MK (Likud) Moshe Feiglin is sponsoring a bill that would result in electing only one chief rabbi of Israel and not two, an Ashkenazi and Sephardi. Feiglin explains on his Facebook page that MKs he has spoken to support the move, explaining the rav who receives the most votes will serve as everyone’s chief rabbi, and there is no need for two.
Feiglin feels the “division between Ashkenazim and Sephardim is the result of 2,000 years of galus, during which Am Yisrael did a marvelous job preserving its tradition and the Torah. Now that Am Yisrael has returned to its land, efforts must concentrate on unity and to restore Torah’s glory, one Torah, not two.”
Feiglin stresses “I am not trying to wipe out the traditions of the past” but adds he feels “highlighting the differences between us results in lagging behind today’s current realities.”
Feiglin adds that Gedolei Torah born in Israel have found a way to give piskei Halacha that encompass all of Am Yisrael without differentiating between Ashkenazim and Sephardim.
He posits one chief rabbi will be elected and he will also hold the title “Rishon L’Tzion”. The chief rabbi would head the Chief Rabbinate Council and a president would be appointed to the Chief Rabbinate Supreme Court and that person who head the batei din around the country.
Feiglin stresses he feels such a move would significantly contribute to achdus and unifying Am Yisrael.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
5 Responses
I’m glad the MKs he spoke to think it’s a good idea, but I notice he never mentioned the opinions of the rabbanim he spoke to. Klal Yisroel is governed by daas Torah not a bunch of nitwit members of the Knesset.
This idea of his is only going to cause more machlokes. The system’s not broken, so why is he trying to “fix” it?
I agree. The chief rabbi is a figurehead – not a posek – and each person will continue in his own derech and minhagim.
Good point, why more than one chief. Once you start with factions you might not end. Though it all might depend on the purpose of the position to begin with.
Why haven’t any of today’s great poskim taken on the position of Chief Rabbi? Wouldn’t it be brilliant if someone like Rav Shteinman or Kanievsky were to serve as Chief Rabbi?
#4 The entire issue of the state of Israel and its governing powers have never been addressed by Gedolim in the last 20 years. Rav Waldenberg, Rav SZ Aurevbach and the Chazon Ish were the last to speak on this subject, thanks to the CHARDAL Rebbeim who still address this subject in their seforim.