After MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari tore up a New Testament that had been sent to him in the mail..
MK Ahmed Tibi used his time at the Knesset podium to talk about how Ben-Ari learned his racist attitude from Rabbi Meir Kahane, whose picture he then proceeded to tear up, throw to the ground and step on. Knesset Speaker Ruby Rivlin was yelling at Tibi for breaking the rules, and then ben-Ari and others began yelling, with Tibi yelling back...
For the record, I don't believe tearing up or burning books is ever a good idea. At least not in public. Whether he was right or wrong for doing it, it is bad PR. if you don't like the book you receive in the mail, toss it in the trash, burn it or rip it up in private. Doing it in front of the press just makes you look like a neanderthal.
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1) A Tibi/Ben-Ari smackdown always makes for good television.
ReplyDelete2) I want a screenshot of Tibi holding up a picture of Kahana. Taking pictures out of context is good, clean fun.
3) What was Ben-Ari getting so upset about? I could understand if Tibi would have R"L torn up a chumash or something similar, but a picture of someone? Even someone he admires? Was Ben-Ari really under the illusion that Tibi has anything but unmitigated scorn for Kahana?
4) I think that Rivlin did a great job. In the middle of Tibi's tirade, he had a cool enough head to criticize him for, of all things, breaking the Knesset rule of order against displaying pictures.
Rivlin should have a kill switch on the mike instead of calling for someone else to do it.
ReplyDeleteBen Ari responded in kind to the provocative move of sending MoKs missionary new testaments when most MoKs are Jewish. I don't think we should be babystepping around missionaries.
Performing the misswah of destroying avodah zarah, bad PR??
ReplyDelete:-/
Oh, no! The goyim won't like us!
Oh, no! The goyim will call us names, like bigots!
Oh, no! The goyim will STOP giving us money!
Good!
:-)
Finally, an MK since Rav Kahane, who is not embarrassed to act on the truth.\
As Rav Kahane said, "Say the truth, act on the truth, and the rest is min hashamayim. The truth is Torah." (paraphrased)
*Rafi, I hope you don't mind my smarminess too much. I respect you and your work. It was just to make a point to those with the aforementioned attitudes. I don't happen to believe that you're one of them. My guess is that it just wasn't good move strategically.
I disagree. I think it was the perfect strategy.
Performing the misswah of destroying avodah zarah, bad PR??
ReplyDeleteWhat was the last time Ben-Ari invited a photographer to document him performing the mitzvah of putting on tfillin? Using the performance of a mitzvah for PR or politics cheapens Torah.