One can only assume with the High Court of Justice issuing halachic rulings regarding kashrus, Jerusalem’s legal counsel Yossi Chavilov has now issued his ‘p’sak’, that there is no place for chareidi rabbonim to serve as the chief rabbis of the capital.
Chavilov, the city’s legal advisor released an opinion that the city requires Zionistic dati leumi rabbonim, not chareidim. He said at the very maximum, one of the two rabbonim may be chareidi, but not both.
Not everyone however was pleased with the city attorney’s wise words, prompting MK (Yahadut HaTorah) Moshe Gafne to express his disapproval in harsh statements made in Knesset on Monday. “Other than actually writing the names of the next chief rabbis he has done everything” shouted Gafne. “Where does such behavior become acceptable, that a legal advisor involves himself in such matters?”
Meretz’s Nissan Horowitz, who flies the flag of the secularism joined in, questioning since when do chareidim avail themselves of the services of the chief rabbis of the city. Therefore concluded Horowitz, the chief rabbis of the capital must come from within the dati leumi community to serve its population and others, not the chareidim.
Gafne, visibly angry at Chavilov, added “I am volunteering to remove my parliamentary immunity so he can file a libel suit against me. His behavior is unacceptable and we must put a stop to his actions and those like him”.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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8 Responses
Gafni is right, a legal counsel should not be involved in a political decision. There should be a chareidi chief rabbi of the city because then this chief rabbi can attack the zionist state while collecting a fat salary plus benefits from it. Olam hazeh and olam haboh simultaneously. Mayim g’nuvim yumtaku. How sweet corruption is.
“When do chareidim avail themselves of the services of the chief rabbis of the city?” When you’re right, you’re right. The yeshivishe velt in EY never paid much attention to the rabbinut, and with good reasons. It has never been a mouthpiece for true bnei Torah or marbitzim.
as unacceptible as it may seem, i agree with him. the reason being that, unfortunately, it’s more and more common for charedi rabbunim, shlit’a to sign documents, kol korays, psakim and so on without spending the many hours necessary to research the situation properly, due to time constraints. they are sometimes misled by gabboyim, and askanim who have other agendas.
another issue is that, after the reformation movement had become so prevalent and become destructive to torah judaism, the unfortunate, but understandable reaction taken by rabbunim z’l in europe and israel was to oppose any modernization, and to oppose secular scholarship. the issue at hand is whether people who are opposed to modernization, and do not have any background in secular education are equipped to render opinions in a modern world?
Well, finally, the mask is being removed before our eyes. The Secular State no longer pretends to support the Jewish religion as a genuine religion.
It wants to reshape Judaism in its own image, and it believes that the Dati-Leumi officials–people like Shlomo Goren–will cooperate in reforming Judaism in according with their dictates.
The Jewish State is right – The chareidim have to show more caring and appreciation to the people of israel for all the good that they get. They are not our slaves and we have to thank them.
What purpose would a Chareidi Rov want to be Chief Rabbi? The role of Chief Rabbi is to uphold the Religious and Nationalistic aspects of Judaism. If the chareidi world sees no value in Nationalism/Zionism why would they be in that position? How would he relate to Yom Haamatzaut or Yom Yerusahalayim? How could he relate to the governmnet?
I see this entire debate worthlesss except for the issue of Parnassa. It creates a new source of Parnassa for a Chareidi Rov who does not hols by the shteller he is in. Akin to an Orthodox rabbi in the US who takes the position in a Conservative shul, simply becasuse it’s a well paying job.
#6, The rabbis of Yerushalayim have always BEEN charedim. When was the last time a non-charedi was rov? The role has nothing to do with zionism; it’s to serve the WHOLE city, and take care of kashrus, mikvo’os, shuls, etc. Charedim have just as much interest as anyone else in making sure these things are done according to halacha, with no compromises or shortcuts. And yes, it’s a well-paying shtelle; why should they be excluded from it?
millhouse, same question can be asked why should a Ben TORAH, national Rabbi be excluded from this position either? If there are two slots available and one is going to be Charedei (Rav Yosef), why shouldn’t the other slot go to a musmach of Yeshiva Mercaz Harav? They have just as much interest in abiding by halacha, kashrus, mikvoos, shuls, beis din, etc.
There are issues that have not been covered regarding this position, Rav Yosef has a shita regarding SHMITTAH that the majority of the Charedei olem in Jerusalem do not agree with, so it is imperative for them to have a candidate that contrasts his opinion, but why? Let those who want to purchase from Badatz only, do so, no one is preventing them.