In a class lecture given by Israeli kabbalist Rabbi Yaakov Adas, Adas ruled that Jews should not look at the pope when he visits Israel this weekend because he is “metamei” – an impure person who causes others to be come impure, Yeshiva World reported.
A person who sees the pope should “quickly run and immerse in a mikva [ritual bath] to remove the impurity [that has now attached to him from seeing] this person who represents the avoda zara (idol worship), may God protect us,” Adas said.
In the name of millions of Jews around the world he does not represent, Adas also called on the pope to stay away from the Kotel (Western Wall), from King David’s purported tomb on Mount Zion, and from other Jewish holy sites.
“It’s not the man, nothing personal, but [it’s] what his position represents. This is a religion [Roman Catholicism] with a purpose of combating Judaism, [it is] a religion that spends millions [of dollars] on converting Jews…,” Adas said.
The Church hasn’t had a mission to convert Jews for decades and has no active missionary activities aimed at expressly at Jews – facts Adas appears to be unaware of.
Adas also told a story of being injured in a car accident as a child and hospitalized as a result.
His father allegedly arranged for him to have non-Jewish male nurses so women would not have to touch him and to minimize violations of Shabbat.
Adas claims that one of those male nurses tried to convert him to Christianity.
Like many haredi rabbis, Adas appears to unaware of the different branches and denominations of Christianity and views them as one unified entity – which they certainly are not.
Adas is Sefardi but has taken on many of the customs of Ashkenazi Jews.
His unusual style of praying and related behaviors that many outside observers believe strongly point to various mental health issues including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, have made him both a curiosity in and a favorite kabbalist of the Ashkenazi haredi community.
A person who sees the pope should “quickly run and immerse in a mikva [ritual bath] to remove the impurity [that has now attached to him from seeing] this person who represents the avoda zara (idol worship), may God protect us,” Adas said.
In the name of millions of Jews around the world he does not represent, Adas also called on the pope to stay away from the Kotel (Western Wall), from King David’s purported tomb on Mount Zion, and from other Jewish holy sites.
“It’s not the man, nothing personal, but [it’s] what his position represents. This is a religion [Roman Catholicism] with a purpose of combating Judaism, [it is] a religion that spends millions [of dollars] on converting Jews…,” Adas said.
The Church hasn’t had a mission to convert Jews for decades and has no active missionary activities aimed at expressly at Jews – facts Adas appears to be unaware of.
Adas also told a story of being injured in a car accident as a child and hospitalized as a result.
His father allegedly arranged for him to have non-Jewish male nurses so women would not have to touch him and to minimize violations of Shabbat.
Adas claims that one of those male nurses tried to convert him to Christianity.
Like many haredi rabbis, Adas appears to unaware of the different branches and denominations of Christianity and views them as one unified entity – which they certainly are not.
Adas is Sefardi but has taken on many of the customs of Ashkenazi Jews.
His unusual style of praying and related behaviors that many outside observers believe strongly point to various mental health issues including Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, have made him both a curiosity in and a favorite kabbalist of the Ashkenazi haredi community.
[Hat Tip: Seymour.]
