian aid for our enemies when they attack us and torture the Captives!
Ridiculous!
This Rabbi and others like him are causing the secular public to hate us.
What
They fight a war, and you sit in learn ?
You need a better public relations expert to explain to the secular why you think you are right.
If you can’t be Frum unless you are in Yeshivah and have all your niceties, something is very wrong
Thonk about it deeply

Dan
Dan
14 days ago

The real deception is, when we say that the reason that we don’t want to join in the defense of the land is because of learning and religion. It has nothing to do with that. Fathers and Mothers are simply petrified to let their children fight in such dangerous battles. We can’t blame them, but we could call them out for Lying.

Cowdoc
Cowdoc
14 days ago

But the stipends, cheap housing, subsidized day care, and kupat holim are all kosher. You don’t want to help with the burden then don’t take the government help

Common Sense
Common Sense
14 days ago

Lol. I love how he invokes his “democratic rights,” because that’s a big Torah concept 🙂 People will convince themselves of anything…

Scaredy cat
Scaredy cat
14 days ago

He’s just scared to go

Eim Habanim Semeichah
Eim Habanim Semeichah
14 days ago

I agree with some of the other comments.

If the army is so bad for religion, then maybe we need to rethink the yeshiva system. Not rethink the army!

Join the Hesder system, they seem to be having great success and are even producing great Talmidei Chachomim! All, while serving in the IDF!

Like we see in the VIN article from today about Zecharia Haber HY”D

https://vinnews.com/2025/02/04/zecharia-hyd-wrote-an-entire-talmudic-compendium-and-nobody-knew-of-it/