Rav Yaakov Yosef and 350 Rabbanim Prohibits Vote for Parties Pushing 2-state

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Rav Ovadia’s Son Prohibits Vote for Parties Pushing 2-State Solution

In recent weeks, "Pikuach Nefesh" rabbis have sent pledges to every party leader, asking for their signatures.
By:    Yori Yanover
Published: January 7th, 2013
   PRINT  TELL A FRIEND

Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, eldest son of the Rishon Lezion, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.
A group of 350 rabbis is calling on all the parties to submit pledges to resist returning any part of Eretz Israel.

An announcement currently being distributed by 350 Israeli rabbis, calling on all parties to commit to never giving up any portion of Eretz Israel could be influencing the future of Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition maneuvers, should he end up, as predicted, at the role of Israel’s next prime minister.

Members of the Rabbinical Congress “Pikuach Nefesh” (a principle in Jewish law that the preservation of human life overrides almost all other considerations) have called on all the political parties taking part in the January 22 elections to sign a clear statement in which they pledge to oppose in the Knesset and in government any proposal that includes withdrawal from the territories of Eretz Israel, and to refuse to sit in the government and the coalition should they be leading such moves.

In recent weeks, the rabbis have sent the text of these pledges to every party leader, asking for their signatures.

Pikuach Nefesh has announced that next week they plan to publish huge ads with a psak (rabbinic decision) signed by hundreds of rabbis, and a list of the parties who signed the pledge, with a declaration that, by law, Torah observant Jews may only vote for one of those.

Any party which will not sign this statement until Thursday, the 28th of Tevet (January 10), will not be included in the list for fear it might endanger the lives of Israeli Jews, as has happened in the past with the Oslo Accords and the Gush Katif disengagement.

The NRP, the historic precursor of Naftali Bennett’s Jewish Home, supported the Camp David accords which established the principle of giving away territory in exchange for peace.

Israel’s largest Haredi party, Shas, supported the Oslo accords which established the principle of a two-state solution. Likud

Israel’s largest right-wing party, Likud, supported the uprooting of 10 thousand Jews from Gush Katif in the Gaza Strip.

In this context it is interesting to note that Rabbi Yaakov Yosef, eldest son of Rishon Lezion, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, the spiritual mentor of Shas, has signed on to the call for anti-withdrawal party pledges, adding that the obligation to sign such a commitment applies especially to Torah observant political parties and individual MKs, based on the Shulchan Aruch, rabbinical Judaism’s essential legal text.

Rabbi Yosef cited the Shulchan Aruch as saying it is a serious danger to even discuss the possibility of withdrawal from any part of Eretz Israel.

“There is neither a point nor a reason to oppose the word of God, this is the law,” explained Rabbi Yosef. “Even a party that cares for the poor, for yeshivas, or for keeping the Sabbath – if there is reasonable suspicion that it would end up supporting withdrawal from parts of the Land of Israel – do not vote for them. Preservation of life overrides the entire Torah, plain and simple.”

The Rabbinic Congress chairman, Rabbi Yosef Gerlitzki, explained that the rabbis have no connection to any particular party. “We present to the people of Israel the halachic position only. The law requires us as rabbis do so. The law says about endangering lives, the principle of ‘the very asking is obscene’ – meaning that one must immediately prioritize saving lives over other concerns.”

Rabbi Gerlitzki added: “If there are five parties sign the pledge, we will announce that according to halacha one may choose among all these parties.”

“People who in the past gave their vote to parties that are considered ‘religious / Orthodox / right wing’ have become—against their will—collaborators in plots to give away Israeli territory, causing terrible danger to residents of Israel,” said Rabbi Avraham Levine, “The role of the rabbis is to prevent such obstacles in the future. We hope that as many parties as possible will give us their commitment to preserve the integrity of the Land of Israel.”

http://www.jewishpress.com/news/rav-ovadias-son-prohibits-vote-for-parties-pushing-2-state-solution/2013/01/07/

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

Sounds like a good start, but how do we know that this isn't a stunt to get religious nationalist Jews to vote for/give money to Shas?

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Sounds like a good start, but how do we know that this isn't a stunt to get religious nationalist Jews to vote for/give money to Shas?

 Read the post. It mentions Shas and that they must sign and if not those who follow and give credibility and authority to these Rabbis will not vote for them.

[ChabadKahanist]

Sounds like a good start, but how do we know that this isn't a stunt to get religious nationalist Jews to vote for/give money to Shas?

