Haredi rabbi who declared it permissible to desecrate Shabbat to avoid draft praised Haredi soldiers just days before

Just days before Rabbi Yitzchok Zilberstein, a prominent leader of the Haredi Lithuanian community, declared that it is permissible to desecrate Shabbat to flee Israel in order to avoid enlisting in the army, he hosted the commander of the IDF’s Haredi Hasmonean Brigade and praised his work, the army radio reports.

In a video shared on X by the Army Radio correspondent for ultra-Orthodox affairs, Daniel Grovais, Zilberstein meets an unnamed officer and says: “Lucky are the people of Israel who have such officers.”

The rabbi also praises the officer for his ability to answer questions of Jewish law and blesses him and other participants in the meeting.

“I was also a soldier,” Zilberstein says.

The first company of troops of the Hasmonean Brigade, a Haredi combat brigade that aims to guarantee an ultra-Orthodox lifestyle during army service, finished its basic training last week.

According to Grovais, the meeting between the officers and Zilberstein happened just two days before the Haredi rabbinic leadership gathered at the central Israeli kibbutz of Ma’ale Hahamisha to affirm their rejection of any compromise regarding the enlistment of Haredi young men.

Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service, but have not enlisted, although a year ago, the High Court ruled that the decades-long blanket exemptions from army duty traditionally afforded to the Haredi community were illegal.

During the gathering, Zilberstein, an influential posek, or decisor of Jewish law, could be heard saying that it is preferable to leave Israel rather than serve in the army.

“Listen, I am telling you to desecrate Shabbat on Shabbat eve and to flee the country,” he stated.