Non-military rabbi gives Torah lesson to reluctant soldiers

Low-level commanders authorize rabbi to meet with Golani Brigade soldiers at Galilee base; troops not certain if meeting optional or mandatory. Relative: They felt uncomfortable

Yoav Zitun

Some 20 Golani Brigade soldiers were asked by a non-military rabbi over the weekend to wear their berets and attend a Torah lesson, Ynet has learned.

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The soldiers, who belong to a reconnaissance unit, were not certain whether the lesson was optional or mandatory. The rabbi, Benny Nahum, also asked the soldiers to recite a prayer while they were eating the traditional Hanukkah sufganiyot.

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The IDF said the rabbi entered the base, which is located in the Western Galilee, after receiving authorization from low-level commanders. However, the rabbi breached the agreement he had made with the commanders regarding the duration and objective of his meeting with the troops, the army said.

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'They didn't want to make a fuss.' Soldiers with Rabbi Nahum

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"These are excellent soldiers who did not how to act in this situation. The rabbi took advantage of this," a relative of one of the soldiers told Ynet on Sunday.

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"Not all of them (soldiers) are religious. They felt uncomfortable because they were being forced to listen to a religious lecture. How can a rabbi, who is not even in the army, be allowed to enter military base and order soldiers around? It was important for them ? because of their desire to succeed in an elite unit ? not to make a fuss," the relative said.

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Speaking to Ynet, Rabbi Nahum said "I suggested that the soldiers wear their berets like people (wear yarmulkes) in synagogue. Some put the berets on immediately without making a big deal out of it ? other didn't. I was invited by a commander at the base to meet the soldiers. A number of officers were present during the lesson.

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"I've accompanied soldiers during all the wars, be it by comforting them or handing them tefillin. I do it out of sheer love for them, and I apologize if it made anyone feel uncomfortable," he said.

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"I came to the base to give a lesson on the differences between holidays that were forced upon us by the torah and holidays such as Hanukkah and Yom Kippur, which weren't."

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Source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4166687,00.html

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