Rav Bentzion Mutzafi paskened during a shiur that one is prohibited from looking at the image gracing the 50nis bill. The image is of Shaul Tchernichisky and because he was married to a gentile woman, it is prohibited to look at his image.
In response to a student's questioning for further explanation, Rav Mutzafi explained that Tchernichovsky was married to a committed Christian woman who famously went to mass every Sunday. Rav Kook, at the time, pleaded with Tchernichovsky to have her convert, but he refused.
Rav Mutzafi concluded his response saying that because of this he keeps the 50nis bill in his pocket folded backwards so as to fulfill the words of chazal to not look at the image of a rasha for even a moment.
source: Kikar
It is worth noting here that when the State decided to print new bills and selected Tchernichosky's face as the image for the 50 shekel bill, Chagai Ben Artzi, Prime Minister Netanyahu's brother in law, petitioned to have this decision revoked so as not to promote a lifestyle of intermarriage.
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I just checked my wallet and found one of those 50 NIS notes. :(
ReplyDeleteThe 20th of Kislev is coming up, the day when the Jews returning from the Babylonian exile after the destruction of the First Temple took upon themselves to strengthen the Jewish family, as recorded in chapter 10 of the book of Ezra: "Now while Ezra prayed, and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there was gathered together unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children; for the people wept very sore. And Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra: 'We have broken faith with our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land; yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of the LORD, and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. " I think that this day, the 20th of Kislev, should be declared #JewishFamilyDay.
I think the words they chose for the back is a bigger deal.
ReplyDeleteAnd what of the people who live on streets named for him?
Great comment Cosmic X. Very disturbing what has been happening to the SOI; it is losing any of its Jewish soul, whatever is left of it. Mini version of the USA.
ReplyDeleteActually, Israel is more religious than ever, but make up whatever dibbat ra'ah about Israel that gets you through the night.
ReplyDelete