MK (Yahadut Hatorah) Menachem Eliezer Moses explains that while the harsh gezeiros including significant budget cuts to yeshivos float in the air, bnei yeshivos have returned to beis medrash and the Elul zman in underway.
Moses told Kikar Shabbos that the current administration claims to be working to help chareidim, seeking to bring tens of thousands into the nation’s workforce and the IDF. Moses explains that the government’s ‘assistance’ is actually quite the opposite, and it is harming the very same tzibur it claims to be helping.
Moses explains that during a session of the National Audit Committee on Tuesday, 1 Rosh Chodesh Elul 5773, Minister Naftali Bennett explained his plan to bring thousands of chareidim into the workforce. “I surprised him then by presenting data from the Central Bureau of Statistics showing that there are 64,000 available jobs in Israel and 252,000 seeking employment.”
Moses asked Bennett to explain where he hopes to find all of these jobs that he plans giving to chareidim. “Do you want them to just show up at the unemployment office and sign for benefits” he asked the minister. Moses called on Bennett to stop with the smokescreen and start getting real, telling him to “first find available jobs and then talk to us about getting chareidim into the workplace.”
Moses adds that Finance Minister Yair Lapid appeared surprised by his data, asking for a copy of the CBS report. Moses feels this is part of the problem, that Bennett’s Ministry of the Economy uses data based on predictions for Israel’s economy from international sources and organizations instead of reading the real data from the CBS, figures based on reality.
Moses accuses non-religious MKs of discrimination against the chareidi community, citing tenders for employment from the Bank of Israel. These job tenders call for correcting the discriminatory practices of the past be giving preference to Arabs, Bedouins and Circasseans, omitting the chareidim. “I asked them but no one had a response” he told Kikar.
Kikar asked Moses I it is possible that in the future Yahadut Hatorah would enter the coalition, and if so, what is his position on reaching a peace agreement with the PA (Palestinian Authority).
Moses feels the party’s home is in the opposition for the time being. He adds that the more the talks with the PA move forward the better the likelihood that some of the coalition partners will have to break away, obviously referring to Bayit Yehudi. He added that his party always supported efforts towards genuine peace. If an agreement appears likely, he feels Shas will be the first to enter the coalition and Yahadut Hatorah may follow.
“The world of Torah is what matters to us. The gezeiros and cuts are making things significantly more difficult. We are doing our best to save what we can. The Chevron Yeshiva is as or more important than the city of Hebron.”
Moses then explained that Tisha B’Av was a short time ago and the Gemara explains how Rav Yochanan Ben-Zakai asked the ruler for Yavne and its scholars. He did not ask for the Beis HaMikdash to remain or another city but to preserve the lomdei torah. “It is in their merit that we exist and have continued doing so for 2,000 years and with Hashem’s assistance we will continue, and therefore we must protect and defend them”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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20 Responses
It is shocking that such a comment need to be made. Only a total apikores would feel otherwise. Even the Religious Zionists have never condonned giving up Torah in order have an ethnically Jewish state.
Now Rabbi… Why in the world would you make a statement presenting a half truth, that could be checked for accuracy ?
Here’s an excerpt from Rabbi Frand’s shiur on parshas V’yashev: Tape #352
…..”The Gemara there asks the obvious question — why didn’t he ask that the Beis Hamikdash be spared? This question was discussed in the Talmud many years later. Some say that he was afraid to ask for the Beis Hamikdash, because he knew that they would not grant such a request. The conclusion of the Gemara however is that he made a mistake. Why did he make a mistake? G-d wanted the Beis Hamikdash destroyed. Through Divine Providence, G-d removed Rav Yochanan ben Zakai’s insight to ask for the Beis Hamikdash at that moment……
This is why it’s so difficult to accept purely at face value anything that’s said by some rabbonim. The community loses respect when they suspect an ulterior motive.
“It is in their merit that we exist and have continued doing so for 2,000 years and with Hashem’s assistance we will continue, and therefore we must protect and defend them”
Bingo! Exactly!
