Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef continues upsetting people

B"H

One of the previous Sephardi chief rabbis, Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, is very famous for his statements. Many times his statements, which he usually makes on Mozzaei Shabbat, seem to be completely out of place.

I remember that in July 2000 he declared that Holocaust victims had to die because they were certain souls created from HaShem whose task was to rectify themselves.
I am sure that Rabbi Yosef was referring to the Erev Rav. However, he never mentioned any reason how he came to his conclusion and what his sources or ideas are. But just claiming something out of the blue is dangerous and, of course, Holocaust survivors were upset and offended. Afterwards, he kind of apologized and then the subject was forgotten. A few weeks later, he made another upsetting statement about a different subject and the whole discussion started again.

Two weeks ago he declared that it is inappropriate that Jews go to Uman on Rosh HaShana. However, Breslover Chassidim are allowed to go to the grave of Rabbi Nachman, as Rabbi Nachman has told them to do so. But everybody else should be sitting at home and celebrating Rosh HaShana with his family. There is no point in living in Israel, let alone in Jerusalem, and going to Uman on such a high holiday. Israel is the Holy Land and not the Ukraine.

Actually this time I do agree with him. During the past years it has become a real cult for anybody male traveling to Uman on Rosh HaShana. Religious, non - religious, Breslover Chassidim or others, everybody is just flying to Uman. Israel's Ben Gurion Airport is busy with all the Uman people and adds many planes to the flight schedule. Thousands of Israelis are flying to Uman, even the husband of a colleague of mine. They are a Breslov couple and for her it goes without saying that her husband is going to spend Rosh HaShana in Uman although they are short of money.
Those Breslovers who don't go to Uman are going to dance in front of the Kotel on Erev Rosh HaShana. I really enjoy their show. But also in my opinion, a husband should be with his family on the holidays.

Some friends of mine told me that it is not as I might think. The wives are not sitting at home alone with the kids. Instead, the wives are going to Meron, to the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. There they are having their own great party.

Last Mozzaei Shabbat, Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef made another really upsetting statement and the Israelis were devastated. Afterwards, his followers, such as Knesset member Eli Yishai, tried to calm down everything. The Rabbi didn't say it like this, he didn't mean it or people just got it wrong. In any case, he said it.
Another colleague of mine said that although the Rabbi upset people, he succeeded in getting the attention of the whole country.

What Rabbi Yosef said was that the fallen Israeli soldiers of the Second Lebanon War didn't keep Shabbat and therefore deserved to die.

What the Rabbi forgot to take into any consideration was that also religious soldiers lost their lives. The Israeli press jumped on this subject and interviewed some parents of the fallen soldiers. Well, not too many people in this country are too surprised any more about Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef's statements. The parents just said that Rabbi Yosef has obviously forgotten that we are in the month of Elul and he will have many reasons to ask G - d for forgiveness on Yom Kippur.

Today, his statements is not in the headlines any more and this Mozzaei Shabbat he might offend someone else. Personally, I don't take Rabbi Yosef seriously but what bothers me is that he destroys the reputation of religious people because the non - religious might get the idea that all the religious think like the Rabbi.