DIN: There’s a Yiddish expression—nisht kein groisser chochem un nisht a kleiner naar—that captures the danger of arrogance masquerading as wisdom. It’s a warning we’d do well to remember as we watch the growing rift between segments of our people, especially in these times of war and national trauma.
Recently, Rav Yitzchok Yosef, former Sephardi Chief Rabbi and son of the late Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l, declared that Dati-Leumi rabbis are apikorsim—heretics—and unfit to be counted in a minyan. Why? Because they believe that Torah and military service can coexist. Because they believe that every bochur should carry both a sefer and a rifle, protecting Am Yisrael not only in the Beit Midrash but also on the battlefield.
He even questioned whether the Rosh Yeshiva of Orot Shaul is a rabbi at all.
When challenged—such as by Rav Tamir Granot—whose son was killed in action in Gaza. Rav Yosef doesn’t respond with sources or reasoned argument. Instead, he accuses his critics of disrespecting Torah scholars. It’s a tactic borrowed from some of his Ashkenazi Charedi allies: elevate the gedolim to untouchable status, and label any dissent as sacrilege.
But this isn’t the Torah way.
In the entire Shas, the Tannaim and Amoraim argue fiercely about halacha, hashkafa, and the very foundations of Jewish life. Yet never do they call each other apikorsim. Disagreement was not only tolerated—it was the engine of truth.
Rav Yosef might recall that the Steipler once dismissed his own father, Rav Ovadia, as a “nobody.” And Rav Yoel Teitelbaum, in Vayoel Moshe, labeled all gedolim who supported political Zionism as heretics. These are not footnotes—they are reminders that no one is immune from critique, and no one should be above reproach.
We are in the midst of a war. Soldiers are dying. Families are grieving. A Charedi soldier, a father of two, recently took his own life in Beit Shemesh. His widow blamed the Charedi leadership for failing to support him. And yet, instead of soul-searching, we get roadblocks, garbage fires, and declarations of “war” against fellow Jews.
Twenty-five thousand students of Rabbi Akiva died not because they sinned against God, but because they failed to show kavod zeh lazeh—basic human respect. And it was their own rebbe who taught: Ve’ahavta l’re’acha kamocha—zeh klal gadol baTorah.
If we can’t live that principle now, in the shadow of war and loss, when will we?
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Dati Leumi Gedoilim and Smotrich Respond to Rav Yosef's Chillul Hashem
The chairman of the Religious Zionist Party, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, responded this evening to former Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef’s attack on Rabbi Tamir Granot, whose son was killed in action in Gaza.
“Rabbi Tamir Granot is a Torah scholar and a man of pleasant manners who sanctifies God’s name in public. He buried his heroic son Amitay, of blessed memory, in war, and since then has devoted his days even more to spreading light, unity and love," Smotrich stated.
"Anyone who allows himself to humiliate him disgraces himself, profanes God’s name publicly, spreads baseless hatred and division, and will have no part with us. I am proud to lead a community that contains Torah together with proper conduct and knows how to respect even those who disagree and to conduct disputes for the sake of Heaven,” Smotrich said.
The head of the Tzohar Rabbinic Organization, Rabbi David Stav, also reacted to Rabbi Yosef's attack on Rabbi Granot:
“The words of sages should be heard calmly. It is permitted and appropriate to argue over values and public positions, but it is forbidden to insult and humiliate. Torah discourse should be based on humility, mutual respect, and responsibility to the word of God, not on personal attacks.”
Rabbi Stav asked:
“Does anyone who disagrees with you cease to be a rabbi? No person may appropriate a monopoly on Torah and halakha. The Torah was given to all Israel, and any Torah scholar who acts out of fear of Heaven, out of love of Israel, and out of devotion to combining Torah with life - deserves respect and substantive discourse even when his view differs. ‘Derekh eretz precedes the Torah.’ Before any verse and before any halakhic discussion, there is an obligation of human respect, especially toward rabbis and Torah scholars.”
