HaGaon HaRav Meir Tzvi Bergman, one of the Zakeinei Chevrei Moetzes HaTorah and the son-in-law of the Avi Ezri, z’tl, published a scathing letter against Chareidim who are planning on voting for right-wing parties that may be religious but are not Chareidi and espouse hashkafos that are “k’neged HaTorah.”
HaRav Bergman began his letter by emphasizing the mesorah from the Chazon Ish, z’tl, HaGaon HaRav Elazar Menachem Man Shach, z’tl, and other gedolim that it is our chiyuv to vote for the Chareidi party. “And how much they were concerned and were mitz’taer on this issue,” the Rosh Yeshivah wrote.
“And as the day of elections approaches, it’s unnecessary to arouse whoever has Yiras Hashem in his heart,” HaRav Bergman continued. “And especially after what we’ve seen in the past year, how the ruchniyus of those who fear Hashem is mamash b’sakanah. There was never something like this in Yisrael, when those who have deviated from the moral path and are misguided seek to influence our lifestyle of kedushah v’taharah in an attempt to sabotage the Kerem Beis Hashem, like all the goyim. And especially as the inyan of the freedom of Bnei Yeshivos to learn Torah without interference is still on the agenda – and the kiyum of yeshivos is the existence of Torah and Yahadus, which is the kiyum of all Bais Yisrael.”
“And chalilah v’chas to vote and lend a hand to a party that doesn’t adhere to the derech haTorah. I can’t be silent when I heard that some of the Chareidi public are leaning toward voting for a party that declare themselves to be so-called ‘chareidim al Hashem v’al devaro,” when their entire hashkafah on the inyan of sheleimus Eretz Yisrael, holding on to Tzionus and nationalism – is ‘an errant seedling in the vineyard of Hashem.'”
“Because by the very fact of attaching yourselves to them and supporting them, you’re attaching yourselves to their views and joining with them in all their actions, which are k’neged haTorah.”
“And morning and evening, they put Klal Yisrael at risk by provoking the Umos HaOlam and ascending in tumah to the Makom Hamikdash and transgressing the three vows which Hakadosh Baruch Hu promised Yisrael.”
HaRav Bergman also addressed those who abstain from voting due to their refusal to recognize the State. “And it seems that even the opinion of the Gedolim who believed that participating in elections and the state’s support of Mosdos Torah, means recognizing the state which can lead to foreign intervention, chas v’chalilah. But now, at a time that they are trying to ‘breach the wall’ – to interfere with our lifestyle – in our homes, in the chinuch of our children, in the ability of Jews to live a life of Torah and Yahudus in Eretz Yisrael, and they’re declaring war in public, that this is their entire goal – even on things that are not related to their financial support of mosdos Torah – [these Gedolim] would also say and instruct us that it is our holy obligation to save ourselves from them.”
“Because at this time, the whole purpose of voting is to allow the kiyum of a life of Torah and mitzvos in Eretz Yisrael. And he who is concerned about his nefesh and the nefashos of his household should vote for the Chareidi party with the siman of Gimmel.”
“.ומי יאמר שלום אני, את נפשי הצלתי ושלום עלי נפשי.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
22 Responses
One thing you know with this letter it was written by the Rosh Yeshva Shlit”a (whoever knows him he is flowing with Yiras Shamayim and Ahavas Yisroel)and it really bothers him. Let us all listen to our gedolim (whichever kehila someone belongs to) and that will bring Moshiach.
In other words: Parties that don’t have the funding of yeshivos as their first (and only) priority.
Despicable shame on both Satmar & Peleg respectively, if even so much as 1 of their followers fails to vote and for Gimmel, simply because of misplaced disdain for the מדינה
but the right wing parties NOT affiliated with chareidim do less wheeling and dealing and stand for something
In a democracy such as EY, the Rav is entitled to express his opinion and voters may consider that opinion, along with the opinions of other rabbonim whose views they respect (especially their LRP). Ultimately, however, each voter should cast their ballot based on ALL of the issues being contested, not just which party promises to shovel the most money into their favorite mosdos.
