The Shas party was left without a spiritual leader during an election period in the wake of the petirah of HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen, z’tl.
HaRav Cohen, z’tl, led the Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah of Shas for the past nine years, since the departure of the prior leader, HaGoan HaRav Ovadia Yosef, z’tl.
Additionally, the number of Moetzet members has shrunk and additional appointments are needed. The current members of the Moetzet include HaGaon HaRav Shimon Badani and HaRav Moshe Maya – both of whom have been Moetzet members since the time of HaRav Ovadya, z’tl – as well as the newer members – Rosh Yeshivas Ohr HaChaim HaGaon HaRav Reuven Elbaz and HaGaon HaRav Dovid Yosef.
The most prominent candidate for the next Nasi is HaGaon HaRav Shimon Badani but the 94-year-old Gadol is currently ailing and too weak to take on the mantle of leadership.
HaGaon HaRav Shimon Badani with the late Rosh Yeshivah, zt’l. (Photo: Yaakov Cohen)
HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef is also a possibility but he still has over a year left of his term as the Sephardi Chief Rabbi. He cannot serve in both positions as his state position does not allow him to become involved in political decisions.
HaGaon HaRav Shalom Cohen, z’tl, with HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Yosef. (Photo: Yaakov Cohen)
It is possible that Shas chairman Aryeh Deri will simply wait until HaRav Yosef ends his tenure as Chief Rabbi and meanwhile HaRav Badani will serve as the unofficial head of the Moetzet, with the title of “Zakein Chevrei Moetzet Chachmei HaTorah” rather than Nasi.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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9 Responses
Good News
I have just bought 2 Chacham Bashi (aka Rishon Le’Tziyon) outfits for my 2 grandsons in Bnei Brak.
Each comes with a hat that is a blue turban and white ribbon, just like the first picture in this YWN article. It also comes with a black kaftan with gold embroidery.
See:
https://partypocket.co.uk/product/sephardic-chacham-rabbi/
Avi Cohen: What is your brilliant comment supposed to mean?
I suppose that what happens when the sole criterion for leadership is unquestioned loyalty to a family mafia and their associated bunch of gangsters.
If the criteria were instead actual leadership abilities and Torah wisdom, there’d be 10’s of qualified candidates.
they should merge with UTJ
Ashkenazim and Sephardim should not be in two separate parties
So Aryeh deri picks the gadol not the other way around. Good to know. Thanks for saying out loud what everyone already knew.
The comments over here (except for baby squirrel’s which I will get to) show that people don’t learn anything from tisha b’av
And baby squirrel, I guess you don’t know that Rav Shach started shas for the sfardim, I guess you know better…..
Sorry except for baby squirrel’s and agutyar
Sohn C’V they will have to engage in a political campaign in which they develop policy positions based on the needs of their constituents and the security needs of the state rather than simply seeking to figure out how they can grab as many NIS for their mosdos as possible.
@coffee addict:
Pray tell, what qualities do YOU think Aryeh Deri (who’s doing the appointing) is looking for in a spiritual leader for Shas?
Someone who hates bribery, for instance?