About the Haredi Brigade
Hello Rabbi Michael,
I recently learned about a new Haredi brigade that they want to open in the IDF (the Hasmonean Brigade), the goal of which is to allow Haredim to manage their lifestyle alongside military service (the so-called, entering Haredi and exiting Haredi), and a document that was recently published also includes the strict halachically compliant rules that align with the lifestyle of the Haredi public.
But I think that the very idea of establishing such a division misses the essence of Harediism. I have always thought that beyond all the strictures that the Haredi community practices, the separation between men and women or even kashrut, did not stem directly from a pure study of the laws of lifestyle and religious beliefs, but also to actually separate themselves from the secular community (or the Israeli community in general). This is also expressed, in my opinion, in the push for Torah study in yeshivas, which is intended not only to study Torah purely but to keep the Haredi within their protected space (Noah’s Ark, as they call it) and I think that the “Yeshivas Nosherim” is quite strong proof of this. In fact, if I am not mistaken (I have not found a source), when various Hasidic sects in Europe wanted to differentiate themselves from other Hasidic sects, they would adopt strict rules of prohibition and permissibility, and that it is impossible to rely on the slaughter of Hasidic sects in this and that precisely to separate the two.
I asked you as someone who understands the “ultra-Orthodox” a little – is there really a dimension of pure halakhic study in all of the Haredi strictures (of course, the vast majority do) and then all of the rigid adoption of the strictures is really in place. Or, as I wrote, are there strictures whose entire essence is “to be concise” in order to differentiate themselves from Israeliness, and then it turns out that the Haredi faction that actually adopts those strictures is quite missing the point that these strictures are intended to prevent this faction itself.
Of course not. You are absolutely right. But sometimes such groups fail in the facade that they themselves present. The Haredim present the non-conscription as a concern for their lifestyles (this is of course a lie, as you wrote. There is a concern, but it is not the main reason for the non-conscription). Now a framework will be established that removes this concern, and it will put them in an embarrassing situation. They will want to continue not to conscript, of course, but it will be difficult for them to admit that they have lied up until now. So they will have to find other tricks and I assume they will. Therefore, such a step could perhaps advance us a little because there will be Haredim who will not buy the new tricks, even though it probably will not bring salvation.
In Mohr's opinion, what is the real reason why the ultra-Orthodox don't enlist?
For fear of exposure to the general public and developing identification with it, and for fear of the kollelim leaving, then the Haredim could have a secure livelihood and their dependence on the businessmen and rabbis who patronize them would decrease.
Rabbi, I'm probably innocent, what is the interest of rabbis and activists to shut them down? Can you explain it to me simply, please..?
There is no desire here for Torah study in kollels and that's it?
The interest can be ideological (some are simply evil, but not all). After building a distorted perception and society, the interest in preserving them justifies very problematic and forceful behavior. Their feeling is that if they don't take the Haredim captive and force them to live such a distorted life, Harediism will disappear from the world. From their perspective, this is a disaster, if only because they have become accustomed to this being the image of Judaism. A lot of evil can also be disguised as this ideological perception, but at its core it is truly an ideology.
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