Rav Shteinman To Bochur: Become an Israeli Citizen So You Can Vote

Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman was recently question by a bochur from the Diaspora who is learning at a yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel if he should apply for Israeli citizenship so that he will be able to vote in the upcoming Knesset elections. Rav Shteinman instructed the bochur to do exactly that: to become an Israeli citizen so that he can vote during the upcoming elections in March.

Before the elections for the 19th Knesset, a chosson asked Rav Shteinman for guidance, as his wedding was scheduled for election day. The chosson wanted to know if he should go out of his way on the busy day to vote. “Absolutely!” said Rav Shteinman. “There is no safeik that you should vote on election day.”

One of the people in the room asked Rav Shteinman about his response because perhaps the chosson has a din of oseik b’mitzvah potur min hamitzvah, so maybe he would be freed from the obligation to vote.

“How long does it take to stand in line and vote?” asked Rav Shteinman in response.

Fifteen minutes or so, he was told.

“For fifteen minutes it is certainly kedai for the chosson to fulfill the mitzvah of obeying the chachomim.”

{Matzav.com Israel News Bureau}