The loss of the gadol hador, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L, is felt by Yidden around the world, but for some, including HaGaon HaRav Moshe Shlomo Amar Shlita, that loss and the accompanying pain is more severe. Rav Amar was among the few meriting a very close and special relationship with Maran. Rav Ovadia signaled on numerous occasions that there is no one more qualified to follow in his shoes than Rav Amar, praising his mesirus nefesh to acquire his Torah over many difficult years.
However, today the situation is a different one, as Rav Amar admits there were ups and downs in the relationship over the years, and unfortunately, this came to an abrupt end while the relationship was possibly at an all time low. Rav Amar did not back Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef for the post of Rishon L’Tzion in the recent Chief Rabbinate of Israel race and this led to Rav Amar becoming persona non grata at the gadol hador’s home, blocked from seeing the gadol hador by family members.
Today Rav Amar laments the fact that he was not given ample opportunity to set the record straight, to explain his actions. Maran is gone and the former Rishon L’Tzion remains an unwanted guest among family members, who seem to be unwilling to forgive Rav Amar’s support for Dayan Tzion Boaron in the election and not Rav Yitzchak, who was elected nonetheless.
On Tuesday night 4 Cheshvan 5774, Rav Amar was interviewed by Channel 2’s Sivan Rahav Meir, providing him a forum to begin explaining his relationship with Maran.
How do you feel following the petira of Rav Yosef?
The world after Maran and before his petira is two different worlds. Rav Ovadia led the Torah world if not the world itself, particularly the Sephardim, for over 60 consecutive years. There were ups and downs during that time period.
There was no other gadol like him and for certain there will not be one to take his place. This is a change that we have yet to digest and internalize. We are still in the nightmare which we simply don’t understand just what it is doing to us.
What was your relationship, the close and distant ones?
The situation was one that did not permit me to support Maran’s candidate in the Chief Rabbinate race. I believed I would be able to persuade the rav to support the other candidate, one the rav revered and considered among the leading poskim today however I was not given the opportunity.
There were those working to keep me away but when I met with the rav, it was apparent to all he was moichel me. He even said ‘אני מוחל בלב שלם ואהבת עולם תמיד תימשך’. He gave me a bracha and even later on, he sent me clear messages [regarding our relationship].
The time was limited and they did not permit me to reach him. I do not care to elaborate. Baruch H’shem it has passed.
When asked to relate to who will be the successor, Rav Amar stressed “one as small as myself cannot hope to fill his shoes for no one can”. Rav Amar explained that there will be poskim and life will go on, but this generation will not find another of the caliber of the late posek and of this he is certain.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
This is not the first time, nor the first family, where the family gatekeepers of an aging gadol have shut down the commerce of Torah for personal cheshbonos. It is sadder than sad, I am sorry I stumbled into reading this.