Jerusalem – Council of Torah Sages Call on MK Amsalem to Resign

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    Jerusalem – The Council of Torah Sages and Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef on Monday called on Shas MK Rabbi Haim Amsalem to return the mandate he received from the leader of the council and resign from the Knesset.

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    During a council meeting, convened specifically to discuss the issue of Amsalem and his views on yeshiva stipends and religious conversions, it was decided that if Amsalem does not resign or return the mandate, he will be considered a thief.

    In the meeting, attended by all members of the council including Shas leader Eli Yishai, recent media interviews by Amsalem were heard.

    According to the secretary of the council, Rabbi Raphael Pinschi, Yosef burst into tears after hearing Amsalem’s words.


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    16 Comments
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    51cent
    51cent
    13 years ago

    I don’t understand what he said wrong. I think that he was being realistic & said that kollel is not for everybody. Who wouldn’t agree with that statement?

    13 years ago

    Wow. Some harsh words are written about mk amsalem in that letter. I wonder if he’ll have the courage to resign,he’s in the spot light.

    Berel13
    Berel13
    13 years ago

    So much for free speech and the right to an opinion. by the way he has smicha.

    13 years ago

    this is beginning to sound like the case of Natan Slifkin

    13 years ago

    Smicha means nothing! Torah is not some mundane topic where a degree (smicha) means you have daas Torah.

    J-R-S
    J-R-S
    13 years ago

    “….it was decided that if Amsalem does not resign or return the mandate, he will be considered a thief. “

    if someone expresses opinions other than those which certain rabbis want him to have, he’s a thief? Perhaps it’s because they feel he betrayed the “mandate” upon which he was supposed to represent them? It’s still ridiculous. These rabbonim (esp. in E”Y) are always trying to bully everyone—government officials & civilians alike—into doing what they want, not by negotiation or debate, but by halachic coercion, telling them they’re evil if they don’t comply. It doesn’t work, and it steadily erodes what little respect secular people still have for rabbis & religion.

    Pipk11
    Pipk11
    13 years ago

    the way it works is like this in all frumeh circles. you go along with the party policy or your out, doesn’t matter how much sense you make. And then we expect change and leadership???? a nechtikeh tog.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    What gives one Yosef the right to dictate to another rebbe who was elected by the voters who can vote against him next time there is an election for MKs. In the interim,he should stay in office and tell Yosef to back off an allow the voters to decide.

    13 years ago

    I have tremendous respect for Chacham Ovadia, but several questions come to mind. The questions are not about Chacham Ovadia, but rather his advisors.

    1. Did Chacham Ovadia write this himself or was this paraphrased?
    2. Did Chacham Ovadia meet with, and discuss with, Rabbi Ansalem before this p’sak was issued?
    3. Was Rabbi Ansalem given an opportunity to defend himself?
    4. Did Chacham Ovadia try to resolve this privately before issuing a public p’sak?
    5. Does Chacham Ovadia intend this letter to be an actual p’sak halach, or perhaps he has some other intention?
    6. The article seems to imply that Chacham Ovadia relied on videos he was shown. Can this be true? Is he not aware of the potential abuse of such evidence?

    The language used in the letter seems extreme and appears to not be consistent with “Divrei Chachamim …” I am quite in shock at what appears to be a personal attack in such language. Without knowing anymore, it seems uncharacteristic.

    If in fact this letter is a distortion of Chacham Ovadia’s true feelings, or if the sentiments expressed are based on incomplete or distorted information, this can become a massive chillul hashem, c”v.

    Hamokom Yerachaim

    cowfy
    cowfy
    13 years ago

    i always quip”don’t get into a contest of who can spit farther with the rabbonim.you’ll come out wet and they’ll come out dry”. its a fact of life.multiply this by the state of the israeli system of goverment and you’ll soon see amsalem is an underdog here.shas has learned the game quite well.i would suggest amsalem switch parties the seat is HIS and as for being a goniv.well there is only one kind in the knesset.those who’ve been caught.

    GB_Jew
    GB_Jew
    13 years ago

    This reminds me of the ayatollahs in Iran. I wonder why?

    Dr. E
    Dr. E
    13 years ago

    What he is saying seems to be consistent with everything we know about Jewish history before 30 years ago. That is full-time learning for te long term is reserved for a chosen few. This new development is a departure from that. And recent stories of Kollel fraud only confirms that not only are the guys incapable of sitting and learning, many are not even sitting on the benches and going through the motions.

    Different
    Different
    13 years ago

    Before condemning Rabbi Amsalem we should all look up Midrash Rabba on vayetze – on the Pasuk “lulei” that Lavan says to Yaakov. Even zchus avos could not save yaakov’s life but only his possessions. His life and that of the others were saved in the merit of his WORK – HONEST AND GOOD