Rabbis can apparently say whatever they want

but the bigger problem is the publicity he receives and the legitimacy from top politicians in Israel. He should not and not entitled to such publicity or legitimacy.

I PERSONALLY DONT ATTACK THAT RABBI. BUT I CAN SAY THAT THEY ALL IN WRONG WAY TO THE GOD. THEY ARE NOT JUST ON WRONG FAITH TO THE GOD ! THEY ARE ALSO ON WRONG ON WRONG ROAD TO THE GOD TODAY.

In fact open a prayer book and you will find the equivalent of what those 2 Rabbi's have said. Maybe you can't read Hebrew to read a Jewish prayer book. So it is time for you take much needed lessons.

Does he use the same tailor as the ayatola? Silly, isn't it?

These people are a tiny minority. In fact, there is a valid argument that holding these beliefs and indulging in these practices is a form of insanity. The only real power that they have is the power that the vast majority cedes to them. Take back their power. If they rebel, teach them what they need to do to co-exist as law-abiding citizens, including locking them up. There are examples of orders issued by duly constituted courts, high courts, that go ignored. In particular, orders having to do with demolitions and occupations and who is allowed to use roads and who is not come to mind, not to mention the disputes that are judicially settled that have to do with the orthodox nutjobs that get ignored. The Rule of Law in Israel is becoming a joke. As far as being "the only democracy in the Middle East" goes, your new slogan ought to be, "Least Repressive Dictatorship, Posing as a Democracy, in the Middle East".

That is always a tense essay & error job. They may get too far astray, or they may not understand the deep-seated feelings that go against updating values and rituals. But they sincerely try their best. You will never hear liberal rabbis, non-orthodox that is, ranting fascist, racist crap. On the contrary, they work for upholding Jewish values. And yes, sometimes that is controversial, sometimes they are wrong, sometimes the miss to please the conventional wisdom. But their work is indeed well-inspired. It would be important for Israelis to shift the focus from throwing eggs at a senile old bigot, to supporting those voices that work for a Judaism that is meaningful, joyful and harmonious with the century we are in.

That Rabbi's expose themselves so revealing who they really are, despite their scholarship, is all to the good. We should be grateful. The antidote is public criticism and shame. Rabbis have, and should have their freedom of speech and bear the consequences of exposing themselves. Let the chips fall where they may. In the other opinion article ( on Fascism) Yosef is being called the "national skunk". Shame or becoming a laughing stock clown ( decked out in costume above) will work.

Is God Himself, for the presumptious GALL of their assuming to represent HIM! Racism and religion are DISTINCT, and at completely odds, but when religion is invoked to foster racism and intolerance, or when either of these is invoked as integral to religion, those who do so not only become enemies of mankind - they become enemies of God. God's laws are pretty basic and straight forward...they certainly don't need to be interpreted, and especially not to fit the whims of ideologically oriented racists!

The hypocrisy of your post makes one heart throb with anticipation and excitement how one wants to respond to all of your critical observations. so now you pick on the rabbis as being paid by such and such since the other arguement won you zero According to your report Rabbi Ovadia Yosef said that the Palestinian people are “our enemies and haters” and then asked God to punish them. He did not recommend that any of his listeners should go out and kill Palestinians. This is the direct opposite of the Palestinian imams who call for their congregations to don suicide outfits and rid Eretz Yisrael of the Jews. Schoolchildren from kindergarten onwards are indoctrinated with hatred of the Jews.

This man enjoys strong support in Israel and abroad. His views are mainstream zionist, as witnessed by the total lack of any sort of an apology, and the complete lack of any meaningful response from the "leaders" of Israel.

"Metzger's letter came in the wake of a police investigation into alleged incitement by Rabbi Yitzhak Shapira, who wrote in his recent book "Torat Hamelech" that killing non-Jews who do not observe the seven Noahide commandments is not only permissible, but sometimes even desirable." I could be mistaken but I thought it was reported that he actually argued this position in regards to Noahides, not non-Noahides. As Muslims are Noahides, and his primary goal seems to be justifying the killing of Palestinians (who are mostly Muslims, though significant numbers are not) this would seem to make more sense. Which is it? Has anyone a copy of the book?

They have a wisdom from the past!

They have an oops moment and the ugly truth comes out just to reveal how very sick and twisted they are inside.

just out of curiosity, what would happen to an agent (Avishai Raviv) and his boss (Carmi Gillon?) and their political backers (Peres?) when that agent URGED an assasin to kill the prime minister, and he did? Nothing? Hmm. . . I thought so. So why, are you fixated on Rabbis? Did you write articles calling for us to be outraged at the leftist government officials who had THEIR agent encouraging Rabin's murder. Presumably "incitement" is something only the people on the other side can do. You leftists can do no wrong.

