At an election rally: HaRav Gershon Edelstein, HaRav Chaim Kanievsky, HaRav Boruch Mordechai Ezrachi
At the conclusion of the shiur klalli which the Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Gershon Edelstein, delivered to the student body of Yeshivas Ponovezh, he spoke on the subject of the upcoming elections and of the duty of each student to vote at this pivotal time:
"It is known that Elul is a time which requires especial reinforcement, since it is the preparatory time before Rosh Hashonoh, the Day of Judgment, and one must accumulate merit. But precisely when one must increase one's merit, there are impediments and attempts at weakening.
"This year it comes in the form of the elections. What are elections? Simply, the obligation to go and vote, and not to be digressed by the very subject of elections. Nevertheless, the elections are the focus of talk since it is interesting: how will it end with this or that, and one cannot help making conjectures about the future.
"And this comes precisely in Elul, which is a time when one must increase one's diligence in Torah and Mussar and comport oneself seriously and solemnly — that is when the trials surface and the yetzer hora threatens. At this time one must not let himself be distracted by interesting things.
"One must be very careful, especially in Elul, at this imminent election time, not to discuss [elections], but to direct one's [natural] curiosity to what the gemara says on this, what R' Akiva maintains and what Tosafos says. There is much to captivate one's interest in Torah study, and this is a matter which needs reinforcement at all times."
