BS"D
Righteous Women Saving The Jewish People:
The Ongoing War Against the Anti-religious Israeli Draft of Women and Girls
Parshas Vayaishev, 21 Kislev, 5780 °° Dec.19, '19
By Binyomin Feinberg, Contributor to The Jewish Press*
FeinbergBinyomin@gmail.com
* The perspectives and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the ownership or management of The Jewish Press.
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To check for updates throughout the week please visit ("Updates for Kislev" at: )
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1_UDTjX9fB6CORv5KjwI04HP4qMI5ZgRdKNcsp4YHohg
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Introduction:
° The Yalkut Shimoni (606, end) on Megilas Rus (4:11) quotes the Medrash Rus, stating that throughout the generations, Jews are redeemed through the merits of the righteous women of that time. See Talmud tractate Sotah 11b, quoting Rav Avira, that we were redeemed from Egypt (similarly) in the merit of the righteous women of that time (cf. Kav HaYashar).
° In another post, we briefly address the antireligious nature of the Israeli female draft policy, see
https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2019/12/making-jew-hatred-great-again.html. There we discuss, by way of example, the plight of a recently religious girl (now learning in a religious seminary in Jerusalem) who is being mistreated by the Army, which already set her draft date for April 1. Please daven and/or learn be'retzifus for Dinah bas Galit. ("Dana" was recently changed to "Dinah.")
° B"H, many girls, and others, are fighting this antireligious draft policy. Moreover, we're witness to many monumental acts of mesiras nefesh ("self-sacrifice"), by Israeli girls - of all backgrounds - refusing to submit to this anti-Torah edict. Some of these girls are newly observant. Their mesiras nefesh is truly remarkable. Clearly, the Soton too is well aware of the immense spiritual potential of Jewish women. Perhaps for that very reason, religious girls specifically have been increasing targeted for the military draft, especially over the past year or two. Of course, nothing happens without Divine Province every step of the way. These epic nisyonos ("tests") undoubtedly will play a major role in the Ultimate Redemption.
° The caseload of religious girls in distress is growing, and more assistance is clearly needed. Even just clarifying the facts of each case, and dissemination thereof, is not a simple matter, in light of the sheer volume of work involved.
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1. We begin here with a brief response to a reader's query regarding last week's post about the attempted-suicide of an Israeli girl incarcerated in Military Prison Four, Shir (https://daattorah.blogspot.com/2019/12/facilitating-suicide_51.html (Dec. 12), titled "Facilitating Suicide?," with a question mark).
Q: Do we claim that the Israeli Army intentionally tries to facilitate suicide in the military prisons?
A: No. The Army (presumably) does NOT want girls incarcerated in Military Prison actually committing suicide.
2. What the Army does in fact do is subject many incarcerated girls to unbearable psychological - and sometimes physical - abuse, abuse which could predictably trigger suicide attempts in the more susceptible girls. [Realize that we're not addressing intent, as much as actual acts and policies.] According to multiple, unrelenting, independent accounts, the government is persecuting girls refusing to serve in the military to the point that some break and enlist, some physically collapse, and, in the case of Shir, some even attempt suicide. [It must be emphasized that, B"H, others do prevail.]
3. As our Sages teach, the pain of (prolonged) torment can actually be more unbearable than death itself (see Talmud tractate Kesubos 33b, top). The management and staff of the Israeli military prison system apparently understand that principle all too well, and, unfortunately, perform accordingly. This trend of subjecting incarcerated objectors (religious girls and others) to terrible abuse has reportedly manifested, in various ways, in the cases of Shir, Donna bas Hadas, Hila bas Adina (Military Prison 4), and of Miri N., Adina, and others (in Military Prison 6), to cite some current or recent examples. It's important to mention that our latest information about Shir is that she's STILL being mistreated, rather than being released from prison for medical treatment.
4. What benefit would breaking resistant girls provide the Army brass? Enforcement of compliance, or, at the very least, as we explained last week, deterrent to others considering resisting the military draft.
5. However, girls insistent on refusing to enlist need not suffer so terribly, or cower in fear. Help is available, often at no cost. It is critical to seek guidance from those with experience, and most capable and willing to fight for your rights. While no promises as to results can be made, proper publicization of the plight of a girl suffering incarceration, or facing a threat thereof, generally helps alleviate her plight significantly.
6. Free information is available by calling the volunteer ladies at "Chomosaich" 03-545-6770 (24/6). They provide information and advice to girls in danger of Army enlistment, harassment or persecution. Girls are urged to call before even considering stepping foot into the Draft Office. In fact, it's advisable to contact Chomosaich even before problems arise, to prevent many costly errors made out of sheer ignorance.
