Q&A: Shortening Military Service
Shortening Military Service
Question
Rabbi, happy festival days,
I found an answer here about the hesder track
https://mikyab.net/%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA/%D7%A7%D7%99%D7%A6%D7%95%D7%A8-%D7%94%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%A6%D7%91%D7%90%D7%99-%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%A0%D7%99-%D7%99%D7%A9%D7%99%D7%91%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%94%D7%A1%D7%93%D7%A8/
where you opened with, “I think that Torah study is a service no less important to the people.” How, in your view, does Torah study contribute to the Jewish people (or to Israeli society, for the sake of the discussion)?
I would also be glad if, in addition to your answer to this question, you would say what you think is the ideal way to combine meaningful Torah study with meaningful military service (of course there will not be one single way for every person, but I assume there are shared guiding lines and values common to everyone)
Answer
It contributes to the service of God, which is the role of the Jewish people, to Jewish identity and our connection to it, and to the formation of groups that act according to those values. I don’t have any guiding lines. Each river follows its own course.
Does “contributes to the service of God” not contradict the separation of religion and state that the Rabbi supports?