Israel’s Chief Rabbi, Rav Kalman Ber, has issued a strongly worded halachic letter rejecting the idea of a sweeping heter permitting chillul Shabbos to improve soldiers’ morale during wartime, stressing that such weighty questions must be decided only by the leading gedolei Torah and foremost poskim.

The letter was addressed to the rosh yeshiva of Yeshiva Shvus Yisroel, Rav Yehoshua Ben Meir, and focuses on whether Shabbos may be violated for the purpose of strengthening morale among troops during combat.

At the outset of the letter, Rav Ber explains that he generally refrains from issuing psakim on military-related halachic matters because, in his view, “the Military Rabbinate, which is on the ground and is closely familiar with the operational reality, is the appropriate body to show the way in such cases.”

Nevertheless, Rav Ber writes that this situation is different because it involves “a general halachic provision that comprehensively permits Shabbos desecration to boost morale, and it could be used as a precedent for other cases,” making it necessary for him to publicly clarify the halachah.

Expressing his support for Rav Ben Meir’s position, the Chief Rabbi writes that “The aforementioned exemption poses a significant halachic and factual challenge and is not based on halachic sources and on an accurate examination of reality. Therefore, there is no place to allow Shabbos desecration to boost morale.”

He further cautioned that expanding such heteirim could “open the door to broadening the scope of permissible Shabbos desecration beyond the limits established by the sages and the leading halachic authorities throughout the generations.”

Drawing upon his own experience in military service, Rav Ber acknowledged that time away from duty undoubtedly helps soldiers recover physically and emotionally. However, he maintained that improved morale alone does not rise to the level of pikuach nefesh necessary to justify chillul Shabbos. He also warned that seeing observant soldiers traveling home on Shabbos could undermine the public’s appreciation for the kedusha of the day.

The Chief Rabbi also stressed that before issuing a broad and unprecedented psak with significant public ramifications, “it would have been appropriate to first submit it for the consideration and ruling of the foremost Torah scholars and leading halachic authorities, and only afterward publish it as a general directive.” He added that any future rulings of this magnitude should first be presented to senior gedolei Torah for their decision before being released publicly.

At the same time, Rav Kalman Ber emphasized that his comments should not be interpreted as criticism of the IDF’s unit rabbanim, battalion rabbanim, or the leadership of the Military Rabbinate’s Halacha Department. He explained that their responsibility is to apply existing halachic rulings within the realities of military operations, while establishing broad halachic policy “is entrusted solely to the foremost Torah scholars and leading halachic arbiters, whose rulings are authoritative.”