Former Yeshiva Students Reveal Origins of Rabbi Feinstein's Famous IDF Draft Response

Rabbi Ofer Toiber, now a lecturer at Yeshivat Horev, disclosed that he was one of two students from Yeshivat Netiv Meir who decades ago wrote to Rabbi Moshe Feinstein seeking guidance on whether to continue Torah study or enlist in the Israel Defense Forces. The renewed public debate over yeshiva students' military conscription has revived interest in Rabbi Feinstein's well-known responsum addressing this dilemma.

In an interview with Channel 7, Rabbi Toiber recounted that he and his friend Daniel Kraus, now a resident of Efrat, composed the letter while studying at Netiv Meir. Their initiative was encouraged by Rabbi Aryeh Bina, who urged them to consult leading Torah authorities on important questions. After sending the letter to Rabbi Feinstein in the United States, they received his reply by mail on the 17th of Sivan, 5741 (June 1981).

Following this correspondence, both continued their studies at Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav for several years. Rabbi Toiber enlisted in the IDF after four and a half years of study, and Kraus also served after additional years of learning. Rabbi Toiber emphasized to his students that this exchange exemplifies how oral Torah develops, as the person before them becomes part of the tradition's sources.

The letter and Rabbi Feinstein's response have resurfaced prominently amid ongoing discussions about the military draft of yeshiva students, highlighting the historical context and personal decisions behind this pivotal religious ruling.