JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The bill to dissolve the Knesset is expected to be submitted on Wednesday in the Knesset. The heads of the Degel Hatorah’s Council of Torah, Rabbi Dov Landau, and Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, met on Monday night and decided to instruct the representatives of the “Degel HaTorah” faction to support the bill in order to bring down the government – if there is no significant progress on legislating the draft exemption law.
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In contrast, the Shas party is currently quiet regarding its next steps. A senior official in the party was even quoted saying that “the Knesset is not going to be dissolved anytime soon.” The members of the Shas Council of Torah Sages (Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah) have yet to receive any notification of a potential meeting regarding the vote to dissolve the Knesset.
In recent days, leading Sephardic rabbis had released a new letter reiterating that their stance on military conscription remains unchanged – even for those not currently studying in yeshiva.
The signatories include:Senior member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah Rabbi Moshe Maya, Senior Sephardic Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Moshe Tzadka and Rabbi Shlomo Mahpud.
The letter states:
“According to the holy Torah, it is absolutely forbidden to agree to or promote any law that includes enlistment quotas, and it is forbidden to compromise even on a single soul, even if not currently studying. The ‘Torato Umanuto’ status (Torah study as one’s profession) must be restored immediately and without conditions – as it was in the past.”
However Rabbi Maya on Tuesday was quoted in another letter as saying that he is not giving his opinion on the matter and will first wait to see what the Shas representatives decide, allowing the Knesset members to take the initiative on the issue.
As previously reported by Kikar HaShabbat, Rabbi Dov Landau rejected a request from U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee not to trigger a political crisis or move toward elections, especially in light of the security tensions with Iran.
Rabbi Landau harshly criticized the government, saying:
“A government that imposes draconian and humiliating sanctions on Torah students – for the ‘crime’ of studying – is a disgrace to the Torah and must be toppled. We must go to elections.”
Despite strong pressure from various parties – including the United States – for the Lithuanian Torah leaders not to bring down the government at this time, Rabbi Landau responded:
“The greatest danger is that right now we have no protection. The Torah learning of the yeshiva students is what protects us – ‘Torah protects and saves’.”
His associates explained to Kikar HaShabbat:
“When we explained to the Rabbi that the ambassador said the government needs stability due to challenges with Iran, he didn’t understand our point. He was astonished and said: If the government wants success with Iran, it must have the merit of allowing yeshiva boys to study in peace. The sword raised against the yeshiva world in the form of forced conscription must be lowered. That’s what he meant by ‘Torah protects and saves’ – only if the yeshiva students are secured, everything else, including the Iran threat, will be fine.”
On Monday night, the Kikar HaShabbat site reported that the leading halachic authorities of the chasidic world, affiliated with the major chasidic courts, have issued a dramatic new halachic ruling completely forbidding military enlistment – even for those who are not actively studying Torah, and even into charedi army frameworks.
The ruling states:
“A halachic ruling in response to many questions regarding those whose Torah is not their profession – according to Torah law, there is a severe prohibition to enlist in the army, which acts as a melting pot for the gravest of sins and abandonment of religious obligation.”
They further emphasize:
“The prohibition also includes so-called charedi army tracks that already exist or may be created in the future, as they have proven to be deceptive, with the aim of transforming the religious community. These tracks are also subject to secular courts, and there are additional reasons for the prohibition.”
The ruling was signed by the leading halachic authorities from major Hasidic groups: Belz, Gur, Vizhnitz, Sanz, and the general chasidic community.
I can’t wait till the next coalition comes along and drafts and passes a law with no consideration how the chareidi grift will affect it. It will be equally right wing but without the headache of Shas and UTJ. I hope everyone has learnt their lessons about having them in their coalition…. First Oslo, and now dissolution of the government in the middle of a war.
If the govt thinks its will very get charedim to join by force , dream on. None of its measures will ever stick. They will get nowhere. Is the govt right morally? well yes kind of. but too bad. cahredim will never listen via force so they are just dumb. Side note, i say kind oi because technciacally even though i disagree, a govt still has to respect relgious beliefs. Their belief is not to serve or mingle. Furthermore, do these Israeli hotheads have nay plans for lets say they join? How will you integrate gera chasdim in the army? They will insiist on wearing long jackets, gpoing to mikva every day and million other gera takonus. it would be a nightmare for the iDF
Td remind me of alm the conservative republicans that about the second term election of Obama done 4 million And we saw what we got.
It’s time to vote them out of existence as a party
In Isreal it is a reality that religious or frum Jews are going to serve so get over it and realize it’s going to happen
Now work to minimize to alleged damage
.