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Last update - 09:01 24/11/2008 Is Ovadia Yosef also an ass? By Yossi Sarid Tags: Israel News, elections, Shas  It is known that Rabbi Ovadia Yosef is a "great Torah scholar." Ordinary people who mention him preface their words with a declaration of his greatness, which is famous and needs no further proof. Fine. But if Yosef is really a great Torah scholar, ripping up mountains and grinding them to dust, perhaps the Torah itself is smaller than imagined. It is not reasonable that the Torah is great and that he is as well, to judge by his statements and insights - among them, in his Saturday night sermon, the declaration that secular teachers are "asses." Many recommend leaving him to his foolishness and ignorance. Any response, they say, only eggs him on to speak more, spitting out his repulsive crumbs of thoughts. They may very well be right. Nevertheless, he should not be let off the hook completely: The dignity of the teachers requires it. We will also expect a proper presidential response from Shimon Peres, who only a few weeks ago publicly thanked God for favoring us with such an honored and inspired individual. When the rabbi does not come to the president, as is the case in proper countries, why are we surprised that the euphoria of the great Torah scholar overcomes his rationality? If someone wants to see the rabbi, he goes to the rabbi, as the popular saying goes. Peres wanted to go and did go to the rabbi, kicking up the dust as he went, and now that dust rises heavenward and covers all the little babies who have been taken captive by the goyim. Advertisement Once again, we will be told that we did not understand him, that we do not interpret correctly the law from Yosef on Mt. Sinai - not from the Torah, which speaks in the language of human beings, in our language. But the glorious interpretation of his words has been dimmed of late, following the conviction of the righteous Shlomo Benizri for bribe-taking, and a substitute as successful as he is has not yet been found. Who will explain to us now that the rabbi meant his statements as a compliment? Lacking outstanding interpreters, I offer my services: Yosef is obviously basing himself on the Gemara, and the Gemara states that if the greatest of our biblical ancestors were angels, then we are but human beings, but if the greatest of our biblical ancestors were only human beings, then we are asses. If that is the basis, what is all the fuss about? Our biblical ancestors were not angels, that is already clear. At most they were human beings, and that is no small accomplishment, either. Therefore, under the circumstances, as the generations are in decline, we are doomed to be asses. The rabbi did not mean to exclude himself from this rule, heaven forfend: He is also among the asses. The closer elections come, the more everyone goes looking for votes. Shas is also searching for a kingdom for a whole term - a place for kosher squeezing of the next government, led by its spiritual leader. And no sooner has he set out on his wanderings than he encounters asses. It is the opposite of what happened to Saul, who went looking for asses and found a kingdom. Even kingdoms are not what they once were, there is something asinine about them these days. And do not say this cannot be. Anything can be. And it certainly can be that one of the great rabbi's beadles will one day soon go looking for the post of education minister, which he will fill as ruled by his rabbi. They are seeking the kingdom of education, and they may yet find it if we do not look out for ourselves and our children. During his weekly Saturday night sermon, Yosef also revealed to his followers the method of tempting people into believing and voting. "Do not insult them," he instructed. "Speak to them pleasantly, even if the compliments are not true. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee." He even backed up his teachings with verses: "Reprove a wise man, and he will love thee." He let the asses go and graze in the meadow, while he wants to respond to anger with soft words. Imagine what will emerge from his mouth at the end of the season of temptation, after the elections, after the bastion of education has fallen into his hands and those who do his bidding. Woe to us if this is the guide of the generation and of its perplexed; if this is the great Torah scholar. The "Land of the Hart" has disappeared, and Ovadia Yosef is king of the land, the land of the ass, ruling in a black skullcap. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Celebrity conversion Lindsay Lohan is said to be converting to Judaism for her DJ girlfriend. Settlement expansion Peace Now: Israel planning 73,300 new homes in the West Bank.   1.   And still a majority of the Israeli people seems to be willing... 09:18  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/11/08   2.   You reap what you sow 09:28  |  Steve the Pals. 24/11/08   3.   