Matzav.com Endorses Bob Turner for Congress – And Why

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matzav_networkMatzav.com Newscenter announces that it is endorsing Republican Bob Turner in the race to replace Queens Rep. Anthony Weiner. Turner’s opponent is Democrat David Weprin, currently a New York State assemblyman formerly a member of the New York City Council where he served as chairman of its finance committee.

In explaining our decision to endorse Mr. Turner, we present the following thoughts written by Dovid Z. Schwartz, director of the Community Guardians Group, a grassroots voters organization based in Queens that promotes the eternal values of the Torah in the public forum:

Chazal tell us that Hashem created the world “bereishis,” on account of what’s considered first, which is the Jewish people. We have a mitzvah to love our fellow Jews as ourselves, and to judge our fellow Jews favorably.

Doesn’t it stand to reason that we should do everything in our power to help out a fellow Jew who’s seeking to lift himself to high elected office, who, in turn, stands to help out our communities along with him?

David Weprin, right, proudly showing his support at a "pride" parade.
David Weprin, right, proudly showing his support at a "pride" parade.

There are a number of people, however, who have voiced opposition to the congressional candidacy of Assemblyman David Weprin based upon his vote on one single matter. They say that regardless of his religious affiliation, his mentchlichkeit, and all the support he has already given to our communities, based on this one single issue, he deserves to lose the election.

As you may know, Mr. Weprin voted in favor of “marriage equality,” the recently passed law in New York State. He did so knowing that the Torah prohibits such unions, even for non-Jews. Mr. Weprin sponsored the bill. He gave a speech in favor of the bill on the floor of the state assembly. In that speech, he declared that he was an Orthodox Jew and that he was voting in favor of marriage equality.

Mr. Weprin publicly explained his actions by stating later, “It’s not a religious issue. It’s about civil marriage.” To explain his argument, Mr. Weprin might mean that we may personally believe in the moral truth of the Torah, as private citizens, but in a secular society like America that does not allow one religious system to define the values of the country, we are obligated to respect the different, and sometimes objectionable, moral beliefs of others.

The Rambam in Moreh Nevuchim (Part I, Ch. 2) states that, initially, Adam Harishon saw the world through intellect alone, distinguishing between truth and falsity, emes and sheker. After he disobeyed and inclined towards his desires, he became absorbed in judging things in relative, conventional terms, called good and bad, tov and rah.

A different explanation of this says that Adam Harishon came to see a mixture of good and bad.  He saw the good in the bad and the bad in the good.  That’s to say, sometimes, it’s bad to be too good, and to be a little bad, sometimes, is good. This corrupt philosophy is better known by the phrase, “I put aside my own personal sense of morality when it comes to matters of the state.”

People with blemished thinking call this wisdom. They dismiss people who insist on moral truth as naïve and call themselves practical. They say this is the only way to get money for our institutions. I say this is a mitzvah that comes from an aveirah.

Last Sunday, the U.S. government was planning a series of events to celebrate the dedication of a multi-million dollar statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. A non-denominational prayer service to honor Dr. King that was scheduled to be held at the U. S. National Cathedral had to be relocated, however, after several of its stone spires and angels came crashing down in that week’s earthquake. I’m not making this up. The tip of the Washington Monument also cracked. And the dedication of the statue of Dr. King planned for that Sunday had to be pushed off to a later date by Hurricane Irene.

I would suggest that the concept of “equality” that Dr. King stood for has literally become an idol. When we find people telling us that we must put aside our Torah values and support some other thing that guarantees our safety, it sounds a lot like avodah zara to me. To support such an argument – that this is a modern, secular society and we cannot expect to impose our personal religious values on all the non-Jews – at the very least paints Yiddishkeit as an embarrassing, backwards and primitive tradition from the past.

But, in truth, this is not a failing of the Constitution itself, but a corruption of it. This great nation gives the power to vote – the power to define the moral values and the direction of the country – to each one of us. With our votes, and our voices, we are given the responsibility to participate, share, and instruct our neighbors about what is truly in the best interest of America.

In a few short weeks, on Rosh Hashanah, we will stand in shul and say the pesukim of “Malchios,” declaring Hashem to be our King. Our brother, David Weprin, has lost his way and he must be stopped from making much greater errors and embarrassments in the future. Our success and our protection come only from honoring our Father in Heaven through His Torah. Stand up for Torah and vote against David Weprin.

{Matzav.com Newscenter}


23 COMMENTS

  1. Wow! Excellent piece! Thank you Matzav! As you know, many times I critique your website and it’s over editing (can I say that?). B”H, this time you’ve made me proud! Yes, any clear thinking Frum Yid, knows that Weprin can not represent us! Hiring a low life, “sell out” consultant only cements our decision to vote for Bob Turner!It’s high time we stop the Chillul Hashem & start bringing back Kvod Shomayim. Thanx Matzav. Kseva vechasima tova!

