Selected Responsa 149
not at all analogous to this demand of persecutors. It is of interest to note that Meir Eisenstadt in the responsum cited above discusses the question of whether it is right for an individual to hire another individual to do his army service for him which was a rather widespread custom in eastern Europe a century ago, and, indeed, was an American custom during the Civil War . In this discussion he deals with all the relevant principles such as handing over a child of Israel to non-Jews , etc., and he decides that such an action (ie. providing a substitute for oneself) is in no way forbidden by Jewish law.
In general, military life does not involve the question in the Mishnah of being put to death but only the problem of Sakanah. If we would decide that it is wrong for a man to accept this Sakanah, then it would follow that it would be wrong for us to arrange for him to accept it, for then we would be aiding in the committing of asin. If to volunteer for military service(danger) were a sin, then also the arguments concerning the benefit which such volunteering might bring to the good name of the community would be an insufficient argument. It is a principle in the law that we do not say to a person: Sin thou that we may acquire merit.(Shabbat 42, etc.)
But since, as we have indicated in the discussion above, to accept the danger of military chaplaincy is not a sin, but is to a considerable extent a mitzvah, then our question virtually solves itself. To help in the performance of such a mitzvah constitutes a duty on the part of the community and its organizations.