overall... the halacha was established ages ago... it was known as pikuah nefesh. get shalit out of his captors hands. there is no need for a bunch of rabbis to argue this ... unless that's about all they ever do.

there congregations.Leave politics out of religion.Rabbis should take control of those rightist lunatics and teach them about democracy and compassion for the human being.

is a righteous man. I really love that guy.

from the LEFT to say this?

Why doesn't he condemn those Rabbis who condone hesder yeshiva soldiers refusing orders to evacuate settlers? After all that is sedition!

Well I guess they have to have their say aswell.What would the deal be without their blessings?? Quite pathetic.

This is a JEWISH state remember. And Halacha is not about what sermons to make on Saturday. It's a law system, that deals with every day life. So the Rabbi's should get involved. The teachings of our fathers can help (or do you not think your father has any knowledge). And BTW, the Shalits (who are not Haradi) called in the Rabbis.

With respect tp you Rebecca, my father was not a Rabbi.

Prayers for Gilad Shalit ! The deliberations required to secure the release of Gilad are complex and multi-faceted. However there is a way out of the impasse. The fate of Gilad Shalit is inextricably linked to the fate of the region. His predicament is a microcosm. If we don't care for all of G-d's children, why should G-d care about us ? Many people's boundary of concern extends no further than the face they see in the mirror in the morning. The problem presents the opportunity for great trust building and real positive changes in the power dynamics between all the various parties. P.S. Recently MIT discovered that a Rubik's Cube no matter how diabolical its configuration can always be solved. The metaphor re. Gilad's fate and all the other issues bedevilling the region is apt.

Halachic only has any valitity if Metzer and cia start working as the religious that they are in the behalf of ALL Israel.Up to then their all halachic is bs. Spread Torah to all Israel and stop being nasty selfish men who think only in a restrict group. If they live in the land of Israel they must think in the same way about ALL Jews,without distinction!

comfort those families?

this court Yehudi cares not for the thousands murdered and left with wounds worse than death due to Oslo which his sephard brother condoned with the apostate's vision of pikuach nefesh notion that meant death and maiming instead. He never dared act against the destruction of 10000 Yehudim lives and 22 Torah learning centers. Chabad girls school opening for yordim, he'll be there. Yehudim fighting to live in the land of their own name. Just try and find a whisker. Now it is guaranteed that those released who should be dead will kill again or try to do same, yet this moser says go to hell Yehudim..this is your court Yehudi...watch him dance on your blood

Why not share what you know with your "benighted" fellow rightist rabbis? Since you've got all the facts, the full information and the intelligence reports, etc.

But who but "HASHEM can guarantee this in "Olam Hazeh "?

I agree with Rabbi Metzger. In all cases full knowledge is always a prerequisite to making a decision or taking a stand. Unfortunately in an Army orders must be obeyed, soldiers who object to the orders must find other ways to make their position known, if possible before the action.

I rarely laugh after reading a Ynet commentary but I sure did after reading yours. Thanks for your wit!

Israel is a jewish democratic state and not a state run accoriding to Jewish Law. Religion is after all a faith and a belief. You have no right whatso ever to to tell others how to live their lives, judge and slander others according to your religious beliefs. Just as you are free to be religious we are also free to not be religious. There is a democratic system of law in this country, despite what you may think. Seperate state and religion now and forever.

Rabbis are the only ones who can issue a clear moral decision as they do not base their opinions on their own feelings and their political considerations but rather on Torah the doctrine of truth written by G-d The response to release hundreds for one is very clearly a disproportionate response and will give tremendous strength to those terrorists to continue to kidnap and kill our people. You do not eed many more facts than that.

B"H 1.) We know what corruption is and a government rabbi is not a rabbi, according to Sulchan Aruch halacha 18 in Chapter 334. The "Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi" of Israel is a government official, not a Torah authority. 2.) We do have halacha on what ransom to pay for a hostage: never more than his worth. "Captives should not be redeemed for more than their value," (Mishnah Gittin 4:6)

to the Shalit family ? It's a risk we [ not you in LA of course ] take by freeing those , eventually , would be murderers . But should Galit stay in their hands "ad eternum" ? As i already wrote some time ago , a very difficult issue .

You show that "god" did'nt forget you , number one on his list [ your last tb ]

So for you he was'nt ordained a Rabbi ? Just because he does not share your ideas ? "Captives should not be redeemed for more than their value" , as you wrote . Who are you to say how much Gilay is worth ? I can say to you : for you i would'nt pay any Agora .

they supposedly have thousands of years of religious rulings which have been delivered to them by the almighty himself. surely they just get the correct ruling from him as always. or maybe the "oral law" is not functioning anymore?

Rabbi Metzger should also not comment especially making rulings from kabal ah texts.They are not halachic. There however is enough information that terrorists will be let go and more killings will follow.