[Video below.] A video has ignited debate over the issue of military service for bnei yeshivos, featuring a thoughtful exchange between a secular driver and several yeshiva bochurim. During the conversation, one of the students offered a heartfelt explanation of how he would respond to a mother whose son is serving on the front lines in Gaza, concluding that while every profession is essential, “talmidei chachamim are needed more than anything.”
The video shows a secular driver transporting several yeshiva bochurim. During the ride, he raised the emotionally charged topic of drafting bnei yeshivos and asked one of the students how he would answer a mother whose son is currently fighting in Gaza or Lebanon.
The yeshiva bochur responded by sharpening the question itself.
“Everyone asks the question: What do I, as a yeshiva bochur, say to a mother whose son is in Gaza? At a time when soldiers are being killed in Gaza and Lebanon, there is a mother who cannot sleep at night because she knows there is a chance that a drone could strike her son, while my mother sleeps peacefully knowing that I am sitting and learning in yeshiva.”
He acknowledged that it is “a powerful and legitimate question,” but argued that the issue should be viewed from a broader perspective.
“Not every mother of a soldier lies awake at night. There are mothers of army cooks, broadcasters on Army Radio, or guards stationed at bases in central Israel. The military includes many roles that are not directly dangerous, yet every person has his own mission.”
At that point, the driver interrupted, saying, “I understand your message, but whether a mother loses sleep doesn’t determine the importance of the role. Every person is a meaningful cog in a much larger system.”
The yeshiva bochur agreed, replying, “That’s true, but it’s important to understand that every person in the world has a mission. Someone whom Hakadosh Baruch Hu designated for Torah study has been privileged with that mission.”
He continued by explaining that, while his words might sound extreme to some, they reflect the Jewish understanding of the nation’s identity.
“Maybe this sounds extreme, but it באמת isn’t. We didn’t become a nation at the signing of Israel’s Declaration of Independence. We became a nation thousands of years ago, when we stood together at the foot of Har Sinai and received the Torah.”
He went on to cite the opening of the Aseres Hadibros, saying that the first commandment, “Anochi Hashem Elokecha,” teaches that Jews are obligated to follow Hashem’s will. He added that the mitzvah of “vehagisa bo yomam valaylah” is fulfilled most completely by yeshiva students who devote their lives to Torah learning instead of pursuing careers or other occupations.
Concluding his remarks, the student said, “We sit from morning until night and learn Torah. As arrogant as it may sound, it’s true—we are the heart of the Jewish people. The Jewish nation has always stood, and will always stand, on Torah. And again, we need an army, we need doctors, we need architects, and we need people to pave roads.”
“But more than anything, we need talmidei chachamim. Because talmidei chachamim are not merely a tool that enables us to live—they are the very essence and soul of our nation.”
WATCH:
https://matzav.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/VIDEO-2026-07-05-18-00-18.mp4
{Matzav.com}