Vote and Pray: Rabbi Urges Spiritual Focus in Elections

Rabbi Eliezer Ben Poret is urging Israelis to vote in the upcoming elections, emphasizing that the vote is not just a political struggle but a decision about the Jewish character of the state and the commandment to settle the Land of Israel. He calls for a special prayer to be added, asking for the Jewish people to draw closer to faith, Torah, and the sanctity of the land.

Rabbi Ben Poret stresses the practical importance of participating in the elections, framing the current struggle as being for the Jewish identity of Israel and the fulfillment of the mitzvah of settling the land, which signifies Jewish sovereignty. He also highlights the role of prayer during this time, asking God for success in this important endeavor.

Drawing on Jewish tradition, Rabbi Ben Poret cites Rabbi Chasdai Crescas, who taught that faith in God's willingness to hear prayers is the cornerstone of the commandment to pray. Crescas explained that prayer, also called "atira," can transform God's attribute of anger to mercy, and its power stems from the supplicant's genuine trust in God.

Furthermore, the article discusses the efficacy of praying for others. Citing the Chazon Ish, it explains that since prayer is an act of free will and all of Israel is considered as one, praying for another's spiritual closeness to God is also a prayer for oneself. The Chazon Ish also provided a prayer for a mother to recite for her son's spiritual growth.

The article also references a story from the Talmud where Rabbi Meir's wife, Beruria, advised him to pray for his tormentors to repent rather than die. This illustrates that even those who cause distress can return to the right path, and prayer can facilitate this change.

Rabbi Ben Poret concludes by encouraging Israelis to vote and pray, suggesting a specific prayer to be added to the "Shema Koleinu" (Hear Our Voice) blessing, asking God to turn the hearts of the Jewish people towards Him, to accept His sovereignty, and to sanctify His name in the land. He quotes Proverbs 29:18, "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained," warning against a detachment from vision that could lead to chaos. He prays for the fulfillment of God's kingdom in Israel and for the verse "And on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness" to be realized, referencing the motto of the Ponevezh Yeshiva, founded by Rabbi Yosef Shlomo Kahaneman, who viewed the State of Israel as a divine kindness enabling the Jewish people to rebuild in holiness.