“They tried killing me in my old age” Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita is quoted telling Rabbi Moshe Shlomo Amar Shlita, when the former Rishon L’Tzion visited Rav Ovadia in Hadassah Hospital on Monday night, the eve of 21 Elul 5773. Rav Ovadia was admitted for tests and observation on Sunday. Rav Ovadia added “משיב רעה תחת טובה”.
The meeting was the first between the two since the Chief Rabbinate race. Shas officials have labeled Rav Amar persona non grata after he did not tow the party line and endorse Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef for the post of Rishon L’Tzion in the race.
It would appear that since efforts to meet with R’ Ovadia have failed of late, R’ Amar arrived at the hospital unannounced, thereby bypassing family and Shas party officials working to prevent him from visiting with the gadol hador.
Kikar Shabbat reports Rav Amar attempted to speak, but R’ Ovadia continued, and eventually R’ Amar stated “I will speak with the rav after he is discharged from the hospital.” The visit was a brief 10 minutes and R’ Amar realized R’ Ovadia was quite angry. R’ Amar was unsuccessful when he tried to shake R’ Ovadia’s hand as he took leave of him.
Kikar concludes that officials in the R’ Ovadia’s home were angered over the unannounced visit, which they view in a bad light, adding it increased R’ Ovadia’s anger and may have compromised his condition.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
Rav Amar came to make shalom and shalom it shall be eventually…
Enough of this nonsense. noone is trying to kill him because they do not support the appointment of his so, nor is making your own political party in a democracy (shas has no primary) trying to do him harm. We do not need to have blind faith on issues that are political. Similar to obama’s class warfare
Way to go rabbi! I like how he gave everyone the slip! But too bad he did not get a chance to set the record straight. At least he got the mitzvah of bikur cholim . I will be surprised if they ever alow rav amar to get close to rav ovadia again.
It’s a machlokes Maharil and Rema (See Darkei Moshe Yoreh Deah 335/1). Rema in Seif 2 paskans that he shouldn’t go, but Shach 2 says it all depends on the exact circumstances, as to whether the visit would be seen as an attempt for Shalom. One assumes that Rav Amar shlita assumed that by going it would be seen as an attempt at shalom which is why he went. (See too Aruch HaShulchan Seif 6 who seems to imply that the minhag is to go, but see Tzitz Eliezer Ramat Rachel 9 (back of chelek 5) who says that we should go with Shach’s direction)
#2 Just because you’re not aware of it, doesn’t mean that no is trying to kill him. Quite a few rotzchim tried their luck but b”H he has siyata Dishmaya.
It seems that politics is more important than Halacha. Nekama for not supporting his son? Is that how a “Godol” behaves?
#4—–Your post, though learned, is an example why so many people are turned off by this type of micro-pilpuling dissection/analysis halacha weaving yarn.
How about the 5th shulchan aruch…. which means, if you haven’t heard this expression before, plain’ole common sense.
A rav wants to make shalom and you’re making a drasha spin out of it, maybe yes, maybe no… Ridiculous.
To #4 :
There isn’t an ounce of compassion in your pillpul.
Baba Mezia 30b states:
Rav Yochanan said: “Jerusalem was destroyed only because the judges ruled in accordance with the strict letter of the law, as opposed to ruling beyond the letter of the law.”
What’s wrong with trying to make shalom, especially if you’re the offended party?
Maybe Rav Amar already knows your pshetel by heart and decided to go anyway.