Hagaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef, made sharp remarks about Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during his weekly Motzaei Shabbos shiur, saying he does not believe the prime minister will ever do teshuvah.
Speaking about the spiritual state of Israel, Rav Yosef said, “Unfortunately, we are living in a secular state, not a Chareidi state. We daven that everyone should return in teshuvah. Some people have returned in teshuvah. There are some that I don’t believe will return in teshuvah. Bibi Netanyahu will be Chozer Be’Teshuva? There is no chance. Eisenkot perhaps will be Chozer Be’teshuvah”.
Rav Yosef also referenced previous comments he made about Netanyahu’s relationship with his late father, Maran Harav Ovadia Yosef zt”l.
“Netanyahu is insolent,” Rav Yosef said. “He said my father was a politician after my father expressed sorrow over yeshiva bochurim. How can he speak so disrespectfully?”
He also reiterated a past claim that had Harav Shalom Cohen zt”l still been alive, “he would have shouted at the Shas representatives: ‘Why are you relying on Bibi? He is an atheist.'”
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
7 Responses
Honestly I don’t see the point of these articles besides ultimately causing many Wicked people to throw more fuel on a tzaddiks name. Of course many of us know how holy he is and especially who his father was, but these weekly lectures probably shouldn’t be publicized it’s for people who could handle it
Agree with the first comment
What’s the point in this article?
I’m no fan of Bibi, I hope, if Mashiach doesn’t come, a Frum righty gets elected, but really, what’s the point I this article?
How about this being a double dare the prime minister? Watch him show the Rov he could become a baal teshuva.
The Rov will have the last laugh.
בלתי ידח ממנו נדח
‘על מנת שאני צדיק – אפילו רשע גמור, מקודשת, שמא הרהר תשובה בדעתו”
כבר הבטיחה תורה שסוף ישראל לעשות תשובה בסוף גלותן ומיד הן נגאלין
Menachem Shmei, not comparing prime minister to reshayim of the past, but Chofetz Chaim said to a communist: I came not because I expect you to do teshuvah, but so that you don’t have an excuse at the Din that “I might have done teshuva were Ch.Ch come to me”. On it’s face, this is also denying teshuva, but really a rhetorical device to shock the person into teshuva.
What does bother me:
1) Whether you agree to his specific positions, the PM has undeniable zechyout over the years – in personal mesiras nefesh; in Israeli defense; international politics with very difficult counterparts and sonei Yisroel; developing modern non-socialist economy; providing a lot of support for various Torah and Judaism causes. Presumably, these words would not be said were he to support a couple of recent laws. “What did you do for me lately”?
2) a dichotomy between a chiloni and charedi state, ignoring every other group. My non-charedi “modern” rav had his shailohs answered both by the Chacham and his father, so it is unfortunate this rhetoric is used
3) Is the rav so optimistic that a “charedi” state will be run better than now? That learners will suddenly run to fight under chassidishe officers? kollel students will develop updates to Iron dome, after a quick course in physics and computer science?
I hope there is an elite group somewhere in the olam hayeshivos that is preparing to take over and run the state.
@Menachem
R”L, we know that just like by Mitzrayom only a Fifth (חמושים) went out so too in the Geula Asidah r”L.
We just have to work on ourselves (and try to inspire others) that we are part of them.
Bibi orchestrated the freedom of all Bnai Torah from giyus. Yet there are still people who question the handling of the Jewish question by the original Zionists. This seems like תרתי דסתרי .