Chief Rabbi Declares Voting a Religious Obligation Ahead of Election
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Israel's Chief Rabbi David Yosef has declared voting in the upcoming Knesset elections a religious obligation, stating that abstaining is forbidden. He urged the public to participate in the elections, which are scheduled for Tuesday, October 27. Rabbi Yosef, son of the late Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, emphasized the duty to vote without endorsing any particular party.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Chief Rabbi David Yosef declared voting a religious obligation, not just a right.
- He stated that abstaining from voting in the upcoming Knesset elections is forbidden.
- Rabbi Yosef urged the public to vote in the elections scheduled for October 27.
- His ruling was made six days before the Knesset elections.
- He requested his directive be widely publicized.
With only six days remaining until the Knesset elections, Israel's Chief Rabbi, David Yosef, has issued a strong call to the public urging them to vote. During a lesson at the Beit Buchris synagogue, Rabbi Yosef stated that participating in the elections is not merely a civil right but a religious obligation, and abstaining from voting is forbidden.
"Know this, there are things that are permissible, there are things that are a commandment or an obligation, and there are also things that are forbidden," Rabbi Yosef explained during his lesson. "So I say clearly: it is a sacred duty for everyone to vote in the elections, it is forbidden to refrain from voting in the elections!". He specifically requested that his ruling be widely disseminated, saying, "Please, publicize this in my name."
Rabbi Yosef's remarks come ahead of the 26th Knesset elections, scheduled for next Tuesday, October 27. He is the son of the late spiritual leader of the Shas party, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, and the brother of former Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, a member of the Shas Council of Torah Sages. While his brother has publicly endorsed the party and its candidates, Rabbi David Yosef did not explicitly endorse any specific party in his current statement, emphasizing only the obligation to participate in the elections.
