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Link to Transcript and Substack post: https://madlik.substack.com/p/rashi-women-and-wine?r=84bfw
Enlist - To voluntarily join a cause or organization, especially military service.
(א) וַיְדַבֵּ֨ר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֛ה בְּמִדְבַּ֥ר סִינַ֖י בְּאֹ֣הֶל מוֹעֵ֑ד בְּאֶחָד֩ לַחֹ֨דֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִ֜י בַּשָּׁנָ֣ה הַשֵּׁנִ֗ית לְצֵאתָ֛ם מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם לֵאמֹֽר׃ (ב) שְׂא֗וּ אֶת־רֹאשׁ֙ כׇּל־עֲדַ֣ת בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְמִשְׁפְּחֹתָ֖ם לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם בְּמִסְפַּ֣ר שֵׁמ֔וֹת כׇּל־זָכָ֖ר לְגֻלְגְּלֹתָֽם׃ (ג) מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כׇּל־יֹצֵ֥א צָבָ֖א בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תִּפְקְד֥וּ אֹתָ֛ם לְצִבְאֹתָ֖ם אַתָּ֥ה וְאַהֲרֹֽן׃
(1) On the first day of the second month, in the second year following the exodus from the land of Egypt, יהוה spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, saying: (2) Take a census of the whole Israelite company [of fighters] by the clans of its ancestral houses, listing the names, every male, head by head. (3) You and Aaron shall record them by their groups, from the age of twenty years up, all those in Israel who are able to bear arms.
(מה) וַיִּֽהְי֛וּ כׇּל־פְּקוּדֵ֥י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְבֵ֣ית אֲבֹתָ֑ם מִבֶּ֨ן עֶשְׂרִ֤ים שָׁנָה֙ וָמַ֔עְלָה כׇּל־יֹצֵ֥א צָבָ֖א בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (מו) וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כׇּל־הַפְּקֻדִ֔ים שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת אֶ֖לֶף וּשְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת אֲלָפִ֑ים וַחֲמֵ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת וַחֲמִשִּֽׁים׃ (מז) וְהַלְוִיִּ֖ם לְמַטֵּ֣ה אֲבֹתָ֑ם לֹ֥א הׇתְפָּקְד֖וּ בְּתוֹכָֽם׃ {פ} (מח) וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יהוה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֥ה לֵּאמֹֽר׃ (מט) אַ֣ךְ אֶת־מַטֵּ֤ה לֵוִי֙ לֹ֣א תִפְקֹ֔ד וְאֶת־רֹאשָׁ֖ם לֹ֣א תִשָּׂ֑א בְּת֖וֹךְ בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (נ) וְאַתָּ֡ה הַפְקֵ֣ד אֶת־הַלְוִיִּם֩ עַל־מִשְׁכַּ֨ן הָעֵדֻ֜ת וְעַ֣ל כׇּל־כֵּלָיו֮ וְעַ֣ל כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ֒ הֵ֜מָּה יִשְׂא֤וּ אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן֙ וְאֶת־כׇּל־כֵּלָ֔יו וְהֵ֖ם יְשָׁרְתֻ֑הוּ וְסָבִ֥יב לַמִּשְׁכָּ֖ן יַחֲנֽוּ׃
(45) All the Israelite males, aged twenty years and over, enrolled by ancestral houses, all those in Israel who were able to bear arms— (46) all who were enrolled came to 603,550. (47) The Levites, however, were not recorded among them by their ancestral tribe. (48) For יהוה had spoken to Moses, saying: (49) Do not on any account enroll the tribe of Levi or take a census of them with the Israelites. (50) You shall put the Levites in charge of the Tabernacle of the Pact, all its furnishings, and everything that pertains to it: they shall carry the Tabernacle and all its furnishings, and they shall tend it; and they shall camp around the Tabernacle.
ואתה הפקד את הלוים. באר למה לא התפקדו כי פקודת המשכן עליהם על כן לא יצאו בצבא:
BUT APPOINT THOU THE LEVITES OVER THE TABERNACLE. Scripture explains here why the Levites were not counted. They were not counted because the charge of the tabernacle was upon them. Therefore they did not serve in the army.
ואתה הפקד את הלוים על משכן העדות. באור הוא למה שאמר אך את מטה לוי לא תפקוד ולומר כי מה שלא התפקדו הלוים בתוך בני ישראל אינו אלא למעלתם כדי שיהיו משרתי המשכן.
ואתה הפקד את הלוים על משכן העדות, “and you are to appoint the Levites as in charge of the Tabernacle of Testimony, etc.” This whole verse is the explanation of verse 49 in which Moses had been told not to include the Levites in the census for the army. G’d now explains that the reason why the Levites were not to be counted with the other twelve tribes was not their ineligibility but on the contrary, it was their superior position which required them to be counted separately. Seeing it was going to be their function to perform all manner of service connected with the Tabernacle, they would be counted separately and would form a separate camp.
