The government has done some good things, specifically within the context of the war against Hamas and Hezbollah and Iran. I am not sure how to define when it can be said the government is functioning with siyata dshmaya and when it isnt so I will trust Rabbi Yosef on this matter. I just don't understand why it would come out as an issue with the draft law (which he called the draft exemption law) rather than anything else. This government has not had much good fortune in anything other than in the war itself, had a horrible attack on its watch, has had unprecedented number of terror attacks, has overseen the highest number of road deaths in Israel's history, has failed to pass many laws, has been dysfunctional in many ways. Maybe it is Ohana's fault, I dont know. 

Funny that he would point out specifically the draft law, which has not yet even come to vote. Maybe once it does it will be easy to pass - it certainly looks like the coalition likely has the numbers to pass it, considering they have fired and punished its main opponents and are threatening to fire others if they dont back down.

Rav Yosef commented saying, "if they force us to go to the army, we will all leave Israel and go to live abroad in the Diaspora. Without the kollels and yeshivas the State will not continue to exist. The soldiers cannot succeed in battle without our Torah learning. The Torah is what protects us."

This is an old threat/promise/warning. I think it was originally said by Rav Shach back in the day. Rav Yosef saying it is somewhat interesting because Shas has a lot of supporters who do serve in the army.

Nobody, even the most dogmatic people about drafting all Haredim, is saying the yeshivas and kollels would be shut down - there is always a gap in ages and yeshivas can continue to function while some are int he army and others in yeshiva, depending on age and status. So nobody is talking about shutting down yeshivas and kollels, not even Yair Lapid or Avigdor Lieberman.

Why didnt Rav Yosef speak out when it was announced that the hesder yeshiva portion would be cut down with the boys drafted earlier than planned? Their Torah learning isnt valuable? Does Rav Yosef only represent Haredi yeshivas?

I have never understood clearly what it means when they say the Torah protects us and gives the army the ability and power to succeed. How many people need to be learning for that protection? Where was that protection on October 7, with so many tens of thousands in yeshiva and more in kollel?  This has never really been tested. They take credit for the successes of the IDF, but I havent seen any explanation of the failures and disasters in Israel despite all the Torah learning.

Back to the the threat, I dont think it has people quite as worried as he thinks it does. First, where will they all go? People with foreign citizenship can go back to those countries, but where will the tens of thousands of people go en masse who do not hold foreign citizenship? Will those countries agree to fund all those yeshivas and kollels the way Israel does? And second, it is a free world and if some people want to leave thinking they will have it better somewhere else, they are welcome to. Every person can decide where he or she wants to live. I am not sure too many people will care if some leave. And even if they do, many will stay and yeshivas and kollels will continue to operate in Israel.

With the war going on and residents needing to evacuate areas under fire, Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef has issued a psak on the need to evacuate on Shabbos.

According to the psak of Rav Yitzchak Yosef, if the security forces give an order to evacuate a town or an area out of concern of danger, the residents must listen and follow all the instructions of the security forces even if and when it entails "desecration" of Shabbos.

If the security forces say, as they do during evacuation, to shut off all electricity, to prevent possible fires from breaking out or from causing danger to security personnel, one must do so. If possible, shut the breakers employing a shinui - via an unusual method such as using your elbow or whatnot. 

Those who need to evacuate as per the security forces, in addition to necessities that they are told to take with them, they can also take with them personal belongings, even to an area outside of the eruv and in transit in an area where there is no eruv. They can take personal belongings even if they are not needed such as to prevent pikuach nefesh, such as tefillin, talis, toilet paper, clothes and anything else they might need. Better if possible that they not carry these items directly but they can be place din the vehicle transporting them. 

Rav Yosef does qualify the above by saying it only applies to items that are not muktza and prohibited to move or items that even if prohibited to move are needed due to pikuach nefesh such as a cellphone or wallet as per instructions of the security forces. Any item that is prohibited to move that is not needed and has no use in preventing pikuach nefesh cannot be taken with, cannot be added to a backpack or suitcase or put into the car. Even just putting such items in the car or suitcase is an unnecessary violation of Shabbos.

source: Kipa

Mourners in southern Israel who are mourning for their loved ones murdered by Hamas terrorists on October 7 asked the Minister of Religious Affairs Michael Malkieli about the custom of going to visit the grave at the end of the 7 day mourning period, at the end of the shiva, as per the common custom. The concern is that there is still a danger in the area and going out in these times might not be safe, especially under regular rocker fire.

