Chabad And Breslov Missionize IDF Combat Soldiers As Former IDF Chief Rabbi Visits Troops And Tells Them This Is a Religious War Against Hamas

Breslover hasidim are a common sight along the Gaza border, as are their Chabad-Lubavitch competitors. Military police have been blocking access to vehicles that do not belong to local residents, but somehow the hasidim are getting through anyway. So have other various religious types, with and without any authority, with and without any permission from the IDF. Chabad and Breslov use this often unapproved access to soldiers to do missionary activities with them when they are at their most vulnerable – something the IDF officially opposes.

Above: former IDF Chief Rabbi Avichai Rontzki

Ynet reports:

…Menashe Raz, a former radio broadcaster, tells the following story, heard from a fighter who had just been in Saja'iyya [an area of Gaza where intense fighting between the IDF and Hamas has taken place]:

"In the days of waiting (for the ground operation to begin), we talked a lot about the operation. As the days passed, our understanding deepened that this was a war for our home, literally. No more explanation was needed."

"Still, there were those who did explain. Before we went into Saja'iyya, they gathered us up to listen to the words of a senior officer. The officer was Avichai Rontzki from Itamar [a West Bank] (settlement), a former IDF chief rabbi. He delivered a messianic, fiery speech, which to me and many of my friends seemed strange and incomprehensible. He praised the miracle of God's army, an army in which my comrades and I did not know we were serving.

"War, you know, is terrible. Friends killed and wounded, and you're scared. You look around all the time, to make sure that your body is still in one piece.

"When they brought us back out [of Gaza], we just wanted to eat, shower, sleep and call home, mom and dad. We got close to Kibbutz Nahal Oz and then they gathered us together. You know how it is in the army - when told to gather, you gather. Waiting for us was a bunch of Breslov Hasidic Jews singing 'Messiah, Messiah', dancing and bouncing around. We formed a circle around them, and a bunch of fighters danced with them in ecstasy.

"I stood to the side, with the other fighters. We did not know how to take it. We really just wanted to eat. But then the Breslovs fell silent, and one Orthodox man, dressed in black, with a beard and sideburns [i.e., peyos], read to us from the Torah."

The "Na-Nach-Nachmans" are a common sight along the Gaza border, as are their Lubavitch competitors. The military police has been blocking access to vehicles that do not belong to local residents, but somehow they are getting through anyway. So have other various religious types, with and without any authority, with and without any permission.

It is fair to assume that the religious soldiers - or some of them at least - find comfort from all this missionary activity. Others are vehemently opposed to it. The IDF is the Israel Defense Forces, they say, not the army of God - and they are right. Other, more critical issues aside, this nuisance is also something the IDF will have to take care of, but on a different day.

Rontzki, who is Zionist Orthodox and a ba'al teshuva, got into trouble when, as IDF chief rabbi, he told Zionsit Orthodox students in an IDF preparatory hesder yeshiva program that any soldier who shows mercy to the enemy will be "damned." He also said that Orthodox soldiers who are free from sin (unlike in Rontzki's mind, their non-Orthodox comrades in arms) make the best combat soldiers. He also told soldiers that instead of arresting accused terrorists, they should just "shoot them in their beds" and "exterminate" them.

Along with all this, Rontkzi also published a booklet for soldiers that characterized the IDF as God's army and dehumanized Israel's enemies.

He eventually left active duty after it became clear he would not be reappointed as IDF chief rabbi and resumed his work as rosh yeshiva in Itamar.

As for Chabad and Breslov, on one hand their goal is to cheer up soldiers and provide them with some comfort. But both groups combine that with open missionary activity the IDF officially opposes.

But the IDF rabbinate often turns a blind eye to it or even encourages it because, like Rontzki, they view the IDF as a religious army of God, not as the army of the people of Israel.

Meanwhile, politicians like Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon of the Likud Party are so desperate for haredi votes that they refuse to take action to stop the Chabad and Breslov missionary activity.

