Posted to Chabad News on
A Chabad yeshiva student was arrested by Israeli military police for refusing to enlist in the army. He was sentenced to jail in IDF Prison 6. This is the third such arrest since the new draft law requiring Yeshiva students to enlist in the military came into effect.

Chabad Student Jailed for Refusing to Enlist in IDF

A Chabad yeshiva student was arrested by Israeli military police for refusing to enlist in the army. He was sentenced to jail in IDF Prison 6. This is the third such arrest since the new draft law requiring Yeshiva students to enlist in the military came into effect.

From The Yeshiva World News:

The talmid was not permitted to take his tefilin to jail, and he is using tefilin from the litvish inmates, which are not the same nussach as Chabad. He does not have Rabbeinu Tam tefilin. People who have been able to see him report the young talmid’s condition “is not good.”

In Prison 6 there are now three bnei yeshivos: One from Kiryat Malachi who learns in Petach Tikvah, one who learns in Rechasim and the Chabad chossid, who was arrested before Shabbos. He appears to be from Kiryat Malachi too.

The young man was given the option of joining the military or going to prison when brought before the military judge, and he opted for the latter.

The latest talmid is 18, and military police came to his home during the night while he was home on a break from yeshiva. He pleaded with the military police to pass the shul to permit him to take his tefilin, but they would not hear of it.

Ladaat.net quotes a brother, Menachem, who reports that the police arrived at 3:30 AM. Menachem added the family was pleased to learn there were other talmidim with him so he had tefilin to use during his incarceration. On erev Shabbos an avreich arrived with Rabbeinu Tam and he was permitted to put them on before Shabbos.

The family admits they do not know what to do at present, pointing out they have not been permitted to communicate with their son. His brother adds that now he is being punished, and when he completes his 10-day term he will be brought before a military judge and will be asked once again if he is willing to serve in the IDF.

The family explains that someone managed to see him and confirm that he is in Prison 6 with the other bnei yeshivos.

A protest was held on Sunday afternoon, 5 Teves, on Nar HaYarden Street in Ramat Beit Shemesh, demanding the release of the talmidim. A number of arrests were made.

Related Articles

38 Comments

  • Come On

    OH, come on, if you live in Israel, you do the army. It’s that simple.

    You want the IDF to protect you? You gotta put in your years protecting everyone else.

    If you don’t like it, move to another country.

    • Milhouse

      He’s learning Torah, which does more to protect the country than any soldiers. The IDF is not protecting him, he’s protecting them.

      This is a Lubavitcher site, so the Rebbe’s word is law. You do not contradict the Rebbe here. If you don’t like it, move to another site.

    • Citizen Berel

      No, sadly, it’s not that simple unless you are that simple.

      If what the government wanted was for frum Yidden to serve in the army, they could attract them, in large numbers, almost instantly.

      They would simply need to make service possible without compromising true frum values.

      Large swaths of the frum community would run to serve and those that would serve would be most motivated soldiers in the force.

      Many of course would not, but that resolve would weaken organically over time if service really did not threaten frum values, and this, by the way, is the only way to do the social engineering thing right.

      This is not about enlisting frum soldiers in the army — no one believes this will make a stronger IDF– it is solely about enlisting frum soldiers into the army so that they become less frum and better integrated into modern Israeli society.

      The frum are hated and feared in the country, and this is a sheer power play designed to neuter them in the long run.

      It won’t work. But neither will Israeli democracy ultimately, because if you think the power holders, which mainly comprise a shockingly small number of super wealthy interconnected families, will cede power to a democratically empowered frum majority, you are dreaming.

      It’s time for our Monarchy anyways.

  • YMSP

    The Modern-Orthodox are out to destroy frum people and frumkeit. That is the Bennett-Lapid alliance and that this is RCA, David Stav types behind them.

    Israel was saved miraculously again and again because of the Torah (says clearly in seforim and is backed up by the miracles in the earlier wars). Israel giving up Torah is like the US giving up its nuclear power.

    This shows how the modern orthodox, in Israel and America, are the modern day anti-religious maskilim (who they worship). If the fact that Bennett’s Shai Piron, a modern orthodox rosh “yeshiva”, has done more against frum schools than Shalomit Aloni would have ever dreamed of, didn’t drive this point home, maybe this will.

