Chabad Rabbinical Court Condemns Otzma Yehudit Candidacy as “Public Deception”

Beis Din Rejects Chabad Link to Chossid’s Knesset Bid

Following the placement of Chabad chossid Yossi Goldberger on the Otzma Yehudit Knesset list by party chairman Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Beis Din Rabbonei Chabad issued a sharp letter stressing that no individual can represent Chabad in matters of political affiliation.

Chabad Rabbinical Court Condemns Otzma Yehudit Candidacy as “Public Deception”

The entire membership of the Chabad Rabbinical Court in Eretz Yisrael issued an extraordinary public letter Thursday opposing the inclusion of a Chabad chassid on Otzma Yehudit’s slate for the upcoming Knesset election. The rabbinical court, regarded as Chabad’s highest religious authority in Eretz Yisrael, declared that the decision was made without its approval and conflicts with Chabad’s longstanding approach toward political parties. “We hereby clarify that the inclusion of a Chabad chassid on the Otzma Yehudit slate for the Knesset was not undertaken with our consent and is contrary to the path of Chabad chassidus regarding these matters,” the rabbonim wrote. They warned that placing an identifiable Chabad representative on a party’s electoral slate inevitably creates the impression that the movement is aligned with that political organization. “The entry of a Chabad chassid onto a political slate is intended to connect Chabad with the party,” the letter stated. “A declaration, from one party or another, that the candidate is not acting on behalf of Chabad is insufficient. This causes a desecration of Chabad’s name and misleads and deceives the public.” The rabbonim emphasized that Chabad does not officially identify with any political movement and rejects efforts to associate the chassidus with partisan endorsements. “Chabad chassidus does not identify with any political movement and disassociates itself from all party support,” they wrote, adding that this position does not diminish the responsibility and obligation to vote. Concluding their letter, the rabbonim said that the Rebbe’s approach was centered upon bringing Torah and chassidus to every segment of the Jewish people, without binding Chabad to a particular political camp. “The path of the Rebbe, who established the direction of Chabad chassidus, is to spread Judaism and chassidus to every part of the nation, with love for and unity among the Jewish people,” they wrote. The members of the rabbinical court signed the letter “with sorrow and pain.” {Matzav.com}