Thread by @GREENESJ333

Roger Froikin @rlefraim wrote, "An open letter to those in Israel who oppose military service for yeshiva students.
1)

I write as someone who believes in the Torah and values its teachings, not as someone you can dismiss as biased or uninformed.

Like you, I deeply appreciate the Torah—its words and its lessons.

In this regard, I challenge your position.
2)

Given the ancient teachings of the Torah, which recognize that its written laws and principles carry greater weight than later interpretations, particularly those shaped by the Diaspora,
3)

on what basis do you argue that there should be no obligation for equal responsibility in ensuring the safety and security of the Jewish nation’s students?
4)

Moshe Rabbeinu imposed military service with exemptions for specific situations, none of which included Torah study. In fact, according to the Torah, the minimum age for military service is 20 (as noted by commentators such as Rashi and Nachmanides).
5)

While the Torah does not explicitly state a maximum age, it is estimated to be 60 (Sforno, Numbers).

Moses emphasized that all parts of the nation must participate in military service, particularly in the war effort against the Canaanite nations.
6)

He stressed that this obligation surpasses even Torah study. He famously told the tribes of Gad and Reuben, who settled outside the Promised Land, “Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here?”
7)

Exemptions from military service in the Torah:

The Torah outlines specific exemptions from military service in ancient Israel based on factors that could hinder a person’s ability to fight effectively or affect army morale. These include:
8)

1. A man who has built a new house but has not yet dedicated it.

2. A man who has planted a vineyard but has not yet enjoyed its fruit.

3. A man who is betrothed to a woman but has not yet married her.

4. A man who is afraid or fainthearted.
9)

These exemptions carry greater weight in Halakha than any later interpretations intended to shield young Jews from serving in a non-Jewish army or protecting interests other than Jewish life and security.
10)

Do not claim that the IDF is akin to a foreign army, as it is the army of the Jewish people. It embodies a Jewish approach to defense, and its students, including those well-versed in Judaism, are part of it, not separate from it.
11)

The fact remains that there is no Torah-based justification for exempting a class of young Jews from the Jewish army that defends Jewish lives.
12)

Furthermore, the notion that Torah study is separate from life and holds greater value than the responsibility to contribute to the nation’s defense and security has its roots in Christian thought, not Jewish tradition.
13)

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