In light of the fact that
Israel is yet again a sovereign Jewish state, with Jerusalem as its capital, Bar-Hayim has argued for increased utilization of the
Jerusalem Talmud, which in his opinion, in regard to
Torat Eretz Yisrael and
Minhagei Eretz Yisrael, contains more lucid rulings than the
Babylonian Talmud, which was given supremacy in "exile-mode" Judaism. rulings, some of which are listed below: • In a very controversial ruling, Bar-Hayim announced that any Jew worldwide, regardless of origin, and despite the practice of their forefathers, may eat
kitniyot ("
legumes") on
Passover, as most
Sefardi Jews do, for it is a practice rejected as an unnecessary precaution by some Halachic authorities as early as the time of its emergence. This position has been widely rejected by other rabbis, including
Ovadia Yosef. • When the first day of
Sukkot falls on
Shabbat, Israeli Jews should follow the
Mishna and
Jerusalem Talmud's ruling, and perform the
lulav ritual. • Hallel should be recited on Israeli Independence Day. • Stainless steel utensils do not absorb dairy or meat, and may therefore just be washed with soap and water between dairy and meat use. • Bar-Hayim claims that the rulings of the
Shulchan Aruch were intended as a resource and depiction of common practice in certain areas, and that the author never intended that his rulings become compulsory for Jewry. • The size of an
olive in Jewish law is roughly the size of an olive. Those commentators who over-estimated the size of the olive were unfamiliar with olives, for they had lived in lands which lacked them. • The process of
conversion to Judaism should be one that welcomes sincere converts and allows them the right to choose a rabbi and community which they identify with. • Jewish law requires one to follow the most convincing position which is truest to the sources. One need not uphold a tradition which can be shown to have been conceived in error. • The common form of reclining on
Passover nowadays does not convey the aristocratic nobility it was intended to, and may often defeat its very purpose. • The main purpose of
Torah study is to create a holy nation that obeys the law, and not merely withdrawn individuals seeking personal gain. • A blessing is to be recited when removing
phylacteries. • One may eat poultry followed by dairy without a waiting period. • Torah sages can err, just as the
Sanhedrin could (Leviticus 4:13). • Married women should wear a head covering that is not a wig, since a wig is an invalid form of head covering. It is preferable for a married Jewish woman to expose her hair than to don a
wig, for the wig actually increases attraction in the public domain and encourages the notion that
Halakha is both irrational and intellectually dishonest. "scattering, dispersion"). ==References==