Opinion & Comment
Left and Right

As both Knesset and municipal elections (somewhat later) approach, a number of questions have become more pressing: whether to vote, whether not to vote, whom to vote for, what to vote for, who will achieve what, who got things done, who will get things done, who will give me more, whether our group is represented in government institutions or not, etc., etc.

Perhaps the time of the Moshiach's arrival, of which so much has been written, also applies to the lack of clarity in this thing called elections.

The Chazon Ish zt'l once said elections can be compared to someone who has a pot with a hole in the bottom and another hole on the side, and instead of repairing the hole in the bottom the owner of the pot goes to work on the hole on the side. In other words the whole matter of elections is a secondary concern.

If so, why did Maran HaChazon Ish and all other gedolei Yisroel to this day tell us to vote, despite the election's marginal significance to the fate of chareidi Jewry and upholding the Torah in Israel?

The Chazon Ish based his response to this question on the Ramban's commentary at the end of Parshas Bo: " . . . And they will thank Hashem Who created them and delivered them, and will make this known and say to Him, `We are Your creations.'" The whole matter of elections, added Maran, is to make known to all how many Jews want to see all national matters run according to the Shulchan Oruch.

Thus we do not vote because so-and-so appears on the list instead of someone else. Neither do we vote because of the activity or inactivity of our representatives in the house of legislature. Election Day itself is important. The vote count is the real reason. More votes means more kiddush Hashem.

In describing our obligation to obey the words of chachomim, the Torah uses the words, "Lo sosur min hadovor asher yagidu lecho yomin usemol" (Devorim 17:11). Writes Rashi, "Even if he tells you right is left and left is right, and all the more so when he tells you right is right and left is left."

Some interpreters ask why in the Sifrei, Rashi's source for this statement, did Chazal use "left" and "right" as an example, rather than other opposites such as night and day or north and south?

But it seems the selection of left and right contains profound meaning. North and south, like night and day, are fixed concepts that have no connection to the speaker, while left and right depend on the person using the terms. When Reuven and Shimon mention "left" and "right" during the course of a conversation, they may not have the same absolute direction in mind; since Reuven is facing Shimon, his left is Shimon's right, and vice versa.

When the Torah commands us to obey the chochom, it is not commanding us to heed him even if he says north is south. Likewise a chochom cannot rule that day is night. If the chochom nevertheless issues a decision that seems odd and groundless to the listener, this is only because he is not standing in the same place and position as the chochom, lacks his cogitative powers and clarity, and lacks his involvement in the matter and his overview. If the listener thinks the chochom ruled right is left, it means according to his own understanding it appears to be left, but were he standing in the chochom's shoes he would see that it is in fact right.

People who think they stand on the same level as the rov and therefore say they did not receive enough or some achievements fell short or mistakes were made-- they are simply facing in a different direction. With his gadlus in Torah the chochom sees everything differently, so to him left is really right. Therefore all of the propaganda about future actions and promises in matters affecting our sector are fundamentally in error. We soldiers must know that lo sosur is a mitzvah deOraisa which we now have the opportunity to fulfill.

When an uncommon mitzvah like shmittah, Bircas Hachamoh or petter chamor comes along, everyone eagerly takes part. The same should apply to the relatively rare mitzvah of lo sosur.

It is silly to wish elected MKs "mazel tov." It would be more fitting to say, "HaMokom yenachem oscho . . . " The Ponevezh Rav said he did not have enough clothes to do krioh when it was suggested he run for Knesset.

Nevertheless one must vote in order to demonstrate how many kosher Jews there are in Eretz Hakodesh for whom issues relating to Judaism and Torah really matter. And this is an act of kiddush Hashem. Maranan verabonon have determined that voting for United Torah Jewry represents an act of strengthening and sustaining the Jewish religious community and lomdei Torah in Eretz Yisroel.

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