You may have heard of the recent near-split between “Agudat Yisrael” and “Degel Hatorah”. The latter, led by Moshe Gafni (oops, I meant “Da’as Torah”=Rabbi Gershon Edelstein shlita, of course!) initially refused to allow Mr. Yitzhak Goldknopf of Aguda to be first in the joint list.
Excuse No. 1: Mr. Goldknopf is lesser-known, so he’ll bring fewer votes.
Excuse No. 2: We didn’t get to do anything this time, as we sat in the opposition.
But wait! I thought Aguda and Degel already had an explicit, signed agreement to allow Aguda to put their man first this time around, no?
If Charedi politicians don’t honor signed contracts made to their fellow partners-in-crime, why assume they would honor oral promises made to their joint victims (even if those victims usually do fall for their promises)?!
Oops, I meant if Rabbi Edelstein doesn’t care about his loyal agents’ signed…
I imagine it was all a show. It’s all about coercing Netanyahu to agree to fund Charedi education assuming he becomes PM knowing that if they split and lose votes, he can’t form a coalition. (Which is what happened. Netanyahu agreed.)
Bottom line, it seems as though Gafni and co. (Why does this keep happening to me, Sigmund?! Nu, I mean Rabbi Edelstein doesn’t mind if his agents…) don’t honor their signatures.
Don’t appearances matter (especially in public contracts)?
Bava Basra 175b:
ורבה אמר דבר תורה אחד מלוה בשטר ואחד מלוה על פה אינו גובה אלא מנכסים בני חורין מ”ט שעבודא לאו דאורייתא ומה טעם אמרו מלוה בשטר גובה מנכסים משועבדים כדי שלא תנעול דלת בפני לוין אי הכי מלוה על פה נמי התם לית ליה קלא.
Where is the supposed “Kevod Shamayim” effected by voting for backstabbers?!
(עכשיו שהיית עמנו ונמנית עמנו יאמרו זונות מפרכסות זו את זו תלמידי חכמים לא כל שכן יהב ביה עיניה ונח נפשיה.)
And why don’t they fear this open treachery will lose them votes? Are voters known to be that inured?! (Don’t answer that.)