The Chazon Ish on Voting in Israel

There is a fascinating “Argument From Silence” in the negative (השמטה) I’ve heard several times.

The argument is, had the prolific Chazon Ish really believed in voting for politicians, he would have left behind at least one handwritten letter to this effect. Maybe he didn’t oppose voting as badly as the Yerushalmim. But he is known to have never voted, himself (he never even got a Teudat Zehut), not nationally, anyway, and he purposely made sure not to leave behind a written positive proclamation either.

So they say.

I would not mind at all if it were true (!), but it’s false on several counts, especially the major part of, well, “no letter”. In Kovetz Iggros 3:101 he states explicitly Yeshiva Bachurim should vote, והרבה מחיזוק היהדות תלוי בזה. There is also 1:98, etc., but that is a weak reed since it refers to Knesset Members voting against something (Sherut Leumi).

“Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please.”