Agudat Yisrael's Election Call Delayed Amidst Internal Disputes

The traditional election call from Agudat Yisrael has been postponed again due to ongoing discussions among the Rebbes regarding its final wording. Yaakov Veltzer, secretary of the Council of Torah Sages, instructed the newspapers 'HaModia' and 'Hamevaser' not to publish the document as scheduled. The new target date for publication is Monday.

The dispute centers on the original text of the call, which was initially approved but then rejected at the last minute on Thursday evening. The initial draft stated that voters should only cast their ballot for Yahadut HaTorah, and that anyone not voting for 'Gimmel' (the party's symbol) would indirectly be complicit in desecration of God's name and bear a severe sin.

The Rebbe of Gur objected to this phrasing, arguing it implied that voters for the Shas party were sinners, questioning how such a statement could be published given that Shas voters also act on their rabbis' instructions. A softened version was proposed, stating that Yahadut HaTorah is the only list the Council of Torah Sages calls to vote for, alongside a warning against voting for parties that are not favored by the Sages. This revised text omitted the explicit accusation of complicity in desecration of God's name for those not voting for 'Gimmel'.

Veltzer circulated the revised text among the Rebbes on Friday and Saturday, but a final agreement was not reached. Discussions are continuing to find a mutually acceptable wording, with options including approving the softened version, reinstating the original warning, or formulating another compromise. The publication of the call remains postponed as deliberations continue.