Rabbi Yitzhak Zilberstein, a leading Lithuanian-haredi rabbi and a member of the Council of Torah Sages, responded to questions from followers following reports attributing to him a halachic ruling permitting the desecration of Shabbat to avoid military service, Lechatchila newspaper reported.
Asked during a Torah class about his statement, Rabbi Zilberstein said, “Whoever publicized that does not know his right hand from his left hand. One didn’t hear what I said, and publicized it. It’s all a tale.”
He explained that he had asked hypothetically what a Jew should do in a place where the government bans Torah study. In such a case, it would be permitted to leave the country on Shabbat (the Jewish Sabbath, when travel is prohibited – ed.) in order to escape.
“But where is that happening here in the Land of Israel? Do the authorities prevent Torah study? Of course not! If when they do their army service, they want to learn Torah – will someone oppose that? G-d forbid!” he continued. “This was said only about a scenario where the nations of the world ban Torah study.”
When one of the listeners said his son is desecrating Shabbat “because Rabbi Zilberstein said to desecrate Shabbat and not to enlist,” the rabbi responded, “Maybe he had a dream. Maybe he dreamed a dream! I did not say that.”
Regarding young men who are not dedicated to Torah study and instead spend their time in the streets, Rabbi Zilberstein responded that such a young man should “enlist where Rabbi Shteinman said – of course. What’s the question? Of course he should.”
The unit in question is the IDF’s Netzach Yehuda battalion, created specifically for soldiers from haredi backgrounds, and intended for those who cannot study all day. Netzach Yehuda soldiers combine military service with Torah study.
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