Simple because Rav Yaakov Yosef was close with the Lubavitcher Rebbe & his father Rav Ovadia close with Shach (note both Shach & Ovadia were for giving up land & Ovadia was Shach's puppet),Rav Yaakov has nothing to do with Shas & goes with opinions of the Lubavitcher Rebbe which is against giving up land.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

Shas should be called the Shasrpton Party.

[muman613]

Shas should be called the Shasrpton Party.

Thats pulling, or stretching, it...

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

  Rav Yaakov Yosef Shlitta is an independent Rav. Not connected with any party, I think he was connected to Shas in the beginning and held and still does hold that Shas was a good party in the beginning because it stood up for poor Sefardim. Now it messed up big time. Also I do not think that he holds by the Lubavitch and his position is not based on Lubavitch. I can almost bet with almost 100% certainty he does not support some of the things currently in Lubavitch. He is completely independent (as it should be) and basses his Psak Din based upon his Torah knowledge and understanding.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Thats pulling, or stretching, it...

 Yes. shas is wrong, but a lot of their decisions is not necessarily based on personal greed. They think they are doing good by supporting the 2 state solution and "land for Peace" (which they still claim that if their is true peace, or peace for 40 years (plan) they will support it - which in reality cannot and will not ever come about. Basically whatever Netanyahu does and thinks they will follow. Then they also think they are doing good for the Haredi public by staying in and with some governments in exchange for $ being spent on the poor Haredim. Its a terrible system where they in essence become hostages.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

Yes. shas is wrong, but a lot of their decisions is not necessarily based on personal greed. They think they are doing good by supporting the 2 state solution and "land for Peace" (which they still claim that if their is true peace, or peace for 40 years (plan) they will support it - which in reality cannot and will not ever come about. Basically whatever Netanyahu does and thinks they will follow. Then they also think they are doing good for the Haredi public by staying in and with some governments in exchange for $ being spent on the poor Haredim. Its a terrible system where they in essence become hostages.

It's no different than welfare for American negroes. If ROY wants to help poor Sfaradim, he should start by demanding that Lewinsky kick out the Arabs so that they can find jobs more readily. But he once said that Arabs and Jews are brothers if I am not mistaken.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

It's no different than welfare for American negroes. If ROY wants to help poor Sfaradim, he should start by demanding that Lewinsky kick out the Arabs so that they can find jobs more readily. But he once said that Arabs and Jews are brothers if I am not mistaken.

 Don't think about the "brothers" comment. I heard things to the opposite. (By him, the comment you said probably came from one of the ministers, I would guess Deri)

 And yes you are correct about the welfare and how people should not be set up for poverty essentially. Deep poverty. More and more people (as is already in very large quantities of people) should be self sufficient and reliant without being pawns and controlled by the whims and dictates of the government. At the same time certain pressures and demands from the outside world only encourages and shows threats to the Haredi communities thus making them more insular. Also as a side note Sefardim were never like this before and this is a new phenomenon.

[ChabadKahanist]

  Rav Yaakov Yosef Shlitta is an independent Rav. Not connected with any party, I think he was connected to Shas in the beginning and held and still does hold that Shas was a good party in the beginning because it stood up for poor Sefardim. Now it messed up big time. Also I do not think that he holds by the Lubavitch and his position is not based on Lubavitch. I can almost bet with almost 100% certainty he does not support some of the things currently in Lubavitch. He is completely independent (as it should be) and basses his Psak Din based upon his Torah knowledge and understanding.

Excuse me but he was most certainly close with the Rebbe when he was alive this is a well known fact here in Israel & not all in Lubavitch of today hold of the nonsense myself included.
There is a big division in Lubavitch today.
Shas did do some good things but they messed up by being Shach's puppet & supporting Oslo.
Today Shas is independent of Shach's people but will sell out for any money thrown their way.

[muman613]

Excuse me but he was most certainly close with the Rebbe when he was alive this is a well known fact here in Israel & not all in Lubavitch of today hold of the nonsense myself included.
There is a big division in Lubavitch today.
Shas did do some good things but they messed up by being Shach's puppet & supporting Oslo.
Today Shas is independent of Shach's people but will sell out for any money thrown their way.

Apparently Rav Yaakov Yosef was in contact with the Rebbe of Lubavitch. There are correspondences between them. And it is true that the Rebbe was firmly against any 'land for peace' deals, as the video I posted {and will repost} demonstrates, and called for every Jewish leader to refuse to cede any Jewish land.

