May he rest in peace.

worry01 on October 7, 2013 at 5:19 pm

“Rabbi Yosef said, “God will strike him with one blow and he will die; he will sleep and not awake.” (Mr. Sharon suffered a devastating stroke in early 2006 and remains in a coma.) ”

Great tidbit of history. Thanks for this story, Debbie.

DS_ROCKS! on October 7, 2013 at 5:31 pm

Thanks for this article DS, and to be honest with you, I never heard of this guy, Rabbi Yosef, in any event, thanks for the synopsis historical facts of Mr. Yosef DS, really appreciate it, and may he RIP!

“A nation is defined by its borders, language & culture!”

Sean R. on October 7, 2013 at 5:34 pm

Thanks for this info Debbie.

Mario on October 7, 2013 at 5:38 pm

Get ready for the next State Funeral in Israel…..the “father” of Israel’s Nuclear
Reactor. Not a minute to soon.

Nomis101 on October 7, 2013 at 6:11 pm

Great Pity Maran Joseph Ovadia didn’t “Bless” George Soros with a similar “blessing” he did Ariel Sharon. The GREAT SPONSOR of Anti Israel trash group, JStreet.

nomis101 on October 7, 2013 at 6:16 pm

I posted strong responses to a black Arab on the JP Ovadia Yosef thread.

Its pretty hilarious to see Arab racists accuse Jews of racism and who knew the bootheel of Arab racism and oppression over the centuries better than the Mizrahi Jews Yosef embodied?

He had his failings to be sure but he was a “hacham” – a wise man – in Hebrew and he will be deeply missed! There are few people like him in our world in upbringing, learning and stature.

May his memory be for an eternal blessing!

NormanF on October 7, 2013 at 8:09 pm

The honorable Rabbi Yosef erred profoundly in supporting the Oslo obscenity. One can only wonder how a man of his stature went off the rails on an issue not requiring a crystal ball to see where that garden path would lead. Ah, but to whom has perfection ever been planted in?

“…After that, however, the Rabbi apparently saw the errors of his ways and moved back to the right.” Such a reversal isn’t to be taken for granted in the estimation of a man. How many prominent officials have the depth which allows them to spit in the face of human nature, concerned over all else with setting truth back upon its throne?

“Experience: The wisdom that enables us to recognize as an undesirable old acquaintance the folly that we have already embraced.”–Ambrose Bierce

“Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Zichrono LiVrachah [Blessed Be His Memory].” Amen to that.

lee of the lower case "l" on October 7, 2013 at 8:41 pm

Re:

“Some will consider me sacrilegious and disrespectful for saying so, but the Rabbi’s [Ovadia Yosef] ‘religious ruling’ that it was okay to give up Jewish land for false promises of peace was purely political and a perversion of Jewish law, which he claimed to be interpreting in supporting Oslo and other similar overtures that followed.”

Anyone who says that you’re being sacrilegious and disrespectful is an idiot. There is nothing either sacrilegious or disrespectful about telling the truth. This is why you’re the best–you are not afraid to tell the truth whether one likes it being told or not. In any event, Rabbi Yosef fortunately saw the error of his ways and returned to his calling a spade a spade–including his being correct about Sharon. Accordingly:

“Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, Zichrono LiVrachah [Blessed Be His Memory].”

Amen!

JeffE on October 7, 2013 at 10:59 pm

Ovadia “Shades” Yosef was at the very center of the corruption of Orthodoxy in Israel. Whenever his opinions touched on anything outside Halachic minutia (i.e., whenever he considered the most important political and social issues of the day), he unfailingly supported whatever political players would grow his power.

For example, I recall that he justified giving parts of the Land to Muslims because it “saved lives,” by which he meant Jewish lives. But of course, the one thing that endangers Jewish life is kicking Jews off their land and bringing in the Bnei Amalek (Muslims). He also asserted that the goyim shouldn’t be tempted toward violence, when in fact this is generally thought to be a principle no longer relevant–and certainly not relevant to Jews living in Eretz Israel. Anyway, weakness only tempts Muslims to further violence.

