Rabbi David Yosef
Rabbi David YosefFlash90

Rabbi David Yosef, son of the late Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef and a member of the party’s rabbinical council, blasted the Reform Movement during a lecture Sunday night at the Yehaveh Daat synagogue in Jerusalem, likening Reform Jews to the “wicked son” mentioned in the Passover Haggadah.

“There are some who explain [the line in the Haggadah which says], ‘What does this service mean to you?’,” said Rabbi Yosef, elucidating the section of the Haggadah which describes the questions posed by the four sons – the wise son, the wicked son, the simpleton, and the son who does not know how to ask.

“What is bothering the wicked son? The wicked son comes as says ‘What does this service mean to you?’ – in other words [the wicked son is asking], what are these commandments? In effect he [the wicked son] says you should be a Reform Jew; Judaism is a bunch of nice practices, tradition, and all kinds of pretty words [says the wicked son].”

Rabbi Yosef further described Reform Jews as a “kilayim”, a forbidden mixture, saying they mix and match practices as they see fit.

“They eat leavened bread [Hametz] during Passover – they don’t have any problem eating leavened bread. The important thing is to keep some tradition.

“They say they believe in God,” continued Rabbi Yosef, “at least they say so; but I don’t know how it’s possible to believe in the Torah and to eat leavened bread [during Passover].

“The ‘wicked son’ of the Haggadah is the Reform Jew. He comes and says ‘What does this service mean to you’ – in other words, why do you need commandments. They say ‘faith is in the heart.’”

Rabbi Yosef’s comments Sunday were not the first time he has taken aim at the Reform Movement.

In 2016, Rabbi Yosef claimed members of the Reform Movement were “literally idolators”.