Speaking to Kol Berama Radio, Rabbi Motcha Blau stated if Maran HaGaon HaRav Aaron Yehuda Leib Shteinman Shlita received Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu Shlita and signaled he is backing him, then Rabbi Eliyahu is his favored candidate in the race too. Rabbi Blau stressed that for him the race is not relevant in so much as he does not feel the state rabbonus system is part of his life and that of other chareidim.
That said, Rabbi Blau feels that if he must announce who he supports, it would be one who carries on the tradition of “Torah M’Sinai in his piskei halacha”, which he stated is evident in Rabbi Eliyahu’s writings. Rabbi Blau stated “Everything must be done to keep [Rabbi Aryeh] Stern from becoming the next rav of Jerusalem”.
When asked if he would back Rabbi Moshe Chaim Lau Shlita in his bid to become the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of the capital, Rav Blau stated he favors Rabbi Eliyahu Schlesinger Shlita, who has always maintained a close relationship with gedolei hador shlita and is respected and backed by them.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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One Response
To preempt the trolls (who will turn every positive into some negative):
“how come chareidi rabbanim have a say in choosing chief rabbi if they have little use for him anyway?”
You probably know the answer already.
“kol yisroel areivim zeh la’zeh”
Obviously the chief rabbi has well nigh little relevance to those who are capable of deciding and live a full jewish life .
The position, however, impacts the populace that “just follows the crowd” and/or will be “swayed by the cloth”
Furthermore, it will be alot easier for themselves to stay in their own communities or their ivory towers.
But that is forbidden
one does not live for themselves
Could you/they allow the position be trusted to someone who may accept a watering down of judaism?