Torato Umanuto

Torato Umanuto (Hebrew: תּוֹרָתוֹ אֻמָּנוּתוֹ [toʁaˈto ʔumanuˈto], transl. 'Torah study is his job') is a special government arrangement in Israel that allows young Haredi Jewish men who are enrolled in yeshivas to complete their studies before they are conscripted into the Israeli military. Historically, it has been mandatory in Israeli law for male and female Jews, male Druze, and male Circassians to serve in the military once they become 18 years of age, with male conscripts required to serve for three years and female Jewish conscripts required to serve for two years.

Haredi Jews maintain that the practice of studying the Torah (or reciting), when undertaken by great Torah scholars or their disciples, is crucial in defending the Israeli people from threats, similar to an additional "praying division" of the military. In practice, the Torato Umanuto arrangement provides a legal route whereby Haredi rabbis and their disciples can either enroll for a shortened service period of four months or otherwise be exempted from compulsory military service altogether.

The source of the phrase Torato Umanuto is taken from the Talmud:

"For it was taught: If companions [scholars] are engaged in studying, they must break off for the reading of the shema, but not for prayer. R. Johanan said: This was taught only of such as R. Simeon b. Yohai and his companions, whose Torah study was their occupation."
— b. Talmud, tractate Shabbat, 11a