Rab Judah said in the name of Samuel…: He shall live by them, but he shall not die because of them. (Tractate Yoma 85b)

The Israel Defense Forces has always had policies in place to determine the proper course of action in different situations in accordance with Jewish law.  Now that the new Haredi (Ultra-Orthodox) draft bill will be increasing the number of observant recruits, the IDF is releasing its updated guidelines for religious soldiers.

One of the significant challenges for Torah-observant soldiers in the army is keeping the laws of the Sabbath.  Most of the jobs soldiers must do violate the 39 categories of behavior prohibited on the Sabbath.  Jewish law determines, however, that protecting one’s life and the lives of others overrides the prohibitions of the Sabbath.  Here are some highlights from the revised IDF booklet, in which the army’s rabbinical staff outline which actions are permitted (because they are considered life-saving), and which should be avoided where possible.

“Desecrating Shabbat due to operational necessities is not a sin, but a mitzvah,” the pamphlet begins, emphasizing that in a time of urgency, such as a firefight, any and all actions may be taken.

Prior to the Sabbath, the booklet instructs soldiers to remove unnecessary equipment from flak jacket and vehicle, change batteries in radio equipment, prepare list of guard shifts, call parents to wish them a good Sabbath, and light the Sabbath candles. They are to refuel vehicles and check water and oil before the Sabbath, as well.  The soldier is advised to determine in advance whether operations that weekend are operational or civilian in nature, which would influence what one may or may not do.

Driving on the Sabbath should be minimized.  Soldiers are instructed to use the gas pedal sparingly, and only drive in the case of medical or security emergencies.  Use of other devices is also limited; soldiers may only turn on electric fans to protect equipment from harm, and they should announce in advance that they will not answer non-operational radio calls during the Sabbath.  If the nature of the call is unclear, soldiers are to answer anyway, just in case.

The position of those who determine the guidelines is, of course, that they apply to all Jewish soldiers, whether they are personally observant or not.  However, the expectation is that only religious soldiers will follow the directives within.