  • very sad!

    to number 1-its not that simple at all. shame on you! the army’s success is dependant on torah learning.
    i hope this boy is released soon and he and all others who want to learn should be allowed.

  • An Idea

    Just out of curiosity, any chance of making the IDF military police be interested in the Tsfatim here?

    Just wondering …

    • Interest in the Tzwatis Thwarted

      IDF reported that they will not be enlisting The tzawitis, they simply can handle them. There is a fear that if they were to enlist them then their social engineering experiment will back fire on them and the whole IDF will be singing Yichi in no time, AD Mosai

  • Come on come on

    Are you not aware that the Rebbe held that they should not be drafted and explained that the Talmid’s studying Torah was his way of protecting the Land?

    It’s a team effort.

    • down under

      Where does it say so? Some precise quotes? Have you ever heard of referencing? Please don’t mix in the Rebbe in your posturing.

  • Logic or Rebbe

    You cant have it both ways. The Rebbe did NOT want our boys in the army. He wanted them to sit and learn in Yeshiva and protect EY that way. I understand that you think its unfair, why should they serve…But thats what the boss said. Unless he isn’t your boss. That is for another discussion.

    • MTL

      The Rebbe also told people who were not able to sit & learn that they SHOULD serve in the army.

    • Milhouse

      MTL, you’re right that those who are not learning anyway should serve, but what makes you think this boy was not learning?

      The Rebbe was crystal clear that the main protection for the country comes from the learners and not from the soldiers. The soldiers are merely the means through which Hashem implements the protection that the learners provide.

      But he said the soldiers shouldn’t feel bad that their role in protecting the country is inferior to that of the learners, because they also have an zechus that the learners do not — they have mesirus nefesh kipshuto, so the learners should look up to them for that.

      So yes, serving in the army is a mitzvah, but learning is a more important mitzvah and takes precedence.

  • sam

    the frum in y-m and beit shemesh are protesting but chabad is doing abslolutly nothing.as if this yeshiva bachur doesnt exist.im not against going to the army.but certainly not with brute force.

  • patnership is true

    The Israeli soldiers are chayalei tzahal, the yeshiva students are tzivot hashem and together they work b’gashmiut u’beruchniut. The israeli soldiers get such chizuk from the yeshiva boys and the yeshiva boys learn and daven for the israeli soldiers well being. We should daven too that the safety our holy country be upheld strongly by all yidden and we should unite to overcome our enemies!!!

  • IDF Supporter

    To 2. Milhouse, and others who may think like him, kindly explain exactly where and when the Rebbe zt”l said that one should violate the Israeli law and refuse to serve in the IDF when drafted, and that it is better to sit in jail. What Sefer and Daff did you get that from? I think you are extrapolating much more than the Rebbe zt”l ever said or had in mind. The Rebbe, unlike you, was very supportive of the Israeli army, and praised them exorbitantly for protecting the Jewish people and the Land.

    As for what Milhouse wrote, “This is a Lubavitcher site, so the Rebbe’s word is law. You do not contradict the Rebbe here. If you don’t like it, move to another site” — sorry, you are wrong on a number of counts:

    1. It is not a “Lubavitcher site,” it is an unofficial news blog where everyone is welcome. I never noticed a banner or instructions anywhere on the site stating that “Only Lubavitchers May Comment Here.” You are a typical crude example of many self-proclaimed Lubavitchers who automatically exclude other Jews from what they consider their private little club — or should I say cult?

    2. About your comment, “the Rebbe’s word is law,” sorry, first of all you misinterpret the Rebbe’s words, and secondly the Rebbe’s word is not “law,” and I believe he, olov hasholom, would be upset with you characterizing him in that way. The Rebbe zt”l explained Torah and gave advice but generally he did not “order” anyone to do anything. Some exceptions might be made, for example, he might “order” you, and others who without reshus or reason presume to speak for him, to immediately cease and desist from such foolishness.

    • YMSP

      Relax Oh Great Large-on-hype-short-on-intellect One (typical modern orthodox), it’s a defacto Lubavitcher site in that it is meant to express general Lubavitch point of view. Not everyone who doesn’t kowtow to the RavMiTam “Rabbanut” is foolish. In fact, quite the opposite.

