Not your regular Joe

Today's passing of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, marks a watershed for Israeli life. He was a larger than life figure for many, which may account for the estimated 500,000 people who "attended" (if that's the right word) his funeral. He cast a giant shadow over the political and religious lives of Sephardim in particular and Israel in general. He was the Sephardic Chief Rabbi ("Rishon LeZion") from 1973-1983 and before that a Torah genius and prodigy. He was also the founder and face (and power) for the Shas political machine. 

While he was the greatest halakhic mind of his (and maybe even the past few) generation, once he left his book lined library and legal decider world, he became one of the crudest political operatives of his generation. It seemed that with every political announcement, was a racist, bigoted, nasty comment, faux pas, was another opportunity to embarrass himself. If I didn't know his background, I would assume he was another political buffoon. He presided over a thoroughly corrupt political party--Shas--who saw a number of its leadership serve time in jail including Aryeh Deri who was also returned to the political leadership of the Shas party (since everyone owed their allegiance to R' Yosef who picked the party list for election). Whatever, reputation he had as an original and sophisticated religious/legal thinker was tarnished by his political utterances which made him out to be an illiterate fool. As time goes by, which part of him will serve as his legacy?

This conundrum was best represented by David Landau's piece in today's (7 Oct 2013) Haaretz "Ovadia Yosef: The political kidnapping of a Torah phenomenon". The question is whether he was "kidnapped" by political hacks or caught in his own (self-spun) web of arrogance and self-assurance. Whatever it was, he ruled the Sephardi religious--haredi and traditional-- world with an iron fist reshaping its reality.

The question then becomes, what and who comes after him?

He left no clear successor, in terms of appointing anyone or allowing someone to assume a successor role. There are his sons, one of whom he 'arranged' to be elected Chief Rabbi, some leading lights rabbis in Shas and a few protégés who also served as Chief Rabbi (Bakshi-Doron and Amar). There is Aryeh Deri who got himself appointed the head of Shas and supposedly played a central role in the funeral.

It's my sense that the Yosef position will be split into two parts. He was the founder and undisputed leader of an all-encompassing movement, a one of a kind individual and no one is available with the same skill set and charisma to hold the group together my himself (since no self-respecting woman who dare to consider herself as worthy of any formal leadership role). Deri will officially take over the political wing of Shas/Sephardi Jewry and there'll be a fight about who will (ultimately) assume the religious mantle.

If you thought the battle of supremacy of the Ashkenazi haredi leadership was highly contested, this will he even more heated.

Stayed tuned and may his memory be for a blessing.