Sarid vs Ovadia -- I Have to Choose Between Them???? 09:33  |  Jay A Friedman 24/11/08   4.   1#, Swiss Dino, you do not understand Israeli poilitics 09:39  |  Judah 24/11/08   5.   YES, HE IS 09:40  |  Alka Seltzer 24/11/08   6.   Comments as reported are divisive and help nobody 09:42  |  PETER SM 24/11/08   7.   GOOD ARTICLE YOSSI, I 09:52  |  Robert 24/11/08   8.   charlatan vs a has-been. my money`s on the charlatan 10:00  |  don 24/11/08   9.   AMEN to yossi sarid`s commentary! 10:32  |  eric 24/11/08   10.   haha you have leadership problems 10:35  |  israels "enemy" 24/11/08   11.   common mistake 10:50  |  potobac 24/11/08   12.   # 4 Judah, no, I`m afraid you don`t get the point.... 10:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/11/08   13.   Short Answer: Yes. And not Balaam`s ass either. 11:25  |  Ovadiah ben Avraham 24/11/08   14.   That was beneath you, Mr. Sarid 11:39  |  Daniel Hirsch 24/11/08   15.   If Rabbi Ovadiah is a Torah Scholar, what is Yossi Sarid? 12:01  |  Zev Davis 24/11/08   16.   Yossi Sarid speaks for us the secular - or at least me! 13:05  |  Ceril 24/11/08   17.   12#, Dino, security issues hurt Shas 13:06  |  Judah 24/11/08   18.   One wonder if Yossi Sarid has a problem with 13:57  |  Akram Zekaria 24/11/08   19.   It appears that Rav Ovadia is right - Haaratz published 13:57  |  S Judah 24/11/08   20.   Swiss D -R ovadia is halachic authority that OKs land for peace 14:04  |  Dr eric 24/11/08   21.   Shas and R Ovadia and their positive attributes 14:11  |  Dr Eric 24/11/08   22.   What has Yossi Sarid done to advance Judaism? 14:15  |  Dr Eric 24/11/08   23.   Yossi Sarid is far more devisive than R ovadia! 14:16  |  Dr Eric 24/11/08   24.   Sarid 14:30  |  Physicist 24/11/08   25.   Gevalt ! 14:56  |  Motic 24/11/08   26.   New School Agenda Needed - Mutual Respect 15:11  |  Barry S. Roffman 24/11/08   27.   # 17 Judah / # 20 Dr eric 15:20  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/11/08   28.   Although... 15:59  |  Achille Talon 24/11/08   29.   # 1 Swiss and 3 24 pysicist: Ovadia is a very interesting man 16:06  |  Israeli cititzen 24/11/08   30.   Ovadia Yosef also an ass? No, he just speaks out of it 16:34  |  David G 24/11/08   31.   Achille, didn`t Yossi decided to make Histrory an elective . . 17:13  |  Zev Davis 24/11/08   32.   # 29 Israeli citizen, you are also a very interesting man....:) 17:14  |  Swiss (Dino) 24/11/08   33.   whatever that shas rabbi is one kewl dresser!! 17:19  |  i vote on style 24/11/08   34.   So-called "rabbi" - both a joke and a shande 17:35  |  David 24/11/08   35.   An Arab thinker 18:12  |  Sammy 24/11/08   36.   RAV OVAIDA AND EDUCATORS 19:08  |  JESSE 24/11/08   37.   response to Dr. Eric #22 19:42  |  bronxite10 24/11/08   38.   Death to proportional representation! 20:37  |  W 24/11/08   39.   #32 - Swiss(Dino) - Based on your posts, its not likely. 23:53  |  JP 24/11/08   40.   FYI, proportional representation is used in . . . 00:07  |  Zev Davis 25/11/08   41.   Ovadia 00:12  |  Gesho Ron 25/11/08   42.   No peace without the right of return 00:19  |  American 25/11/08   43.   #21 The positive attributes of an ass 00:20  |  Kate 25/11/08   44.   an arab thinker 00:39  |  denver HI 25/11/08   45.   This three-letter root in Hebrew is very productive 00:40  |  Rami 25/11/08   46.   To American at #39 02:04  |  bronxite10 25/11/08   47.   Plotting Against Us 02:06  |  Justin White 25/11/08   48.   Yossi Sarid`s Insult 02:13  |  Antisleazetype 25/11/08   49.   yosi sarid v Rabbi Yosef 02:27  |  shmuel 25/11/08   50.   Great Article 02:58  |  Mr Ipp 25/11/08   51.   please don`t talk about the rabbi he is a great man 04:00  |  david BARNATHAN 25/11/08   52.   Your remarks, Swiss Dino, are of interest, 04:42  |  Robert Haymond 25/11/08   53.   Robert Haymond 05:19  |  Jasper 25/11/08   54.   A Leftist to Admire 05:33  |  Steve 25/11/08   55.   No 46 : Right of Palestinian Return to their HOME LAND PALESTINS 05:35  |  American 25/11/08   56.   to bronxite 37# 06:15  |  Dr Eric 25/11/08   57.   RE Amman 06:19  |  Shlomog 25/11/08   58.   Thessaloniki`s Jews, Bronxite 46 06:37  |  Steve 25/11/08   59.   Do you guys salivate when insulting Haredim? 06:37  |  Ruben Misrahi 25/11/08   60.   Unamerican 55 06:48  |  Steve 25/11/08   61.   The asses are those who empower these guys. 06:58  |  MIKE 25/11/08   62.   Tokyo Rose, with thanks to Jasper (#51): 07:15  |  Robert Haymond 25/11/08   63.   Robert Haymond 07:47  |  Jasper 25/11/08   64.   in israeli slang chamor means stupid as a donkey 07:58  |  JOE BARNATHAN 25/11/08   65.   very often calling someone a chamor is positive 08:57  |  JOE BARNATHAN 25/11/08   66.   # 39 JP 09:53  |  Swiss (Dino) 25/11/08   67.   THE DEPUTY OF MOSHE RABBENU, AVRAHAM YITZCHAK & YAAQOV 11:22  |  Alka Seltzer 25/11/08   68.   Yosef also an ass? to # 44 An Arab Thinker. 02:31  |  Robert Nickisson 03/03/09

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