Indeed, anyone who has even a passing familiarity with Rambam’s Mishneh Torah (Laws of Kings) knows that Arabs in Eretz Israel have created a situation of milchemet mitzvah, requiring their annihilation from all of Eretz Israel. Now if one wants to argue that simple expulsion would be satisfactory under the circumstances (given the attitudes of goyim elsewhere and those of libtards in Israel), fine. But land for piss? Lol! Now, if I know all this, surely “Shades” Yosef knows this. But he refused to act on it. It’s disgusting.

Some Jews will argue that we’re not supposed to speak ill of rabbis, and certainly not of a Posek haDor. I say baloney. We see the consequences of keeping quiet every day–and Jewish life is more important than following a rule that may have made sense in the shtetl but not in the modern world.

skzion on October 8, 2013 at 12:08 am

(Obviously, I do not agree that Yosef “moved back to the right.” However, one of his sons seems a better sort. He wrote an opinion in support of the halachic reasoning in a book that was confiscated by the Israeli police called The King’s Torah, as I recall. Among other things, this book argued against the so-called “purity of arms” doctrine of the IDF whereby soldiers’ lives are to be risked to protect the Mooooslims.)

skzion on October 8, 2013 at 12:42 am

Finally, if Yosef thought he erred, he need to correct the error in his reasoning as publicly as he propagated the error. He didn’t. “Predicting” that bad things would happen to Sharon after the Disengagement does not qualify. Nor did Yosef stir up trouble when the Amona pogrom occurred.

Frankly, his “reasoning” on political matters is so transparently flimsy that I’d be surprised to find anyone defending the substance of it.

At least he could have ruled that Moooslims had no business playing soccer and littering the Temple Mount.

skzion on October 8, 2013 at 12:50 am

Thank you all, who, unlike the resident sodomite have been able to separate the GREAT man from his erroneous deeds. We all sin and fall short but we are weighed in the balance when we begin our journey into Olam Ha’Ba (the world to come) (Jewish version of “heaven” = The Garden of Eden.”) on our way to Gan Eden. I have no doubt that Rav Ovadia Z”L, will be found to weigh heavily on the righteous side of the scale, while still having to do tshuva (repentance) for his sins as we all will in our time. May it be an easy and speedy journey.

Bat Devorah (ha neviiah) on October 8, 2013 at 4:07 am

Rav Ovadia zt’l did retract the ruling in about surrendering land in 2005. But of course by then the then the damage had been done.

Of course the initial ruling went against centuries of consistent rulings by the Gedolim following the opinion of the Ramban and the same opinion though for different reasons of the Rambam.

Jew613 on October 8, 2013 at 6:00 am

As an atheist, I know that only man can do and undo damage unto others.

DS, as an orthodox Ashkenazi, probably knew that as she called out Rav Yosef on his support for Oslo, if only because he failed or refuse to recognize the centuries-long tribal enmity between Arabs and Hebrews/Jews.

When you sell out your own people without understanding those to whom you’re selling, you might as well consider yourself a marked man.

And if the sellout were to result in the loss of lives, then you would surely have a lot to answer for in the Hereafter.

Happy trails, Rav Yosef. My Dad (z”l) would surely like to have words with you.

(Disclosure: my Dad’s family are Sefaradim who spent generations in Arzew before being expelled by Arabs in the Algerian Civil War in the 60s. Where the f–k was Rav Yosef at the time? My Dad would like to know.)

The Reverend Jacques on October 8, 2013 at 10:26 am

The Meran is spoken of in hushed tones of respect.

I can’t think any one who has been more admired than the Mori among Mizrahi Jews. Until now.

And you know what I think of Shalom Shabazzi’s poetry! But Yosef was more than a halachist – he made Zionism kosher among haredi Jews.

