Agudat Yisrael to Publish Election Call Without Signatures
Translated & summarized from Behadrei Haredim by baba
Agudat Yisrael's Council of Torah Sages will publish its election call without the Rebbes' signatures, using the original text. The decision came after the Rebbe of Gur objected to wording that implied voting for other parties constituted a grave sin. A softened version was considered but ultimately rejected in favor of the original text without signatures.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Agudat Yisrael's election call will be published Monday without Rebbes' signatures.
- The original text, stating only UTJ is permissible, will be used.
- The Rebbe of Gur objected to the original text's implications for non-UTJ voters.
- A softened version was proposed but not adopted.
- The Gur Hasidic dynasty requested the omission of signatures.
Agudat Yisrael's Council of Torah Sages will publish its election call in the newspapers 'HaModia' and 'HaMevaser' on Monday, adhering to the original text but without the signatures of the Rebbes. This decision follows a request from the Gur Hasidic dynasty.
The original call, which was initially set to be published last Thursday evening, stated that voters must cast their ballots exclusively for the United Torah Judaism party. It further warned that those who do not vote for UTJ would indirectly be complicit in desecration of God's name and bear a grave sin.
However, the Rebbe of Gur expressed reservations about this wording, questioning how it could be determined that someone voting for the Shas party would be considered a sinner. In response to this objection, a softened version was proposed. This alternative suggested that UTJ is the sole list the Council of Torah Sages calls to vote for, while also cautioning against voting for parties that are not favored by the Sages, without explicitly labeling non-voters as complicit in desecration.
Yaakov Weltzer, the council's secretary, circulated both versions among the Rebbes on Friday and Saturday night. Ultimately, it was decided to proceed with the publication of the original text, minus the signatures, for the upcoming elections.
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