Giyus: Quotes From Hareidi Gedolim

The following are comments from Gedolim about the Giyus situation. Please send in quotes from all other Hareidi Gedolim and we will update this post.         

                                                                                       HaRav Ovadiya Yosef

“We are surrounded by enemies and haters, but for these evil ones who hate Torah, it doesn't matter. All they are interested in is punishing us, the Hareidi yeshiva students. This is a terrible edict, we are in great trouble.The Torah is in danger, how will they be Torah scholars if they are drafted into the army? We will G-d forbid have to leave the Land, to travel to outside the Land of Israel, in order to ensure that the yeshiva students will be free to study. We are in great trouble, this is the time for each and every person to commit to vote for the parties that support the Torah."
   
        

                                              HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman:

"The very existence of the entire world is dependent upon the merit of study and without it, there is only curses, whereas even one single posuk learned can sustain the world. Thus, when in our times we regretfully have those who seek to decrease Torah and harm its scholars, which, if they succeed, would constitute an indescribable misfortune in view of our intense efforts to augment Torah for the continued upkeep of the world — therefore, the only recourse we have to abolish this decree is by fortifying ourselves exceedingly and perhaps assuming some practice upon ourselves as a whole, which would surely be most welcome and commendable before Hashem."

                                              

 HaRav Shmuel Halevi Wosner:

"Due to our many sins, at such a time when we find ourselves surrounded by enemies from all the neighboring countries, we are also threatened by enemies from within, those who despise Hashem and have reared their heads, seeking through various wiles to disrupt and prevent the study of Torah amongst our small children and our dear avreichim, which is our ultimate merit for the continued existence of the Jewish people. Therefore the time has come to rouse ourselves and examine our deeds to forestall the destroyer from entering our homes. The Halochoh requires that at such a time we must assemble and beg for mercy through prayer before the A- mighty, to prevent pain and suffering and sin."

                                             HaRav Moshe Sternbuch  

"This wicked government has declared war not only against Yeshiva Bochurim, But their main purpose is rather to uproot anything pertaining to Kedusha. They wish to uproot the education of our children and to prepare our sons and daughters for university; they want to provide a "hechsher ” for conversions based merely on acceptance of citizenship without the acceptance of any yoke of Torah and mitzvos. They want to uproot the Shabbos by opening places of entertainment and operating public transportation on Shabbos Hashem yishmerenu, and unfortunately they have just started to profane the holy of holies, the kosel hama’arovi, on  which the shechino rests to this day. However, their war is currently primarily directed against the drafting of Yeshiva bochurim.""The heads of the government assured their voters upon coming into power that all their troubles stem from the chareidim, who are stealing their money. This is unfortunately very reminiscent of the arguments advanced by Hitler  ym”sh when he came into power that the Jews were draining his nation of their financial resources. The current government is so preoccupied with this theme that even before dealing with the budget they started dealing with the drafting of yeshiva boys, in order to show everybody what the yeshiva world is doing, and to "prove" that the budget deficit is to be attributed to the chareidim."

                                                                                       

                                               HaRav Nissim Karelitz:

"When we are beset with harsh decrees, it behooves us to introspect and understand what is required of us: to reinforce ourselves in Torah study, to be immersed in it and it goes without saying that if we do so, we cannot come to kollel with the device known as a cellphone, which, in any case, must surely be disconnected during the study session. It is especially important to fortify oneself during lax times like on Friday and Shabbos."

                                          HaRav Chaim Kanievsky
                                          
                                          Bound Up Together In Hardship to Pour Forth in Prayer

heads by way of decrees and persecution of chareidi Jewry and the Torah world, attempting to breach the walls of our faith and our sanctity through the threat of army service — and when they seek to tamper with the pure education of our tender children whose very breaths sustain the entire world — And when our enemies from without declare: "Let us decimate them", and the troubles of the community and the individual are so many, including sickness and bitter suffering...

Aharon Leib Shteinman        Nissim Karelitz

Harav Dovid Povarsky

"We are fighting for life! They want to destroy us- All of us!We must educate are students that this is a battle for life or death (ch'v)!"