A swearing-in ceremony was held on Tuesday at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem for 28 new dayanim.
During the ceremony, President Isaac Herzog spoke and asked the Rabbanin to declare a national day of fasting for the hostages in Gaza.
Herzog spoke about the many shailos posed to dayanim since the start of the war in Gaza, including “shailos about Shabatot and Chagim in enemy territory, questions on matters of kashrut, morality in times of battle, tefillos or brachos. And unfortunately, also questions on matters of taharos hameisim and their kavod, and the preservation of their seed, as well as regarding pidyom shevuim, and of course identification of bodies. The continuous stream of shailos arriving from the battlefield to the Batei Medrash – requires creativity, daring, depth, and courage from the poskim to translate the rich world of halacha to be most relevant for the individual and society as a whole in a Jewish and democratic state.”
“This responsibility for the State of Israel, the beginning of the growth of our redemption, and this important halachic mission now rests on the shoulders of you dear Rabbanim, dear dayanim,” Herzog continued.
“In this moving moment, as you enter the Batei Din with strength and humility, I remind you of what we need at this time: Torah scholars who are well-versed not only in the intricacies of Abaye and Rava, and not only in the ways of the world, science, and the state, but also and primarily Torah scholars who dwell among their people, those who feel the pain of the public and rejoice in its joy.
“I would like to conclude with a tefillah and a cry for our abducted brothers. These are turbulent, challenging, and extremely sensitive days, in which I repeat my call to act more and more. There has been ongoing negotiations in the last 24 hours. We must act in every way, step, and tool at our disposal – and initiate, creatively, responsibly, and with commitment – steps that will bring them home urgently. All of them – until the last one.
“You, esteemed Rabbanim and dayanim – as important public leaders – have an important role in this effort – to awaken the hearts of the people and the decision-makers and tear open the gates of heaven for the hostages. I call on you to get involved, and I suggest acting with all your might, first and foremost, to declare a day of fasting for our sisters and brothers held by murderers.”
Chief Rabbi HaRav Dovid Yosef responded: “We accept the president’s request. In the coming days, we will declare a day of tefillah for all Acheinu Bnei Yisrael who are in distress and captivity, and our soldiers who are on the battlefield. We hope, b’ezrat Hashem, that even before we manage to do so, we will be informed of good news.”
(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Innocent people are being abducted and killed and you call it “the beginning of the growth of our redemption,”??
“During the ceremony, President Isaac Herzog spoke and asked the Rabbanin to declare a national day of fasting for the hostages in Gaza.“
“ Chief Rabbi HaRav Dovid Yosef responded: “We accept the president’s request. In the coming days, we will declare a day of tefillah for all Acheinu Bnei Yisrael who are in distress and captivity, and our soldiers who are on the battlefield.”
He asked for fasting and they said No but we’ll make a day of tefillah
DavidtheKanoi,
Are you new to the Jewish experience? At what point in Jewish history was this not the case?
I’m not a Zionist but it’s definitely a miracle that Jews are able to live in relative peace in ey.
Why doesn’t President Herzog do Teshuva & become observant of halacha, this will be a true zechus for the land. Isn’t it ridiculous for a non Orthodox Jew to be requesting a fast? The fast is for teshuva.
Maybe a day where all public vehicles on shabbos dont work. Why should religious Jews make a fast when they the rest of society is eating pork.
I’m sorry but it looks like Herzog is really playing holier than thou, calling upon rabbanim to do this and that.
What exactly does a “swearing in ceremony look like? Can we see the nusach of the oath?
Am Yisroel are already sworn in from Har Sinai, so is this a pledge of allegiance to something else? The state maybe?
These rabbanim have to decide where their loyalties lie. If they have an employee’s contract with the state that already means they sold out to the hand that feeds them. But to take an oath?
It’s like the freemasons. If a Jew pledges fraternity to another clique besides his own, he transgresses ואהבת לרעך כמוך and then the rest of the Torah upon which it is predicated.
But those Rabbanim sure look impressive, long beards, long frocks. I’m sure the masses will be impressed. But remember, they swore allegiance to something…and listened to the drasha of the president..that shows you who takes orders from whom.
The 1st course of action not to have buses running on שבת קודש was to vote a religious slate on WZO Election.
B”H I voted & ignored all pressures from self hating jews, not to vote.
the presidents job is to make peace, by making this suggestion, it would show the secular the chareidim actually care about the hostages and soldiers
If he is serious about generating זכויות for כלל ישראל, then how about asking secular Jews to keep one Shabbos as a Zechus for the hostages and the soldiers? There is a movement here to encourage that, with a fair measure of success. If the President would lend his support that would definitely help.
ard – If you think that Chareidim don’t care about the hostages and soldiers, then you should talk to Agam Berger’s mother… (My wife did.) She is not the only one who emphatically disagrees with you.