Wars used to be fought manually, soldier to soldier. Front line troops were often referred to as cannon fodder, as the masses of soldiers were thrown at an enemy force, and had to suffer the barrage of arrows and cannon balls of the opposing forces.

The Peleg Yerushalmi people have been holding relatively violent protests for the past few years, protesting yeshiva boys AWOL from the army having been arrested, along with protesting the rules and requirements to obtain a deferral or exemption from the army.

Questions have been raised as to why these protests are heavily attended by the yeshiva boys, but the rabbonim themselves do not attend, despite their statements as to the importance of the protests.

Kikar checked with the rabbonim of the Peleg and came back with the following answers from Rav Deutsch.

Rav Deutsch responded that if the protests would be not just masses of people milling about the streets screaming but would have "a mizrach" and a podium, that would be a different story and perhaps the rabbonim would participate, but just to wander around in a hafgana among everyone else?

Further, should the rabbonim be there and be running away from the skunk smells sprayed at the protesters? Protests are important, I am not flippant about them [but they aren't for the rabbonim].

Rav Bordianski added that it would be a legal problem for the rabbonim to participate, as the protests they hold are illegal. The rabbonim calling to protest would be in legal trouble, and Rav Shmuel Auerbach as well was very careful to say things in certain ways to avoid saying anything illegal that can be pinned on rabbonim.

1. Rav Deutsch is basically saying the boys are cannon fodder. The rabbis should go and mingle among the regular protesters? pas nisht, even though the protesters are their own talmidim and are being mekadesh shem shamayim, in their opinion.

2. If they gave us a podium and a "mizrach" to sit on? So make one,. You are the one arranging the protest, so arrange it with a podium and speeches by rabbonim instead of sending yeshiva boys out to streets without direction and guidance.

3. Legal issues? haha. so it is all a game. they tailor their words carefully so other people can get in trouble for following their instructions but they themselves cant get in trouble. Again, cannon fodder.