Prominent Rabbi Calls Election a 'Level 8 Call-Up' Amid 'Terrible Danger'
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira, a prominent Religious Zionist leader, has called for urgent mobilization ahead of the elections, comparing the urgency to a military "Level 8 call-up" due to what he termed "terrible danger." He warned that a left-wing victory could endanger national security, impose a "legal dictatorship," and "uproot Judaism from the public sphere." Rabbi Shapira urged a vote for Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party to prevent the left's ascent to power.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira warned of "terrible danger" if the left wins the election.
- He compared the election urgency to a military "Level 8 call-up" (Tzav 8).
- Shapira fears a left-wing government would impose a "legal dictatorship."
- He stated a left-wing government would "uproot Judaism from the public sphere."
- The Rabbi urged voting for Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party.
Rabbi Yehoshua Shapira, Rosh Yeshiva of Ramat Gan and a leading figure in the Religious Zionist community, issued a strong call for full mobilization ahead of the upcoming elections, likening the situation to a "Level 8 call-up" (Tzav 8), an emergency military mobilization order.
Rabbi Shapira warned that a victory for the left-wing bloc would pose a "terrible danger" to Israel on multiple fronts. He specifically voiced concerns about national security, predicting that left-wing governance could lead to military retreats that endanger IDF soldiers and hinder their ability to operate effectively. He also expressed fears of a "legal dictatorship" and the potential for left-wing governments to suppress religious expression, citing hypothetical actions such as shutting down Channel 14, closing the Eli Yeshiva, and preventing Chabad emissaries from performing religious rituals.
"They say out loud: close Channel 14, close the Eli Yeshiva, and don't let the Chabadniks put on tefillin. Uproot Judaism from the public sphere," Rabbi Shapira stated, expressing deep concern.
He urged his followers to view the final week before the election as a critical mission and to do everything possible to prevent the left from gaining power. Rabbi Shapira specifically endorsed voting for parties that are certain to pass the electoral threshold, explicitly stating that "the best way is Smotrich," referring to Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism party. He cautioned against casting votes for parties that might not clear the threshold, effectively wasting the ballot.
