Tel Aviv Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau Shlita has decided to speak out in an effort to calm the situation surrounding the shabbos protests against the Jerusalem City Hall decision to open a parking lot.
Speaking to the daily Yisrael HaYom, the rav is quoted as saying, “Shabbos protests have been seen around the country over the years, especially in Yerushalayim. We have learned that what can be achieved around the negotiating table cannot be achieved by burning garbage bins, shouting epithets at police or by rock-throwing”.
He warned of the chilul shabbos caused by the protests, adding the chasm between the secular and frum is continuing to widen and it may chas v’sholom reach a point from which it will be most difficult to bridge relations. He insists there is no substitute for tolerance, education and negotiations.
The rav suggests that the Jerusalem City Council convene immediately to discuss the parking lot situation as well as relations between the different population sectors in the capital.
The former chief rabbi of Israel added, “I understand the pain of the protestors and their shouts on behalf of kedushas shabbos, but the ends do not justify the means”.
Rav Lau on motzei shabbos also called on Israel Police to exhibit restraint towards protestors. He added that throwing rocks, on a weekday or shabbos, or calling policemen “Nazis” will not endear them among the shomer torah and mitzvos community.
(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)
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18 Responses
Rav Lau is showing true leadership by publicly speaking out. We need more rabbonim to follow his lead.
The chilul Hashem is just terrible.
We cannot control other people’s lives nor should anyone try to.
The protesters (or most of them) I would bet do not contribute to the State yet they take programs, funding, etc. They accpet police and army protection when it’s good for them. They do not serve on either force. And most if not all do not hold of the State to begin with.
What right do they have to demand and try to impose their/our/my way of life or of religious practice on others?
This behavior is an embarassment to all religious Jews. I am no rav but my guess would be that there is no basis for this behavior in halacha.
Moshe Horowitz
I think that if they would organize a good basketball game on Motzoei Shabbos to “let out steam” of the young Chardei Boys of Meah Shearim – it would be much more worthwhile than rock throwing and garbage burning.
R Lau, is right. We’re coming into the three weeks let’s not act like Baryonim.
Finally – words of wisdom regarding the shabbos protests. Hopefully all Rabonim will heed the words of Rav Lau and teach their followers the proper ways of protesting chillul shabbos. The past protests have not only been a total chillul hashem but has distanced our fellow yidden further away from what kedushas shabbos is really about. May this be the first step of many to live as a true Am Echad.
He is a government employee.
The WAY TO GO!!
A renown talmid chacham who has bridged disaggreements in Tel Aviv for year, Rav Lau has always represented shalom.
Rav Lau says what we are thinking; only more eloquently. If he hasn’t done it yet; he should speak directly to the Eida and offer to be the middle-man.
A voice of sanity!
Thank you R’ Lau. Incidentally I am reading his autobiography and it is AMAZING!
let’s wait and see if Rav Lau’s comments that appear so sensible to ywn readers are also endorsed by other leading rabbonim. We Torah Jews believe in learning from the message our torah leaders are delivering rather than waiting to give our own haskoma or otherwise on what they say. If we follow the latter course, then we are basically saying ‘with all due respect, we know better.’
Ut a gutter Yid!
The demonstrations haven’t yielded much in recent years! They have just divided us further! “Yeshnoi Am Echad Mefoozor Um’foirad,” Haman said of us! The boycott of ElAl hasn’t brought a singler secular yid closer to HaShem! So ElAl was brought to its knees because the dollar ultimately hurt them! But did it bring more Shmirass Shabbos? The peaceful gathering of 30,000 Yidden davening and being m’kaabel Shabbos Kodesh as they did last week, was a kiddush HaShem, but not what followed! Those who’ve arranged it didn’t think about dispersing the crowds theresfter. Instead the ladik-gayers were thus sanctioned to bring Chilul Shem Shomayim! Did the ends justify the means! Only G-t knows! But I think we all do also!
Thank you Rav Lau!
something2say, you’ve got a point!
lets just think of how much chillul shabbos was caused by the demonstrations. how many police had to use a car to get there, how many reporters used their cameras to film the violence.
how about next week instead of throwing rocks and calling the cops Nazis they institute a huge kiddush with gefilte fish, kugel cholent and kishke. give any chiloini just a take and you will have him in the palm of your hands. a rock in the head never made anyone frum.
If you put rav lau and moron Hagava”d harav weiss, on a scale I think that the side of the gava”d would outweight rav lau who is very liberal in many ways.
I have a soft spot in my heart for Rav Lau. Like me, he is a Holocaust survivor.
He is a good person and a Talmid Chochom.
But, I think he, himself, would admit that he’s not on the same level in Torah as Rav Weiss and Rav Sternbuch and Rav elyashiv.
i’m wondering what would happen if we set up tents full of chulent kishka & lchaims. we have all the different rebbes make their tisshen w/their chassidim &/or private people having their own seudas, singning shabbos songs. maybe then having a large rekida. of course all the non frum would be invited to come & join & get a taste of shabbos the way it’s supposed to be.
kind of appropiate for bein hamtzorim. did anyone try this approach yet??
i guess if we can do this it just might bring moshiach.
anyone want to start something?
The G’onim, tzadikim shlit”a who have called this demonstration are right! Rav Lau doesn’t oppose the demonstration of K’dushas haShabbos! None of us do! The problem is what happens when the lost souls encloak themselves in the moment in the false belief that they’re doing it l’shem Mitzva and ARE NOT! It’s what happens after the Ga’avad’s demonstration has concluded that is the problem!
this is more to address moshe h and a warning to those that read his post.claiming to be actually concerned about a chillul hashem
“We cannot control other people’s lives nor should anyone try to” correct that we cannot as there is zero cause and effect and hashem yisboruch is in control however this is the hishtadlus instructed by our gedolia yisroel beacuse a matter like this botheres H and so should bother us.Consequently it is their respnosibility to show the country (which they hold of or not-irrelvant) that the matter is not OKAY.so we should try control at least make our stance known to others “peoples live”
“they do not serve on any force” they are H force” you are inherently the biggest anitsemite and the facade that you care about chilil hashem is destructive
THe vast majority(granted im not talking about the rock throwing and nazi calling) but who says burning garbage is not a legitamate form of protest? you? the self admitted non rabbi – why dont you listen to the proper rabbis the gedolei and their is a valid reason for this protest in halacha-
these people that just take from the state funding and not fighting the vast majority are doing what Hashem wants bring and are the only things useful for the negoiting table not pointless talks -torah learning! and as you said your guessing about these people becase really many “charedi” jews(there is said what you really meant)do give and dont take funding(those that do is completly mutar (bytheway)
so dont use this debate as cheap dig to be an antisemite , really the only embarassement to “religous”jewry is you,
hatzlacha