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women into the IDF, leaving the coalition
with only 60 members of the Knesset. To
better understand the Charedi position,
Ben-Gurion asked to meet with the Chazon
Ish.
Besides the Chazon Ish and Ben-Gurion,
the only person present at the meeting,
which took place at the home of the Chazon
Ish, was Ben-Gurion’s personal secretary,
Yitzchak Navon – later the President of the
State of Israel. Navon describes the extraor-
dinary meeting in his autobiography, Kol
HaDerech.
Ben-Gurion opened the meeting by address-
ing the Chazon Ish: “I came to talk to you
about one issue: how can religious and
non-religious Jews live together in this
country, without us exploding from within?
Jews come here from many countries, by “I do not despise the Torah,” said Ben-Gu- they stopped arguing, approached the
the hundreds and thousands, with different rion, “but if nobody is alive, who will learn bookcase and talked about books. They
traditions, different cultures and different the Torah?” parted amicably and shook hands. After
views. Our country is in danger – the Arabs The Chazon Ish answered: “The Torah is the meeting, Ben-Gurion told me: ‘This is
still want to destroy us – and we must find the tree of life, the elixir of life.” an impressive Jew; he has wise eyes and is
a way to bring all the different parts of our modest.’ He was very moved by the visit,
people together. This is the fundamental And again Ben-Gurion said: “Protection of but continued to emphasize: ‘We need to
ֹ
problem: we have many kinds of Jews, and life is also a mitzvah. ה-י ּול ְל ַהְי םי ִת ֵּ מ ַה אל י ִּ כ, ‘It find a way to live together. Otherwise, this
how will we all live together?” is not the dead who will glorify G-d.’ In any is a more serious danger than the danger
event – how will we live together?” of our external enemies.’”
The Chazon Ish answered him with a par-
able from the Talmud: “If two camels meet The Chazon Ish answered: “I see Shabbat
on the road at a narrow gate, and one camel desecrations, cars and trucks driving to the Chanan and Yochanan seek “Anat”
is loaded with a burden and the other is not beach on Shabbat, instead of davening and
loaded with a burden, the one that has no learning Torah and leading a Jewish life. in Ein Harod
burden must give way to the camel that is It outrages the soul to see such Shabbat
loaded with a burden. We religious Jews desecration in the Land of our fathers!” The parable of the “burdened camel and
the unburdened camel” caused great indig-
are compared to the loaded camel, for we Ben-Gurion replied: “I personally don’t go
bear the heavy burden of the mitzvot – and to the sea on Shabbat, but if laborers are nation among Israel’s secular public. Using
the framework of the narrow alley of Paris,
so you, [the secular Jews,] must clear the working all week, don’t they deserve to dip
way for us.” the Chazon Ish claimed that the secular
in the sea on Shabbat? That is their right. Jews of Israel are poor in values, compared
Ben-Gurion patted himself on the shoulder You cannot force them to learn Torah, but to the religious Jews of Israel who are rich
and replied: “And this camel does not carry they are also Jews, and they also do import- in values. Therefore, the poor must make
the burden of mitzvot? Is the mitzvah of set- ant things. You cannot force them to keep way for the rich.
tling the Land of Israel not a mitzvah? Is it Shabbat. And if they don’t go to the beach, But we, the religious Jews of Israel, must
not a burden? And the young people that will they come to the synagogue?”
you are so opposed to [in the IDF], who are The Chazon Ish answered: “I believe that a ask ourselves honestly: are the “secular”
Jews of Israel really an “empty camel” as
sitting at the borders and protecting you – day will come when everyone will observe
isn’t that a mitzvah too?” the Chazon Ish said, or are they actually a
Shabbat and daven.” “full camel”, albeit with different values?
The Chazon Ish answered: “In the merit of Ben-Gurion replied: “If they want to – I will Rav Tzvi Yehudah HaKohen Kook zt”l
our Torah study, they are safe.”
not object to them doing so, but it cannot had a very different view concerning this
Ben-Gurion said: “But if these young people be forced on them. There should be no question. The following story appears in
didn’t protect you, the enemies would religious or anti-religious coercion. Each my book Chanan Porat: The Story of his Life.
slaughter you!” person should live as he sees fit.” I originally heard it from Rabbi Yochanan
Fried, and I quote it here in its entirety.
The Chazon Ish answered: “On the contrary. Navon writes: “The argument went on for
In the merit of our Torah study, they live, a long time. They each held fast to their In 1964, the Ein Harod-Tel Yosef regional
work and are protected.” views without compromise. Ultimately, school asked Yeshivat Merkaz HaRav

Facing page, left to right: The Chazon Ish (PHOTO: PUBLIC DOMAIN/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS), David Ben-Gurion (PHOTO: FRITZ COHEN/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS), Rav Tzvi Yehudah Kook (PHOTO: DAN
HADANI COLLECTION, THE PRITZKER FAMILY NATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION, THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ISRAEL/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)

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