Top Rabbi Sparks Outrage With Remarks on Religious Soldiers
Translated & summarized from Ice by baba
Rabbi Ephraim Dov Landau, a prominent ultra-Orthodox leader, has drawn widespread criticism for disparaging remarks about religious Zionist soldiers and their motivations. The comments have sparked debate about conscription and religious exemptions, with political figures divided on condemnation.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Top Rabbi Landau criticized religious Zionist soldiers and their rabbis.
- He suggested soldiers die due to insufficient Torah study.
- Journalist Ben Caspit contrasted potential reactions to similar remarks by Mansour Abbas.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu has not condemned Landau's statements.
- Landau is a highly influential figure for Haredi political parties.
Rabbi Ephraim Dov Landau, considered the leader of the Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox community in Israel, has ignited controversy with his recent remarks targeting soldiers from the religious Zionist sector. The comments, made during a meeting at his home in Bnei Brak amidst the ongoing war, addressed the sensitive issue of military conscription.
Responding to a notion that many Haredi yeshiva students feel guilt for not enlisting like their religious Zionist counterparts, Rabbi Landau stated, "The confused ones with the crocheted kippahs, I don't talk about them. They have their theories, and it's difficult with them." He further elaborated that soldiers who are killed are dying because "we are not studying enough" and that their rabbis teach them "distorted Torah." He also claimed that some actions are taken not for salvation but for the "honor of the state," leading to people being killed for honor.
Rabbi Landau asserted that yeshiva students who study Torah protect the lives of Israeli citizens, attributing this to the Torah itself as the sole explanation for why Arabs do not unite to conquer the land. Journalist Ben Caspit criticized Landau's statements on his radio show, questioning the public reaction had politician Mansour Abbas made similar remarks, suggesting it would have dominated media coverage.
Unlike former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and MK Gadi Eisenkot, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not yet condemned Rabbi Landau's remarks. The 96-year-old rabbi, who heads the Slabodka Yeshiva, is a highly influential figure for the United Torah Judaism and Shas parties. Netanyahu is known to maintain ties with him to preserve coalition stability.