The following interview with HaGaon HaRav Shlomo HaKohen Aviner Shlita was conducted by the Kippa dati leumi website.
Kippa:
The rabbi is one of the rabbonim who signed a letter giving chizuk to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on the matter of the Kosel’s status and the Giyur Bill. But there are rabbonim who say that the law splinters Israeli society from the Diaspora community.
Rav Aviner:
What are you asking me? Are you asking my opinion of the opinion of others?
Kippa:
Okay, so why did the rav give a bracha to the prime minister?
Rav Aviner:
Because he showed great responsibility to the Israeli nation. No matter whether he is religious or not religious, the main thing is unity in the nation. It is impossible for everyone to convert who he wants and how he wants.
Conversion is a pan-Israeli affair. It is impossible for a rabbi to rule that a certain person is a Jew and Rabbi B will rule that he is a non-Jew. Regarding kashrus, one can get along if one rabbi says that this food is kosher and another rabbi says that it is treif, one can eat or not eat, that is not the end of the world. But it is inconceivable for the rabbinical courts to convert right and left as they want.
The poor convert thinks he’s a Jew and then they say he’s not – he’s a goy. Anyone supporting the private batei din for giyur is destroying the nation and not the opposite. There must be one definition of who is a Jew and not numerous definitions. The authority deciding these matters is the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. In order to convert, they need their approval (Chief Rabbinate). I also converted people where I live but I was appointed by the Chief Rabbinate. If that is not so, it will destroy the nation.
Kippa:
The Bayit Yehudi party is not exactly supporting the Giyur Bill.
Rav Aviner:
Once again, are you asking my opinion or the opinion of the Zionist dati party?
Kippa:
There is no Zionist dati halacha. There is one Torah. MKs from Bayit Yehudi are pleasant. I love them. I respect them but they are not poskei halacha. I am not a doctor and therefore, I do not take a position on medical matters. I am not a shoemaker, and therefore I don’t take a position regarding this profession. Only a posek can decide matters of halacha.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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2 Responses
Why can’t we have independent conversion agencies? Thats exactly how it is in chutz la’aretz. Thats how it always was before the state. There can be no monopoly on halacha till the sanhedrin. It is the responsibility of the convert to find an agency that is accepted by all. The rabbanut just creates new problems. Someone converted outside Israel by a legitimate rabbi accepted by most orthodox Jews may still have problems marrying in Israel etc. Where is there a halacha that we must create such a system? This was one of the claims of Satmar against Aguda. This is a political question and Bennet has a right to his opinion. No need to be poskim.
rational jew (as opposed to halacha jew?)
there IS a monopoly on convertion and that called shulchen urech and these laws are in yorah dayeh hilchos gayrim. but the c;ergy from man made movements do thier own thing.
Tell us, how about just anyone who decides to be jewish just tell him pay us $200 membership dues and ‘pronto ‘ your Jewish. You dont believe in oral law, in written torah theres no mentoin of proceedurecso jut do anything! wht bother with mikvah etc