Q&A: Military Service
Military Service
Question
Hello Rabbi Michi,
I’m a Haredi yeshiva student, pretty standard, and I study in a fairly good yeshiva.
I am in fact quite convinced that there is no reasonable justification for why we do not enlist (mainly within the new brigade framework).
My question is whether, in your opinion, it would be right for me to actually enlist. Meaning, if I were a completely independent person, I would certainly do so. But in the real-world situation, such a step would involve a very heavy price socially, within the family, etc., as is well known. Now, even at that price, if I knew that my personal enlistment had major significance, I would probably be willing to pay the price. But after all, this one enlistment will not change the equation in any way whatsoever; for something to change in favor of the reserve soldiers, for example, there would need to be enlistment on a much broader scale. So I am wondering whether I am morally required to ruin my life for something that does not have a very significant contribution.
Thank you.
Answer
In principle, you should enlist. Your personal contribution is not the criterion. There is the categorical imperative (that you should do what you would want to be a general law). See column 122. Beyond that, a young man who enlists can influence others to enlist and can break the vicious Haredi taboo on the matter.
Admittedly, if your plan is to study seriously for a very long time, there is room to be lenient, since there is agreement that a certain number of serious students should be exempted. Still, that is a strained leniency, though perhaps it can be combined with the difficulties you described.