Rav Amar on the Draft Law

Translated from here:

The Rishon Letzion the Gaon Rav Shelomo Moshe Amar went out on the attack against the government's policy against learners of the holy Torah and their categorization as criminal transgressors with the passing of the clause that called for criminal sanctions, and said that the heads of the state are destroying the nation and the land.

In a Shiur that he gave over in a Beit Midrash in Yerushalayim, he attacked the authors of the law and said, "It's a shame for those who think to raise their hands against the holy Torah. They're only hurting themselves. They cannot hurt the Torah world."

Regarding reports that the authors of the law are directing their guns at the Sephardic public, the rav said, "All kinds of rumors are spread. They say, 'Maybe it won't go with the Ashkenazim - maybe the Sepharadim.' What do they think? That this is a custom of various communities? That this is their mentality? What do they think? That the Torah is a game? That it is a piece of clothing to wear? Torah is Torah!

"Our fathers and fathers' fathers gave up their lives for Torah - in poverty, in troubles, during decrees - our fathers who stood in all the sufferings and in all the untimely deaths - who could stand in such a thing? But they stood strong and gave up their souls to sanctify Hashem's name, and the Torah never ceased from them ever," added Rav Amar.

Rav Amar added and said, "Nothing in the world will help. They're coming with this provocation...with these denunciations...against Torah learners. They changed Torah learners into as if they were enemies of the people, G-d forbid. Is there any stupidity greater than this?"

In the continuation of the Shiur, Rav Shelomo Amar categorized the Haredim who are Yeshiva students, but in actuality are not so, and said that they should be drafted: "They have a status of a Rodef."

Rav Amar blamed Netanyahu and Lapid: "They want to tear the nation apart - to divide us. Is this the wisdom of leaders? This is a leader?! That he goes to tear apart his nation?! To cause divisions between one community and other?!"

Rav Amar, who was strong in his words, during the Shiur, once more attacked the leadership of the state, led by Netanyahu, Lapid, and Bennett, "They are destroying the world, destroying the nation, destroying the state, and destroying the land. They're cutting off the branch that the whole world stands upon. This is not a game."