Rabbi Moshe Neria, Hater of the Army

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In the course of my studies, between Uva Letzion and Aleinu, I came across an interesting little sefer from a supposed Religious Zionist, Rabbi Moshe Zvi Neria, called בני ישיבות וגיוסם. I say “supposed”, because, well, you’ll see.

Now as an American, I have never fully understood the whole Religious Zionism thing, to be honest, but I think I get the general drift. They are Torah Jews, but also supposedly pro-army, right? Like, uh, the Maccabees? Imagine my surprise when I saw this page in that sefer.

For those of you who have difficulty with Hebrew, here is a translation:

Deferring Service - A Right or an Obligation?

Whoever correctly appreciates the yeshivas and the yeshiva students will understand that if at a certain period there arises a situation where the idealistic Torah scholars sit in safe havens while other young men - including many idealists - sit on the borders, this does not change the main issue. Within the military framework, there are many non-combat soldiers, and no one discredits a soldier whose role places him in the rear. This is the structure of the army, and this is the structure of the nation. It is not known to what extent our ancestors in ancient times understood the law that the tribe of Levi does not go to war - "they do not wage war like the rest of Israel." It is possible that even then there were those who resented and complained about this, but it seems that most understood that there was no distinction, heaven forbid, between one blood and another - whose blood is "redder," but rather an internal arrangement of the nation's structure. A nation that is not only preserved by the fighting army, not only the battlefield is the front where a person is required to give their all for the existence of the nation and its values. More than anyone, the tribe of Levi itself understood this - the tribe of Levi did not see this exemption as a right but as an obligation: they are recruited at all times!

In times of peace when everyone turns to their business, goes to their inheritance - the tribe of Levi has no portion and inheritance in the land, even when everyone is occupied with their personal matters - the Levites have no private lives, they are "separated from the ways of the world," they do not belong to "the many pursuits that people seek." Their physical and mental strength is fully dedicated to the entire nation as a complete gift. When the regular soldiers have long finished their years of military service - they remain committed. The Rambam formulated this clearly and decisively: "they do not wage war like the rest of Israel - they are the army of the Lord!" [Laws of Shemitah and Yovel, 13:12]. Let it be clear: the yeshiva students in our time do not see their exemption as a right but as an obligation, and even if for some of them the deferral turns into an exemption - they are not released but are obligated to the sacred duty in Israel. As long as they continue their studies, their recruitment to the Torah - they are not conscripted into the IDF, just as a soldier in the infantry is not conscripted into the air force.

Upon reading these words, I was almost shocked out of my gizzard. What kind of heresy is this?! In this week’s parsha, when the Tribe of Levi appears before Moshe and demands an exemption from military service so that they could pursue their service of G-d in the Tabernacle, Moshe rebuffs them sternly, chastising them for shirking their national obligations, in which every single person is to be recruited into the army for a period of three years. The parasitic Levites were trying to shirk their responsibilities, while also demanding welfare payments, but Moshe humiliated them and put them in their place. And three thousand years later, a different Moshe comes along and contradicts the first Moshe, by relying on a statement from some other, medieval Moshe? This is what you call a religious Zionist?! This…this…selfish TRAITOR, who is trying to undermine the strength of the Jewish army?! He obviously must be a fake religious Zionist. Or the sefer must be a forgery.