As Israel fights a war for survival, the draft debate has ignited mass haredi protests that have turned violent. A haredi voice calls out the hypocrisy: if Torah truly protects, why forsake it for riots?
Israel is fighting for its very survival on seven fronts — but that hasn’t stopped the country from stumbling into what feels like the brink of a civil war. The flashpoint: the government’s push to draft haredi yeshivah students into the IDF.
Supporters of the draft argue that in wartime every citizen must shoulder the burden. Opponents call it another assault on Torah life. The battle has spilled into the streets: violent protests in Beit Shemesh, Jerusalem, and beyond have brought traffic, cities — and soon even Ben Gurion Airport — to a standstill. Arrests have been made, exemptions revoked, and the political stakes have skyrocketed as religious parties threaten to topple the government.
The anger isn’t just political. It’s theological. Haredi leaders insist that Torah learning itself protects Israel’s soldiers and citizens. As the Talmud (Sanhedrin 49a) teaches: “If not for David’s study, Joab could not wage war. And if not for Joab’s war, David could not study.” Students and soldiers, they argue, are two halves of one shield.
But here lies the contradiction. If Torah learning truly guards the nation, then why abandon the yeshivas for burning dumpsters, street blockades, and clashes with police? Every hour spent rioting is an hour stolen from Torah study — the very shield being claimed.
As one haredi voice puts it: “Claiming Torah study protects while proving otherwise through violent protest undermines our entire argument. If we really believe Torah defends us, then now is the time to show it — by doubling down on learning, not rioting.”
The riots don’t strengthen the case; they destroy it. They turn fellow Jews into enemies, disgrace religious leadership, and hand ammunition to those calling for mass enlistment. Worse, they fracture unity at the moment Israel can least afford it.
History shows our greatest victories — from biblical times to the Six-Day War — came when Jews stood together. Disunity, by contrast, has always been our undoing.
The draft issue may not have easy answers. But the current path is unsustainable. The haredi world must confront the hypocrisy of preaching Torah protection while abandoning it for chaos. If the cause is just, let it be fought with arguments, not with riots. If faith is real, let it shine through example, not destruction.
Israel has enough enemies outside. We cannot afford to create enemies within.