    • Milhouse

      You have no idea what you’re talking about. The Rebbe’s position on this was absolutely clear, and repeated many times.

      In Lubavitch we have never given a hoot about the law when it stands in the way of doing what Hashem wants. All our rebbes were felons and scofflaws. As the frierdicker Rebbe (arrested seven times!) said, only our bodies went into golus but our neshomos did not. The existence of Oholei Torah should be enough to tell you exactly what the Rebbe thought of the law.

      Crown Heights is the Rebbe’s shchunah, palterin shel melech, so a blog that is titled “Crown Heights info” is by definition a Lubavitcher site. Others are of course welcome, but you are not in your own home, you’re on Lubavitch territory, where you do not contradict the Rebbe.

      And yes, to a chossid every word of his rebbe is law. That’s what it means to be someone’s chossid. Blind obedience. When the AriZal told his talmidim to come with him to be mekabel shabbos in Yerusholayim, and they — as the halocho requires — went to ask their wives, they failed the test. Because when the rebbe says to go, you go, without asking questions and without worrying about the Shulchon Oruch. That’s what chassidus stands for.

    • Fair or moral? Idle Time

      Milhouse, just stop with the superstitions.

      Is this website private? What territory? Too much time on your hands. Does learning stop bullets in their tracks? I don’t think it takes more precedence, but this is what I believe firmly believe.

      Peace.

    • Milhouse

      Superstitions?! Let’s get this straight: the gemara says that learning Torah protects from physical dangers, and you call it superstition?! That’s outright kefirah! The gemara says that talmidei chachomim are not to be drafted. And the Rebbe said explicitly that soldiers provide less protection than the learners do. Who are you to deny that? What is your source? Or do you just not believe in the Torah altogether?

    • Last Comment

      Have you learn nothing from the human race history?

      Just because it was written I must blindly follow. That’s my source.

      Yes, to your second question and to your last question the answer is obvious.

    • Amused Observer

      19. YMSP wrote:

      Relax Oh Great Large-on-hype-short-on-intellect One,

      YMSP, having read your comments in the vaccine thread, the above is really quite hilarious. Are you trying to redefine “chutzpah”?

  • YMSP

    Torah (Hashem) supports the army, but more than that Torah supports Toras Eretz Yisroel. If you equate decrying the arrest of Torah students with “not supporting the army” then you really need to calm down.

  • DOVID

    IF YOU LIVE IN ISRAEL SERVE….I WOULD SERVE…OT AT LEAST COMMIT TO SERVE AFTER YESHIVA…WHY IS YOUR BLLOD BETTER THEN THEIR BLOOD ITS TE SAME..

    • Milhouse

      If you’re in yeshivah and actually learning, then you are already doing your part. Why should you have to serve aftewards as well? Do the soldiers commit to learn for three years after their service?

      The key phrase here is “actually learning”. If you’re battling in milchamta shel torah then you should be exempt from battling the Arabs; but if you’re just batteling in the coffee room and the smokers’ corner then it’s time to leave the yeshivah and go do something productive, such as serve in the army.

    • down under

      Milhouse please quote somethong concrete like likutei sichos, sichos kodesh, igros kodesh etc.if not remember syog lechochmo shtikoh

    • Milhouse

      Blind obedience to the Rebbe is the definition of being a chossid. Especially a Lubavitcher.

      And how dare you call the Torah superstition?

  • IDF Supporter

    I asked for a citation of Sefer and Daff from the works of the Rebbe zt”l, yet Milhouse, in all his comments since then provided nothing in reply to me except pure gibberish and more rabid ranting. His comparison of the situation of Jews in Israel today to the situation of Jews in Tzarist Russia is typical of people who are completely blind to reality and have totally lost their way.

  • Wrong

    Whoever thinks it is ok for a young innocent man, who did nothing but strive to do torah and mitzvos, to sit in prison without even his own tefillin are wrong! How can you not pity this bochur? Tell me, how would you feel if you were in his shoes? What is more important, serving Hashem the Almighty or serving the army? Really, don’t argue just for the sake of arguing! Think what is really right, and once you have discovered the true answer, then you can argue.