I'm from Denmark soon to move together with my girlfriend in Israel and I get sacred hearing words like that. Will I be alienated for not being Jewish ?. Will I be an enemy of the state for not agreeing with the orthodoxes or settlers ?. The most weird thing is that I praise Denmark for it's freedom of speech which to me essential also for twisted rabbis or nazies for that matter. But the words of Ovadia Yosef would actual be illegal in Denmark, because it promotes violence. I will always support Israel, but I'm afraid Israel won't accept me.

The ravings of an old man who is out of touch with modern times. Ideas change very slowly within religious hierarchies. Look at the Catholic Church. But time is on the side of youth and progress.

Isn't a "public servant". He wasn't just made into some public Rabbi (that's controlled by the state). Many individuals (especially the Bukharians in Jerusalem) saw the great genius of this Rav and started supporting him financially and otherwise. It was a smart spiritual investment especially becuase of the great Knowledge that he has brought to the Jewish community especially the Sefardim who have more respect for G-D's servants.

I live in the U.S. and my Rabbi also said the truth about arabs (they are murderers and we cant have peace with them, etc.) Similar to Rav Ovadia Yosef's statements. Also in Israel Jews are more free mentally. Notice even in this article it says that things were censored in order not to offend the church- That was bc Jews were afraid of persecution. Now that we are free we aught to be behaving as free men, stating the truth.

Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and Hassan Nasrallah can share the same place in the hereafter.

If you find the Jewish Rabbis so offensive, why do you even bother to utter your inanities earning your bread and butter through in this sort of "blood money" way. On another tack:Why not complain of the hundreds of Imams in Israel who spew venom and make a living out by encouraging JIHADISM? But oh no,you find a soft touch and bounce up and down like stupid and puerile way making a mockery not only toward a Rabbi whichever he may be to enhance your personae.Well boyo,as far as I am concerned your article is typical haaretz piffle..And this writer happens to be a secular Jew I hasten to add. How many more dastardly writers will Haaretz employ? Me thinks you are all a worthless bunch of hypocrits.

I agree to a message previous. Imans around the world call for destruction of Jewish People and nobody say nothing. The palestinian people don't want peace. Abbas is a clown.

THESE GREAT JEWISH ORATORIALISTS (THESE RABBIS) are STILL JUST human beings...THEY MAY say stupid OUTRAGEOUS human things sometimes...but in a DEMOCRACY, they should have their say, it should be protected and free and open...WITHOUT FEAR OF REPRISAL... BUT it doesn't mean what they may say,( it may be nonsense and rubbish), idiotic and myopic, shallow and hurtful, incendiary and hard hearted, but they are Israelis' entitled to their opinion NO MATTER HOW SCREWBALL, NUTS, OR TOTALLY INSANE THEY MAY SOUND! IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT, THEY ARE JUST NOT EDUCATED PAST THE SACRED TORAH! ALAS!

... what difference there is, in principle, between someone like Ovadia Yosef and someone like Ali Khamenei?

Very much indeed. Let me tell you why, they aren't elected officials that today they have a job and tomorrow they don't because of public opinion. Whether ones agrees with them or not, isn't the Rabbi's problem.

This guy would not be allowed to remain a rabbi if he had uttered such atrocities in Europe or the USA. How come the Israeli authorities do not act?

That is always a tense essay & error job. They may get too far astray, or they may not understand the deep-seated feelings that go against updating values and rituals. But they sincerely try their best. You will never hear liberal rabbis, non-orthodox that is, ranting fascist, racist crap. On the contrary, they work for upholding Jewish values. And yes, sometimes that is controversial, sometimes they are wrong, sometimes the miss to please the conventional wisdom. But their work is indeed well-inspired. It would be important for Israelis to shift the focus from throwing eggs at a senile old bigot, to supporting those voices that work for a Judaism that is meaningful, joyful and harmonious with the century we are in.

Just some examples, all Muslims, Obama Administration, EU administration etc. They need not care whether they say truth or lie. Even all their lies are regarded as truths, like Obamas lies of occupation (Occupation does not exist except that Arabs are occupying, only dispute of the land which nobody seems to want) . What is the reason to separate Rabbies? Try to prosecute Obama for his lies.

Is God Himself, for the presumptious GALL of their assuming to represent HIM! Racism and religion are DISTINCT, and at completely odds, but when religion is invoked to foster racism and intolerance, or when either of these is invoked as integral to religion, those who do so not only become enemies of mankind - they become enemies of God. God's laws are pretty basic and straight forward...they certainly don't need to be interpreted, and especially not to fit the whims of ideologically oriented racists!

