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(VINnews) Sefardi Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef has clarified his recent remarks about Charedim serving in the military. According to Ynet and other news outlets, Rabbi Yosef, in a written statement which will be spread in shuls, clarified that his comments that it is forbidden for certain Charedim to serve, were directed mainly at those engaged in Torah learning.
Rabbi Yosef expressed gratitude for IDF soldiers, saying his comments “do not take anything away from those soldiers who sacrifice their lives on the front line for the people of Israel, or from those precious bereaved families of soldiers who fell in defense of the Jewish nation, whose place is in the front row of Heaven, with all those who fell for the sanctification of Hashem’s name, may He be blessed.”
He added, “On the contrary, those learning Torah, their greatest strength and duty in learning is knowing that they have a responsibility to protect the people of Israel and the soldiers, and that they must not leave their learning even for a second, through their learning and mutual responsibility they are supporting the soldiers.”
He also explained that his comments about Charedim leaving Israel if they are drafted is because “The whole justification for our existence here in Eretz Yisrael is the preservation of the Torah, thanks to which we survived as a people for thousands of years and returned to our land. Without the Torah, what are we fighting for? How is the Land of Israel different from other countries?”