He added: “When a rabbi in Israel chooses abusive and insulting language toward another Torah scholar, and particularly toward a man who is also an av shachuv (bereaved father), it causes a severe profanation of God’s name that harms the honor of the Torah itself. One must not tolerate a desecration of God’s name and cannot move on - one does not gesturally ignore a profanation of God’s name. The rabbinate must not become a place where it is permitted to hurt and humiliate in the name of Torah. Where there is a desecration of God’s name - one does not accord honor to the rabbi.”
Rabbi Stav concluded with personal remarks about Rabbi Granot: “Rabbi Tamir Granot is a yeshiva head who dedicates his life to educating hundreds of students in love of Torah, fear of Heaven and service to the people of Israel in body and soul. We must increase respect, unity and love of Israel - not inflame disputes and slanders.”
Former MK Matan Kahana responded: “I hope Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef will find the way to apologize to Rabbi Tamir Granot, head of the Orot Shaul Hesder Yeshiva in Tel Aviv and father of Captain Amitai Granot, of blessed memory, who fell sanctifying God’s name in war. The Torah sages of Religious Zionism prove that one can be both great in Torah and a warrior.”
Earlier, Radio Kol Chai published a recording of Rabbi Yosef’s remarks against Rabbi Granot - head of the Orot Shaul Hesder Yeshiva in Tel Aviv and father of Captain Amitai who fell in the war - prompted by Granot’s call to enlist haredim in the IDF.
“They attacked me, several heads of yeshivot. There’s one rabbi - I don’t know if he’s a rabbi - Granot, head of a Hesder yeshiva. How he spoke on television against us. Aren’t you afraid of insulting Torah scholars? The Gemara asks, how shall we know who is an apikorus [heretic]? Someone who says, ‘What do the yeshiva students benefit?’ He says - everyone to the army. Why should all of us go to the army? We learn Torah. Just as there is the Air Force, there is God’s force, who sit and engage in Torah and defend all the people of Israel. He attacked me. I think there are some of them that if they come to join the minyan, we will not include them in the count. They are in the category of apikorus. Not everyone.”
Rabbi Granot previously criticized Rabbi Yosef’s statements, particularly his threat that yeshivot would relocate abroad if students were forced to enlist. “You must ask forgiveness from my wife, and ascend to Mount Herzl and ask forgiveness from Amitay, a yeshiva student and soldier, and from all the righteous, holy and pure ones - Torah learners who chose to fight and also those who were not Torah learners who gave their lives."
"To leave abroad so as not to fight a war of commandment, under national danger?! Rabbi, are we in Russia? Is the army the czar’s army? Are the soldiers cantonists? You are the Rishon LeZion, honorable rabbi, not Rishon of Brooklyn nor Rishon of Baghdad. You have responsibility for the people of Israel,” Rabbi Granot then said.
The former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, has spoken out harshly against the positions of the dean of the Orot Shaul Hesder Yeshiva in Tel Aviv, Rabbi Tamir Granot, regarding the conscription law.
In a recording published by Radio Kol Hai, Rabbi Yosef can be heard saying: "Some yeshiva deans attacked me. There's one rabbi, I don't know if he's really a rabbi - Granot, the dean of a Hesder yeshiva. The way he spoke out against us on television. Are you not afraid of disrespecting a Torah scholar?"
The rabbi quoted the Talmud: "The Talmud says: 'What is a heretic? Those who say, 'What do Torah scholars do for us?'' He says - 'Everyone to the military.' What do you mean, 'Everyone to the military'? The same way there is the Air Force, there is the G-d Force, which sits and studies Torah and defends the entire people of Israel."
He even took his attacks one step further, and added: "I think there are a few of them (religious Zionist rabbis) who, if they come to join a minyan (prayer quorum of ten men), you can't count them toward the minyan. They are classified as heretics."
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