Overlooked in the Haredi Draft Debate
For many Jews, whether Haredim should serve in the IDF and the political firestorm surrounding the conflict between the Supreme Court and the Government have taken center stage in public discourse. Indeed, this past Shabbat, Nachamu, I attended a lecture on the subject by a Hesder rabbi.
Hesder splits army service and Yeshiva study. Nevertheless, the lecturer reviewed, evenhandedly, Torah sources on both sides of the debate. I learned a lot about the point of view opposite from mine. His comprehensive presentation – and what I have heard and read elsewhere – have overlooked what I think in contemporary times is the main issue.
To me, the critical point is the Jewish principle Mipnei Darchei Shalom (for the sake of peace). Darchei Shalom dictates that Haredim serve. (Full disclosure: in a previous blog in Times of Israel I came to the same conclusion from Torah and Tanach sources.) Pro-exemption adherents can find counterarguments in the relevant Biblical passages, histories and writings of the commentators. However, I see no way around Darchei Shalom. It has the benefit of practicality, just as the original exemption request from Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog and the later deal between David Ben Gurion and the Haredim came about. Later extensions resulted from political calculations, rather than interpretations of the Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Deuteronomy, Chapter 20, which we will read in two weeks, describes the classic mobilization of a Jewish army going to war. A designated priest announces, “Who is the man who is scared and faint of heart, he shall go and return home, lest he melt the heart of his comrades.” Rabbi Yossi interprets the fear as fear of the sins the recruit committed which will lead to withdrawal of G-d’s protection in battle. Accordingly, only the righteous, namely, Torah scholars became soldiers. Point for Haredi service.
Not so fast. Rabbi Akiva interprets the passage literally: a coward will demoralize everyone else and, as a matter, of military necessity, must leave. This has nothing to do with piety. In fact, the pro-exemption scholars will cite to Tractate Nedarim 32a, that Father Abraham was punished (by having his descendants become slaves in Egypt) because he drafted Torah scholars as his militia to rescue his nephew Lot from the five armies who took him captive.
To that, the other side answers: the Talmud recites one opinion. Another opinion, which has the support of Rashi, holds that Abraham took his servant, Eliezer, and both went into battle. Moreover, Abraham himself, the ultimate Torah scholar, led the fight.
Similarly, citing halacha making service mandatory in an obligatory war hits a wall. The passages in Deuteronomy grant exemptions only for wars of choice, everyone agrees, How to define war of necessity? The Six Day War qualifies, but what about the Suez War of 1956? Moreover, Haredim say, Torah study equates to military service as protection for the State.
Back and forth it goes. See, With Might and Spirit (Israel Destiny Foundation, Mizrachi 2025) at pp. 67-68, for Rabbi Chaim Drukman’s reconciliation of two seemingly contradictory rulings in Maimonides, Mishneh Torah.
Darchei Shalom makes the case. I write this four days after Tisha B’Av, which, Tractate Gittin 57a concludes, resulted from needless hatred. The host ejected his mistakenly invited enemy, Bar Kamtza, from a party, even though he offered to pay for the whole affair. Technically, the host had a right to do it, but keeping the peace overrode that consideration. The halacha applies even when, unlike the Bar Kamtza story, compliance costs us.
The Torah requires that returning a fellow Jew’s lost object includes seeking the owner and tending to its care. The Talmud includes the object of a non-Jew. We may not help glorify idol worship (Christianity). Yet, the rabbis allowed Jews whom New York’s Cardinal Francis Spellman solicited to contribute to his charities.
Haredim make up almost 15% of the population, protected to about one quarter in 2050. As bad as the current multiple deployments creates social hostility, the long term will only get worse. For the sake of societal peace, Haredim go to war, not sit at home.
If we must treat gentiles that way, all the more fellow Jews.
