Rabbinical elections: As the candidates begin to line up for the race, and the excitement among insiders is gathering momentum, it seems that many more surprises are in store.
One of the significant challenges facing any candidate entering the race is the 'deal' struck between the Religious Zionist Party and the Shas Party, according to which Religious Zionism will receive the position of Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi and the Shas Party the position of Rishon LeZion.
But now it turns out that someone 'forgot at home' the Otzma Yehudit party, which today, according to all the polls, is much stronger than religious Zionism. Why, in fact, doesn't it deserve to intervene and speculate on the identity of the next chief rabbis?
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Thus, in recent days, another name has quietly entered the race: the Gaon Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, rabbi of Safed, son of the late Rabbi Eliyahu, zt"l, and father of Minister Amichai Eliyahu of Otzma - who has already run in the past for the position of Rishon LeZion.
Rabbi Eliyahu is 67 years old. This is, therefore, his last opportunity to run for the position, as in the next round of elections he will have already passed the age required to run. The last time he ran, in 2013, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef won 68 votes compared to Rabbi Eliyahu's 49 votes.
Let us recall that even within the Shas movement, there was a struggle over an agreed-upon candidate: the Gaon Rabbi David Yosef, son of the late Rabbi Yosef and a member of the Council of Torah Sages, against the Gaon Rabbi Yehuda Deri, chief rabbi of the city of Beersheba and brother of Shas chairman Aryeh Deri.
So far, it has been announced that Rabbi Eliyahu intends to run for the position of Chief Justice, but the deal that was struck does not leave him much of a chance. Moreover, the opening of a battle between 'Otzma Yehudit' and 'Religious Zionism' will leave no trace of the old deal in question.
From conversations with associates of the rabbi of Safed, a new and interesting plan emerges, although at this stage it is vehemently denied by all official sources.
According to these sources, this is the outline that will resolve the impasse: Har"sh Eliyahu may be content with the position of Sephardic rabbi of the city of Jerusalem, Religious Zionism will determine the identity of its candidate for Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, while Degel will be distributed among the Ashkenazi rabbis for Jerusalem (it is likely that the one who wins the position will be Har"d Lau), and Shas will determine the identity of the chief rabbi - and come to Zion, the redeemer.
Or not.
After all, the battle in Shas was between two candidates: Rabbi Deri versus Rabbi Yosef. The loser of the two - (my bet: Rabbi David Yosef loses, but as we know, prophecy was given to fools), was supposed to be content with a 'consolation prize' as the Sephardic rabbi of Jerusalem. At least, that was what was said in advance. There were also those who tried to suggest in advance that Rabbi David Yosef run for this slot and vacate the arena of the Rashaltz in favor of Rabbi Yehuda Deri, but he refused (according to his people, he is the one who will win the election for the position of Rashaltz).
Only now, if he loses, the seat of Sephardic Chief Rabbi in Jerusalem may be taken...
Response from Minister Amichai Eliyahu's office: The minister's father has not yet decided to run. His son Rabbi Ariel has established a headquarters to run for the position of Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel, not for the Jerusalem Rabbinate.
