Preventing a Stumbling Block – The Zakhor Reading by Torah Scholars Exempt from War

The Rabbi’s Opening Post

Preventing a Stumbling Block – The Zakhor Reading by Torah Scholars Exempt from War

Posted on 10/3/2009

| |

Preventing a Stumbling Block—the Zakhor Reading by Torah Scholars Exempt from War

Remove the stumbling block!

A great public notice regarding the Torah

We have come hereby to rouse our fellow Jews everywhere regarding the sacred duty of the reading of Parashat Zakhor. For we have indeed heard that an erroneous custom has become widespread, namely, to hear the reading from yeshivah students whose Torah study is their vocation (and there are even some who are stringent to hear the reading specifically from a genuine Torah scholar), and all these have failed to take to heart the explicit words of Sefer HaHinukh (commandment 603), that women were not commanded in the reading of Parashat Zakhor, but only men, ‘for it is for them to wage the war and avenge the enemy, and not for women.’ It follows, then, that the holy yeshivah students whose Torah study is their vocation, and who are legally exempt from an obligatory war (as Rambam states explicitly at the end of Hilkhot Shemittah ve-Yovel; and as is well known, in this regard anyone who wishes to assume that status may come and assume it, and this is praiseworthy, though this is not the place to elaborate), and who are likewise exempt from the army and from war under state law here in the Holy Land, are not obligated at all in the reading of Parashat Zakhor. Therefore they cannot discharge the public’s obligation. (It still requires consideration whether they can discharge even the obligation of women, who, according to Rabbenu Tam, can obligate themselves on the Torah level; for regarding them it is said, ‘a bride from her canopy’ [Joel 2:16], and they therefore have a role in the commandment. This point can be resolved.) Therefore, whoever wishes to fulfill this sacred commandment should take care to hear the reading of Parashat Zakhor only from one who is personally obligated, and should keep away from Torah scholars, as stated above. And by the merit of fulfilling this sacred commandment properly, in accordance with the law, one will thereby merit the erasure of the memory of Amalek and his accomplices, speedily in our days, amen.

Those issuing the appeal

Source (forum ‘Stop Here, People Are Thinking’): http://www.bhol.co.il/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=2591291&forum_id=1364