YosHChayal:
The reason why Rabbi Epstein did not reprint this letter in his second edition was not because of threats (there are many more leftist leaning views brought down in this sefer that would’ve been a greater casue for threats) but because Rabbi Epstein honestly acknowledged that printing just this letter gives a very skewed picture of Rav Elya Meir’s views on this matter. Being that Rav Elya Meir was a deep and very fine thinker with colorful detailed view, they were too complex to comprehend from just one letter.
Having said that I will translate to you a letter that Rav Elya Meir has written. It is a long and personal letter, therefore I will not translate all of it. But the part that`s relevant , I will translate it directly – not as a free translation.
The letter is dated fifteenth of Shevat 5703.
“…The blood of our father that flows in our veins the blood that was shed all his life in the course of his war against the idol of zionism… the basic hashkafah and final and clear halacha that we are forbidden to give a hand in support to zionism to agree to idol worship. As long as Hashem will grant me life, one with Mizrahi views, will not join the hanhalah of the yeshiva and we will work to ensure that it so continues after our time. For this is the litmus test of the right Hashafah and right views in the basic Emunah of Hashem and in his Hashgacha, Emunas Chachamin and in basic right and honestly straight way of life. And as of yet there has not been a single Yeshiva that has produced students that were truly Yirei Hashem when their Hanhalah was not sharp and staunch opponents to acknowledging/agreeing of Reshaim and the evil of the zionists. B”H of all the members of the hanhalos of the yeshivos in Poland and Lithuania, there has not been even one that supported the Mizrachi movement… Also this we must remember that the Yeshiva, wherever it may be is the spiritual creation of our father, the light of our eyes zatzal and if in this place there will be an individual who has influence, who disagrees with his psak din that “zionism is a mispachas, all who follow it will not escape doom” this is a slight and a disgrace to his great honor. and in this place that the great tzadik has been moser nefesh in his war against zionism, we will not let that a stranger to his ideas and a cholek on his views should get near the holiness….there are enough pashranim and vatranim, I am not one of them or from their group. Even if America distorts so much that zionism has already become a holy thing, still its real essence and value has not changed. Not to conform to America are we building the future but for Klal Yisroel.
Yehoshou bin nun in his last will warned klal yisroel from such pashranus, because the biggest danger is joining (the wrong groups). Even if the purpose is to attract the youth to Emunah. If they do not wish to server Hashem in truth and wholesomeness Yehoshua has preached to them, they should rather choose one of the false gods “vanoichi u’veisi naavod es Hashem”….
But even in the great termoil and I am in Exile, I will not give up on the way of life that my father, my master and my teacher taught me. Mi LaHashem Eilai. If chas vesholom there are only two, and even if its only one, it is worth more to me than thousands of pashranim and vatranim…. (Signed)
Eliyahu Meir