Religious Zionist Yeshiva Leaders Oppose Basic Law on Torah Study, Citing Harm to Torah Values

Senior rabbis from the Religious Zionist yeshiva world, bereaved fathers, and yeshiva heads voiced strong opposition to the proposed Basic Law on Torah Study during a dramatic session at the Knesset committee. They argued that granting exemptions and special rights in the name of Torah distorts its true purpose, which is to challenge individuals rather than excuse them. Rabbi Yaakov Medan, head of the Har Etzion Hesder Yeshiva and father of a son severely wounded in combat, condemned the law for ignoring the needs of orphans, widows, and families of fallen soldiers, stating that such a Torah is "ugly" and not the Torah given at Mount Sinai.

Rabbi Medan sharply criticized the Haredi sector and its leadership, saying they are unquestionably Jewish but do not fully identify with the State of Israel and do not see it as their own. He urged lawmakers not to grant political favors to the Haredim under the guise of Torah, emphasizing that no law should exempt people from sharing the national burden in the name of Torah.

Rabbi Yirmiyah Stabisky, who lost his son-in-law and eleven students in the war, shared a poignant testimony about his son-in-law, a brilliant Torah scholar who nonetheless chose to serve and fight. He described the law as painful for families like his and stressed that Israel’s survival depends on the full integration of the Haredi community into national service. Rabbi Stabisky lamented the lack of support from the Haredi community at funerals of fallen soldiers from the Religious Zionist sector, calling for a new model of mutual responsibility.

Rabbi Medan concluded by proposing a revised law recognizing the supreme importance of Torah study alongside the obligation of Torah scholars to serve on the front lines defending the country, likening them to the warriors of King David and Judah the Maccabee. The rabbis’ clear message was to reject using Torah as a political tool for exemptions and to emphasize communal solidarity, especially in times of national crisis.