When Yahadut Hatorah negotiators meet with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, 3 Adar 5773, they will suggest that the prime minister sign on the dotted line immediately, providing the deal is mutually agreeable.
MKs Moshe Gafne, Yaakov Litzman and Meir Porush will represent the seven-seat party in the coalition talks.
Speaking with Kol Chai Radio’s Moti Lavie on the “8-10” program, MK Moshe Gafne explained the process.
Gafne discussed an array of issues including Syria, the diplomatic process with the PA (Palestinian Authority), renewing talks with the PA and the upcoming visit of US President Barak Obama. He explained that the issues are pressing and a coalition must be formed but there must be defining lines towards achieving that goal.
“There is a war against the chareidim here” exclaimed Gafne, acknowledging the prime minister has headaches due to the political climate, but if he genuinely prefers the chareidim as he indicates, then sign with the chareidim and the others will have to decide based on this reality.
KOL CHAI:
But be realistic, how can he build a coalition this way. You don’t have enough seats. If he signs with the chareidim other will not come on board.
GAFNE:
I am telling you what I would do if I were in his shoes, which is what you asked. The parties will have to decide how they wish to respond. In his place this is my advice to him, sign an agreement with whatever party you can. No one wants to go to elections against and because you sign with Shas this will not occur. This is not what Yair Lapid wants. There issues are pressing and a government must be formed.
KOL CHAI:
Where did you fail? There was an opportunity to get in but nothing occurred. If the prime minister is being honest, and I assume that he is, he prefers the chareidim but you guys did not act.
GAFNE:
I turned to Bennett before and after the elections. We tried and still feel a religious bloc is the way to go but it appears he is uninterested. Perhaps Bennett has other preferences. I don’t really know him, I know Uri Ariel from the last term in office.
The atmosphere is difficult and there is much talk about placing one’s life in jeopardy. We all know that of every ten soldiers perhaps one is in a life threatening assignment. Let’s be honest.
Regarding Bennett, there was a period of time we tried to get a religious bloc going, and I did not speak with him personally but I spoke to Ariel, who still hasn’t responded.
KOL CHAI:
Perhaps today the chareidim will have to pay the price for the tzibur’s behavior towards that community. Maybe they will get the Ministry of Religious Services.
GAFNE:
I cannot respond. I am not in that ministry and I do not have the ability to run its affairs. What I know is there is a great deal of incitement against the chareidim, and the new buzz, the share the burden. Instead of dealing with the nation’s truly pressing issues, this dominates the forum. To my sorrow there is a campaign against us, the chareidim, and to my sorrow, Bennett is participating.
There are issues that demand immediate attention, issues on a national level. The economic system demands immediate attention. These are not issues that permit playing around. Now Yair Lapid comes and we have to acquiesce to his demands regarding a two-state solution and so-forth. This is absurd. One cannot respond to such critical issues in coalition talks.
So you see how it goes. Nothing is working out so the simplest path, the one with least resistance is to gang up against the chareidim. What are they discussing these issues, simply because they do not know how to address other issues.
KOL CHAI:
What do you wish to say about reports that the dati leumi rabbonim do not want the chareidim on board, simply instructing Bennett that for years they had their chance and now it is our turn.
GAFNE:
Understood but what would you like me to say? For one thing, you do not say which rabbis you are referring to. I do not know who they are.
I personally met with a number of the dati leumi rabbonim, not just now but in the past term. I assisted their mosdos on numerous occasions as well as to yishuvim in Yehuda and Shomron. Anyone can ask them and they will confirm this. In my position as chair of the Knesset Finance Committee was fair with all. I don’t know which rabbis are giving such information to the newspapers but if you know who they are, by all means speak with them.
KOL CHAI:
At the end of the day there will be a major change in the drafting of chareidim.
GAFNE:
There will be no such thing. Listen to me, there will be no such change. We are accustomed to living in galus. We have endured all these years. If you want to imprison them we are going along. The Gerre Rebbe said it and we will accompany them to prison. It simply will not work. You can’t throw everyone in prison. Our job is to bring about a law that permits those wishing to learn to continue limud Torah. This is our responsibility as well as protecting funding for yeshivos. This is a critical issue, the funding for mosdos and we wish to do our best to protect this.
KOL CHAI:
So you are together with Shas on these issues?
GAFNE:
Why not? We are of the same opinion and Baruch Hashem we are working together, cooperating.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
The “frummer” chardal Rabbanim indeed are on board with UTJ.
Rabbi Eliezer Melamed
The writer is Head of Yeshivat Har Bracha and a prolific author on Jewish Law, whose works include the series on Jewish law “Pininei Halacha” and a popular weekly column “Revivim” in the Besheva newspaper. His books “The Laws of Prayer” “The Laws of Passover” and “Nation, Land, Army” are presently being translated into English.