Malkieli passed along the question to Rav Yosef, the Chief Rabbi. Rav Yitzchak Yosef responded that anywhere that has even a slight possibility of danger, one should not go to the grave at the end of the shiva. One can instead say kaddish and learn some mishna for the merit of the murdered. When the danger passes they can then go to the grave with a quorum of ten men and say kaddish at the grave and perform whatever memorial each family has the custom of performing.

And what about erecting a headstone? Some do that at the end of the shiva, some at the end of the 30 day period, and some at the end of the first year. Should that be delayed because of danger?

Rav Yosef paskened the chevra kadisha should cover the grave with a slab of cement at the end of the shiva and that will satisfy the custom. The actual headstone can be erected after the danger has passed.

source: JDN

They paskened that:

1. All instructions and guidelines from the Home Front Command must be strictly observed. If they say to stay home, stay home and dont go out, even for prayer services

2. Daven only in a shul that has, or has nearby, a protected area. Elderly and those who are unwell and walk too slowly, should daven at home and not go to shul

3. Whoever holds a license to carry a gun has a mitzva to carry the gun with him on Shabbos

4. If a siren is heard during the shmoneh esrei tefilla, go quietly to the protected area and then continue davening from where you left off

5. Try to have at least one armed person in every shul

6. Every shul should have a phone, placed there on Friday, to be available for use. When necessary one can keep his phone on silent and vibrate in his pocket

4. Leave the radio on tuned to the silent station to be updated by Home Front Command should it be necessary

Hatzlacha and hopefully it wont be necessary and will just be a precaution

It has become common for families, even many in the Haredi community, to want to do things together, and to find ways to make it work, rather than splitting activities among boys and girls. That includes activities like going to the beach by going to what has become known as "family beaches", even though there is no such official category of beach. A "family beach" is a beach that has become known to be more family oriented so the women are not generally found in bikinis but slightly more covered, but the swimming is mixed, though families tend to stay together. And a lot of the women on these beaches are frum women from other families to they are either fully dressed or wear tzanua bathing suits. And the men are often also wearing tshirts and the like. Other activities that have become popular are "kayaking" and rafting, with the many frum vacationers during bein hazmanim a large percentage of the revelers at these sites, and maybe some specific ones are known to attract a higher percentage of a frummer crowd, are frum in these weeks and more appropriately dressed.

Rav Yitzchak Yosef pasked there is no such thing as a family beach being ok. It is assur to go there or to any of these sites that are mixed crowds. It is against halacha, according to Rav Yosef's psak.

Rav Yosef added that nowadays the shuls all have yeshivos bein hazmanim where the boys can learn during vacation (and in many places they get paid a bit to learn), and they should go there and not to the places with pritzus.

source: Kikar

One piece of criticism seems unique to me. That if Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef

Rav Yosef's criticism included a bit, in addition to the boilerplate stuff about it being prohibited, that as a Minister representing the State of Israel he is obligated to act in accordance with the instructions of the Rabbanut that prohibits ascent to Har Habayit.

That is an interesiting point to make. Forgetting what any person or rabbi might hold about goign to Har Habayit, the Rabbanut's position is clear that it is prohibited and then a member of the government and a representative of that government has to do what the Rabbanut says.

Can secular Ministers be told they must keep Shabbos because the Rabbanut says watching television and driving your car on Shabbos is prohibited? Do they all have to eat kosher because the Rabbanut says shrimp is not kosher?

As a minister is Ben Gvir or anyone else obligated to follow the Rabbanut, whether he agrees with them or not? What about Members of Knesset and Deputy Ministers?

Interesting to consider.

Rav Yosef in his shiur last night criticized MK Itamar Ben Gvir (Hatzionut Hadatit) for going up to Har Habayit.

Perhaps most egregiously Rav Yosef called him an idiot. I think it behooves a respectable position like the Chief Rabbi, any rabbi really but especially the Chief Rabbi, to speak with respect and dignity, even with those with which he disagrees. I know it is nothing new, but I truly wish he would not sink to the level of name calling and the like.

Besides for that, Ben Gvir has been going up to Har Habayit for a long time, and he has been causing provocations (on Har Habayit and elsewhere) for a long time. All of the sudden Rav Yosef needed to speak out against him?

