Sephardi chief rabbi warns of Israel civil war, calls for peace

Israel's Sephardi Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef stressed the need for peace between those on all sides of the judicial reform debate, which has sparked major controversy in recent months.

We need peace in [this] nation. All the disputes and civil war - this is a worrying thing, it is very painful," he said, speaking about the issue in a Saturday evening class.

The rabbi emphasized that he "does not get involved in [political affairs], but you at least need to convince them, to meet and explain to them."

Rabbi Yosef also criticized the High Court of Justice's attempts to get involved in religious affairs, saying: "At least in religious matters they will not interfere - what do you have to interfere [with] the religious matters of the Rabbinical Court? You are not above the Rabbinical Court."

At the end of the lesson, he returned to his point, saying: "There should be dialogue between [the two sides], so that there will be no -God forbid- civil war. We are all the people of Israel. Love your neighbor as yourself, we are all brothers."

Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef's political opinions 

The rabbi has spoken out on political matters in the past, making a statement against Itamar Ben-Gvir in June of 2022. 

He expressed outrage that Ben-Gvir publicly entered the Temple Mount despite many rabbis forbidding doing so.

The rabbi was speaking about "bitul Torah," the requirement not to waste free time that could be used learning Torah, and about what topics should be discussed when taking a break from learning. He then brought up the case of someone who supports going up to the Temple Mount.

"'Here Rabbi So-and-So permitted entering the Temple Mount. What – is he not a rabbi?' Fool," said Yosef. "Is everyone called 'Gadol b'Torah' [a great rabbi]? Those who are Gedolei Torah are those who guide us. Who forbade entrance to the Temple Mount? All the Gedolei Torah."

Tzvi Joffre contributed to this report.