Rabbi Denigrates Public as 'Animals,' Contrasting With His 'Real' Life
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
Rabbi Yehoshua Roth and his students blocked Highway 4, referring to other drivers as "animals." Roth contrasted their "sublime" lifestyle, connected to God and Torah, with the "animalistic" lives of the general public. He expressed fear of being degraded to an animal and accused others of trying to do the same to yeshiva student deserters.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Yehoshua Roth and students blocked Highway 4, calling other drivers "animals."
- Roth contrasted his "real" life connected to God and Torah with the "animalistic" lives of others.
- He stated that his "animalistic" tax money funds his and his students' "sublime" lifestyle.
- Roth fears being degraded from human to an animal, like a sheep or pig.
- He accused others of trying to turn yeshiva student deserters into "animals."
Rabbi Yehoshua Roth of the Yerushalmi Faction, along with his students, blocked traffic on Highway 4 during peak hours, which he referred to as the time when 'animals' travel in their cars. Roth described this time as when 'animals' return home from their 'animalistic' jobs, where they earned 'animalistic' money to pay 'animalistic' taxes that fund his and his students' "sublime" lifestyle. He considers himself and his followers to be "people" living "real" lives, in contrast to the "animalistic" lives of others.
In a philosophical sermon delivered to the "animals" watching television, Roth stated, "We are connected to God and connected to the Torah, and that is our life. If not for this, why do we need life?" He expressed a desire to avoid being degraded to the level of an "animal," fearing a descent from being human to becoming a sheep, cow, pig, or, "God forbid," a secular person. Roth claimed that those who try to change a captured yeshiva student deserter are attempting to "turn him into an animal."