The Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi David Lau Shlita and Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita, are under fire for taking part in the Million Man Atzeres. They are seen in photos alongside Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita and Oded Viner, the director-general of the Chief Rabbinate.
Rabbi Lau explained that they went downstairs from their office to join the rally nearby, reciting a few perakim of Tehillim, davening for achdus in Am Yisrael as well as for badly-needed rainfall, then returning to work. As civil servants they are not permitted to take part in political events.
In a statement to the media, the Hiddush organization rejects the explanation and their participation in the event, calling them “emissaries of chareidi gedolim and not chief rabbis representing the broad-based population in any way.” Hiddush officials feel if anything they should have joined an atzeres supporting the effort to share the burden and not the opposite.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
They will always be seen wherever it is politically expedient.
Yeah but we know where they REALLY stand, wink wink.
This was political? Wasnt it called by private people and NOT a govt party?
Too bad on Hiddush.
For a shul rabbi to do something that he knows will anger the Board of Directors is perhaps foolhardy, but if it is standing up for a matter of halacha it is very brave and courageous. Kal ve-homer to a national rabbi, hired by a board known to be predominantly anti-Torah (let’s be honest, they are debating making it a crime to learn Torah – that’s puts them into a class with some of the worst of our enemies).
Anytime a political figure stands up for principles knowing it will likely cost him his job, he is to be admired, and we should proud of the Israeli “chief” rabbis.
Where are all these organization when the MK went on the flotilla that try to break the blockade on Gaza strip it’s ok for them to go its freedom of speech but for the chief rabbi to say a few capitls of tahilim is very wrong oh yah
#4- Why don’t you go to Israel and learn Torah for a few years and see if you ever get arrested?
Oh, right. I forgot. You’re not into learning Torah.
#6: A chiloni such as thyself cannot criticize others, especially falsely.