Shas has now been instructed by its Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah to move the Draft Law ahead in the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, marking a significant step after weeks of intensive deliberations among the gedolei Yisroel.
This direction followed on the heels of the announcement from Degel HaTorah’s leadership, who publicly affirmed their support for the legislation just a day earlier.
Nearly two weeks ago, the Committee of Roshei Yeshivos gathered under the leadership of Rav Shmuel Betzalel, a member of the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah and rosh yeshiva of Porat Yosef, to review the details of the proposed bill.
As reported Thursday morning in Shas’ Haderech newspaper, the rabbanim on the committee were presented with an in-depth explanation of the various clauses by Ariel Atias and MK Yinon Azoulay. After receiving the briefing, the roshei yeshivos spent many hours analyzing the nuances of the law.
Once the discussions concluded, Shas representatives were instructed to proceed with the legislative process in the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. At the same time, they were told that every stage of the law’s advancement in the Knesset must be accompanied by ongoing consultation with the Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah and the Committee of Roshei Yeshivos, with representatives acting strictly in accordance with daas Torah until the final wording is settled.
The Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah also issued a firm response to claims that Shas MKs were operating independently of rabbinic authority. The Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah stressed that the representatives are “100% subordinate” to the directives of the Torah leadership and sharply denounced the recent disturbances outside MKs’ homes.
“We cannot remain silent when disreputable individuals acting with lies and deceit to sow division among the Torah community, and open their mouths to mislead the public, as if there were a rift among the Torah leaders. Let the mouths of liars be silenced,” the letter declared.
The Moetzet Chachmei Hatorah continued, “And there are those who persecute the emissaries of the rabbis, who faithfully carry out this sacred task in full obedience to Torah leadership and our guidance. We hereby strengthen the hands of our devoted representatives, led by our dear friend and man of many actions, who heads this holy movement, Rabbi Aryeh Deri, so that he may continue standing firm in defense of the Torah world.”
In recent days, heated and increasingly aggressive demonstrations have taken place outside the homes of chareidi MKs, including an assault on Shas MK Yoav Ben Tzur and protests targeting the residences of UTJ MK Yakov Asher and Shas MK Yinon Azoulay.
{Matzav.com}
