1.
Many political commentators believe that a rival party to Shas will be established in the run-up to the next elections. It is clear that it will include former Shas chairman, MK Eli Yishai (I am not going to split Shas, he makes it clear in conversations with him, but apparently is not really able to convince), but such a party will also need a respectable rabbinical umbrella.
This is where the constant probing of the minds of the rabbis of the Sephardic world stems from. Any of them who makes a statement, one way or another, against the current leadership, even if it is a legitimate criticism that does not indicate a lack of support for Shas, is immediately perceived as supporting Shas-B. This is also what happened with the arrival of Rabbi Mazuz, Rosh Yeshivah Kesah Rachamim, to the "Welcoming His Rabbi" event held on Chol HaMoed Pesach at the home of the rabbi, Rabbi Amar, which created the impression that Rabbi Mazuz was supporting a future party competing with Shas. Of course, the very fact that the event took place "testified" to Rabbi Amar's intention to head the Shas-B Council of Sages.
And repeated statements will not help because the rabbi has taken upon himself not to engage in politics during the year of mourning for the passing of the late Rabbi Yosef. Well, say the commentators, his people are already beginning to prepare. The announcement, they say, will come after the end of the year.
2.
There is no doubt that the evil winds blowing between Deri's camp and the camp of Rabbi Amar (the rabbi himself is busy studying Torah and spreading it throughout the country) do not contribute to the stability of the holy movement.
The one who began to initiate a peace movement was Rabbi Moshe Yosef's son-in-law - Rabbi Yaakov Sinai, a scholar-scholar who diligently studied Torah in the kollel headed by Rabbi Amar's son. However, his efforts were to establish peace between his grandfather, the late Rabbi Zacharias, and Rabbi Amar. Many tried to put a damper on the activities, but they failed. It turns out that the love that existed for many years between the two personalities stood the test even after Rabbi Amar nominated another candidate (Rabbi Zion Bo'aron) over Rabbi Ovadia's candidate (his son, Rabbi Yosef) in the elections for Chief Rabbis.
Some time before he left his home for hospitalization, from which he never returned, the Gra insisted that Rabbi Amar be brought to him, and the two held a real solaha between them. It was on the eve of the last Yom Kippur. Despite the harsh statements, despite the anger - peace was achieved.
3.
Shortly after the passing of the Grand Vizier, tensions within Shas resurfaced. It was well-covered by the media, which repeatedly reminded that Shas being one party was only a temporary fact, and that it would soon split into two.
Shas Chairman Aryeh Deri, someone who knows how to read maps, has been making efforts ever since to this day to embrace Rabbi Amar back into the fold of Shas. The anger is great, after all, the rabbi's people see him as the culprit for the trampling of the 'Amar Law', which would have allowed him to continue his tenure as Chief Rabbi.
Deri, for his part, does not understand why he is being accused. It was the rabbi who ruled that after the deal with Rabbi David Stav was closed, there was nothing to talk about, and his son would be the one to receive the position.
In between, many people - from rabbis to journalists to businessmen - are trying to bring about the long-awaited peace. So far, none of them have really succeeded.
If he could, he would probably be happy to give the Rishon Lezion the position of Chief Rabbi of Jerusalem. This would give him years of peace from any threat to leadership from one party or another. Threat? The people of the Rishon Lezion will say. We are not there. We do not deal with politics.
For some reason, Deri is not reassured by these words. To be honest, neither are the journalists.
4.
After another move by a businessman was published (I don't know if the publication contributed to Shalom, but it certainly contributed to the publicity of the man's business), the office of Rabbi Amar clarified: "The Rishon LeZion did not speak to anyone about this issue. It's a shame that Deri's people are conducting campaigns against the great men of Israel in the media in such a shallow manner. The Rishon LeZion announced that he has no intention of engaging in politics.".
If we interpret this, they are essentially placing the blame for publishing the various initiatives on Deri's office, which supposedly reaps dividends from this type of news.
Because this is how it looks: Here comes an initiative, a businessman approached Aryeh Deri, Deri responded positively, the initiative got stuck in Givat Hambatar. As if, God forbid, it was Rabbi Amar who didn't want peace.
Will he take up the gauntlet after the end of the year and respond to peace efforts of this or that kind? - Time will tell. As of now, he will not meet with a politician. If the president of the Council of Sages, the rabbi Shalom Cohen, had asked to meet with him on the subject, it is likely that the response would have been different. But as long as this has not happened (is there a business owner who is interested in promoting the initiative, in exchange for mentioning his name and the name of his business?) - the rabbi is not involved in politics and will not meet with politicians to talk about politics.
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