Mikatowitz Ad Hei B'Iyar (large excerpt)

 

Mikatowitz Ad Hei B'Iyar  (large excerpt)

 On the 10th and 11th of Sivan 5673 (1913), a preliminary version of the constitution of Agudath Israel was drafted by the temporary committee. (This document, marked “top secret,” is a collector’s item today.) In Chapter 9, titled “Moetzes Chachmei Hatorah”, the following is stated (paragraphs 55-61):

The Moetzes Chachmei Hatorah is composed of at least 23 members of Agudath Israel who are known as Gedolei Torah. In connection with the matters of Agudath Israel, this council will clarify and decide the laws of the holy Torah… The Moetzes is obligated to decide on a matter when the leadership committee, the Central Committee or the Knessia Gedolah present a question to it… When the leadership committee sees a great need to bring some matter whose decision rests with the Moetzes to completion, the committee must limit the time in which the Moetzes must reach a decision. When the time limit has passed, the Committee has submitted its request again and the answer of the Moetzes is still not forthcoming, this will signify that the Moetzes forfeits its right to decide on this matter. An explanation of reasons must accompany each Moetzes decision.

At the Second Knessia Gedolah in 1929, a permanent constitution was ratified. The notion that the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah is obligated to answer and give reasons, and that the absence of a decision within a limited time grants license to the activists to decide on their own, was not accepted. (Mikatowitz Ad Hei Beiyar, pp. 18-19)

However, this is precisely what happened in 1946-48 at the time of the founding of the Zionist state. The Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah did not convene from 1937 until the end of 1951. During this crucial period the Agudah activists had to be satisfied with asking various gedolim individually. At a meeting in March 1946 regarding Agudah’s appearance before the Anglo-American Committee, it was reported that they had consulted with the Brisker Rav on the subject of a Jewish state, and he had not given his opinion, only said that it was a very serious issue and we must think about it. The Chazon Ish said that he would not get involved and would not give any answer. Rabbi Eliezer Yehuda Finkel expressed his opinion against it. Rabbi Yosef Cahaneman did not answer, but said that he was willing to attend a gathering, provided that it would take place in the house of the Chazon Ish (ibid. p. 100).

In September 1946, Agudah leaders visited Rabbi Dushinsky, the Brisker Rav, Rabbi Akiva Sofer and Rabbi Yosef Cahaneman to ask what Agudah’s stance should be on partition. All of these gedolim asked that their comments not be publicized, and said that all the rabbis needed to convene at one table in order to reach a joint decision. Despite all efforts, such a convention was never held (ibid. p. 103).

In October 1946, at a meeting to discuss Agudah’s participation in the Palestine Conference in London, Yaakov Senkowitz said, “We have to make every effort to get Daas Torah, but if we don’t get it, we must decide ourselves.” Feldman said, “We need to get Daas Torah, but after all, the Executive Committee was elected by the Knessia Gedolah with the agreement of the rabbis and are also entitled to an opinion. If the gedolim do not make a decision, it means that they are giving over the matter to the Executive Committee.” Rabbi Yitzchok Meir Levin agreed with Feldman. Mordechai Buxbaum said, “We must decide our position on our own, if Daas Torah is not forthcoming.” (ibid. pp. 96-98)

Throughout 1947-48, the Agudah leaders tried to convene the Moetzes, but to no avail. In the end, when Agudah joined the Zionist government, Levin wrote to Yaakov Rosenheim, “In New York the World Executive Committee decided that it had to join the government. After all, the Executive Committee also has a say about these issues… I don’t remember which of the Gedolei Hatorah were against it…” (ibid. p. 89)

And in a speech to Agudah members in September 1951, Levin said, “At the time of the establishment of the state, the World Executive Committee and the National Center in Israel decided to join the temporary government. After the first Knesset elections, the question of Agudah’s participation in the permanent government was brought before the Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah…”

Yet in another speech in that same year, Levin claimed that “we decided in accordance with the decision of Agudath Israel’s supreme institution, Moetzes Gedolei Hatorah, to join the government.” (ibid. p. 118)

Source:

https://torahjews.org/2023/11/26/parsha-pearls-parshas-pinchas