Avi: The study of Torah [Law of Moses] protects the State of Israel. But we must still have a viable army. And so as a "yeshiva man," [person of Jewish study] having learned in a mainstream yeshiva for over 50 years (and I still go to learn in the morning before going to work), we must have qualified Haredi men joining the IDF. There are some, but there are not enough. Moshe Rabbeinu [Moses our Teacher] sent Yehoshua [Joshua/Yoshua], his closest disciple, to lead the army against Amalek. Moshe did not tell Yehoshua to sit and learn while the nation was at war. And not only that, the Sages say that Moshe was taken to task for "passing the buck" to Yehoshua and not leading the army himself!

But while Haredim do need to serve, the religious community needs to here from our brethren that Torah study is invaluable.

Minister Ty Alexander: The study of Torah does not protect Israel. God does through the blessings He gives by His promises, and those promises in the Torah, no one can fulfill anymore and so it is by the curses of the Torah that Israel and Judaism has suffered all these millennia. Learned students of Torah should know that. It is also by no small amount that the study of Torah by Judaism has greatly hurt Israel and all Jews because your sages knew not, and today still, do not know God or His ways and so err greatly and teach the people in great error so as to have all the nation sin.

Adonai [The Lord] sent a word to you, Israel. You heard it but did not receive it, for your ears are stopped. And so, Adonai cuts off head and tail from Israel. The head is the elder and esteemed ones. And the one who teaches falsehood is the tail. For those who guide this people are leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are destroyed; for no one knows the voice of El Elyon, God Most High. Therefore He does not rejoice over their young people, nor does He have compassion on their needy, young and old alike. Yet, in spite all your troubles testifying this against you, you refuse to receive His messages, and so His anger does not turn away, and His hand is still stretched out. This is how it is with this generation.

And to show further what I said about your vaunted teachers not knowing or teaching right, God did not take Moshe "to task for passing the buck to Yehoshua." God punished Moshe for striking the rock for water rather than simply speaking to it, while the battle with Amalek was won because God was with Moshe and not the army. If you do not recall why the army could not win without Moshe's actions then go back to Shemot/Exodus 17.

[following comments added 7/1/2024]

Avi: So the greatest commentor on the Torah, Rashi, disagrees with you. I think I will go with him! Rashi states (quoting earlier sources) that the reason Moshe's hands became "heavy" was that Moshe sent Yehoshua to war rather than going himself.

The striking of the rock is a much later episode (38 years later) and has nothing to do with the subject at hand.

Avi: i don't respond to people who have no idea what they are talking about, or at least write as if they don't.

But to the general point: of course, it is G-d who protects us. There are many factors that inspire and augment that protection, including the study of Torah.

This is clear from the story of Jacob. Because Jacob was away from his parents, Isaac and Rebekkah, for 36 years, he was punished and Joseph was taken away from him. Yet Joseph was taken for only 22 years. The reason is, as our Sages teach, that for 14 years Jacob was ensconsed in Torah study. "Bizchut haTorah -- in the merit of Torah study," he was not penalized for those 14 years.

Minister Ty Alexander: Yes, the striking of the rock at Meribah was much later but how much later we do not know. The water for the people in Shemot/Exodus 17 is not the Meribah incident, but I remembered the Meribah incident as definitely when God "took Moshes to task" and Aaron as well, though, it is not recorded that Aaron did anything wrong other than be co-leader by Moshe's side.

Still, my comment about Moshe being the one who brought the army success against Amalek is still valid. There is no evidence Moshe's hand became heavy because God was against him or because he was being penalized. Raising his hand for hours during the battle simply made him tired. Why don't you try to keep a large wood staff held up all day and see what happens? My point was that it was God who was with Moshe by anointment and blessing that determined the fate of the armies. Without Moshe, ancient Israel would have failed and exterminated because the people brought much headache to God for their stubborn faithlessness.

It is erroneous assumptions and speculation about scripture taken as fact, like you and your sages share, that is the basis of false teachings, and that is the domain of darkness, not God.

And once more you show yourselves in great error when in you talk about Jacob/Israel being "ensconsed in Torah study." What should I say about people who say such things when the Torah was not yet given in the time of Jacob and Joseph?

moshenewman: the study of torah brings gods blessing

Minister Ty Alexander: My point was that simply studying Torah is not what gives God's blessings but it is acting in it as God decreed; NOT as how your sages and current teachers interpret and teach. They did not and still do not have the authority to change Torah, and so, it is impossible to fulfill anymore, as I said, which is certain to curse the teachers and people alike.

Minister Ty Alexander: Haredim calls to "remove the evil government" and labeling the national army as their enemy is dangerous for a group that claims stewardship of God's nation, which Israel is, despite any corruptions real or perceived by any group, including the Orthodox. Israel carries the namesake of God's ancient nation and remains His nation, so refusing to cooperate legally and morally with the government's correct and reasonable decrees with threats of dismantling the government can be deemed rebellion against God. Do you want to be put in that domain?

