Israeli Knesset Advances Basic Law to Elevate Torah Study Status Equal to Military Service

The Israeli Knesset is set to vote today on the Basic Law proposal "Torah Study," which was approved in its first reading by the Knesset Committee yesterday and is expected to pass. The law, formulated by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation, aims to enshrine Torah study as a fundamental value in Israel and grant Torah scholars a status equivalent to that of IDF soldiers, as defined by the state.

Moshe Gafni, chairman of the Degel HaTorah party, emphasized the need for the law, stating that recent years have seen a decline in respect for the Torah. He said the law is intended to restore the Torah's honor, which has sustained the Jewish people for millennia and distinguishes them from other nations. Gafni noted that no Knesset member, Jewish or non-Jewish, should oppose the law on political grounds and that it should have been enacted at the founding of the state, citing leaders like Ben-Gurion and Begin who understood its importance.

About three weeks ago, the Knesset approved the law in a preliminary reading following a political deal between ultra-Orthodox and Arab parties, brokered unofficially between Gafni and Ahmad Tibi of Ta'al. The proposal passed with 56 votes in favor and 43 against, including four coalition members who defied party discipline.

However, Deputy Legal Advisor Avital Sompolinsky criticized the legislative process, arguing that the law's purpose remains unclear and that it fails to define key issues such as who qualifies as ultra-Orthodox and their rights and obligations.

Concurrently, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee discussed a related bill to halt arrests of yeshiva students classified as draft evaders. IDF representative Brigadier General Shay Tayeb stated that enforcement must be uniform across all groups subject to military service and predicted that without enforcement, draft evasion could reach 90,000 within 18 months. MK Meir Porush sarcastically praised the committee's efforts, while MK Merav Cohen responded by attributing responsibility to him.

Earlier this week, a bill was introduced to regulate IDF enlistment of yeshiva students, including a temporary provision delaying enforcement actions for 90 days starting July 1, 2023, against those who declare they meet the required study conditions.