On Monday morning thousands gathered at Kikar Shabbos in Jerusalem to protest the discussions in the Knesset about replacing the Tal Law with a plan that will draft yeshiva students. Maran HaRav Eliashiv and the Rosh Yeshiva HaRav Aharon Shteinman said that chareidi politicians should refuse to take part in any discussion of drafting yeshiva students. A Knesset committee is continuing hearings about what should replace the Tal Law that was struck down by the High Court.
At the rally which took place at 4:45 in the morning, leaders of Torah and Chassidus fervently addressed the need to take an adamant, if not outspoken stand to the point of self sacrifice regarding the draft deferment and continued Torah study of bnei yeshiva, which is our safeguard against calamity, as Rav Yosef Shalom Eliashiv and Rav Arye Leib Shteinman have ruled in the past regarding any compromise on such a fundamental issue.
HaRav Shmuel Auerbach said at the rally: "One must lay down his life to fight the decree which threatens our very existence. We must not allow them a foothold in our place." HaRav Yitzchok Tuvya Weiss, Gavad of the Eida Chareidis, said: "The yeshivos are the lighthouses of Yiddishkeit and we must not let them draft avreichim into the army or the police force. During the thousands of years of exile, we adhered to the Torah path and we must not surrender now." HaRav Moshe Sternbuch, the Ravad of the Eida Chareidis said: "We are protected in Eretz Yisroel only by virtue of the Torah scholars."
It should be remembered that upon the expiration of the so-called Tal Law of army service deferment for bnei yeshiva, an emergency meeting was held in the home of Rav Arye Leib Shteinman, attended by gedolei Torah and rabbonim as well as MK representatives of Torah Jewry and the chairman of the Shas party, in which the Rosh Yeshiva emphatically declared that "the goal and purpose of the Torah is not to reside in a bookcase. Rather, one must toil in Torah, which is our life-source. There is no life without Torah! It is not only life for Torah scholars but also for all of Klal Yisroel, and one must exert every bit of strength to battle against the relentless attempts to draft bnei yeshiva and not to agree to any compromise on such a fundamental issue."
The words of HaRav Eliashiv were quoted by HaRav Yosef Efrati, who said: "This gathering, initiated by the Rosh Yeshiva, is geared to clarify to all the worthy askonim here to stand alert and to actively toil day and night to remove this evil degree. It is understood by all that a decree against the Torah world is tantamount to a threat to the very existence of the Yishuv in Eretz Yisroel, but sometimes the idea passes through one's head that we can be complacent. It is for this reason that today's gathering has been called, upon the Rosh Yeshiva's directive."
He added, in the name of HaRav Eliashiv shlita, "We must know that this gezeira has its roots in [the actions of] brothers who err and cause others to err, and this is an additional reason that the issue is so serious, as is brought in Chazal."
Reports are that the basic plans will be revealed this week. Torah leaders have said that students should be prepared to go to jail if necessary. The politicians have expressed a willingness to avoid mass imprisonment, and may just impose various financial sanctions on those who refuse to serve.
