Rabbi Dov Lando Issues Defiant Stand Against Draft

In one of the largest displays of Haredi solidarity in recent years, tens of thousands of students and alumni of the Mir Yeshiva gathered last night (Wednesday) at the Arena Stadium in Jerusalem. The event, intended as a tribute to the world’s largest yeshiva, was marked by a sharp ideological declaration from the Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Dov Lando.

Addressing the massive crowd, Rabbi Lando addressed the ongoing political and legal pressure regarding the conscription of yeshiva students into the IDF. He characterized the attempts to draft Torah scholars as a plot to "uproot the Torah world."

"There are those who scheme to undermine the world of Torah and wish to draft Torah learners, Heaven forbid," Rabbi Lando stated. "We all stand against them as an impenetrable wall, ensuring that not even a single yeshiva student or avrech (married student) will be drafted into the army."

Rabbi Lando addressed the spiritual superiority of those who choose a life of study over material pursuits. He described avrechi kollel (married students) as the crown of creation and the foundation of the Jewish people. He emphasized that those who take upon themselves the yoke of Torah are traditionally exempted from the yoke of worldly affairs.

The Rabbi spoke at length about the struggle of families living on modest stipends, asserting that the happiness and purity found in the homes of Torah scholars have "no equal in the world."

The event featured over 300 heads of chaburas (study groups) and thousands of current students, serving as a powerful visual reminder of the Mir Yeshiva's scale. Following his speech at the Arena, Rabbi Lando traveled to the Hebron Yeshiva in Givat Mordechai to deliver a shiur.

The timing of the speech is significant, coming as the Israeli government faces increasing pressure to resolve the draft exemption crisis amidst the heightened regional security alerts reported else.