The Ministry of Religious Affairs is concerned: A rabbi was elected despite cheating on exams.

The Ministry of Religious Services and the Chief Rabbinate is concerned that Rabbi David Tzadok was elected rabbi of Moshav Ora after he received the rabbinical exams illegally. This was reported this morning (Tuesday) by Uria Elkayim on Channel 2.

Rabbi Tzadok passed exams in one month - Kislev 5773 - for Hoshen Mishpat, Nida, Chuppah and Kiddushin, while in the months of Nissan and Shevat of that year he passed exams in slaughter, teripot and kashrut supervision.

The Ministry of Religious Services defines this success in the exams as "impossible," since the exams require years of study.

A senior official in the Rabbinate's Examinations Department tells Haredim 10: "It's a simple story. The man is the genius of the geniuses of the Jewish people. Let's put it this way: the pace of the exams he took - the only one who could pass them is Rabbi Yosef or Rabbi Dov Lior or Rabbi Elyashiv."

Rabbi Tzadok refused to respond to Reshet B's request.

According to the report, even before the appointment, complaints were received regarding his exams, and even before the elections, the legal advisor to the Ministry of Religious Services, Attorney Israel Pat, informed various elements in the Mate Yehuda Council that they should cancel the election proceedings in Moshav Ora. However, the elections were held there, despite the opposition of the Ministry of Religious Services.

A senior official in the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council confirmed to Haredim 10 that the legal advice of the Ministry of Religious Services prohibited holding elections, and the ministry's representative, Rabbi Hizkiyahu Samin, even left the scene - and despite everything, the elections were held.

The Mateh Yehuda Regional Council stated: "Rabbi Tzadok is a man of high standing, and was selected after he led the way in the criteria set out in the tender. As far as we know, the rabbi has no criminal or moral blemish. If he is unable to perform his duties for any reason, or if it is discovered that there was some blemish in his actions, we will turn to the second place in the tender."

Elkayim notes that the issue of exam fraud is a well-known matter that is also being investigated by the police, but this is the first time a rabbi has been elected to the position despite there being a question mark about him.

The Ministry of Religious Services, as mentioned, was unable to prevent the elections and, from their perspective, they do not recognize the results.