Freeman, et al,
You can be just such a Philistine...
I'm disgusted at this anti Semitic thread.
Don't you know you aren't allowed to post anything that shows Jews in a bad light, even when it's true.
Just because a senior Israeli says it's okay to rape non Jews doesn't mean anyone should ever mention it.
It's mentioned by Reuters.
Israeli military chief rabbi-designate under fire over remarks on rape
(COMMENT)
THE CLAIM:
∆ That Rabbi Col Eyal Karim (Chief Rabbi designate) implied that soldiers would be permitted to rape women in war.
THE ACTUAL WORDS:
∆ “Just as in war, the fence of risk-taking is breached on behalf of others, so are the fences of modesty and kashrut breached… Although fraternizing with a non-Jewess is a very bad thing, it is allowable in war out of consideration for the difficulties of the fighters,”
----------------------------------------
∆ “Because the success of the collective is what mostly concerns us in war, the Torah allows the individual to satisfy his lust in the permitted conditions for the sake of the general success,” he concluded.
-------------------------- SOURCE: Israeli Military's New Chief Rabbi Implied Soldiers Can Rape in War, as Government Lurches to Far-Right
Most Respectfully,
R
Thank you! I have been looking for an English translation of his actual words. (My Hebrew is no where near good enough to read the abundant Hebrew language versions online).
I notice this translation uses the word "fraternizing", which has the connotation of consensual sexual activity, rather than rape, at least to me. I'm not sure what the original Hebrew word was, or if it has the same connotation. If we have any Hebrew speakers here, and seems likely we do, will one of you let me know? You can pm me if you don't want to get into a long religious discussion on the I/P board.
So, let's look at what actually happened back in 2002, was it?
Said Rabbi was posed a question on a forum concerning the interpretations of
Eshet Yefat Toar, which is (troublesome for the modern reader) Torah law concerning what is permissible and not permissible with respect to female captives of war and the behaviour of soldiers during war times.
The response, the interpretation, must be read and understood within the broader concepts of Torah law -- including the concepts of the preservation of life and the absolute prohibition on rape. Let's be real clear here -- Torah law forbids rape. Israeli law also forbids rape.
There is no way this comment can be interpreted as either encouragement or permission to rape. The main idea presented in the response and interpretation of the law is that soldiers in war experience abnormal conditions in which the normal fences of Torah law, which serve to protect the individual members of the Jewish community, are broken down. It may not be possible to adhere strictly to kashrut or to modesty, or to observe other mitzvot. And that, therefore, the requirement to fulfill one's obligations to the performance of these mitzvot are mitigated by the service a soldier performs to the community. This in no way makes it permissible to commit atrocities.