Can a Rabbi Get Fired for Criticizing the State of Israel?

י״ג לחודש השמיני תשע״ה

I have previously criticized the infusion of Hellenist democracy, or in Israeli's case deMOCKracy, into the Rabbinate, as one of the various strategies employed to chip away at the Torah.

The following is a report on yet another way in which the deMOCKratic State of Israel is attempting to chip away at the authority of the Torah,...and WE have been allowing it!

Life In Israel: Proposed Law: Firing a city rabbi
Yesterday the Knesset passed the first reading of a law that will allow a city rabbi to be fired.

According to the law, if it should pass into law, will allow the Minister of Religious Affairs to fire a city rabbi if he is not performing his duties and responsibilities properly. The firing would have to go through a committee that will be made up of dayan appointed by the Minister, a city rabbi appointed by the head of the Rabbanut Religious Council, a legal adviser of a government ministry. If the committee will investigate and deem the suspicions valid, they will be able to recommend to the Minister to fire the suspected rabbi.

Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan says this is necessary because there are such rabbis in the system but the system has no ways or tools to deal with them. This law will increase the level of trust the public has in the rabbis. Ben-Dahan also said this law was prepared in coordination with Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau.

The Haredi parties do not like the law proposal. They don't like the possibility that a rabbi will be fired by a politician. MK Uri Maklev asked if judges have a similar system by which they can be fired. MK Yitzchak Cohen compared Habayit Hayehudi to Titus who destroyed the Beis Hamikdash. MK Aliza Lavie is dissatisfied for another reason - the committee is made up of men and they will protect other members of the club. Lavie wants the committee to include women.

Ben-Dahan responded to the Haredi MKs saying that during the rule of Shas, there was a decrease in rabbis, while he, Ben-Dahan, has appointed 69 new rabbis, to date. As well, Ben-Dahan asked them why they are concerned to protect and defend rabbis who don't fulfill their responsibilities but continue to take payment.

The first reading of the law passed by a vote of 54-11.

source: Kikar and Srugim

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
At first I just thought this was another chipping away at the Torah, in favor of Hellenist, Erev Rav-controlled deMOCKracy.

Of course, I still do. In fact, I believe it to be a major attack on an already ransacked and unrecognizable "Torah style" of the State of Israel. We all know what "kosher style" means,...not in the least bit kosher. So, you should easily be able to determine exactly what I mean by "Torah style."

However, I also believe that this law contains the additional intention of increasing the "divide and conquer" as is suggested by the paragraph I have highlighted above. Or in the case of the Israeli Government, "keep divided and keep conquered."

Rabbi Yitzhaq Yosef and Rabbi David Lau
Israel's Chief Rabbis

Rabbi Ben-Dahan

Ben-Dahan apparently thinks that more is automatically better. In reality, though, this is just a continuation in the same ol' Religious Zionist vs. Haredi, "us vs. them" power struggle.

What Ben-Dahan appears to fail to realize is that the real "them" in the "us vs. them" is the Erev Rav controlled government. The "us" should be those who stand by the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and His Holy Torah. That is, those who stand by the authority of the Torah, even in the face of Israeli laws which contradict it.

Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu
Chief Rabbi of Tzfath

Rabbis, such as Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu of Tzfath, have been called "extremist," and demonized for this not only recognize the authority of The Almighty's Torah, but dare to declare this fact publicly, and encourage support for it. Rabbi Eliyahu's critics have not only included Justice Minister Tzippy Livni, as one would expect, but also Mamlakhtim (diehard, religious State loyalists), and the ever "nosing into Israeli affairs from the diaspora" Rabbinical Council of America [RCA].

Apparently, someone forgot to tell the RCA that...

אין תורה כתורת ארץ ישראל - בראשית רבא.

There is no Torah like the Torah of the Land of Israel. - Bereishith Raba

But, I digress...

Will Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu be the first to fired by a government committee, for not "not performing his duties and responsibilities properly?" Apparently, this clause was authored by the Supreme Council of Vagueness.

