Many great Biblical figures including Abraham, Moses, Joshua, and David fought just fine, thank you. There was a Biblical exemption for newlywed men (Deut. 24:5)
The Mishna (a compilation of Jewish teachings dating, it is believed, far back into Biblical times and put down in writing shortly after the turn of the era), includes a teaching that everyone must help defend the community.
A millenium later, Maimonides (”the Rambam”) wrote about the Tribe of Levi as being exempted from defense, military service. He went on to describe a (quite idealized, imho) broader group of religious scholars as possibly also being exempt, quote 1 below. But Maimonides also extolled the fighting powress of Abraham, for instance, quote 2 below. Other authorities or commentators (some “Achronim” or religious scholars in the centuries following Maimonides) put forward the idea that everybody must help defend the nation (such as in quote 3 below).
All in all, I side with the view that everybody must help defend the land. Bible/Torah scholars should, imho, participate in training and then actually serve when needed (they can be granted student deferments on a reasonable basis, but definitely they should pull their weight in the common defense imho).
I say that opinion with the very highest and greatest respect for the many sincerely religious people studying in these seminaries, academies, colleges, etc.
The greatest respect!
Still, as the Mishna says,”in an obligatory war everyone must go to war, even a groom from his chamber and a bride from her canopy.” (Misha Motah 44b), Deuteronomy notwithstanding. I concur with this Mishnaic POV, but no matter as regards most of the religious scholars. They need to help defend the land imho, and most of them they are not exempted by Deut. 24:5.
Thank you for your response. But, I still do not know how those people justify their, we will not fight, stance given the history of the Jewish people.
I am well aware of the exemptions for newlyweds. Especially for those that had not yet consummated their marriage or, in some interpretations conceived their first male child thus ensuring the continuation of the line.
I am not aware of any law of old which exempted any group as a whole from an obligation to fight to protect Israel.
So, I am curious what do they use as justification of their position?