Religious Edict 'Do As You Are Told' Misused to Pressure Voting in Israel

A common claim urging voters to support specific parties in Israeli elections based on the biblical commandment 'do as you are told' is misleading, according to recent religious commentary. The phrase, originating from the Book of Judges, has been used for years to pressure hundreds of thousands of voters to back parties they may dislike, but this interpretation is incorrect from a halachic perspective.

The commandment 'do as you are told' was originally directed exclusively at the Sanhedrin, the ancient Jewish high court, as clarified by Maimonides in his Mishneh Torah. The Sanhedrin, described as the supreme oral Torah authority in Jerusalem, was the sole body whose rulings were binding on all Israel. This principle does not extend to individual rabbis, rabbinical councils, or political groups.

In recent years, some factions have deliberately distorted this halachic ruling to claim that it obligates voters to follow the guidance of their own rabbis, often ignoring other rabbinic opinions. This expansion of the concept lacks solid textual support and has become a central tenet in some ultra-Orthodox communities, similar to how certain prohibitions have been broadly applied beyond their original scope.

The article urges voters to cast their ballots according to their own judgment, conscience, and heart, rather than feeling compelled by religious coercion. It concludes that the true application of 'do as you are told' will only be relevant when the Sanhedrin is reinstated, and until then, the voting booth remains a personal decision.

Summary: The biblical commandment 'do as you are told' has been misused to pressure Israeli voters to support specific parties, but halachic sources clarify it applies only to the ancient Sanhedrin, not contemporary rabbis or political groups. Voters are encouraged to decide independently until the Sanhedrin is restored.