Border Police stationed at the Ode Yosef Chai Yeshiva in Yitzhar in northern Samarian allowed it to re-open Tuesday, almost as scheduled, after a month-long Passover vacation but with limitations on how many students may enter and when they can enter.
The Jewish Press reported here last week that the Border Police’s headline-grabbing takeover of the yeshiva, following alleged violence by yeshiva students, was a PR exercise in which the media establishment duly cooperated by not reporting that the yeshiva was empty, as always in the month of Nissan, which includes the Passover holiday.
Students in most yeshivas in the country returned to study Monday or Tuesday, the evening before the beginning of the month of Iyar.
IDF Brigade Commander Col. Yoav Yarom said Tuesday that the Border Police now will allow students to enter, but with limitations. Only 50 students may pray there at once, and the military official is in control
If they really are brave, perhaps they will guard the students inside the yeshiva during Torah classes and learn a thing or two about Jewish law.
That is not too say that those who are hell-bent on violence don’t belong behind bars, where perhaps they will learn a couple of laws in the Torah they missed out on in yeshiva, such as not destroying property, whether it be of Arabs or Jews.
The military also will determine when the students may pray and learn.
It is assumed that they will consult the timetables provided by the Chief Rabbinate and on the Internet for the proper time for praying, according to Jewish law.
If for any reason there are less than 10 students and rabbis, the minimum number for public prayer, the yeshiva has lots of reserves standing by to complete a minyan.