Attorney Itzik Buntzel, father of Amit Buntzel, a team commander in the Paratroopers who fell in battle in Gaza on the 23rd of Kislev 5774, addressed a public letter to the heads of the Haredi yeshivot, demanding that the upcoming "Bein Tzamin" vacation be canceled.
According to him, "this is not the time for vacations and trips," and in this time of emergency, yeshiva students must remain in yeshiva and increase their Torah study.
Buntzel wrote: "Very soon the Haredi yeshiva world will go on a three-week vacation from the 10th of Av to the 3rd of Av, the first day of the month of Elul. My dear brothers, you say that the world of Torah and Torah study is a supreme value, and only thanks to prayers and Torah study do IDF soldiers win the battle. If so, the Torah Brigade - which is an inseparable brigade of the Israel Defense Forces - cannot go on a three-week vacation at this time."
According to him, the security reality requires mutual guarantee and maximum spiritual mobilization: "All army brigades are in a state of emergency, and hundreds of thousands of reserve fighters have left their families and are on combat tours of over 400 days amid the fighting. 883 brave fighters lost their lives defending the State of Israel, and they are joined by over 7,000 wounded - some of whom are very seriously injured."
He spoke of his personal pain: "I also lost my son Amit in this war, who was a team commander in a patrol who led his soldiers throughout all the days of fighting from the morning of October 7 until he fell in battle."
He described how the values of the Torah were a lamp to his son's feet, who made sure to study every free moment: "The value of Torah study and the world of Torah were a lamp to Amit's feet, and every free moment Amit sat and studied - all in order to purify his soul from the sights of war and so that he would not forget where he came from and where he was going."
Buntzel read: "I call on all yeshivot heads and the Haredi Torah world to cancel and hereby announce that the vacation between the times is null and void. In this time of emergency, there is no room to abandon our soldiers who are putting their lives at risk at every moment."
According to him, the role of yeshiva students is to maintain the Torah brigade with dedication: "The world of Torah is part of the campaign, and therefore this is not the time for the Torah brigade to go on vacation and abandon the other brigades that are on the front lines. The world of Torah is an inseparable part of the campaign, and stopping Torah study and prayers will endanger our fighters and seriously harm the return of the kidnapped. If you are truly part of the fighting brigades, then the vacation between times should be canceled."
He added and wrote: "The correct view is that each part should do its part to the maximum extent possible - those who go to war should do so in the most professional and best manner, and those who sit in the Beit Midrash - should devote their lives to studying Torah, and add and strengthen soldiers for Torah, especially in these times. This is not the time for vacations and trips!"
In conclusion, he wrote: "Please accept my urgent appeal and announce now the cancellation of the interim leave. Require those soldiers of the Torah Brigade - yeshiva students - to report to yeshiva and petition in prayers and study for the success of our soldiers in battle, and for a complete recovery for the wounded and success in returning the kidnapped to their families. The Torah world cannot go on vacation at this time!!"
"Even someone who is not a fighter can pray for them with all his intention, with all his heart. Whether he has a son, brother or husband there, or whether there is another Jew there - he does not know him. Israel is a guarantor of each other, and one must pray for the fighters and the kidnapped and the wounded - with all his heart and soul."
He signed off with an emotional request: "Our Father, our King - may this hour be a merciful hour and a time of favor before You. Please make a decision that the holiday between the times is null and void, and that yeshiva students must report to yeshiva even during the period between the times. As it is said: 'This Torah scroll will not depart from your mouth.'"
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