Haredi Rabbis Protest Yeshiva Student's Detention, Claim Torah Study is Israel's True Deterrent

Hundreds of yeshiva students and rabbis gathered outside Prison 10 on Tuesday for a protest and prayer rally following the detention of yeshiva student Israel Guchfi. The participants, including prominent rabbis from Bnei Brak, voiced their opposition to the jailing of Torah scholars.

Rabbi Shlomo Machfud, a member of the Council of Torah Sages, spoke emotionally about the situation, stating that instead of studying Torah, students are imprisoned. He addressed Guchfi and other detainees, asserting they are "prisoners of the holy Torah" and "messengers of the entire Jewish people." Rabbi Machfud criticized recent policies, claiming the goal is to harm Torah students, not to fill army ranks, and asserted that "the Jewish people are only a people through their Torah."

Rabbi Shabetai Levi, head of the 'Halichot Moshe' institutions, also addressed the crowd, questioning Israel's military deterrence despite advanced technology and intelligence capabilities. He argued that the "only deterrence Israel has, which its enemies do not, comes from the world of Torah and observance of commandments." He emphasized that Torah study provides protection and divine blessing for the nation.

The rally concluded with a communal recitation of the "Acceptance of the Yoke of Heaven." The speakers called for continued dedication to Torah study as a response to the detentions, asserting it is their heritage and the path to redemption and salvation.