  • IDF Supporter

    Milhouse, I’m sorry, in my browser the link you provided on the word “Here” in your previous comment, which led to the video, was not highlighted. After seeing and listening to the video you linked to however, I again say to you that the Rebbe zt”l certainly in no way says what you claim he does. On the contrary, the Rebbe zt”l highly praised both the ones in the army and the ones who stay in yeshiva. Never did he so much as hint that if the Israeli law requires a person to enlist that a yeshiva student should not comply with the law and go to jail over it, which is the topic of the present news article and the discussion here at CHI. You are extrapolating way beyond what the Rebbe zt”l said, and misinterpreting his meaning and intention.

    See a similar Sicha – http://www.gruntig.net/2013/10/serving-in-idf-vs-learning-torah-in.html – where the Rebbe zt”l discusses the merits of both categories, soldier and student. In this Sicha the Rebbe zt”l compared the roles of Dovid Hamelech, who stayed at home and studied, and Yoav Ben Tzeruya, who went out to war, describing their respective roles and praising both. It is interesting to note with regard to Dovid Hamelech, that for most of his life he indeed was personally very active in physically participating in and leading the Jewish war efforts. It was only when he was older that he stopped going out to war and instead engaged in full time Torah study. The truth is that even then Dovid himself wanted to continue personally leading battles, and his retirement only came about when his men, who were concerned for his safety, impressed upon him the need for him to retire from active fighting, after a battle in which he was almost killed. The importance of the role of soldiers and the need for the kind of physical protection soldiers provide is perfectly clear, and the Rebbe zt”l clearly recognized and respected this importance and their courage.

    It possible that the Rebbe zt”l would have opposed the changes in the Israeli law that came about in recent times, though I don’t believe it is possible to know that with certainty. However once the law was indeed changed, due to the pressing needs of Israel’s current dire situation and the need for trusted manpower in the Israeli army to counter all of our enemies in these dangerous times, there certainly is no implication from any of the Rebbe zt”l Sichos that he would have insisted it would be proper for Jews, including yeshiva students, to not comply with the present law that requires participation in the Israel army. The times change, and the needs of our people change, and sometimes we have to change accordingly. We are just coming from Chanuka, another time when Jewish men, including the greatest Torah scholars of the period, voluntarily closed their holy books and took up arms and physically fought against our enemies to be able to live full Jewish lives. To a certain extent it is like that in today’s day and age. May we see a better time someday soon when this will no longer be the case, and instead “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks, nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more (Isaiah 2:4).

    • YMSP

      You hear a sicha in which the Rebbe says that “the bochur who learns protects more than the bochur who goes to the army” and you equate the two?

      In this case we’re talking about the arrest of a bochur who learns Torah, started by the modern-orthodox kofrim/mosrim and their unholy alliance of Yesh Atid, who hate frum Jews in a way that would make Haman proud. The Modern Orthodox leadership is bent on reshaping Judaism in their image, whether it be an end to real Torah study, forced limudei chol or the destruction of Jewish families in the name of feminism (the get crusaders who attack Judaism at their core and who are mistaken for heroes R”L by ignorant (un)Jewish Press readers). The Modern Orthoodox leadership needs to be criticized publicly by Chabad in no less a way than the Rebbe made a shturem against Shlomo Goren, another Modern Orthodox reinventer of the Torah who tried to befriend Chabad so that he could claim to have frum friends. There can be no tolerance for mosrim, those who seek to destroy Toras Eretz Yisroel or those who destroy frum families in America. Hashem Yishmor.

      Milhouse, do you know which year the sicha is from (and yasher koach for the video)? Mem Daled?

  • Bocher or Leidigeyer?

    If they’re not serving in Yeshiva, just going through the system, the satan makes his case, and they’l serve elsewhere.

    In my 8 years of Yeshiva I can proudly claim that I haven’t learned anything. When I did study, the rosh yeshiva got upset that I wasn’t studying his “shiur”, and when he delivered it, it could not be understood. The kigel was good, though not worth the 10k/year squeezed out by my parents.

    Maybe had I gon the the army I’d be more of a mentch, maybe even literate