Gideon Sa'ar: "It's Important My Son Grows Up with Jewish Values"

There is not a media outlet in the country that hasn't tried to interview Gideon Sa'ar, the former senior minister on a political hiatus, ahead of the Sukkot holiday. However, Sa'ar granted only one exclusive interview to Yossi Elituv and Shimon Breitkopf from 'Mishpacha'. Sa'ar is still reluctant to say when he'll return to politics or detail his relationship with Prime Minister Netanyahu, but he did speak about his closeness to Judaism in the interview.

"When David was born, I invited a prominent rabbi to be the sandek at the brit. Unfortunately, he couldn't make it to the event. When I found out he wouldn't arrive, I felt it was my role, that I should be the sandek of my son. One of the rabbis present told me that a sandek must be a Jew who observes Shabbat. What’s the problem, I told him, I'll take it upon myself that from this day forward, I will observe Shabbat. And so it was. I took it upon myself to keep Shabbat, and that’s what I've done ever since."

Sa'ar explains that it was a process, which just happened to come to fruition at the brit milah of his son. "But the process could have taken many more years, and the sandek role expedited it. David's birth was related to this... When my son was born, it was very important to me that he grows up with Jewish values... to give him the opportunity when he grows up and wants to make his own choices, that they aren't out of ignorance or lack of knowledge but choices based on basic Jewish identity."

Gideon Sa'ar (Photo: Miriam Alster / Flash 90)

Sa'ar's almost last decision as a public figure was to prohibit supermarkets from operating in Tel Aviv on Shabbat. "It was clear to me that if a bylaw allowing them to operate gets approved, within thirty years Shabbat will look just like a weekday. I’m sure no one wants that to be the result... I need to clarify another point: the Shabbat for a religious person will remain the same in any case. He'll always be in synagogue, eat three meals with family, and observe the commandments. Shabbat belongs to all of Israel, and therefore it's crucial to maintain its unique dimension even in the public sphere."

Besides his personal closeness, Sa'ar has also been seen frequently in the homes of great rabbis in recent years, particularly at Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky's house in Bnei Brak. "Unfortunately, I don't get there as often as I'd like, but when I do and see his dedication to Torah study, his modest lifestyle, it's impossible not to be moved. When I leave his house, I always regret not having enough time to study more. It's something I greatly appreciate, and I pray for the day when I am less occupied with public matters and financial issues, allowing me more time to study."