Q:
There has been talk in Eretz Yisroel about the frummeh agreeing to join the IDF in separate regiments called nachal chareidi. What does the Rav think about this?
A:
Some people are proposing to take frum boys into the army in frum regiments. You should know that it’s a shtus, a complete foolishness. The army is made lichatchilah for the purpose of changing the minds of the boys while in the army. The purpose of the army is to make the youth into Israelis. This is something that their leaders have said long ago. And it’s well-known by those who understand things. And we don’t want our children to become Israelis. We want them to remain Jews.
All this talk is only a ploy that they’re using now to deceive the frummeh into entering the army. The truth is that the Am Yisroel has to keep out of the army. We have to maintain our privilege, as many other countries maintain, that Rabbinical students are patur from the draft, that they should be exempt from the military draft. And let’s continue to fight for that, and not to yield and not to listen to the meisisim and meidichim who are talking about frum regiments for the frum boys.
TAPE # E-253 (January 2001)
