“The Knitted Yarmulkas Are Persecuting Us”: Transcription Reveals Comments from Meeting of Rav Landau and Rav Shternbuch

 


A meeting took place last week between Rav Dov Landau, rosh yeshiva of Slabodka, and Rav Moshe Shternbuch at Rav Shternbuch’s home in Har Nof, Yerushalayim. The discussion focused on the intensifying draft crisis and the wave of arrests of yeshiva students, with both gedolim delivering sharp criticism of political leaders in the Religious Zionist camp whom they accused of collaborating with secular parties against the Torah world.

As the visit began, Rav Shternbuch turned to Rav Landau and remarked, “The responsibility for this matter now falls upon you.”

Rav Landau responded: “This is the responsibility of all of Klal Yisroel. With this decree of the draft, we do whatever we can to ensure that bnei hayeshivos do not go to the army, that no one goes to the army. We do what we can through human efforts, in many different ways, and also through tefillah in Shomayim.”

Later in the meeting, Rav Landau voiced concern over Religious Zionist leaders, saying, “Today we have great enemies and persecutors, and there is also another type of persecutor, those who wear knitted yarmulkes — it is frightening.”

Rav Shternbuch cautioned against giving weight to these figures: “The less we speak with them, the healthier it is for us. When they see that they make no impression on us whatsoever, and that we remain strong, then it will not harm us.”

Rav Landau added: “The resha’im do whatever they want — resha’im who know nothing of Yiddishkeit and do not want to know. They give everything to the Arabs, but to bnei Torah they give nothing.”

Rav Shternbuch reinforced the point: “Indeed, our enemies want us to feel persecuted by them. But we must show them that they do not interest us at all, and we will continue on the path of Torah without paying them any attention.”

Addressing his colleague, Rav Shternbuch said: “Do what you can. We must do whatever is in our hands, and the success depends on Hakadosh Boruch Hu.” He then added, “In truth, the very act of doing what is required — that itself is already success.”

The two rabbonim also reminisced about their shared years of learning in Yeshivas Chevron nearly eight decades ago.