By Rabbi Dow Marmur
JERUSALEM — Former Israel president Moshe Katzav is getting extensive pastoral care. He has been convicted of rape and related charges and is awaiting to be sentenced on March 8. To cheer him up, a number of prominent Israeli rabbis who belong to the so-called nationalist ultra-Orthodox stream (in contrast to the anti-Zionist haredim) wrote him a letter urging him to be strong and hold his head high.
Presumptuously writing on behalf of “people in Zion,” they’re “waiting for injustice to be removed and truth to come out.” They counsel patience: “And even if it takes its time, it will be revealed, and all those who pursue lies will be ashamed.” Those to be ashamed presumably are the victims, the lawyers and the judges.
The rabbis’ real invective is saved for the media: “All the people of Zion are signing and groaning under the burden of the poisonous media, waiting for return of pureness to our public life and hoping for the day when the injustice will be removed and the truth will come out – and then many, many people will be redeemed and rejoice with you.” You and I may believe that a free press is a good thing; they don’t.
The authors of the letter may have found Katzav innocent on halakhic grounds. For there’re those who argue that as in Jewish law a person can only be convicted by a court on the evidence of two witnesses, there’s no case here. As the president wasn’t engaged in group sex or gang rape there’re no other witnesses apart from himself and the victims. And women may not necessarily count as trustworthy witnesses.
Why did the rabbis write the letter? Though one of its principal authors is said to be Katzav’s personal friend and Katzav himself styles himself as an observant Jew, which no doubt is appreciated in rabbinic circles, the underlying reason for coming out in blatant support of his deeds is to say something about the place of women in their world.
Like several of Katzav’s neighbours told the media when the verdict was announced, the assumption may be that if a woman is sexually assaulted, she must have asked for it by provocative dress and enticing actions. The good president is really a victim and it’s the women who’re really at fault.
The authors of the letter also seem to want to settle a score with the media. Many of them feel that they’re above public scrutiny, especially as the public is predominantly non-Orthodox. They see themselves as having immunity from the law of the land and are only responsible to divine, not earthly powers. They know, of course, that God is always on their side, because they’re so learned and so pious.
All this would be an opportunity for humorous asides hadn’t these rabbis been influential in the political parties of so-called religious Zionism. They represent a body of opinion that threatens the very fabric of the justice system and invalidates the efforts to give equal rights to women. Theirs is an assault on Israeli democracy.
Unlike the haredim who don’t want a Jewish state until the Messiah comes, these exponents of Orthodox Judaism are committed to Jewish sovereignty as long as it’s consistent with Jewish law as they choose to interpret it. The letter in support of Katzav is an illustration of what they’ve in mind.
Before we get too romantic about the piety and self-sacrifice of these defenders of the faith and of God’s “authentic Torah,” let’s remember what they may be really about.
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Rabbi Marmur is spiritual leader emeritus of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. Henow divides his year between Canada and Israel. He may be contacted at dow.marmur@sdjewishworld.com