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| Rabbi Yaakov Ariel (center) |
The Chief Rabbi of the Israeli city of Ramat Gan has warned Jews to stop asking rabbis for blessing. “Jews should go straight to God with their personal request,” the rabbi wrote recently.
Rabbi Yaakov Ariel, denounced the practice of going to the Kabbalists and rabbis for a special blessing in times of trouble.
Instead, Jews should pray to God for help, he said.
Rabbi Ariel gave his opinion in response to a question to him on a website. A person asked: "We have been married for seven years without children. We went to a rabbi for a blessing for a child. Before entering to the rabbi’s room, we were forced to sign a form agreeing to pay a certain amount if we get pregnant, and another sum if there is a birth. The rabbi also demanded to be the godfather at circumcision ceremony. We signed as we felt we had no choice. The rabbi saw us for five minutes and said: 'Blessings and success'. My husband and I got a very bad feeling about this rabbi. What do you think about this?"
Rabbi Ariel said that according to Jewish law it is forbidden to ask rabbis for a blessing. "There are some hidden spiritual giants that can give a blessing," he said. "But their identities are not known," the rabbi added.
He urged those in need of the blessing to pray to God directly without an agent. Those seeking help can visit the Western Wall, he added.
Rabbi Ariel also ruled that the signed commitment she and her husband were forced into is not valid.