Or, perhaps, "they" will go after Ashkenazy Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau for daring to suggest that aliyah, immigration to Israel, be reserved for only those who are permitted to do so, according to the Torah,...Jews, according to the Torah definition of Jews, which flies in the face of the Israeli "Law of Return," which currently allows all those with at least one Jewish grandparent to immigrate.
(Tip: The Torah Revolution)

Surely, the only rabbis the Erev Rav controlled government is willing to tolerate are those rabbis not only willing to tow the government line, but those who actually delusional enough to believe in it.

For now, that is.

Stay tuned!

Young Israel Calls Out the U. S. State Department on its Hypocrisy

י' לחודש השנים עשר תשע"ד

Matzav: Young Israel Calls State Department Stance On Yerushalayim Contrary To Us Law And Inconsistent With Secretary Kerry’s Record As A US Senator
February 9, 2014

The National Council of Young Israel (NCYI) on Friday defended Israel’s right to build new housing for its residents and condemned those who reprimanded the Jewish State for its recent decision to construct new residential units in Jerusalem.

Following the announcement that Jerusalem officials approved the construction of a total 558 new housing units in the Jerusalem neighborhoods of Har Homa, Neveh Yaakov, and Pisgat Zeev, the U.S. State Department expressed opposition to the new construction.

The following is a statement from NCYI President Farley Weiss:

“With its religious, historical, and cultural significance to the Jewish people, the importance of Jerusalem’s status as the eternal capital of Israel cannot be overstated. The State of Israel has a legal and historical right to construct new housing units within the confines of its capital city.

We are especially troubled by the U.S. State Department’s criticism of the decision to build new housing units in Jerusalem and its further questioning Israeli sovereignty over the city. The State Department’s position runs counter to the provisions of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995, which makes clear that it is U.S. law that a united Jerusalem is recognized as the capital of Israel and called for the moving of the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. The State Department cannot assume a position that is diametrically opposed to U.S. law, which is what it has inexplicably chosen to do in this situation.

It is especially ironic that although Secretary of State John Kerry voted for the Jerusalem Embassy Act during his time in the U.S. Senate, the State Department under his leadership contends that the future status of Jerusalem is somehow up for discussion.

In July 1999, 84 Senators wrote a letter to then-President Clinton and urged him to comply with the Jerusalem Embassy Relocation Act (a copy of the letter is attached). Among the signatories of the letter, which was spearheaded by Republican Senator John Kyl of Arizona and Democratic/Independent Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, were current Secretary of State John Kerry, current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. In addition, Senators Charles Schumer and John McCain signed the letter. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Well, at least one American Jewish organization out is expressing something, somewhat related to the Torah justification of Jewish claims to Israel, with Jerusalem as its capital. Of course, I would have appreciated something a lot stronger and more direct. And, of coure, like any American Jewish organization it has a need for the employment of Western based reasoning, such as calling out hypocrisy.

Young Israel was right to do so. But, it would be nice if we, as a people, were finally ready to stand up and say, "All of Eretz Yisra'el belongs to us! End of story! Send us money or not! We don't care!"

Well, at least Young Israel did not express any offensive by any of the recent, Torah-based statements of religious Members of K'nesseth. Whereas, even the Orthodox Union [OU] and Rabbinical Council of America [RCA] did.

You get what you get. But, what do I know? I have only lived here in Israel, in spite of the difficulties in doing so. (sarcasm here)

Young Israel has it partly right, and part of their communities are in Israel. That is more than what can be said of most other American Jewish organizations, whose support for Israel as the only true Homeland of the Jewish People is lukewarm at best.

Discrimination Against Arabs? Or the Protection of Jews?

זאת חנוכה תשע"ד

Life In Israel: Rabbanut changing policy about non-Jews working in restaurant kitchens
December 4, 2013

[Israel's] Channel 2 News had an interesting expose on kashrut certification. There seems to be some confusion in the report between regular Rabbanut and private mehadrin hechshers, but the issue overall is fairly clear.

They have discovered that the Rabbanut, and this is not limited to the Rabbanut of a particular city but they found the same in the religious council of a number of different city Rabbanuts they spoke to, is now requiring restaurants to only employ Jews in the kitchen in the areas of food preparation. Non-Jews can be hired but only to be on the cleaning staff, and not to work in the kitchen.

