Why Do Charedim Reject Sherut Leumi (Civil Service) Alternatives Too?
At first glance, national service alternatives — such as sherut leumi (civil service) — might seem like a solution for Charedim who do not serve in the army. After all, if the primary issue is the spiritual danger of the IDF, wouldn’t a non-military framework be an acceptable compromise?
The answer is no. The Charedi world overwhelmingly rejects civil service frameworks as well, and the reasons are rooted in deep hashkafic, halachic, and societal concerns.
1. It’s Still Part of the Same System
Though civil service is not the IDF, it is part of the same national framework — built on secular ideology and designed to promote the same goals of cultural integration. Many Gedolim have emphasized that the goal of both army and sherut leumi is not merely to gain labor, but to reshape the identity of young Jews.
Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman zt”l said:
“Sherut Leumi is just a softer path to the same result — taking bnei Torah and making them part of a world with no Torah.”¹
2. Danger to Ruchniyus and Hashkafah
Even if the technical surroundings of civil service are less spiritually toxic than the army, they are still dangerous:
- Environments without tznius or Torah values.
- Co-ed workplaces.
- Supervisors who do not respect halachah.
- Peers who may mock or influence negatively.
These are not minor concerns — they are a risk to the soul of a young person raised in a Torah world.
Chacham Shalom Cohen zt”l said:
“Would you send your daughter to a place where her modesty, speech, and beliefs are mocked? Sherut leumi is no refuge for Torah Jews.”²
3. It Reinforces the Secular Narrative
Participating in civil service still sends a message:
“We accept the premise that full-time Torah learning is not enough.”
But Charedi hashkafah is clear: learning Torah is not a loophole — it is a national need. It is the foundation of Klal Yisrael’s survival.
Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro zt”l said:
“The moment we accept their definitions of 'contribution,' we lose our identity.”³
4. It Sets a Dangerous Precedent
Once civil service is accepted for those not learning full-time, the slippery slope begins:
- Politicians will push to make it universal.
- Yeshivos will face pressure to “recommend” students.
- Families will be judged by participation.
It undermines the entire Torah-first framework of Charedi life.
A True Story: “My Sister Was a Volunteer. She Came Back Crying.”
A girl from a semi-frum home once signed up for sherut leumi in what seemed like a safe environment — a government library.
She wore modest clothing and tried to keep halachah. But after a few months, she felt spiritually broken.
“The jokes. The conversations. The way they talked about religion… I came home crying every day.”
Her brother, a yeshiva bochur, told her:
“You were sent into the world without armor. And no one told you that the battlefield wasn’t only in the army.”
Conclusion: Civil Service is Not the Answer
The Charedi world does not reject civil service because of laziness or lack of patriotism. It rejects it because it:
- Endangers neshamos.
- Legitimizes secular definitions of value.
- Opens the door to spiritual compromise.
Instead, we believe in building a holy nation — one mitzvah, one pasuk, one act of kindness at a time. Service to Hashem and Klal Yisrael must come on Torah’s terms, not the state’s.
Footnotes & Sources
- Pe’er Hador, Vol. 2, on Rav Shteinman’s opposition to sherut leumi.
- Public statements from Chacham Shalom Cohen, 2014, Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah.
- Sha’arei Shemuos, Rav Moshe Shmuel Shapiro, on secular definitions of contribution.
- Pachad Yitzchak, Igros, Letters on Torah leadership and modern society.