Speaking on Israel Radio on Sunday, 7 Menachem Av 5773, Deputy Minister of Religious Services Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan commented on the statements made by Rosh Yeshivat Porat Yosef, HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen Shlita, calling the dati leumi community “Amalek”. He began “I am proud to be a representative of Amalek”.
Ben-Dahan stated “I am embarrassed and pained to see one of the rav’s stature commenting as he did.” He went on to add that as a resident of Jerusalem’s Old City for two decades, he and Rav Cohen maintained a good friendly relationship. Rabbi Ben-Dahan added that as the bureau chief for Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu ZT”L, he was in contact with Rabbi Cohen on many occasions as the rosh yeshiva sought his assistance. “Then he did not refer to me as Amalek” he added.
Rav Ben-Dahan added that he too is capable of making derogatory statements “ten times as bad as his” but refrains from doing so.
When asked to comment regarding Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein’s concerns surrounding the candidacy of Tzfas Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, who seeks to become Israel’s next Chief Sephardi Rabbi, Ben-Dahan added “I don’t see the attorney general ruling against his candidacy because of piskei Halacha for doing so would entail ruling against the Rambam.” He added that there are a number of Arab MKs serving in Knesset today who have spoken out against the state and called for another Intifada, yet their statements do not seem to have had an effect on their careers.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
The concept of Amalek:
“The commentators compare what Amalek did to someone who jumps into a hot bath, cooling it off on contact. Even though he gets scalded, the next person who enters will have a cooler bath and others will now dare to enter. Likewise, Amalek “cooled” off the fear of all the nations, who trembled in awe of Bnei Yisroel. No nation would have dared attack the Jewish people after witnessing the mighty wonders that Hashem did for them in Egypt. After Amalek’s attack, the nations were no longer in such awe of the Jewish people, even though Amalek was actually defeated. Amalek opened the door for other nations to persecute the Jewish people.”
Bayit Yehudi the first so-called religious group jump in and want to destroy Yeshivot and Torah and other reshaim follow suit, how else would you describe it?
Our forefather Avraham Avinu had a brother-in-law/nephew, namely Lot whom he chased away because he associated with the Sodomites and dwelled among them, as mentioned, hipared na me’alei, get away from me.
According to the Torah, Bayit Yehudi can be compared to both Amalek and Lot.
“HaGaon HaRav”
Why such a title to him yet to a Dati-Leumi Rabbi its just “Rabbi….”
Shows the Bias.
Moderators Note: You mean like calling “Hagon HaRav Dov Lior Shlita”? And the list goes on and on….Please have your eyes checked. http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=175813
A PERSON ENTERS A HOSPITAL AND SEES THAT A DOCTOR HAS AMPUTATED SOMEONES LEG LO ALENU, AND BEGINS TO CRITICIZE THE DOCTOR FOR DOING SO, IS ANYONE GOING TO LISTEN TO THIS IGNORAMUS IN LUE OF THE DOCTOR???
THESE GEDOLIM ARE QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED TO SAY WHAT THEY FEEL THEY NEED TO AND OUR COMMENTS ARE THOSE OF IGNORAMUSES, AFTER PINCHAS DID WHAT HE DID & MORDECHAI DID WHAT HE DID, THEY WERE STILL CRITICIZED AND WHO WAS RIGHT??
Yes, we should feel pain that this is what is taking place, and we must love one another. However, we are nobody to comment or give our opinion, especially when we are dealing with people who learn more in one year what we have all learnt combined in our lives. So do yourselves a favor and keep quiet and preserve what ever oilam haba you still may have. If they feel they need to chastise, its for our own good.
The “war” against the yeshivos and the hareidim was declared by Bayit Yehudi, of which Ben Dahan is a leader. He chose the path of Amalek of his own volition. Without his party’s support, there wouldn’t be a war. With the pending arrests of thousands of bnei yeshiva, and the liklihood of some individuals engaging in a violent response, the blame (and the blood) is on his hands and the hands of his party.
“…we are nobody to comment or give our opinion, especially when we are dealing with people who learn more in one year what we have all learnt combined in our lives.”
With all due respect, there is a fundamental flaw in your argument. Being a scholar does not qualify one to be a leader.
On matters of bassar be’cholov I gratefully yield to Rav Cohen’s outstanding scholarship. On matters of leadership, Rav Cohen has no standing, as made abundantly evident by his recent remarks.
Some of these posters are showing an incredible double standard. Just because he’s a Charedi rabbi doesn’t mean he can call an entire segment of a population “Amalek.” Those of you defending him on the grounds that he knows a lot of Torah, would be so quick to criticize a Dati LeUmi Rav who also learned his entire life if he called all Charedim “leaches”. The Gemara says that the Rabbis at the seudah of Bar Kamtzah were responsible for the inevitable result. Knowing lots of Torah doesn’t mean you can label an entire community as Amalek. Knowing lots of Torah doesn’t exempt you for Sinas Chinam. If you have an argument with an individual, call him out. But to say all dati leumis or all kippah serugim are Amalek? Disgusting!
The rhetoric and hatred is out of hand and it is all a fight for the candidacy of the Chief Rabbinate position at this moment.
Our forefather Avraham Avinu had a brother-in-law/nephew, namely Lot whom he chased away because he associated with the Sodomites and dwelled among them – AND HE SENT MALACHIM TO SAVE HIM TOO..
#7 “AND HE SENT MALACHIM TO SAVE HIM TOO..” Of course, Lot was in danger so Avraham Avinu sent malachim to save him. If ch”v Bennett or any DL would be in danger, even the Satmar Rebbe would try to save him and pray for him. Haven’t we all prayed for the health and safety of even the non-religious, e.g. Gilad Shalit?
Still, Avraham Avinu was mad at Lot for associating with reshaim. This is a perfect TORAH EXAMPLE of the situation in Israel.
#6
Well, You say just because he’s a chareidi rabbi he cannot etc. AND what do you think that just because someone puts on teffilin and he’s a shomer (some) mitzvahs, that he can publicly desecrate those mitzvahs that he doesn’t feel like doing, and we as jews who have a responsibility Kol Yisroel Areivim have no right to be moche?