“Simply for their disdain to the medinah.” Uhu 147! Simply cuz the Torah forbids us to have a Medinah! Thats why! And holy and bigger people than you dare to think, assured to vote cuz its the TORAH WAY.
We have NO affiliation with the Zionist regime and dont give a sh.. whichever secular Zionist is at the helm.
They’re all equal. Alef beis and gimmel. No difference.
Nothing coming from an atheist government has any kiyum anyway. Its the Satan himself dressed in better or worse clothing. Nothing at all.
We will not vote in any elections as they’re not our government.
Nothing can ever change that. Ever.
Its the Torah way NOT the Zionist way!
Voting does not in any way mean we recognise the Medina as legitimate, or that we wish it existed.
De facto, there is a group of bandits (some of whom wear suits and even ties) who have decided that they are in charge. They have taken control on a lot of issues that affect us, and Yiddishkeit in general, and since we do not yet have the ability to get rid of them, meanwhile we ‘vote in their elections’ and that gives us more of a position to protect ourselves and our values. Even the Arabs have enough sense to realize this simple logic. There is not a single Arab who holds of the government, they would do anything they can to topple the Medina, yet they still vote in order to gain power. And that is how they have 15 seats or so.
If the Nazi’s yemach shemom would have let Yidden vote, and then the Yiddishe representatives would have been able to affect decisions in the concentration camps, everybody would have votes. NOT because we hold of those animals at all, but because Yiddishe represntatives would have made votes to minimize ‘selections’, to kill less, etc. etc. and somehow more lives would have been saved, not all but each life saved is a huge success.
Israeli Elections are exactly the same. We cannot stop all the Chillul Shabbos, we cannot ensure that only Kosher food is sold, we cannot guarantee that there will be no reform geirus etc. etc. but the more Chareidim there are in the government, the more that can be saved. And each bit is a huge success.
So go and vote, and at the same time, under your breath you should curse out the terrible bandits who have decided that they are the owners of our Eretz HaKodesh, and who ruin our lives and make such a chillul Hashem. Daven that they should do teshuva. Daven that Moshiach should come, and that the Lapid, Bennet, Bibi etc will shamefacedly slink out of the Knesset and go to buy themselves Tefillin.
Ish hashalom: the zionist parties also follow their gedolim, hasent brought moshiach.
147: peleg disdain is mainly for gimmel’s gedolim.
(Sure they think tzionim are just what gimmels gedolim say they are , but the whole reason for pelegs existence was that rav shmuel aurbach felt rav shteinman and followers were misguided and unfit to lead).
They both (gimmel /peleg ) claim that they’re the ones following what rav shach would’ve said.
Absolute chutzpah for those not on the level of our Gedolei Yisroel to comment here with their own opinions which may c’v make them lose their share in the world to come. Yes, Gedolei Yisroel have ALWAYS considered the yeshivos and Torah extremely high priority. It is what has held us together since we became a nation. Those who dare disagree are playing with fire and Hashem should help them come to teshuvah. It is a terrible shame to live life, work hard in this world, and lose everything they earned in the next world with silly comments.
Gadolhadorah:
EY is not a democracy; it is a land-mass.
The Zionist “State” of Israel, however, is (supposedly) a democracy.
GotAGoodPoint:
This is indeed one of the shitos. But there are other shitos that forbid voting for other reasons, regardless of the lack of recognition that you noted.
Miriam:
Thank you for making your point as you did. Unfortunately, 147 believes in the idolatry of Zionism. Idolatry is not rational.
This particular idolatry, Zionism, has been roundly condemned by every gadol over the past century, regardless of their opinion on voting in the Zionist elections.
This is obviously authentic, because it dares to discuss what is not normally discussed: that “Religious Zionism” is idolatry, not a valid form of Torah Judaism, and that the Zionist State is a gross violation of the “Three Oaths” which, of course, are very much in effect until Mashiach comes BB”A.
