Jerusalem – In his weekly shiur in Jerusalem, which focused on hilchos tekiyas shofar, HaRav Ovadiya Yosef touched on the differences between Ashkenazi and Sephardic halachic authorities.
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“Every individual must follow his forefathers’ custom…Al titosh torat imecha…Elu v’elu divrei Elokim chayim. But when Moshiach comes, everybody will follow the Sephardic custom,” he said. The remark was consistent with HaRav Ovadiya’s approach and the halachic transformation he has led in the past generation, uniting Sephardic Jews under the halachic rulings of Maran Hashulchon Oruch zy”o.
“We cannot know with certainty until Moshiach comes and brings everyone together as one. Only Moshiach will be able to do that,” he said.
In the past HaRav Ovadiya has been known to advise yeshiva students who are uncertain which set of customs to follow that the shita of the Mechaber takes precedence in Eretz Yisroel.
During this week’s shiur he also said that a man whose children study at a secular school is ineligible to serve as shaliach tzibbur during the Yomim Noro’im or to blow the shofar for the tzibbur.
“He prays three times a day and lays tefillin [because] he is accustomed to doing so. His father accustomed him to prayer, and that is why he prays. Otherwise he wouldn’t even pray,” he said.
Only a man who is righteous, upstanding and has a fear of Heaven, and who sends his sons to talmud Torah can represent the congregation and serve as an advocate for Am Yisroel, he added, but if the chazzan or the baal tokea is “not a good person” Hakadosh Boruch Hu does not accept his prayer and despises the entire congregation because of him.
My father, Z”L, used the end of pasuk 26 in Shemos 10 (“…va’anachnu lo neida mah na’avod es Hashem ad bo’einu shama”) to teach his family tolerance of other people’s minhagim.
Vehameivin yavin.
as crazy as he sounds at least he stands strong and proud of keeping the standards high not like so many other shuls who use mechalelai shabbos to blow the shofar and many compromises that are diluting and watering down our Holy traditions
“We cannot know with certainty until Moshiach comes and brings everyone together as one. “
That is a very important disclaimer…
You got to give him
credit for his Sephardic pride!
I guess it’s not much different than Rav Chezkel Roth or other Ashkenaz Rabonim who use the posuk of “uBnay Yisroel Yotz’im Beyud Rama” as a reason to follow the Rama’s psokim!
the statement is an expression of gaave and depreciation of other persons minhagim
1) There were 13 gates in the beis hamikdash, corresponding to the 13 gates of tefillah, each tribe with their minhag. I’ll stick with my Rebbe thank you very much.
2) What would R’ Yosef say about corrupt shas politicians being a shliach tzibbur???? Obviously, that’s a different case!!
And i say that when Moshiach comes everyone will Follow the Chassidic Minhag , Because a well-known Lubavitcher Rosh Yeshiva said That after Moshiach comes, He Will Learn Tanya with The Litvishe Gedoilim
Sounds a bit like radical islam
zool ehr shoin kimen! sheyavoh kvar! zol shein zein di geula! We shall worry about it then!
does it really matter which Minhag will be in effect ?
Oh please – just let Moshiach come TODAY !!! I’m betting that there will be NO complaints (EVEN FROM THE CREATIVE VIN POSTERS) no matter which shita we wind up following !!!
And why can’t it be that Moshiach will have a solution that we can follow each and every tradition. He’ll make it look very simple. Everyone will be right. Zul er shoin kummen…
With the greatest respect, I think when Moshiach comes, everyone will be in for major surprises, both Sefardim and Ashkenazim. Although not mentioned in the article, the differences in pronounciation was also referred to – and it appears we will all start using the Sefardi version (I’m not sure which as there are several dialects within this category).
Most of our customs arose from the latter half of the Bayis (I’m Ashkenaz) Sheini. Whether one likes it or not, the Jewish people were essentially farmers and trade workers (“cottage industry”) and, except for the few, their lives allowed for little time for the quantity and level of study that appears to have developed since, probably, the Geonic period.
Prayer too was no simple matter (as demonstrated by the need of a Sh’liach Tzibor to repeat tefillah and the inclusion of those who could not attend the prayers) and in order to maintain a unified people, in addition to the Regolim, leining was established on the Mondays and Thursdays (market days) of each week from the outset, with Ezra establishing Shabbos Mincha leining.
Here is not the place to enumerate the many significant changes and, dare I say, contradictions between T’NaCh, Yerushalmi and Bavli – but there are. Even practices today are not in line with those brought down in Shas and are often erroneously applies to totally unconnected halochos (I base this on the writings of the Geonim – it is not my own).
So – is there a correct pronounciation of Hebrew (already in Dovid haMelech’s time there were differences) – are we to go back to “basics”, especially if we are going to be able to carry out those Mitzvos explicite in Torah – are we to maintain our current state of Torah practice and even make it ever more complicated?
This is not for me or anyone else to comment on – unless, of course, they have inside information!