[Lewinsky Stinks, Dr. Brennan Rocks]

I'd like to hear him say that he does not agree with his famous father on these issues.

[edu]

Rav Yaakov Yosef's signature appears on a petition of Rabbis, claiming after the death of Rabbi Schneerson, that they still continue to believe that he is the messiah.
http://www.ksol.org/image.asp?f=psak_large.pdf&d=11
An idea which most Jews including myself, strongly oppose.
1] Because even during his lifetime Rabbi Schneerson did match in every detail what is expected of messiah and also I contend his ideology was such that he could not possibly be the messiah. I say this even though he did do many good things for the Jewish people.
2] Mainstream Judaism, believes that the death of a candidate for being the messiah without having success in fulfilling messianic activities, such as Bar Kochba, proves that he is not the messiah.
I brought this up just to show that if Rav Yaakov Yosef believes that Rabbi Schneerson (also known as the Rebbe of Lubavitch) is the messiah, he almost certainly would hold by Rabbi Schneerson's view on opposing land for peace.
I'll end off by saying that although Lubavitch followers are allies to the Kahanists on the land for peace issue, they might have strongly different opinions on other issues of national importance, because their views stem from different sources.

[muman613]

Rav Yaakov Yosef's signature appears on a petition of Rabbis, claiming after the death of Rabbi Schneerson, that they still continue to believe that he is the messiah.
http://www.ksol.org/image.asp?f=psak_large.pdf&d=11
An idea which most Jews including myself, strongly oppose.
1] Because even during his lifetime Rabbi Schneerson did match in every detail what is expected of messiah and also I contend his ideology was such that he could not possibly be the messiah. I say this even though he did do many good things for the Jewish people.
2] Mainstream Judaism, believes that the death of a candidate for being the messiah without having success in fulfilling messianic activities, such as Bar Kochba, proves that he is not the messiah.
I brought this up just to show that if Rav Yaakov Yosef believes that Rabbi Schneerson (also known as the Rebbe of Lubavitch) is the messiah, he almost certainly would hold by Rabbi Schneerson's view on opposing land for peace.
I'll end off by saying that although Lubavitch followers are allies to the Kahanists on the land for peace issue, they might have strongly different opinions on other issues of national importance, because their views stem from different sources.

I saw this and from what I can gather it was a mistake, he didn't know he was signing what he signed.

I don't know any Chabad Rabbi out here (on the west coast) who purport to suggest that Rebbe was Moshiach. This entire issue has bothered me for many years, and I always ask my Rabbis where they stand on this issue. I even asked my Modern Orthodox rabbi about it and he said the same as my Chabad rabbis say, it is a minority opinion (concerning meshichism) within Chabad today. I will continue to support Chabad as they do a lot to keep Jewish life here in California (kashrut, minyans, etc.).

I am interested in what you mean 'issues of national importance'? Do you mean the relocation plan?

[muman613]

I would also add that I have discussed Rabbi Kahane with virtually all of my Rabbis and none of them have a bad word for Rabbi Kahane. One of my Rabbis said that the Rebbe and Rabbi Kahane were working two different ways to rescue Soviet Jewry.

[edu]

Muman613 asked:

I am interested in what you mean 'issues of national importance'? Do you mean the relocation plan?

For example, how important is making aliya to the land of Israel, is one major difference between Rabbi Kahane and Chabad (Lubavitch). Or I will rephrase the point, how easy do the living conditions in the land of Israel have to be before we expect a Jew to come.
I do not know what Chabad's opinion is on the relocation plan.

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

I did not read all the posts and will get back once I get the chance, but the whole messichist thing is utter BS. This is what he said not too long ago on this matter when asked
 It happened in the past that you were once accused of being a Meshichist.
“That happened before the rebbe passed away. At the time, many Jewish sages believed that he could be the Moshiach.”

[Tag-MehirTzedek]

Muman613 asked: For example, how important is making aliya to the land of Israel, is one major difference between Rabbi Kahane and Chabad (Lubavitch). Or I will rephrase the point, how easy do the living conditions in the land of Israel have to be before we expect a Jew to come.
I do not know what Chabad's opinion is on the relocation plan.

 Chabad held (maybe still holds) if you go to Israel it is for good (and cannot leave). This is also why the LR did not visit Israel ever. He said his job is more important outside of Israel then in.