Rabbis: Lior should be questioned

Senior religious figures refuse to sign petition supporting Kiryat Arba rabbi, instead insist he undergo investigation in 'King's Torah' affair as he is a civil servant

Kobi Nahshoni|Published: 02.13.11 , 10:06

Some 70 leading Zionist Religious rabbis - including city rabbis, yeshiva chiefs and educators - issued a petition Thursday protesting the arrest warrant against Rabbi Dov Lior following his refusal to report to a police inquiry in the "King's Torah" affair. But Ynet has learned that some rabbis refused to sign the petition and feel that Lior should be investigated.

A few senior Zionist Religious rabbis are missing from the list, including chief rabbi of Ramat Gan and Ramat Gan Yeshiva Head Yaakov Ariel, Har Etzion Yeshiva Head Aharon Lichtenstein, and Birkat Moshe Yeshiva Head in Ma'ale Adumim Rabbi Dr. Nahum Eliezer Rabinovich.

Other rabbis which refused to sign their name to the petition were Hesder Petah Tikva Yeshiva Head Rabbi Yuval Sherlo, Otniel Yeshiva Head Rabbi Binyamin Kalmanzon, Gush Etzion Yeshiva Co-Heads Rabbi Yaaqov Medan and Rabbi Baruch Gigi and more.

Keeping quiet

An official close to the issue at hand told Ynet that some rabbis do not agree with the stance of the petition but they "don’t want to make it into a big deal" and so they avoid mentioning it to the public or the media.

The official also explained that according to the rabbis that refused to sign the petition you cannot compare a local rabbi who works for the State, to an academic man, to the freedom of speech, and therefore Rabbi Dov Lior must report for investigation.

"We see this as a disgrace towards the torah and those who follow it," the petition stated. "This is an attempt to block the rabbis' freedom of expression through severe, unacceptable and anti-democratic measures."

The signatories represent a wide range of influential rabbis in the Zionist-religious society, including: Kiryat Shmona Chief Rabbi Zephaniah Drori, The head of the Bnei Akiva yeshivas and Israel's conversion system Rabbi Haim Drukman, the head of the Ramat Gan hesder yeshiva Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira, Har Bracha's rabbi Eliezer Melamed, Elon Moreh's rabbi and head of the yeshiva there, Rabbi Elyakim Levanon, head of the 'Tzohar' organization Rabbi David Stav and others.