With the nation on the brink of dispersing for elections, whether the collapse will be this week, next week or next month, it seems clear Shas is feeling the pressure of Ben Gvir's party skyrocketing on the polls with many Shas [and UTJ] voters moving to support Ben Gvir due to his more extreme and provocative approach. It seems likely to me that at least one of his goals in speaking out in this fashion at this time is to stem the tide of supporters moving to Ben Gvir's camp. 

One might say dont involve the rabbi in politics, but when the rabbi involves himself in politics there is no reason to not consider him involved.

And yes, I am sure the halachic aspect alone was also a concern of Rav Yosef's. I do not accuse him of being purely political (though I dont see why that is necessarily a bad thing, considering the position is basically a political appointment with the politicians deciding who the Chief Rabbi will be and making deals for support), but it is a strong motivation.

Rav Yosef said that this minhag began 600 years ago in Ashkenaz, Germany, by the Maharil. From there it spread to other communities throughout the Jewish spectrum, including Hassidic and Sephardic communities. The Vilna Gaon famously opposed this custom as he considered it too similar to the custom of the goyim on their holiday bringing trees into their homes, presumably Christmas trees.

This year, with the complication of Shmitta, Rav Yosef says one would not be allowed to decorate the shul with actual fruit of shmitta, fruit that has kedushat shviis, but cutting branches off of trees to use in the shul as decoration is allowed, based on the psak of Rav Ovadia Yosef (who paskened this way based on the Chazon Ish).

So get those shuls all green. Shvuos is just a few days away!

This is an interesting letter, reported on by Ishay Cohen...

Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef sent a letter to someone (I do not know who this is but it seems to be a rabbi involved in getting refugees out of Ukraine and getting them to Israel.

Rav Yosef writes to this person saying that if the Ukrainians are going to be brought to Israel, it should be taken care to make sure they educate their children to Torah and mitzvos - it is far worse to cause them to sin than to kill them. Each case should be discussed on an individual basis.

I just dont understand this. Only in Israel is this an issue of education them to Torah and mitzvos but if they remain in Ukraine or move to France or Germany or the USA or wherever else it is ok to save them but not encourage them to go to religious schools? And, it is better to let them die in Ukraine, where they arent getting a religious education either, than to bring them out and save their lives? case by case basis - really? they are trying to escape a war and get out as quickly as possible and someone is going to spend time and make them hang out in the danger zone while they try to figure out the options for religious education? This just doesnt seem realistic. Besides for that, most people would probably say anything and agree to anything just to get out and then do what they want when they get to their destination.

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There is always a discussion as to what the value of the half shekel would be nowadays. It is generally valued according to the value of silver.

Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchal Yosef has announced that the current value of the symbolic half shekel is 24 shekel. Basically 9.6 grams of silver at a value of 2.44nis per gram comes out to 24nis. So every person would have to give 24nis for the half shekel. Rav Yosef adds that one who can and wants to be machmir can add the value of VAT to this and actually give 28nis. I am not sure why VAT would need to be added, but so be it.

Being that it is only a custom, an avreich in yeshiva should give whatever he can, however generous he wants or can be. There is no actual obligation to give this, though it is a strong custom, so someone who finds it difficult can be lenient on this. Additionally, one should be careful to not consider this the half shekel but only a symbolic donation in memory of the half shekel.

source: Kipa

Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef is on a roll. Just last week he said how it is completely unnecessary to learn math and science and one should only learn Torah, which is fair enough for a Haredi rabbi to say and not overly unexpected, but then he added by pointing to himself as proof saying look at me, I did ok just learning Torah.

As if every person in kollel (not named "Yosef") can become the Chief Rabbi and make a decent living despite not learning math and science.

Now Rav Yosef said in response to a question posed by Jews from Tunisia about making aliyah to Israel that they should only make aliyah if they will move to a Haredi area - if they are going to move to other areas then better not to bother - don't make aliyah, but stay in Tunisia. Coming to Israel and living in Hertzliya or other secular areas, don't come as you will get ruined.

source: Srugim (based on an article in Kikar that I did not see)

I am sure he knows the gemara better than I do about it being better to live in Israel in a place completely devoid of Torah that to live outside of Israel in a place of Torah. That isnt how we do things today, so I guess that is only a theoretical. 