(ד) כִּ֚י יהוה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶ֔ם הַהֹלֵ֖ךְ עִמָּכֶ֑ם לְהִלָּחֵ֥ם לָכֶ֛ם עִם־אֹיְבֵיכֶ֖ם לְהוֹשִׁ֥יעַ אֶתְכֶֽם׃ (ה) וְדִבְּר֣וּ הַשֹּֽׁטְרִים֮ אֶל־הָעָ֣ם לֵאמֹר֒ מִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֨ר בָּנָ֤ה בַֽיִת־חָדָשׁ֙ וְלֹ֣א חֲנָכ֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יַחְנְכֶֽנּוּ׃ (ו) וּמִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נָטַ֥ע כֶּ֙רֶם֙ וְלֹ֣א חִלְּל֔וֹ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יְחַלְּלֶֽנּוּ׃ (ז) וּמִֽי־הָאִ֞ישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אֵרַ֤שׂ אִשָּׁה֙ וְלֹ֣א לְקָחָ֔הּ יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת֙ בַּמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאִ֥ישׁ אַחֵ֖ר יִקָּחֶֽנָּה׃ (ח) וְיָסְפ֣וּ הַשֹּׁטְרִים֮ לְדַבֵּ֣ר אֶל־הָעָם֒ וְאָמְר֗וּ מִי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הַיָּרֵא֙ וְרַ֣ךְ הַלֵּבָ֔ב יֵלֵ֖ךְ וְיָשֹׁ֣ב לְבֵית֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א יִמַּ֛ס אֶת־לְבַ֥ב אֶחָ֖יו כִּלְבָבֽוֹ׃
(4) For it is your God יהוה who marches with you to do battle for you against your enemy, to bring you victory.” (5) Then the officials shall address the troops, as follows: “Is there anyone who has built a new house but has not dedicated it? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another dedicate it. (6) Is there anyone who has planted a vineyard but has never harvested it? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another harvest it. (7) Is there anyone who has paid the bride-price for a wife, but who has not yet taken her [into his household]? Let him go back to his home, lest he die in battle and another take her [into his household as his wife].” (8) The officials shall go on addressing the troops and say, “Is there anyone afraid and disheartened? Let him go back to his home, lest the courage of his comrades flag like his.”
(ו) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִבְנֵי־גָ֖ד וְלִבְנֵ֣י רְאוּבֵ֑ן הַאַֽחֵיכֶ֗ם יָבֹ֙אוּ֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וְאַתֶּ֖ם תֵּ֥שְׁבוּ פֹֽה׃ (ז) וְלָ֣מָּה (תנואון) [תְנִיא֔וּן] אֶת־לֵ֖ב בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מֵֽעֲבֹר֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־נָתַ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יהוה׃
(6) Moses replied to the Gadites and the Reubenites, “Are your brothers to go to war while you stay here? (7) Why will you turn the minds of the Israelites from crossing into the land that יהוה has given them?
In his 1998 leading decision in Rubinstein v. Minister of Defense on deferment of military service for yeshiva students, Supreme Court President Aharon Barak explained the reason for the deferment and its historical context as follows:
The original reason for the arrangement was the destruction of the yeshivas in Europe during the Holocaust and the wish to prevent the closing of yeshivas in Israel due to their students being drafted to the army. Today this objective no longer exists. The yeshivas are flourishing in Israel, and there is no serious worry that the draft of yeshiva students, according to any arrangement, would bring about the disappearance of this [yeshiva] institution. see Israel: Supreme Court Decision Invalidating the Law aw on Haredi Military Draft Postponement March 2012
Ben Gurion visits the Hazon Ish - Yizchak Navon, writing sometime later about the meeting, recounted how Rabbi Karelitz, responding to Ben-Gurion’s query regarding “how can we live together,” described a scene from the Talmud in which, when “two camels meet on a path, and one of the camels is weighed down with a load, and the other camel is not, the one not carrying the burden must give way to the one who is.” The moral of the parable, suggested Karelitz, was that, “We, the religious Jews, are analogous to the camel with the load – we carry a burden of hundreds of commandments. You” – secular Israel – “have to give way.”...
Ben-Gurion, according to Navon, attempted to mount a counter-argument. “And the [second] camel isn’t weighed down with the burden of commandments?” he asked rhetorically. “The commandment to settle the land isn’t a burden?... And the commandments to defending life aren’t mitzvot? And what those boys whom you are so opposed to do, sitting on the borders and protecting you, that’s not a mitzvah?”
