It
is with great sadness that we acknowledge the passing of Ha-Rav Avichai Brigadier
General Ronski ztz"l: graduate of our Yeshiva, Ra"m in our Yeshiva, Rosh Yeshiva
in Itamar, Chief Rabbi of Tzahal, and served in many elite units in Tzahal
including as a high-ranking officer.
Rav Ronski's view of a military Rabbi was not to simply provide
religious services and then return to an air-conditioned office, but to serve
as a spiritual guide for the soldiers during training and battle. Rav
Ronski - based on the vision of Ha-Rav Shlomo Goren - said that a military
Rabbi must also have been a combat soldier.
Rav
Ronski also authored 4 volumes of Teshuvot, "Ke-Chitzim Be-Yad Gibor",
on military Halachot.
Here
are a few Teshuvot of Rav Aviner which mention Rav Ronski's book:
Ambush on Shabbat
Q: If a soldier goes out of an ambush on Shabbat or returns
from an ambush on Shabbat, is it permissible for him to take personal items
with him?
A: It is permissible to take food which will contribute to
his alertness. There is a dispute regarding non-essential items.
The Chafetz Chaim is lenient in his book "Machane Yisrael" (see
Ke-Chitzin Be-Yad of Ha-Rav Avichai Ronski, former Chief Rabbi of Tzahal,
Volume 2 pp. 36-37, who permits it. And Kishrei Milchama of Ha-Rav
Colonel Ayal Krim, head of the Halachah Department of Tzahal, Volume 4 pp.
86-90).
Cohain
in Maarat Ha-Machpelah
Q:
Is it permissible for a Cohain to enter Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah?
A:
There is a halachic dispute about whether or not the graves of the righteous
are impure. If the graves of the righteous are not impure, then it would be
permissible for Cohanim to enter Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah, Kever Rachel, the grave
of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, et al. While some do permit this, most authorities
rule that the graves of the righteous are impure and it is therefore forbidden
for Cohanim to enter. It is not permissible however, to give lashes to someone
who does enter, since there are those who permit it. Some authorities also
explain that Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah is built so that the lower structure, where
the graves are located, is covered and detached from the building. Much has
been written about this issue. I do not know much about this, though, since I
am a Cohain and have never been inside Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah. Maran Ha-Rav Kook
did not visit the graves of the righteous in general since he was a Cohain
(Le-Shelosha Be-Elul vol. 1, p. 76) and accordingly did not enter Ma'arat
Ha-Machpelah. I am not more righteous than Maran Ha-Rav Kook, so I also do not
enter.
The
same question applies to Kever Rachel. Even according to the opinion that the
graves of the righteous are impure, some say that the building was made in a
way to make it permissible for Cohanim to enter. Ha-Rav Mordechai Eliyahu
relates that he once told our Rabbi, Ha-Rav Tzvi Yehudah, that it is written in
the book "Kuntres Yechi’eli" that it is permissible for Cohanim to
enter Kever Rachel. Our Rabbi asked him: what do people say there? He answered:
they read the verses about our mother Rachel. Our Rabbi travelled there, but
only went as far as the door. When he returned, Ha-Rav Eliyahu asked him: why
didn’t you enter? He answered: My father did not enter, therefore I did not
enter" (Parashah Sheet "Kol Tzofa’ich #279. See also Sichot Ha-Rav Tzvi
Yehudah - Eretz Yisrael p. 142 note 1 that after the Six-Day War, the students
of our Rabbi organized a trip to the liberated areas in the Shomron. One of the
places they visited was Kever Yosef. The students entered, but our Rabbi
remained outside, because he was a Cohain). Again, Maran Ha-Rav Kook did not
enter Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah, so I do not.
In
the book "Ke-Chitzim Be-Yad Giborim" (vol. 3, p. 108), Ha-Rav Avichai
Ronski, the former Chief Rabbi of Tzahal, was asked: is it permissible for a
soldier who is a Cohain to enter Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah for a tour, in order to
learn about the place in the event that there is a terrorist attack there and
his unit needs to take action? Ha-Rav Ronski answers that it is permissible for
three reasons: 1. It is obvious and clear that the security apparatus which
would be sent on such a mission must train for it properly. 2. In general, it
is not clear that the graves of our forefathers are directly located under the
floor of the prayer halls, and even if they are located there, it is possible
that the impurity does not break out and spread upward since it there may be
hollow spaces larger than a "tefach" (handbreath – 7.6 cm-9.6 cm)
which separate the floor from the graves. 3. There are Rishonim (Rabbis of the
Middle Ages) who ruled that the graves of the righteous do not cause impurity,
and Ha-Rav Mordechai Eliyahu permits Cohanim to enter Ma'arat Ha-Machpelah and
Kever Rachel. Even though the majority of authorities prohibit entering, it is
possible to add this lenient opinion to the other reasons that permit it.
