One well known Dati Leumi rabbi has made the mistake most of mankind has fallen into.
He conflates between HIS personal opinion and objective truth. He is one hundred pecent sure of himself. He knows the will of G-d much better than the Chazon Ish, the Brisker Rov, the Chebiner Rav, Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Avraham Genechovski, Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach, Rav Ovadiah Yosef, Rav Charlap and virtually every Gadol Bi-Yisrael since the birth of the State.
Most people conflate reality and their subjective perspective but we hope that big people can transcend that pitfall. But alas - often not. This has negative ramifications all over the place. Socially, emotionally, spiritually, intellectually and the list goes on.
I am a little tiny man. I was gifted with a certain type of soul with specific qualities. I have an intellect which helps me get through life but is very, very limited. I have some knowledge but well over 99.99999 percent of what there is to know is right now beyond me. I was raised a certain way which impacts the way I view the world. I have strong societal influences which impact the way I view life. The amount of things that shape my perspective are countless. Had my circumstances been different I doubtless would see the world differently. Had I been raised in a different country, had different parents, gone to different schools-yeshivos, had different siblings and friends, married a different girl, read different books, had different interests etc, etc, I surely would see the world diffferently than I do now. Mine is A perspective but not THE perspective. Only Hashem is privy to Absolute Truth.
Back to the aforementioned rabbi. He insists that all Yeshiva students [both single and married] should be forcibly conscipted to the army. THAT is the unadulterated will of Hashem. He KNOWS. If not - then Hashem wants us to take things into our own hands and starve the children of people who refuse to serve because it conflicts with their religion [as THEY view it]. Cut off all funding to these honest TAX PAYING [which is where the money comes from] citizens and thus make sure their children have little or nothing to eat. Force them to go against the teaching of Judaism [again - as they understand it] in a Jewish State. That is his idea. It is a Halachic obligation for them serve and to skirt this is to bring upon themselves oxygen-depriving sanctions. This is only a Jewish State as HE understands Judaism. Other people's understanding of Judaism is irrelevant when it comes to something so hallowed as army service. We must revert back to our tragic history and restore the compulsion to contravene Jewish law at the behest of the government. [Ronald Reagan - Big government isn't the solution - it is the problem].
What about secular Jews? Do they have any obligations? Well, this rabbi says that since we live in a Democratic society, nobody can be forced to do anything [!!]. Live and let live. They may live as they wish. In a Democratic society people may not be forced to live against their will. That is totalinarianism. Facism. A relic of despotic rulers that we want to rid ourselves of.
So we are Democratic ... until it comes to the army. Then we are once again living under the Czar.
The secular Jews may violate Shabbos, they may eat pork chops on Yom Kippur that falls out on Shabbos [רח"ל], they may have relations with menstruating women [their wives or someone else's wife - free country] or men with men [רח"ל], they may burn a sefer Torah and use the fire for a bar-b-que [רח"ל]. WhatEVER they want. But if the Yeshiva students don't serve then we must do anything in our power to force them to do so.
All he demands of the secular is that they accept parts of Tanach so that we have some historical basis for living in this Land. But of course it is impossible to force anyone to think anything and of course not believing will result in no sanctions.
This is the way he thinks. And he KNOWS that he is right because our sources clearly say it.
Or maybe, may we suggest.... not...?
Maybe he is just a product of his genetics, upbringing, environment, education, society, the podcasts he listens to etc. etc. and while having the right to his opinion he should RESPECT [key word] others rights to think and practice differently. Maybe his patronizing attitude is actually not the correct one??? Maybe the Chazon Ish and all of the other Gedolei Yisrael, Poskim, Roshei Yeshiva, Tzadikim etc. etc. were correct. Maybe not defnitely but at least "maybe". Like - did G-d reveal Himself to this rabbi and show him the unvarnished truth?? He doesn't CLAIM to be a Navi so we will assume that he is not [and if he did claim to be one we would try to adjust his meds accordingly].
Mussar Haskel: Believe passionately in what you believe but remember that your own path does not negate or deligitimize the paths of others [within Torah, of course. I am not a religious or moral relativist. Torah Mi-Sinai is not under debate]. In some areas there is no OBJECTIVE way and it is quite personal and individulaized. Your wife or husband will NOT always see things as you do. Nor will your children, your chavrusa or anyone else for that matter. RESPECT their right to think differently and listen to their positions. Validate them. And keep learning and learning and learning to try to get closer and closer to Infinite Truths.
