Rabbi Moshe Tzadka, the senior dean of the Sephardic yeshiva world and head of the Porat Yosef Yeshiva, signed an unusual letter instructing voters not to support the Shas party.
The letter was signed amid allegations that Shas had expressed willingness to allow the drafting of yeshiva students who are not actively enrolled in a yeshiva program.
The development has raised concerns within Shas's election headquarters, given Rabbi Tzadka's prominent standing in the Sephardic haredi community and the potential influence of his directive on the party's voters.
Following the signing of the letter, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri is working to enlist senior rabbis, including Council of Torah Sages member Rabbi Moshe Maya and former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, to visit Rabbi Tzadka at his home and attempt to persuade him to withdraw his instruction not to vote for the party.
The development comes at a particularly sensitive time for Shas as it prepares for Election Day, bringing the dispute over the drafting of yeshiva students and its potential consequences for the party's support to the forefront.
According to a report by i24NEWS, the letter was drafted through the mediation of Kabbalist Rabbi Benayahu Shmueli, head of the Nahar Shalom Yeshiva.