ALL UPDATES for the ATZERET TEFILLAH

8 Marcheshvan 5786

If you missed the earlier coverage of this "historic" event, check out the Frum Tik Tok account on "X"...

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With regard to those who give Avraham Avinu's rescue of Lot as an example of necessary warfare for Torah scholars, the following comes from the Stone Edition Chumash Commentary on Bereishit 14.14, very interestingly it is found in this week's parashah Lech Lecha...

"And when Abram heard that his kinsman was taken captive, he armed his disciples who had been born in his house - three hundred and eighteen - and he pursued them as far as Dan."

Abraham armed the disciples he had educated in the service of Hashem.  The Sages fault him for using Torah scholars to wage war, and maintain that this was one of the reasons his descendants were consigned to Egyptian servitude (Nedarim 32a).

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JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Despite the ideological differences between the Religious Zionist community and the charedim, two of the most prominent Religious Zionist rabbis are calling to support and even participate in the rally taking place Thursday in Jerusalem. Rabbi Tzvi Tau, president of the Har Hamor yeshiva and leader of the Noam faction represented by MK Avi Maoz, and Rabbi David Chai Hakohen, head of the Netivot Yisrael yeshiva in Bat Yam, both expressed their support for the charedi demands.

The rabbis identified with the theme of the rally, which is not to oppose the drafting of charedim but rather to protest the wholesale attack on the Torah world and the delegitimization of yeshiva students simply for wanting to study Torah full time. (For this reason the Jerusalem Faction declared that they will not join the rally as they oppose any form of compromise with the government over the charedi draft).

Rabbi Tau, issued a rare and powerful letter urging participation in Thursday’s mass atzeres tefillah in Yerushalayim.  [See "Messianic Moves"]

“In these days, when young men devoted to their limud haTorah are being held behind bars as though their dedication to Torah study were a crime, our hearts cry out,” Rav Tau wrote. “I call upon all to take part in tomorrow’s public tefillah on behalf of those who learn Torah.”

Quoting his rebbi, Rav Tzvi Yehuda Kook zt”l, Rav Tau stressed that the state and the army belong equally to all Jews, and harmony between yeshiva students and soldiers is essential. “Our rebbi Rav Tzvi Yehuda said repeatedly: ‘The state and the army belong to all of us. We are all avdei Hashem and members of His people. We are not two opposing sides, and coercion has no place here. Army officials cannot meddle in the inner workings of yeshivos, just as roshei yeshiva cannot dictate specific matters pertaining to the army.’”

Rav Tau continued, “Any attempt at coercion would be a disaster for the state. The young men immersed in Torah are not a burden, they are a national cultural treasure of the highest order. Their learning elevates the nation’s spirit and strengthens morale throughout our land and our army.”

Rabbi David Hai HaCohen accused the judicial system of persecuting yeshiva students and declared that despite the differences in opinions, the charedi students have the full right and obligation to heed their rabbis regarding the issue of military conscription. He called upon Religious Zionist yeshivot to hold prayers on behalf of Torah learners during the rally.

“Our brothers, all the Torah students in our institutions, the yeshivot of Religious Zionism, lovers of Torah and God-fearing Jews, we all share in the sorrow of the Torah scholars who are being persecuted by the judicial system in a harsh manner. This coercion of opinions is a grave injustice and joins the religious persecution led by haters of Israel,” the rabbi wrote.

“We are all called upon to hold prayers in our yeshivot for the well-being of the Torah students and for the restoration of their honor during the rally in Jerusalem. The honor of all Torah learners is the honor of Israel and of Heaven alike,” he added.

Later in his letter, the rabbi addressed “our brothers, the Torah students in the charedi yeshivot,” writing: “Indeed, there are differences between us in our view of the Israel Defense Forces and the self-sacrifice of those who serve to save our people and our land. Yet there is no doubt in our hearts that you have the full right and obligation to listen to your rabbis on the matter of conscription and to oppose the unjust persecution being waged against you. This ugly persecution harms the honor of the Torah and the dignity of every Jew. May it be G-d’s will that the Giver of the Torah will plant love of the Torah once again in the hearts of all our brothers, the House of Israel, and may the stature of all the righteous be elevated everywhere.”  (Source)

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In accordance with their usual tricks, the police have shut down the train service into Jerusalem, claiming it is for security reasons which is completely unfounded...

A person involved in the production of the million-strong Haredi rally for N12: If they do not cancel the decision to close the train - we will examine the possibility of splitting the prayer rally into several locations across the country, including Ayalon, Highway 6, and more. We will shut down the entire country - the Haredi public wanted an orderly rally and chaos is being imposed on them (Eli Hirshman)

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Heavy traffic was reported on roads and at train stations ahead of the ultra-Orthodox 'Million Man Rally' against military conscription, and before the closure of Highway 1 and the Yitzhak Navon station in Jerusalem. The ultra-Orthodox organization 'Emet L'Yaakov' sent a warning letter before petitioning against Israel Railways and the Ministry of Transportation, claiming discrimination in the cessation of train services: "You added 14 extra trains for Eyal Golan's performance, but during a legal protest rally in Jerusalem, the train station was completely closed." (Sivan Hilai, Shilo Freid)

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According to this source, Chabad issued a kol korei to join the Atzeret Tefillah in Jerusalem today...

(h/t "Eden")