#5949 – A “Moshiach” Soldier?
Rabbenu Shlit’a. Recently we read on the Arutz Sheva news that An IDF soldier from the Golani Brigade was removed from combat during Shabbos duty due to wearing a “Moshiach” patch during operational activity in southern Lebanon. The soldier argued that he had been subjected to unnecessary Chillul Shabbos because there was no operational need to remove him from Lebanon. However, the battalion commander maintained that the incident constituted a serious disciplinary offense and operational consideration. What is really the Torah and Halacha opinion of this very sad occurrence?
Checking on the issue I read that “HaGaon HaRav Avraham Salim, the Rosh Yeshiva of the Maor HaTorah Yeshiva and a member of the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas, connected to the soldier, mentioned the following ruling.
“It makes no sense to impose a disproportionate punishment that harms the motivation of soldiers who are risking their lives for the people and the country,” he said. He added that there was no justification for removing the soldier from Lebanon on Shabbos, when it was not really necessary.
Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Y. Hirshman, Horav Dovid Pam, Horav Aharon Miller, Horav Chanoch Ehrentreu, Horav Kalman Ochs, and Horav Dovid Bartfeld consulting in need Horav Hagaon Rav Yitzchak Berkowitz Shlit’a
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Answered by: Hagaon Rav Shlomo Miller Shlit'a
Published: June 14, 2026