Shas became a Zionist party only a few years ago. And in the funeral we saw Jews from all walks of life come to pay their last respects to such a towering figure – almost 10% of Jewish Israelis. Its like 22 million Americans would go to the funeral of a celebrity.

I don’t think we will ever see anything like this again in Israel!

NormanF on October 8, 2013 at 10:30 am

Their was No Shas during the Camp David Days- Shas abstained during OSLO vote Which was essentially a vote for

GL: You are correct, but Rabbi Yosef threatened to pull support from the Likud/Herut coalition on the eve of Camp David. DS

G Laniado on October 8, 2013 at 10:41 am

Speaking of the guy Yosev in “hushed tones of respect” without critical thinking of his legacy is akin to worshiping a person. That is paganism.

It reminds me of fellow conservative Catholics who keep respecting and refusing to criticize Pope Francis, even though it is apparent the guy is a flaming socialist and liberal.

JM on October 8, 2013 at 11:32 am

I don’t think you were in the least bit disrespectful,…just nicely telling it like it is.

EA: Exactly. We Jews do not have a Pope. Anyone who elevates someone to that height in Judaism is asking for trouble. Everyone is fair game to be called out for their transgressions. DS

Esser Agaroth on October 8, 2013 at 12:20 pm

When it came to Oslo, I think that the Rav and many like Rabin and Peres so wanted a lasting peace that that desire overruled their common sense and judgement.

They should have known that you cannot negotiate in good faith with a foe who only wants your death and destruction. They should have known that the PLO could not be trusted. They should have known the Slick Willie Clinton was doing this to score political points and wasn’t looking out for his ally the Israelis, but they all wanted peace and the violence to end and instead they got neither from the Palistinians just more violence and a corrupt and dysfunctional enemy nation on their doorstep (Palistinian Authority).

jimmyPx on October 8, 2013 at 2:03 pm

Stepping back a bit, I notice that the criticism of Yosef elsewhere focuses some of the absolutely justified things he said about the Arabs. If only he really were so opposed to the Arabs.

I repeat: in visiting the Temple Mount (under rabbinic guidance), I personally saw the trash spewed all around, the Muz walking into and out of their Amalekite temples (“mosques”), all without any interference. As I wore a kippah, I waited in the “Jewish line,” where an anti-Jewish Jew kept me waiting; meantime, the goyim were allowed through immediately.

skzion on October 8, 2013 at 2:09 pm

May at this moment be with GOD

Jonathan Gartner on October 8, 2013 at 3:27 pm

I heard some bad things he said about Jews who were in the Holocaust. So I do not care about him passing on.

Glen Benjamin on October 8, 2013 at 4:09 pm

Again the sodomite reveals his ignorance of Hebrew and Judaism. Being a Bat or Ben (daughter, son, or child) of someone is not equating herself with that person, it is saying she is a daughter of and that can be a physical daughter or a SPIRITUAL daughter. IOW, one who aspires TO BE LIKE the Prophetess Devorah, even if I have a long way to go.
I did not graduate from Catholic school, I did attend but it is your equating the term “Bat or ben” with being someone that is Christian to the core. That is what christians don’t understand about their false messiah. If he called himself “son of God” he didn’t mean he was God but that was a nice claim to twist so they could justify their deceeptions.

You are a sodomite. That is the technical term for what you do, even if you don’t like it. The men of Sodom wanted to have sex with Lot’s sons in law. That was the sin they were destroyed for. And according to Torah, it is a CAPITAL OFFENSE.

Bat Devorah (ha neviiah) on October 8, 2013 at 5:12 pm

And the sodomite quotes Rambam and compares Rav Ovadia to him. Even Rambam as great as he was, was a man and fallible, especially if looked at in light of his time and place. In fact, he could not remain in Israel but had to flee to Egypt. He did not raise and army to prosecute a preemptive war. There is only ONE who is perfect. And there are many great rabbis, both Ashkenazi and Sephardi who believe we should not ascend the Temple Mount because we do not know where the Holy of Holies is and we might desecrate it. Some people are spiritually great enough to let Hashem have control and do things in HIS timing.

