Jerusalem – A letter written by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef slamming MK Haim Amsalem for his “strange and heretical opinions” and calling for him to return his mandate to Shas appeared in the party’s newspaper From Day to Day on Thursday.
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“The Council of Torah Sages met with great sorrow [to discuss] the words of Haim Amsalem, who opened his mouth about our dear yeshiva students who…save the whole world with their Torah,” the letter, which is signed by the Council of Torah Sages, reads.
“He cooked this dish in public in order to find favor in the eyes of those who hate Torah,” it continues. “He, as a teacher, is kicking his rabbis. He is added to our troubles – peasants and haters of Torah sages – and caused a desecration of God’s name.”
The letter “demands from Mr. Amsalem, according to the Torah’s law, to return his mandate to Shas…If he does not return it, he is a thief.”
Earlier in the week, Amsalem refused to return his mandate, despite being told to do so by Yosef and his own rabbi, Rabbi Meir Mazuz.
The letter calls the MK “Mr. Amsalem,” although he is a rabbi, and was previously addressed as such by Shas.
“Whoever cares about Torah should stay from this man…and from his strange and heretical opinions,” the letter said, implying that Amsalem is excommunicated. “May God bring him back to religion and heal him.”
The letter was signed by members of the Council of Torah Sages, and Mazuz added a message that “we already revealed our opinion that we have no part or connection with him.”
Key to Amsalem’s approach, and perhaps what is most problematic to his party’s line, is his call on those who aren’t destined to be great Torah scholars and who have families to work, and not live on “shameful” allotments.
The recent proposed amendment to the economic arrangements bill that would provide special support to poor kollel students has yet to be approved.
The translation is inaccurate. He didn’t cook anything.
For all those who claim that Amsalem is also a rabbi etc. Becoming a rabbi is not like becoming a lawyer where you just have to have some knowledge and pass some bar exam.
There are in America reform “rabbis”, conservative” rabbis”, and even some mo “rabbis” who have as much in common with a rabbi as a goyishe pastor.
I was wondering, what a terrible thing he did, Then I saw that it’s about Money. The Klausenbergr Rebbe said, ‘Gelt, Gelt, Dollar, Dollar’.
Kol Hakavod to Rabbi Amsalem for stating the Emes. I wish him a lot of hatzlacha in defending his position. Stay strong!!!!!
Same issue as when Yosef made the same demands. The rav was freely elected by the voters and its their decision to remove him He should stand his ground and not bend to these “rabbonim turned politicians” whose writings in these matters should be ignored. He shows real politicdla courage; the rabbonim have a right to their views regarding how “our dear yeshvia students save the world”. If that was true, than the world wouldn’t be as screwed up as it is today. Clearly, there is a criticl need for a small core group of really serious kollel yingermen to sit and learn 24×7 but not the tens of thousands of misfits who will be given a stipend to evade the draft and not work. Neither EY or “the world” gain anything from their continued refusal to work and make any contribution to the economy.
Rabbi Amsalem stated the true Torah law concerning this matter. There are 100s of laws related to work in the Torah, Mishna, Talmud, and Shulcahan Aruch. Even the books on Kabbala and Chassidus talk about the greatness of working. In this case politics has gone too far. I fully support Rav Amsalem. He is a man of true courage and truth and he should be supported. I do not feel the need to support unqualified men learning in Kollel as Rav Amsalem has rightly pointed out. It is about time that this flawed system both in Israel and America become much more selective and not drain the financial resources of the Jewish people. “Who is wise someone who can determine the results of his actions.” If we don’t stop this now there will be catostrophic consequences and we will all be in big trouble and no one will benefit.
I see the devistating results of living on programs every day. Men daven shacris very late every moring from 10:30 A.M.until 2:00 P.M. which is way past the zman. They become very lazy and have no dicipline or self-respect. Their laziness often causes them to neglect their wives and their children have no real father. Their wives are often under pressure to run the family alone. They pay very little tuition and that puts the yeshivahs under heavy pressure. They hang out on the streets and waste their lives away. When it comes to a Shidduch in the Litvish world a girl whose father learns in Kollel can’t marry off his daughter because he can’t afford to support a son-in-law. This insane system must stop so that families remain normal and healthy as the Torah prescribes.
