On Thursday, a large asifa of primarily Sefardic bnei Torah was held on Rechov Shmuel Hanavi in Yerushalayim against military conscription for bnei yeshiva.
The event was attended by prominent rabbonim and roshei yeshiva, who delivered impassioned drashos condemning the draft.
“Who went to war against Amalek?” said one speaker. “Moshe Rabbeinu himself did. The great leaders and righteous figures of the generation went out to battle. How do we fight? By refusing to hand over even a single neshamah to spiritual destruction!”
The participants began the event by reciting Tehillim together.
Rav Moshe Tzadkah, rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat Porat Yosef, addressed the crowd, saying, “If our gedolei Torah say not to go [to the army], then we must not go. In the time of Dovid Hamelech, people went to the army, but today, due to our sins, you don’t need an explanation. Our great rabbonim have ruled against it because of the spiritual dangers.”
He went on to state, “A law should be passed that everyone goes to yeshiva, not to the army. We are people of faith, and we believe in chevlei Moshiach—and this is it. The remedy is to go to the bais medrash, not to the army. We are waiting for the army of Dovid Hamelech, not theirs. The army leads to spiritual corruption — it is against Hashem’s will. If a law mandated that everyone learn Torah, redemption would already be here.”
Rav Doniel Zada strongly criticized the military’s actions during the war, saying, “What kind of crime is it to send a soldier into Gaza’s tunnels without a bulletproof vest and helmet? Who is their real protection if not us? Who is guarding them if not the yeshiva students and talmidei chachomim? Soldiers should be the ones protesting on behalf of the yeshiva students. They should declare that without talmidei chachomim, they refuse to follow orders. We are the ones providing protection.”
He added, “Anyone who keeps the Shabbos but isn’t studying in a yeshiva should still stand with us. He must not go to the army. We love every Jew, and even those who are not learning Torah still have great merit as long as they do not enter a place of spiritual danger.”
Rav Tzion Boaron, in his remarks, questioned the timing of hostage releases during the conflict. He remarked, “Why are they always freed specifically on the Sabbos? They want to show the whole world that we have no Shabbos anymore. There was once a party called ‘United Torah Judaism and the Shabbos,’ but today, there is no Shabbos and nothing else.”
He urged chareidi Knesset members to take action, stating, “If you do not protect yeshiva students, leave the government. If half of them are drafted, woe to us. If we do not fight for our survival, what will become of us? The future of the Torah world is truly at risk. Meanwhile, Shas politicians are busy threatening rabbonim not to attend the rally against the draft decree.”
Rav Benayahu Shmueli spoke passionately about the gravity of the situation, saying, “Have we ever seen anyone as devoted as Rav Moshe Tzadkah when it comes to opposing the draft? He cares about every yeshiva student’s soul — that is the purpose of this gathering, to prevent them from falling into spiritual oblivion. He even daven for those who have unfortunately been drafted. They are our brothers, our flesh and blood. But at the same time, there is no doubt that it is absolutely forbidden to join the army. This has been the directive of Torah leaders for generations, warning against the immorality and corruption within it. You, the Torah scholars, are the real Neturei Karta — the true guardians of Yisroel through your learning.”
The protest was attnded by rabbonim including Rav Reuven Elbaz, a member of Shas’ Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah, and Rav Ben Tzion Mutzafi.

{Matzav.com Israel}The post Thousands Attend Anti-Draft Rally in Yerushalayim: “We Are the Ones Providing Protection” first appeared on Matzav.com.