In an address to an assembly of civil service rabbonim, Rishon L’Tzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita called on the nation’s High Court of Justice to refrain from involving itself in matters of Torah and halacha and to leave these matters to rabbonim.

Rav Yosef cited how the court appointed a female director-general of the nation’s batei din without consulting with the Chief Rabbis of Israel and without their approval. “In the past this did not occur, an appointment without the Chief Rabbis’ approval. They do as they please” added Rav Yosef.

Rav Yosef asked the High Court justices to leave decisions in halacha to those appointed to address these matters, adding “you were elected to be justices and you were not elected to be rabbonim. Leave Halacha in our hands and we will decide in line with Shulchan Aruch”.

“Do the justices want assimilation, a Reform rabbi performing a marriage with an Arab sheikh marrying an Arab woman and Jewish man as occurs too often in the United States? We have one Torah and it will not be replaced and there is a Chief Rabbinate of Israel, which must be permitted to operate in line with Halacha”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)