A number of leading dati leumi affiliated rabbonim shlita have turned to Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett, explaining to him it is time for Mechila regarding the chareidim, time to move on.
In their appeal to Bennett, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon and Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu call on Bennett to use his leverage as coalition talks continue to compel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to bring both Shas and Yahadut Hatorah into the coalition. The rabbonim do not attempt to hide their concerns over the current situation, well aware of the ramifications of the now-forming coalition which excludes all chareidi representatives. They stress the significance of building a coalition with Torah partners instead of with Yesh Atid, and while their sentiments ring true to many, it may be a genuine call too late in the game.
The rabbonim address the name calling and insults that accompanied the election campaign and this period following elections, calling on Bennett to forgive and move on rather than acting in a similar fashion. They point out the need of leading by example and in this case, they request that Bennett set such an example for the children to teach them that Jews must love one another.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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16 Responses
Jews must love each other why did then not say take in the left the reform and others?
Nobody says you have to like the politicians but there are a lot of ticked off chareidim and Sephardim and not just in Israel. If they were to boycott the settlers, that would be a crushing blow since it’s not as if people from Tel Aviv or Belgium will stick up for them.
But to do that it would require:
1. Bennett to “double cross” Lapid
2. Bennett to agree to changes in conscription tolerable to the Hareidim (basically no sanctions for refusing to go to the army except perhaps loss of the limited stipends which could be redirected towards veterans, but no loss of “welfare state” benefits are other penalties).
However if Bennett stays on his current course, in the next election he’ll lose support from his core groups to Likud, since why vote for a “Dati Leumi” party if Likud is establishing a record as being more pro-yeshiva and more pro-settlment.
! אשריכם ‘שראל
Two points:
1. Isn’t it the offending party’s obligation to ASK for Mechila? I’ve yet to see anyone from the Chareidi parties apologizing for the words they used to describe Bayit Yehudi during the election.
2. Bennett has been consistent in his positions and stuck to his word from the start of the process. Why should he change now? He was elected by his constituency on a certain basis, and it could well be Geneivas Da’as to change now.
an Israeli Yid
Has everyone forgotten ‘share the burden’ and the economy? Bennett joined Lapid to move these two agendas, and while they are being formulated the charedim cannot be seen joining the government. That is the real-world crux of the matter. The D”L disgust with charedi insults is secondary, though not negligible. When enough time, the budget and the draft law have passed, UTJ and Sha”s will be able to rejoin the government. In the meantime it won’t kill them to warm the benches of the opposition.
While this may be too little, too late, this is NOT the first time over the last few weeks that choshuva D”L rabbonim and D”L Gedolim have called on Bennett to reverse course on his alliance with Lapid or his support for drafting bochurim or to form a “Torah bloc” with the chareidim. There have been many and YWN had reported on several. Bennett has simply ignored them all.
And that is precisely the point. D”L claim that chareidim do not respect their Gedolim. Never mind that I have seen members of the D”L community spew some of the worst bile against chareidi Gedolim right here on YWN for a moment, my question is simply this: why should WE show any more respect for these Rabbonim than their own community does? Why should WE listen to them or take them seriously when YOU don’t?
I realize I am making a sweeping generality, that Bennett is just one man, and this certainly does not reflect the view of every single member of the D”L community. However, his policies were a known quantity and you voted for him anyway. And where is the outcry from the D”L rank-and-file “Hey, Bennett, listen to our Gedolim”? All I hear is a deafening silence.
For those that call themselves Daati Leumi, this is a defining moment. You insist you are Torah Jews. Well I say: the proof is in the pudding. It’s time to decide what you are at your CORE: are you daati or are you leumi? How long will you jump between two branches? If you ARE Torah Jews then listen to your Gedolim! Join in their chorus, lift up your voices, scream if you have to. Demand that Bennett heed the words of your rabbis.
Like all politicians, Bennett wants power and influence and he needs YOU to have it. Even if for no other reason, he will listen to you if you cry out. If he doesn’t, that’s on him, but if you remain silent, that’s on YOU.
#6 – by the time the budget and draft law are passed, UTJ and Shas will have new “natural allies” with the Labor party and the left-right divide in the kenesset will hav shifted from 90-30 (i.e. 90 members being from religious parties, Likud or Likud breakaways – the pre-2013 right) to 70-50 (with the reborn left including socialists, hareidim and Arabs), meaning there is a serious possibility of the newly redefined “left” winning a future election (something that hasn’t happened for 40 years).