7. This approach also helps one avoid running into other people at the Draft Offices, or Military Court, individuals who may (even with the best of intentions) refer girls to assistance that may prove disappointing, or even considerably worse. We've received multiple reports of girls who have needlessly suffered from neglect or mismanagement of their cases. One erroneous referral can inadvertently wreak havoc.
a) One indicator of a problem is an overzealous recommendation to obtain a "quick" Petur Nafshi (PN), rather than fight on principle for a religious exemption. The PN, according to a recent article in Maariv, is coming under increasing scrutiny. Many of those who obtained a PN may be shocked to hear that their PN is being revoked or reexamined, and needs to be redone.
b) Another danger is the increasingly common phenomenon of frum ladies sending girls into the Draft Office, or even actually recommending submitting to a "Rayon Das" (a religiosity interrogation). This occurs in cases of girls newly observant or studying in a non-religious school for any reason. Entering the Draft Office is assur, and quite dangerous, especially for the newly observant and those who've studied in a non-religious school.
c) A third indicator may be a seemingly inexplicable aversion to engaging in proper pirsum in English, even when that can be done without divulging the name of the girl.
If girls encounter these red-flags, they should politely leave and call Chomosaich immediately, before being harassed into a potentially hazardous, and hard-to-reverse situation.
8. Chomosaich provides information and guidance to girls from across the spectrum, independent of their level of religious observance. Thousands have benefited from their painstaking work. (For more details, see http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2019/12/crime-wave-strikes-israeli-girls.html .)
9. In these situations, it's often accurate to say that the only thing girl need fear is fear itself. Armed with an unwavering Emunah and commitment to the Torah prohibition against enlistment in the military as Yai'horaig Ve'al Ya'avor, and assisted by legal help and the employment of intelligent pirsum (PR), a girl can often transform her status from being a victim to a victor.
10. Girls resisting military service, their families, and their advocates should take inspiration from the many girls and families standing strong against the antireligious, often coercive conscription campaign of the IDF Draft Offices, (as well as resisting the misguided efforts of some others to help them).
11. One of many examples is the family of Avigail Leah H., a 17 y/o Chabad girl harassed by the Army since February '19.
12. In fact, in February, her mother, Dr. Rus Ester Leemor bas Tzipora (a Ba'alas Teshuva, and previously an Israeli Air Force captain, who also needs our tefillos for a speedy recovery), was told explicitly by Keren Levy, now heading the Jerusalem Draft Office, that she (Ms. Levy) will "decide" if Avigail is religious. Moreover, with almost unbelievable temerity, Levy (now promoted to Colonel) added:
"I will profane (or "violate") "The Vineyard" ("acha'lail et ha'Kerem") - and I'll start with your daughter(!)"
13. In the face of this unmitigated anti-Jewish antipathy, Avigail's family remained steadfast in her demand for a religious exemption. They braved months of Army threats of arrest (despite Avigail being below 18, the Army technically could have arrested her, albeit just to force her down to the Draft Office for a religious interrogation). She remained unwavering not only in her refusal to enlist in the IDF, but also in her refusal make any Halachic compromises in the process, including submitting to a "Rayon Dat."
14. And in her persistence, BE"H she prevailed, recently receiving written notice of her Religious Exemption. (See http://daattorah.blogspot.com/2019/12/crime-wave-strikes-israeli-girls.html for more details and links to her story.)
15. Their fortitude to battle against what appears to be an overtly antireligious vendetta, where many others failed to help, stands as an example for all Jews to emulate. Over 21 centuries ago, the spiritual progenitors of the modern day Hellenists similarly sought to draw Jews away from their fidelity to the Torah. And it was in the merit of righteous women, along with the saintly men who fought for them, that the Jewish People were saved from the terrible, antireligious edicts of those endarkened days.
16. It's interesting that the spiritual heirs of the ancient Hellenists, in what may be seen as an effort to establish their historical claim to the Land of Israel by emulating the policies of their earliest known forebears, similarly strike incessantly at the purity of Jewish women (as if channeling the spirits of depraved Greek "Hegmon" rulers).
17. However, as the saintly Chazon Ish warned Israeli PM Ben Gurion, our strength is greater than all of his governmental power and military might, because our strength lies in the unrelenting fortitude of righteous Jewish women, who remain intent on giving up their lives - if need be - rather than submitting to the draft.
°°° May we all merit, through our undeterred support for these brave souls, the Final Redemption very soon.
With a shul in Philadelphia hosting a program for a visiting rav in