A new Chief Rabbi


By Yehuda Erdman
December 17, 2010
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I have often admired the present Chief Rabbi for his brilliant speeches and his stimulating articles in the press, both Jewish and non-Jewish. However, any religious leader should be careful not to stray from his or her area of expertise which is in matters of faith. My late father taught me not to mix religion with politics, as the two are mutually incompatible. Sadly this has not been observed, especially in Israel where successive governments have come to rely on the support of various religious parties in the Knesset to obtain a majority under the proportional representation system in Israel. This has meant that state and religion have become inter-twined in Israel with some unforeseen and often unsatisfactory outcomes. The present row about municipal Rabbis in Israel following the Rabbi in Zfat by proclaiming that Jews should not rent their properties to Arabs, which is plainly racist.
Coming back to the Chief Rabbi appointment which will be made to succeed Lord Sacks in about three years, I have read in the Jewish News that a committee will try to define the future role of the Chief Rabbi. They should define the remit not to stray in to matters of the Jewish and non-Jewish world which are outside the parameters of the Jewish faith. By the way this should equally apply to e.g. the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Primate of Ireland etc. My point is that having qualified from a seminary or yeshiva in our case, does not equip an individual to pontificate (even if he is the Pope) on anything and everything. It is as facile as myself making remarks about Jewish observance.

COMMENTS

Yvetta

17 December, 2010 - 11:35

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Ah, so many blogs on the one subject - did you get them wholesale?


jose (not verified)

17 December, 2010 - 12:21

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It is as facile as myself making remarks about Jewish observance.

Or about Zionism, or about democracy, or about international law...


Jon_i_Cohen

17 December, 2010 - 13:55

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If you don't have any opinions, why are you blogging?


jose (not verified)

17 December, 2010 - 14:02

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Poor Erdman: his thinking is like his blog, untidy.


Yehuda Erdman

17 December, 2010 - 16:12

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Jon-i-Cohen
It should be obvious that I do have opinions and that I can back them up with factual evidence.


jose (not verified)

17 December, 2010 - 16:16

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It should be obvious that I do have opinions and that I can back them up with factual evidence.

This statement is like the news of the death of Mark Twain, greatly exaggerated.


Joe Millis

17 December, 2010 - 16:49

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We don't need a new Chief Rabbi. It's an anachronism.


amber

17 December, 2010 - 22:32

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We also don't need blogs by erdman.


Joe Millis

17 December, 2010 - 22:39

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This is a Monty Python sketch. The "argument" one.


jose (not verified)

18 December, 2010 - 14:54

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Which of the Stooges are you, Millis?


Yehuda Erdman

18 December, 2010 - 19:59

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In the end it will not be up to us if there is another Chief Rabbi to follow Lord Sacks, but at least we have said our piece. As for Amber it is also not up to you if I write more Blogs in the JC. You don't have to read them if you are so upset by the content. Some people do find them informative and even amusing at times as my sense of humour is excellent.


Yoni1

18 December, 2010 - 20:07

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Yehuda is as arrogant as he is unfunny.


Yehuda Erdman

25 December, 2010 - 22:27

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You are more arrogant than I. As for being funny, that's for others to judge.

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