Why do I find this interesting? Because until now the Rabbanut has always been very vocal about the fact that they rely on the Rama regarding the issue of "bishul akum" and allow non-Jews to work in the kitchen with the mashgiach lighting the fire or solving the bishul akum issue some other way. Allowing only Jews to work in the kitchen is a significant change. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
Oh, don't worry. Just give it time. Someone is BOUND to launch an "anti-discrimination" suit.

You know,...democratic, equal rights, and all that crap.

As critical as I am of the Rabbinuth, I think this is an excellent decision, both from the standpoint of increased stringency in kashruth observance, and that of providing what the consumers want, within halakhic (Torah legal) guidelines.

When I remind you of...

• The attempted poisoning of food by Arab employees in a restaurant in Ramath Gan,...
• The attempted poisoning of drinks by Arab employees in at the popular Café Rimon in Jerusalem,...
• Not to mention the successful introduction of a certain bodily fluid* into the tehinah at a now defunct restaurant on Agrippas Street in Jerusalem,...

...perhaps you will agree with me.

*No, it was neither urine, nor feces, nor blood, nor saliva, nor phlegm....  Pretty disgusting, huh?

I would that qualifies as "Arab terror." Wouldn't you?

Hmm... That reminds me. I wonder what the nosy Rabbinical Council of America [RCA] would say. Previously, it has shown displeasure in the apparent "discrimination" against Arabs in housing. When it comes to ingesting something prepared, or even touched, by an Arab, I suspect that it might just play a different tune.

Does Rabbi Kahane Need Defending?

Erev Shabbath Qodesh Parashath Bamidbar 5772

A  friend from yeshiva asked me to help defend Rabbi Me'ir Kahane  hy"d.

He was referring to the comments made on some post on Gil Student's blog.  (now, more than one post)

What's the point?  I know it's sad, but I have long given up on the same ol', same ol' Jews, be they modern orthodox, Litvaks, or Satmar, buried to their necks in galuth (exile), and in the galuth mentality.

Yet, truth be told, though, the main reason I write Esser Agaroth is because of the crazy idea that I can help one more Jew escape galuth, and that (OK, I'll say it) un-Jewish mentality.

So, I guess I really haven't given up; I'm just pessimistic and frustrated, and want to give up.  But, I can't.

לֹא תַעֲמֹד עַל-דַּם רֵעֶךָ - שמות יט,טז

Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor - Ex. 19:16

But, why should I bother defending Rabbi Kahane hy"d?  These clowns* aren't going to listen?  They have already made up their minds, most them not having read a single one of his books.  And, those who have undoubtedly, refused to accept anything he says, even though backed with halakhic sources.  If it doesn't fit into their hashqafas, then it couldn't possibly be correct, right?  (See below, for the use of the word "clowns.")

The next question is does Rabbi Kahane NEED defending?

Jews will either listen, or they won't.  They will either get on the plane, or they won't.  Funny thing is why Jews, religious Jews, feel a need to debate a rabbi who has been dead for 20 plus years.  My theory is that they need to justify their Western ways, and/or their belief in the acceptability of making a permanent residence in a "strange land," a land not their own.  they need to justify their "feelings," in perfect Western progressive fashion.  They need to discredit Rabbi Kahane, to prevent the onset of the greatest cognitive dissonance they have ever to experience.

Rabbi Kahane quoted halakhah, believed that Jews should follow halakhah, and that halakhah takes precedence over contra-Torah laws of the State of Israel.  No one has yet been able to refute his positions by applying halakhic sources, particularly the issues of goyim residing in Israel and the distinguishing between Israeli Law and halakhah.  They are not identical, as the mamlakhti (undying state loyalists) would have you believe.

Everyone who has tried, has done nothing but apply their "feelings" to a situation, sometimes calling it "facing reality," and has picked and chosen various halakhic sources out of context, not in the least bit shayach, and have quoted random pesuqim to support their "feelings."

