HaGaon HaRav Gershon Edelstein answered questions about voting in a video published on Motzei Shabbos by the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party.
The campaign representatives began by saying: “After this difficult year of dealing with the coronavirus, many people feel that the Chareidi representatives weren’t there for them.”
HaRav Edelstein: “Voting for Gimmel is a declaration, Hashem Hu HaElokim, Moshe Emes V’Toraso Emes. Not voting is saying that you’re unconcerned about making a Kiddush Hashem, you’re not sharing in making a Kiddush Hashem. They’re being oseik in Kiddush Hashem, and you’re running away from it.”
“If you don’t vote Gimmel, you’re preventing a Kiddush Hashem. You’re declaring: “I’m not a Chareidi.”
The campaign representatives continued along the same vein, saying that since Gimmel represents all Chareidim, a huge community with many different streams, some feel that the UTJ MKs weren’t there for them when they needed them, such as Chareidim who had difficulty finding schools to accept their children.
HaRav Edelstein: “What are they gaining by not voting? In some instances, they are correct and [the MKs] need to correct this. But the disappointment is not an adequate reason not to vote.”
“Some say that they’ll vote for a party that’s religious but not Chareidi.” (A reference to Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist party.]
HaRav Edelstein: “It’s not Chareidi, it’s not Gimmel. [The party] is not subordinate to Daas Torah, to the Gedolei HaDor.”
“There are those who sit at home instead of voting, saying it’s better for them to refrain from voting.”
HaRav Edelstein: Who’s their Rebbe? Who’s their Rav? [In other words, are they refraining from voting due to their own opinions or did they ask Daas Torah whether this is the correct thing to do.]
“We see that UTJ always supports the right-wing candidate. Maybe it’s worthwhile to check if there are other options on the left?”
HaRav Edelstein: “One’s safek and one’s vadai. The other parties are ‘lo shelanu’ – they’re against us. The left’s goal is to oppose us, wipe out religion, they’re against Chareidim. We can’t give them a hechsher.”
“What mitzvah am I fulfilling when I vote?”
HaRav Edelstein: “Mekadeish Sheim Shamayim. Moshe Emes V’Toraso Emes. I declare that ‘Moshe Emes V’Toraso Emes.’ Hashem Hu HaElokim – this obligates me.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOBh7YE8yHo
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
9 Responses
Absolutely! U shld sit home AND not vote in this Keneaet Haminim. All the same soinei
hadaas and hate every Chareidi. The Satmar Rebbe was right. All a sham. This dis functional govt is voting for the umpteenth time. Every single time is Mamash Mamash. Its all GARBAGE.
I hate Porush, never met a more disgusting person, but Maklev is such a mentch. In spite of Porush, I am voting for UTJ because I want Eretz Yisroel to be a more religious place!
Biggest חילול השם is when great people sin……
garlic: You were just oiver on Loshon Horah b’rabim. Pretty bad thing to do. You make not like him, he may even have been oiver on various aveiros, (not that i am aware of any) but unless you are convinced that he is a mechallel Shbbos or Apikorus, you can’t speak Loshon Hora about him.
Miriam: Yes, the knesset are a bunch of Minim, apikorsim and certainly reshoim, by voting for them you are not agreeing to their veiws at all, you are doing the maximum you can to protect yourself (and all Charedim) from them. It’s a diplomatic move that is far more effective than making Hafganos on Bar Ilan every week….
R’ Elya Lopian said that if all those that did not vote would have voted, there would be no need for the hafgonos…
The Arabs know this and that is why they vote, they also hate Medinat Israel, but in their own interests still vote.
Miriam – By voting you are not showing that you agree to what those horrible Sonei Yisroel do and say, punkt fagkert, you are making a mecho’oh and declaring that i oppose to what they do and am doing whatever we can (collectively) do to thwart their plans [army, kashrus, geirus, the Kosel, Shabbos, Mikvaos, Roform, missionaries, kevorim etc. etc.]
(but i agree it far more fun to have fun and action, fighting the police and the government every time they come out against Charedi (ie. Torah) positions……)
Amazing to hear the Gadol haDor HaRav Edelstein שליט”א, he should live and be healthy and see Moshiach Tzidkeinu.
I love Hashem. He says in the Torah:
וְעָשִׂיתָ עַל פִּי הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר יַגִּידוּ לְךָ…..כְּכֹל אֲשֶׁר יוֹרוּךָ.
That is the reason why I’m voting ג.
If you love Hashem then there really is nothing to talk about.
GotAGoodPoint , you do not understand the laws of lashon haRah.
Just because I find some one disgusting is NOT lashon hora.
learn before you open you mouth..
Garlic; right if you “find” someone disgusting it’s not lashon hara but if you say it them it is! All the more so on a public forum.