Mir Yeshiva Head Orders Students Not to Approach Military Recruitment Without Committee Approval

In response to ongoing arrests of yeshiva students and married scholars, Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel, head of the Mir Yeshiva, issued an unusual letter instructing students not to approach military recruitment offices or border crossings without prior approval from a special committee established by the yeshiva. The letter, distributed after an emergency meeting at the yeshiva, outlines practical guidelines for dealing with the military authorities and procedures to follow in case of arrest.

Rabbi Finkel described the current situation in Israel as dire, with Torah students facing severe persecution and the threat of detention. To assist them, the yeshiva formed a committee comprising rabbis, educators, and professionals to provide personal guidance to each student regarding interactions with military officials. The letter warns against independent actions by students or activists attempting to secure military exemptions, labeling such moves as dangerous and likely to lead to immediate arrest or conscription.

The letter explicitly states that no student should visit recruitment offices or cross border checkpoints without the committee's authorization, even if they believe they qualify for exemption. Students who disregard these instructions risk being excluded from the yeshiva's protection and must bear the consequences themselves. In the event of arrest, students are instructed to immediately contact the committee representative, maintain their right to silence, and only provide their name and ID number, leaving all other responses to their lawyer.

Rabbi Finkel concluded the letter with a call for spiritual strengthening, urging students to increase prayer and dedication to Torah study. This directive followed a recent emergency assembly attended by hundreds of students and yeshiva leaders, where practical advice was given amid the escalating tensions over yeshiva conscription. The letter also came shortly after the cancellation of a planned protest in Jerusalem, which was called off following the swift release of a detained student from military prison.