Ha-Rav
Aviner writes in his comments to this book that it is important to know that
the first reason is the main one, and the second and third reasons are only
additional minority positions which can be added to permit it. And we must
point this out so that people do not learn that there is an all-encompassing
heter to enter.
Shehechiyanu
on F-35 Stealth Fighter Jets
Q:
With Hashem's kindnesses, the State of Israel received F-35 Stealth Fighter
jets. Should the blessing of Shehechiyanu be
recited, or is it not recited because the fighter plane is a weapon of
war? If it should be recited, who recites the blessing?
A:
War indeed causes distress, but for now we are obligated to wage war. The
Rambam calls one of the books in the Mishneh Torah Hilchot Melachim U-Milchamot - Laws of Kings and Wars. The
censored edition calls this book "Laws of Kings and Their Wars", as
if the Nation of Israel only waged wars in the past but no longer does
so. This is not true. There is no free nation without war. To
our great distress, we therefore must wage war, but we can take pride in the
power of the deterrence of Tzahal. How fortunate are we to have merited
these planes!
Regarding which blessing to recite: the blessing of
"Shehechiyanu" is recited over an object acquired by one person,
while the blessing of "Ha-Tov Ve-Ha-Meitiv" is recited over an object
acquired for the benefit of more than one person: Hashem is good to me and does
good for others )Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim
223:2). In this case, the Stealth
Fighter jets are obviously for the benefit of the entire Nation of Israel!
Many years ago, I wrote a long Teshuvah that one should
recite such a blessing over the acquisition of a pistol (in this case
"Shehechiyanu". See Shut She'eilat Shlomo 3:87). This is
true all the more for the F-35 jets!
There were Gedolei Yisrael who disagreed with my Teshuvah on
the pistol for various reasons, including that it is a weapon of
destruction. These included the former Chief Rabbi of Tzahal, Ha-Rav
Brigadier General Avi Ronski, Ha-Rav Dov Lior, Ha-Rav Ovadiah Yosef and Ha-Rav
David Cohen, Ra"m in our Yeshiva (brought in the book "Ke-Chitzim
Be-Yad Gibor Vol. 1, pp. 131-133). Perhaps the four Rabbis who disagreed
with me regarding the blessing over a pistol would agree, however, regarding a
fighter plane. In any event, I discussed this issue with the current
Chief Rabbi of Tzahal, Ha-Rav Brigadier General Ayal Krim, and he agrees that
the blessing of "Ha-Tov Ve-Ha-Meitiv" should be recited over the
fighter jets. And as the Torah says: And come to the Chief Rabbi of
Tzahal who will be in your days (play on the verse "Come to the judge who
will be in your days" - Devarim 17:9), and the Chief Rabbi of Tzahal is
the halachic authority of the army.
The blessing should be recited by the head of the Israeli Air
Force.
And we can add (somewhat in jest) that if the head of the Air
Force wants to be strict, and follow all of the opinions, he can buy a new
shirt to be worn by a few people and recite the blessing "Ha-Tov
Ve-Ha-Meitiv" over the $25 shirt while also having the 90 Million Dollar
F-35 Stealth Fighter jet in mind… This reminds us of the story that when
Ha-Rav Shlomo Goren was Chief Rabbi of Tel Aviv, he recited Shehechiyanu on the
night of Yom Ha-Atzmaut in Shul as was his opinion. One of the people there questioned it,
and Rav Goren waved his tie, as if to say that he was wearing a new tie, and so
the blessing was on it. After
the davening, Rav Goren scolded the man: It is obvious to you that one says
Shehechiyanu on a new tie, but not on a new State?!
May the soul of Ha-Rav Avichai Brigadier
General Ronski remain bound up with the souls of the all other holy and heroic
souls!