So freedom of speech exists only for the media and the left? What kind of so-called democracy are you from?

Do I detect a bit of jelousy? You to can do Teshuvah, study Torah, become a Rabbi and say whatever is on your mind. The one drawback is that you will lose your job at haaretz. They dont like religious Jews.

So can Islamic Priests and Christean Priests, welcome to the world of religion.

Ahh! The truth will out! Freedom of speech is only for the facist left, eh?

What do you do when you are immersed from childhood in pre-medieval law which distinguishes between killing a Jew and killing a Gentile? While killing anybody is forbidden by Halakha, the murderer is punished by execution if he killed a Jew, but is only "punished by Heaven" if he killed a Noahide (e.g., a Muslim). Today you have rabbinic opinions that allow killing of Arabs, even innocents, that endanger Jewish control of the Land. They simply compare the importance of the various commandments and come to such conclusions. Rabin's assassination was also sanctioned by some according to Jewish law of "mosser". The settlers see no problem in burning down Arab crops, or uprooting their olive trees, just to get back at the IDF, and not for any wrong the Arabs committed. The Halakha was not updated much, certainly did not have a chance to evolve naturally under conditions of Jewish control over Gentiles. Since changes in it are extremely slow, it is best to override it wholesale, as was done in laws concerning financial issues, according to the ruling of "Dina d'malchuta dina", "the law of the land is valid." But I wonder how long it will take to also change the moral/ethical influence that goes with the outdated Halakha.

No less than three of the Simanim on Rosh Hashana deal with getting rid of our enemies: The Yehi Ratzon for dates is: יהי רצון...שיתמו אויבינו ושונאינו וכל מבקשי רעתינו May it be Your will....that our enemies and haters and all those who seek us harm should cease to exist. The Yehi Ratzon for leek is: יהי רצון...שיכרתו אויבינו ושונאינו וכל מבקשי רעתינו May it be Your will....that our enemies and haters and all those who seek us harm should be cut off. The Yehi Ratzon for "Silka" (beets or spinach) is: יהי רצון...שיסתלקו אויבינו ושונאינו וכל מבקשי רעתינו May it be Your will....that our enemies and haters and all those who seek us harm should be removed [from the world].

Why should the Rabbi not have the same rights as any other person?? His prayer is one Israel has often prayed for. Many, many, times we pray when men like the author forgets who we are and our relationship with the Almighty G-d of Israel. Without the belief in the G-d of Israel, a Jew becomes, in practice, a gentile. The author is entitled, as is the Rabbi, to express his opinions. More agree with the honest Rabbi in prayer to practice what he believes, " Vengeance is mine saith the Lord."

are funded by the government can say what they please. Yes, if the a chemistry professor in Hebrew University can call IDF soldiers "Judeo-Nazis", of some history professor can tell his students there is "no proof" that we are the people who crossed the Reed Sea on Passover, and all the other pronouncements that go against the grain of Jewish tradition continue to get salaries from the public purse, and, their opinions get the Hekhsher of HaAretz, why, are rabbis supposed to keep quiet. Sorry guys, it seems that freedom of speech means, for some the right to trash our national values. Anyone who speaks up for them must be wrong, of course. I am reminded of how the Israeli press was occupied by the quest for Yossle Schumacher in the '50s, while all the time Yemenite babies were being commandeered by the Yevseks in order to give them "adequate homes' .The Schumacher thing was a smokescreen, of course You wonder what smokescreens the ultra-Secularits media is lookin' for to cover their ininquities these days.

This is not news and I for 1 also wish G-D would blot them out. Cheers, Levi

...(self-styled and otherwise)...also more or less say what they want--but they have to seek private funding.

On Yom Kippur it say we can pray with "Avaryonim" (people who commited grave sins) So let the chief justice come to synogogue on Yom Kippur if they want

is still my preferred solution. But this whole episode shows what happens when people live in ghettos and when they live in states that function along 19th Century ethno-nationalist ideologies. Ideally and in fact the Middle East and North Africa will never develop as a region until it can have lots of cosmopolitan states and cities and towns. Ovadia's ancestors also weren't so stupid either.

that a capably intellectually astute individual, in whatever sphere of expertise, does not make him/her immune from being a racist or emotionally intelligent. Unfortunately, our positions in life and feelings on humanity are a product of our rearing and selective exposure. G-d gave us the will to know better and make moral decisions by questioning our words and deeds.

Isn't that hypocritical of you?