Karelitz was not even able to agree, according to Navon, that the learners’ lives were protected by those serving in the army. Rather, he insisted that, “It is only thanks to the fact that we learn Torah that they [the soldiers] are able to exist.” see here
and see here: When David Ben-Gurion Met the Chazon Ish, The National Museum and the NY Times October 21st 1952 BEN-GURION MEETS RELIGIOUS LEADER;
(קכו) עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לַיהוה הֵ֝פֵ֗רוּ תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃
(126) It is a time to act for the LORD, for they have violated Your teaching.
וְיֵשׁ לְבֵית דִּין לַעֲקֹר אַף דְּבָרִים אֵלּוּ לְפִי שָׁעָה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהוּא קָטָן מִן הָרִאשׁוֹנִים שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ גְּזֵרוֹת אֵלּוּ חֲמוּרִין מִדִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה עַצְמָהּ שֶׁאֲפִלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה יֵשׁ לְכָל בֵּית דִּין לְעָקְרוֹ הוֹרָאַת שָׁעָה. כֵּיצַד. בֵּית דִּין שֶׁרָאוּ לְחַזֵּק הַדָּת וְלַעֲשׂוֹת סְיָג כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹּא יַעַבְרוּ הָעָם עַל דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה. מַכִּין וְעוֹנְשִׁין שֶׁלֹּא כַּדִּין אֲבָל אֵין קוֹבְעִין הַדָּבָר לְדוֹרוֹת וְאוֹמְרִים שֶׁהֲלָכָה כָּךְ הוּא. וְכֵן אִם רָאוּ לְפִי שָׁעָה לְבַטֵּל מִצְוַת עֲשֵׂה אוֹ לַעֲבֹר עַל מִצְוַת לֹא תַּעֲשֶׂה כְּדֵי לְהַחְזִיר רַבִּים לַדָּת אוֹ לְהַצִּיל רַבִּים מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מִלְּהִכָּשֵׁל בִּדְבָרִים אֲחֵרִים עוֹשִׂין לְפִי מַה שֶּׁצְּרִיכָה הַשָּׁעָה. כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהָרוֹפֵא חוֹתֵךְ יָדוֹ אוֹ רַגְלוֹ שֶׁל זֶה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּחְיֶה כֻּלּוֹ כָּךְ בֵּית דִּין מוֹרִים בִּזְמַן מִן הַזְּמַנִּים לַעֲבֹר עַל קְצָת מִצְוֹת לְפִי שָׁעָה כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְקַיְּמוּ [כֻּלָּם] כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים חַלֵּל עָלָיו שַׁבָּת אַחַת כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּשְׁמֹר שַׁבָּתוֹת הַרְבֵּה:
A court may, however, suspend the application of such decrees temporarily, even if it is of lesser stature than the original court. The rationale is that these decrees should not be considered as more severe than the words of the Torah itself, and any court has the authority to abrogate the words of the Torah as a temporary measure.What is implied? If a court sees that it is necessary to strengthen the faith and create a safeguard so that the people will not violate Torah law, they may apply beatings and punishments that are not sanctioned by Torah. They may not, however, establish the matter for posterity and say that this is the halachah.
Similarly, if they saw that temporarily it was necessary to nullify a positive commandment or violate a negative commandment in order to bring people at large back to the Jewish faith or to prevent many Jews from transgressing in other matters, they may do what is necessary at that time. To explain by analogy: Just like a doctor may amputate a person's hand or foot so that the person as a whole will live; so, too, at times, the court may rule to temporarily violate some of the commandments so that they will later keep all of them. In this vein, the Sages of the previous generations said: "Desecrate one Sabbath for a person's sake so that he will keep many Sabbaths."
