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Last update - 17:01 03/04/2008 Shas minister: We must get rid of court like we get rid of hametz By Ofra Eidelman and Haaretz Service Tags: jerusalem, hametz, passover Minister of Religious Services Yitzhak Cohen (Shas) announced Thursday that he plans to appeal a Jerusalem court decision that allows groceries, restaurants and pizzerias to sell hametz (leavened bread) on Passover. "The court must rule on what it knows, and not halakha (Jewish religious law). The court's ruling points a gun to the head of the Jewish people," he said. We must get rid of the court the way we get rid of hametz, he added. Earlier, Jerusalem Municipal Court Judge Tamar Bar Asher-Zaban ruled that it is now permitted to sell hametz in groceries, restaurants and pizzerias during the Passover holiday, during which Jewish law forbids the consumption or possession of leavened bread products. According to Bar Asher-Zaban, the businesses included in her ruling are not considered "public" places by law, and therefore the selling of hametz in those places does not fall under the "matzot" law which prohibits the public selling of hametz. Advertisement The judge overturned four indictments submitted against restaurant owners who served hametz during last Passover. Bar Asher-Zaban ruled that "the [matzot] bill, much like the law that was ultimately approved, does not prohibit the sale of hametz, but was meant only to 'prevent the display of bread, rolls and pitas in public.' That, therefore, is the purpose of the law. The law wasn't meant to interfere in the religious decree to eat Matza, and wasn't meant to deal with hametz prohibitions as they are outlined in the halakha." According to the ruling, the matzot law is symbolic, and its goal is not to anchor halakhic laws within the secular law books. It does not include all hametz products, but rather specifically addresses the products that symbolize hametz: bread, rolls and pita. It addresses only the halakhic issue of not seeing hametz, and doesn't deal with the issue of not possessing hametz. There is no clause in the law that forbids possessing hametz or eating it, the ruling says. "The entire purpose of the law is one thing ? to prevent the display of hametz in public." National Religious Party Chairman MK Zevulun Orlev said that the ruling is removed from reality and deals a critical blow to the Jewish identity of the state of Israel. MK Moshe Gafni (United Torah Judaism) said that the judge's attempt at cleverness contradicted the intention of the legislation. Bookmark to del.icio.us   My gay family Caryn Aviv shares her personal experience as a gay Jewish co-parent. Filmed in battle Second Lebanon War film centers on one man's choice to keep his troop out of harm's way.   1.   Like they got rid of Rabin? 17:10  |  W 03/04/08   2.   That`s an outrageous mistquote 17:29  |  Eric 03/04/08   3.   No smoking in private places like restaurants? 17:30  |  Catholic Israeli 03/04/08   4.   Stop the hysteria W at no.1 17:33  |  Miriam 03/04/08   5.   They are at it, again 17:41  |  Dan Negedat 03/04/08   6.   Headline - a Bad and Misleading Translation 17:43  |  Eric 03/04/08   7.   Shas should practice modesty, in every sense... 17:49  |  Esther 03/04/08   8.   I`m confused 17:49  |  anonymous 03/04/08   9.   Another assault on the Jewish caracter of the State by the court 18:03  |  Jer 03/04/08   10.   To: I`m confused 18:07  |  Eric 03/04/08   11.   Israel On The Way To A Taliban State 18:16  |  Moshe 03/04/08   12.   #11 Moshe Our Teacher 20:00  |  Simeon ben Jacob 03/04/08   13.   Let`s tone down the rhetoric 20:03  |  IW 03/04/08   14.   #9 Jer - Shas` assault on freedom of religion in Israel 22:22  |  B`Galil 03/04/08   15.   We should get rid of these bastards... 22:24  |  Ulf 03/04/08   16.   Re IW #13 23:18  |  Esther 03/04/08   17.   Haredi are much better than Taliban 23:37  |  the pope 03/04/08   18.   vote with your feet 23:40  |  Observant Jew 03/04/08   19.   Chametz 00:10  |  Avi Yerushalmi 04/04/08   20.   "Symbolize chometz" 00:30  |  Rabbi Yakov Lazaros 04/04/08   21.   pure comment 00:31  |  ameer 04/04/08   22.   Orthodox Rabbis should restore the ancient Sanhedrin ... 00:35  |  Haldrik 04/04/08   23.   What is it... 00:38  |  Maureen Ann 04/04/08   24.   To #3 00:53  |  Ephraim 04/04/08   25.   To the court: "If they want bread let them eat cake" 01:05  |  Marie Antoinette 04/04/08   26.   Who Elected Yitzhak Cohen Führer 01:11  |  Lev Bronstein 04/04/08   27.   once again, irresponsible speech 01:30  |  leucippe 04/04/08   28.   My beloved had a vineyard 01:30  |  Karl 04/04/08   29.   Splitting hairs 02:04  |  Sherlock Holmes 04/04/08   30.   To #9: Israel is Only 80% Jewish 03:40  |  Byrne 04/04/08   31.   Extremists of All Religions are a Problem 03:43  |  Byrne 04/04/08   32.   they should go live in Iran! 03:47  |  L M. R 04/04/08   33.   Extremists of All Religions are a Problem 03:48  |  Byrne 04/04/08   34.   To #18: How about the USA votes to cut your funds off? 03:51  |  Byrne 04/04/08   35.   To #22: What about the 20% Gentiles in Israel? 03:52  |  Byrne 04/04/08   36.   Byrne 07:35  |  MR 04/04/08   37.   Imagine a group of people who are 08:35  |  HH 04/04/08   38.   Imagine a group of people who are 08:36  |  HH 04/04/08   39.   This judge supports Gay Pride Parades in Jerusalem 08:38  |  Steve Stein 04/04/08   40.   IF SHAS WANTS TO LEAD---THEN LET`S OUST OLMERT 08:44  |  Hymie Zoltsveis 04/04/08   41.   Stores that sell chametz will lose business 08:47  |  Susan 04/04/08   42.   This tendency to incite to anarchy 09:05  |  hk 04/04/08   43.   To all those who are concerned about 09:09  |  Hersch 04/04/08   44.   Byrne -I would not be too concerned about the 20% 12:12  |  Zelkha 04/04/08   45.   smoking and eating bread 12:14  |  A.M. 04/04/08   46.   How come the status quo is only when the religious 13:27  |  Zev 04/04/08   47.   to No` 42, this is Anarachy????? 14:07  |  L M. R 04/04/08   48.   Chametz Law 15:24  |  Avi Yerushalmi 04/04/08   49.   to #47: did you even read what you wrote? 15:50  |  hk 04/04/08   50.   To #47: now I understand why you are in the UK 15:58  |  hk 04/04/08   51.   Dear Hk 17:17  |  L M. R 04/04/08   52.   Comment on #47 20:04  |  Yossi 04/04/08   53.   MR 36 04:01  |  potobac 05/04/08   54.   Judge Zaban doesnot know how read should be fired 00:56  |  sam 06/04/08   55.   Reply # 39 Steven its called democracy 09:03  |  SJ 07/04/08   56.   # 19 Avi Yerusahlami happy Pessach to you Sir 09:09  |  SJ 07/04/08

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