Chabad Rabbinical Court Issues Election Guidelines, Barring Political Endorsements

The Chabad Rabbinical Court in the Holy Land has released a comprehensive letter clarifying the movement's stance ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections. The court emphasized that Chabad is not a political party and strictly prohibits the use of its name or the name of its Rebbe for political purposes. The rabbis stressed that no individual is authorized to speak on behalf of Chabad regarding elections, and any such statements do not represent the official position of the Hasidic movement.

The letter reiterates the fundamental principle that "Chabad Hasidism is not political and we have no affiliation with any party." The court aims to prevent any attempts to associate Chabad with specific political camps. It explicitly forbids any Chabad member from serving as a Knesset member in any party without written permission from the court, and prohibits Chabad members from acting as political activists or using the movement's name in political contexts.

Despite the prohibition on political endorsements, the rabbinical court urged Chabad followers to participate in the elections. The letter cited the Lubavitcher Rebbe's directives regarding the importance of voting and influencing others. Specifically, it referenced the Rebbe's instruction to "vote for the list that is more religious for the sake of God," which would ensure the integrity of Torah, the people, and the land.

The directive is signed by numerous prominent Chabad rabbis who are members of the court, including Rabbi Yitzchak Yehuda Yaroslavsky, Rabbi Avraham Michael Halperin, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Gluchovsky, and Rabbi Moshe Havlin, among others.