Chief Rabbi against the High Court: 'They are turning Israel into Sodom'

Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef launched a scathing attack on the Supreme Court, calling its rulings 'a return to Sodom.' During a Torah lesson on October 31, he criticized the justices for failing to recognize halachic norms, including on gender separation and same-sex marriage, and called for an end to rulings that contradict Halacha.

Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi David Yosef once again issued sharp criticism of the Supreme Court, calling its rulings 'a return to Sodom.' The statement was made on the evening of Saturday, October 31, during his weekly Torah lesson. The rabbi, who also heads the Great Rabbinical Court, accused the justices of failing to recognize halachic norms, particularly regarding the separation of men and women in the military and synagogues. He also spoke out against same-sex marriage, claiming the court is imposing 'so-called progressive laws' instead of Halacha. Yosef called for an end to judicial rulings that, in his words, contradict not only Jewish law but also common sense. The article notes that this is not the first time the rabbi has spoken out against the legal system: in 2025, he criticized a High Court decision allowing women to take the rabbinical exam.