Chief Rabbi Kalman Bar Defends First Zion Rabbi David Yosef's Call to Uphold Shabbat Sanctity

Chief Rabbi of Israel and President of the Chief Rabbinate Council, Rabbi Kalman Bar, issued a detailed letter supporting his colleague, First Zion Rabbi David Yosef, following a complaint to the Public Complaints Commissioner about Yosef's public statements. Rabbi Bar clarified that Yosef's remarks are not an overstep but a faithful fulfillment of the Chief Rabbinate's historic and public mission to preserve the Jewish character of the State of Israel, particularly regarding the sanctity of Shabbat in the public sphere.

Rabbi Bar emphasized that protecting Shabbat's status is not merely a right but a fundamental duty incumbent upon the Chief Rabbinate by virtue of its role. He noted that throughout history, all Chief Rabbis since the establishment of the Chief Rabbinate have consistently defended Shabbat's sanctity in public life. The letter stressed that the issue at hand is not a private matter but a public concern tied to judicial decisions made by judges in their official capacity, thus carrying broad implications for Israel's Jewish identity.

To support his position, Rabbi Bar referenced a series of historical sources and letters from previous Chief Rabbis, including Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, Rabbi Herzog, Rabbi Uziel, and Rabbi Unterman, all of whom underscored the Chief Rabbinate's obligation to safeguard Shabbat's sanctity publicly. Rabbi Bar concluded that Rabbi Yosef's public statements represent the responsible exercise of his public role and mission as First Zion and head of the Great Rabbinical Court.