Before having a change to enter his new post as IDF Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Eyal Karim has come under a hail of fire from the leftists and women’s rights organizations. The incoming IDF Chief Rabbi is well-respected and regarded to be a genuine talmid chacham, not to mention a former commander of elite IDF units. However, the groups mentioned above are engaged in an unrelenting character assassination against the rabbis because of some of his piskei halacha and writings, all due to the total lack of a basic knowledge and understanding of Yiddishkheit and halacha by his attackers.

MK (Bayit Yehudi) Betzalel Smotrich has decided to fire back in defense of Rabbi Karim, telling MK (Meretz) Tamar Zandberg, quoting Shlomo HaMelech to explain to her “at times, it is better for one to remain silent and be perceived a fool than to open one’s mouth and prove it”.

He continues explaining that no one would dare to speak out as authoritatively as they do on medicine, physics, biology or computers, but when it comes to matters of halacha, “you are all experts”. Smotrich is quick to state he is not counted among talmidei chachamim but has at least learned enough to have respect for rabbonim and halacha, which they do not and has a minimal understanding of the matters at hand, which they lack.

“It’s not your fault since you have not learned but you continue to show the same ignorance. Another thing, there is a tzibur in the State of Israel that respects women, the religious community. We do not portray nude women to sell tires in her husband’s store… women are respected far more than in other sectors and he (Rabbi Karim) has respect for others including female soldiers…You dare to judge one like Rabbi Karim because you saw a newspaper that quotes an article and blog – you simply do not know you do not understand.”

As evident in the video, Smotrich’s remarks are not received well by Zandberg or her left-wing colleagues.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)