BTW, I thank Hashem for my Catholic education. It taught me how to think, it taught me history that most Americans don’t know and that as far as religion goes, Judaism is the one that makes sense. Sephardim have routinely sent their daughters to Catholic schools for this very reason. We got educations that girls in Russia were denied even into the last century. Most of the older North African women I know can speak French as well as Arabic and Hebrew, and some learned Italian too. They can read and write and they are acquainted with many other subjects. They ALL can recite the prayers by heart. They learned these skills in CATHOLIC schools. Can you say this of your Russian or Polish great-grandmothers? No, you cannot.

Bat Devorah (ha neviiah) on October 8, 2013 at 5:25 pm

Can anyone answer this question.
What became of the very obese Iralie official
who went into a coma several years ago?
Sorry I can’t recall his name.
Cara

Cara on October 8, 2013 at 6:40 pm

http://youtu.be/LY_8NNcIb64?t=5m2s

Frankz on October 8, 2013 at 7:09 pm

The New York Post today reported a statement the Rabbi stated to Haaretz in 2010: “Goyim were born only to serve us. Without that, they have no place in the world – only to serve the people of Israel.” And here I thought that all of us – Goyim included – were born to serve and worship God. Too bad he wasn’t subjected to some scholarly questions about where this part of his theology came from in the Old Testament. And exactly how are the Israelis going to make billions of others serve them? And what would the Rabbi do to those who refused to serve only the Israelis? I guess it’s a moot point, for him at least. He has made an accounting to Him who walked the earth as a man (and as a Jewish rabbi) and will come again to rule the universe with a rod of iron from Jerusalem.

Concerned Citizen on October 8, 2013 at 8:40 pm

It’s very telling that you didn’t comment on his widely known statements about “Gentiles”…

In an October 2010 sermon, Yosef stated that “The sole purpose of non-Jews is to serve Jews”. He said that Gentiles served a divine purpose: “Why are Gentiles needed? They will work, they will plow, they will reap. We will sit like an effendi and eat. That is why Gentiles were created.”

In the same article on the Jerusalem Post, according to the journalist who interviewed him, Yosef compared Gentiles to donkeys whose life has the sole purpose to serve the master: “In Israel, death has no dominion over them… With gentiles, it will be like any person – they need to die, but [God] will give them longevity. Why? Imagine that one’s donkey would die, they’d lose their money. This is his servant… That’s why he gets a long life, to work well for this Jew. Gentiles were born only to serve us. Without that, they have no place in the world – only to serve the People of Israel.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ovadia_Yosef#Remarks_regarding_gentiles

Sorry, but as a “Gentile” myself, do you really expect me to respect someone who’s essentially calling for my enslavement?

That he’s one of the most important leaders of Jews is extremely disturbing. Can you really blame anti-Semites when Jewish leaders are making statements like the ones above?

That you didn’t condemn his remarks means that you support them and that you didn’t want we “subhuman Gentiles” to know about them…

Dampwaffles on October 9, 2013 at 3:10 am

Yosef had his political representatives in Israel’s Knesset *abstain* over the Oslo Accords – the equivalent of voting “Present” – but had he come out against them, it’s likely they would have been rejected.

As to his subsequent shift to “the right”, I see them as an abandonment of his earlier disposition toward leniency and raising the status of Sephardi Jewry to its former glory. Sephardi schools were not pushed to be centers of scholarly achievement. Many in fact went in the direction of the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox, promoting full-time Torah study rather than gainful employment. That’s had a spill-over effect on the otherwise business oriented Syrian Jewish community in the US, many of whose sons return from a year or two studying in Israel now wanting to spend their time “learning Torah” instead. And in the wake of Yosef’s death, one of his sons is again promoting an exemption from IDF service. That’s also part of his legacy.

Raymond in DC on October 9, 2013 at 10:49 am