Drafting Yeshiva Bachurim

 

Parshas Hashavua  כי תצא          לא יצא בצבא דברים כ"ד :ה       Drafting Yeshiva Bachurim  In the times of the חתם סופר, Governments  imposed quotas on communities to supply young men for the military. The community was responsible for supplying a set amount of young men for the draft.  The selection of those to be drafted was in the hands of the community leaders. Officially they would enter all the names in a    גורל  (lottery) and pull out the fortunate ones who would be exempt. Historically the selection process was riddled with corruption. The poor and the defenseless suffered grave injustices. The חתם סופר (Shu"t 6:29) writes that many גדולי ישראל had no choice in the matter and had to turn a blind eye to this.  The חתם סופר rules  " Since the law of the land  is for the community to supply the army with young  men. we have the rule of דינא דמלכותא דינא  Halachically, everybody is equally responsible to serve. Favoritism should not be given to anyone. Even the low lives and non-Frum מחללי שבת etc. must be treated equally and their names entered in the גורל.   Those who exclude even secular Yidden  by not placing them in the lottery depriving them of a fair chance are גונבי נפש ומכרו (kidnappers) The only exception, are the Yeshiva Bachurim. who are exempt מדין תורה from serving in the army (based on the Gemoro Bava Basra 8a.) therefore even if there is no specific exemption from the government we exempt them automatically".  The חזון איש (Bava Basra 7b*) writes that the exemption of רבנן (Yeshiva Bachurim) is only applicable when there are others available to serve.  If however, all are רבנן then the rule of אין סומכין על הנס applies and even  Yeshiva Bachurim need to be drafted. אין סומכין על הנס I am just wondering, according to the חזון איש, a)  If we were to find ourselves in a situation where there aren't  enough non-Yeshivah Bachurim soldiers in the army would there then be a חיוב for Yeshivah Bachurim to join the army? b) A Yeshivah Bachur whose מדת הבטחון is weak and is not fully convinced that תורה מגנת עליהן would he also be exempt? * printed in Ch. Mishpat Siman 5