The Knesset Channel recently hosted a discussion on the direction the State of Israel is heading and the fears of those who fear Israel may become a halachic state. The guests included attorney Rabbi Uri Regev of the Reform Movement and Rabbi Dr. Yitzchak Lifshitz of Shalem Collage.
The discussion included the recently announced plan of Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel, who came under fire for suggesting instead of spending NIS 4.5 million annually to spade and neuter stray cats, they should be shipped to a country willing to take them. Ariel explained the current program is not kind to the cats as well as being halachically forbidden.
Ariel’s statements were met with angry responses from secular activists including MK Zahava Gal-On, who heads the left-wing Meretz Party. Gal-On said “I do not know if there is a halacha against it, but as the minister responsible for animal welfare his proposal conflicts with basic morality, it is time to look for another country that would accept him”.
Ariel has since announced the plan was being probed and his office has since decided it is not doable.
Panels Politics conducted a survey following the incident with Ariel.
Should Halachic rule supreme in Israel?
· 26%: We desire a halachic state
· 71%: We do not want a halachic state
Rabbi Lifshitz explained he personally opposes separation of religion and state. Regev on the other hand feels the recent graffiti attack against the Supreme Court building stating “We do not destroy a shul. We want a Jewish state”. He feels this shows that those who desire a halachic nation will use force to impose their will when the nation’s highest court contradicts halacha.
Regev then expressed his disapproval of the recent involvement by Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita, who sent a letter to High Court President Justice Miriam Naor, seeking a way to prevent the demolition of Beit Knesset Ayelet HaShachar in Givat Ze’ev. Rav Yosef explained the current process is contradictory to halacha. Regev explains that the Chief Rabbinate has no place in the judicial process, which is represented by the state prosecutor. Regev adds another example, when he called for gender separation at the kever of his father, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L, which he points out is against the law. He feels the actions of Rabbi Yosef, a civil servant, are nothing less than illegal.
Regev feels that these examples are proof of those who act as heretical in their actions and trample Israel’s democratic makeup.
What is your perception of the makeup of Israeli society?
30%: Israeli society is traditional
54%: Israeli society is non-religious with an attachment to tradition
3%: Israeli society is simply non-religious.
It is significant that only 3% wish to identify as having no ties to Jewish tradition.
How do you view the State of Israel (not society)?
The result is quite similar to the previous question.
· 51%: A secular state with an attachment to tradition
· 26%: A traditional state
· 5% A state secular state without an attachment to tradition
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
The tragedy is that under halacha the graffiti incident is entirely assur, starting with the graffiti itself being written (damaging public property) all the way to what the graffiti said. Mr. Regev’s contribution to the discussion was entirely predictable and isn’t itself news. What is news is that he has influence as a Reform “expert” on Israel who is looked up to by Jews who have no halachic background as providing cogent arguments for opposing halacha. Which means that the non-halachic activists who claim to be “religious” need to take a different direction. They need to first of all learn how to make nice with their opponents instead of looking to make trouble by threatening court justices and trying to force an anti-halachic Jewish presence on the Har HaBayis. Some techniques from such kiruv organizations as Aish HaTorah would be for starters. But ultimately, they need to learn some real halacha, starting with that halacha controls their beliefs and actions, rather than being something they can manipulate as they see fit, but ignore when it doesn’t fit with their world view. If these activists would really be acting according to halacha, Mr. Regev would have no real life examples that seem to prove his point to the uneducated.