Regarding secular education and disallowing individuals from various aspects of Yom Tov – I am aware of several “upright” people who have, of course, sent their children to the best chassid’she chadorim/schools and have ended up in prison or on the run (we are talking about serious “Jewish” crimes). On the other hand, there is a multitude of people who lead an extremely upright life who are (quite correctly) concerned about their children’s parnosa (I refer you to Rav Sadia Gaon’s pi’ut who pleaded that children should be taught life skills lest they become thieves). Who is to judge who is righteous and who is not – there is only One – and no other.
It makes sense. Sephardishe minhagim are not watered down by euro russian influences and rebbishe takoones turned minhagim
The Chofetz Chaim….he is not.
It makes sense. Sephardishe minhagim are not watered down by euro russian influences and rebbishe takoones turned minhagim
His comment sounds like it came from a child in kindergarten.
When I was in Kindergarten or First Grade, me and my classmates used to have the same “comments” and “fight” about this all the time
the more he speaks out publicly, the more i don’t want to follow him
He simply made a statement about what he believes will happen when Moshiach comes, if you don’t believe then don’t believe, but for the love of God, please have some respect for a Ben Torah like the Rav. I have never met him and I am not Sefardish, but I respect him for who he is. God bless him.
B”H I will finally be able to eat rice in pesach, but I don’t know if I can hndle slichos the whole elul
Minahaggim have always changed over time and have been dependent upon the circumstances in the current time and place of the Jewish community. The present custom of Jews to migrate to different places (America, Israel) but hold on to the customs of the land from which they came (Lithuania, Iraq) has nothing to do with Torah, but with insulating religious culture from secular influences. and holding on to Jewish identity
When moshiach comes I really expect that the fences around fences around fences will be able to be torn down. The minhaggim in the times of moshiach will be determined by the people in that time!
Watch how u talk about a gadol
The Shulchan Aruch and Beis Yosef is halachah. But remember Torah lo b’shamayim he. There are many minhagim. I appreciate my Ashkenaz Mesorah and I actually prefer the davening because it is “crisp” and “clohr.” Sefard davening is more intricate, however, I almost never see a Chasidishe Sefard minyan in the USA that davens with kavanah to make it worthwhile. I just try to do what my Alter Zeideh would do and appreciate this messorah.
For some reason, he always manages to say very not smart comments. He may be a gaon in learning, but to say he is a “smart” man – definitely not!
Just a few weeks ago, there was an article about ashkenazi prejudice against sephardim and everyone agreed how wrong that was. Well this statement is nothing more than sephardic prejudice against ashkenazim being fomented at the highest levels of the sephardic world. The essence of Rav Ovadia’s comment is “Ashkenzi mesorah is false and corrupted. We have the true mesorah and this will be proven when Moshiach comes.” With all due respect to Rav Ovadia, unless he is now Ovadia HaNasi, he has NO IDEA what mesorahs Moshiach will clarify when he comes. This assertion, the latest in a long list of derogatory pronouncements directed at the Ashkenazi world, may have been intended to boost sephardic pride but it is a false pride that borders on sinas chinam.
In this month of Elul, may ALL of Israel make teshuva and learn to love their fellow Jew instead of making divisions that we may bring Moshiach speedily and in our day THIS YEAR!!!
Why is it that time and time again this ‘rabbi’ makes contreviersial public statements and it is allowed? Why is he allowed to incite hatred? Is there a way to get him out of the public eyes and ears and make sure his racial slurs and anti – semitic statements go unheard?
I agree with 34, he is a Gaon, no doubt, but he always manages to say and do some very negative things. This is one of them, denigrating an entire Eidah.
It is 100% certain that without Shas, who did not make a move without “Chacham Ovadya” There would have been no Oslo. Even Geonim need to be careful of what they say and do. and even Geonim need to do Teshuva.
When Moshiach comes it will be “Tora chadasha mi’iti te’tzay”, a ‘new’ Torah will be followed, which will be neither sefard or ashkenaz but rather…Chabad.
Jews originated in the middle East where original customs and pronunciation of hebrew occured, the galut has forced upon us many minhagim. From the way shuls are foods we do not eat-kitnos- and to the setup of our shuls. It would seem logical that if we go back to the original roots a less European influence will occur. Even Ashkenaz have developed the hebrew pronunciation in the every day hebrew. I am sure that if the original hebrew was closer to Ashkenaz this would have never happened.
the chafetz chaim also had some extreme words for actions so many of us do, should he also have been silenced? yes, the truth hurts.
Maybe he said it to bring back a lot of sefardim who abondend there sfardishe minhogim and have become litvish or chassidish.
hmmm. i guess that’s what will happen when the sfardishe moshiach comes.
meanwhile, we’ll all wait for the litvish, chasidish, lubavich, tzionish, normalish…
isn’t that the problem? any wonder why he isn’t here yet?
The new torah after z’man moishiach will be very different from what either sehpardic or ashkenazi rabbonim predict….d’var hashem will be revealed in a manner that not even the greatest of the gadolim can understand or predict.
When Moshiach comes, I hope to hear an explanation why sefardim make a mezonos on matzah. Matzah is made from flour and water and has air holes and does not fit in with the 3 categories of pas habaah bekisnin. Therefore, even according to the sefardim, it should be hamotzi.
