Much has been written on the race for new chief rabbis of Israel, including reports of back room deals, denials of such deals, alliances and political maneuvering. According to the daily Maariv, it is not really about who will be the chief rabbis, at least not for Shas leaders Eli Yishai and Aryeh Deri.
In an interesting perspective the report explains that Yishai is the force behind the Amar Bill aimed at permitting the Sephardi chief rabbi to serve a second term. Aryeh Deri is opposed to the bill.
Maariv explains that for the two Shas co-leaders, the rabbinical race is about the character of the party and the future leadership, speaking about a time period “after Rav Ovadia is no longer around”. Maariv feels that if Rav Amar is the chief rabbi for another ten years then he will be the automatic successor of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita. This is fine for Yishai, who is trying to maneuver into his former leadership post, but Deri, who is vying for the exclusive party leadership too opposes Amar’s reelection.
Maariv adds that “Senior Shas officials explained” that if Rav Amar is chief rabbi when a successor for R’ Ovadia is sought there will not be a contest. Rav Amar will be the successor.
Deri explained his return to the party, promising to bring the big numbers but in essence, he failed as the party only earned 11 seats in the general election. Deri blames the fact that Rav Ovadia insisted on the co-leadership arrangement. Deri blames Yishai for the failure and the fact that he was not permitted to run the party as it should have been. Needless to say Yishai feels the same way about Deri.
Maariv reports Rav Ovadia is willing to move ahead with the deal with the dati leumi community in which the latter would support the Amar Bill and Shas would support the Bayit Yehudi candidate for Ashkenazi chief rabbi. However, Rav Moshe Yosef is not interested and he is the reason the Rav Ovadia has since indicated he will not cooperate with Bayit Yehudi. Rav Moshe wants his older brother, Chief Rabbi of Holon Rabbi Avraham Yosef to get the post of Sephardi chief rabbi so once again, we see the race for new chief rabbis appears to have little to do with the person but more to do with political agendas.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
The “chief rabbinate” is about patronage. Nothing more. If Israel became a Jewish state, then perhaps the “Chief rabbi” would be the government’s posek. However the liklihood that the government will turn to its “rabbi” on policy questions is unlikely at present. No one who follows halacha (by any shitah) turns to “chief rabbi” for guidance – they ask whomever they regard as a gadol or posek, not the government rabbi. SO ALL THAT IS LEFT IS FIGHTING OVER PATRONAGE.
Is this a chidush that Deri and Yishei have different choices for Chief Rabbi? Did not know that whomever is chosen is then the successor to CHacham Yosef, is that a reality or assumption?