The Israeli High Court, backed up by the Attorney General, issued an order to draft all yeshiva students who have been deferred from service since the founding of the State of Israel. The first notices from the IDF to yeshiva students are scheduled to be sent out next week, starting Tammuz 15. HaRav Dov Lando issued a letter guiding yeshiva students on how to respond.
In his penetrating letter, HaRav Dov Lando wrote: "Directive to yeshiva students: Do not go to the Draft Board [under any circumstances] or react to any summons therein. Not even to a preliminary call."
This order does not cease to reverberate. This is aside from all the extensive reactions from the entire spectrum of yeshivos and the Torah world at large, of all circles, all communities, here and abroad, to the letter which roused tremendous attention of the media which dealt with it excessively. Many columnists discussed the sharp tone accusing the High Court of taking over control in Israel, including the army "whose hands are shackled with iron chains by the judges" to force it to immediately implement the decree of drafting all Torah students.
Therefore, "all submission to the judicial decrees constitutes a submission to their battle against Hashem and His Torah."
These razor-sharp expressions became the talk of the day which is why HaRav Lando declared, at the end of the meeting with Bnei Torah which took place in his home, "It is the obligation of every Torah student and kollel member to refrain from discussions relating to the army. The directive not to answer the call of the draft and go to the Enlisting Offices is a clear-cut order of "sit and don't do anything."
The practical, positive obligation of bnei Torah is to be steeped in the depth of study, day and night. This obligation is all the more so imperative since we are in dire need of much merit to oppose those who stand up against us. And may "all the people of the land see that the Name of Hashem is upon us and that they will fear us."
The publication of these words served as a mighty arousal in the halls of Torah study, and Torah students and to kollel members to intensify their efforts in Torah and increase their hours beyond the usual.
