MK Yakov Asher (United Torah Judaism) spoke in a Knesset session about the political issues which have been paralyzing the Knesset.
"It is all because of personal boycotts and baseless hatred," he said. "During these days of counting the Omer, we need to add in baseless love."
There are seven weeks, or 49 days, between the second day of Passover and Shavuot, the Holiday of Weeks. Jews count each of these days, and on the fiftieth day celebrate Shavuot. This "counting" period is called Sefirat Ha'omer, or the Counting of the Omer.
"We are currently counting the Omer, during which Rabbi Akiva's students died as punishment for a lack of love towards each other," Asher said. "Rabbi Akiva taught us to 'love your fellow as yourself' because that is a major rule in the Torah. But we have reached a situation in which not only do we not add in love for each other, but we have turned the hatred into a tool, so to speak, to be used for almost anything."
Regarding the current situation, in which the Knesset is essentially paralyzed, Asher said: "The Knesset is not functioning, only due to personal boycotts. It is happening because the discourse is not focusing on world views, right or left, a Jewish state or not, it's all personal boycotts and baseless hatred. For this we have paid a very high price, and today the price is that public systems are paralyzed and cannot help the citizens."
"I am trying to bring everyone back to Rabbi Akiva's words. Remember Rabbi Yeshayahu Heber, obm, today - this week is the anniversary of his passing. The entire idea behind the creation of his organization for kidney donations is to love your fellow as yourself. After he himself needed a kidney donation, he got up and founded an organization which would help everyone who found themselves in such a situation. Let's learn from him and end the State of Israel's paralysis."