"According to Halacha, they are total goyim and increase public chilul
Shabbos in our cities. There are other gezeiros [decrees they have
issued against haredim] and they wish to harm the Torah world in its
entirety."
Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch
Eida Ravaad: They Won’t Succeed in Drafting Us
Yeshiva World
Ravaad [chief rabbi and head of the beit din, Orthodox Jewish religious court of the Mea-Shearim-based haredi umbrella organization] Eida Chareidis HaGaon HaRav Moshe Sternbuch Shlita on Tuesday morning 8 Nissan 5773 published a letter addressing the new administration’s agenda, the drafting of bnei Torah into the IDF.
“The goal is not only intended to single out lomdei Torah chas v’sholom, but to uproot and change religion and those who safeguard it in Eretz Yisrael. As they have announced, they wish to become involved in the education system that we built, our courts, and to assimilate among us converts who do not accept adherence to a life of Torah and Mitzvos. According to Halacha, they are total goyim and increase public chilul Shabbos in our cities. There are other gezeiros [decrees they have issued against haredim] and they wish to harm the Torah world in its entirety.
“According to Halacha, they may not be drafted for they are Hashem’s army and every generation there were those studying, Shevet Levi, those accepting the Yoke of Torah upon themselves. They will not be drafted. They will protect Am Yisrael as is taught in the Rambam at the end of the Halachos of Shmitah and Yovel.”
The rav adds that those seeking to minimize the number of lomdei Torah places all of Am Yisrael in danger. “I view the effort to draft chareidim as part of their effort to uproot chareidim from their lifestyle.”
“Eretz Yisrael is a Holy Land and many came to live a life of purity…In all nations of the world it is understood that those studying Torah are exempt from military service. Here they are trying to force upon the chareidim to change, to educate their children contrary to their pure desires.”
The rav adds he views these efforts as part of the agenda to distance chareidim from their religious lifestyle, insisting they will not succeed, not even with their fines and punishments. “They will not succeed in distancing us from our life and the Holy Torah”.
“It is worthy of publishing that the government which speaks of Freedom of Religion in essence is working to force one to distance oneself from his religion. This is the only place that persecutes Jews for their beliefs, here in Eretz Yisrael. We hope they will feel shame before the nations of the world and leave us alone and save the inhabitants of the land.”