HaGaon HaRav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshivas Slobodka, was questioned on Tuesday morning about the municipal elections taking place in Israel across the country throughout the day.
In a video published by Kikar H’Shabbat, HaRav Landau is seen speaking harshly against Bnei Torah who refrain from voting.
“It’s obligatory to go out and vote,” HaRav Landau said. “If someone wants to exempt himself from putting on tefillin, he won’t harm others but he harms others if he doesn’t vote.”
“Whoever doesn’t want to vote shouldn’t put on tefillin.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
Aaand – we now have a perfect example of hyperbole commonly used by Gedolim which is generally understood as such – but is interpreted by Askanim and those with an agenda as a literal binding Psak when it suits their goals. I highly doubt the Rosh Yeshiva meant that a follower of the Eida, for example, which holds that voting is Assur, should not put on Tefilin this morning…
an Israeli Yid
1. “Whoever doesn’t want to vote shouldn’t put on tefillin.” I am sure many people don’t “want” to vote but they do so anyway. Is there a chiyuv to have a “rotzon” to vote?!
2. Maybe by putting on tefillin, the “mitzva goreres mitzva” aspect will bring about that he will go vote?!
3. Since when do we tell someone that does one aveira, to go do another aveirah?! Oh, you don’t learn Torah each day, then don’t put on tefillin!!
4. Does not wanting to vote passul the gavrah from putting on tefillin – like he lacks a guf noki?!
5. The dilemma: What if, chas v’sholom, someone took these words seriously and didn’t put on tefillin because he didn’t want to vote?! Or, should someone not take the words of rabbonim and gedolim seriously?!
We should not bend his words. He meant exactly what he said.
He loves his children and grandchildren, he supports them financially in a very nice way. So, no way can he fathom such a scenario that they should have to go fight in a war.
Therefore all political outcomes are very important to him.
Hence I assume not 1 single Satmar nor Peleg laid תפילין today
@anIsraeliYid
the difficulty is that words do matter. of course he is speaking to his talmidim, not the talmidim of Brisk. and, ultimately, everyone should ask their own rabbanim for a psak, not a tiktok.
If one can learn Torah and rely on the Eibeshter to defeat those outside who try to kill us, then of course one can also learn Torah and rely on the Eibeshter to defeat our opponents within. Bitul Torah to vote demonstrates a lack of emunah and bitachon.