The Rabbinical Council of America [RCA] is a good example, when it has criticized rulings of Rabbanim such as Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu shlit"a, and yet has insisted that Israeli rabbis stay out of its business.  Go figure...

Clearly, they have forgotten where the capital of Torah is, treating physical boundaries made up by goyim as relevant.

Rabbi Me'ir Kahane's primary "crime," as it were, was to dare to quote verses from the Tana"kh, as well as from halakhic sources, while speaking in the Knesseth.

He was demonized a racist because of it, and because of his second crime: He differentiated between the Torah-true, Jewish mentality and the Western/assimilationist un-Jewish mentality.  He taught Jews that one was correct, and the other was not. 

The recent ruling of Rabbi Shmu'el (ben Mordechai) Eliyahu , the Chief Rabbi of Tzfat, that one may not rent apartments to Arabs, even though they are "Israeli citizens," incurred the same demonization.  The Rabbinical Association of America, which can't stand it when Israeli rabbis but into its affairs, did not hesitate to condemn his rulings as well. Its representatives used Western "logic," rather than halakhic sources, which basically boiled down to "What will the goyim say?"

The wives of prominent rabbis in Israel incurred the same when they came out against Jews dating Arabs.  Yet, even the so-called "Reform" movement discouraged it.

Rabbi Kahane also encouraged us to take a serious look at ourselves. 

Were we acting like good little Jewish boys and girls, hoping that the goyim would see that we're just like them, and thus gain their acceptance?

Or, were we concerned with how The Holy One, Blessed Be He, sees us?

Were we comparing ourselves with non-Jews in our countries of birth?

Or, were we comparing ourselves with ourselves with our scholar-warrior forefathers, and striving to live up to their examples?

Were we taking pride in what good American (or British or French) citizens we were?

Or, did we take pride in being Jewish, and that we now had sovereignty over our true homeland, and needed to become part of the only solution by making aliyah?

Rabbi Kahane had the courage to teach us that when there is a setirah (conflict) between the Torah and Israeli, and takes precedence over Israeli law.  He taught us so, even in the face of the sniveling lap dogs of the Israeli Government.  These puppets with kippoth could not sufficiently counter him with any halakhic argument, so instead they called him names, and buried their heads in their mamlakhti (undying State loyalist) hashqafah.

He was known for quoting the Ramba"m, in particular the following from the Laws of Kings and Wars (I wonder how many Jews even know that there is such a thing.), to support his assertion:

ג,י  [ט] המבטל גזירת המלך בשביל שנתעסק במצוות, אפילו במצוה קלה--הרי זה פטור:  דברי הרב ודברי העבד, דברי הרב קודמין.  ואין צריך לומר אם גזר המלך לבטל מצוה, שאין שומעין לו.

3:10 [9] One who cancels the decree of the King for the sake of occupying himself with misswoth, even a misswah considered to be light – is exempt [from punishment].  The words of a rabbi and the words of a slave, the words of a rabbi take precedence.  And one does not [even] need to say [that] if the king decreed the cancellation of a misswah, that one does not heed him.

He could have cited this halakhah until he was blue in the face.  It didn't matter.  Those silly Jews who insisted that the K'nesseth was even a stand-in for a king, could not get their head around this extremely clear, Jewish source.  Rather they preferred to cling to their Hellenist democracy, not as a temporary system of administering a Jewish state, but as a "Look!  We're just like the goyim!" system of government.  The system of government pointed to by the Torah, was just foreign to them as the fact that Jews killing Jews, led us to the first Hanukkah.

At around the same time that Rabbi Kahane was attempting to convince Jews to think and act like Jews, Rabbenu Tzvi Yehudah Kook ztz"l, Rosh Yeshiva of Merkaz HaRav Kook, taught that one "…should do everything in order to prevent and delay the evacuation of Jewish strongholds" (Rb. Z. Melamed, Bet El; Rb. Elitzur Sege"l, Ofra)  He himself put his money where his mouth was, and planted himself in the Jewish town of Shavei Shomron to prevent its demolition. He, too, showed that following the Torah takes precedence over State laws which ran contrary to the Torah.  I doubt that anyone in the Religious Zionist communities would dare call Rabbenu Tzvi Yehuda an "extremist," like they would Rabbi Kahane.

