Ashlag Rebbe: Secular Youths Should Be Conscripted into Torah Study
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The Ashlag Rebbe, Rabbi Simcha Avraham Halevy, with followers.
Photo Credit: ashlag.com
The Ashlag Rebbe, Rabbi Simcha Avraham Halevy’s weekly talk last Shabbat included some sharp comments on the social wedge issue of equality in shouldering the military burden in Israel and the attempts to conscript Haredi yeshiva students, the website Kikar HaShabbat reported.
The Ashlag Chasidic dynasty was founded by Rabbi Yehuda Leib Halevy Ashlag from Warsaw, Poland. While most Chasidic dynasties are named after their town of origin, this one is known by the surname of its rebbes.
The Ashlag Rebbe said: “Unfortunately we have recently begun to hear about malicious plans of regime leaders here in our Holy Land, to stick their paws in the sacred halls of the yeshivas, with vain claims about equal burden and responsibility, in order to enlist the yeshiva students for military service – this will not be.”
He added: “The stupidity of their hearts keeps them from seeing and understanding that the men of Israel who prefer sitting on yeshiva benches even though there are opportunities open before them to earn a good living and become rich thanks to their intelligence – and yet they prefer to kill themselves in her tent of Torah, sacrificing themselves many hours each day. Those who leave behind them the vanities of this world – they are the real defenders of the nation of Israel in the land of Israel …”
The Ashlag Rebbe addressed the issue of inequality in sharing the burden, and argued that inequality is caused by the secular Jews who do not study Torah and do not keep the commandments: “Regarding the claim of not shouldering the burden and the problem with equality, we call on our erring brethren who do not labor to learn Torah and do not obey the commandments: Come share the burden of learning Torah with devotion, for the sake of the nation of Israel.”
He also said, “The nation of Israel did not survive our brutal history by the deterrence of the IDF, nor by the might of the State of Israel, but by the merit of the study of Torah.”
Finally, the Ashlag Rebbe suggested penalties for anyone who dares dodge the obligation to study Torah and keep the mitzvot.
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8 Responses to “Ashlag Rebbe: Secular Youths Should Be Conscripted into Torah Study”
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Absurd. Tons of societies have succeeded without the Torah. Jews have survived because they have watered it down. Religious scholarship is a waste of time. It's a pseudo-accomplishment for mediocre people.
Jews have hurt themselves and Israel–because they have corrupted the Torah and Tanakh–and gone whorring after extra Biblical texts which are often taken as authority over God's word!
Better to Study Shalom then conscript youths into death as oppressors.
He who rises up to kill you, you must kill him first.
Thou shalt not steal
Are you seriously going to get into a bible quotes argument? Find me where in the bible it mentions Palestinians.
I wouldn’t have expected a religion hater to lead off with a bible quote.
food for thought.
I am a Muslim and I believe in One God. You, as I take it are Jewish. Already we are in a debate about Israel, the False Jewish Society. Israel will evetually fall by God’s will, it is not a question of if but when. I would support the reinterpretation of the Torah, though orthodox Jews who are entirely against the state of Israel do not need it. It is the Westernized, modernized and brainmuddled Jew who is in need of a return to his roots and an understanding of submission to God and what that entails. Almost all of the Gospel as it exists is an explanation, interpretation, commentary of the Torah. Jesus (PBOH) Renewed the Jewish Muslims back to the time of Moses (PBOH). So you see, it has to do with the understanding, clearly, not via hearsay, what God is saying in the Tanacha.
“Finally, the Ashlag Rebbe suggested penalties for anyone who dares dodge the obligation to study Torah and keep the mitzvot.”
What does he suggest – stoning or strangulation? Or will mere flogging be enough?
JDE — I believe this was his humorous response to the idea of punishing the yeshivas and individuals who dodged the military draft.
Well, I disagree – while Torah study is meritorious and fulfilling, defense of Israel is contingent upon a strong Army, Navy, air Force, et alia. Remember: G-d helps those who help themselves.
I feel that the Mitzvah of 'Vehaya Machanecha Kadosh' should be taken literally, that the Torah is referring to a military camp and not a Concert and who if not the Torah Jew and scholar can make the army a sanctified army?
I also agree with Rabbi Ashlag that the secular Jew has to share his part of the burden of Torah and that many Torah Scholars initially give up material wealth for spiritual wealth. Hopefully, we will all understand that indeed the Torah will also lead us all collectively to material wealth and spiritual wealth united, peace and prosperity so that what initially seemed like a sacrifice turns into a reaping harvest!
If a person is "forced"–then it is not genuine–a person needs to come of their own free will!