This was the beginning of the campaign that was waged between the then-chairman of Shas, MK Eli Yishai, and the number two in the movement, MK Ariel Atias. Since that campaign, which the latter won, a lot of bad blood has flowed between the two, who made every effort to hide from the media any hint that would indicate this. Without success, of course.
The days were the eve of the previous presidential elections. Everyone in Shas was convinced that the late Rabbi Yosef would support MK Reuven Rivlin for the position. Yishai also had the same opinion. But then Ariel Atias arrived in the room of the president of the Council of Sages, reminded him of the obligation of gratitude that the Torah world has towards Shimon Peres, as someone who supported the yeshiva students at every turn over the years - and turned the tables.
From then until the day Eli Yishai was removed from the Shas leadership trio, in favor of the sole leadership of current chairman MK Aryeh Deri, relations between the two were quite murky. Latias also played a significant role in the rabbi's decision to dismantle the trio model.
But it was already clear to everyone that the support given to Shimon Peres at the time and withdrawn at the very last moment by Rabbi Rivlin was largely for him ahead of the next elections. Sadly, the spiritual leader of the Shas movement, the late Rabbi Yosef, passed away, and the movement had no choice but to rely on his past words, as well as on the letter written in his holy handwriting, a letter that is being published here for the first time.
And so the late Rabbi wrote:
""We gathered today to decide who will be the president of the state.
We hereby announce in advance that our dear and noble friend Mr. Reuven Rivlin is also worthy of this high position. And he is our true friend.
However, out of gratitude to Mr. Shimon Peres, who did much for Judaism, especially as Minister of Defense, we decided to support Mr. Shimon Peres to be President of the State.
However, we wish Mr. Reuven Rivlin potions in which "they will call you by your name and seat you in your place." And that he will rise higher and higher throughout the days and years of his life.
We also wish our dear friend Mr. Shimon Peres long life and many more years, and that he may continue to work for the benefit of the State of Israel and for the Torah of Israel, and that in whatever he turns, he may be wise and successful. May he magnify Torah and glorify it.".
The letter was also signed by members of the Council of Torah Scholars, Yavdelo Long Life, Rabbi Shalom Cohen, Rabbi Shimon Adani and Rabbi Moshe Maya.
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