The Haredim leadership said they'd give "legal and spiritual assistance to refusers," but where does refusing and circumventing good and correct decrees put people? God hates those who judge unrighteously, giving favor and preference unfairly (Vayikra/Leviticus 19:15; Devarim/Deuteronomy 16:18; Mishlei/Proverbs 18:5). Those are words of Torah that still hold force.

Like others who commented here and see the truth, the Haredim and corrupt leadership is most responsible for the woes of the nation, so what will happen if the Orthodox leave? Their woes will follow whenever they go, for the curses of the Torah are true and real and do not have any territorial boundaries; wherever Judaism fails to fulfill the whole Torah, there its curses will be. When will you see this, my kinspeople?

And so, trying to live as you have, by what is impossible to fulfill anymore, should lead you to seek a different way.

Claiming that "the destruction of the Torah" will come from Orthodox conscription is a useless argument when Judaism has already destroyed the Torah by her works of Halacha; unapproved and not written by God. Judaism, whether Orthodox or not, has already suffered "secularization" that is unable to be made pure, so claiming Orthodox ways will be secularized by participation with the rest of Israel is hardly concerning.

The sea of black hats and black shirts is more concerning, as others have commented, the Haredim want to make Israel a Jewish Iran dictatorial state. The sea of black does not speak for God and life, but speaks oppression and death. And the grumblings of the Orthodox leadership sound alarmingly similar to another proud statesman and his followers who were also fooled into thinking they are "obliged to give their souls" for patriotic cause but were corrupted by much darkness. Be careful who you "fight like hell" for, because your allies may actually be fighting against God as well.

Minister Ty Alexander: How much more shame can the Orthodox bring to the People of God? Shouldn't they know God hates dishonest gain? (Yirmiyahu/Jeremiah 22:13-17; Chavakuk/Habakkuk 2:6; Tehillim/Psalm 119:36; Yechezkel/Ezekiel 22:13-14)

It is also a useless argument that they worry military duty will "secularize" them when Judaism has already destroyed the Torah by her works of Halacha; unapproved texts not written by God - all Judaism is already irrevocably "secularized." So claiming Orthodox ways will be secularized by participation with the rest of Israel is hardly concerning. What is worse is how they represent God with so-called "righteous virtue". Truly, there is no one righteous and every table is filthy. Not one place is clean.

Minister Ty Alexander: It is naive that a peace movement will save Israel or Jews. When did a nation ever maintain its sovereignty by being pacifist? Not one could remain without taking up arms, at the very least to defend its borders and people. Ancient Israel surely was not pacifist and modern Israel could not have become sovereign again by being pacifist, nor will she remain intact by doing so; not by the ideas of the Orthodox. Those who cannot understand that war is the work of God also, surely do not know the works of God.

The great Torah teachers weave Pacifist doctrine out of incorrect views of the Torah and the Neviim (the Prophets), as well as deceptive subterfuge in order to keep power in their communities, protect their twisted doctrines, and benefit unjustly from the government and people whom they disdain for being "impure," and yet they expect to be paid for religious study that hardly needs funding, much less government welfare.

Your spiritual teachers have done great disservice to Israel, presuming to be at God's right hand and the only channel for the people of God to be blessed. Presumptuous and in great error. Yet still, they insult the nation in which God established for them while claiming welfare and exemption from serving their nation as their kinsfolk are expected to. Shouldn't Haredim, Orthodox, and all who claim exemption from serving their nation be shameful of being national schleps? Praise and blessing be on those who rightly serve as they should.

The proud deserters flout God's nation in which El Shaddai Himself (God Almighty) established for them to live in and be part of. If you oppose the sovereignty of Israel, you oppose El Elyon, God Most High, Himself. Should those who claim to be the priesthood not know such things? Should they not know what is right for the governance and health of the people and nation?

Instead, their understanding is darkened and they invoke the word of God out of context for their own gain. Zecharya/Zechariah 4:6 is not God's command to be pacifists, nor is it to say the rabbinate is to enjoy the support of the nation and people without their equal contribution. No, military exemption in the Torah for the priesthood is no longer to be invoked because that exemption was for the age past. In the name of El Elyon, God Most High, let all who seek exemption from serving Israel know what it is to truly serve their people. Amen.

Zecharya/Zechariah 4 speaks specifically about building the second temple and the Temple of God that replaced it centuries later - Not by might, force, army, nor by power, but by the Ruach, Spirit of God; for surely these temples were and are no work of mankind. They needed and continue to need the anointment and providence of El Shaddai to exist. If God's providence was upon the second temple, it surely would not have fell.

Zecharya/Zechariah 4 pronounced providence for Z’rubavel/Zerubbabel and Y’hoshua/Joshua, but who out of you have the capstone with the seven eyes of God to place upon His temple? Who of you cleansed the inequity of all the people in one day when the capstone was placed? It was and is the work of El Shaddai, as is the sovereignty of Israel. Shouldn't the learned understand and respect that? Yet they flout God's work with stiffened necks and desire payment for it? This is worse than lamentable, Israel.