HaGaon HaRav Shlomo HaKohen Aviner Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Tzvi Tau Shlita are leading poskim in the dati leumi community. They have come out against MK (Yesh Atid) Elazar Stern, who they label “an apikorus” for daring to insult talmidei chachamim as he does. The rabbonim published a letter to express their outrage over Stern’s behavior.
The rabbonim have come to the defense of Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita in light of recent comments released by Stern, a member of the dati leumi community. They said his outrageous remarks represented “An insult to Kovod HaTorah the likes of which have not been seen since the establishment of the state”.
The letter begins “To our sorrow, we are accustomed to hearing Amei Aratus insulting talmidei chachamim and we cannot manage to protest them all”.
The rabbonim however point out that in Stern’s case, during a Knesset address, http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/498737/mk-elazar-stern-lashes-out-against-hagan-harav-yitzchak-yosef-for-reversing-decision-on-an-agunah.html he attacked Rav Yosef repeatedly, stating “He is not a dayan” and “I mock the chief rabbi”. The rabbonim feel that even for Stern, he has passed all acceptable limits and therefore, they are compelled to rebuke him to defend Kovod HaTorah.
They add that if a talmid chacham has a disagreement with the chief rabbi, a machlokes, there is a way to express this but “but no one has reshus to insult him as Chazal teach us one who acts this way is an apikorus, ואין רפואה למכתו.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Can’t call him an apikores of he is ignorant of Torah. Am ho’oretz is probably more accurate…
Without knowing the details of this particular set of comments and insults, there is sadly a growing degree of polarization in the political sector in EY not unlike that which we are experiencing here in the U.S. The difference, of course, is that in EY, many political parties are beholden to certain rabbonim and those rabbonim, in turn, often feel compelled to make disparaging comments about various MKs or public officials. However, it becomes a very one-sided battle when they hide their political agendas behind their status as “gadolim” and thus become immune to criticism. When it comes to matters of daas torah, they properly deserve all the possible respect that should be shown to a gadol and talmid chacham; however, when they insert themselves into the political world, its much harder to avoid language and actions that some will find inappropriate.
Stern is a disgrace
Gadolhadorah,
This case is about stern inserting his (unlearned) opinion into a halachic matter.
But to your point, why do rabbis in Israel involve themselves in the political world? Because of all the halachic ramifications with millions of Jews.