‘Divine justice?’: Rabbis claim helicopter crash is God’s punishment for Iran’s Raisi

Ben Artzi warned, “Have mercy on yourselves, God said enough is enough, You have angered Him,” indicating that the incident was a result of spiritual retribution for actions taken by Raisi.

Following the emergency “hard landing” of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter in foggy conditions in northwestern Iran on Sunday, various Israeli rabbis have publicly reacted with remarks that suggest divine intervention, reflecting deep-seated spiritual and confrontational views.

Rabbi Meir Abutbul starkly referred to Raisi as “the hangman from Tehran” and condemned him in a post on Facebook for his antagonism towards Israel and the Jewish people.

Claiming the helicopter crash is divine punishment

“This dog wanted to hang Jews, so God scattered him to the winds in a helicopter crash, him and his entire Israel-hating crew,” Abutbul wrote, suggesting that the crash was a form of divine punishment.
Similarly, Rabbi Nir Ben Artzi, noted for his focus on Kabbalah, linked the event to divine displeasure. In his Facebook post, Ben Artzi warned, “Have mercy on yourselves, God said enough is enough, You have angered Him,” indicating that the incident was a result of spiritual retribution for actions taken by Raisi and his administration.

Comparing Raisi to Haman

Adding to these voices, Rabbi Yitzchak Batzri also shared his thoughts on social media, likening Raisi to the biblical villain Haman.

“Haman the wicked was hurt in a helicopter accident,” Batzri wrote on Facebook, referencing the report from the Iranian news agency Tasnim about the crash in the East Azerbaijan region.

He concluded his post with a biblical verse, “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His mercy endures forever,” and extended a blessing for the week, inviting his followers to comment and engage in further discussion.
These statements come against the backdrop of Raisi’s contentious remarks regarding Israel and the Holocaust.
Raisi has previously ignited international outrage by calling for further investigation into the Holocaust and issuing threats against Israel, including his assertion that the only resolution to the Palestinian conflict would be a state “from the river to the sea” and accusing Israel of actions that have “crossed red lines.”