Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein has been selected to be the recipient of the esteemed Israel Prize this coming Yom Haatzmaut.
From Israel Hayom:
Education Minister Shay Piron on Sunday announced Rabbi Aharon Lichtenstein, 80, as the winner of the Israel Prize in Jewish religious literature. The minister approved the recommendation of the prize committee, helmed by Professor Eliav Shochetman.
Lichtenstein heads the Har Etzion Yeshiva, one of the most prominent Torah institutions of the religious Zionist population. He was chosen for his "versatile biblical work characterized by its depth, scope, advanced logic, wit, sensitivity and vision," the Israel Prize committee said.
"Rabbi Lichtenstein's work bases itself on the entirety of the Torah, the Bible and the Mishnah, the Talmud and the Halachah, and Jewish books and rulings."
The committee noted Lichtenstein's "wonderful combination of knowledge of Torah, depth of theoretical Talmudic thought, and originality and creativity, adapted to the Israeli public sphere and dealing with the challenges of our time and place."
The Hesder Yeshiva Association congratulated "the founder of the hesder yeshiva enterprise in Israel," saying his winning of this "esteemed prize is further testimony to the power and greatness of his teachings. The rabbi has educated generations of students who teach Torah to the masses and who constitute part of the religious Zionist rabbinical leadership. His victory will strengthen the hesder yeshivas going forward, by linking Torah studies to military service -- for the nation and the state."
The "anti-Torah" State of Israel is honoring a rosh yeshiva with the most esteemed prize the country has to offer for his teaching of torah. Rabbi Lichtenstein is not a "court Jew", not a politician, not someone out there doing things for the general community other than Torah. Rabbi Lichtenstein learns and teaches and writes about Torah. And that's what he is being honored for.
