A stormy meeting last week of the Knesset Religious Lobby saw
emphatic opposition to the enactment of laws permitting
Shabbos desecration and civil marriages. These proposals to
change the status quo were in a bill presented by Nochum
Langenthal (Mafdal). The bill would redraw the acceptable
lines and allow certain serious violations of Torah law "in
exchange" for secular agreement to respect other areas. The
basic ideas have been kicked around for years by secular Jews
and some religious Jews. The chareidi community has not been
involved.
Chairman of the Religious Lobby, Rabbi Shmuel Halpert, was
shocked at Langenthal's attempt to change the status quo and
to enact laws violating the Torah in exchange for "dubious
achievements," especially without having first consulted with
the gedolei haTorah. In his remarks, Rabbi Halpert
mentioned Mafdal's battle forty years ago over the enactment
of the Shabbos Law, and the stern opposition of the
gedolei haTorah at that time to this law granting
permits for Shabbos desecration.
Rabbi Avrohom Ravitz warned that every clause of this
proposal must be examined individually, and that before
voting for it one must be absolutely certain that it will
result in the strengthening of Yiddishkeit and not the
opposite. He stressed that each aspect of the proposal must
follow guidelines of the gedolei haTorah.
Deputy Religious Affairs Minister Yigal Bibi (Mafdal) warned
of attempts to enact laws which undermine the sanctity of
Shabbos. He said: "The Shabbos-observant sector in the
country is expanding, and in time, we will overcome the
Shabbos desecraters and lawbreakers who open their businesses
on Shabbos in violation of the law."
Nochum Langenthal said that he was motivated to propose such
a law in order to prevent polarization between the secular
and religious sectors. He also promised not to present any
proposal which would be unacceptable to all members of the
Religious Lobby.