Personally I would try to say things a little differently. Like, if they are interested in aliyah to Israel and are already asking about it, to encourage them to come and live in a religious area without disparaging everyone else. 

And, the teachers or rabbis who always say, it is ok to say "I don't know", or they say something like the greatest experience in the classroom was the first time I said "I don't know" to a student's question, and kids don't expect you to know everything and you should be honest, etc.

Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef, in his recent shiur, called on the radio stations to stop their popular "ask the rabbi" programs in which a rabbi takes callers on air and answers their halachic questions.

I would note that one of the most popular such programs on the radio has been run by Rav Yosef's own brother, Rav Avraham Yosef on Radio Kol Hai (note: I don't know if this program is still on the air, as I no longer listen to radio on even a semi regular basis, but it at least was for several years).

Rav Yosef criticized these programs saying the rabbi on air responds quickly, no matter the topic, whether it be in Yoreh Deah, Choshen Mishpat or whatever topic, and it seems as if the rabbi knows the entire Torah and has it all at his fingertips.

Rav Yosef met this afternoon with the CoronaVirus Czar Nachman Ash to work out protocols and issues for the upcoming Parshat Zachor in light of CorroaVirus, and to ensure some consideration would be taken for the religious when setting the regulations for the holiday.

The agreement they arrived at led Rav Yosef to issue the following guidelines and piskei halacha in relation to Parshat Zachor.

1. the first reading of Zachor in shul should be done with a bracha, before and after, as normal. The Torahs should be taken out after davening for additional readings, but brachas should not be said. They can also do readings later in the afternoon. Multiple readings should be arranged to avoid large gatherings of people.

2. children under the age of 16, who are not vaccinated or recovering from Corona, should have a minyan arranged just for them for reading Zachor, so they will not put adults in a situation of risk or danger.

3. for Parshat Para - the minyan should be divided into multiple minyanim to avoid congregation of large crowds.

4. women should not be machmir this year to hear Zachor, so as to avoid congregating. This year they can rely on the opinions in halacha that exempt women from hearing Zachor. Women who normally go to hear Zachor do not need hatarat nedarim this year.

5. children below the age of 13 are exempt this year from hearing Zachor. They should read the portion of Zachor at home from a chumash, for chinuch purposes

6. megilla on Purim must be heard from a proper scroll, and not via radio, zoom, or other similar methods. Additional minyanim should be arranged to accommodate everyone without congregation of crowds. People arranging readings for women should do so according to the guidelines.

7. the Purim seuda, on Friday in most places and on Sunday in Jerusalem, should only be held with the nuclear family and as small as possible. You should explain to extended family that because of the situation around the world the halacha is to avoid groups of people

8. for mishloach manot, people should make do with the minimum of halachic requirements of two portions to two people, and should not send out a lot to a lot of people as might be done in normal years.

9. matanot laevyonim - two gifts to two poor people, and this year people should try to give more, and people should try to transfer via bank transfers rather than giving directly

10. yeshiva bochurim who normally go fundraising for the yeshiva "tatim" should not go this year but should make do with sending out requests by mail and telephone and request bank transfers.

11. all Purim parties should be cancelled. In all yeshivas and all institutions. Purim celebrations should be held only with immediate family at home.

12. People should get vaccinated as soon as possible and not listen to those who confuse the public taking responsibility for issues of pikuach nefesh against the daas torah and against halacha

The current value of silver is $0.87 per gram, which comes to about 2.85nis per gram in Israel. Obviously this changes all the time and could still change between now and Taanis Esther, but this is the value now.

So, Rav Yosef said that the value to be given for the machatzis hashekel is 26nis per person. The half shekel is weighted at 9 grams silver, totaling 25.65nis. Rav Yosef said it would be good to round it up and give 26nis, but I guess the minimum, at this rate, is currently 25.70.

They say the current value is nearly double what it was last year. I'm not sure of the exact calculation because the value of silver has fluctuated and so has the value of the shekel and the dollar.

The complaint against him is for appearing at various public events recently, even during lockdown, without adhering to the rules of the Ministry of Health - at one even Rav Yosef was seen on stage dancing and holding hands with other participants, at events with more participants than allowed, and in general he has been seen at public events recently without wearing a face mask.

I don't know what rabbi is that filed the complaint, but is definitely unusual.

The official statement put out by Rav Yosef's office in response was simply that he strictly adheres to the guidelines and calls upon the entire public to adhere as well.

