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Some rabbis criticize new Madonna song
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-10 09:20 A song on Madonna's upcoming album dedicated to a
Kabbalist rabbi is drawing criticism from other rabbis, the Israeli Maariv daily
reported Sunday.
The album, "Confessions on a Dance Floor," is to be released on Nov. 15 and
features a track entitled "Isaac" about Yitzhak Luria, a 16th century Jewish
mystic and Kabbalah scholar.
Rabbis who oversee Luria's tomb and a seminary in the northern town of Safed
are unimpressed with Madonna's musical tribute and see the inclusion of the song
about Luria on the album as an attempt by the pop star to profit from his name.
Rabbi Rafael Cohen, head of a seminary named after Luria, suggested Madonna's
actions could lead to divine retribution.
"Jewish law forbids the use of the name of the holy rabbi for profit. Her act
is just simply unacceptable and I can only sympathize for her because of the
punishment that she is going to receive from the heavens," Cohen told the
newspaper.
Another rabbi called for Madonna to be thrown out of the community.
"Such a woman brings great sin on kabbalah," Rabbi Israel Deri told Maariv.
"I hope that we will have the strength to prevent her from bringing sin upon the
holiness of the rabbi (Yitzhak Luria)."
Madonna spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg didn't immediately return a phone call
seeking comment Sunday.
The singer and actress was raised a Roman Catholic but
has become a follower of Kabbalah in recent years and adopted the Hebrew name
Esther. She made a much publicized visit to Israel in 2004, when she visited
many sites important to Kabbalah, but didn't travel to Luria's grave.
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