...that you better think for yourself instead of voting for institutionalised irresponsibility
Mummy, will I have a sandwich today at cheder?
Voting gimmel is taking responsibility for everyone's slice of daily bread.
The implication being that we wouldn't dream of insisting that individuals have to take responsibility for their own daily bread. I discovered a very eye-opening tool for you to figure out where you stand in relation to all the different political parties in Israel.
What is shocking, although not in the surprising sense, is that UTJ, Shas, and Mafdal basically all seem to have got their socio-economic policy right out of Comrade Lenin's mouth. They all believe in the goverment's responsibility to redistribute wealth each according to his needs.
Even more problematic is that UTJ especially doesn't believe in the other side of the Leninist maxim - that work be apportioned each according to his ability.
Tzedek and Mishpat rest on the idea that a man's property and earnings are inviolable. According to some halakhic authorities that is the basis of the whole concept of Nezek - Tort law in the Torah's civil code. Yes, the wealthy are expected to support the poor but that remains each man's private obligation and never do we find that principle of each according to his need.
Taking responsibility for one's own livelihood is also a given in traditional sources. In the Rambam's famous 8 levels of tzedakah, the highest is putting a person on his feet, with a loan or a gift that enables him to start a business or giving him a job. Perpetuating dependence is the furthest thing from the goal of tzedakah. Perpertuating it in the wholesale manner that UTJ and Shas are doing is a complete distortion.
In case you wonder whether it's really true that United Torah Judaism - Gimmel has bought into socialism, lock, stock and barrel, the above slogan says: Only one party...battles fiercly against attempts by capitalist forces to deprive you of what's rightly yours.
How can the party that claims to be the defender of Torah Judaism rest it's entire election campaign on this immoral phrase - magiya li - meaning literally, it's coming to me, it's my right!
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