In his 1998 leading decision in Rubinstein v. Minister of Defense on deferment of military service for yeshiva students, Supreme Court President Aharon Barak explained the reason for the deferment and its historical context as follows:
The original reason for the arrangement was the destruction of the yeshivas in Europe during the Holocaust and the wish to prevent the closing of yeshivas in Israel due to their students being drafted to the army. Today this objective no longer exists. The yeshivas are flourishing in Israel, and there is no serious worry that the draft of yeshiva students, according to any arrangement, would bring about the disappearance of this [yeshiva] institution. see Israel: Israel: Supreme Court Decision Invalidating the Law on Haredi Military Draft Postponement March 2012
Da'as Torah - Accept the truth from whoever speaks it. I learned this principle from Rav Dov Landau [who wrote a letter to Rav Shach, and ] concluded his letter with a bold statement: “And do not explain to me the concept of ‘right being left and left being right’ and the new laws of ‘everything they instruct you.’ I’m not a child.” So, I tell you now, [wrote R. David Leibel] I’m not a child, I’m not a youth. I’m seventy years old and will continue to speak my truth […]. Falsehood has no legs to stand on. “Truth will sprout from the earth.” - Rav David Leibel delivered this remarkably sharp retort in response to a fierce attack from Rav Dov Landau, the spiritual leader of the “Degel HaTorah” movement, concerning Rav Leibel’s recent involvement in recruiting Yeshiva students and his vision for establishing a Haredi brigade in the IDF. Many within the community, including recognized and important rabbis, quietly lean towards his positions, even if they do not agree with every detail
Perhaps the more important question is not whether Rav Leibel is right in every aspect of his plan, but whether Haredi society is capable and willing to engage in an open and respectful discussion about its future, the challenges it faces, and the ways to confront them. In daring to voice a different opinion, Rav Leibel makes a significant contribution to the future of Haredi society in Israel and to the future of the State of Israel as a whole. see Rav Dovid Leibel and the New Charedi-Rabbinic Struggle, Yisroel Shapiro Sept 2024
Rabbi David Leibel founder of Achvat Torahwas born and raised in France. He immigrated to Israel at a young age and studied at the Ponevezh yeshiva, one of the flagship institutions of the Lithuanian elite. After years of focusing only on Torah study, Rabbi Leibel entered the world of work and became a successful businessman and social entrepreneur. The credo he has energetically promoted over the last decade constitutes a mix of the Haredi lifestyle with practical endeavors. His extensive record of activity in this field includes establishing a high-tech training initiative for yeshiva graduates and a network of kollelim for working Haredim, and at the beginning of the last academic year he opened a yeshiva that combines Torah study with academic studies.
אָמַר רַב יוֹסֵף: מִצְוָה, בְּעִידָּנָא דְּעָסֵיק בָּהּ — מַגְּנָא וּמַצְּלָא, בְּעִידָּנָא דְּלָא עָסֵיק בָּהּ — אַגּוֹנֵי מַגְּנָא, אַצּוֹלֵי לָא מַצְּלָא. תּוֹרָה, בֵּין בְּעִידָּנָא דְּעָסֵיק בָּהּ וּבֵין בְּעִידָּנָא דְּלָא עָסֵיק בָּהּ — מַגְּנָא וּמַצְּלָא.
Rav Yosef said that with regard to a mitzva, at the time when one is engaged in its performance it protects one from misfortune and saves one from the evil inclination; at the time when one is not engaged in its performance, it protects one from misfortune but it does not save one from the evil inclination. With regard to Torah study, both at the time when one is engaged in it and at the time when one is not engaged in it, it protects one from misfortune and saves one from the evil inclination. Therefore, the merit of the woman’s mitzvot does protect her from misfortune and delay her punishment.
In a letter published toward the end of December [2024], he entirely rejected the classical Haredi position that Torah study protects the Jewish people. He explained the words of the Talmud (Tractate Sotah 21a) that “the Torah protects and saves” as referring only to individuals but not to the people as a whole, and thus argued that the Haredi claim that yeshiva students help defend the state by studying Torah has no real basis in Jewish tradition and law. He went even further, and concluded the letter with a dig at the Haredi mainstream, saying that if Torah study protects the Jewish people, then Torah students are culpable for the events of October 7 and for the deaths of soldiers in the war.
In an interview aired on the Israeli channel 12, he went even further and said that maybe these yeshivot and collels should locate themselves on the border and they could avert an attach such as occurred on October 7th.
With regard to the danger of assimilation in the army he argues that this is not a valid legal reason to avert military service, but rather a motivation to enhance the army's religious observance for these religious battalions and to better prepare the conscripts.
He also connects the benefits of citizenship with its obligations. (similar to our verses).
“The path to participation in the military draft has not yet been properly laid. At the same time, we must understand that this is not just the military’s problem, but also our problem. We are citizens of this state, and we have chosen to be part of it. As long as we have no practical plans to give up our citizenship or to emigrate from here, the solution to the challenge of bearing the burden is also up to us. The war has raised the issue of Haredi society’s belonging to the State of Israel … We cannot have our cake and eat it. If we are willing to enjoy our rights, we must also play our part in meeting obligations.” see: The Modern Haredi, As Envisioned by Rabbi David Leibel, January 11, 2024 | Written By: Eliyahu Berkovits
See interview with haredi commander who says that if he had not entered the army, not only would he probably not have stayed religious, he probably would be on drugs... or worse... https://videos.files.wordpress.com/NXcjYUwy/riverside_copy_of-haredi-interview-_-may-26-2025-001_geoffrey_sterns-st.mp4
See also: Venturing into Haredi enclaves, an Israeli atheist tries a new form of Jewish outreach Naor Narkis has launched a movement to help members of the insular ultra-Orthodox community explore other options – an initiative, he says, that aims to thwart a demographic crisis By Alexandra Vardi 24 May 2025