Rabbi Warns Against Election Boycott, Citing 'Cruelty' and 'Destruction'
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Rabbi Avraham Salem, a Rosh Yeshiva, warned against abstaining from upcoming elections, stating that such a move would severely harm Torah institutions and scholars. He accused opponents of spreading lies and called the situation "cruelty." Rabbi Salem argued that active participation is necessary to protect the future of yeshivas and ensure representation in the Knesset, warning that non-voting would lead to the "destruction of the entire Torah world."
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Rabbi Avraham Salem warned that abstaining from elections would severely harm Torah institutions.
- He accused opponents of spreading misinformation and called the situation "cruelty."
- Salem stated that non-participation could lead to the destruction of the entire Torah world.
- He argued that active participation is necessary to protect Torah scholars' status.
- The Rabbi warned that abstaining would result in fewer representatives in the Knesset.
Rabbi Avraham Salem, a Rosh Yeshiva, addressed an internal Haredi dispute regarding participation in upcoming elections, warning that abstaining from voting would severely harm Torah institutions. Speaking during his weekly lesson, Rabbi Salem criticized the public discourse surrounding the issue, accusing those spreading misinformation of "telling them all sorts of stories, fabricating blood libels." He described the situation as "cruelty" and urged listeners to "see what is going on here on the ground."
Rabbi Salem emphasized that the position advocating for active participation in elections is based on a systemic view held by yeshiva leaders at the forefront of the Torah world. He argued that abstaining from voting could lead to the opposite result and directly harm the status of Torah scholars. "Those who bear the burden, those are the yeshiva leaders who are on the front lines and see the danger, and see what will be in ten years if we do not act now and allow this process to happen," he stated. "This is truly the destruction of all the yeshivas, of the entire Torah world, it cannot be."
He further warned of the consequences of non-participation, stating, "And if you don't vote, is that better? That is the worst. In the end, there are fewer representatives in the Knesset."
