“If the teacher lives a perverted lifestyle, what is vernacularly called
a homosexual, one must be very careful when studying with such a
person…We are not concerned about this matter when it comes to two Jews, but in
the case of non-Jewish homosexuals we must be concerned. Many times a father will want his son to learn to play the piano, or
another instrument. Perhaps the only teacher available is an Arab, and
the father hires him as a private tutor. But we suspect them of this
kind of behavior and we cannot endanger our children in this manner."
Rabbi Ya'akov Yosef
Don’t Let Arabs Tutor Your Kids Because They Could Be Gay Or Pedophiles, Rabbi Ya'akov Yosef Rules
Shmarya Rosenberg • FailedMessiah.com
Rabbi Ya'akov Yosef, a son of the former Sefardi Chief Rabbi and current Shas political party spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, has issued a halackic ruling which prohibits studying with openly gay teachers or all non-Jews, Arutz 7 reports.
“If the teacher lives a perverted lifestyle, what is vernacularly called a homosexual, one must be very careful when studying with such a person,” Rabbi Yosef reportedly wrote.
Yosef’s ruling was issued in response to a questioner who wanted to know if it was permissible to take piano lessons from a gay teacher.
The ruling is apparently several months old but was published over the weekend on the web site of gay Orthodox organization. It primarily applies to non-Jews who are openly gay.
In addition, the ruling states that it is forbidden to have a gay roommate.
Yosef quotes rabbinic literature beginning with the Talmud that prohibits males from having private meetings with homosexuals.
“We are not concerned about this matter when it comes to two Jews, but in the case of non-Jewish homosexuals we must be concerned.
“Many times a father will want his son to learn to play the piano, or another instrument. Perhaps the only teacher available is an Arab, and the father hires him as a private tutor. But we suspect them of this kind of behavior and we cannot endanger our children in this manner,” Yosef wrote.
Yosef took the existing rabbinic basis for his ruling and expanded it to include a ban on hiring gay Jews as teachers or tutors or Jews accused of pedophilia as teachers or tutors.
“When we say that Jews are not suspected of this behavior, we are talking about the average person. But as soon as suspicions have cropped up regarding someone, we must be very careful. This applies to households, and even more so for principals, who cannot hire these people for teaching positions. This applies even if the person was not convicted of a crime and did not serve time in prison for these crimes. The fact that there are questions about his behavior is enough. There is no smoke without fire,” Yosef wrote.
Yosef did not stop there. He also forbade sending children to the homes of atheists to be tutored.
“These people are considered evil, since as they teach the child they add their disrespect for Judaism. The solution in this case is to supervise the teacher. You wish to hire such a person as a tutor? He must teach your child in your home, where he will fear to spread his ideas. You are not permitted to send your child to his house,” Yosef added.
Yosef is the black sheep of his father’s family, and went many years without any contact with him – although the two reportedly reconciled in recent years.
Ya’akov Yosef is close to Chabad and the settler movement and his name is found on many far right and racist pronouncements.
[Hat Tip: Maskil.]