[Avodah] pinui kevarim

[Eli Turkel]

<<Perhaps it's the other way around, and some people's dedication to the
zionist project makes them refuse to listen to any argument in favour of
leaving kevarim alone. Perhaps this is what leads them to misrepresent
authorities in their support.>>

First I strongly object to the language that those that disagree with Zev's
interpretations misrepresent authorities. There are other valid opinions besides
his. As I have continually a number of important rabbis disagree with Zev
and his answer is that he doesnt recognize these rabbis - not my problem.
Kavod haTorah extends to rabbis not from Zev's circle.

In spite of his slur against zionism I on the contrary uphold those who try and
make my country work.

I just came from a lecture from one of the top rabbis in the IDF rabbinate on
halachic questions that they deal with. A central point is that one has
to be concerned with the entire organization and not just be machmir in
individual cases but rather have a global viewpoint. He reiterated that the
enemy know was goes on and if we are lax in discipline on shabbat they know it.
When he served during in the units he saw that incidents increased over shabbat
because the enemy knew that many soldiers went home.

Typical questions: Having training exercises on 17th of Tammuz and 9th of Av.
In many case (eg this year) these fasts come out in the middle of the week smack
in the middle of a week of training. In many cases this may the last
training they get
before the next war. A even more serious problem is that of officers
(a high percentage
of officers are religious). Evren if one can live with 20% of the soldiers not
participating it is horrible for morale and coordination if the
division chied doesnt particpate
because it is a long fast in the hot desert of the negev. It is
impossible to push
off the training exercises as the bases are fully booked.

To avoid shabbat problems the army uses various grama devices. RYSE objects and
feels that grama is suitable for an occasional problem but not as a
continuous solution
and prefers a shabbat goy. Besides that running the state on shabbat goy is not
very aesthetic or practical this might work in a hospital but
certainly not in an army.
In many cases they need to write information and they use the shabbat pen of
Zomet. In case a computer is needed they rely on the poskim that
computer writing
is temporary and so only rabbinically prohibited. In general they add
the heter that
electricity on shabbat is only prohibited rabinically. If one looks at a charedi
sefer like orchat shabbat they claim that EVERYONE holds it is a Torah
injunction
and even RSZA was only asking questions and not paskining. Of course they ignore
ROY who says it is rabbinic and many students of RSZA that also deny it is from
the Torah and of course all the poskim before CI.

A general question is the definition of pikuach nefesh. A typical
question is the current news
of the sraeli navy stopping the flotilla to Hamas which originally was
scheduled for shabbat.
 On one hand it is only food, OTOH the government feels it is
important for state policy.

BTW the gedolim that they consult are R. Nebenzahl, R. Lior and R.
Arieli. One question
they asked was about a guard on shabbat at a roadside. According to
strict halacha
once one leaves the techum he has only 4 amot. Doesn't give the
soldier much of a leeway
as he works fully loaded and sweating for many hours. R. Nebenzahl
paskened he can
walk anywhere he needs to stretch out.

In summary as opposed to Zev I applaud those zionist rabbis who look for ways to
save lives and save money in building the ER next to the hospital for
protection in
the next Hamas attack. RSYE claims it is not pikuach nefesh since it will happen
only in the future. With that attitude any future planning is
impossible for building
a new hospital or army barracks or other things which everyone
considers a pikuach
nefesh because that is only in the future. Furthermore, the sefardim
dont accept the
psak of the Nodah BeYehuda and I see no reason why a government has to accept
ashkenazi chumrot over sefardi kulot especially since the majority of
citizens are
not religious

-- 
Eli Turkel