The list is shocking and upsetting to many, especially considering some of the names that appear on the list and the seeming difficulty in understanding why they are on it. Besides for that, in general, the list is of Orthodox rabbis, and for the most part Orthodox rabbis generally should not be blacklisted (though I understand there might be good reason to exclude some specific individuals) as halachically, and any Orthodox rabbi by definition would be following halacha they are acceptable (the halacha doesn't limit geirus to the authority of the Rabbanut of Israel).
Anyways, the leak of the list caused quite a stir yesterday.
In an attempt at some damage control, Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau, and I generally like him, criticized the leaking of the document and expressed his anger over the matter and said he will find out who leaked it and criticize him.
I guess Rabbi Lau thinks this makes him look diplomatic, but I don't get it. He is not upset that someone in the Rabbanut put together this list and calls it unauthorized. He is not upset that someone, without the permission of the Chief Rabbi, decided on which rabbonim will and will not be trusted for conversions.
Rabbi Lau is simply upset that the document was leaked, not that it exists. I am not sure what he think she is gaining in the public eye by saying this document should have remained secret and he will punish the person who exposed it. the document should not exist. Damage control would not be saying I'll punish he who exposed it, but it would be I am sorry it exists and then either explain and justify it or cancel it. He looks conspiratorial being publicly exposed about the exposure but not about the document itself.
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Did you read the letter? He seems pissed that the list was even compiled.
ReplyDeleteThe article I read said that Rabbi Lau said that he was unaware of the list and was angry that it was created without his knowledge or approval, and that he first heard about it in the media.
ReplyDeleteThe report I heard, including the official response of the Rabbanut, claims that the list was of Rabbanim that the Rabbanut had found a problem in the past with one of their conversions or hashgachot, not necessarily an automatic blacklist. Let's not get carried away with the populist grandstanding that everyone seems so fond of these days. That's probably what has Rav Lau so upset - feeding into the mass hysteria, not to mention unfairly maligning both the Rabbanut and the Rabbis in the document.
ReplyDeleteThe Daf a few days ago mentioned how nobody escapes Avak Lashon Hara, but let's try to avoid as much as we can.