Q&A: Civilian Service
Civilian Service
Question
Hello Rabbi,
Regarding civilian service as opposed to studying in yeshiva:
I am a former yeshiva student; recently I left the yeshiva (the Haredi one),
and I want to fulfill my duty toward the state, but I do not know exactly what it is. I thought about enlisting, but I am worried (perhaps unjustifiably) about the possibility of hidden idleness in the army, and therefore (among other considerations) I decided to serve in national/civilian service, probably with Magen David Adom.
In your opinion, is this my duty? (I could easily exempt myself from it; I should stress that I do not think that would be proper, but it is still not entirely clear to me what the moral argument is for serving the state. I would be glad if you could guide me.) And is that enough, or perhaps my duty is simply to enlist, as is required of every Israeli?
In short, what is the moral argument for enlisting,
and is civilian service equivalent to that?
Thank you very much in advance.
I should mention that I greatly enjoy your lectures and your writing, and thank you for that.
Answer
I just now wrote a column about this (609). I suggest you read it, and if you still have questions you can raise them.
Discussion on Answer
Clearly a state needs many things, and still the demand from each person is to do military service. Civilian service is an option offered to those who cannot enlist for various reasons. Hidden idleness in the army depends on you. Make sure to get a meaningful role and do it properly.
The argument of “hidden idleness” is one of a hundred and fifty excuses used to whitewash the creeping thing.
If this issue worries you, you can enlist in an infantry unit, and I promise you that in the first year and a half (infantry training track) you will not get many moments of idleness.
In the following year and a half you will enjoy a few idle hours from time to time, when the daily schedule includes only 12 hours of activity and not 16-18 hours of activity.
In armored corps and artillery units there really are many more free hours, and the physical effort is much less insane, but in real time you see the power of a tank charging against hordes of terrorists and understand that the pride of the infantry fighters is a bit exaggerated.
I read it and enjoyed it, thank you.
But what about civilian service?
In another answer you wrote that a functioning state ultimately operates through all the services it needs, such as doctors, the army, and startup people in order to finance it, so can one say on that basis that morally there is no difference between enlisting and civilian service?
(And also that the state itself offers this option to yeshiva students.)