Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Softens Tone, Blesses IDF Soldiers as Divine Messengers

After a prolonged period of sharp criticism against the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews and calls to defy military draft orders, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef has shifted his stance. In a joint video with Shas party leader Aryeh Deri, Yosef warmly blessed IDF soldiers, calling them "messengers of the Holy One, blessed be He" and emphasizing, "We love them."

This conciliatory message comes amid ongoing tensions between Rabbi Yosef and the IDF over the ultra-Orthodox draft issue, which had previously made headlines due to his harsh rhetoric. At the peak of the conflict, Yosef urged young ultra-Orthodox men not to comply with draft orders and even to tear them up, prompting calls for a legal investigation into allegations of incitement to draft evasion.

In the recent video, Yosef praised the soldiers' role in protecting the Jewish people and invoked the teachings of his late father, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who taught that seeing a soldier warrants respect because they have the divine mission to safeguard Israel. Yosef stressed the importance of Torah study alongside military service, stating, "The Torah goes together with the soldiers, you cannot have one without the other."

He concluded by blessing the soldiers' safe return and expressing hope for peace and victory, saying, "May God give strength to the soldiers to triumph, and may fear and dread fall upon their enemies." The video also reflects internal ultra-Orthodox political dynamics, as Yosef and Deri sought to project unity ahead of upcoming elections despite past disagreements.

This development marks a notable de-escalation in rhetoric from one of the ultra-Orthodox community's leading rabbis regarding the contentious issue of Haredi conscription into the IDF.