"Every yirei Hashem should do all he can to increase
the honor of Heaven by strengthening the UTJ-Gimmel list,"
reads a letter written by Maran HaRav Eliashiv in advance of
next week's Knesset elections. "And whoever shirks this
obligation lends a hand to those who seek to uproot
everything."
Large rallies are drawing thousands to hear messages conveyed
by gedolei Torah and gedolei Chassidus
regarding the holy obligation to vote for and to work to
support the UTJ Knesset list.
At the gatherings a krias kodesh by Maran HaRav
Eliashiv shlita was presented (see text in separate
article). A message by the Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Aharon Yehuda
Leib Shteinman shlita, read, "Certainly there is a
clear obligation to vote Gimmel, for in doing so one acts to
establish the authority of the Torah."
Thousands of Bnei Brak residents turned out for a major
elections gathering held at the large beis medrash in
Kiryat Vishnitz to promote the UTJ list. The dais was graced
by the Admor of Vishnitz, gedolei Torah, roshei
yeshivos, roshei kollelim, marbitzei Torah
vehoro'oh, dayonim and thousands of
avreichim. Moving speeches were given on the
obligation and the privilege of working to bring about the
success of the UTJ list, which is backed by maranan
verabonon, who are calling on the entire chareidi public
to unite under the Gimmel banner, the list for yirei'im
ledvar Hashem.
HaRav Yisroel Hager, speaking in the presence of his father,
the Admor of Vishnitz, quoted remarks by his grandfather, the
Ahavas Yisroel zy"o.
"We're facing a difficult campaign and we must act to
increase the honor of Heaven," he said. "My grandfather, the
Imrei Chaim, once said during the time of the decree to draft
girls that although many Jews will go to jail and will make
extreme sacrifices, we have to think about that Jew living in
a small community in the North who cannot meet the
nisoyon and will succumb chas vesholom, sending
his daughters to the army, therefore we need many loyal
representatives in the Knesset. This is not just about a
party, rather it affects the entire existence of Klal Yisroel
in Eretz Hakodesh. Every public representative is a
representative of the entire public, regardless of
background. Responsibility for the public rests on the
shoulders of the representatives, who stand at the watch on
matters both spiritual and material, for the material is
spiritual since it enables us to build and add more benches
in botei medrash and botei chinuch. Therefore
we have a holy obligation to act and encourage others, to
save what can be saved and to help promote the UTJ list. We
must not treat the matter lightly, thereby distancing other
Jews from a matter close to our hearts."
He finished by offering a "yeshar koach" to Rabbi
Shmuel Halpert for 28 years of activity, and to Rabbi
Menachem Eliezer Moses, blessing him for success in the
challenges before him.
Another elections gathering was held this week at the large
beis medrash for Gur Chassidim at which the Gerrer
Rebbe called on the thousands of listeners to increase the
number of activists promoting the success of UTJ. During the
gathering an announcement was made in the name and in the
presence of the Gerrer Rebbe: "With the elections drawing
near, everybody has an obligation to vote for the Gimmel list
and is asked wherever possible to help persuade others to
vote Gimmel, and may all of us be blessed with brochoh
and hatzlochoh."
Thousands of Belz Chassidim in Jerusalem took part in an
elections rally combined with a seudas mitzvah to mark
the "day of rescue" of the Admor of Belz and his brother, the
Admor of Bilgorei. The event, held at the central Belz
complex, was attended by gedolei Torah shlita, members
of the Machzikei HaDas Badatz, roshei yeshivos,
roshei kollelim, rabbonim, dayonim, public
figures and UTJ candidates.
The gathering marked the miraculous resurrection 65 years ago
of Belz Chassidus in Eretz Hakodesh. Afterwards the Belzer
Rebbe's decision was presented regarding the obligation to
participate in the elections in order to strengthen
Yiddishkeit and Jewish education in Eretz Yisroel.
Speeches were given by HaRav Pinchos Friedman, head of Belz
kollelim in Eretz Hakodesh, HaRav Menashe Reisman and
R' Mordechai Webber, the chairman of the Forum of
Representatives of Chassidei Belz and the Rebbe's
shamash.
UTJ candidate Rabbi Yisroel Eichler also spoke, focusing on
the difficulties chareidi Jewry currently faces as well as
the danger to the Torah world, which was built through the
strength and merit of gedolei Torah, who invested
great efforts into Torah and educational institutions
throughout Eretz Yisroel. On Election Day, he said, hanging
in the balance is the fate of hundreds of thousands of
children in the chareidi education system as well as young
couples in need of housing and kollel families whose
minimal subsistence is being further reduced by the world
economic crisis.
