BALTIMORE — There has been a major development in the ongoing saga of the WZO election debate. VINnews can confirm that little to no Rabbinical opposition remains to the widely accepted position to vote in the elections, as Rabbi Aharon Feldman has retracted his position.
As was previously reported by VINnews, Rabbi Aharon Feldman of Yeshiva Ner Yisroel of Baltimore had joined Rabbi Malkiel Kotler of Beth Medrash Govoha of Lakewood in threatening Rabbi Shmuel Kamenetsky that they will quit the Moetzes Gedolei Yisroel of Agudath Israel of America unless he retracts his support of those who will vote in the WZO elections.
Rabbi Kamenetsky has not since retracted his position, yet neither Rabbi Feldman nor Rabbi Kotler have followed through on their threats to quit the Moetzes.
In the interim, Rabbi Kamenetsky wrote Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky a two page handwritten in depth letter, presenting the question of whether one should vote in the WZO elections. Rabbi Kanievsky responded that it was 100% permitted according to Halacha.
At a Moetzes meeting that was subsequently held on the phone, Rabbi Kotler and Rabbi Feldman once again questioned Rabbi Kamenetsky who responded by reading his in depth letter and response from Rabbi Kanievsky. The meeting was immediately adjourned.
On Friday, Rabbi Feldman released a letter published in a Lakewood publication claiming that Rabbi Brudny had retracted his position. This is totally not the case, and VINnews has confirmed that Rabbi Brudny has not changed his opinion on the matter.
In a major development Monday morning, VINnews has confirmed that in a conversation with well-known news editor Rabbi Yitzchok Hisiger, Rabbi Feldman has retracted his position, and has stated that he is “Mevatel his Da’as to Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky on the matter,” effectively declaring that he no longer opposes the position of Rabbi Brudny and Rabbi Kamenetsky.
This stunning development leaves Rabbi Malkiel Kotler the lone voice who still opposes the nearly unanimous view of Gedolei Hador that it is permitted to vote in the WZO elections.
As reported by Vos Iz Neias