Somebody sent me this link from chabad.org and noted that the one thing missing was actually being part of the non spiritual army, and fight and protect. I couldn’t agree more. That being said, I’m in Chutz La’aretz and therefore hypocritical. I also imagine that link was directed to those in Chutz La’aretz.
At the end of the day, the Rambam which was quoted by the LR and which is often repeated, says that you GO OUT TO MILCHOMO even on matters of Straw and Produce. B’Pashtus, as is the Pashtus of the Rambam in Hilchos Melachim, is that this is physical war (albeit assisted by good deeds and mitzvos and tefillos)
Avraham didn’t fight those kings with Kaballa or Chassidus. He SMOTE them AL PI CHAREV.
pitputim 
But the ones putting Tefilin on a soldier are within reach of a recruitment post = Lishkat Hagiyus. Is that what is meant by:
ה’ יילחם לכם ואתם תחרשון ?
Are these soldiers ‘צבאות ה Sorry for the “Gdoilim”; I meant ‘צבקות ה
This reminds me of a story. A shiduch was made and the father of the bride went to meet the future Choson.
The father asks the Bochur: What are you doing these days?
The Bochur replies: I sit in a Kollel;
The Father: What about Parnose?
Bochur: Hashem will provide;
Father: How will you provide for your future wife?
Bochur: Be”Ezrat Hashem.
Father: And when you have a family?
Bocur: Hashem is generous, he will provide.
The father of the bride returns home. His wife asks him: How were you impressed by the Chothon?
Husband: Very impressed
Wife: Tell me about him;
Husband; He thinks that I am G-d.
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Look the LR often used a non literal reading of hilchos melochim. He used generals armies and wars as being ruchniesdike things. I guess from Chutz Looretz that’s what one could do. Especially earlier, the people in kfar CHABAD went to the army
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Yes, I remember. They went to the army with a bottle of Schnapps on Purim, and some coins were handed out and immediately collected back in their Pushkes to Mkayem Tzdoko L’Aniyim. That is all I saw of them while serving. No, they were not wearing army uniforms.
I have to admit that once a Chabadnik, who came from a non-religious family served with us. He told me his story. Before going to the army, his father took him to the Rebbe. The Rebbe was aware of his family and said it to him. The lad asked the Rebbe in which battalion should he serve. The Rebbe’s reply was: volunteer to the Paratroopers. It came as a surprise, and he asked the Rebbe: I thought that you would suggest the Rabbanut. To that the Rebbe replied: If you go to the Rabbanut you will get no respect, but if you serve in the paratroopers, and later you go to the Rabbanut, you will get all the respect as combat fighter, and not just one serving with the Rabbanut. Once we were serving in the open dessert, that fellow asked the commanding officer’s permission to erect an Eruv for the religious soldiers. Permission was granted on condition that the motorized part of the unit should not be included within the Eruv.
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Where are the Rebbe’s Schluchim/schlichim to serve in the IDF?
The schluchim are sent all over the world. I am sure they can reach Israel and participate in the defence of the Jewish State.
Yetze Chatan M’Chupato V’Chbadnig m’beth Chabad. Isn’t that written somewhere?
Are Motnehem Chagurim and waiting for the Marching Orders?
Have they issued a קול קורא to their peole in the Holy Land to join the forces and protect and save their brothers?
I have not seen one.
Is it אחד בפה ואחד בלב ?
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2 points I would like to make
1) The article was written for Jews in Chutz L’Aretz in mind and there for it’s not very practical to say to US,UK, AUS etc Jews to go to Israel at the moment to join the army.
2) To Meme, There are hundreds of Chabadnik’s in the army mainly in the reserves. There is actually a video of a Lubavitcher from England who is in the army at the moment speaking about the situation.
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@ Jack
I agree with you that the article was meant for the Galut. Anyone who is not an Israeli is not obligated by law to serve in the IDF. There were and are volunteers, and the one from England you mention is probably one of them.
There might be these days more Chabadniks in the IDF than there were during my lengthy service in the regular and reserve. Some went probably to the army before becoming Chabad and now serve in the reserves. Does Chabad encourage its youngsters to do their army service? Do they enlist?
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This is from KIPA (Israeli Religious forum):
“הרב שרקי תקף את הטענות לפיהן אם יש פיגועים צריך להתחזק בדברי תורה ואמר, “אם יש פיגועים צריך להתחזק בקרב מגע”
It is the view of an Israeli Rabbi.
[my translation: Rav Shreki attacked the argument that if there are injured, we need to get stronger with Divrei Torah, when he stated “if there are injured/fatalities we need to learn self defence (Krav Maga, for example) … now there’s a plug for you Avi Yemini in Melbourne]
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