Following the death earlier this week of Israeli author Yoram Kaniuk, government ministers and state officials have been tripping over themselves lamenting the loss. Among those is Minister of Culture and Sport (Likud) Limor Livnat, who eulogized him. Chief Rabbi Yonah Metzger announced he would make certain that Kaddish was recited for the niftar even though he willed his body to science and insisted on being regarded as a person “without a religion”.
MK (Yahadut Hatorah) R’ Yisrael Eichler however did not let it pass, condemning Livnat’s actions, labeling the niftar a “Jew hater”.
Eichler stated “it’s unbelievable, tat Livnat mourns the loss of a Jew hater”, pointing out how he went to great efforts to have his religion removed from his identity card, insisting that he be labeled “without a religion”.
Livnat on the other hand referred to Kaniuk as “one of the greatest writers of our time,” crediting his works with playing a role in shaping the ethos of Israeli society.
Responding to Eichler was Meretz party leader MK Zahava Gal-On, calling his remarks “arrogant, repulsive and unworthy of this place [Knesset]”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Have to agree with Gal-Oz on this one.
What is the purpose of Eichler’s comments? It’s a known fact already that he is a self-hating Jew, why does MK of the UTJ have to once again announce what is known.
Who is the real ‘hater of Jews’ here?
I admit that I’ve never read anything the niftar wrote. Reports about him make it clear that he was an atheiest and a critic of religion. But I have seen nothing that indicates that he hated Jews. To the contrary, he is reported to have served in the Palma”ch and to have been seriously wounded while defending Jews. Hardly the act of a ‘Jew hater’.
MK Eichler, on the other hand, went out of his way to gratuitously hurt the niftar’s family and friends and those members of the public who mourn his passing – many of whom are doubtlessly Jews. Hardly the act of a man who loves Jews.
#2, You are not supposed to give kovod to reshoim that’s the purpose of the comments from the frum MK.
#3 – Fine then follow the pasuk – “veshem reshaim yirkav” – that means you say nothing about them.
We need to show that Ahavat Klal Yisroel is more important.
#3 – Leaving aside the question of whether a tinok shenishba is a rasha or not, I said nothing of kavod (or lack thereof) to the niftar. I spoke of the feelings of his family, friends and public. It is their feelings that the learned MK set out to hurt.
Sorry, Yagel Libbi, my comment was meant for #1.A tinok shenishba is definetely not a roshah. The question is if this one was a tinok shenishbah.
#4, Often it is a mitsvah to condemn and speak badly about reshoim.
Why IS eichler IN the kneset?
#4 Actually it does not mean that as we learn from the fact that Chizkiyahu HaMelech dragged his fathers bones threw the streets and Chazal praised him for it.