Related:

IDF Chief Rabbi Rontzki: Soldiers Who Show Mercy To The Enemy Will Be "Damned."

IDF Chief Rabbi Rontzki – Shoot Suspected Terrorists In Their Beds And "Exterminate" Them.

[Hat Tip: APC.]

Comments

[Rebitzman]

Not a shock. The Milwaukee Jewish Federation held a rally in support of Israel on Sunday. Of the the 800 people in attendance there was exactly one black hat who stayed busy for 30 minutes before the event began wrapping teffilfin around the arms of random older men - and who disappeared when the program itself did start (most likely because 2 of the 3 cantors leading the prayers were women).

[Garnel Ironheart]

So the Bratzlovers and Chabadniks are out there supporting the soldiers and the leftists are at home criticizing them. Score one for the Bratz-badniks.

[WoolSilkCotton; I must be seen to be believed]

Sounds like HL Mencken's description of the holy rollers he observed in the backwoods of Tennessee during the Scopes Trial.

[WoolSilkCotton; I must be seen to be believed]

The 'leftists' serve in the army. The frumma are draft-dodging cheerleaders. Lovely.

[Sarek]

Maybe there's something about clergy and the military. I keep reading stories here in the US about Christian chaplains telling the soldiers that they're in God's army fighting God's wars or some similar b.s.

[RWisler]

Pronouncements of Holy War by the various insundry Ayatollahs of Judaism. Islam and Judaism are the same sham religions. Both were invented at the same time and both have the same theology.

[S]

There are plent of chabadnikim serving in the IDF including miluim.

[Jake]

This is a war of religion that is between nations and religions.
One need not be religious to engage in it.if your a Jew no matter where you are on the religious spectrum your in this war.

There is nothing wrong with killing a terrorist in bed unless you need the intelligence they could give.

[Yosef]

Hamas and indeed radical Islamist terrorists around the globe (ISIS, Boko, Hezbolla) are very clear and shout "Takfir: Allah hu Achbar" (Our motive is Islam's Allah is superior).

This war is an Islamic jihad, which also includes burning of shuls in France and anti-semitic baby killing blood libels fanned by the Mainstream media like BBC and CNN has significant aspects of a religious/existentialist war even if the IDF and others are uncomfortable and won't admit it. At least some Jews recognize and call on Hashem for protection and success.

Gaza is a major chapter in a world wide jihad that includes the expulsion of Christians from Iraq, the kidnapping of girls in Africa, burning airplanes in Libya, stabbing non Muslim Chinese by Huygers, etc. In science one learns to seek the simplest explanation that fits the most data. Hamas is waging jihad against Jews in Israel. Wake up! This is an non-officially recognized religious war. The unity in Israel is a recognition of this. Rabbi Ronski, Rabbi Melamed (of Har Brocha), and the dancing Na Nachs and Chabad people get it. Dancing helps cope with fear, depression, sadness, uncertainty, and sadness (Likutey MoHaran II chapter 23 by Rebbe Nachman). But after a battle, there are needs to eat, sleep, phone friends, have privacy,and rest.

[Dave]

Duh!! Thats because Zionism opposes religion dumbass

[Tony]

The apostate Shmarya Rosenberg strikes again!

[Jake]

Ronski has an incredible background
Just from his uniform one should be impressed. This is one extremely well trained combat soldier. Also he has something rarely seen. He is a master parachutist and instructor..he created lots and lots of dead Egyptian soldiers in 73.

He also wrote a interesting halachic response as to the responsibility of military chaplains to the troops they are assigned to. He insisted that the chaplains go with the troops into the field.required chaplains to carry their phones on Shabbat to be available for the needs of the troops in a pastoral setting.

His accomplishments on the battlefield during three wars and some 20 years of military service as a combat soldier and then later as a rabbi make the criticisms against him basically meaningless. Apparently he still has a reserve position as the " Battle Management Officer For the Gaza Division".

If you can read Hebrew his Wikipedia entry is very interesting