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Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef Softens Tone, Blesses IDF Soldiers as Divine Messengers
How 2 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
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First reported by Arutz Sheva · 41 minutes ago
What happened
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef has softened his stance on the IDF draft, blessing soldiers as divine protectors of Israel in a joint video with Shas leader Aryeh Deri. This marks a shift from his previous calls for draft defiance amid ongoing tensions over ultra-Orthodox conscription.
- 01Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef publicly blesses IDF soldiers as "messengers of God" protecting Israel.
- 02He shifts from prior harsh rhetoric urging ultra-Orthodox draft evasion.
- 03The message was delivered in a joint video with Shas leader Aryeh Deri.
- 04Yosef emphasizes the importance of Torah study alongside military service.
- 05He invokes his father Rabbi Ovadia Yosef's teachings on respecting soldiers.
- 06The video aims to show unity within the ultra-Orthodox community before elections.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
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