DON’T GIVE IN RABBI AMSELEM. Now it becomes an ego thing al api veal chamosi. Rabbi Amsalem has every right to voice his opinion which everyone realizes is correct. These Rabbis don’t want to lose control and a reason to collect MORE money from the government with less loosers in kollel.
It’s about time the people take over from these false prophets control mongers.
Doesn’t Shas have anything better to do than dump on one of their own who dared to think for himself?
How typical to label someone you disagree with, a heretic (apikores). Rav Amsalem has the right to speak the truth and should not give in to this little dictator.
To most of the above comments. Let’s wait and see how far amsalem will get with his way and haskafa. He won’t last as mk for much longer that’s a fact. The rabbanim want him out and that’s how it will be!good luck fighting.
Its clear that the majority of those commenting on this issue agree that Shaas and Yosef had blundered in their foolish effort to silence a dissenting member of their party who speaks out against the growing isolation of chareidi youth from the realities of today’s world. They polarize the issue by seeking to insulate the large percentage of their sons and daughters from the need to obtain basic education and job skills and earn a parnassah to support their families. Yes, all should have some time to learn torah but framing the issue in terms of the whole world being supported by dysnfunctional bochurim sitting in kollel full time learning torah is a joke. Most don’t really study full time anyway and when they do study, most are not talmedei chachamim or even learning l’shma.
Reply to number 9. “which everyone realizes is correct”. Speak for yourself mr pipk11,many disagree with r’ amsalem and think he’s incorrect. “Now it becomes an ego thing”. Who are you referring to exactly?? If anything one might. say that r’ amsalem is with the ego,going against his own party and its leader?! “It’s about time the people take over from these false prophets control mongers.” How would the people do that exactly? And who your calling false prophets? the rabbis?the ones that gave amsalem his seat. Please explain yourself.
I lived in Israel for 8 years I personally saw men who were in Kollel talk all day and then learned 20 minutes of Chumash to calm their consciences. I saw Kollel men sitting and talking with their wives at home while they were getting paid to learn in Kollel. The men admitted to me that they rather be working but social pressure prevents them from getting a job. I fully support Rav Amsalem.
As per Chacham Hagon Rav Ovadia Yosef shlit”a, this heretic Amsalem needs to be put in his place.
they will continue to slam him, but he will stay…. ad people will lose all respect for shas
To #14 – Pipk here responding to you. I feel honored you need my clarification. Finally der Pipk hot a shtel. (or maybe I shouldn’t get too excited from one lone ranger loozer sitting behind their computer).
Listen friend, who are you kidding. The large majority of all these Kolel yungerlite would do more for Judaism if they had a job and contributed a bit more to society, They themselves would feel better about their own lives, not speaking of the sholom bayis it would bring.
This fellow Amselem made a very valid point, It is not heretical and anyone who says it is, he or she has huge problems. The man was voted in and he speaks his mind. Just because he has an independant thought that is not a reason to put all these harsh adjectives and negative titles on him. This unfortunately is the modis operandi of probably all big frum organizations.
No wonder we keep on chasing our tail in our communities with things only get much worse, because the moment someone has a novel fresh idea he is takeh kicked out and sidelined and the ego maniacs power mongers most of them with their heads up someplace in yehupits will not take the time of day to seriously consider worthwhile ideas
So I guess many of the sages of the Mishna and Talmud and many (probably most) rishonim and acharonim were also heretics? This is somewhat perplexing, to say the least
this should be a wake up call to those who donate to shas thinking they are zionist. these people are looking for nothing less than the end of the state of Israel. Can you imagine someone suggested that they get jobs abd contribute to society?
Reply to #18
You are so right. This is why we have so many adults and youth at risk. It is either conform or out you go into the storm! I support Rav Amsalem we need more Rabbis like him then the Moshiach would come.
Only one generation in history didn’t work that was the generation of the desert. They had mon to eat. All other generations worked including the Avos. This attack on Rav Amsalem shows that rav Ovadia would even rebuke the Avos who worked. This junk just got to stop.
We should only give programs to those who work but can’t make ends meet or to those who are handicapped. If you do nothing you don’t deserve programs. Programs cause shalom bayis problems, mental health problems, and youth at risk problems. Stop the programs now.
Any ‘goy’ who happened to visit this website could easily think that many VIN readers and commentators are a bunch of prejudiced, blinkered bigots.
But that’s not true. Is it??