Hundreds Of Demonstrators March Through Jerusalem Carrying Radical Rabbi On Their Shoulders
Kiryat Arba's chief rabbi Dov Lior was greeted by his supporters who staged protests against his arrest throughout the day. Hundreds of young men sang and danced in his honor under the bridge at the entrance to Jerusalem. The crowd, including the rabbi, departed in a procession to the Merkaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem’s Kiryat Moshe neighborhood, halfway across the city.
Rabbi Lior joins marchers in J'lem protesting his arrest
Kiryat Arba chief rabbi was questioned earlier on suspicion of inciting violence; "The Torah doesn’t need anyone’s approval," rabbi says.
JONAH MANDEL • Jerusalem Post
Kiryat Arba Chief Rabbi Dov Lior was detained by police Monday afternoon over his endorsement of a book that purportedly incites violence entitled, Torat Hamelekh (King’s Torah).
The 2009 book by Yitzhak Shapira gives Jews permission to preemptively kill gentiles if they feel threatened.
Lior had refused to answer a police summons over his approval of the book, and stated that rabbis should have autonomy to express their opinions on matter of Jewish law and thought.
The arrest was made by the National Serious and International Crimes Unit.
Lior, head of the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, and one of the most senior national religious rabbis, was pulled over while driving on the road connecting Gush Etzion and Jerusalem and taken to Lod for short questioning.
On Monday night, Lior was greeted by his supporters who staged protests against his arrest throughout the day.
Hundreds of young men sang and danced in his honor under the bridge at the entrance to Jerusalem. The crowd, including the rabbi, departed in a procession to the Merkaz Harav Yeshiva in Jerusalem’s Kiryat Moshe neighborhood.
Also part of the group were Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, another rabbi who endorsed the controversial book and has refused police summons for questioning, Chief Safed Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu and Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira of the Yitzhar settlement, who is the author of Torat Hamelekh. MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) was also present.
Addressing a packed central study hall at the yeshiva, Lior reiterated that the issue at hand was about freedom of thought with no ramifications of violence or incitement.
“We know that the dignity of Torah is a priority to other things,” Lior said. “Those charged with implementing the Torah, true sages (talmidei hakhamim) dedicate their lives to studying Torah, and Halacha is ruled according to them.
“Sages don’t need the approval of a Commissar to determine what can or cannot be said,” he said, using the Hebrew word “haskama” for acquiescence, which is also the same word used for rabbinic endorsements for books,” he said.
“To accuse rabbis dealing with Torah research of incitement to violence is wrong; sages have nothing to do with violence, their sole purpose is to educate.
“The Torah does not need anyone’s approval.”
Speaking after Lior, Yosef noted that “some people have a hard time reading an entire book.”
He continued, “There are those who never learned in a yeshiva. I would like to refer them to a synopsis of the book.”
Yosef also noted that his father, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, president of the Shas Council of Torah Sages, wrote similar things in his Yecheve Da’at series, for which he was awarded the Israel Prize.
Seventeen activists were arrested Monday in a number of Jerusalem demonstrations sparked by Lior’s arrest.
Three demonstrators were arrested at a large protest outside of the Supreme Court that began around 6:00 pm.
Hundreds of demonstrators massed and blocked the intersection outside of the court.
Police arrested one of the demonstrators, and when dozens of demonstrators tried to grab him away from the security forces, police arrested two additional demonstrators.
Police used cars and water canons to disperse the protesters.
The intersection was reopened to traffic at 7 p.m..
Demonstrators also gathered outside the home of Deputy Attorney General Shai Nitzan.
One demonstrator was arrested as protesters tried to block the light rail at Herzl Blvd.
Six right-wing demonstrators were arrested in a demonstration at the city entrance that began at 4 p.m. in which dozens of young people blocked the main entrance to the city on Highway 1.
By the time police had dispersed them and reopened Highway 1 to traffic, the crowd had grown to over 200.
Simultaneously, about 20 right-wing demonstrators protested outside the Jerusalem police station in the Russian Compound in downtown Jerusalem.
In a statement released on Monday, police said Lior was detained “on suspicion publishing material that incites to racism.” The statement added that Lior was released after being questioned for an hour.
Religious Services Minister Yaakov Margi (Shas) expressed his indignation to Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch.
“The rabbi was abducted on his way to Jerusalem like a common criminal. It would have been appropriate that if the police want to investigate the rabbi, they could have done so respectfully,” Margi said.
The chief rabbis also issued a joint message, saying they were pained over the severe damage to the rabbi’s dignity.
But they also stressed that in these times, “we must fortify ourselves with love to our fellow Jews, and not be dragged into confrontations that could cause a split in the nation.”
