HaGaon HaRav Dov Lior Shlita requests that alongside the approbation of the Sefer זרע ישראל written by Rabbi Chaim Amsellem that he inserts his reservations pertaining to Rabbi Amsellem’s halachic conclusions. Rav Lior does not concur with Rabbi Amsellem’s piskei halacha.
Rabbi Lior is quoted by the dati leumi Srugim website explaining “The conclusions made by Rabbi Amsellem in the sefer are incorrect. I do not agree with them”.
The sefer addresses issues with new immigrants who have a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother, hence non-Jews as halacha rules. Rav Amsellem refers to them as “זרע ישראל” and he quotes poskim who permit their giyur b’dieved despite the fact the giyur candidate is not committed to shmiras Torah and mitzvos. The sefer received approbation from Rav Lior, but in the letter accompanying the approbation Rav Lior requested including his comments too.
Rav Lior explains his haskama for the sefer does not reflect his approval of the piskei halacha but rather his praise and realization of the effort involved in addressing such an important complex matter as giyur. He explains it is an acceptable norm to write an approbation without reviewing each and every psak halacha so he agreed in general to give a haskama with the understanding he does not consent to any conclusion of fact in the sefer. Rav Lior adds that based on piskei halacha from Gedolei Hador in the past it appears that failure to keep Torah and mitzvos does indeed pasul giyur retroactively.
Rav Lior brings proofs to this from Igros Moshe and the Sarid Eish, which state one who does not plan to keep a frum lifestyle when one converts, the giyur is disqualified. “The gedolim mentioned were among the gedolim of the previous generation and this is how we must act. There is no reason to bring such people into Klall Yisrael; converts who know from the time of conversion that they do not intend to keep an Orthodox lifestyle”.
Rabbi Lior concludes that to avoid misleading readers he asks that his comments are included in the approbation of the sefer to avoid a stumbling block chas v’sholom as the sefer was re-released on the eve of Shavuos, especially at a time there is controversy over the Stern Conversion Bill.
In his response Rabbi Amsellem said “I have great respect for Rabbi Lior buy his words do not change the eternal rulings of our Rabbonim Geonim HaRav Uziel, HaRav Yosef Mashash, HaRav Moshe HaKohen, HaRav Chaim David Halevy and tens of other gedolim”.
Rav Amsellem concludes “In the kuntres טחו עינים מראות I showed that in my opinion this was the tradition of piskei halacha in fact and one who thinks differently is permitted to do so and with all due respect, only the rulings of the moderate poskim can solve the national Jewish problem of our generation”.
Rav Amsellem added on Thursday, 7 Sivan “Rabbonim in our generation must stop overlooking and underestimating piskei halacha from Sephardic Torah giants”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
why do you put rabbi next to someone that is sonei talmedei chachamim?
It seems like once again, R Lior takes a halachic position seemingly to contradict a political opponent rather than truly express the logical outcome of an issue that has been debated by several generation of gadolim. In this case, the writings of R Chaim David Halevy (who by the way was the Sephardeshe Chief Rav of Tel Aviv), in his sefer Aseh l’khah Rav (pp. 74-77) makes essentially the same point as R. Amsellem, shlita regarding the acceptance of geyrim.
No one serious has ever taken Mr. Amsellem’s so-called “halachic” conclusions seriously. This is aside from the denunciation of Amsellem as a rasha by Chacham Ovadia Yosef. Even before Amsellem turned into a regular run-of-the-mill lying politician, it was obvious his so-called halachic conclusions from his books and speeches were merely political positions wrapped in Judaism intended to sell non-Jews living in Israel to magically be turned into “Jews” with the wave of a magical wand.
“only the rulings of the moderate poskim can solve the national Jewish problem of our generation”.
What???
This guy is worse than Lipman!
Why didnt you originally insert this into the haskama?What were you thinking??
All “psokim” of this “Rabbi” are bteilim u’mevutalam lo shreerin ve’lo kayamin.
None of you have met this man. Someone who is so full of Emet and Yirat Shamayim. He has dedicated his life to helping Klal Yisrael.
Not to mention that he’s a Dayan, with higher Halachic qualifications than any of the Rabbanim who you learn from on a day to day basis.