Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich says he tries to avoid shaking hands with women due to halakhic restrictions against physical contact between the genders, but tries not to offend the person in front of him.
In an interview for the "Hakol Patuah" podcast, he said, "I try not to, but if, for instance, someone put out her hand and she would be offended if not, so yet, because I don't want to insult her. I try very hard not to offend her."
Later, he shared advice he received from former Supreme Court President Esther Hayut after meeting at one of the Knesset swearing-in ceremonies.
According to Smotrich, when he hesitated to shake her hand, she told him, "I'll give you a tip. Every time you come and a woman tries to shake your hand, tell her, 'To you I give my heart.' And you'll see that she won't be insulted."
The minister shared that since that meeting, he has followed Hayut's advice. "I am not giving you my hand because halakha prohibits me, but I am giving you my heart," he said, and added that he is careful to refrain from having any contact with women other than his wife, doing so respectfully and in a kind manner.
Later in the interview, Smotrich was asked at what age he married his wife, Revital, to which he answered 23.