Chief Rabbi Or Chief Puppet?

 ערב שבת קודש פר' מטות-מסעי תשע"ג

Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu
Chief Rabbi of Tzfath

YWN: Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau Questions the Legitimacy of Rav Eliyahu’s Candidacy

July 3, 2013

Rabbi Dr. Benny Lau, the rav of the Ramban Shul in Yerushalayim, is not certain if the candidacy of Tzfas Sephardic Chief Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu in the Chief Rabbinate race is a fitting one.

Rav Lau said that while Rabbi Eliyahu is “moser nefesh” for Am Yisrael, he is not certain if the rabbi is a suitable candidate, one who is correct for the position. In his Facebook page posting, Rabbi Lau explains that a candidate must be “connected to the state and the Zionist enterprise.”

Regarding one’s connection to the state, Rabbi Lau says “the connection must be with the government and its institutions. The Chief Rabbinate is a state institution and the selection of a candidate who does not identify with all aspects of democracy cannot faithfully serve all the citizens. Candidates must state in a clear unequivocal voice that he accepts the laws of the country (including full equality for non-Jewish citizens).”

Regarding the Zionist vision the candidate must identify with “the ingathering of the exiles and a return to Tzion”, Rabbi Lau adds. This demands finding an acceptable solution for hundreds of thousands of citizens living in the state, the many new immigrants who are not Jewish according to Halacha but maintain a connection with the Jewish People. Cutting off from these people is tantamount to cutting oneself off from the Zionist enterprise.”

(Tip Credit: Tomer Devorah)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Well, "Rabbi Dr." Benny Lau, of the Exclusive, Old Qatamon/German Colony Rambam Schul community is essentially correct. Rabbi Eliyahu shilt"a is not at all a good candidate to become Chief Rabbi.

The Israeli government has absolutely no interest whatsoever in finding a Chief Rabbi. Its interest lies solely in finding an obedient puppet. Rabbi Eliyahu is no puppet, thus "disqualifying" from being "democratically elected" as such.

Yuval Cherlow, Shlomo Aviner, Eli Sedan
Surprising not on the list of candidates for Chief Rabbi

As I have warned, the government has increasingly intervened in matters for which it has no business, nor jurisdiction to intervene.

It ordered the Chief Rabbinate to grant kashruth certification to a meat company which kashruth supervisors found to have unacceptable practices.

It ordered the Rabbinate of Ashdod to grant kashruth certification to a bakery owned and operated by a believer in Jeezer (nickname for the Christian false deity/messiah).

It "resolved a dispute" between Rabbi Sherman and Rabbi Drukman regarding their severe differences of opinion regarding conversions.

And now...

"Some politicians have called out a hit against the expected candidacy of Rav Shmuel Eliyahu, Chief Rabbi of Tzfat, for Chief Rabbi of Israel. They have turned to the Attorney General in the hope to disqualify Rav Eliyahu, and it seems that the Attorney General won't disappoint. The Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein has already spoken out against Rav Eliyahu's candidacy, and has announced that he will conduct a hearing with Rav Eliyahu on the matter of his statements in the past against renting houses to Arabs. "

From Life In Israel: Government overstepping its bounds in attempt to disqualify Rav Shmuel Eliyahu

This is only the next [official] step in the government's attempts to wipe out the authority of the Torah over that of the State. Of course, it will never succeed, unless we let it. And even if we do, it still will not succeed; it will just be harder on those of us who stood idly by.

The Israeli Government sees the Torah as a threat to its power, and thus [truly] Torah-observant Jews a threat to its power.

The roll of the Erev Rav to do battle with the Torah, not to raise it up!

Regarding "Rabbi Dr." Benny Lau's statements about non-Jews living in Israel, and their "equality," it seems to me that "Rabbi Dr." Benny Lau, known for his popular and charismatic speeches, needs to go back and review what the real Ramba"m says about these non-Jews, and their "rights," or lack their of. He may also want to see where the Ramba"m mentions anything about democracy. (Hint: He doesn't.)

It also seems to me that his face should be added to this depiction of many of the State's "rabbis" and other "religious" officials.