Chief Rabbi Isaac Yosef Praises Knesset for Enacting Torah Study and Kashrut Reform Laws

Chief Rabbi Isaac Yosef, the Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, sent a letter to Shas party leader Aryeh Deri commending the recent passage of key legislation in the Knesset. These laws include the Basic Law on Torah Study, the law on detentions, and the repeal of the controversial Kashrut reform. Rabbi Yosef highlighted the Basic Law on Torah Study as a significant recognition of the importance of Torah and its scholars, stating that Torah learners are the defenders of the Jewish people and the transmitters of tradition from generation to generation.

The letter follows Rabbi Yosef's earlier unusual appeal urging Deri to expedite the legislation, emphasizing the urgency and importance of passing the Torah Study law without delay. Regarding the repeal of the Kashrut reform, Rabbi Yosef expressed blessings to those involved in safeguarding kosher standards, including MK Rabbi Michael Malchieli and Rabbi Yehuda Avidan, praising their efforts to restore the authority of the Chief Rabbinate over kosher certification.

Rabbi Yosef expressed hope that the new laws would lead to a fundamental change in the status of Torah learners, ending their persecution and restoring their prior standing. The Knesset approved the repeal of the 2021 Kashrut reform in its second and third readings, which had allowed private kosher certification bodies. The repeal returns kosher certification authority exclusively to the Chief Rabbinate. The Basic Law on Torah Study, also passed in its second and third readings, establishes Torah study as a foundational value in Jewish heritage and the State of Israel, passing with 63 votes in favor and 52 against.