The Lapid/Bennett team, can play around with their fuzzy math but the fact remains, they are out to destroy Torah as we know it!
#1… So who’s the apikorus? You’re arguing with a gemara, unless you’re stam an Am Haaretz.
Lo Soguru – you took the words out of my mouth…
an Israeli Yid
#4 – Please show me which gemara says it is better to eat treff, work on Shabbos and be married to a shiksa in Eretz Yisrael, than to learn Torah and do the mitsvos outside of Eretz Yisrael.
The fact is that for millenia, our gedolim have always preferred to be frum and learn Torah, rather than move to Eretz Yisrael and become non-religious (which would free them from being persecuted – Jews who went along with the majority group were never persecuted in Eretz Yisrael, only those religious fanatics doing what you said isn’t important).
#6– A little history.
There were always frum Jews who wanted to live in EY. Throughout the millenia most didn’t succeed because the time from Heaven wasn’t right. A few families hnere and there but that’s about it.
R’ Yehuda Chasid’s entourage mostly died en route.
Then came a Bas Kol in the 18oos. Even gentile nations agreed to help establish EY. Unfortunately, for reasons I won’t go into here, moat religious refused to heed the Bas Kol. Had they, instead of the non-frum made aliyah, they would have succeeded in giving aIsrael a different look.
Please understand… We are all pained to see chillul Shabbos, treif stores , etc.. However this is unfortunately the reality.
When frum people become cabinet ministers in a kind of medinah which they themselves oppose just to get power and leverage, it leaves a bad taste.. We’ll get nowhere unless both sides sit and talk… Not the hotheads… But fair people who can talk without hate or anger. Only then can we expect Moshiach.
Finally, the rabbonim who preferred to stay in Bavel and learn Torah there instead of joining Ezra in Aliyah, were castigated by the rabbonim who DID make Aliyah. Please check in Meseches Sanhedrin and other places.
Again, I recommend Eyn Habonim Semeicha , by the murdered R. Teichtal H”YD who explains it better than I.
I have to say that apukerma’s logic stands things on its head. Since when is moving to Etetz Yisroel (under any regime) an incentive to be non-religious?? So, you are putting up the proverbial straw man,something that no one believes in! On the contrary, you have more mitzvos and live in a better atmosphere. So, apukerma, please don’t stand things on their head, lest we all get a headache!
To answer your comments about not living in EY:
Yoma.. Daf9 According to Resh Lakish, the Shechinah did not rest on the Second BH in its full splendor because the majority remained behind in Bavel (When Rabbah Bar Bar Hannah came from Bavel to Eretz Yisrael, he saw Resh Lakish swimming in the Jordan River. Resh Lakish said to him: “I don’t return your greeting, for you Jews (who remained in Bavel) destroyed the Beit HaMikdash.”
The “Kuzari” also attributes the Shechinah’s absence from the Second Temple to the sorrowful fact that the majority of Jews of the time preferred to remain in exile: “This is the sin which kept the Divine promise regarding the Second Temple from being fulfilled. Divine Providence was ready to restore everything as it had been at first, if they had all willingly consented to ascend. But only a part was ready to do so, while the majority and the community leaders remained in Babylon, preferring dependence and slavery, unwilling to leave their villas and business affairs” (Kuzari 2:24).
Mk Moses made a stupid statement in my opinion. By bolstering his argument in the manner he did, he belittled the kavod of the jewish holy places in general and of chevron in particular. In addition to its being Inappropriate, leftists will just quote him out of context and say charedi mks don’t care about chevron.
“It is shocking that such a comment need to be made”
Dont you wish it was shocking, so many of the Israelis have lost touch with Yiddishkeit due to the aggressive behavior of Shlamit Aloni and reducing Nach and history in Israeli schools!!
Basically what he is saying in a sleezy way is that he has no problem kicking Jews out of their homes all in exchange for some $$$$$
ALL mitzvos, including tfillin, when done outside of Eretz Yisroel are only done so that ewedon’t forget to do them when we go to Eretz Yisroel. Every mitzva is meant to be done ONLY in Eretz Yisroel. Check the Rabbeinu Bachya in sefer Devorim.