For hareidim, conscription and welfare are big issues – settlements and free markets are non-starters. If the expulsion of the hareidim goes through, the Dati Leumi might be in a very bad way in future debates on settlements.
The reality is that the Yeshiva velt will be on the outside. At the end of the day, this is a great thing. Why be together with people who hate us? With usefull idiots like the DL backstabber, Shai Piron, who needs any alliance with them? The infighting between Bennett & Piron/Lapid will start from the get go. The coalition will crumble. They will have re’elections. YA will lose many seats. The DL camp will split in 2, between the Charedi DL & the Modern Mizrachi Torah haters. Bayit Yehudi will disappear. The modern will vote for Likud/Moshe Feiglin & the Charedi will start a new Party, some even coming over to Agudah. If Deri behaves himself, Shas will gain at least another 2 seats.
#7 – The D”L community in full accord with its rabbis, the vast majority of which are solidly behind Bennett. Only a handful of D”L rabbis have come out in any real opposition and most of those few did not back Habayit Hayehudi in the last elections anyway.
#6 – The rank and file of the chiloni left have far less sympathy for charedim then the rank and file of the chiloni/mesorati/D”L right. And the rank and file of mainstream charedim are uncomfortable, to say the least, with the left’s social agendas and foreign policy. While a short-term alliance might be forged with the left for limited political purposes, a long-term alliance is unlikely to hold. Notwithstanding the childish temper tantrums of charedi politicians at being sent to the opposition for a while (where they have to sit while solutions to the draft and budget issues are being formulated), the more likely scenario is a renewal of the relationship after taking some time off to cool down and reflect. Time will tell.
You know, it’s kind of funny how YWN keeps on citing how some DL Rabbonim say to cave to the demands of the Chariedi parties, while ignoring how the vast majority of DL Rabbonim are not saying that. What about Chareidi Rabbonim – do they all agree, and do the Chareidi parties listen to everything that each and every Chareidi Rav says? As I recall, there was significant disagreement before the election between Chareidi Rabbanim, to the point where followers of Rav Shmuel Aurbach set up their own party. True, Rav Aurbach ultimately instructed his followers to vote for Yahadut HaTorah, but that was only after he realized that the votes in question would otherwise be wasted.
By analogy, saying that Bayit Yehudi should follow only Rav Tau, Rav Levanon, and Rav Eliahu, Gdolim worthy of respect as they are, is like saying Yahadut HaTorah should follow Rav Aurbach. One can respect a Gadol while still not following his Shita – particularly where there are other Rabbanim and Gedolim who disagree.
an Israeli Yid
#10: There is a difference between “rabbis” and Gedolim. The CHIEF Rabbi of Samaria and the CHIEF Sefardi Rabbi of Tzefat (and son of a former Chief Sefardi Rabbi of Israel)are hardly just “rabbis.” The others that have spoken out are all of similar stature. So I don’t care how many “rabbis” are behind Bennett (and neither should you). What matters is what GEDOLIM say.
#12 – I am truly happy to see you refering to D”L Gedolim. I used the term ‘rabbis’ as ‘Gedolim’ is a term usually used by charedim. While both harav Levanon and harav Eliyahu are highly respected (as are harav Drori ,harav Shapira harav Tau and the other roshei yeshiva of yeshivat ‘Har Hamor’), who also voiced concern) many more high respected rabbis (Gedolim) have openly backed Bennett.
Nor have harav Levanon or harav Eliyahu (or harav Drori) dissented on the substance, they are only voicing concern with maintaining relationships with, and caring for the needs of, charedim which concerns are shared by all, including Bennett.
well said #7
#11 read #12
“What about Chareidi Rabbonim – do they all agree?”
Yes, all Chareidi Rabbonim agree to this one major issue against drafting Yeshiva students.
“As I recall, there was significant disagreement before the election between Chareidi Rabbanim, to the point where followers of Rav Shmuel Aurbach set up their own party. True, Rav Aurbach ultimately instructed his followers to vote for Yahadut HaTorah, but that was only after he realized that the votes in question would otherwise be wasted.”
The disagreements was only regarding going to Lishkat Hagiyus, the Conscription Office.
#7 TorasMosheEmess, well said