The Supreme Court made a mistake in overruling the Tal Law and forcing hareidi men to enlist, but ultimately the ruling has led to unprecedented respect for Torah study, Rabbi Dov Lior said Tuesday, speaking at the Ramle Conference.
“The Supreme Court ruled what it ruled. In my humble opinion, they did not sufficiently take into account the sensitivities of that community, which sees [Torah study] as the central element of life,” Rabbi Lior said.
Judges should not give rulings that the public will find it impossible to abide by, he added.
However, Rabbi Lior argued that the change will not be negative, and will not be nearly as dramatic as it is largely perceived as being in the hareidi world. “This isn’t a ‘decree,’ they just want to make things orderly… These aren’t the decrees of Czar Nicholas,” he said.
“Time will do its work, and things will calm down,” he said.
The new proposals have benefits for full-time Torah students, he said. “For those who are learning full-time, the state will recognize their learning. A person who dedicates his life to the world of Torah – and that kind of Torah learning takes effort day and night – the state will recognize that,” he noted.
“There has never been something like it before, that the state of Israel recognizes Torah scholars as if they were on guard duty,” he added.