Jerusalem – Former Israeli minister Aryeh Deri, formerly of the Shas party, explained on Sunday why Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, the Shas party’s spiritual leader, had wished for the demise of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas several weeks ago.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Speaking to radio station Radio Kol Chai, Deri said that Rabbi Yosef’s remarks came as a result of his deep sorrow over the construction freeze in Judea and Samaria and in Jerusalem.
“The rabbi is very sensitive,” explained Deri. “He calms down his pain when he speaks harshly about a person.”
Deri explained that in this case, the Rabbi’s emotions came from “his terrible pain over the construction freeze, over the fact that no apartments are being built in Jerusalem and he sees the distress of the yeshiva students, as well as the public who has no place to live. It hurts him and he expressed this pain by saying what he said. The Rabbi has no interest in provoking the world’s nations. His whole way of life was using peaceful means to try to appease rather than provoke.
Rabbi Yosef sparked controversy after he made a public wish on his Rosh HaShana sermon that “our enemies and haters may come to an end, Abu Mazen and all these villains – may the Holy One, Blessed Be He, afflict them with the plague… these evil enemies of Israel.”
Hilmi al-Ghoul, an adviser on national matters to Abbas, said in response that the statement “reflects the political consciousness in Israeli society and feeds the extremely belligerent approach that goads the settlers and soldiers to carry out the most heinous crimes against the helpless Palestinian people.”
Al-Ghoul added that Rabbi Ovadiah’s “racist” pronouncements, delivered on the eve of resumption of direct talks between Israel and the PA in Washington, constitute a message to the world that Israel refuses to accept the “two state solution.” He called on “forces of peace in Israel and the world” to denounce Rabbi Ovadiah’s “hate speech” against Israel and to force Israel to carry out its “diplomatic commitments.”
US State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley also condemned Rabbi Yosef’s comments and said that they are “not only deeply offensive, but incitement such as this hurts the cause of peace. As we move forward to relaunch peace negotiations, it is important that actions by people on all sides help to advance our effort, not hinder it.”
Hopefully, Deri is either deliberately lying or simply speaking mindlessly when he suggest that the gaol hador, rav ovadyah, “calms down his pain when he speaks harshly about a person”. I cannot believe that the Rav is so dysfunctional. Deri should do tshuvah for insulting such a great rav with such gutter comments.
Rabbi Yosef has said numerous times that he is supportive of the settlement freeze. I heard the tape of Rabbi Yosef saying the traditional segula beracha for the Rosh Hashana seder myself. When he was asked if it applied to Abu Mazen and Palestinians, he said “Phew Abu Mazen and Palestinians”, Reshaim, the that beracha applies to Reshaim, the evil doers who deny the existence of G-d.
Deri has his own political agenda. He does not speak for Rav Ovadia. Only Chief Sephardic Rabbi Shlomo Amar is the spiritual heir to Rabbi Ovadia and only the Chief Rabbi speaks for him. Rav Yosef has made that clear many many times and those who are close to him know what he said.
Kol Hakavod to Reb Ovadia
To No. 4
Assuming this is true (which I don’t) why would you respect a rav who says he has anger management problems and can only vent by cursing (or “speaking harshly”) of those he dislikes. I would expect this kind of behavior from some rasha, not from one of biggest sehpardic rabbonim in eretz yisroel.
oh come on aryeh.your rusty.you used to do a lot better then this.
hey #4 you don’t have to be a rasha to curse the enimies of the jewish people.may all those who desire our harm go back to the devil who sent them and all sickness pain and misfortune on there heads.
#2 –
I agree Rav Ovadiah Yosef is pro seetlement freeze he only opposes the settlement freeze in Kirat Sefer and betar Illit where he has a very large Shas voting block.
Rav Ovadiah Yosef has also supported the Oslo agreement and supported Sharon and his Unilateral Disengagement Plan from Aza.
If the Rabbi wants to curse someone couldn’t he just do it quietly. Doing it publicly cannot be constructive.
I finally get the whole R’ Yosef thing! The curses, the ridiculous ayatollah get-up, the dark glasses… he’s comic relief!!
I don’t know about all of u, but i daven 3 times a day ”V’lamshinim Al Tehi Tikva”
this applies to ALL of israels enemies. abbas achmanijad obama included
may Hashem speedily uproot, smash cast down and humble all our enemies speedly in our days
Do not forget that this is the same “Rabbi” Aryeh Deri who was convicted of taking $155,000 in bribes while serving as Interior Minister and given a three-year jail sentence.
In my opinion, that crime of corruption severely affects his credibility in every respect.
theres no mitzvah to be a fanatic
hey #11 , loshon hora actualy moitze shem ra- on the day after yom kipper
just because he was convicted in a secular court doesnt mean he is a criminal.
there are plenty conspiracy theories out there about the state of israel vs deri, many reasons why they wanted him locked up.
watch wat u say in public.
“just because he was convicted in a secular court doesnt mean he is a criminal.
ROFL at your convoluted logic! An adam yerai shamayim takes bribes, but – according to you – it “doesnt mean he is a criminal”. And what if the bribe taker was a goy or C”V an apikorses?
OK, humor me,please: what would make a convicted bribe taker a criminal. If you like, tell me why Aryeh Deri is not a convicted criminal.