Historic Knesset Vote Recognizes Torah Study as Foundational Value

“For thousands of years, Torah study was the force that preserved the Jewish people throughout all its diasporas and in every generation.”

By United with Israel Staff

The Knesset passed the Basic Law: Torah Study in its second and third readings Monday evening, formally recognizing Torah study as a fundamental value of the State of Israel.

The legislation, introduced by Degel HaTorah Chairman MK Moshe Gafni, was approved by a vote of 63-52.

The new Basic Law states that “Torah study is a fundamental value in the heritage of the Jewish people and in the State of Israel.”

Supporters hailed the measure as a historic milestone, noting that it gives constitutional recognition to the role Torah learning has played in preserving the Jewish people throughout the generations.

“Today, a historic step was taken in the State of Israel,” Gafni said following the vote. “For thousands of years, Torah study was the force that preserved the Jewish people throughout all its diasporas and in every generation.”

Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri also welcomed the legislation, calling it “a historic victory for the Torah world.”

“For the first time, the Jewish state recognizes the supreme value of the holy Torah and the status of those who study it,” Deri said. “The Torah is the foundation of the identity of the Jewish people.”

MK Yaakov Asher emphasized that Torah study is far more than a tradition, describing it as the foundation of Jewish life and continuity.

“The Torah is the source of our existence, our identity and our strength,” Asher said, adding that yeshivas and batei midrash have safeguarded the Jewish people through every generation.

The final version of the legislation was revised following recommendations from the Knesset’s legal advisers. Rather than requiring Torah study to be weighed against other constitutional values, the law simply establishes it as a fundamental value of the State of Israel.