Ovadia Yosef: genius or idiot?
The Knesset channel: Rabbi Ovadia's rhetoric
After the death of Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, many secularists (and quite a few ultra-Orthodox Ashkenazis) found it difficult to explain the secret of the media success of 'Hamaran'.
Guy Yariv, a secularist who often works with the ultra-orthodox sector, translates for the general audience Ovadia Yosef's strategy in front of an audience: relying on the halachic status he acquired on the basis of thick, well-reasoned and well-documented books, in order to appeal to the broadest common denominator. In his appearances in front of an audience, Rabbi Yosef seldom brought quotes and sources (especially compared to the huge amount he brought in writing) and instead used parables and simple stories, in simple and purposefully playful Hebrew with humor and jokes.
Was it so low because he was lazy or because he was a genius?
Guy brings the answer and the proof with the help of the interview recordings
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