“And chalilah v’chas to vote and lend a hand to a party that doesn’t adhere to the derech haTorah…a party…their entire hashkafah on the inyan of sheleimus Eretz Yisrael, holding on to Tzionus and nationalism – is ‘an errant seedling in the vineyard of Hashem.’…morning and evening, they put Klal Yisrael at risk by provoking the Umos HaOlam…”
HaGaon Rav Yisroel Yaakov Fischer, ztl, paskened that voting in Israeli elections under any circumstances for any reason was an issur of yehareig v’al yaavor, based on the following reasoning. In order to sit in the Knesset one has to take an oath that he/she holds the laws of the Medina to have supremacy over all other legal systems, including Torah, a clear issur or yehareig v’al yaavor no less than bowing to an idol or giving someone over to be killed, and by voting one makes an MK a shliach to take that oath and it is as if the voter had taken the oath himself. (He pointed out that even those who hold that there is no shliach for a dvar aveira, that’s only b’dinei adam, but b’dinei Shamayim everyone agrees that there is a shliach l’dvar aveira, and is dinei Shamayim such a small thing?) The reasoning is that since Hashem is in total control of the world in any case, He doesn’t want us to do such aveiros and He can still find some other way of accomplishing His purposes. I was once zoche to spend many hours talking with Rav Bergman in Rav Shach’s dira and have enormous respect for him and I don’t know how he answers Rav Fischer’s psak, and I feel it’s very important that everyone learn to disagree without demonizing, but I’m left with the position that makes most sense to me.
– UTJ Paskins that is it אסור to vote for any party but UTJ.
– Shas Paskins that it is אסור to vote anyone but Shas.
– The Lubavitcher Rebbe Zt”l instructed his Chassidim to always vote for the party that will do most for Shleimus HaAretz, which in this case would be Rel. Zionism.
– The Neturei Karta and others clearly Paskin that it is אסור to vote at all, and that we should be actively working to dismantle the State.
Go Figure.
Interestingly, the Satmar, Tosh, Shomer Emunim, and Toldos Aharon (among others) paskin that it is completely forbidden to participate in Israeli elections at all, because the “Zionist State” is illegitimate and a war against Hashem… they hold that is it ייהרג ואל יעבור.
contradictions. contradictions. contradictions.
@por: Individuals getting sworn into the knesset can just state that he/she holds the laws of the medina to have supremacy over other legal systems, except for that of the Torah. They aren’t going to prevent you from sitting in the knesset if a chareidi MK states such a thing. The Arab members always make this big show of not properly taking the oath as prescribed or inserting their own words in between the sentences every time they are resworn in as knesset members. you should see it sometimes it’s quite amusing.
You guys can rant all you want about the “Zionist State” but ultimately there are a wide range of policy issues to be decided in the elections regarding taxation, economic growth, infrastructure, technology, foreign affairs, immigration etc. that most Israelis care about. Much of this discussion seems to be oblivious to those issues and presumes that the only issue is how many NIS the winning parties can grab for their mosdos.
Baby Squirrel: That would seem to be a good point, but as I remember it Rav Fischer ztl took it into account in his psak and said that since a Supreme Court decision that (if I remember it correctly) anyone who takes the oath with such secret under-the-breath provisos is considered as if he has taken the oath literally, and this Rav Fischer said makes it an issur of yeheirag v’al yaavor. I’m sure he looked into it carefully.
Is it allowed to kiss an idol publicly while secretly putting a kosher/mehadrin mezuza between one’s lips and the idol?
ok, just saying that no body thinks of it that way. and besides, there are like 16-20 chareidim in the Knesset and there have been many others for several decades now going all the way back to Israel’s inception.
If it was such a problem as ייהרג ואל יעבור then I’m sure all the big rabbonim, dayanim, and gedolei yisroel like Rav Gershon Edelstein, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Ovadia Yosef & Rav Shach would have prevented their candidates from proceeding as MKs in the knesset, but apparently not. so it isn’t so simple or cut-and-dried that you aren’t allowed to.
HaKatan, the “Three Oaths” are not Halachically binding; to treat them as binding would be nullify a מצווה דאורייתא.
It is incumbent upon Jews in every generation as a positive commandment from the Torah to attempt to repossess the Land of Israel in its entirety and to displace all the inhabitants of the land.
The Ramban holds that this מצוה is fully applicable even when we are still in גלות and it applies for eternity לדורי דורות as long as there are Yidden on this Earth.