Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman “warned” on Monday that “a halachic state is just around the corner.”
Lieberman was referring to the report that Religious Zionist chairman Betzalel Smotrich called on Israeli soccer leagues to stop holding games on Shabbos, saying that the games on Shabbos discriminate against religious fans.
Smotrich’s call was excoriated by left-wing politicians. However, former senior Israeli soccer player Idan Tal, who became frum in recent years, spoke out in support of Smotrich on Tuesday morning. “The discrimination that exists against Shomrei Shabbat in senior soccer leagues must change,” he said in an interview with Channel 14. “Who, like me and many of my friends in the industry know how much the conflict between Shemiras Mesorah and the love for the soccer field tears at our hearts every Shabbat.”
“Soccer players also deserve a day off in the State of Israel and I hope that the change will come as soon as possible for the sake of equality and Jewish values that are important to the majority of Israeli citizens. I support the claims of Knesset member Betzalel Smotrich, which clearly and fairly outline the conflict in favor of promoting sports for everyone in an equal manner.”
“It turns out that by Smotrich, kashrus certificates are also required for soccer games,” Lieberman wrote on Twitter. “I’m just wondering what the next step will be? At this rate, we’ll have to watch the World Cup games on Shabbat only on reruns. Smotrich, we watched soccer games on Shabbat before your time and we’ll watch them after your time also.”
מדינת הלכה ממש מעבר לפינה. מסתבר שאצל סמוטריץ׳ חייבים לתת תעודת כשרות גם למשחקי כדורגל. אני רק תוהה מה יהיה הצעד הבא? בקצב הזה את שידורי המונדיאל בשבת נצטרך לראות בשידורים חוזרים. סמוטריץ׳, כדורגל בשבת ראינו לפניך ונראה גם אחריך. pic.twitter.com/JUgp8CQKvB
— אביגדור ליברמן (@AvigdorLiberman) November 7, 2022
Labor chairwoman Merav Michaeli also panned Smotrich, writing: “Smotrich hasn’t yet entered his seat [in the new coalition] and he’s already trying to force his religious way of life on all of Am Yisrael. Soccer games will continue as usual and if you dare to change it, the public will show you the way out. Israel will not be a halachic state.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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20 Responses
Lieberman,
If you don’t like it you can move to Russia you רשע
I hope he is right.
It is also important to note that this would be a widely popular change amongst the vast majority of the Israeli public
1st time lieberman ever said something for which we normal people can gleefully respond:- From your mouth to G-d’s Ears
what does he care? Pigs live on farms anyway
Lieberman should be whipped with the same belt my mother hit me growing up. he deserves malkus (how my mother would call it) and so for labor head Michaeli.
He’s not Jewish.
Halevai it should become a halachic state. And let’s deport him and Kariv to any country that wants them.
Hopefully all his biting aggressive taxes will also he withdrawn pronto!
Avigdor….if you don’t like it…. well…. Dos-ve-danya.
Too bad you swine eating swine, this isn’t a Slavic hell hole, it’s Israel.
“a halachic state is just around the corner”?
Great! About time!
Evet lvovich is worried?
Won’t feel comfortable?
No problem.
There already exists a non-halachic Jewish state.
It’s called Birobidzhan.
Evet! You don’t feel comfortable with what’s happening?
No problem.
Move!!
Lieberman, Russia awaits you, I love this honor that may occur in Israel…it is Hashem’s land we just occupy it for him…..Good Morning Israel my beloved people and country……may this be the first of many that this insane Lieberman states ….
And take Merav with you!
We daven for the halachic state at least 3x a day.
Hope the government puts very very high taxes on pork and other trief.
should give tax relief to those who do NOt drive on the Shabbos.
You want a Halachaic state? Wait till it drives out all the educated, secular professionals who pay taxes, join the army, and make up most of the hi-tech sector of the economy. There’ll be no one left to pay for that Halachaic state or defend it.
And what does Lieberman Ym”s want? A state where you will not be allowed to wear a kippah, Torah study prohibited, education on Jewish holidays and laws in schools to be banned etc etc choliloh.
What do 90% of Jewish citizens of Israel want?
Bronxyid,
The daati do all that and still keep shabbos
Bronxyid, no idea what you are talking about. Dovid hamelech figured it out, so will we. Educated??? We are the most educated out there.
That comment is borderline Kefira, that someone should think that to run a country you can’t keep the Torah.
YWN should remove that comment ASAP.
Ossur lehistakel al dmus pnei rosho. YWN would be doing everyone a big favour not to keep reprinting the picture of that individual.