While Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi David Yosef Shlita believes Israel needs two Chief Rabbis, an Ashkenazi and Sephardi, his colleague, Chief Rabbi David Lau feel the nation can operate with only one.
During the previous Knesset the Bayit Yehudi party advanced legislation to amend the law that there will only be one chief rabbi in the future. Rav Yosef led a tenacious battle against the bill, and emerged successful after meeting with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, with the prime minister instructing his staff to scrap the bill.
In an interview with Yediot Achronot, we now learn that Rabbi Lau was not of the same opinion of Rav Yosef, explaining that while both chief rabbis have a great deal to do, a second chief rabbis is not essential. He explained that at present, the Rishon L’Tzion is responsible for giyur and is the Av Beis Din of the Supreme Chief Rabbinate Beis Din while he is responsible for kashrus and marriage.
During the Rosh Hashanah interview in the 24 Hour supplement of Yediot Rav Lau explains two Chief Rabbis is not essential.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
should say:
Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita
you mean Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef
Mistake in the text. It’s Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi YITZCHAK Yosef Shlita. Anyway, 2 Chief Rabbis are necessary. There are an enormous amount of religious tasks that must be done by the Chief Rabbi. How could one Rabbi bear alone all the matters of Giyur, Kashrut, Marriage, Bet Din, and countless of other equally important and vital matters. The 2 Chief Rabbis will share the load, and stick to their tasks, thus ensuring best possible results. And besides all that, it’s only fair for there to be a representative of both the Sephardim and the Ashkenazim.
Careful. It sounds like the moon complaining about the sun why there is a need for 2