28 Apr THE VISIT OF ARGENTINA’S PRESIDENT TO CHEVRON YESHIVA: WHEN WORLD LEADERSHIP MEETS TORAH

Last week, Javier
Milei, the President
of Argentina, visited
Israel. During his
trip, he also requested
to visit Chevron
Yeshiva, an event that

drew significant attention.
A visit from the President of Argentina—
leader of the second-largest country in South
America by land area and one of its most
significant political and economic powers—
underscores the international stature of the
encounter and highlights the global
recognition given to Torah institutions such as
Chevron Yeshiva.
During his visit, Milei met with the yeshiva’s
leadership and students and participated in a
formal reception held in his honor. The visit
was part of his broader trip to Israel, during
which he expressed strong public support for
the Jewish people and the State of Israel.
At the yeshiva, the Rosh Yeshiva addressed
the president and thanked him for supporting
the nation of Israel and coming to the yeshiva
to strengthen the world of Torah.
However, not everyone welcomed the visit.
Some critics expressed concern that the event
led to bitul Torah, as it required students to
pause their regular learning in order to

participate. Reports noted that while many
praised the visit, others objected to the
disruption of the yeshiva’s normal study
schedule.
They argued that even important visits should
be weighed against the value of uninterrupted
Torah learning, which is central to yeshiva
life.
In reality, such claims should have been
ignored, as this criticism effectively questions
the judgment of the Roshei Yeshiva of
Chevron Yeshiva—a leading and widely
respected institution—implying that they did
not properly consider the implications of the
visit. Given that bitul Torah is a central value
in the Torah world, it is reasonable to assume
that this factor was carefully weighed.
Still, it presents a worthwhile opportunity to
examine examples from the halacha, the
Torah and the Prophets of similar situations,
in order to better understand how such matters
should be approached.
Halacha
Let’s begin with a halacha. The Gemara in
Talmud Bavli (Berachot 58a) teaches that one
should make an effort to go out and see a king,
and this applies not only to a Jewish king but
even to a non-Jewish monarch.
This ruling is brought in halacha as well in

Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 224:9). The
Mishnah Berurah explains that one may even
interrupt Torah study in order to go see the
king, since there is value in recognizing
earthly honor as a way of appreciating Divine
kingship. However, he adds an important
limitation: this applies only the first time one
sees the king in his full honor, but if the king
passes by again in the same manner, one
should not interrupt learning again unless
there is a greater display of honor or a more
significant occasion.
Chazal went so far as to permit the temporary
suspension of certain laws of purity in order
to enable the fulfillment of this mitzvah of
seeing a king.
Rav Ovadia Yosef writes (Yechave Daat 2,
28) that a president is also included in this
category, since he holds significant authority,
such as the power to grant pardons—even in
cases involving a death sentence.
Yitro
In the Torah we find that Yitro, a priest of
Midian, comes to visit Moshe, the leader of
Israel and the giver of the Torah. Moshe does
not remain in his tent waiting for him, but
goes out to the wilderness to greet him. Not
only does he go out himself, but the entire
nation goes out with him as well (Rashi,
Shemot 18:7). He then brings Yitro into his
tent and recounts to him all that Hashem had
done for Israel.
According to some opinions, as brought by
the Ramban (Shemot 18:1), this encounter
took place after Matan Torah at Har Sinai,
and nevertheless the entire nation paused
their regular activities in order to honor and
receive Yitro. Even according to the view
that it occurred before the giving of the
Torah, Moshe was still deeply engaged in
teaching the people the word of Hashem, as
we see later in the parsha when Yitro advises
him to appoint additional judges to help
share the burden of teaching and adjudication.
Ḥiram the King of Tzor
The visit of Ḥiram, King of Tyre (Tzor) to
King Shlomo (Melachim I, 5) is one of the
clearest biblical parallels to a respectful
encounter between a foreign world leader
and the Kingdom of Israel centered on
spiritual and national greatness.
Hiram sent messengers and servants to
Shlomo after hearing about his kingship and
wisdom. Here we see that Shlomo HaMelech,
despite being the wisest man who ever lived,
made time to engage with foreign envoys
and representatives. Moreover, Hiram
himself did not come, but rather sent his
servants, and Shlomo still gave attention and
responded through proper diplomatic
channels even to these emissaries, treating
the mission with seriousness and respect as
part of the broader cooperation between the
kingdoms.
In response Ḥiram, the king of Tzor forms a
close diplomatic and economic alliance with
Shlomo. He sends skilled craftsmen, cedar

wood from Lebanon, and materials needed for
the building of the Beit HaMikdash. In return,
Shlomo provides food supplies and maintains
peaceful relations between the kingdoms.
The similarity to modern visits—such as that
of a foreign head of state to a Torah
institution—is not in the exact setting, but in
the underlying idea: a powerful non-Jewish
leader recognizing the central role of Israel’s
spiritual mission and engaging with it in a
respectful, constructive way. In both cases,
there is acknowledgment that Israel is not
only a political entity but also carries a deeper
spiritual and cultural significance that draws
attention from surrounding nations.
Queen of Sheva
Another example is the visit of the Queen of
Sheva to King Shlomo HaMelech. The
Tanakh describes how she traveled a great
distance to witness firsthand the greatness of
his kingdom.
When she arrived, she engaged Shlomo in
dialogue, presented difficult questions, and
carefully observed his wisdom, the order of
his court, and the service of Hashem in his
kingdom (Melachim I 10). The encounter left
her deeply impressed, and she acknowledged
the superiority of the wisdom granted to
Shlomo by Hashem.
This visit illustrates the theme that even
foreign rulers sought out the wisdom and
spiritual stature associated with the Jewish
people, and that their arrival was received
with seriousness and full attention.
Conclusion
The question that must be addressed is: given
the severity of bitul Torah, why does the Torah
place such importance on honoring and
receiving world leaders? And in that light,
why are the critics of such visits mistaken?
The Maharsha (Zevachim 102a) provides a
profound insight:
“It is fitting to show honor to a king, as
mentioned… for we say in Berachot (Perek
Haro’eh) that earthly kingship is a reflection
of the heavenly kingship. One who disgraces
them is, in essence, disgracing the honor of
Hashem.”
From here we learn that a king is not merely a
political figure, but a reflection of Hashem’s
sovereignty in the world. Hashem, so to
speak, expresses His rule through earthly
monarchs, who function as His appointed
agents. With this in mind, we can better
understand why the Torah emphasizes the
importance of honoring such leaders: by
showing them respect, we are ultimately
honoring Hashem Himself, who placed them
in their position.