Thursday, September 12, 2024

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

 

 

 

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