Q&A: Rabbi Ovadia, of blessed memory
Rabbi Ovadia, of blessed memory
Question
Hello and blessings! I’ve seen several times that you wrote on the site that in your opinion Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is not defined as Haredi, but I haven’t found an explanation. Could you explain why, in your view, he is not defined as Haredi?
Answer
Because in his outlook he was matter-of-fact. That was true both in relation to the state, to reciting Hallel, to the sale permit, and so on. Haredism is not matter-of-fact; it is driven by anxieties. But this is a sterile discussion, because it depends on definitions and there is no point in dealing with it.
Discussion on Answer
According to our master, our king, the angel Michael (as it is said, “My angel shall go before you” — the letters spelling Michael), the local authority, the great luminary for the dominion of Torah, the crowning jewel, father to the wise and understanding, a glorious diadem, beloved of my soul and delight of my spirit, the wondrous genius filled with the glory of God, crowned with pure fear of God and great humility, the honorable Rabbi Michael David Abraham, may he live well, the term “Haredism” serves as a heading for two almost independent ideas: 1. Opposition to Zionism. 2. Opposition to modern interpretations of Jewish law (starting with Reform and ending with heretics like me). See columns 475 (especially around note 2) through 478 and your thirst will be quenched.
You’re welcome, our rabbi 🙂 .
May the master forgive me and be further exalted, for whom I love I rebuke. Bear with me a little while I speak; I beseech him, as a woman sitting on the birthing stool. Credit to him that he did not say some of my praises to my face, nor did he finish recounting his master’s praises. So speaks the man who was raised on high, whose seal is truth and who will not betray the holy.
A repository full of books, a golden vessel, a man in whom there is spirit, who loves and honors rabbis and the rabbis of rabbis. A faithful plant, a jar of manna. I am astonishingly amazed at the master — how did this manifesto slip his notice, the one found in column 500, which is close to us and not far away. Let him hasten and read it and not be alarmed until the redeemer comes and peace be upon Israel.
My whole body is trembling, five hundred parasangs by five hundred parasangs. Beneath a mountain as fragrant as a myrtle branch, here I sit upon a chair, crying out “kish kish” like a coin rattling in a box, and the thought arose to take a large step, but thought cannot grasp it, and one five-hundredth was taken from my covered eye. On the other hand, I said: I shall repeat it briefly to set the text aright, so that they may receive from you this publicizing of the miracle — wine in the cup — He made everything beautiful in its time.
Okay, relax, superstar.
But the correct definition of Haredism is what the Haredim do. Do you agree? And why?