There are more than a few rabbonim angered over the remarks made by MK (The Movement) Elazar Stern regarding Tzfas Chief Sephardi Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita. Stern referred to Rav Eliyahu as “Shmulik”.
Stern was giving an interview dealing with the Giyur Law since the bill was his initiative. This is the law that is opposed by the Chief Rabbinate of Israel, many prominent dati leumi rabbonim and poskim and gedolei yisrael shlita.
When asked about the objections of Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu to the bill, Stern referred to him as “Shmulik a Gemara student”.
Rabbonim of the Derech Emunah Organization called on Stern to watch his speech and use the coming days for teshuvah and kapora. They added that one who mocks a talmid chacham has no share in Olam Haba.
MK (Bayit Yehudi) Yoni Chetboun responded telling the media “this is proof that we require sectarian parties to provide protection for the likes of Stern and those like him. His remarks represent the beginning of the end of the State of Israel having Jewish identity”.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
This is typical Knesset politics in EY and is no big deal. As many recall, we had a Rav who was a leader of Shaas but also a respected talmid chacham who would regularly insult other rabbonim whose political agenda he disagreed with. In an ideal world there would be no such personal attacks by politicians against rabbonim or by rabbonim against politicans but this is the price we pay for blurring the lines between politics and religious matters in EY.
Although Chetboun would be more fitting as head of Bayit … what does his statement that Stern’s “remarks represent the beginning of the end of the State of Israel having Jewish identity” have anything to do with Israel’s Jewish identity? Does Israel have a Jewish identity otherwise? What is Jewish with looking like goyim, selling pork, keeping stores open on Shabbes, priding themselves with immorality, etc. etc. etc. etc.?
Did Chetboun make this statement when Stern forced religious soldiers to attend women singing? Or when he forces religious soldiers to desecrate Shabbes?
Well, Shmulik, the gemara student is worth a lot more than Lazer, the member of knesset. Lazer had his little moment of glory, now let him go back to his bolthole while Rabbi Eliyahu Shlita goes back to his Gemara.
quite the compliment!