While Shas did not come out with a definitive message of support for the Emanuel prison march, the party’s Council of Torah Sages headed by Chacham HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita did state unequivocally that bringing the case to the secular High Court of Justice was not the halachic way to handle the matter. Rav Ovadia speaks of the magnitude of the chilul Hashem that resulted from his actions.

R’ Ovadia Shlita has spoken out many many times against those seeking to adjudicate their differences in the secular court system instead of a din torah, most recently on motzei shabbos in relation to Yoav Lalum and the Emanuel case.

The case presented to the High Court by Lalum, who by the way is not a resident of Emanuel, had an added measure of legitimacy, since he freely used the name of HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef, who supports his struggle. 

It would appear that despite his intentions of stopping discrimination, Lalum’s actions are not being praised by Chacham Ovadia Shlita, actually quite the contrary, with the Gadol HaDor decrying Lalum’s actions, quoting the Rambam regarding one who turns to secular courts that do not rule in line with Torah Law, those who don’t have a share in the next world. “There are Rabbinical Court where they rule in adherence to Torah and not chas v’sholom courts that turn their backs on Torah”.

“We distance ourselves from them” added Rav Ovadia, who made reference to this past week’s events, stressing the need to cling to Torah life and values.

Shas officials added that yes, there is discrimination but one must follow the Torah way, and the recent actions resulted in an unprecedented chilul Hashem. “It not only did not achieve its intended goal, but made matters worse”.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)