Many in the media have been wondering why Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was not maspid Maran HaGaon HaRav Ovadia Yosef ZT”L when he arrived at Shamgar Funeral Home in Yerushalayim last week ahead of the levaya. Other senior state officials were there too, including President Shimon Peres. The ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) refused to permit the senior officials to take part in the mass levaya due to obvious security concerns and therefore the hesped was expected at Shamgar.
It was announced that the prime minister would deliver his hesped at Shamgar but that never occurred. Kikar Shabbat reported on motzei Shabbos, the eve of 9 Cheshvan, that his hesped was prevented by the Chevra Kadisha, which is quoted saying “We will not permit a person who is mechalel Shabbos and eats all types of forbidden foods to give a hesped for a gadol hador.”
The prime minister made his statements as he was leaving Shamgar, meeting with the press. He was permitted to comment on the gadol hador, his unofficial hesped.
Kikar concludes a family member was quoted anonymously saying “We have a great deal of respect for the prime minister but having one who is not shomer Shabbos being maspid a gadol hador – there is a limit.” Therefore his hesped was not permitted.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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29 Responses
Agreed
#1- Of course you agree. You are of the same ilk as those who would not permit the PM to speak. I would write what that description would be, but YWN would surely not let it through. V’hamayvin yavin.
What a beautiful Kiddush Hashem. B”H we still have people willing to take a principled stand.
I dunno… isn’t there a certain amount of respect we’re supposed to have for those in positions of power? What he does on Shabbos or what he eats is between him and HKB”H. But I think it is a serious lack of respect to not allow the Prime Minister of Israel… or any country for that matter… to give a eulogy.
I agree with # 1
I think that it is to BN’s credit that he understandingly accepted the refusal and didn’t make a big deal about it. He said what he needed to say in the proper forum for it and did not push into an area that was not for him.
Complete and utter CHILUL HASHEM by lightweights.
There is respect that is shown to a King, President and to a Prime Minister, especially for all the years that Likud and Bibi himself were connected to SHAS. Chacham Yosef would have desired a derech hashalom including a hesped.
It is a credit to the PM that he didn’t risk creating a scene at shamgar. That would have been a disrespect for Rav Ovadia ztz”l. On the other hand it was a terrible disrespect that the chevra kadisha prevented him from speaking. The man is the PM of Israel, he speaks before the US Congress, the UN. The Rav Ovadia himself received him on numerous occasions with warmth. Shame on you – Chevra kadisha
Sounds a bit bizarre to me. Is there a seif katan in Yoreh Deah that I’m not familiar with? Does the halacha forbid or even discourage a person that is not shomer torah umitzvose from being maspid anyone, gedolim included? Maybe it would have been a wonderul kiddush hashem to watch even someone not religious describe the greatness they witnessed in gedolei bnei yisroel z”l. I think that would have been very mechubad and inspiring. I am sorry that we were not given that opportunity.
Shame on you Thinkingcap for not thinking into what you are saying chazal tell us that a blessing from an improper individual is not a blessing but a course it’s not an honor to the niftar to have this irreligious self centered boll taiva offer his insincere words of eulogy. The only question is as to why they allowed Peres to get away with it.
#4,6,8 Perhaps we should have allowed Abbas, Obama, Lapid and Bennett to eulogize Rav Ovadia zt”l? After all they’re in position of power.
Had Bibi Netanyahu respected Rav Ovadia zt”l and abolished the drafting of yeshiva boys in honor of Maran Rav Ovadia zt”l, the Chevra Kadisha and others might have had respect for him and allowed him to eulogize him. He showed himself to be no better than Lapid and Bennett causing tremendous agmat nefesh to Maran zt”l.
The Chevra Kadisha made a great KIDDUSH HASHEM with their courage to refuse him. Kol Hakavod!
I don’t know if not letting him speak was a kiddush Hashem, but it is clear that if they had let him speak that would have been a tremendous chilul Hashem and a bizoyon of the rov.
Such a person who does not recognize the authority of the Torah could not possibly understand the importance of a godol baTorah. Anything he said about the rov’s Torah would have been a joke. So he could speak of him as a politician. The rov was not a politician. His political positions were piskei halacha. He used politics as a tool to spread Torah. The PM came to him as a politician, seeking support for his positions, not as a godol to give him guidance. Anything he could say about the rov would have been demeaning. The Chevra Kadisha made the right decision, and they deserve credit for it.
