_a.jpg "צילום: יועד כהן")
Yom Kippur on the pitch
Shas views Dudu Awat as one of its own, who may have even voted for the party. As such, playing on Yom Kippur would be a violation of his religion, so Shas rebuked its misguided son
"The national team is supposed to represent the state of Israel," Margi wrote. "Anybody who plays on Yom Kippur rudely tramples Jewish tradition and is not worthy of representing the country."
Dudu Awat immediately gave is response:
"Things have been taken out of proportion; they are making it a much bigger issue than it is. I will begin the fast a little later and will end it a little later. The wisdom is in believing all year round, and not just on a single day. My conscience is clear," he said and added that he contributes more to Israel than those who don't even serve in the army, "I wish all those jabberers would do as much as I do for the people of Israel."
Original 'halachic' solution
This is a nice quarrel with an interesting role play. Orthodox Jews, who regularly mock football, suddenly regard football as matter of utmost importance, representative of the Jewish people and the State, and which obliges its members to adhere to appropriate Jewish conduct.
On the other hand, the goalie who usually doesn’t keep Shabbat for reasons of convenience and livelihood, is offended and sees himself as no less a Jew than the Shas party member. Moreover, he even proposes an original "halachic" solution to the conundrum: Yom Kippur with a delay mechanism - as long as Dudu guards the net Yom Kippur will be delayed.
Photo: Yoad Cohen
So why does the religious Knesset member and other orthodox people care what the Israeli team's goalie does in his own free time while in the Spanish Diaspora? And isn't Yom Kippur, particularly overseas, a Jew's private business even if he is a goalie on the national team? The answer is somewhat more complex than expected, and relates to internal-eastern relations between the orthodox and the traditional Jews.
Knesset member Margi and other Shas members simply view Dudu Awat as one of their own. And as such a Jew, who may have even voted for Shas, he would be violating Yom Kippur in public. Therefore, Shas took it upon itself to rebuke its misguided son.
The Massorti dilemma
And the goalie, that same Dudu, what about him? Apparently he too is concerned about what people think of him here in Israel. He too, doesn't feel quite at ease with playing on such a sacred day.
Although he is not an orthodox Jew, Yom Kippur is close to his heart. Similar to many Jews from eastern origins, his life shifts between the need for a livelihood and his affiliation to tradition.
Many like him, who are not necessarily soccer players, are familiar with this dilemma when they are forced to work on Saturdays and holidays here in Israel. Their Judaism and tradition are pushed aside due to market forces and the need to make a living.
So everyone ends up being right. The Shas party member is right, and so is the apologetic goalie. Let the Lord see the squabbling and suffering sons and let there be a miracle.
In the end the game was brought forward, and our Dudu will not be forced to violate Yom Kippur.
