Interior Minister Eli Yishai on Sunday defended remarks made Saturday by Shas Spirtual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. "The rabbi preaches morals to all of us in order to gain strength, to do good deeds, and to repent." Yishai added, that whoever hears the rabbi understands that "he is in tears and speaks with pain" about the tragedy in the Carmel.RELATED:'Carmel fire in most stable state since blaze broke out'Yishai: Ministry begged for more fire rescue funds'80% of Israelis dissatisfied with state, religious policy'Yishai's comments come after Rabbi Ovadia Yosef remarks in his weekly sermon on Saturday night in which he claimed that thedevastating Carmel fire was a result of insufficient Shabbat observance in thearea. “Fires only happen in a place where Shabbatis desecrated,” he quoted from the Babylonian Talmud Shabbat tractate in hisweekly sermon. “Homes were ruined," he continued, "entireneighborhoods wiped out, and it is not arbitrary. It is all divine providence.” “We must repent, keep Shabbatappropriately. When the People of Israel repent, God safeguards them with awall of fire,” but not of the incinerating type, Yosef added.
