Shas Council Condemns Supreme Court Over Forcing Yeshiva Students Into Military Service

The Council of Torah Sages of Shas issued a strong statement on Tuesday opposing the Israeli Supreme Court's involvement in the debate over the law concerning the detention of draft-dodging ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students. The council declared that conscripting yeshiva students constitutes a "coercive violation of religion" and rejected the court's authority to rule on this matter, emphasizing their stance "for the sake of eternal divine truth."

The statement accuses the court of leading a prolonged campaign of persecution against Torah scholars and asserts that forcing Torah learners into military service contradicts Jewish law and the principle of religious freedom. The council cited Talmudic sources and Maimonides' ruling that those whose "Torah is their profession" are akin to the Levite tribe, exempt from warfare, stating explicitly that such individuals must not be drafted even for a commanded war.

Furthermore, the council dismissed claims of "equal burden sharing," arguing that the primary defense of the Jewish people is the labor of Torah study, not military might, quoting scripture to support that spiritual effort sustains national security. They warned that harming yeshiva students or disrupting their studies directly undermines Israel's security.

The council concluded by calling for the protection of the Torah world and its students, highlighting their historic responsibility for preserving Jewish tradition and warning that attacks on them threaten the spiritual foundation of the Jewish people.