On Wednesday, MK Yinon Azoulai from the Shas party made a statement that took many people by surprise. In a debate that was taking place surrounding the Kosel agreement and the establishment of a prayer section for Reform and egalitarian prayer services near the southern wall excavations, Azoulai chose to bring up the earthquake in Israel’s north on Wednesday morning and associate it with the recognition of Reform Judaism’s fight to conduct mixed-gender services at the Kosel.
“Perhaps, the earthquake that was felt in Israel’s north this morning was caused because someone wants to tamper with the holiest of places for us. Reform Jews are not Jews. I would suggest to them all that they take the money that they are investing in Israel and build themselves a Kosel in the United States.”
Azoulai is a fairly new Knesset member and has not yet been known to make statements that outrage large segments of society. He gained a seat in the Knesset after his father David Azoulai in March, when the latter stepped down and resigned his seat due to his age.
Since Azoulai made his statement at the Knesset, Israel was rocked by a second earthquake on Wednesday night.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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15 Responses
April 30, 2015,
Rav Shternbuch took out a Medrash on Tehillim and read the words of the Medrash on the posuk of “ותגעש ותרעש הארץ.” The Medrash there says that for sins of immorality – such as non-traditional relationships
– Hashem becomes “angry.” and “the earth will shake and the mountains will smoke.”
The earthquakes are Israel’s fault.
I don’t think Yinon Azoulai’s comments took anyone by surprise. They’re just silly. All he said was that “perhaps” the earthquake was a result of the Kosel issue. I would think that if this was the REAL reason for the earthquake, it would have happened in the Reform headquarters or at the egalitarian prayer spot at the Kosel, not up north in the middle of the Kinneret. Don’t you think so, Yinon? “Perhaps” it is because Israel sits on the Syrian-African fault line. “Perhaps” it’s because of the Chillul Hashem that your party and the other “religious” parties are making in all the local newspapers here by talking tough on the Draft Bill and making threats to bolt the government but behind the scenes making sure it has the majority to pass so you can stay in the government and keep you seats and money. Perhaps?
YWN didn’t quote something more idiotic Azoulai said yesterday from the Knesset. He said that non-Orthodox Jews were not Jewish. Now that’s not silly, it’s just ignorance and not based on Halacha. It would benefit Shas if they got rid of Azoulai, who just took over in March, and replace him with someone serious. And who knows a shtikel Torah.
Soooo maybe the earthquake is in response to irresponsible MKs who make public statements that do nothing other than alienate millions of Jews…..
At last!
good for him
i think it is either because the eidah impugned an Ethiopian Jew or because of opposition to defending Israel or maybe because of the continuous chilul hashem of those who think they can explain derech haShem.
don’t care so much about the earthquake comment but he deserves a lot of respect for telling all the reform to take their money out of Israel! Kol hakavod for speaking the truth!
I didn’t know so many reforms visited yeshivaworld
Publishing such comments that are obviously steeped in profound Torah knowledge is turning this website into “Da’as Ba’alei Batim World News” instead of Yeshiva World News.
CTRebbe the reform and secular have a status of a non-jew.
Let’s remember it’s the Three Weeks and phrase our comments accordingly.
He is partially correct. The earth is shaking to warn against the scourge of toeivah. Send away all the deviants to any one of the 22 arab countries in the region.
The Midrash which Rav Shternbuch shlita quoted can be found (among other places) in the Yalkut Shim’oni on Nach, Shemuel Bet, Perek 22, Remez 158.
Who has the audacity to argue against an explicit Chazal?!!!
Earthquakes come because of illicit relationships among men R”l.
But, Reform supports toeva!