Elyakim Levanon
Photo: Gur Dotan
Shmuel Eliyahu
Photo: Avihu Shapira
Rabbis who urged disobedience lecture soldiers
Rabbis Elyakim Levanon, Shmuel Eliyahu, who in the past urged soldiers to disobey orders pertaining to settlement evictions, invited to give troops motivational speeches
Two rabbis, who in the past urged soldiers to disobey orders pertaining to the eviction of West Bank settlements have recently been invited by the military to give troops motivational speeches, Ynet learned Wednesday.
Rabbi Elyakim Levanon from Samaria and Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu from Safed, who were in the center of several controversial affairs pertaining to the IDF, the State and the courts' authority, both voiced their support for soldiers disobeying orders in cases of settlement eviction.
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Rabbi Levanon spoke against the Judiciary several times, and also stated that "Troops would rather die than listen to women sing," while Rabbi Eliyahu urged against renting flats to Arabs, and called the Shalit deal "a lunacy that defies the Halacha."
Moreover, while Rabbi Eliyahu has strongly denounced various "price tag" acts, and specifically the torching of mosques, he was one of the rabbis who urged revenge following the Itamar massacre.
Their strong opinions, however, have not stopped the military from asking them to lecture before servicemen.
In April, Rabbi Levanon spoke before troops in the Judea and Samaria Spatial Brigade, while Rabbi Eliyahu lectured to Haruv Reconnaissance Unit troops in the Jordan Valley, to troops in the Hebron Brigade and Duvdevan Unit soldiers.
"The Military Rabbinate is implementing a strict screening process for external rabbis who seek, or are asked to, address soldiers," an officer with the Military Rabbinate told Ynet.
"These permits are issued on a case-by-case basis and very carefully. Many eyebrows were raised when Eliyahu and Levanon were invited to address troops."
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in response: "The Military Rabbinate follows directives saying that any lecturer set to speak before troops will be chosen according to the content outline he submits and its relevance to the audience.
"The content of the lectures in question was reviewed according to IDF procedures and were found adequate, as they are religious lessons.
"Needless to say, the appearance of any individual within a military framework is not indicative of any IDF affiliation with their positions on any issue."
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