Thousands of talmidim and avreichim turned out for the motzei Shabbos election rally at the Lederman Shul in Bnei Brak. Among the rabbonim present were HaGaon HaRav Aaron  Leib Shteinman Shlita, HaGaon HaRav Chaim Kanievsky Shlita, HaGaon HaRav Nissim Karelitz Shlita, and HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein Shlita.

With the election rapidly approaching, on 11 Shevat 5773, there is a growing concern as many critical issues depend on the elections, including the planned draft of bnei Torah into the IDF. Less than encouraging polls and the split in Degel are cause for concern.

While only a few hundred of the avreichim were able to get inside the stuffed beis medrash, the remainder was outside on Rashbam Street watching the giant screen.

The first to address the tzibur was Rosh Yeshivas Tifrach, HaGaon HaRav Aviezer Piltz (פילץ), who spoke of the “harsh gezeira” and how it is the limud Torah that justifies Am Yisrael’s existence.

“Some of them think that if they cut the budget to yeshivos they will hurt us but they are mistaken for it is we who watch over them, not the other way around. That is what the case was in the last war in the south and in all wars.”

“The Zionist movement tried to forget who is a Jew and what is a Jew, and today, we can influence this by our actions in the elections.”

That address was followed by Rosh Yeshivas Kiryas Melech HaGaon Rav Shmuel Yaakov Bornstein, who delivered the message from Rav Kanievsky, citing the importance of voting.

HaGaon HaRav Nissim Karelitz stated in the name of Maran HaChazon Ish ZY”A that everyone is responsible to vote in the elections.

HaGaon HaRav Yitzchak Zilberstein, a son-in-law of Maran Rav Elyashiv ZT”L and mora d’asra of the Ramat Elchanan community of Bnei Brak told the tzibur when Gedolei Yisrael tore kriya when the Volozin Yeshiva was closed in Lithuania, adding “we must be mispallel for Rachmei Shomayim that yeshivos in Eretz Yisrael should not be closed”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)