Feb 27, 2023

family or bust

Kikar is reporting that Rav Dovid Yosef, son of Rav Ovadia, brother of Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef, and rav of Har Nof neighborhood of Jerusalem, has announced his candidacy for the position of Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel that will become available in about six months.

The other expected candidate will be Rav Yehuda Deri, Chief Rabbi of Beer Sheva and brother of MK Aryeh Deri.

According to Kikar, Shas will soon decide which candidate to support for this position, and the other will likely be offered the position of Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem.

Not to detract from the greatness of each of these two rabbis, as they are both surely qualified and well respected, but this is pure nepotism and favoritism. Sure, these are two great rabbis (I assume, only knowing a little bit about each), but aren't there any other great and accomplished rabbis that might also be worthy of consideration besides for the family members of the two leaders of Shas?




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6 comments:

  1. NachumFebruary 28, 2023 11:08 AM

    "as they are both surely qualified"

    Surely? Why are you so sure?

    "and well respected,"

    Obviously not.

    "but this is pure nepotism and favoritism"

    And who are the two current chief rabbis?

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    Replies
    1. Rafi G.February 28, 2023 1:50 PM

      100% and I am pretty sure I said it back then and other times as well, but at least Rabbi Lau had some serious competition when he ran (Rav Yitzchak Yosef did not) and it was not an automatic appointment

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    2. NachumFebruary 28, 2023 5:23 PM

      And yet tellingly, each of them got the *same exact number* of votes. There was no real competition. Lau's father spent his time building up chits. A lot of the secular Knesset members literally said, "Well, I have no idea, but his father married me."

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  2. Garnel IronheartFebruary 28, 2023 2:53 PM

    Of course it's nepotism. Not just that, but it's mesorah. After all, how do Chasidim choose their new rebbe? Do they look around the beis medrash for the most qualified guy, or the closest viable relative of the previous rebbe?

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    Replies
    1. Rafi G.February 28, 2023 3:21 PM

      true but hassidic courts are private affairs so they can run it how they want (not really, but generally so). This is a major State appointment, so it is somewhat different. or it should be.

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    2. dlzFebruary 28, 2023 3:24 PM

      Even other state rabbi positions seem to be largely limited to certain families....

      Delete