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| Ki Teitzei: Drafting Yeshiva Students |
Rabbi She'ar Yashuv Cohen, chief rabbi of Haifa and son of the
Rav HaNazir, related the following story:
During the winter of 5708 [1947-1948], I was one of the younger
students at the Mercaz HaRav yeshiva, as well as a member of the
Haganah [the pre-state Jewish defense organization]. This was during the tense
period of rioting and attacks that began after the 29th of November UN vote to
establish a Jewish state, before the State of
Israel was declared on the 5th of Iyyar.
In those days, there was much turmoil in the yeshiva whether the students should
enlist to fight and defend. Both my father, the Rav HaNazir, and
Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah Kook felt that it was incumbent upon
all to go out and fight this milchemet mitzvah, a compulsory war in which
all are obligated to participate. However, those close to the
rosh yeshiva, Rabbi Yaakov Moshe Charlap, held that yeshiva
students should continue their Torah studies in the yeshiva, and
the merit of their Torah learning would bring victory in battle.
"On your walls, Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen" (Isaiah 62:6) — those watchmen are
scholars, diligently studying Torah.
At that time, the situation in the Jewish Quarter in Jerusalem's
Old City was desperate. I came up with the idea of organizing a group
of yeshiva students and establishing in the Quarter a
'Fighting-Defense Yeshiva.' The yeshiva's daily schedule would be comprised
of eight hours for defense and guard duty, eight hours for Torah
study, and eight hours for rest and sleep.
The proposal was brought before the Haganah command and was
approved. But those close to Rabbi Charlap were totally opposed to the
idea. This dispute within Mercaz HaRav disturbed me deeply, and
caused me much anguish.
Later, as I exited the yeshiva, I saw huge notices
pasted on the entrance to the yeshiva. It was a broadside
quoting Rav Avraham Isaac Kook in order to prove that yeshiva
students should not be drafted into the army. When I read the
notices, I was in shock. Was I acting against the teachings
of Maran HaRav Kook?
Agitated and upset, I made my way down the road toward Zion Square.
There I saw a figure walking toward me, slightly limping. As he came
closer, I saw that it was Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah.
I was very close to Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah; he was like an uncle to me.
When he saw my shocked look, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah became
concerned. 'What happened, She'ar Yashuv? Why do you look like
that? Don't be afraid, tell me.'
Under the pressure of his questioning, I told him about organizing a
fighting yeshiva in the Jewish Quarter, and my distress when I saw
the announcements which indicated that we were acting against the
guidance of Rav Kook.
When he heard my words, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah was horrified. He
grabbed me by my shoulders and began to shout, "This is a
complete forgery! A distortion and utter falsehood!" His
shouts echoed from one end of the street to the other. He was extremely upset.
After calming down, he explained that his father had written
this letter during the First World War, regarding the draft of
yeshiva students who had escaped from Russia to England. Rav
Kook felt that these students should be exempt from the draft,
just as the British exempted other clergy students. But here -
Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah continued with emotion — here we are fighting for our
hold on the land of Israel and the holy city of Jerusalem. This
is undoubtedly a milchemet mitzvah; whereas in England, the
demand was that the yeshiva students fight for a foreign army.
The rabbi's words reassured me, and I asked if he would be willing
to write them down so that they could be publicized. He agreed, and
publicized a broadside in which he objected to the use of his
father's letter to Rabbi Hertz, chief rabbi of England.
The Pamphlet
Rabbi She'ar Yashuv also asked Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah to publish his
views on the matter in a more detailed and reasoned format. Rabbi Tzvi
Yehudah replied that there is no point in writing an article when
the city is under siege and the printing presses are closed down.
Rabbi She'ar Yashuv, however, was able to get a special approval
from the defense board, so that a pamphlet containing five articles was
published soon after.
In his article, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah explained that
joining the army at that time was important for three reasons:
Even though Rabbi She'ar Yashuv was the one who had initiated the pamphlet's
publication, he himself did not receive a copy when it was
printed. Only several months later, due to the special
circumstances of that time, did he receive a copy.
Rabbi She'ar Yashuv was one of the volunteers who somehow made
their way inside the Old City. He joined the fighters there, and was
seriously wounded in the battles. When the Old City was captured
by the Arab Legion, he was taken prisoner. After seven months as
a prisoner in Jordan, the prisoners were returned to Israel in a
prisoner exchange deal. Rabbi She'ar Yashuv was brought to
Zichron Yaakov to recuperate, and Rabbi Tzvi
Yehudah came to visit him the morning after his arrival.
Rabbi She'ar Yashuv recounted:
'The next morning, as I was removing my
tefillin after morning prayers, I looked out the window. And there I saw Rabbi Tzvi
Yehudah, slowly climbing the mountain! Afterward I found out
that he had taken the first bus from Jerusalem, and traveled
early in the morning all the way to Zichron Yaakov in order to greet me. I
ran toward him, and he hugged and kissed me. He cried over me
like a child. The truth is that my situation was so serious that
everyone had nearly given up all hope. Until then, such a thing had
never happened — returning alive from captivity in an Arab
country. But King Abdullah wanted to show the world that he was an
enlightened king who respected international law....
'After his outburst of emotion, Rabbi Tzvi Yehudah put his hand in his coat
pocket and brought out a small pamphlet, containing his article
about defending the country. Inside was an inscription: 'For my
dear beloved friend — the initiator, advisor, and solicitor [of this tract].
This pamphlet is kept from the day of its appearance, until
God's redeemed will return in peace, and joyfully come to Zion.'
'I still have that pamphlet, carefully stored in my
possession.'
(Translated from Mashmia Yeshuah by R. Simcha Raz and Hilah Volbershtin, pp. 270-272)
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Copyright © 2006 by Chanan Morrison
"When you wage war against
your enemies..." (Deut. 21:10)
A Copy for Rabbi She'ar Yashuv