Dozens of Knesset members also issued a letter to Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman, calling him to disperse “the Shai Nitzan gang” for arresting a rabbi like a common criminal.
Knesset members from the National Union were outraged over the arrest.
Uri Ariel said on Monday afternoon that “hunting down rabbis who rule on matters of Jewish law is not the task of the police and State Attorney’s Office.”
Ben Ari called for the dismissal of the public security minister, since police “treat Arab leaders with kid gloves, while here are disgracing a great rabbi.” Nachi Eyal, who heads the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, said that rabbinical freedom of speech and their ability to issue edicts is as important as the academic freedom given to lecturers at Israel’s universities.
“It’s a shame that someone in the Justice Ministry wants to ignite a fire and harm an entire community whose faith in the [country’s] legal system is already fading,” he said.
Others joined them in expressing their anger.
Heads of the Land of Israel Caucus MK Zeev Elkin (Likud) and MK Arie Eldad (NU) expressed their “shock over the police’s decision to employ detectives to arrest a rabbi in Israel, as though he were a common criminal, just because of his halachic stance.” The caucus called for the release of Lior and that the investigation be called off.
Nachi Eyal, who heads the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel, said that rabbinical freedom of speech and their ability to issue edicts is as important as the academic freedom given to lecturers at Israel’s universities.
“It’s a shame that someone in the Justice Ministry wants to ignite a fire and harm an entire community whose faith in the [country’s] legal system is already fading,” he said.
Tovah Lazaroff contributed to this report.
Creepy Rabbi worship! The Dati Leumi have it just as bad as the Lubavitch, the Skvere, etc. etc.
Posted by: danny | June 27, 2011 at 06:07 PM
Judaism or Hasidim Judaism is becoming very dangerous. Like Danny says
we are just lucky they are not in power to do much damage but if the would be I can see massacres bloodbaths maybe happening all in the name of the rebbie or Torah.
It is really nothing new or shocking since the Torah is full of Jews killing everything in site because god commanded them.
The greatest danger ever created in humanity seems to be religion. How many more need to die die for this evil philosophy
Posted by: seymour | June 27, 2011 at 06:18 PM
Wow! Just wow! I think this should stand as a testament to the validity of the real Torah! (im talking about Leviticus 18:21 and Leviticus 20:1-5, especially the 20:5)
At least now we know exactly what these verses mean...
Posted by: Aleksandr Sigalov | June 27, 2011 at 06:30 PM
Many Jewish sects are looking for a King to parade around. They are projecting their preconceptions of what they believe a king should be. Any target personality that fits their mould will do. The problem is that the real king is not interested in being paraded around on the shoulders of a mob. He also will not genuflect to any group for the reason of needing to belong. Being respectful towards greatness if very different than being a fawning sycophant. The real king wants autonomous, creative, dynamic, authentic people to populate the realm. Of course he expects adherence to certain traditions but he knows that with the right boundaries and pegs in place people can self actualise in the right way. The groups are going to have to fit into his frame of reference not vice versa. What this means is not a cult-like obedience to dictates but for people to get their worldview and philosophy right on vital points. Once they share the right foundations of belief the choices they have in front of them are great. Ganeden is becoming far more interesting than what people could possibly believe. The universe really is stable, ordered, benevolent and expansive.
Posted by: Adam Neira | June 27, 2011 at 06:55 PM
Your coverage of these events is plain loshon hara. There is no violence incitement in the book whatsoever. There is just a theoretical discussion of Halacha. We know Gemara says "If someone is coming to kill you, rise against him and kill him first". Is it an incitement of violance against gentiles? Every cop or a soldier follows this rule- try to draw a gun before them.
The author of the book was previously questioned by police and release, which means there was nothing criminal found in the book. The arrest of Rav Dov Lior merely for endorsing a book is a blatant violations of basic liberties.
Posted by: Lazar | June 27, 2011 at 09:07 PM
Posted by: Lazar | June 27, 2011 at 09:07 PM
he said we can kill babies maybe you missed that little point
Posted by: seymour | June 27, 2011 at 10:56 PM
King, Tzar, Ceasar, Monarch or Rabbi....In a democracy no one is above the law. The moment that any group believes their leaders do not answer to the civil authorities is the moment that anarchy begins. There are weaknesses in the system, but if a President of Israel can go on trial in public for his misdeeds than surely a Rabbi should not be able to evade the police, no matter how righous he or his followers think they are.
Posted by: Yonkel Lakes | June 28, 2011 at 02:13 AM
hundreds. halfway across the city.
Got it. thanks.
Posted by: masortiman | June 28, 2011 at 08:11 AM