Rabbi Yisroel Ariel
Greetings and Blessings to the Illustrious Hesder Rabbis,
The eyes of all Israel are upon the Hesder Rosh Yeshivos. The entire Jewish Nation heard the announcement of Barak who stated: the IDF has only one commander! With that, he announced that the command of a human being- flesh and blood-cancels any other command, including the commandments of Hashem in our holy Torah.
The Israeli masses expected to hear the Hesder Rosh Yeshivos declaration of Kiddush Hashem as Dovid HaMelech had, who declared against the Goliath the Philistine (Shmuel 1, 17, 45)): "but I come to thee in the name of the L-RD of hosts, the G-d of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast taunted." This declaration is the only one necessary against the arrogance of Barak.
The Rosh Yeshivos lowered their eyes and looked at the ground in silence, the hopes of the public dashed! The Hesder Yeshivos spokesman capitulated in the statement that he made, in the name of fifty Rosh Yeshivos, as follows: "The Union is committed to the orders of the law and laws of the Torah, and not yet decided how to integrate them." With this statement, the Rosh Yeshivos publicly declared that they are committed to the orders of Barak!
Furthermore, they added in their statement, that they have not yet decided if Hashem′s commandments take precedence over Barak′s command. We, commoners, the Jewish ′amcha", ask, as Eliyahu on Mount Caramel: "How long halt ye between two opinions? if the L-RD be G-d, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him."
Your courage failed you and you couldn′t declare as Israel at Mount Caramel: "Hashem is the G-d". Our Sages have already stated (Tractate Brochos, 19,2) that wherever there is desecration of Hashem′s name, no respect is given to the Rabbi. It was a opportune time for the Roshei Yeshivos- and they failed the test! Where is their faith in Hashem? Where is their belief ′?! Where is the mitzvah of sanctifying Hashem′s name in public?! They were facing their students and the house of Israel –and failed and fell.
When the public protested against your ingratiating announcement, you came out in protest of the debasement of ′Kovod haTorah′, and debasement of the Roshei Yeshivos′ honor. Our Sages said the following about such a protest: (Sanhedrin, 103, 2): "The people of ′pilegesh b′giva′a′ were punished for this reason. The A-lmighty said to them: you did not step forward to protest for my honor, but for the honor of a flesh and blood you did protest.
There are Roshei Yeshivos who know how to speak about the value of the military and the state laws, but stand mute in the face of the mitzvah of sanctifying Hashe′s name in public! Our prophets decried such behavior as this, as is written in Yirmiyahu (2,8), ′And they that handle the law knew Me not′. My dear Rabbis, heads of the Yeshivos! The gates of return have not been locked, and it is up to you! The Torah has commanded us to ′fear no one′. Converge and declare that the mitzvos of Hashem take precedence over the commands of IDF commanders!
The decision is in the hands of the Roshei Yeshivos: Are they followers of Rabbi Akiva, sanctifier of Hashem′s name, or are they only ′Rabbis on behalf of the government, ′Rabbis′ sycophants of Barak the despot?
With blessings to be strong and of good courage, as Hashem told Yehoshua (Yehoshua, 1, 7-8) ′Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moses My servant commanded thee… This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night.′
I herby sign, in honor of Torah in Eretz Yisroel,
Rabbi Yisroel Ariel |
