The top roshei yeshivos of Eretz Yisroel assembled early this week at the home of HaRav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi, rosh yeshivas Ateres Yisroel, in support of the UTJ (United Torah Judaism - Yahadus Hatorah) party in the upcoming municipal elections. The gathering was called and strongly supported by Maran the Rosh Yeshiva HaRav Aharon Leib Shteinman and HaRav Chaim Kanievsky.
In his opening remarks, HaRav Ezrachi recalled that before the founding of Degel HaTorah a special messenger was sent to invite his father-in-law HaRav Meir Chodosh zt"l. HaRav Chodosh had never attended a political event, and his wife did not want him to attend this one so as to remain true to his principles. They asked HaRav Ezrachi to speak with his father-in-law and he told him that Maran HaRav Shach wanted him to attend. HaRav Chodosh replied, "If Maran HaRav Shach says so, then we should go."
"Now too," HaRav Ezrachi continued, "HaRav Shteinman said to hold this gathering, and that says it all."
Also speaking were HaRav Yitzchok Scheiner, rosh yeshiva of Kaminetz Yeshiva and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, HaRav Aryeh Finkel, rosh yeshivas Mir Brachfeld and a member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah, HaRav Yitzchok Ezrachi, a rosh yeshiva of Mir Yeshiva, HaRav Betzalel Toledano, rosh yeshivas Zohar HaTorah, HaRav Yosef Efrati, agent of HaRav Eliashiv zt"l and head of the Beis Medrash for Halachah, and HaRav Chizkiyohu Mishkovsky, mashgiach of Orchos Torah.
HaRav Mishkovsky brought direct messages from HaRav Shteinman and HaRav Kanievsky.
"One must know that the issue here is undermining the authority of the gedolei Hador. There are awesome matters at stake. It is hard to speak. ... Since the issue is the authority of the gedolei hador, HaRav Chaim told me that one of the great roshei yeshivas sent him an inquiry: `Since he never is involved with politics, maybe going will harm [his] Torah learning.' HaRav Chaim answered him, `When we are talking about kovod HaTorah, such considerations do not exist.' This is the only time that both Maran the Rosh Yeshiva and Maran HaRav Chaim sent their call to roshei yeshiva to participate in the gathering.
"Maran HaRav Chaim also said that since the matter affects the kovod of Maran the Rosh Yeshiva, whoever goes out against him will have a great fall.
"We asked in regard to mayoral candidates and candidates for the city council, since both of them are chareidi, why enter into a machlokes? Maran the Rosh Yeshiva was unusually upset and HaRav Chaim also said, `A man has something, and they come to him and take it away. Is this called mixing in?'
"Gedolei Yisroel, ziknei hador, the eyes of the community, all say — others are making a machlokes against us.
"They tried to say that the household members do not let the issues be presented to him so I was asked to speak to him and to say that there another side to the issue. Maran Shlita told me, `Every thing has two sides. I am not a party to the issue. I stay silent.' Everyone knows that this is the way of Maran the Rosh Yeshiva: he stays silent.
"Another thing. Some say that they fear the critical view of the other side. Maran the Rosh Yeshiva said, `They have no right to criticize.' HaRav Chaim said, `From this criticism there is nothing to fear. The other said has a lot to fear.'
"There is one thing that is only found by gedolei Yisroel: blessings. We have a brochoh from Maran the Rosh Yeshiva and from Maran HaRav Chaim. With their brochoh we will stride forth and be mekadesh Sheim Shomayim by fulfilling Kechol asher yorucho. May we merit to see the city of the King restored in building the true palace of the true King, the building of the Beis Hamikdash, bimheiroh beyomeinu omein."
An interesting note was added in the late arrival of HaRav Chaim Shlomoh Leibowitz, who said that he has an order (tzavo'oh) from his father HaRav Yaakov Leibowitz zt"l, who founded the Kaminetz Yeshiva in Jerusalem after the Holocaust and was the son of HaRav Boruch Ber Leibowitz zt"l, that he should not participate in election rallies. However in this case HaRav Chaim Kanievsky told him personally that this is not a political rally such as was referred to by his father, but an assembly for kovod HaTorah of Maran the Rosh Yeshiva HaRav Shteinman, and therefore he came to this important even on which the yesodei hadas are dependent.
