The Chief Rabbinate of Israel’s annual Pesach pamphlet containing directives for hotels and restaurants operating during the yomtov, explaining what measures must be taken to kasher kitchens, was halted from being printed at the last moment. Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef Shlita decided that the pamphlet contained too many chumros, and therefore, he prevented it from being printed on schedule. According to a Kikar Shabbos News report, Rav Yosef instructed Chief Rabbinate Director-General Moshe Dagan to halt the printing “to permit sitting on it for two days to make necessary corrections”.
Rav Yosef explained that those involved in preparing the pamphlet operated under the premise ‘כל המחמיר תבוא עליו הברכה’, citing the edition intended for printing was even more machmir than the Chazon Ish ZT”L ZY”A.
The rav is quoted adding that regarding medications advertised for yomtov, even if they have a taste added, it is ‘pagum’ as Chacham Tzvi permitted using such medications as did the Chazon Ish, questioning why the pamphlet is more machmir than the Chazon Ish, citing “In the Rabbanut, our line is halacha”.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
So the Rabbanut finally decided that too many chumros are both inappropriate as a matter of halacha and the hashkafah followed by a large segment of the frum tzibur. I pesume he also had a good sense of practicality and that the liklihood o achieving compliance and observance would be enhanced by these revisions.
It takes a greater Rav to provide leniency in halacha. Any Rav or layperson can be machmir.
I am sure he will take the responsible course of action. Those who want to be machmir – sheyavo alayhem bracha – but its an individual decision. I know some Rabbanim who told use the local eruv as a chumrah but didnt prevent their wives children etc from using the very same eruv.
Gadolhadorah. You mock the gedolim, making it seem as if they FINALLY came around to seeing things YOUR way. Chutzpah! Do you even know what was in these brochures?! Are you so familiar with all the dikdukim & pratim of Pesach laws that you feel you have a pitchon peh against gedolim?! You should be ashamed of yourself.
We just finished Purim, the great holiday of achdus and Jewish unity. Let’s not lose that so soon. Let’s all show respect even when disagreeing. Leitzanus is a terrible mida, as Sefer Tehillim tells us.