Gedolim convene ahead of elections

Rosh yeshiva HaGaon Rav Dov Lando shlita opened his remarks by emphasizing the obligation of hishtadlus. "We all know well that the obligation of hishtadlus is clear, and on the contrary, the obligation is doubled and redoubled in such a situation to increase representatives and increase voters for the Gimmel list. This is the path that Maran the Chazon Ish zt"l instructed us, and all gedolei Yisrael after him, to save Yavneh and its sages by sending representatives to the elections."

Rav Lando warned of the consequences of failing to vote. "When the number of voters increases, Hashem's name is increased, and we declare 'Moshe is true and his Torah is true, and we have no measure except this Torah.' And chillul Hashem can result, chalilah, if for various reasons or claims about people, they shirk the obligation to vote. And even more serious is that the value of Torah is not the only value among them. Especially since every vote can decide and every vote is counted and reckoned."

According to him, "every vote in chareidi areas that chooses other things causes our pursuers to prove that, chalilah, the next generation is distancing itself from the heritage of its fathers, rachmana litzlan."

"Don't think you know everything"

Rosh yeshiva HaGaon Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch shlita addressed a negative awakening among some bnei yeshiva. "Seemingly, everything the rosh yeshiva shlita said are simple things that everyone must vote, and every rosh yeshiva must reach his talmidim and instruct them to vote," he said. "But in practice, one cannot ignore the fact that within the yeshiva world there is some negative awakening, with the claim: why do we need to go vote now? Everything that was will continue to be without change."

Rav Hirsch emphasized: "Chas v'shalom if the number of voters decreases, this is terrible chillul Hashem, and that is sufficient reason to go vote. Our entire purpose is to speak with the bochurim and tell them: don't think you know everything, there are things that can be done that you don't know about, and you need to trust that certainly there are things that will be done — there will be changes for the good. But this is only on condition that you come to vote and we will have strength. Because without strength, it is impossible to carry out the changes."

The rosh yeshiva of Ponevezh then brought the letter of his father-in-law HaGaon Rav Baruch Dov Povarsky shlita that was read before him: "It is received from the Chazon Ish that to vote is in the category of 'Hashem is the A-lmighty,' and we desire the rule of Torah and its mitzvos. And whoever votes sanctifies Hashem's name, and whoever does not vote does the opposite."

The letter stated: "HaKadosh Baruch Hu gave the Torah so that the Torah would tell us what to do. And how does the Torah tell us what to do? The talmidei chachamim who learned Torah their entire lives, that is the Torah! And what they say, the Torah itself says, and we listen to the voice of the Torah. And the Torah says to vote."

Rav Povarsky added: "The war now is at the forefront of the enemies of Torah and spirituality, the war of the amei ha'aratzos who hate talmidei chachamim. The entire war of all of them is about one thing: the Torah is found with the sages of Israel, and they want to destroy the sages of Torah and Judaism, and that the sages of Israel should not instruct how to conduct oneself but rather the opposite, rachmana litzlan."

Rosh yeshiva HaGaon Rav Meir Tzvi Bergman shlita delivered sharp words on the obligation to vote. "Regarding the importance of the elections that stand before us, to our sorrow we are in a great war over Judaism, where they literally want to destroy the entire essence of Klal Yisrael, and we are obligated with mesirus nefesh for this."

According to him, "the elections now are solely to preserve the Torah world, so that no bochur will go to the army, chalilah v'chas. And our representatives will stand for this with Hashem's help. And each person is obligated to act for this and to vote for the United Torah Judaism list, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu will help that all the decrees against us will be nullified and we will merit soon the coming of Mashiach Tzidkeinu speedily in our days."

Rosh yeshiva of Mir and member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah HaGaon Rav Eliezer Yehuda Finkel shlita said: "Bnei Torah are the most refined of gold. HaRav Chaim Kanievsky zt"l told me in the past that when one sees, chalilah, a sefer Torah falling together with a talmid chacham, one must lift the talmid chacham first and afterward the sefer Torah. Bnei Torah are the holiest thing, bnei Torah are malachei elyon. Because the Torah is the greatest protection."

Rav Finkel added: "When gedolei Yisrael ask of us a small thing to act to sanctify Hashem's name, we see that this spiritual flood and this war is increasing day by day. What difference do all the calculations and all the interests make? A person who refrains as if by a hair from voting because of calculations and interests, it turns out that everything he voted for until now did not come from faith in the sages."

Rosh yeshiva HaGaon Rav Shlomo Shteinman shlita said: "We prayed on the Yamim Noraim: 'And so give honor, Hashem, to Your people.' Seemingly, we should flee from honor, so why do we need to demand honor?! Rather the answer is: that we are not requesting personal honor, but we are requesting that they honor Am Yisrael, the learners of Torah!"

According to him, "each person individually cannot do a lot [by himself], but when there are many, that is what enables making honor of Heaven in public. My father zt"l would say that elections to the authorities are primarily kiddush Hashem to show that the public of shomrei Torah u'mitzvos has not diminished. And if, chalilah, the public diminishes, this can cause chillul Hashem, and regarding chillul Hashem it is written that only death, chas v'shalom, atones. But it is written that if they make kiddush Hashem, this atones for chillul Hashem. So we have the opportunity to make kiddush Hashem by voting for the learners of Torah."

Rosh yeshiva HaGaon Rav Shalom Ber Sorotzkin shlita said: "This is the first time that the declaration 'we have no measure except this Torah' is purely to strengthen our belonging to Toras Yisrael, and the Torah and HaKadosh Baruch Hu are one, as part of a public kiddush Hashem gathering. To make kiddush Hashem, this is the greatest 'public' possible. When we gather now for elections, this is the greatest public that can be. This is kiddush Hashem, that we declare that we have no measure except this Torah."

Rav Sorotzkin added: "We are now in a time of religious persecution, but on the other hand, we see the development of the Torah world that has almost never been like it in quantity, with wondrous siyata d'Shmaya. And we see within this also development of talmidei chachamim in quality that has almost never been like it, with wondrous siyata d'Shmaya."

"And we see," Rav Sorotzkin continued, "within this also development of talmidei chachamim in quality that has never been like it. And perhaps in the wake of the persecutions we feel the greatness of the siyata d'Shmaya."

Afterward, rosh yeshiva of Nesivos Aviezer HaGaon Rav Daniel Wolfson shlita delivered sharp words on the obligation to vote and the obligation to heed the voice of the elders of Israel.

Following that, the letter of rosh yeshiva of Tiferet and member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah HaRav Piltz shlita was read.

At the conclusion of the event, the resolutions of the gathering were read, which were formulated by the leader and rosh yeshiva HaGaon Rav Dov Lando shlita.