Israel’s Chief Rabbi Kalman Bar Supports Colleague’s Public Statement on Shabbat Observance

Israel’s Chief Rabbi Kalman Bar has publicly backed his colleague, Rabbi David Yosef, the First to Zion and President of the Great Rabbinical Court, following criticism over Yosef’s remarks about Shabbat observance. In a detailed letter addressed to the Commissioner for Public Complaints Against Judges, retired Judge Asher Kola, Bar emphasized that Yosef’s statements were not personal but a faithful fulfillment of his public and historical duty as part of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

Rabbi Bar clarified that defending the public status of Shabbat is not merely a right but a fundamental obligation incumbent upon the Chief Rabbinate by virtue of its role. He noted that throughout history, all Chief Rabbis of Israel have consistently safeguarded the sanctity of Shabbat in the public sphere since the institution’s establishment.

Bar further highlighted that the issue at hand involved judicial decisions made within the framework of official authority, thus carrying broad public significance related to the Jewish character of the State of Israel. He underscored that Rabbi Yosef’s public voice represented his responsibility and mission as a Chief Rabbi. To support his position, Bar cited numerous historical sources and letters from past Chief Rabbis, including Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, Rabbi Herzog, Rabbi Uziel, and Rabbi Unterman, all of whom stressed the Chief Rabbinate’s duty to uphold Shabbat’s sanctity in public life.