Chief Rabbinate There is much anger surrounding the IDF’s refusal to permit HaGaon HaRav Yaakov Yosef Shlita to give a shiur to the Kfir Brigade. This was due to the refusal of the IDF Chief Rav of the Southern Command, Lt.-Colonel Yoav Oknin to approve the rav’s shiur, thereby preventing his visit.

Former IDF Chief Rabbi Yisrael Weiss responded to the incident this morning, Sunday, 24 Adar 5772. Weiss spoke with Mordechai Lavi on Kol Berama Radio explaining Rabbi Yaakov Yosef does not recognize the institution known as the IDF Chief Rabbinate. In addition, the rav continues to maintain that kashrus in the IDF is substandard and sifrei Torah are pasul.

Rabbi Weiss feels that first and foremost Rabbi Yaakov Yosef must respect the integrity of the military rabbinate. He rejects any and all statements made by Rav Yosef regarding unacceptably low kashrus standards in the military. He adds that he can say with confidence that the kashrus under the military chief rabbinate is among the highest in the state and there is no justification to issue a general statement attacking the kashrus of the entire military.

Rabbi Weiss went on to address statements by Rabbi Yaakov Yosef that IDF sifrei Torah are pasul and one cannot fulfill the mitzvah of Shabbos Zachor with such seforim. He explained that during his tenure as the military’s chief rabbi he visited Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita who told him the sifrei Torah are “kosher l’mehadrin’.

Rabbi Weiss defended the decision to bar Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, adding that those soldiers wishing to attend his shiurim on their own time may do so, but not in a military framework.

Kikar Shabbat reports that officials in Rav Yaakov Yosef’s office responded “Mr. Weiss eats treif”.

“The Jewish people are well aware of the despicable actions of Yisrael Weiss during his tenure as chief IDF rabbi. We all remember how he and his forces moved the graves of the holy ones in Gush Katif with a shocking insensitivity and then celebrated with subordinates all the while ignoring the pain and feelings of Am Yisrael.

“Mr. Yisrael Weiss feeds thousands of soldiers neveila and treifah since during his tenure, he did not bother kashering kitchens… Brigadier-General Avichai Ronsky admitted upon succeeding him as chief IDF rabbi that he found many non-kosher military kitchens. We did not hear his predecessor Yisrael Weiss deny these statements or file a libel suit against Ronsky. If Yisrael Weiss did not see to kashrus in IDF kitchens, why was he paid a salary?”

“In his book Yisrael Weiss insults Maran Rishon L’Tzion HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef Shlita using insults forbidden to put on paper and therefore, he was declared an outcast in accordance with the Shulchan Aruch’s ruling (Choshen Mishpat 34) regarding one who insults a talmid chacham, regarded as an apikores and disqualified as a witness and obviously disqualified to be a dayan. Hence, his conversions are also invalid and his rulings are not rulings and his small opinion is heard over the airwaves because we are in the era of Moshiach.

“We are pained that the IDF Rabbinate does not stand as a wall of protection aside the best of the soldiers who are ousted from their units because they wish to adhere to Halacha which prohibits kol isha.

IDF Response – the Office of the IDF Spokesman stated “two months ago, there was a decision for an education day in Kfir and one of the names raised was Rabbi Yaakov Yosef. After weighing the options a more suitable person was found and therefore Rabbi Yosef’s participation in the event was not confirmed. We are not dealing with a broad sweeping decision but a case judged on its own merit”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)