Rav Nir Ben Artzi delivered a sharp critique of recent chareidi demonstrations that have involved blocking major roads, arguing that such tactics are inappropriate and undermine the honor of Torah and Judaism.
Addressing the protests, Rav Ben Artzi, a mekubal, head of the Tlamim community in southern Israel, and the head of the Tair Neri organization, said that chareidim should not engage in demonstrations that disrupt traffic and inconvenience the public.
“It is forbidden for chareidim to hold protests like these and block roads. This is not honoring Hashem,” he said.
According to Rav Ben Artzi, road closures and disruptions harm innocent people and run contrary to the values of derech eretz and consideration for others.
“There is a proper way to act,” he said. “Stopping traffic and holding people up is already hatred and wrongdoing. It is not derech eretz. It is not honorable. It is not kavod Hashem.”
He pointed to the hardships caused by lengthy traffic disruptions, noting that motorists may be delayed for hours while trying to get to work, care for family members, or attend to urgent personal needs.
“You cannot hold demonstrations, close roads, and leave people waiting on the highway for 10 hours,” he said. “A woman may need a restroom. There are pregnancies. There is work. There are children waiting at home. There is livelihood. What are you doing?”
Rav Ben Artzi further argued that many participants are simply following instructions without fully understanding the consequences of their actions.
“Ninety percent of the protesters are demonstrating only because they were told to demonstrate,” he claimed. “That is forbidden. It is a very serious sin. Derech eretz kadmah laTorah, and ‘Ve’ahavta l’reiacha kamocha’—that is the entire Torah.”
Instead of street protests, he urged opponents of government policies to channel their efforts into prayer.
“Want to hold a demonstration? Don’t close roads. Go to the desert. Go and daven,” he said.
Rav Ben Artzi emphasized that the true strength of the Jewish people lies not in physical confrontation but in prayer, Torah study, and the recitation of Tehillim.
“The power of the Jewish people is in the mouth—prayer, Torah, and Tehillim,” he said. “That is an infinite power.”
He suggested organizing massive tefillah gatherings at locations throughout Israel, including the Negev and the Galilee, where tens or even hundreds of thousands of chareidim could beseech Hashem for help.
“‘Ribbono Shel Olam, save us, help us.’ That is worth 100 billion demonstrations,” he said. “It would shake Heaven and earth.”
Rav Ben Artzi also expressed frustration with what he described as a reliance on physical activism rather than spiritual means, saying that unity and prayer are the proper response to challenges facing the community.
“The power of Am Yisroel is prayer, not physical force,” he said. “Unity and peace.”
In addition, he claimed that many leading rabbanim and admorim are not receiving accurate information about events unfolding in Israel, asserting that aides and advisors often present them with distorted accounts.
“All your admorim are being lied to,” he said. “The people around them tell them stories that are not true, and they believe them.”
Rav Ben Artzi concluded by encouraging the public to listen directly to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and members of the right-wing government rather than relying on intermediaries.
“Believe only the right-wing government and Binyamin Netanyahu,” he said. “Listen to him directly. He will tell you the truth.”
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Matzav.com}
