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לימוד תורה

‘Datlashiut’ in the IDF's - A Failure, not a Destiny 

Parashat Hashavua – Parashat Vayechi 5785

Rabbi Eliezer Haim Shenvald

In prayer for the success of IDF soldiers and for their continued protection, for the healing of all the wounded and for the return of the kidnapped.

A MK from the United Torah Judaism party drew outrage in the public sphere about a week ago over comments he made about higher IDF casualties among soldiers from the National-Religious sector of Israeli society. "I can't look them in the eye. But I see the price they pay by leaving the religion," and said it was for this reason that the haredi (ultra-Orthodox) public doesn't do military service, adding, "That's the answer to the question of why I'm not there". Many from the national religious community rose up and attacked his statement, from various directions, and rightly so. This argument cannot be used as an excuse for why there is a sector of Torah scholars, no less serious and persistent than the ultra-Orthodox community, who close their Gemara in times of war and go out to defend the country, themselves and their families, and pay a heavy price, and he allows himself to stand by and not take part. My friend Dr. Ido Liberman, head of the Miskar Institute, also published a comprehensive and forceful response article, (Makor Rishon newspaper from last week: "All because of the army"? The real percentages of ‘Datlashim’ –the Hebrew acronym for formerly religious Jews- are not that high). Based on a professional study he conducted on the extent of ‘Datlashim’ in the religious community (full disclosure, I was among the initiators of the study), he compares it to the extent of the phenomenon in the Haredi community. According to the conclusions of his study, 'only' about 14% become non-religious during military service, and not 40% as many believe. (It is possible that the gap depends on the criteria for determining 'who is a ‘Datlash’?'). This discourse has once again flooded the phenomenon of religiousness in the army, the religious erosion that soldiers in the army undergo, which has not been adequately addressed. What if it were portrayed that it is only about 14%, would this number be easier to bear?! A soldier enlists in the army out of a religious consciousness that he is going to fulfill a Mitzvah, his parents educated him to have a sense of mission, to defend the country, why is he not entitled to leave his military service the same way he entered it?! There has been about a decade of great improvement, but it has been nearly a decade since we have seen the situation deteriorate and worsen.

This is an oversight, not a decree of fate! There is something that can be done to reduce the phenomenon! About eight years ago, we even proposed a plan that would reduce its scope; unfortunately, it was rejected. I recently met with one of the principals of the leading preparatory schools, who told me about a wonderful program, where they pair each soldier who has graduated from the preparatory school with a companion who maintains a strengthening relationship with him on a weekly basis. However, this involves a small fee from his parents. When I spoke with admiration about the program in a wider forum, I later received harsh responses from educators and parents who sent their sons to military service and were outraged by the fact that instead of the military system assuming the responsibility of providing a response, the parents were the ones financing it! "And what about those whose parents cannot afford it!" one mother wrote to me.

Towards the end of our Parasha, the Torah describes the conclusion of our forefather Ya’acov’s life. How can we learn about the legacy he wanted to leave behind in his life? What was the most important value to a person in his life? We will examine what were the things that troubled him, as he examined the balance of his life before his death.

Ya’acov gathers his sons to bid farewell. It included a look at the intense past of his life and his family’s life, and a look to the future. Our Sages emphasize that in this occasion, our Ya’acov Avinu seeks to examine his legacy for future generations: Do his sons continue and will continue the path of faith in G-d, blessed be He, and the observance of the Torah and the commandments, even after his death: In the Gemara it was emphasized:

וַיִּקְרָא יַעֲקֹב אֶל בָּנָיו וַיֹּאמֶר... אָמַר: שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם יֵשׁ בְּמִטָּתִי פְּסוּל, כְּאַבְרָהָם שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל, וְאָבִי יִצְחָק שֶׁיָּצָא מִמֶּנּוּ עֵשָׂו? אָמְרוּ לוֹ בָּנָיו: ״שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, ה׳ אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה׳ אֶחָד״. אָמְרוּ: כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין בְּלִבְּךָ אֶלָּא אֶחָד, כָּךְ אֵין בְּלִבֵּנוּ אֶלָּא אֶחָד. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה פָּתַח יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ וְאָמַר: ״בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד״.

“And Ya’acov called his sons and said… He said: Perhaps the Divine Presence has abandoned me because, Heaven forfend, one of my descendants is unfit, as was the case with my grandfather Abraham, from whom Ishmael emerged, and like my father Yitzhak, from whom Eisav emerged. His sons said to him: Hear Israel, our father, the Lord is our G-d, the Lord is One. They said: Just as there is only one G-d in your heart, so too, there is only one in our hearts. At that moment Ya’acov Avinu said in praise: Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever, as all his children were righteous”. (Psachim 56a). (He thanked Hashem for all his children were following in his footsteps adhering to his legacy).

This was the most important value for him: passing on the faith heritage, the Torah, and the commandments to his sons, so that they would continue it, and pass it on to future generations of Beit Israel, and therefore this is what he wanted to examine before his life came to an end. We, as his followers, declare and testify to this every day, in the 'Kriyat Shema'. Therefore, it was important to note that this value was not damaged during his stay at Laban's house:

״וַיָּבֹא יַעֲקֹב שָׁלֵם״, וְאָמַר רַב: שָׁלֵם בְּגוּפוֹ, שָׁלֵם בְּמָמוֹנוֹ, שָׁלֵם בְּתוֹרָתוֹ.

”And Ya’acov came whole to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan… Rav said, the meaning of- And Ya’acov came whole, is: Whole in his body, whole in his money, whole in his Torah”. (Shabbat 33b) Rashi explains: שלם בגופו - שנתרפא מצלעתו: “Whole in his body: Since he was healed from his limp. שלם בתורתו - שלא שכח תלמודו מפני טורח הדרך: Whole in his Torah: Since he did not forget his learning on account of the toil of the road.”

This is also the reason why "Shema Yisrael" is the first verse taught to a baby who is learning to speak, and this is the verse that is said when a person leaves this world. From the continuation:

"וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ" מִפִּי הַשְּׁמוּעָה לָמְדוּ בָּנֶיךָ אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֶיךָ שֶׁהַתַּלְמִידִים קְרוּיִין בָּנִים

“Just as a person is obligated to teach his son, so, too, is he obligated to teach his grandson…  (Sefer HaMItzvot La Rambam 11)

This value should always be of most importance to us! The extent of the ‘Datlashim’ phenomenon in military service is an omission and not a decree of fate. The time has come to place an unequivocal demand on the military system, to take every possible measure to reduce its extent.

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