Q. I am searching for the right spiritual path, after deciding that the time has come to do G-d's will. I now understand that G-d is true, His Torah is true, and that the source of everything is spiritual. For instance: There is no connection between PA incitement and terrorism, because terrorism against Israel is a result only of the sins of the People of Israel; if there would be no sins, no terrorist would be able to hurt us.
My question concerns going to the army. I see many religious-Zionist rabbis who shirk all responsibility for the fact that many boys they sent to the army have deteriorated from a religious point of view. For if instead of sending him to the army or to some college, the rabbis would have sent him to a Yeshiva, it is almost certain that he would not have gone off the right path, or at least the chances of that happening would have dropped prodigiously.
I have asked this question of several rabbis, and from the answers I received, I get the feeling that they don't really care if their students falter spiritually while in the army, as long as they fulfill their obligation towards the country. I would imagine that if a rabbi would send his student to work in an office in a mixed-gender environment [sic; rabbis don't "send" their students to work or anywhere else; every student has Free Will], and he in fact becomes less spiritual or observant because of what he sees and hears there, G-d will apparently have claims against that rabbi.
I feel that the rabbis were gambling with my life and my friends' lives when they sent us to serve in the army. I have friends who were strongly religious before they went to the army, but today are totally secular; I saw them change before my eyes. What will those rabbis say when they see many of those they sent to the army leave religion? What about the Sages' teaching to "stay away from a bad neighbor and don't be close with one who is wicked" (Pirkei Avot 1,7) – such basic advice as to how to remain an observant Jew?
There is therefore no reason to allow yourself to generalize or to accuse. Everyone should rather find "the good and the straight" and the most holy that he can attain.
Regarding your accusation that rabbis send boys to the army or to workplaces in the knowledge that they will falter spiritually – I hope there are no such rabbis; if you find such rabbis who don't care about their students' Torah future, stay far away from them.
I assume that every G-d-fearing Jew also fears that his students will not be that way, and does everything he can to make sure they remain G-d-fearing. Who exactly is responsible if a student falters? We'll leave that God; He'll decide. There is certainly no doubt that the responsibility that lies on our leaders' and teachers' shoulders is tremendous. But this does not exempt the individuals from their own responsibility as well.
As far as army service is concerned, I agree that one should go to the army only after he has filled himself with spiritual strengths, which will enable him to contribute to the army and the nation not only by being a high-quality soldier, but also by adding sanctity to the Camp of Israel. For we believe that Israel's victories in its wars and battles are dependent on our fulfillment of the Torah's command, "Your [army] camp must be holy." It is therefore a matter of life and death for the entire nation to ensure that there are G-d-fearing soldiers in the army. An army without such soldiers would have no Divine help, and the Divine Presence over such a camp is very small. It is therefore the responsibility of all of us to save and protect Israel by ensuring that there are G-d-fearing people in our nation and that they enlist in the IDF.
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