"I told him, come": Minister Smotrich on his son's request

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revealed in the "Shomer Saf" podcast that his son asked to get an earring at age 14-15, contrary to the religious and Torah norms of his environment. The minister described how, after a conversation with his son, he personally took him to get the earring and paid for it, based on an educational philosophy that rejects coercion.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich appeared on the "Shomer Saf" podcast and shared a personal story about his son Didi, who at age 14-15 asked to get an earring. Smotrich, the son of a rabbi and a leader of Religious Zionism, described the complexity: "You know, I'm the son of a rabbi, and I live in a yeshiva in Kedumim, in a religious neighborhood. I am very identified—tzitzit out, and a leader of Religious Zionism." After asking his son if he thought it would look good on him and the son answered positively, the minister said: "Come, let's get in the car, I'm taking you to get an earring." Smotrich emphasized that he took his son himself and paid for the procedure, based on an educational philosophy that rejects coercion: "Do I force anything on them? No such thing. I don't believe in it." The minister also spoke about his other children, Binyah who was wounded in the army and went to a hesder yeshiva, and Didi who did not study in high school. "I love them all, and I am proud of them all, and I embrace them all," he said.