This letter was sent to Rabbi Yitzchak Izik HaLevi Herzog, the Chief Rabbi of Eretz Yisrael at that time.

B”H, 20 Adar I, 5711,
Brooklyn

Greetings and blessings,

Reports from several different sources have reached me regarding the possibility of elections [being held] in our Holy Land.

When paying attention to the situation in our Holy Land in general and, in particular, [after considering] the results of the local elections held recently, and based on the information I have received afterwards which appears to be true regarding the events taking place in our Holy Land, it would seem that the religious parties and Orthodox Jewry there as a whole are not prepared to the extent that — were new elections to be held in the near future — their position in the Knesset1 would improve. On the contrary, Heaven forbid, the opposite....

Certainly, being local, you know of all this with even greater clarity. Even if they will come to the decision that [new elections] are for the benefit of and the perspective of Orthodox Jewry as a whole (without considering the possible benefit that could result for a given party), this is not at all an appropriate time for general elections.

I am certain that these reports are only tricks and an attempt to arouse fear in order to attain a desirable solution to the question of kosher Jewish education, and they do not really intend to actually bring about elections. Certainly, [the ultimate outcome] should not compromise matters affecting religious practice.

According to reports that have not been verified to the full extent required, this is also the position of Poalei Eretz Yisrael.2Therefore, it is to be hoped that the elections will not be held.

It is certainly superfluous to emphasize that if it is impossible to prevent the elections, it is of absolute necessity that there be a united religious front.

I sent you a telegram regarding the above. Thank you in advance if you could inform me of your outlook and activities in this regard.

With blessing,

Using free association, I said that the question of the necessity for and the possibility of damage from a unified [religious] front reflects the question of what is given priority: quantity (kamus) or quality (eichus). [A possible resolution] can be derived from [considering the workings of] the [Divine] attribute of retribution. See the statements of the Alter Rebbe in [Tanya,] Iggeres HaTeshuvah, ch. 7: “A multitude of [{minor} sins can create a blemish equivalent to one sin punishable by kares…. Many light curtains] shade like [one thick one,] and even more.”

Several examples were stated by Rav Yosef Engel in [his text] Lekach Tov, sec. 15. The words of Rabbeinu Nissim, the conclusion of the last chapter of Yoma, are well known as is the ruling of the Alter Rebbe in his pure Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 328:16.3

Obviously, there are various distinctions to be made. This is not the place for further discussion of the issue.