As debate continues surrounding the Shabbos Bill, which is being pushed by chareidi parties, MK Yisrael Eichler on Thursday, 10 Teves spoke out strongly during a debate on the bill in the Knesset Internal Affairs Committee. He explained US Jewry is proof, explaining the widespread assimilation is R”L the result of working on Shabbos.
The bill is in committee, being prepared for its final votes. If passed into law, it will give the Interior Minister authority to supersede local authorities and compel the closure of stores on Shabbos, even if these cities amended their bylaws to permit opening on Shabbos.
Eichler told committee members that following the Holocaust, “Six million Jews lost their connection to Yiddishkheit as a result of having to work on Shabbos”. He quoted the late President Chaim Herzog, who referred to it as the “Silent Holocaust”.
He warned the current trend will lead to additional catastrophe as he feels with the exception of persons who are Shomer Shabbos, most of today’s children will be lost.
He called on committee members not to follow and to refrain from compelling Israelis to work on Shabbos.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Can these political hacks forego using the Shoah as their frame of reference for whatever agenda they pursue. It is an insult to the memory of the kedoshim who perished in the shoah. Any political or religious leader who invokes the shoah for their own purposes, or claims to know exactly why the Ebeshter allowed it to happen then or claims to know exactly how/why it could happen again–literally or figuratively–is a shoteh who does not deserve to have any position of responsibility within the tzibur. When moishiach comes, we may learn more but until then, perhaps just shut up.
Gadol of your own misconceptions,
What makes you an expert on the Shoah? Rav Avigdor Miller z”l wrote that reasons for the Shoah are clear because of mass abandonment of the Torah and brings clear proofs to that point of view. To claim that Hashem yisborach would bring such a catastrophe without any reason is an error and leads to kefira and lack of trust in Hashem.
There are many warnings in the Torah and in the klallos about going with Hashem bikeri and abandoning the Torah that will bring destruction. It is very clear that preventing mass violation of the Torah is a clear and present danger and should be warned about.