Dei'ah veDibur - Information & Insight
  

A Window into the Chareidi World

6 Tammuz 5765 - July 13, 2005 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
NEWS

OPINION
& COMMENT

OBSERVATIONS

HOME
& FAMILY

IN-DEPTH
FEATURES

VAAD HORABBONIM HAOLAMI LEINYONEI GIYUR

TOPICS IN THE NEWS

POPULAR EDITORIALS

HOMEPAGE

 

Produced and housed by
Shema Yisrael Torah Network
Shema Yisrael Torah Network

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NEWS
Demand to Disqualify High Court Judge from Hearing Petitions Against Yeshiva Military Deferments

By Betzalel Kahn

Remarks against the chareidi sector by High Court Vice President Judge Michel Cheshin met harsh reactions on Monday. During a hearing on a petition against military exemptions for yeshiva students based on "Toraso Umnaso status" on Sunday, Judge Mishael Cheshin expressed his resentment of the growing number of yeshiva students using the words, "Vayirbu vayifru vayishretzu beme'od me'od." The word usage, which is patterned after the Egyptian disapproval of the increase among the Jewish residents of their country in Biblical times, indicates strong disapproval of the fact that there is an increase in the numbers of yeshiva students, kein yirbu. His remark was well beyond the limits of normal judicial discretion and indicated a strong prejudice against yeshiva students. It was followed by a demand that he recuse himself from the case due to the personal tone he expressed.

During the course of Sunday's hearing on petitions by anti- religious figures seeking to alter the military deferment available to full-time yeshiva students for decades, and enshrined in the so-called "Tal Law" passed three years ago, attorneys for the State said that despite attempts to introduce the idea of a "shenat hachra'ah," which offers yeshiva students an option to set their studies aside at the age of 23 to enter the job market following which they are eligible for shortened military service if they elect to continue working, only 31 yeshiva students actually pursued this option over the past three years that the legislation is in force. The petitioners sought to use this figure to demonstrate that the existing provision for military deferments should be altered further in order "to encourage yeshiva and kollel students to enter the workforce."

Upon hearing that 41,000 yeshiva students currently receive military deferments, Judge Cheshin said, "This number has grown. Vayirbu vayifru vayishretzu beme'od me'od," a sardonic misquoting of the verse, "Uvnei Yisroel poru vayishretzu vayirbu vaya'atzmu beme'od me'od . . . " (Shemos 1:7).

Later on in the hearing Judge Cheshin said, "The law was passed three years ago. Now the State is saying it will convene a committee, meaning these three years have been in vain. It could be that the five years the State is asking for will turn into ten years since so far nothing has happened. When five years go by they will come and tell us, `Give us another five years.' In my innocence I thought the idea was they would have to enlist in the IDF like everybody, like our children."

Judge Cheshin's stark remarks against the Torah world and the entire chareidi sector stirred severe reactions since his use of the word "vayishretzu" carries bigoted connotations and his remarks in general, which revealed fears of the natural growth rate of the chareidi population, were of a nature no judge would dare to use against any other segment of the population, including the Arab sector.

Yated submitted several questions to Judge Cheshin and to Chief Justice Barak through the High Court spokesman. 1] Was Judge Cheshin aware of the Biblical source of the words he used which are used in context to explain the racial hatred that the Egyptians developed for their Jewish citizens? 2] Does Justice Cheshin not think that the Court should avoid statements such as his, which destroy any appearance of neutrality and objectivity towards the subject at issue before the Court? 3] In saying, "like everybody, like our children," to whom was Judge Cheshin referring in saying "our children?" Was he trying to set up a contrast between "our children" and some "other children?" Does this expression not indicate that the Justice sees himself as a party to a dispute between "our children" and "their children" who is concerned to avoid discrimination between "our children" and "their children?" And if so is it not proper for him to recuse himself? 4] Does Justice Cheshin still stand behind his statements?

After almost a full day the following cryptic reply was received: "If this is how it was understood, it is not worthy of a reply."

Deputy Minister MK Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz said, "A judge in the High Court, the body that most stands for the `morality' and `culture' of the State of Israel, who expresses himself in such a bigoted way against the chareidi public, should not be making any comparisons between `our children' and `their children.' If so, we are not on a single platform. His people are not my people, his ways are not our ways, and we have nothing to say to those who rise up against us to destroy us."

According to MK Rabbi Moshe Gafni, "He is an ignoramus estranged from the contribution of lomdei Torah to the Jewish people from the time of our formation as a people to the present day. His remarks are those of a rash individual who has proven once again the total lack of faith the observant public has in the High Court judges in matters of religion and state and in issues of values and conscience.

"Judge Cheshin should disqualify himself from hearing the case since he expressed his opinion against lomdei Torah. His backwards views on the issue even distort his view and reading of the law passed in the Knesset and he alone vests in himself the power to judge. The dispute between the government ministries regarding budget funding for the various sections of the law demonstrate once again there is no need and no funding available to recruit yeshiva students and Judge Cheshin is waging an ideological war from the court bench. The Torah world existed before him and be'ezras Hashem it will continue to exist after him based on the promise of Borei Olom, `ki lo sishochach mipi zar'o.' "

 

All material on this site is copyrighted and its use is restricted.
Click here for conditions of use.