The issue of the upcoming election for new chief rabbis is gaining momentum as the general elections have passed. The 10-year term of the current chief rabbis should have expired, but the government extended them until June to avoid interference with the general elections for the 19th Knesset.
Two major candidates for the post of Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi spoke with Israel Radio on Thursday morning , 20 Shevat 5773. Rabbi David Lau, Chief Rabbi of Modi’in and son of former Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita and Rabbi David Stav, Chief Rabbi of Shoham and head of Rabbanei Tzohar Organization.
Also addressing the election of new chief rabbis was attorney Rabbi Dov Halbertal, a former bureau chief in the Chief Rabbinate of Israel and one who was close to Posek Hador Maran Rav Shlomo Yosef Elyashiv ZT”L.
ISRAEL RADIO:
Is there a chance for change?
RABBI DAVID STAV:
First of all I want to open by saying Rav Lau is a true friend and a talmid chacham and the issues at hand are not personal, but represent the need for change in the system in Israel today.
My main agenda is to work towards restoring Am Yisrael’s faith in Yiddishkheit. Too many have been distanced or alternatively, not been approached to come home. I see an urgent need to address 1.5 million immigrants as well as kashrus. There are burning issues that demand the Chief Rabbinate’s attention.
We learn from Rav Nachman that anything that has been broken by mortal man can also be fixed by man and I am committed to work to doing just that. There must be a zero tolerance for any compromise in Halacha accompanied by 100% tolerance for dealing with people politely and respectfully, reaching out to those who do not know how to turn to use, representing the Rabbanut in a different light.
What Halacha dictates that a young couple seeking to get married must be treated harshly?
What Halacha compels a resident of Beersheva studying in Tel Aviv University to register with the Rabbinate in Beersheva when Tel Aviv is infinitely more convenient for him/her?
What Halacha prohibits accommodating the schedule of young people seeking to register for marriage?
What Halacha compels a young couple to open their file exactly 90 days before the wedding instead of six months if that better suits them?
Why can’t we assist the immigrants from the Former Soviet Union? Yes, many of them must prove their Jewishness but instead of throwing a list of demands at them, why not use the Chief Rabbinate’s vast resources and connections around the world to facilitate that process? It would be in the interest of all. They current reality compels many of these couples to travel to Cyprus and they are married there, not in accordance to Halacha. This is what will lead to increased assimilation!
ISRAEL RADIO:
What about the storm over giyur as we say with Rav Druckman.
RABBI DAVID STAV:
For me, I rely on the piskei Halacha of two Gedolei Yisrael, Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita and HaGaon HaRav Yosef Shlomo Amar Shlita. However there are those who did not permit these rabbonim to act on these piskei Halacha over recent years, resulting in many problems.
ISRAEL RADIO:
What about the feeling of the general public towards the Chief Rabbinate. People tremble when they have to deal with them. People are disgusted with the Rabbinate before they arrive.
RABBI DOVID LAU:
I am well aware of this, but I do not think it is always the case. In the case of assisting young people registering to get married for example, I know how we handle them in my city, Modi’in and I know what I did before that in Shoham. I did in there and I can do it nationally too. You are correct and people do not and should not be treated harshly.
We must remember however, people have a certain perspective and things are not always as bad as we are making them out to be. From your statements one might believe people are treated politely, friendly and respectfully in all government agencies and the Chief Rabbinate is the only place where this is an issue.
ISRAEL RADIO:
Not at all for we all know this is not so. This however, the Rabbanut, hits the core. Sometimes a couple comes, a couple with absolutely no kesher with Yiddishkheit or rabbis. They are uninterested in Torah, mitzvos, Shabbos, nidda and they simply wish to get married. This too is a reality and the Rabbanut has to address this as well.
RABBI DOVID LAU:
There are many issues. What is certain is that marriage must remain in the hands of the Chief Rabbinate exclusively, for this is the starting point if we wish to continue with as a Jewish state. I have done it in Modi’in and before that in Shoham and can do it nationwide.
ISRAEL RADIO:
But you are the exception.