According to the article, Rav Yosef's people responded that he is strict and careful about adhering to the guidelines (despite having tested positive for antibodies, even though he never knowingly contracted COVID-19) and always wears a scarf that he pulls up over his mouth and nose when in proximity of other people. At times, they suggest, the scarf might loosen and slip from its place - and that is why pictures show him at these events not wearing a mask.

The only problem is several pictures in the article show that he wasn't even wearing a scarf at the event, or he was wearing a scarf but it wasnt wrapped around and slipped off his nose or to his chin, but was draped over his shoulders.

Anyways, my policy is that everyone should adhere tot he guidelines, but in practice everyone does what is good for themselves. I am not going to call the cops on anyone, but I offer no sympathy to anyone who does not follow the rules and then gets caught, snitched on, fined our punished. Take the chance if you want, but be willing to pay the price if caught.

As an aside, I love how they say this will be a surprise while they are announcing it in advance. And How they talk about secrets trips to foreign countries with secret meetings with foreign leaders while they are publicizing it.

The big election surprise is going to be, possibly, the King of Morocco paying a visit to Israel, to Al Aksa, and to meet with PM Netanyahu. The visit has not quite been scheduled yet, but the invitation has been extended, and according to the new reports Netanyahu and his people are hoping it will happen before the elections and work in his favor. 

I wonder if this will draw away some of the voters from Shas to Likud, as the Sefardi voters 

Perhaps the more interesting part of this story is the halachic aspect of it.

Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef has issued a psak, based on this rumor of a possible surprise visit by the King of Morocco, that one who sees him should NOT say the bracha said upon seeing a king.

Rav Yosef explained that even though the bracha would be made upon seeing a king who has the authority to order a death sentence or to issue a pardon for someone on death row, and the King of Morocco has this authority, you still would not say it upon seeing this king. 

Rav Yosef explained that the King of Morocco does not wear the traditional royal garments of a king but wears a suit and tie. The bracha is only said upon seeing a king wearing his royal garments - suit and tie are not considered royal garments.

Rav Yosef adds that one would be able to say the bracha without using the full text with the name of Hashem. I guess that would be a way of showing respect to the king without actually making a bracha.

source: Hamechadesh

  -- Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef

Rav Yosef later apologized, after many people got very upset about this remark as if the yeshivot hesder can't and don't produce talmidei chachomim... though in his apology eh did not explain what he meant to say - he just said that he respects and values the yeshivot hesder and is in torani communication with many students of these yeshivas through his shiurei torah and halachic discussions and apologizes if his words were not understood properly.

That means, it is your fault for misunderstanding him, but he won't bother explaining what he really meant.

In his recent Motzash shiur, Chief Rabbi Rav Yitzchak Yosef paskened that sheitels, wigs, today come almost entirely from avoda zara and are therefore prohibited from being used by women as a hair covering.

Rav Yosef says he checked the issue out in various ways and almost all the hair used for wigs today definitely comes from avoda zara. Rav Yosef dislikes that Rav Mordechai Gross retracted his initial disapproval and eventually said that wigs are fine. People that buy a wig and bring it home should not ask why they have problems in the home - they have problems because they brought avoda zara into the house. Rav Gross caused a big problem with his retraction.

According to Rav Yosef, people turned it into a hashkafic issue - Mizrochniks wear tichels and Charedim have to wear sheitels - but that is idiocy.

source: Kikar

Rav Yosef answered paskening that because when they were taken form home to the Coronotel they had to go quickly with little warning, and they got sick with no advance notice and some of them might have been weak and unable to exert much effort in preparing suitcases with enough clothes for the family for the entire holiday, and they cannot leave, they can do laundry.

Rav Yosef added that their situation is similar to that of someone who came from abroad or was released from jail on Chol Hamoed, and because there was no opportunity prior to the holiday to do the laundry (or get a haircut), for that person it is allowed on Chol Hamoed. The people in the Coronotel as well did not have the opportunity in advance to prepare (rather than just having left it to be done on Chol Hamoed), so they too are allowed to wash their clothes on Chol Hamoed. 

Combining that with those who are lenient regarding the use of washing machines on Chol Hamoed because it washes itself (and is not the tircha that is prohibited as it is by hand washing laundry), they are allowed to wash their laundry in the Coronotels on Chol Hamoed

source: kikar