Rabbi Tzvi Yehuda Kook ztz"l and Rabbi Me'ir Kahane ztz"l hy"d at the Kotel (Western Wall)
 *Rabbi Kahane said that he would never forget Rabbi Ya'akov Filber's shocked face, when Rav Tzvi Yehudah asked him to take their picture together at the Kotel.

Years later, Rabbi Dov Lior and Rabbi Zalman Melamed were barricaded within the beth k'nesseth (synagogue) of K'far Darom, making the last stand in the Jewish control areas of Azza.  The actions of these rabbis spoke louder than words, clearly demonstrating their belief that Torah and Israeli law were not one and the same, and that Torah took precedence over the other.

The previous Bostoner Rebbe ztz"l also cited halakhah, indicating that it was forbidden to give up Azza to the Arabs, contrary to the actions of the Israeli government, led by Ariel Sharon.

Rabbi Avraham Shapira ztz"l, the next Rosh Yeshiva of Merkaz HaRav Kook, after Rabbeinu Tzvi Yehuda, and former Chief Rabbi of Israel, told IDF soldiers that when confronted with choice of throwing Jews out of their homes (in Gaza, 2005), or sitting in jail, one should not only sit in jail, but to take pride in it.  In other words, he sent the message that Torah Law takes precedence over any State decrees which violated the Torah, just like Rabbi Kahane.

Rabbi Kahane also suggested that one of the requirements for being called "rabbi" is having sat in jail on behalf Israel, which he did.  So has Rabbi Yisra'el Ariel shlit"a, head of the Temple Institute, along with several others, many of whom I doubt you have ever heard of, there goals not including fame and notoriety.  Many years later, Rabbi Kahane's son Rabbi Binyamin Kahane hy"d did as well.  I wonder how many of those criticizing Rabbi Kahane have fulfilled this requirement.

So, does Rabbi Me'ir Kahane need defending?  I think not.  Although, it appears that some very unlikely rabbis have already attempted to do so.

*********

*clowns - From Eicha Rabba, among other sources.

"The "clowns of the generation," which our Sages describe are people with a purpose.  In order to nullify the truth, which they cannot accept, they grasp onto certain points and make a joke out of them.  But as time passes, all the ideology and seriousness that once cloaked them becomes undone, since their goal was to undermine the truth in order to continue in their ways of sin and falsehood.

-Rabbi Binyamin Ze'ev Kahane hy"d

on Parashath Toledoth

Esser Agaroth On The RCA

Erev Shabbath Qodesh Parashath Shemoth 5771

RCA Statement Regarding the Sale or Rental of Property to non-Jews in Israel

Dec 14, 2010 -- The Rabbinical Council of America [RCA] places great value on the judicious balancing of halachic and ethical principles of policy and action. The brilliance of the halachic tradition lies in its ability to affirm the Torah and rabbinic teachings of past generations, in a way which elevates and ennobles contemporary life, while bringing honor and respect to the Torah. This requires a special sensitivity to societal realities, widely-held ethical principles, and historical injustices. This is true no matter the particular circumstances that might militate in favor of policies or actions intended to protect a narrow community concern or interest.

For this reason, the Rabbinical Council of America finds the recent statement by certain rabbinic leaders in Tsfat, Israel, regarding rental and sale of residences to non-Jews, to be objectionable. The halachic issues at hand are indeed complex, and we are surely sympathetic to the impulse to protect a Jewish community in the face of intermarriage, communal conflict, or unsafe neighborhoods. We are also mindful of the need to respect the halachic and policy rulings of rabbis in other countries and specific locales, given their general familiarity with the facts on the ground.

In spite of all of these considerations, we find it necessary to express our views from afar insofar as the statement in question affects not just Jewish communities in Israel, but communities in North America as well. In addition many rabbis across Israel whom we hold in high regard have spoken out in opposition to the statement. (Read the full statement...)