A levaya is not a political function. One function of a hesped is to bring out the good deeds of the niftar to act as an “advocate” for that niftar.
A political speech is not going to efficiently do so, so the relationship between the Chacham and lihavdil Bibi, is not relevant.
It seems they all did the right thing. Maybe ask your LOR.
The Chevra Kadisha was right because why should someone that is trying to force people learning in Bais Medrash to be drafted into the Army be allowed to speak @ the levaya of someone that pained the niftar due to that issue?
Tell the rag heads that they can’t wage war or toss bombs at Israel on Shabbos because our Prime Minister is being pushed to become shomer Shabbos.
the family is still allowed to make their own decisions. I wouldnt want obama beong
being maspid me!
Is it not a **Kiddush Hashem** when even one who doesn’t keep shabbos nevertheless acknowledges the greatness of a gadol hador, even to the point of actually being maspid him? Why is it that we are always looking to see the bad in people? Can’t we focus on the good? Isn’t that one of the prime suspects in the delay of mashiach? I call on YWN and all the commentators to find a way to put a positive spin on all news, instead of the negative spin we see too regularly.
In this wks parsha Lech lecha it hints to Rabins execution ,it starts with Lapid Aish on this shabbos in1995 this motzoi habbos ,Rabin was shot .If the PM would overrule The arch enemy of Torah Lapid he should have a chance to be maspid this Tzadic and Gaon ,but if not he/s a very nice Mechallel Shabbos who should have no Shychess to kedusha . BH to the Chevra Kadisha who see streight
If the Chevra Kadisha running the l’vayah has rules then they have to be abided by regardless of whether or not you in your pithy mind thinks it’s ” fair” or not.
At the same time give Netanyahu credit for accepting this FAR BETTER THAN SOME YULDS ON THIS BLOG.
This was not a family decision #16.
By preventing PM Benyamin Netanyahu from speaking, you should be able to understand why so many secular Jews hate Orthodox Jews. Your zealotry is causing great sinat hinam. Good job!
Agreed. 100% correct, as #1 and #3 said. A beautiful Kiddush Hashem to put the Torah and HKB”H before political fame and calculations.
“Had Bibi Netanyahu respected Rav Ovadia zt”l and abolished the drafting of yeshiva boys in honor of Maran Rav Ovadia zt”l, the Chevra Kadisha and others might have had respect for him and allowed him to eulogize him. He showed himself to be no better than Lapid and Bennett causing tremendous agmat nefesh to Maran zt”l.”
Idiot. He’s one of the few in the Israeli government in favor of allowing the exemptions to stand. The yeshivot have continued to enjoy as many protections as they have in recent years because of Bibi’s indulgence.
The stupidity demonstrated here on a regular basis is breathtaking.
Reply to No.13
“A levaya is not a political function…”
Tell that to those who confronted Netanyahu when he came to be manachem avel at the shivah tent last week about his position on the draft…So its not OK to be “political” at the levayah, but its fine to do so during Shiva?? I think not.
Unbelievable that someone with a jewish heart should view this as a chilel hashem!
הלא משנאיך ה’ אשנא! NOTHING FURTHER THAN THAT! This is no issue between hkb”h and him. It is an issue between hkb”h and us, testing us if we are going to give kovod to Reshaim (yes, an einikel of a voloziner talmid, a son of religous parents!) with excuses of “cholkim kuvod l’malchis”.
Forget about the draft issue! He is a mechalel shem shumayim b’frehesya.
This is actually pure halacha with no hashkafa involved.
To moeisrael
Perhaps you forgot the words of chazal: Derech Eretz Kadma l’Torah
I disagree with the decision that was made. There was potential for an awesome kiddush Hashem. Let everyone see how R’ Ovadia zt”l was respected even by those who aren’t frum! Let everyone see that someone who follows a Torah-true life earns respect from everyone! By not allowing the Prime Minister to speak, they squandered that opportunity, and only allowed for non-frum people to say, “Look how the chareidim look down on us!”
Moderators Response: Not taking a side here, but perhaps you people should take a look at the shulchan aruch, and see the halachos of hesped.
Mod, I’m not sure what the SA says about it, and I can’t really search for it at work. Can you tell me where exactly I’m looking? A full quote of the application siman would be even nicer!