State Prosecutor Asked To Cite Haredi Rabbi For Incitement

Rabbi Avraham Yosef said: "The judge himself, even if he knows how to pray really well and do everything really well - from the moment he is appointed as a judge, he has ruled himself out from the minyan... Even if he promises that all his verdicts are given according tothe Shulchan Aruch, he is still 'One who raises his hand against the Torah of Moses' and is unworthy of joining anything of holiness."

Lador asked to cite Holon rabbi for anti-judge incitement
Chaim Levinson • Ha'aretz

The courts administration has approached the state prosecutor over whether to investigate statements made by the rabbi of Holon, who said judges should not be allowed to join Jewish prayers.

According to a report on the Israeli news site Ynet earlier this week, during his show on Radio Tel Hai, Rabbi Avraham Yosef said: "The judge himself, even if he knows how to pray really well and do everything really well - from the moment he is appointed as a judge, he has ruled himself out from the minyan... Even if he promises that all his verdicts are given according to [the halakhic manual] Shulchan Aruch, he is still 'One who raises his hand on [i.e., against] the Torah of Moses' and is unworthy of joining anything of holiness."

Rabbi Avraham Yosef is the son of Shas spiritual leader Ovadia Yosef.

The letter to State Prosecutor Moshe Lador was authored by the court administration's professional advisor Barak Lazer, with a copy sent to Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch.

"The statements include gravely detrimental and contemptuous comments on senior officials in the government and the courts," the letter read. "Rabbi Yosef is quoted as saying that from the moment a man is appointed to be a judge he has ruled himself out from joining a minyan, as well as instructing his listeners to ignore judges as if they [didn't exist]."

"The statements amount to incitement, made by a man perceived as a spiritual leader by a large and significant portion of the population, and a man who also serves in public office as the rabbi of the city of Holon and a member of the chief rabbinical council," noted Lazer.

Haredi Rabbi: Judges And Senior Members Of Government Should Not Be Allowed To Pray With A Minyan.

Comments

[Liora X]

Yes, this case has more merit in persecuting this idiot than going after hilltop rabbi with obscure book.

[dlz]

Incitement means trying to convince someone else to commit a crime. What crime is Rav Yosef suggesting be committed? I wasn't aware that Israeli law obligates anyone and everyone to be counted in a minyan.

[harold]

Incitement to keep someone from being counted on for a minyan. For this the State Prosecutor is getting involved. Looks like they have a lot of time on their hands and have money to burn.

I see that Israel really has no concept of freedom of expression.

[Isa]

"""I see that Israel really has no concept of freedom of expression.""""

Israel has no secular constitution and no First amendment, Freedom of speech is allowed just so as it doesn't ruffle any one's feathers. A lot of Europe is like this too. Unfurl a 'bent cross ' flag in Germany and you get arrested.

[IH]

And, of course, most synagogues are publically funded.

For those of you who have not spent time outside of J or TA, a mixed town with 2,000 people is likely to have only one shul (and often the minhag used varies by the ba'al tefilla at a given time) -- which is one of the reasons why outside of the Haredi communities, Israel is beoming heterodox in regard to sephardi/ashkenazi nusach and minhagim.

[IH]

and, Liora, that "hilltop Rabbi" is Chief Rabbi of the iconic Hebron and Kiryat Arba; and, Rosh Yehivat (Hesder) Kiryat Arba. No "obscure" matter is his book.