Ramat Gan Chief Rabbi Yaakov Ariel Shlita has expressed his opposition to the so-called Ariel Bill, the bill that is in the works to lift the maximum age ceiling of 70-years-old for a candidate for the post of chief rabbi of Israel to permit him to enter the race. The push behind his candidacy comes from Rabbi Chaim Druckman Shlita.

In a closed assembly the rav told his colleagues that he feels the age 70 ceiling for candidates is a sensible law. “I have passed the age and that is the reality. It would be better for me to head home. It is fine for an elderly man to retire.”

In the report first published by Ynet the rav is quoted taking issue with the voting body for the chief rabbis. “There is a problem with people who do not live a Torah life having a vote as to the chief rabbis of the nation. There are those among them that do not even know what a rav is” he explained. “He does not even know how to write a rav’s name. He brings a slip with the name for the vote”.

He went on with his criticism; “The politicians are involved and the public is involved and they haven’t a clue. They make their selection based on their own reasons, some deal-making, some with another angles” Rav Ariel concluded.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)