Shas representatives, Knesset member Uriel Bosso and Minister of Religion Michael Malchiali recently placed on the Knesset table a new-old bill designed to regulate by law the behavior of visitors to the Western Wall, and now the proposal has reached the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs. According to the proposal, whoever passes one of a series of Sections, among which immodest clothing at the Kotel may serve half a year in prison or pay a fine of NIS 10,000. This proposal raised a lot of criticism and angry reactions on social networks.
For example, Hagai Segal, the former editor-in-chief of “Mekor Rishon” cynically commented on the event, and in a tweet he uploaded to his Twitter account, he wrote: “If the ‘sleeves law’ is passed, I pledge without a vow to go to the Wall with short sleeves and a guitar.”
Rabbi Shaul Farber, chairman of the Atim organization, published an angry response, “It seems that the proponents of the proposal do not understand the dramatic consequences of their bill that will result in fatal damage to Israeli Jewish culture,” he wrote, and warned that the bill may alienate Judaism from the Jews. According to Farber, “this bill will lead to a dilution of the number of women and men who will visit the Square, an injury to the general public who see the Wall as an essential part of the Jewish identity of the State of Israel, and will even result in damage to IDF ceremonies in the Square”, and he called on the elected representatives to remove the bill from the chapter.
Knesset members attack Deri’s proposal “Could the Wall also belong to half of the people?”
Member of Knesset Sharon Nir from Israel Beitenu tweeted: “On the way to a Halacha state! While we are all fighting for the future of the State of Israel, Shas is vigorously promoting a law to restrict our steps at the Western Wall, which is a symbol for all of us of traditional Judaism and the bringing together of hearts.” And ended with the question, “Could it be Will the Wall also belong to only half of the people??”
“Two Deri laws in one week?” scoffed MK Zeev Elkin from the state camp. In a tweet that he uploaded to his Twitter account, he wrote: “Dressing immodestly at the Western Wall in the opinion of the Wall Rabbi Inspector, bringing a musical instrument, a ceremony not according to the Western Wall Rabbi’s instructions and another six months in prison? Have you gone crazy???” And he added that “the only consolation is that according to the first Deri law, whoever receives this sentence of six months in prison will still be able to be appointed minister. So you can say that the two Deri laws balance each other out.”