The president of the Supreme Court, Esther Hayut, last night rejected the Chief Rabbinate’s request for another hearing, and ruled, more than six months after the decision, that chametz is allowed in hospitals on Passover. This morning (Monday), Erel Segal spoke on his program on 103FM with the guest presenter, David Wertheim, on the subject.
Segal: “The High Court ruled yesterday that chametz is allowed in hospitals on Passover, and you must be happy and cheerful.”
Wertheim: “I want you to surprise me, and tell me you’re in favor of dismissing this petition.”
Segal: “No, I am not in favor of dismissing the petition. We are a country that is a Jewish state and the IDF does not eat chametz on Passover, why? Because it is possible to avoid eating chametz for one week. But in hospitals it is an even more complex situation, why? Now, the question is what is more difficult – is the prevention of chametz for a week in hospitals more difficult or easier than the non-prevention of chametz? This is not about hunger. There are enough substitutes and there is enough other food. I respect the High Court ruling, That this is another way to erode the Jewish image of the State of Israel. “
Wertheim: “What is it to gnaw? The status quo so far, 70 and something year, that you do not search, that there are no security guards at the entrance and search the files.”
Segal: “I do not think you really need to rummage through files, but yes, hospitals should be places that are kosher for Passover, why? Because a lot of Jews are hospitalized there in a hospital in a Jewish state. “If you are hospitalized in Dubai, I estimate that you will not be able to bring alcoholic beverages into the hospital in Dubai and drink them.”
Wertheim: “In Dubai I am also not allowed to walk hand in hand with my partner on the street, where do you want to go?”.
Segal: “No, I do not want to get there.”
Wertheim: “Let’s compare us to a liberal, Western, progressive place.”
Segal: “I do not argue with the High Court ruling, they will eat pasta and bread in a hospital on Passover, but what will it do? It will make their neighbors in the room a serious problem.”
Wertheim: “But the place of the state …”.
Segal: “The state place did not put it in. It’s a fact that the food in the hospitals is kosher, but as soon as you put in chametz, you drive your entire area crazy.
Wertheim: “You surprised me badly. I expected you to come and say, ‘You know what I think about the activism of the courts, I think that if the Knesset wants to come and enact a law that says that, that it will enact a law, and not come up with some capricious regulation and ask the court to ratify it “Even though it does not tell people not to bring kosher food to the hospital, no one tells people not to eat kosher food, and no one asks the hospital management to prepare non – kosher food.”
Segal: “For religious people on Passover, chametz is a serious offense.”
Wertheim: “So they will not eat.”
Segal: “But they must not even be seen and be near it.”
Wertheim: “What is this nonsense?”.
Segal: “Would you put chametz in the army as well?”
Wertheim: “To the bases? If they came to visit me and bring me pizza? Then yes.”
Segal: “So religious soldiers will not be able to serve, period. Release the religious soldiers. “
Wertheim: “What has this got to do with it?”.
Segal: “Because this is our law.”
Wertheim: “Then seculars will not be able to serve.”
Segal: “The secularists can. They can avoid a week. I think it could have been solved in a smarter way, no need to announce with signs, ‘I put chametz in a hospital’ – you could say, ‘We will build a compound in every hospital, a chametz compound. There, whoever wants to eat chametz, will eat chametz. Otherwise, you’re basically driving the whole hospital crazy. “