The issue of giyur is a complex one and it appears the new reality of the incoming coalition will create more controversy than was seen in the past regarding state conversions. Without a doubt the talk of “additional leniencies” in the state giyur will result in controversy in the next generation. When children born to such couples become of age, their Jewishness will be a question for those who do not accept the state definition of a Jew. The chareidim, now viewing themselves as members the opposition, are already speaking of launching a new alternative giyur to bypass the state system.
Maariv quotes chareidi sources as explaining “it depends just how far Lapid and Bennett take the giyur issue from Halacha”, towards determining if they will launch an alternative to the state system. Shas is already formulating bills to introduce in Knesset aimed at making life for the new coalition more difficult. One such bill is aimed at Yesh Atid, calling for a cabinet of a maximum of 18 ministers, in line with Yair Lapid’s election promise.
Interior Minister Eli Yishai told the press that Lapid appears to be living his dream, achieving his goal of not seeing a single chareidi in the President’s Residence when the new cabinet is photographed. He added the break with the chareidim will be remembered for years to come. “It appears a Jew does not expel a Jew but a Jew can disqualify a Jew”, Yishai stated in reference to the slogan used during the 2005 expulsion of Jews from their homes in Gaza and N. Shomron.
Also opting to express his anger publically in Yahadut Hatorah’s Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, who tells the media that Naftali Bennett is simply lying, explaining that he personally guaranteed Bennett before signing with Yesh Atid that if he goes with a religious bloc, Yahadut Hatorah would commit to not entering the coalition without Bennett’s party and statements to the contrary are not factual. Litzman lamented the fact that a religious party signed on with Lapid and turned its back on other Torah parties, with Bayit Yehudi now part of an anti-Halacha agenda.
Aryeh Deri’s son on his Facebook page writes זכר את אשר עשה לך בית יהודי” in his hint at Amalek. Posters expressing the same sentiment are also seen in Yerushalayim.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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11 Responses
Money,money,money,money,money and a thousand times money! All of these protestations are not lishma and have everything to do with the loss of positions and money FEH!
Its not “parallel” when one is oys g’haltin in halocha and the other is a certificate from the non shomray torah m’dina.
This is something that should of been done years ago .a real no brainer.
There has been a “parallel” hareidi giyur system in effect for the last several thousand years. For an halachic perspective, what the Israeli government says is totally irrelevant. The same holds for Beitei din and schools. Because an Israeli government, always dominating by people who are not religious Jews (be they goyim, apikoresim, or simply ignoramouses), says something whether in matters of conversion, marriage, divorce, torts, contracts, etc. – is 100% irrelevant from an halachic perspective.
It is the “modern” religious zionist who believe that Medinat Yisrael has a halachic status such that it’s laws have more importance than the laws of any other non-Jewish entity (e.g. the Romans, British, Turks, Arabs, etc.).
#1
rabbiofberlin says:
March 10, 2013 at 1:30 pm
.-rather that seeing only evil in jews, let us follow the barditchever- who saw only good in every jew!
r of b or b of r
be first
so stop your venom
Only criticism and harsh words are heard from the Shas members. It is a hard blow for them to take but it’s only a taste of their own medecine for having cast aside not only a part of the population but the whole of it. It’s sad to see how tables turn. But what’s even more sad is that it’s among Jews. Hopefully the ruah of the holidays will find a way to dissipate all of this hatred, on all sides that is.
#1 Why do all Torah haters mimic lies? Do you know that the settlers and universities receive hundred times more money than all yeshivos together and nobody screams money, money, money, money, money and a thousand times money about them? What a hypocrite! You’re one of those YWN posters who keeps spouting venom at chareidim and Gedolim.
By the way, why do you think Shas needs so much money? Do you know that unlike other MKs, Shas is probably the only one who needs an enormous amount of money for tzeddakah?
Tzaddik, start looking into the truth instead mimicking other Torah haters.
We are all quite aware that the maxim that the devil lies in the details is incontrovertibly and unerringly correct. General acceptance of the ideas and values of the Torah is relatively easy to obtain from the people.
Acceptance of and commitment to the nitty-gritty details of Torah and halakha is another more complicated matter entirely.
This idea goes to the heart of the discussion regarding conversions to Judaism. Merely proclaiming that one wishes to be a Jew, without realizing what that really entails, is pretty much of a sham. What are the details of this covenant that one now wishes to enter into? Is it merely a warm hearted, even sincere, embrace of very general principles of monotheism and morality without knowledge of or commitment to the halachic details that govern daily Jewish living?
Halakha does not demand that the prospective convert know everything about Judaism before being accepted into the fold of Israel. But it does demand that the prospective convert know a great deal about Jewish law and life. Just being a “good person” or serving in the Israeli army, noble as these accomplishments truly are, do not yet qualify for one to be easily converted. Without knowing the details inherent in becoming a Jew, how can one enter into an eternal agreement with binding commitments that remain irrevocable?
The conversion process, which is a tactical and bureaucratic, and which certainly can be improved upon, is a matter of acceptance, sincerity, devotion and honest commitment. It should not be subverted by political pressures, demographic considerations or misplaced compassion. Only in knowledge and adherence to the details of the covenant of Sinai can the survival and growth of the Jewish people and its spiritual advancement be guaranteed.
Shabbat shalom
Rabbi Berel Wein
The Chareidim already created a double system within their own world when they announced a while back that they would no longer recognize giyur done by other frum rabbonim in chutz l’aretz. To suddenly warn against a situation which they already created is opportunistic hypocrisy.
For Litzman to complain about Bayi Yehudi after the chareidim spent so much effort insulting Bayut Yehudi is really chutzpa.
The chareidim forget that Bayit Yehudi represents the “National Religious” or Mizrachi. Does he forget so quickly how the chareidim treated these people in Beit Shemesh? The chareidim are now reaping the “rewards” of their own actions.
to About time: actually, you are right in rebuking me but do you think it is by these threats that we , as Am Yisroel, will remain united?
To Athought: I will bet one thousand dollars right now that you are wrong. Settlers do not receive “hundreds times more money” than the chareidi zibbur.
Second, I do have my differences with chareidi politicians and the misguided zibbur but I have never “apouted venim’ at the Gedolim. please show me when and where! I wil lgrant you that I do not agree with everything that is being said in theri names but I have never, ever spouted venom at any Godol.
The charedim didn’t have a problem with the “official” conversion system as long as they controlled it rather than the datim.