One of the senior rabbis of the religious Zionist community, Rabbi Dov Lior, issued a strongly-worded letter of support for Rabbi Tao this morning (Tuesday), sharply criticizing the rabbis and journalists who have conducted a lynch against him. Rabbi Lior's letter follows a letter from Rabbi Yaakov Medan, calling for an investigation into the allegations.
In his letter, Rabbi Lior expresses deep shock at the fact that there are severe accusations being circulated in public, and even a rush to judgment, without any proper investigation. He further adds that in cases where serious allegations arise, they should be discreetly examined in a court of law and not in a public trial.
In his letter, Rabbi Lior writes, "We have been deeply dismayed for several months by the hearing of severe defamation, harsh slander, strange and grave accusations against Rabbi Zvi Yisrael Tao, Shlita, which are written and widely disseminated everywhere. To our sorrow, these accusations have even led to physical and verbal violence against an eminent Torah scholar. Especially in a generation where degradation is prevalent, we are guided by the words of our sages that one who humiliates a Torah scholar, there is no remedy for his wound, and the Almighty is more concerned with the honor of the righteous than His own honor."
