In 1827, Czar Nicholas I decreed that Jewish boys and young men be conscripted into the Russian army, a policy that shook Jewish life in Russia to its core. Communities debated and attempted various strategies to confront this crisis, and in that context, the Tzemach Tzedek was asked whether a particular approach was permissible. In this class, we’ll explore the historical backdrop, unpack the Tzemach Tzedek’s responsum, and work together to understand its meaning.

The Cantonist Crisis