Rabbi Galai Recounts Father's Anger, Links It to Election Duty
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
Rabbi Shimon Galai spoke at a Degel HaTorah event about the upcoming elections, sharing a story of his father's rare anger to emphasize obedience to religious leaders. He recounted an incident where his father fiercely defended the authority of "great rabbis" against perceived disrespect. Rabbi Galai urged listeners to follow the guidance of religious authorities, stating that obedience ensures success and the preservation of Jewish identity.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Shimon Galai spoke at a Degel HaTorah event about election responsibilities.
- He shared a story of his father's rare anger to emphasize obedience to religious leaders.
- His father once shouted "You will not speak against the great rabbis of Israel!"
- Rabbi Galai stressed that obedience to religious leaders ensures success.
- He urged listeners to follow the guidance of the Chafetz Chaim and other great rabbis.
Rabbi Shimon Galai, speaking at a Degel HaTorah gathering on Friday, addressed the upcoming elections, emphasizing the significant responsibility of every individual. He shared a personal anecdote about his father, who studied under the Chafetz Chaim. Rabbi Galai recalled that he never witnessed his father become angry or speak ill of anyone, except for one specific instance in Haifa.
During that incident, when the political landscape was divided between Poalei Agudat Yisrael (PAI) and Agudat Yisrael, Rabbi Galai heard his father shouting from the stairs. His father reacted strongly when someone suggested that the "great rabbis" were dictating actions, exclaiming, "You will not speak against the great rabbis of Israel!" Rabbi Galai stated he had never heard his father speak with such vehemence before.
Connecting this to the current elections, Rabbi Galai asserted that anyone who believes they have their own opinion should remember the words of the Sages. He felt that the prayers offered at the Chafetz Chaim's location were a direct continuation of the prayers for the sanctity of God's name, and that they prayed no one would dare desecrate it.
Rabbi Galai further explained that Jews are commanded to sanctify God's name and to obey all the great rabbis throughout history. He stressed that without this obedience, a Jew cannot remain a Jew, and that those who listen to the great rabbis have always succeeded. Therefore, he concluded, everyone's duty is to continue following the wishes of the Chafetz Chaim and the great rabbis.