RABBI DOVID LAU:
But we can do it in all cities.
ISRAEL RADIO:
You are avoiding the point. Why does the Rabbinate have to get into the privacy of a young couple when it is clear to all they are not going to keep mitzvos?
RABBI DOVID LAU:
We are in a place that young people are setting out to build their lives. We do what we must and this includes verifying that both parties are Jewish. I doubt that either side would want to learn the other is not Jewish chas v’sholom. It is not always that easy. Making a woman meet with a kallah teacher once or twice as I do in Modi’in in not extreme. I have made major changes in my city and it can be done on a national level as well.
ISRAEL RADIO:
Maybe we should have separation of religion of state.
RABBI DOV HALBERTAL:
Correct. Till now we are talking how to make technical change. What is truly at the heat of the issue is that on one side, we have Yair Lapid, who represents the State of Tel Aviv that elected him alongside with Naftali Bennett, Lapid’s mirror image. On the other side we have the chareidim and Yerushalayim.
Now, the real question is what identity do we wish to see for the future of the State of Israel?
ISRAEL RADIO:
Are these the only options? Yair Lapid or Yaakov Litzman? No middle ground? Are all chilonim Yair Lapid and all the Shomer Shabbos Yaakov Litzman?
RABBI DOV HALBERTAL:
I am speaking about the representatives of the different groups. Bennett has nothing to do with being religious, just like Lapid. He is the same. We are not dealing here with the individuals however, but the groups they represent.
The issue is the Chief Rabbinate and religion and state. Rav Stav comes to ‘repair Yiddishkheit’ with new ideas regarding giyur and what to do before marriage. He speaks about Rav Ovadia and ‘those’ who do not permit Rav Ovadia to speak out. “Those sources” was Maran Rav Elyashiv, the leading posek of the generation. Like I said, Rav Stav seeks to change Halacha.
We hear the jingles supporting Rabbi Stav’s candidacy. Why are there jingles for him and not Rav Lau for example? Because Tzohar rabbis are liberal, modern and reform, and they belong to the State of Tel Aviv, not here with us, in Yerushalayim.
ISRAEL RADIO:
Maybe they are the future of the State of Israel. There are no chilonim in this discussion so permit me to represent this side.
Perhaps this is what I want. My definition of being a Jew is identity. That is my DNA. I want to preserve this. I will not do it your way. Your way represents coercion.
RABBI DOV HALBERTAL:
I know the chilonim world better than Rav Stav. I lecture among them often and have many dealings with these people. My problem is not with chilonim, but with Rav Stav and those like him.
ISRAEL RADIO:
Rabbi Stav does not have the answer for everyone but many like his approach.
RABBI DOV HALBERTAL:
I agree. I want to say something important. Not one of the secular parties, not Lapid or Meretz spoke about religion and state. They are speaking about sharing the burden, not separating religion and state. They do not want to separate religion and state as I suggest they do in my column. I tell them after all, this does not work for you. You are not interested in being Jewish, so why not cut yourself off and break away entirely?
They want their Jewish identity. Once we decide not to separate between state and religion, we must define what this identity will be. The only legitimate one is Orthodox. Rav Stav represents others streams which are unacceptable.
RAV DAVID STAV RESPONDS:
I will not lower myself to the level of he who made comments which are pashut lies. The listeners in the past five minutes got an explanation of what occurred in the Chief Rabbinate over the past 20 years. Chilonim have two options. Be secular or be like Dov Halbertal.
Many Israelis want to get married in accordance to Halacha, keep shabbos on their level, but do not and will not be like Halbertal and they too have rights. We must address this reality. Not everyone has to be like him and B”H most chareidi rabbonim are not in agreement with Halbertal either.
ISRAEL RADIO:
I wish to conclude there we are aware there is a group that does indeed wish to have separation between state and religion
RABBI STAV:
Agreed. There are those too
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
Why does Halbertal have anger towards Rabbi Stav? and misrepresent him entirely?
I would assume that Rabbi Stav has more connection, knowledge and relations with the chilonim than Halbertal does..