Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, gave final approval Monday evening to the Basic Law: Torah Study, formally enshrining Torah study as a core state value. Supporters of the law hope it will strengthen the legal footing for future legislation seeking to exempt ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students from mandatory military service.
The bill cleared the Knesset by a vote of 63 to 52. It was introduced by Degel HaTorah Chairman MK Moshe Gafni and declares that “Torah study is a fundamental value in the heritage of the Jewish people and in the State of Israel.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not participate in the vote. Two members of his own Likud party — Yuli Edelstein and Dan Illouz — broke with the coalition and voted alongside the opposition against the measure.
Backers of the law, including coalition and ultra-Orthodox parties, believe that grounding Torah study in a Basic Law could help shield a future military exemption for yeshiva students from legal challenges at the High Court of Justice based on equal treatment concerns.
Ultra-Orthodox lawmakers had pushed to make the bill a priority. It became the first piece of legislation to receive final passage under a coalition agreement that had previously been reported by Ynet.
Before the vote reached the floor, the Knesset’s legal advisers required modifications to the bill’s language. An earlier version would have placed Torah study within a constitutional balancing framework alongside other values — a provision that was ultimately stripped out. The final version simply recognizes Torah study as a fundamental value.
In a related but separate controversy over military conscription, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir sent a letter Monday to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Israel Katz, and Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth. His letter addressed proposed legislation that would suspend the arrest of individuals who evade the draft.
Zamir objected specifically to a provision that would place the burden on the IDF to determine which individuals qualify as yeshiva students eligible to have enforcement actions paused. He argued that halting arrests, investigations, and criminal proceedings would effectively eliminate any consequences for failing to report for military duty.
“It provides an incentive not to report for military service, since it would grant immunity from prosecution and criminal proceedings,” Zamir wrote. “The proposal is therefore clearly and unequivocally inconsistent with the IDF’s needs.”
Ahead of the vote on the Basic Law, opposition party leaders issued a joint appeal urging coalition members to vote against the legislation.