Maybe the rabbi is doing humanity a favour after all. I am sure more and more Israelis get horrified by his sinister statements and make their voice heard in support of a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

In addition to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" there is another guaranteed right-the right to be stupid and foolish. Learned people are not immune to stupidity; they share it with less educated people like you and me.

shas is the last true zoinist party

yes, they can, and so can you. and you are all paid for doing so. rabbi oveida only wished that "our enemies and haters come to an end." in every conflict and in every war, ordinary people wish that their enemies come to an end. this means the enemies only, not those who are innocent.

I completely agree in everything said. Most of all about the political will to prosecute rabbis! While I might accept some political involvement about someone being in custody or restricted to home. Not opening a case for a blatant encitement, if it were for political reason, shows dependence of the judicial system to the political one. Can anyone open a case against the Prosecution for not opening a case against the old man for racial incitement, in the High court? Anyone?

of opponenets is a "sign of facism" and you want to silence somebody you don't like .. Read his article

So your problem is not the incitement to violence but its impact in the rest of the world? That it does not end in a jail sentence is very telling. An Israeli arabic mullah would not end in jail if he over radio was askiing for the killing of jews? What do you call a state that allows this from its employes?

The only limit on the academic findings of scientists is the self-imposed scepticism that constantly seeks to disprove the findings. Rabbis and Voodoo men never question their own beliefs, which, of course are divine and, thus, unquestionable. Metzger demonstrates his primitive ignorance over what Science is all about.

No? Basically both want to obliterate all people on the "other side".

Perhaps this column would have had more influence, if it wouldn't be published right after Palestinians murdered four Israelis including a pregnant woman.

This is my honest to G-d view

If we all consult with the 01 Time-Thought universe, surely 01 will say: Rabbis, priests and mullahs all need to be sequestered for the purpose of debating and explaining to each other, as to what of their business to run the immense kingdom of God? 0 Time - 1 Creation God, surly, can do, bring peace to the world, if only wasn't for the hindrance these guys put in God's way. Get out of the way, and politicians will follow suit resorting to the Truth: 01, 0 Time, 1universe Your track record has been instituted in the archive of history. And yet you're not to be blamed, for you were subjects to the whims of your moments. True statistics do not lie.

On Monday all the talk in the news was of an Israeli Rabbi who had called on G-d to strike down Abbas, the head of the terrorist Palestinian Authority, and the rest of his gang. On Tuesday, terrorists murdered a pregnant woman and three other people. The same media that dedicated a great deal of time and energy to condemning Rabbi Yosef for inciting violence, wasted no such time on discussing the constant incitement to violence practiced by the Palestinian Authority media under Abbas' authority. Earlier this month Abbas had participated in a ceremony honoring the Munich Massacre terrorists. But the media has never been particularly interested in discussing Muslims calls to violence, only in tarring any opponents of Muslim terrorism in the darkest and ugliest shades.Meanwhile the US is funding a Palestinian Authority ad campaign aimed at Israel, which suggests that Abbas and his terrorist gang is interested in peace, and Israel isn't. So while Obama talks about being evenhanded, he is actually funding a series of domestic attack ads against Netanyahu, and for Abbas. Follow the money. Obama needs to stop pushing the Israelis around and let them get on with the business at hand which is guarding their borders and their people. Like a wise man once said "if Israel stops fighting, there will be slaughter - If the Palestinians stop fighting, there will be peace".

Is God Himself, for the presumptious GALL of their assuming to represent HIM! Racism and religion are DISTINCT, and at completely odds, but when religion is invoked to foster racism and intolerance, or when either invoked as integral to religion, those who do so not only become enemies of mankind - they become enemies of God. God's laws are pretty basic and straight forward...they certainly don't need to be interpreted, and especially not to fit the whims of ideologically oriented racists!

comments by Rabbi Ovadia Yosef wishing PA chief Mahmoud Abbas ill are actually the views of most Israelis I speak to. Abu Mazen is a more dangerous enemy of Israel than Hamas the Arabs I speak to share same thought. Both want to destroy us though we are Israeli Arabs living within the Green line, but the SNEAKINESS of Abu Mazen succeeds in confusing people, ESPECIALLY ON THE LEFT causing PEOPLE TO believe that the man who murdered Jews in the Maalot massacre is really a man of peace. I'm not fooled by the likes of Abu Mazen aka Abbas

You mean like Imams and Christian ministers and priests? And where does Pfeffer get the idea that rabbis are not involved in "such scandals" outside of Israel? All religious leaders are, wherever they are in the world

What would happen to an Imam in Israel who publicly called for the killing of the Jews?

One Rabbi and this is headlines? Muslim clerics have resided to speaking about the 'annihilation of the Jews' as a friggin national past time....and this rabbi is a big deal?

And those Welfare Queens demand to control the fate of the state. The astounding thing is that Israelis not only support them, they let them run the country and dictate it's foreign policy and domestic goals.