Choice dilemma
Hello Rabbi,
Do you think there is a moral problem with voting in elections for a candidate who is morally and perhaps even criminally corrupt, even though I think he is the right candidate to be Prime Minister of Israel? Or does the end (electing him as Prime Minister) justify the means (voting for a corrupt man) in such a case?
A good question, and of course there is no single simple answer.
In general, I think it is wrong to vote for him, unless the alternative is catastrophic (like asking a military minister who accidentally murdered and was exiled to go fight for us. According to Jewish law, he does not leave his city of refuge, or at least does not have to).
Beyond that, I think it is difficult to separate the moral problem from the practical assessment of the results and functioning. It is wrong to vote for a corrupt candidate because it has problematic results on a practical level as well. Even if he is a good PM in the short term, it has difficult prices in the long term. Educationally as well as practically. Corrupting the system has serious consequences for its functioning.
And if we’re talking about Bibi, in his current situation, I think it’s absurd to vote for him both on a practical level and without knowing what the consequences will be. First, he will be busy with his own affairs and not completely free for his public affairs. Second, his decisions will be suspect of irrelevant influences (they are suspect of being made on the basis of advancing his personal interests and populism instead of the public interest. According to Arik Sharon, the Greek island and the disengagement). And in general, he has been in office for too long and it’s time for him to go. There is something very unhealthy about such a high-ranking position for life that turns the state and government into his private domain.
Here, I slipped a little into politics through my sins.
By the way, after writing this, a token suddenly fell to me. As long as the Likud doesn't kick him out of the party leadership and the candidacy for prime minister, it follows from my words that it is appropriate to vote for Blue and White or the left. All those on the right have declared that they will go with him (Haredim, Liberman, Beit Yehudi-Racists, the New and Renewed Right) and therefore voting for them is like voting for Bibi. This is the only way I can make sure that my vote doesn't go to Bibi. And what about left and right issues? Personally, it doesn't seem very significant to me. (I don't know what Feiglin says on the matter. And what about Kahlon? It's worth checking.)
And what about abilities and experience? Don't worry, nothing will collapse. There is life after Bibi. Our sages said about this: The cemeteries are full of people who have no replacement…
Feiglin: "The Right-wing Bloc interests my grandmother"
https://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/393633
I've heard that before. But neither has the Left Bloc. Is he disqualifying Bibi?
As far as I remember, he didn't rule it out,
He said he had no doubt that Peres and his ilk were much more corrupt, and we must wait for the court's decision.
(They will still suspect me here of being his spokesman(-:)
Here I found:
https://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/366306
Rabbi, if Gantz becomes prime minister, a Palestinian state could arise here, and in general, all of his dealings with Iran and Visa will be more inclusive and weaker. The consequences will be many deaths (like the consequences of the Rabin government). Is the enlightenment and protest against the corruption that Bibi is taking worth the heavy price that could be levied on the state?
In my opinion, the issue of the Palestinian state does not depend on us, nor does it necessarily harm us (our responsibility for the territory, because they do not have a state, imposes a lot of limitations on us). As I wrote, I do not see the great disasters that would happen without Bibi. In the end, he too will have to go, and what will happen then?
What about the presumption of innocence? After all, there have been cases in the past where indictments were filed against public figures and they were ultimately acquitted (including against Bibi himself).
Yes, what difference does it make between Rabin or Shamir (“corrupt, are you fed up”, remember? That was about Shamir's Likud)? Tell that to the Oslo butchers, whose cemeteries are full of them. This arrogance is amazing, a sure sign of historicism.
Beyond that, voting for him, even if there is not a single good thing about him, is a vote against the ”deep state” apparatus, selective enforcement and the stitching up of cases on political grounds.
Oren,
I did not address the question of innocence. On the contrary, what I wrote is true even if he is found innocent.
Sony,
This is demagogy. The right has made no less agreements in the meantime. The question of whether they did harm or not is really unclear to me. The mantra about the “Oslo dishes” in my opinion is baseless. In the meantime, Oslo, with all the criticism I have of it, is saving quite a few lives (the cooperation with the PA). It is easiest to present everything as black and white, but usually the reality is not like that.
And of course I haven't even addressed the famous "stitching of the cases". You probably have better information than all the law enforcement agencies. Thank you.
If he is found to be blameless, then why would you see him as corrupt?
Where did I write that he is corrupt? The question was about a corrupt PM and I answered about that. Then I added a reference to Bibi and explicitly stated that all my arguments do not assume that he is corrupt.
They also had excellent information about Yaakov Ne'eman, Rafael Eitan, and others, to the holy authorities. If the accusations are weak and forced, and even in some cases incoherent (as Amit Segal commented in Tot”d), then I allow myself to doubt.
Leave a Reply
Please login or Register to submit your answer