Akuperma- Please show me where it states that one who lives in E”Y is forced to eat treif, be mechallel Shabbos and marry a shiksa as you imply (“#4 – Please show me which gemara says it is better to eat treff, work on Shabbos and be married to a shiksa in Eretz Yisrael, than to learn Torah and do the mitsvos outside of Eretz Yisrael”).
You are a shokran sh’ein kamohu!! Then some wonder why I attack you. You are a fake, phony and a fraud. Do you learn any Torah in chutz la’aretz? Of course not! You are too busy commenting here.
Zionist fantasies have reached a fever pitch. A “Bas Kol in the 1800s”?
A little history:
Some nations agreed to increased Jewish settlement in Eretz Yisrael, which would have been fine. But the Zionists came along and decided they had carte blanche to do as they felt. The same British said that the Zionists read more into the Balfour Declaration than was in that declaration. The same nations still despise Israel and its “settlements”.
This Zionist fantasy that “the nations let” is pathetic. Yes, some nations did recognize the State of Israel after its establishment, but even that doesn’t mean “the nations let” and it certainly was not all nations and even more certainly not the Arabs in the area.
On another note, Zionism, its State and its very purpose for existence is shmad. So having more frum politicians is not at all a sufficient counter-balance, as you suggest, to a State whose very purpose is shmad.
A little Torah:
Before Mashiach comes, it is forbidden to create a political entity in Eretz Yisrael under Jewish ownership, even if every single non-Jew on Earth said to do so.
Don’t blame the many problems of Zionism as a result of religious Jews not joining in the Zionist regime of shmad.
The eis ratzon that could have resulted in the real geulah was, instead, ruined by the Zionists and their idolatry (and the tefillos said for that idolatry), according to great Rabbis at the time.
What ever Shshet Yamim Taavod? Living in Baby;om (USA) and being supported by non Jewish wefare may be assur.
If you don’t have basic math and computer skills you wont find too many jobs. If the USA cuts welfare, the Charedim are in trouble. Not working has no halachic or historical precedent.
#15 Israel was granted a state by the United Nation, People are just asking charedim in Israel to act like charedim in chutz laaretz and work like normal people.
Some cheredim share the blame for people being not religious. Spitting on little girls, making women sit in the back of public bus, allowing child molesters run free.
A little Navi lesson, there was rarely a period in Jewish History that Jews and Jewish Kings didn’t sin. I think that most of you are out of touch with reality and Jewish history.
#15—— Please read my post under the other column where I show that there is no clear mesorah what Moshiach’s role is. You, however, make a blanket statement without a shred of evidence to support a claim that others believe 100% and harass other Jews because of it.
R’ Avrohom of Vilna , among others, states unequivocally that Moshiach will only be the King… Not the ingatherer.
IMO–Anybody who denies, yes, the Bas Kol, is a Meragel, a Nachbi ben Vofsi.
Mr. Hakatan**** .””Zionism, its State and its very purpose for existence is shmad – — This Zionist fantasy that “the nations let” is pathetic – “. Oh Really!!??
UN, including Soviet Union voting to establish it is a fantasy?? Shmad?? You’ve never read Harav Kook’s, Rav Berlin’s writings, obviously.
“….The same nations still despise Israel and its “settlements”. -”
CORRECT.
And that’s why its creation and beautiful continuos existence is YAD HASHEM, or don’t you see it.
Tomorrow morning when I say the bracha of Pokeach Ivrim, I’ll have you in mind. Now say Omayn.
Eat your heart out Hakatan. Despite all opposition, despite all predictions by SOME rabbis at the time, Medinat Yisrael is here. It’s not, as you call it, a Zionist fantasy. It’s real… Hello !. Boruch Hashem. AND shmad, as you call it, is there—- in galut.
That the nations hate us is proof of nothing. Moshiach himself will fight Gog & Magog. So you’ll say that he’s not the real deal because of it?