הנותן תשועה למלכים

This week’s exciting event is without a doubt the United States election. Millions of U.S. residents went out to elect the next president. This is not the place to go into distinctions and inaccuracies other than politics, but it is understandable to any person that these choices have implications for U.S. Jews and communities there and the whole Eretz Yisroel.

And while Eretz Yisroel residents generally have no practical implications as to their preferred candidate, U.S. residents have a practical kind of nafka mina for whom to vote.

My grandfather Shlita was recently asked by rabbis and activists from the United States an interesting and important question regarding the election. It really is no secret that the Torah observant public in the United States prefers incumbent President Donald Trump to continue for another term, as he did good to the ultra-Orthodox public in the United States, and to the Jews of the Land of Israel.

Although to this day the rabbis of the communities in the United States have refrained from calling to vote for a particular candidate, out of fear that he will not be elected, and the president who will be elected contrary to their recommendation may take revenge. But in this election, the rabbis argued, it may be necessary to deviate and recommend to the public to elect the incumbent president out of gratitude that the general public has for everything that he has done so far, and it is right to acknowledge him when needed. My grandfather Maran Shlita was asked the following… Is it to fear that he will lose and that is a reason to avoid a public call to support him, or to still acknowledge gratitude, and support him in public?

And my grandfather Shlita replied that indeed from the point of view of יושר he deserves to be thanked, but there is no need to fear that if he loses they will take revenge on the Jews, and it is possible to advertise support for him, and my grandfather Shlita blessed that it should be with success.