Chabad prohibited. Aryeh Deri allowed? • Furious column

Haredi Judaism is in a storm. Shock. Amazement. Rage. This is incredible. How is it possible that in the midst of the struggle for the apple of our eye, haredi Jews stand up and kindly host the greatest enemy of the Torah world, the person responsible for the horrible persecution of Torah scholars and stealing the piece of bread and glass of milk of young children?!

The photos at the Sheva Brachot held last night by Shas chairman, Rabbi Aryeh Deri, are appalling to every haredi Jew. At the height of the struggle, while the prime minister is shunned by all of Orthodox Judaism, the chairman of a haredi party invites the Prime Minister, embracing him kindly, and is even photographed with him in Salafi picture.

These images generate a huge storm in haredi Judaism. The headlines of sites express shock at the terrible act, a stab in the back of haredi Judaism, which has been fighting for its existence. Current affairs programs on haredi radio networks are turbulent. Columnists are sharpening their pens and go out on a sweeping attack on the party chairman who chooses to embrace Haredi chasers.

Just a moment, everything described here is not really happening? There are no stormy titles on haredi sites? Haredi Judaism does not rage? No severe attack and piercing articles? Is it really that the friendly embrace of Shas chairman with Bibi, Lieberman, Bennett and Shalah passes in silence, and even gets a patting report in the haredi media?

No, it can not be. For just two months ago all sites and radio programs and columnists of raged at the visit of the prime minister at the Matzos bakery in Kfar Chabad. Then it was presented as a betrayal, a stab in the back, the most terrible thing, And all of a sudden silence!

It is a bigger wonder when comparing the two events. Chabad's decision to accept the Prime Minister should not have surprised anyone. This is the Chabad way ever since. It always hosted all public figures of various kinds at its Matzo Bakery and events held, in a principle perception that its role is to draw close all Jews and to light their sparkle. One can agree with the Chabad way or disagree, but this position has always been its way through in the path which the Lubavitcher Rebbe charted.

But representatives of haredi Judaism in the Knesset - they have been elected to manage the struggle of Orthodox Jewry. They do not exist to trigger sparks and embrace all Jews, but to fight the war of the haredi public. If the decision was made that the Prime Minister is the culprit in the persecution of haredim and if there was overwhelming agreement that there should be a total disconnection with him - it is conceivable that the head of a haredi party will hug and kiss him and be photographed with him at a festive event! Could such a thing pass in silence and there is no one who speaks out!

And do not get me wrong, I personally happen to think that there is nothing wrong with inviting the Prime Minister and other personalities in the political system by Shas chairman to the event. It's all the better that there is also the right which draws close and not only a left which pushes away. But according to that whole gaudy choir, who rooted out only two months ago, when the Prime Minister came to Kfar Chabad - why is silent now and does not make a slight peep?

I hate to say, but it has one definition - hypocrisy. The real face of all these self-righteous, preaching morality to Chabad, is exposed now in all its ugliness. We'll remember it next time.

The writer is a lawyer and a Chabad journalist
To the previous guest column: Who allowed the doctor to kill? Life of the moment, they live

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!