As it became increasingly apparent on Tuesday 10 Kislev that the current coalition government is nearing its end, Rabbi Shlomo HaKohen Aviner Shlita spoke with the dati leumi ‘Kippa’ website about the Bayit Yehudi party.
Rabbi Aviner explained the Bayit Yehudi has only done partial work and voters must realize the party will not fight for a “Jewish state”.
“Bayit Yehudi has not changed. We must understand this. There can always be miracles but without miracles Bayit Yehudi is not going to change and will remain as it is. It does not fulfill its responsibility or meet our expectations and an alternative solution must be found. It is too early to say what must be done and for what party to vote, but we must think of a solution to the problems that we will face”.
Rabbi Aviner feels that Likud MK Moshe Feiglin’s efforts to influence the Likud from the inside and those who support joining a chareidi party are not correct. “Chareidim are primarily concerned with religion and Likud with nationalistic issues. We are seeking a religious nationalistic party that will influence the Jewish character of the state” the rabbi added.
Rabbi Aviner adds “In essence, the party was established with a body but lacking a soul. Its main objective is that there should be a Jewish state and of late, that has been a wave of legislation that wishes to eradicate the Jewish side of the nation. Bayit Yehudi is not active and is doing nothing and the situation is worse than it was with any previous dati leumi party. They protest but protesting is not the job of a political party. The party must fight with all its resources. Bayit Yehudi deals with serious issues but regarding religion, it must do major teshuvah”.
The rabbi explains that the public today knows what Bayit Yehudi is and the question now remains if they promise to do more to advance religion if they can be trusted. He stresses a party is not about promises but actions and accomplishments and perhaps what it did not do in the past it will not do in the future.
Kippa:
Are you saying we do not have to vote for Bayit Yehudi?
Rabbi Aviner:
I do not decide what party one votes for. It is important to realize what we are trying to achieve and there are three components to making a decision. Contemporary purpose, knowing what we want in the future, and connect wires so we get to the future. We need a party with soul to fight for the Jewish state. This is not what Bayit Yehudi is doing and it is important to know this.
What about achdus between Bayit Yehudi & Ichud Leumi? At any price?
Generally speaking, we want a large party. That said, we must recognize the issues and maintain an awareness of reality. Bayit Yehudi will not do everything it promises.
Kippa:
Elections are at the door. Do you perceive this as a good thing?
Rabbi Aviner:
Going to elections is a major shock and unpleasant. Our major problem at present is the anti-religious legislation which pushes away the Jewish character of the state and not for a short period. This is pikuach nefesh, the soul of the Jewish state and we did not succeed in stopping this. Now the process will stop temporarily because of elections and because of the likelihood chareidim will be in the next coalition and they will not permit an erosion of the status quo.
Kippa:
What about entering a coalition with the chareidi parties?
Rabbi Aviner:
They are what saved the nation from secular coercion. The chareidim may go left or right, but they will not permit an erosion of the status quo. It is important that the chareidim are in Knesset. I am not chareidi but I agree they are a component in building the Torah and the nation. I am hopeful that they will be in the next Knesset.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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5 Responses
Beautiful
The only thing that has a neshoma is a human being!! This so called rabbi is just looking for attention. And has no idea what he is saying.
Just yesterday Bayit Yehudi stressed the importance of the Land of Israel and the Torah of Israel.
The Chariedim will protect the Torah at all costs but in my humble opinion do not stress the importance of the land which is why there are still over 2m orthodox Jews in the US.
If we want to change something positively lets get involved in it and influence it, rather than criticize.
Its also very important to realise that nobody is perfect and no party is perfect yet the essence of gratitude is to thank G-d for what we have. Baruch Hashem we have sovereignty and redemption is a process with stops and starts.
With all due respect to the rav, I believe he is wrong about Moshe Feiglin. It is indeed antithetical to Jewish values when the State of Israel, for example, harasses citizens for using (or wanting to use) substances like marijuana for medical purposes (just one of Feiglin’s pursuits). Every policy he pursues is linked to his goal of giving the state a more Jewish flavor. It’s not all about kashrus and brachos, and the rav, like many people, make the mistake of making a distinction where none should exist. If it is indeed the case that one of the three cardinal middos of Jews is our rachamim, then indeed making the state less cruel in general is a worthy goal.
#2 So he ought to be ignored?
Rav Aviner is perhaps the Rav quoted the most in Sruga circles