Op-Ed: Basic Laws in the Jewish State
The time has come to deal with the issue of the Jewish character of the State of Israel, and to regulate the fundamental principles underlying the status-quo in legislation, now that close to 40 MK’s are religiously observant.
The New Knesset’s Mission
Recently, calls for a review of the status-quo in regards to religious matters have been voiced. Indeed so! The time has come to deal with the issue of the Jewish character of the State of Israel, and to regulate the fundamental principles underlying the status-quo in legislation.
Some people maintain that Israeli society is gradually distancing itself from the religious principles that guided the individuals who fixed the status-quo, and in our day and age, it is no longer fitting to impose religious practices by means of legislation, as in the past. However, taking a look at the list of the new Knesset, it is evident that the process is exactly the opposite – society at large understands the need to strengthen the Jewish identity of the State, and the various political parties complied with their wishes by adding religious candidates to their ranks.
As a result, there are nearly forty religious Members of Knesset today, and out of several others who are not regarded religious – many consider themselves to be traditional, and openly declare that the Jewish identity of the State is extremely important to them.
Regulating the Jewish Identity of the State in ‘Basic Law’
The time has come to pass a ‘chok yesod’ (Basic Law) regulating the status of Shabbat observance in all government and public frameworks. It is inconceivable that Shabbat, a value so central to the life of our nation, receives expression simply in interim agreements, or municipal bylaws. Just as the value of ‘kavod adam v’heruto’ (human dignity and liberty) is regulated in ‘Basic Law’, and not dependent on the goodwill of each and every decent and moral individual, so too, Shabbat must be regulated in ‘Basic Law’.
Presently existing laws concerning the status of marriage and divorce, according to which family relationships or their annulment are determined by ‘halakha’ (Jewish law) in Rabbinical courts, should also receive the superior status of ‘Basic Law’. After doing so, solutions can be found for personal and exceptional issues in various regulations, but such issues cannot interfere with the State of Israel regulating the sanctity of the family in ‘Basic Law’.
Presently, due to personal and exceptional issues, the Supreme Court gnaws away at the status of the Rabbinical courts and Jewish family values, in the name of the ‘Basic Law of Human Dignity and Liberty’. Regulation of marriage and divorce laws in ‘Basic Law’ will prevent this dangerous erosion.
The well-known ‘Law of Return’ must also be regulated as a ‘Basic Law’, seeing as it is one of the most distinct signs of the State’s Jewish identity, and because it is not a ‘Basic Law’, the Supreme Court gnaws away at, it in the name of democracy.
The observance of ‘kashrut’ (Jewish dietary laws) in government and public institutions should also be regulated in ‘Basic Law’.
The Jewish character of the I.D.F. must also be regulated in ‘Basic Law’, thereby allaying many of the concerns of the hareidi community.
The status of Torah study in yeshiva’s should also be regulated in ‘Basic Law’, as being one of the most essential values of the spiritual rebirth of the Jewish nation in its return to Zion.
Judaism and Democracy
Many representatives of secular society constantly claim that the State of Israel is “Jewish and democratic”. If so, it is unimaginable that the democratic side of the equation receives backing and significance in ‘Basic Law’ and in various other ordinary laws as well, while the Jewish side receives only limited and inferior expression in ordinary law. This imbalance creates a situation in which all legal conflicts between secular, liberal values and Judaism – Judaism is at a disadvantage.
It should be remembered that our Knesset still has the status of a ‘Constituent Assembly’, and consequently, it has the authority to enact Basic Laws, similar to drafting chapters to a constitution.
A committee of distinguished rabbis and legal representatives should be established to prepare a set of basic and ordinary laws, in order to legally regulate the Jewish character of the State of Israel.
The Individual and the Collective
Some people claim it is preferable for all religious matters to be left to freedom of choice, and as proof for this, they bring up the mitzvah of ‘brit milah’ (circumcision), where there is no law requiring one to do so, but nevertheless, over 90% of the public circumcise their sons out of free choice. Their claim, however, is based on a mistaken comparison between the individual and the collective. The mitzvah of ‘brit milah’, as well as ‘Leil ha’Seder’ (Passover evening celebration), are mitzvoth that the individual performs, while Shabbat, family status, the Law of Return, education, etc., are mitzvoth which receive expression in a public and national context, as well.
By nature, all public interests are burdensome on the individual to some extent. Nevertheless, everyone understands that when it comes to essential interests, it is necessary to regulate them in law, and not leave them to the free choice of each individual. Can the health system be based on the willingness of volunteers?! Can road traffic function adequately relying simply on the politeness of drivers?! Can tax collection be left to the goodwill of the citizens?! Education as well cannot function simply according to the absolute freedom of choice of parents. Therefore, anyone who cares about the Jewish identity of the State of Israel, must act to regulate its’ Jewish principles in Basic Laws.
There is no need to sit down with anyone. We already have Basic Laws: Torah and halachah. We already have legislators, the poskim. What the erev rav calls “sharing the burden” is shmad in disguise. There’s no compromising with shmad.