The appointment of the head of the Porat Yosef yeshiva, Chacham Shalom Cohen, as president of the Council of Torah Sages and leader of the Shas movement, as the successor to Maran Gra"a Yosef, was received as real good news among the Sephardic public.
Not long ago, this large group lost its beloved and revered father, and here arose a worthy leader of the holy movement that engraved on its banner the return of the crown and honor to the members of the Eastern communities in the Holy Land, a tremendous genius, Rosh Yeshiva and a long-time Torah scholar, who was one of the founders of the movement and the Torah figure closest to the late Grand Rabbi Zacharias.
But the appointment did not go without accompanying harsh tones.
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The name of the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi Amar, has once again come up around the claim that the crown was worthy of his head. Even if we ignore the battles waged by those close to him, and the publicity of the ceremonial visits of the heads of state, it seems that we cannot ignore the claim that a great mistake was made by the Shas movement, which chose not to include Rabbi Amar in its ranks, or as Chairman Aryeh Deri expressed it: "Rabbi Amar is not part of the Council of Torah Sages and is not one of the leaders of the Shas movement.".
From an analysis of Rabbi Amar's character as it became known over the past decade, when he served as Rishaltz and Chief Rabbi, a unique personality emerges, unparalleled in the world of the rabbinate and among the Eastern Jewish communities.
Beyond escaping from formalities and distancing himself from the spotlight - to the extent that this was possible for him in his public role - the rabbi never got into trouble, either criminally or verbally. He weighed his words carefully, spoke calmly and softly, and never raised his voice at anyone. It is no wonder, then, how he acquired a large audience of admirers who were captivated by his charms.
The coronation of Chacham Shalom Cohen proves that Shas' political leaders failed to understand that the aggressive line taken by the head of the Porat Yosef yeshiva, and his harsh protest against non-Haredi sectors, could lead to the defection of quite a few people who might have supported the Shas movement, and will now choose another, less radical party. The polls predicting 7-8 seats for Shas have never seemed so correct.
It should be emphasized that, God forbid, there is no harm done to the honor of the great Rabbi Shalom Cohen here, but on a political level, it seemed appropriate for the movement to place a figure perceived as moderate at its head, especially since the traditional cloak associatively evokes the revered and unforgettable figure of the late Rabbi.
