At the Knesset's deliberation on the passage of the draft
deferral law on Monday night (1 Tammuz), UTJ's
representatives very clearly explained the importance of
Torah study and stated that the existence of the Jewish
Nation is dependent on Torah study. They noted that the law
adds nothing new, but rather comes to anchor in law the
situation which has existed since the establishment of the
State. Alongside this, they made it clear that they will
demand that changes be made in the law between the first
reading, and the second and the third, due to their
opposition to the fact that the law is referred to as a
temporary one, which needs the approval of the Knesset every
five years.
Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz said in the Knesset plenum that the
issue is not a new law or on a new social arrangement, but
rather merely anchoring in legislation the situation which
has prevailed since the founding of the State, due to the
High Court's decision that the arrangement lacked a legal
foundation. "From our perspective, our entire existence as a
nation and as a society in the State of Israel is dependent
only on the fact that the Torah has been transmitted from
generation to generation, and there have always been Jews who
have dedicated their entire beings to Torah study, to a Torah
way of life."
Rabbi Ravitz stressed that for the chareidim, "ki heim
chayeinu" is not a slogan, but rather the foundation of
our lives and that we have no life other than Torah. He
closed by saying that the those who study Torah have,
throughout the generations, sustained the nation, and that
this reality will continue, in spite of all the opponents.
Rabbi Moshe Gafni stressed the importance of Torah study and
lomdei Torah throughout the history of the Jewish
Nation, and noted that the chareidi sector and its
representatives did not demand that this law be enacted, and
that UTJ was forced to agree to legislation of which they
don't fundamentally approve. "We did not ask for a change in
the existing situation. Until today, the Security Minister
was authorized to defer the drafts of reservists, athletes,
Arabs and yeshiva students. We have not asked to change the
existing situation." The change was only made as a result of
the High Court ruling.
Rabbi Gafni enumerated the clauses he strongly opposes in the
existing proposal: "I strongly oppose the concept of it being
a temporary law which means that every five years, we will
have to undergo more political extortion. Why do they want
this legislation to be considered merely a temporary
solution?"
Later on in his speech he referred to the decision year for
yeshiva students who have in the meantime left their studies,
saying that the chareidi representatives never asked for such
a clause.
Rabbi Meir Porush protested the incitement campaign being led
against the yeshiva students, and compared it to the campaign
led by the current Prime Minster when he headed the
opposition and pushed for the enactment of a law to draft
yeshiva students. Rabbi Porush also criticized the various
clauses in the law and said: "We haven't asked for a year for
in which to decide. The secular, who thought that such a
clause would add more manpower to the labor market, are those
who asked for it. With us you have no problem. There should
be no problem about this issue, neither for the Mafdal nor
the secular Knesset members. We don't need that `decision'
year."
In the end, Rabbi Porush said that all along he has been told
that there is a need for an army due to the threat of war
which looms over our heads, but that when peace will prevail
it will be possible to speak about exempting the yeshiva
students and limiting the draft. "But where is there war?
With Egypt? With Jordan? With Syria? With Lebanon? Do the
security needs rise because we have a lot of children? For 52
years we have been managing with that same arrangement. Have
the security needs increased because I have 12 children?
What's the meaning of this hypocrisy?"
Rabbi Litzman stressed that for the chareidim, Torah study
and lomdei Torah serve the nation and the State just
like soldiers. The bnei Torah protect the land. He
also said: "We're not that satisfied with the law. We have
reservations which we would like to present. We are certain
that the we will correct them in the committee."
Rabbi Shmuel Halpert spoke about Yavneh and its sages, and
noted that for thousands of years, the entire world
understood that the Jewish Nation has no right to exist
except on the merit of its Torah. Ben Gurion understood this
and so did the all of the Israeli governments, and therefore
they enabled yeshiva students to study Torah without
disturbance. Like the other members of the party, he
expressed his reservations over the fact that the law was
passed as a temporary one. However, he added, we have no
choice but to support it.
