Jerusalem – Jewish law forbids “goyim” – or gentiles – from living in Israel, the country’s chief Sephardic rabbi, Yitzhak Yosef, told followers in his weekly sermon.
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Audio from the sermon was obtained by Channel 10, which was the first to air its contents.
Yosef is the son of the late Shas spiritual leader Ovadia Yosef, who was also known to make incendiary remarks about non-Jews.
“According to Jewish law, it’s forbidden for a non-Jew to live in the Land of Israel – unless he has accepted the seven Noachide laws,” Yosef is heard saying in the sermon.
“If the gentile is unwilling to accept these laws, then they must be sent to Saudi Arabia,” the rabbi said. “When there will be full, true redemption, we will do this.”
Earlier this month, Yosef ignited a firestorm of criticism when he said that religious law mandates the killing of an armed terrorist who is trying to commit a violent attack, and shouldn’t be afraid of being tried in court over such an action.
The chief rabbi’s comments generated strong criticism from MKs and NGOs, who said he should leave such matters to the heads of the security services and political decisions makers.
Yosef is the latest in a list of rabbis who in recent months have advocated killing terrorists while they are murdering innocent people, on the basis of a precept in Jewish law that permits killing a person seeking to kill you.
“If a terrorist is advancing with a knife, it’s amitzva [commandment] to kill him,” said Yosef.
“One shouldn’t be afraid that someone will petition the High Court of Justice or some [army] chief of staff will come and say something different. There is no need to be afraid. ‘He who comes to kill you, get up and kill him,’” continued Yosef, citing the rabbinic dictum of self-defense.
“This also deters them. When a terrorist knows that if he comes with a knife he won’t return alive, it deters him, so therefore it’s amitzva to kill him.”
Yosef stressed, however, that a murderous attacker who no longer has a weapon should not be killed, but rather put in prison for the rest of his life.
In mentioning the chief of staff, Yosef was referring to recent comments by Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, who said in February the military should not operate according to this precept, adding that “a soldier should not empty a magazine of ammunition into a girl holding scissors.”
This was a reference to a controversial incident in November when two Palestinian teenage female attackers stabbed a 70-year-old Arab man (who they thought was Jewish) in the head with scissors and wounded another in downtown Jerusalem before security officers shot them. One of the terrorists was killed and the other critically wounded.
What he’s quoted saying in this article is correct. However, perhaps he can think of a way to deliver his messages on less extreme provocative ways. The same thing can be said in many ways..
How is what the Rabbi said different then Florida’s stand your ground law which allows a person to use whatever means to even kill an attacker threatening your life?
when Harav Meir Kahane said this, the Marxists in charge of Israel got him assassinated from a character standpoint.
People ask me why I don’t want to live in Israel. I reply that it’s a crazy place where all people, Jews, Christians, Arabs, etc. become crazy. Never a day goes by that something comes out that proves me correct!
A non religious Jew is also forbidden
Rabbis need to be a bit more discreet. This rule is probably meant to be followed after moshiavh comes. To publicize it for today is a chillul hashem.
I’ve decided to stop donating to Israel as a Conservative Jew. The last time I was there, I was spit on. I would rather give my money to cancer research.
Killing the attacker is not a deterrent since the terrorist attacker wants to be killed, rather than just being wounded, as he wants to get an express free ride to the afterworld paradise, where he was promised 72 virgins. The real deterrent for these attacks would be to would them in such a way so they are unable to walk, or ever be able to hold a weapon again as long as they live; that would be the ultimate deterrent!
If he talks about who is or isn’t allowed to live in Israel he should of mentioned that Eretz Yisroel is the holy land and therefore non-observant Jews Frei Yidden should not live in Israel. Because it is the Palterin Shel Melech the palace of the king almighty and to sin in Eretz Yisroel is far worse than outside of Israel. But those Chazar and shrimp Fresers,Mechalel shabbos’niks could care less where they do their sins.How sad.
Even plain observant Jews who are not really holy and pure should not live in Eretz Hakodesh becuase to sin in the Kings house is much of a bigger sin than anywhere else in the world.
He’s not going to win any brownie points for this declaration
Uch how could he touch the hand of pure tum’ah
We are obligated to judge a righteous man favorably. You can report on a controversial statement by a big rabbi in a different way that does not sound the way the halacha does not mean, and by quoting him you still let the facts speak for themselves.
The headline should read no more controversial than, “Non-Bnay Noach Gentiles Are Forbidden By Jewish Law To Live In Israel, Chief Rabbi Says” But you could do better than that if you try. Such as, “Chief Rabbi Discusses Which Gentiles Can Live in Israel Under Jewish Law.” The current title, as of this writing, I’m holding out that you will change the title, is inflammatory, misleading, and neged darchay Shalom, against the ways of peace.
We were saddened by the elder Yosef beginning to make such absurd and lurid comments as he got older and may have suffered from dementia. What excuse does Yosef jr. have for such stupidity??
And maybe Israel shouldn’t accept any money from the USA either.