Israeli Knesset Committee Approves Basic Law on Torah Study After Content Compromise

The Knesset Committee, chaired by MK Ofir Katz, approved the Basic Law on Torah Study for its second and third readings on Thursday, following a contentious day of debates and negotiations. The vote passed with six in favor and four against, after a compromise was reached between the Shas and Degel HaTorah parties and the Likud. The law now formally recognizes Torah study as a fundamental value in Jewish heritage, but a key clause known as the "balance of justice," which aimed to position Torah study alongside other core state values, was removed from the bill.

The removal of this clause came after intense discussions, including demands from combat veterans and PTSD sufferers who attended the committee session seeking legislative attention to their needs. MK Katz announced that the final vote on the Basic Law will be postponed until a separate bill addressing the concerns of these veterans is advanced. He emphasized that the remaining clause affirms Torah study as a foundational value without negatively impacting soldiers or veterans.

MK Moshe Gafni of Degel HaTorah praised the approval, stating it restores honor to Torah and its learners in the Jewish state. Conversely, MK Yinon Azulai of Shas expressed dissatisfaction with the clause's removal but accepted the compromise. MK Yitzhak Goldknopf of United Torah Judaism publicly opposed the deletion, claiming he was not consulted and vowed to resist the change.

The Knesset legal advisor, Attorney Shagit Afik, clarified that the excision of the "balance of justice" clause significantly reduces the law's practical effects, rendering it largely declarative without direct legal or budgetary consequences for soldiers or other groups. The legal deputy also questioned the law's impact post-amendment, suggesting it maintains the status quo in judicial interpretation.

Following the compromise, the ultra-Orthodox parties agreed to the revised text under guidance from leading rabbis. The committee is set to reconvene on Sunday to first discuss the veterans' bill and then vote on the revised Basic Law. Should the revision be rejected, the law could proceed to the Knesset plenum for further readings.