Head of Tel Aviv Yeshiva Says Military Service Strengthens Religious Faith

Rabbi Nir Yaakov Mas, head of the Lev Tel Aviv Yeshiva, strongly rejects the claim that military service harms Torah observance and mitzvot. Addressing concerns that army service might cause spiritual decline, he calls such fears misguided and inconsistent with Jewish faith and identity. Rabbi Mas emphasizes that Israel is currently engaged in a "mitzvah war," making military service a sacred duty that no Torah scholar should seek to avoid.

He argues that serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) embodies deep spiritual significance and personal sacrifice for the Jewish people. According to Rabbi Mas, military service actually leads individuals to "return to repentance," which he defines not as becoming religious from secular, but as reconnecting with one’s true and beautiful self. He dismisses the notion of "returning to secularism" after service, stating there is only "returning to repentance."

Rabbi Mas explains that some people may have previously observed mitzvot out of habit or social pressure, but the challenges of army service can prompt a more genuine and profound relationship with faith. Quoting the song "Whoever believes does not fear," he asserts that those who truly believe in the Land of Israel, the Jewish people, and Torah should enter military service without fear. Instead, the army should fear that these individuals will positively influence others.

He concludes with a call to prepare Torah students for army service with confidence and faith, viewing it as a spiritual growth opportunity. Rabbi Mas insists that those who join the IDF return spiritually renewed and help others do the same.