Hundreds of Ashdod and area residents turned out on Monday, the eve of 12 Teves 5773 for an Asifa to decry election campaign events in which the kovod of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita is being compromised. The event was held in a local facility and the message attracted many as it was attended by most of the city’s prominent rabbonim, including roshei yeshiva and kollelim.
The event began with an address from HaRav HaGaon Aaron Butbul Shlita, who quoted a Mishnah from Sotah which addresses the עקבתא דמשיחא and the lack of Derech Eretz that will be evident (“Cutzpah Yazgir”) during that time against talmidei chachamim.
Another speaker was HaGaon HaRav Shimon Badani, who explained to the tzibur that he felt compelled to speak to condemn the lack of Derech Eretz, the assault on the kovod of Gedolei Torah. The rav explained that during our time, the סטרא אחרא is out there and doing his utmost to prevent talmidim from studying Torah as they should.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
3 Responses
חז”ל מזהירים אותנו :”כל המהרהר אחרי תלמיד חכם כאילו הרהר אחרי הקדוש ברוך הוא”
The dialogue in the current election campaign in EY is unfortunately approaching that which we saw here in the U.S. with personal attacks displacing debate on the policies and issues. The outrageous comments about gadolim from the secular parties is bad. But so too are the frequently disparaging comments about the secular polticians coming from many of the big rabbonim who accuse them of seeking to destroy all the yeshivos or engaging in all sorts of offensive behavior. The respect needs to go BOTH ways. If the religious leadership disparages the secular population (which is still a substantial majority of the population), they won’t get the respect they deserve.
This article is not clear – what “election campaign events in which the kovod of Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita is being compromised” ????