Rabbi Shmuel Tal
Rabbi Shmuel TalDavid Hochberg

Rabbi Shmuel Tal, the head of the Torat Haim Yeshiva which was evicted from Neve Dekalim and later relocated to Yad Binyamin, sent a strong letter of support Monday to MK Betzalel Smotrich (Jewish Home). Smotrich had been sharply criticized by Rabbi Tzvi Tau, the head of the Har Hamor Yeshiva over his call to delay enlistment of Religious Zionist yeshiva students to the IDF.

Rabbi Tal wrote: "I wish to express my admiration and regard for your strong stand in the wake of the crises threatening the people of Israel and the IDF these days."

"It is clear to every normal person that the mixed service directive is merely designed to exploit the IDF in order to inculcate the public with values which are opposed to our holy Torah. This comes at the expense of the real goals of the IDF. The notion that we can win disputes of this type 'with love ' without insisting on clear and circumscribed limits, is an egregious error . Despite our significant participation in the IDF, this attitude leads to our being trampled time and again. It started with using the IDF to destroy blossoming communities in a move which defied human logic and has now led to compelling soldiers to serve in permissive and immoral situations," wrote Rabbi Tal.

He added that "in general, public outcries are a result of weakness and lack of clarity. Our youth are confused. They believe in the army so deeply , are so convinced that the demand to dismiss Rabbi Levinstein from his position is an anomaly that they cannot imagine the possibility of delaying enlistment over this. Unfortunately our youth are devotees of the decision makers in the army and receive similar treatment from them."

"Blessed are you,Betzalel for publicly fulfilling the command 'Do not fear any person' and for saying the truth in public. May it be G-d's will that you continue sanctifying G-d's name in your public activity," concluded Rabbi Tal..