Brilliant Rabbi, brilliant outfitOvadia Yosef is, without doubt, the most highly regarded Sefardi* rabbinical figure in Israel and the de facto kingmaker of the Shas political party. He also used to be the Sefardi chief rabbi of Israel. The prestige of being chief rabbi, which is normally a ten year term, was so thoroughly enjoyable, that he refused to return the clown suit that goes with the privilege and wears it to this day. He still thinks he’s chief rabbi. Or maybe he just plays one on TV.

It seems like Rav Ovadia, in spite of having an allegedly encyclopedic memory and being a posek (interpreter of Jewish law) of great renown, just might be a bit retarded. Just what does it mean for the rabbinate and its followers when rabbis like Yosef barf out gems like,

It is no wonder that soldiers are killed in war; they don’t observe Shabbat, don’t observe the Torah, don’t pray every day, don’t lay phylacteries on a daily basis – so is it any wonder that they are killed? No, it’s not.

The monumental idiocy of such a comment, offered last Saturday night on Ovadia’s kick-ass public access show (video clip here), is simply mindblowing. Not only is it stupid on an astonishing scale, but it’s mean-spirited, vicious and offensive to anyone who,...well, to anyone, I suppose. I wonder what Ovadia has to say about all the dead soldiers who did observe Shabbat and the mitzvot? Nothing, apparently. I wonder if he even knew any soldiers killed in any of Israel's wars. Oh, that's right, he's Haredi. Sorry.

Continue reading...