Top Rabbi Declares Voting for Ben-Gvir's Party Forbidden by Jewish Law
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, a prominent Sephardic authority, has declared it forbidden by Jewish law to vote for Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party. The ruling is based on Ben-Gvir's visits to and encouragement of ascents to the Temple Mount, which Rabbi Yosef deems a severe transgression. The rabbi warned that voters would bear religious responsibility for supporting a party that promotes this forbidden act, equating it to committing the transgression themselves.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef ruled it forbidden by Jewish law to vote for Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party.
- The prohibition is due to Ben-Gvir's encouragement of ascents to the Temple Mount.
- Rabbi Yosef cited the severe Jewish law prohibition of 'karet' associated with the Temple Mount.
- He warned voters would bear religious responsibility for supporting the party.
- The rabbi stated supporting the party is akin to committing the transgression oneself.
Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, the First to Zion and a member of the Council of Torah Sages of Shas, has issued a sharp ruling prohibiting voting for the Otzma Yehudit party, led by Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir. The rabbi's decree stems from Ben-Gvir's ascent to the Temple Mount and his encouragement of others to visit the site.
In his letter, Rabbi Yosef stated that ascending the Temple Mount is forbidden by Jewish law due to the severe prohibition of "karet," a spiritual excision, and that public figures who encourage such visits are leading the public astray. He quoted, "It is known and famous the severity of the prohibition of ascending the Temple Mount, which all the great rabbis of all generations without exception have forbidden with the utmost prohibition due to fear of karet!"
Rabbi Yosef criticized national figures who support ascending the Temple Mount for reasons of sovereignty, calling it an act against God and His Torah. He argued that such actions provoke international animosity and that no justification, including sovereignty, can permit violating the prohibition of karet. "Besides provoking the nations of the world, there is no permission for the rabbis' transgression of the prohibition of karet for the sake of sovereignty or the like," he wrote.
Consequently, Rabbi Yosef determined that it is strictly forbidden to assist the party and its representatives, stating, "And certainly, there is a complete and absolute prohibition to assist their party and their representative and it is forbidden to give them power in the upcoming elections." He warned voters that they would bear the religious responsibility for supporting the party, adding, "And whoever votes for this party, his sin shall be upon him and the prohibition of karet hangs around his neck."
Concluding his letter, Rabbi Yosef reiterated that supporting a party whose leader ascends the Temple Mount is akin to committing the karet transgression oneself, thus making it forbidden by Jewish law to support such a party. He ended with a prayer, "Therefore, whoever supports the party of one who ascends the Temple Mount and encourages the ascent to the Temple Mount, it is as if he himself is under the prohibition of karet, God forbid! Therefore, it is forbidden according to Jewish law to support the party of one who ascends the Temple Mount, and may God have mercy!"