  2. I PERSONALLY spoke to Y.Pindrus’s father.

    Y.Pindrus did NOT endorse Weprin.Having had mutual association he wrote a nuanced letter which was intentionally misinterpreted for the Public.

  3. There are a few errors in this piece both in halacha and logic. You seem to think that sticking to “morals” no matter the consequences is a good thing, and that no bad can be done for the greater good. This both silly and anti-torah the concept of eis lasos does exist we do sometimes allow a small bad for the greater good (not that it applies here obviously but the concept exists). The most famous example being writing Torah shebiksav, more recently r’ moshe used it to allow a coed school in scranton.

  4. I would suggest that the concept of “equality” that Dr. King stood for has literally become an idol.

    MLK never pushed Toevah marriage.I strongly identify with his work for equality.BUT, those who support Toeva “marriage” are trampling on my Religious freedom by demanding that I accept Toeva as legitimate marriage.Therefore I could never vote for Weprin

  5. I’m glad someone in Queens took the time to write his Daas baal Habayis and that Matzav is basing its endorsement on that assessment.

    I am not supporting Weprin, but throughout the years the leading and recognized gedolei Yisroel have made it clear that our support should be based what is best on the NEEDS of our communities, not a candidate’s policies on social issues.

    I know that some Rabbanim diagreed with this position, but if they were doctors, no one would listen to these individuals over the experts.

  6. re #7:
    the concept of “eis la’asos” exists. A gadol or gedolim may invoke it. But when non-gedolim take refuge in it, it becomes moreh heter, and is one of the fundamental concepts underlying the conservative “judaism” movement.

    They also claim that the greater good of “keeping people Jewish” justifies the lesser evil of “modernization of halacha”.

    Derech agav, there has never [to my knowledge] been an eis la’asos justifying chilul Hashem. Or arayos of the tzibbur. Or even of a yochid be’farhesi’a [see, e.g., Tosafos Sanhedrin 74b, s.v. v’ha Esther].

  7. It all boils down to Money or Torah Values.

    How do you live your daily life? As an erliche yid or do you do ‘whatever it takes’ to make as much money as you could?

    Do you look for all the loopholes and stretch and mold the Halacha to your advantage?

    Do you take your shailos to 10, 15, or more Rabbonim until you get the response that you want?

    The Kashover Rav Ztzl never got directly involved in politics but when I had asked him about a particular candidate, the Rav said “Support the one who upholds Morality.”

    It was stated above “……. throughout the years the leading and recognized gedolei Yisroel have made it clear that our support should be based what is best on the NEEDS of our communities, not a candidate’s policies on social issues.”

    They were obviousely referring to non-Jewish candidates supporting non-Jewish values. Go back to them today and ask them if they would support a Yid who supports Toayvah “as an Observant Jew”? Weprin is a Chillul Hashem!!

    You will find that there is no way to kasher a pig! No matter how many “Gedolim” you ask!

  8. #11: Rav Yaakov said it frequently. Rav Moshe and Rav Yaakov both were among those who instructed the Agudah to sign onto Executive Order 50.

    As an aside, look in the new volume of Igros Moshe, Choshen Mishpat, Siman 5, where Rav Moshe discusses that we have no reason to react to morality-based laws (he is discussing where where the law already passed and where it does not impact our rights as frum Yidden).

  9. All the comments here are agreeing with Matzav. Enough already! It just goes to show you that censorship is alive and well here and with the same mouthpiece you endorse free elections and who to vote for.

  10. The Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah including Rav Shmuel Kamanetsky and Rav Dovid Feinstein shlit”a -Rav Yaakov and Rav Moshe’s sons who are ALOT more qualified than you to discuss their fathers’ shitos and Daas Torah came strongly against the NY TOEIVAH MARRIAGE LAW. Shame on you for bringing up Gedolim whom you have no connection to.

  11. Number 18 — you completely misunderstood what I was saying.

    I was not supporting the law. I never said that they would support it, they would — and we should slearly and strongly oppose it.

    You miss the distinction between opposing a law and opposing a person who voted for that law based on that alone.

    I wasn’t even supporting Weprin. I don’t support him. I’m not voting for him.

    I was pointing out that for Matzav to make an endorsement based on daas baalebattim is wrong.

    I have no doubt that almost every baalebos with an opinion believes he is right and that the gedolim would support him.

    The poblem is he’s not a godol.

    Nor am I, and since you can’t understand simple distinctions, I daresay nor are you.

    Let’s ask them what they say. I only spoke becuase someone else dared to state what policy should be without asking. I know that he “knows” without asking. There, my friend, lies the problem.

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