I think he will come from West Virginia. What's the difference if he is listening to G-d and a descendant of male liniage to a Levi?

The rabbi said, "We cannot determine that we were correct until the Messiah comes and will make us one people. Only the Messiah can do this… the rabbi is keeping his options open- just in case the Messiah decides, he (the rabbi) was on the wrong side?

Torah already did that. No need to wait. Read in context and learn. "for the matter is very near you, it is in your heart and in your mouth to do"

With all due respect to Rav Ovadia: he's wrong. The customs of the diaspora are not normative to our national life and are only useful as stop-gap measures to maintain observance and identity when we are not secure in our own land and able to work our garden (torah and mitzvot). We will not follow foreign customs when the messiah comes. We will see the rebirth of Torat Eretz Israel and the emergence of Mingah Israel under sages who have the authority to really decide.

Any one else talking like this old fool would be in a straight jacket getting meds 24/7. Enough with ayatollah yusuf and his gang. he should have been deported with his gang of parasites long ago. The main trouble with Israel is we have too many of these old folls including peres. They should be locked up and never heard from again. They hurt us more than they help.

You have a great memory. You actually remember the "original(real) Hebrew? So I guess the 80% of Jews (Ashkenazim) are wrong. Some one like ayatollah yusuf says so and you agree.

He is NOT Sephardic, but Mizrachi, We Sephardim, those who originated from Spain and Portugal, have about as much in common with the Mizrachim as we do with the Ashkenzaim and Maghrebim- that is, not much! We have our own traditions and rituals. I don't know how this quack of a "rabbi" can claim to be "Sephardic-" especially dressed like some Medieval Caliph?! lol Other than that, he should censured- to say the least- in attacking "secular" schools. If it were not for Secular people, Israel would look more like Saudi Arabia but WITHOUT the $$$! Its time to abolish the ties between State and Religion once and for all!

PLEASE, leave Rivkah alone and don't discourage her tb's. They are more hilarious than the comedy routines on Youtube and Twitter put together.

He said this about the Ashkenazim tounge in cheek. Bottom line is that both traditions are very similar to one another and both are within the confines of the Torah. A little sense of humor people.

Josef's speculations will undoubtedly be elevated to halakha by his followers, demonstrating only that Judaism has become a trivial tool in Israeli politics.

I think you're on to something about the West Virginians. They may not be Levis, but they sure like to wear 'em!

When JESUSALEN is revealed messiah will not rule by the law of men which is full of lies,jesus of nazaret will rule by the law of hashem which is the truth,that means humble,tzedaka,justice and love.

and most Ashkenazim are Polish,Russian and Hungarian and not German. The terminology is only a general grouping. You could say that those that follow the Shuchan Aruch (ie The Maran)are Sephardi and those who go with the glosses to The Shulchan (ie The Rema) are Ashkenazi.

Zuni American Indians who speak fluent Hebrew and were stranded in the North American Hemisphere from King Solomon's Navy. That is not quite Levi unless there were Levite Priest onboard the ships. The Tribe of Dan were sailors of old like the Vikings and before that, in King Solomon's Navy. There are Hebrew speaking Zuni American Indians in New Mexico and Virginia, too. The Ten Commandments are carved into rocks in many places, anciently.

And drinks shnaps with his shmalz herring after davening in the morning.

A description of the Messiah can be found throughout the Talmud. Why are the so called scholars defining the Messiah without referencing the Talmud. God gave us the truth so we would know the truth. God made it easy for us but we twist it and make it hard.

After so many years of futile calculations regarding the coming of the mashiach, isn't it time that we prepare for the exttremely remote chance that the mashiach might simply not come? Although it is clear that he will indeed come, and the probability of this event occuring is well over 99.6%, don't we need to have a Plan B?

Or for all people? How will this materialise? These questions are much more interesting than unnecessary polarisation - The Bible says G_d hates those who make strife among brothers. Perhaps the honourable chief rabbi forgot about that. (or was he just joking?)

I am a former Ashkenazi turned Sephardi and I can tell you from spending time on both of sides of teh track that Chacham Ovadia Yosef is absolutely correct. Most of the minhagim of Sephardic Jewry makes more sense halachically. Also, I do not think it is respectful to make remarks about how crazy one of the most holy people is. I hope each of you are ready to ask for mechila before the end of this year because I would not want to be in your shoes when Hashem judges you.

It is a false excuse for people not to do as they were instructed and to sit without doing Torah claiming the Messiah will wipe their nose for them. In the meantime the curses repeat decade after decade and our enemies are promoted higher and higher as we sink lower and lower. We should take responsibility for Torah each and everyone of us. As Torah says "you don't need someone to get it for you"

Not being religious, I'm usually not in the business of paying much attention to rabbis as a rule. However, I have to say that Rabbi Yosef actually looks pretty cute in his "Medieval Caliph" costume. In fact, I'd go so far as to say the Ashkenazi fanatics should be encouraged to give up their cringe-inducing Polish garb and switch to caftans. Although, obviously, they're always going to dress in a way that sets them apart from the majority society, the notion of wearing fur hats in the Middle East couldn't possibly get any more ridiculous. But, having said that, I absolutely agree that Israel must separate religion from the State...otherwise they'll still be fighting these internecine battles into the next millennium.

Let us face it guys, it is difficult to anticipate if and when the messiah will come, but it is very easy to predict how he will go away. If anything can be learnt from recent Israeli history, especially concerning the Orthodox politicians and leaders, then we can easily predict that about six months into his reign the massiah will be arrested on charges of embezzlement or some sexual misconduct. What a disappointment! And then we will have to wait for several milennia for a new massiah.

What about Christianity and Islam? Both regards Jesus as the real Messiah sent by the Almighty. Can the Jewish Messiah be the Anti-Christ these two religions talk about? If the Jewish Messiah rules this Israel then he is not the real Messiah because this Israel does not follow the halacha nor most of its people in it's law therefore the Messiah cannot certify this Israel as the kingdom which he will rule.

...so we can all forget about ashkenazi vs sefardi bullshit.

We all know that the almost-sacrilegious pronunciations Ashkenazim use will prevent the Messiah from ever appearing ;)

and made his prediction, but, I am afraid he did not get too clear. His dictum that we must follow the ways of our fathers was a preservative idea in the Diaspora however we now need a unifying idea so that we will act as one nation not two separate ones.

everytime I see this charlatan whether a picture or on tv I just crack up. This pathetic man is an embaressment to jewish faith.