Rabbi Yaakov Ariel Denies Current Ties to Hotem Amid Controversy

In a detailed interview with the magazine "HaDor," Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, a senior and respected authority in Religious Zionism, addressed a range of public and halachic issues including attitudes toward Islam, military conscription of Haredim and women, Torah study for women, the Chief Rabbinate, and the activities of the organization Hotem. Rabbi Ariel contrasted Jewish and Islamic religious views, emphasizing that Judaism calls for humane conduct even in war, unlike what he described as Islam's demand for ferocity. He stressed that the Jewish people do not seek to harm innocents but believe in a God of kindness and peace.

Regarding the rise in women's Torah study, Rabbi Ariel welcomed the trend as positive and longstanding but drew a clear line against feminist demands for gender equality that contradict natural roles or require constant female presence in all areas. He stated that women cannot serve as community rabbis because the role requires leading prayers and Torah reading. He supported women taking rabbinical exams in any field but suggested the Chief Rabbinate should only certify community rabbis, while another body should handle exams for teaching and scholarship roles.

Rabbi Ariel sharply criticized the current selection process of the Chief Rabbinate, which he said is dominated by one political party due to the makeup of the appointing body controlled mostly by the Ministry of Religious Services. He called for reform to transfer decision-making power to the public, similar to how local communities invite rabbis for trial Shabbat visits.

On military service, Rabbi Ariel opposed drafting women into the army, advocating instead for national or separate civilian service tracks, citing the unsuitability of mixed-gender military environments. He differentiated between Torah scholars in Haredi yeshivas, who he called the "pillars of the nation," and those not engaged in study, who should serve in the army. He proposed a joint forum of military and religious leaders to find suitable frameworks rather than relying on political or judicial decisions that cause division.

Addressing the Hotem organization, Rabbi Ariel firmly denied any current connection despite his name appearing as president on Wikipedia. He recounted reprimanding Hotem's CEO, Rabbi Aviad Gadot, over a provocative billboard targeting Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, stating, "I am not responsible for what he does and have no connection to it." He condemned extreme rhetoric and verbal violence from all sides in Israeli society, including harsh statements against the military chief and attacks on the Haredi community.

Finally, Rabbi Ariel discussed the recent halachic controversy sparked by Chief Rabbi Kalman Bar's letter criticizing the Military Rabbinate's rulings on Sabbath desecration. He noted ongoing discussions with the Military Rabbinate, particularly about soldiers taking short leave during active combat, concluding that such rest is essential for their well-being and thus permitted on Shabbat.