Furthermore, the Machzik Brachah brings the Chesed Avraham Hasfardie who says that matzah baked for Pesach-what we call Shmura matzah-is homotzei during the year because it is not made to be eaten as a snack so it is not pas habah bekisnin. First, according to this Sefardim would make a hometzi on shmurah matzah if they eat it anytime of the year. Second, the reason sefardim make mezonos on matzah is because of pas habaah bekisnin, which the meforshim (see e.g. the Mishnah Berurah) say depends on the place and time. Today we eat crackers as a snack and not matzah. Therefore, matzah should be mezonos.
why is everyone saying what they said about a gadol?
rav ovadia yosef is a huge gadol b’yisrael, whether you like it or not, and what he says probably comes from some sort of midrash or gemara or something.
and no, im not sefardi, but i do hold highly of the sefardi rabbanim, the litvishe rabbanim, the chassidishe rebbes and all other gedolim in klal yisrael!
I guess according 2 rav yosef: evry1 will wear the black/gold robe ?
Would going to a secular college while in Yeshiva part of the day be a problem with him? Secular school is unclear in the article.
I would imagine that Mashiach Tzidkenu will return all of the precious children of Israel to our original Minhagim. Our Galut has taught us much and has produced wonderful Torah commentaries, in Ladino, in Yiddish, in Arabic, etc… G-d willing, our experiences in Galut, will only add to the rich tapestry that defines us as a people. As many has posted before me, what is important is that we prepare ourselves for Mashiach and Yamim Noraim. G-d Bless Rabenu Ovadya Yosef for his high standards for Kalal Yosrael, and G-d bless our beloved Rabbanim of all traditions, May we all be reunited as Am Israel soon,
May all who read this post be inscribed for a good year of prosperity, health, and life. May we all celebrate Simhat Torah is Israel with Mashiach. G-d Bless.
I don’t know too much about what he actually did mean or not or what this article has taken out of context. All I can say, is what I had personally encountered via his T’shuvas s’forim; His respect to Ashkenazi sforim and rabbonim are to its most highest degree of respect as is his knowledge in all kinds of ashkenazi Seforim in all areas! So for all that are bashing him should try reading any of his works, prior to pressing that ‘post’ button.
Reply to #58 :The Mechaber paskens that”rekikin dakin” thin crackers, are mezonos. On Pesach matza is called “lechem” oni so they say hamotzie. Any questions?
Fascinating. When moshiach comes, will we all have to wear a ridiculous get-up that makes us look like a cross between a Vegas magician and an ayatollah, or will that still be restricted to R’ Yosef?
Has Rav Yosef forgotten that Hashem created 12 tribes because He wamted that Klal Yisroel should have a rainbow of cultures, all based on the Torah? Has rav Yosef forgotten several Rambam pieces that discuss Moshiach and that his responsibility is to make peace between all the various sects of Klal Yisroel, that they should understand each other and realize that all are actually correct? As long as we serve Hashem al pi Torah.
did harav yosef already forget what happend last month, when a sfardi betrayed klal yisroal……. if you dont know what im talking about….. here’s a hint…… Mr. Drek
makes no difference as long as he comes
YIpppppppeeeeee: imagine we will be able to eat corn flakes and rice krispies on PESACH, YEssssssss.
1) there is historic evidence that there were Jews who migrated to Ashkenaz towards the ned of Bait Rishon. Because they were not influenced by layers and layers of communities, they may have first say.
2)Simple logic – Sephardi minhagim and tefillot are much more layered, meaning, added minhagim and tefillot over the centuries. There is no such a minhag to detract from an accepted minhag and especially to do away with or water down tefillot. This simply means that Ashkenaz is far more true to the original minhagim and tefillot. Sorry.
88 blogs b/c one man has a great imagination. There is no ques. he’l be a yeke b/c it says b’Eto achishena, i.e, he’i be on time, puenklish.But he will be chasididh,because now hes soooo late. Hel be Litvish, b/c he has to be a lamdon. Oh yeh a little sfardi b/c he will atrract all people b/c der vos hot de maye hot de daye. A little M.O. otherwise these guys will something extreme about him also a little N.K. to get rid of the Sec. Z..a little Lubob so everybody loves him.Rabbi O Y is playing the game right
The Sefardi minhag is not any better or worse than Ashkenaz, Sefard, or Teiman, it simply has the most added hidurim. The Lubavicher Rebbe ZT”L once said that an Ashkenazi is allowed to daven in a Sephardi minyan, but a Sephardi isn’t allowed to move to an Ashkenazi service. The reason is that are added hidurim in the tefilot and kadishes. We won’t ask someone to daven with less words (i.e. barach aleinu during the winter) during the shmona esre. There is also an additional sentence in kadish by Sephardim. My guess is that even though the Teimanim have an even longer daily kadish, their community is much smaller than ours, and relies on the hilchot Rambam almost exclusively, where things like replacing soup onto the blech from the refrigirator on Shabbos is permitted, etc, and constitutes a leniency. Don’t complain, you can all come to my house for string beans next Pesach in Yerushaliyim!!!.
the more i hear about what he has to say the more i think he needs medical treatments…