1. Granted this is a statement designed for the lay person,...and most definitely for the goyim they are undoubtedly trying to placate. However, sources should be provided, at least in another article or location.

Any “rabbi” who does not provide sources to support his position does not have to be listened to.

I have heard this position expressed in the name of rabbis across the spectrum, from Rabbi Meir Fund, prominent poseq halakhah of Flatbush, to Rabbi Meir Kahane ztz”l.

Sources must be provided in order that they may scrutinized. (I am still waiting for someone to send me Rabbi Sherlo's sources for his position which is similar to the above.)

Rabbi Shmu'el Eliyahu's ruling, supported by 300 addition rabbanim, is supported al pi halakhah.

Mamlakhti (undying state loyalist) rabbis like Sherlo often have to play with the halakhah is in order to it with Israeli law with halakhah. They simply refuse to accept that such stiroth (contradictions) even exist.

Rabbis outside of Israel, no matter how learned and wise, are often hindered by their galuth mentality (See point 3).

Rabbi Eliyahu, on the other hand, is not afraid to state his beliefs, even when they run contrary to Israeli law, in spite of the fact that he receives a salary from the Israeli government!

You do the math.

2. And if you do not but either of the above reasons, you will have to take a serious look at this one, which uses the very Western logic, applied everyday by most Jews living in galuth (diaspora, both mental AND spiritual).

When the RCA and Rabbi Mordechai Tendler had a dispute, it was adjudicated in what is considered to be the highest rabbinical authority in the U. S. Rabbi Tendler chose to appeal the decision. But, where could he go to do so? He came to the High Rabbinical Court in Israel.

But, what was the reaction of RCA rabbis? They said that they would not accept the authority of Rabbinical Court in Jerusalem.

So, what are they doing mixing-in (don't you love that wonderful New York expression?) to matters internal to Israel?

(They answer this question above in bold, and I address it below in point 3.)

Granted they have the right to “express their opinions” on anything they want. But, it strikes me as a bit of a double standard.

3. The halachic issues at hand are indeed complex

Complex? Let us assume for the sake of argument that is true.

...the statement in question affects not just Jewish communities in Israel, but communities in North America as well.

The concern for the safety of Jews living outside of Israel is also complex. In other words, it is not so simply that we have to consider your safety when making ANY decisions about the survival of the Am Yisra'el (The Jewish People).

You have your chance now to join us in the one place where Jews have always been meant to be. Let's face it. The only things holding you back are your financial concerns and your general fears of the unknown. This is not the time to get defensive. Read this with an open mind. Your attitudes toward not making aliyah are the products of 2,000 years of fundamental changes in our mentality.

From just trying to survive the Crusades to pogroms, from countless legal battles to be accepted among the goyim, and from seeing assimilation into Western society as the ultimate goal of the Jew, to downright self-hatred, our overall mentality has been so drastically transformed, it is almost completely unrecognizable from the Jewish scholar warrior of old.

But there is hope; there are still sparks. From the Jewish athlete, breaking the Woody Allen, stereotype of the nebekh, to the brilliant student in a yeshiva in New York (or Baltimore or Chicago or Los Angeles), from the teacher who instills the joy of reading into her learning disabled pupil who used to hate it, to the social worker who helps a community deal with the aftermath of an earthquake, or a flood,...or a terrorist attack by jet planes, we need all of you.

But, we cannot wait around for you.

The existence of the State of Israel ALREADY puts Jews living around the world at risk, not to mention that,...

מלחמת מצווה דוחה פיקוח נפש.

An obligatory takes precedence over the saving of Jewish life.

And those are the facts on the ground.

I'll let you mull that around for a while.

Of course, the RCA conveniently never brings up the only real solution to combat all of the physical, and most of the spiritual, threats Jews face, and have been facing, on the ground for centuries. Most of them would eventually be out of a cushy job, if they did.

Make aliyah. Don't just throw your money at us, especially now, when much of your money funneled through various “Jewish” organizations, like the [non] Jewish National Fund and the [non] Jewish Agency, eventually makes its way to Arabs or to other non-Jews.

Come here to live.

*********

(Tip credit: Tomer Devorah)