Anger and frustration are mounting at Yeshivas Kol Torah in Yerushalayim following reports that its rosh yeshiva, Rav Moshe Yehuda Schlesinger, a senior member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah of Degel HaTorah, was not invited to the party’s major election gathering Thursday evening in the capital.

Rav Schlesinger’s name was omitted from the invitation list, leaving the rosh yeshiva unaware that the event was even taking place. The reported exclusion has provoked considerable resentment among his talmidim and associates, who say it follows an earlier incident in which the rosh yeshiva was embarrassed at another gathering attended by leading rabbonim.

The controversy comes as Degel HaTorah prepares for the upcoming Knesset elections, with the party seeking to mobilize its supporters through a series of public gatherings featuring prominent Torah leaders.

Those close to Rav Schlesinger maintain that the latest incident cannot be dismissed as a simple organizational oversight. They point to what they describe as a pattern of disrespect toward the rosh yeshiva, who is regarded as the eldest current member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.

According to sources, an earlier incident occurred when Rav Schlesinger was invited to a special gathering of gedolei Yisroel but discovered upon arriving that no seat had been prepared for him at the dais alongside the other members of the Moetzes.

With no place designated for him among the participating rabbonim, Rav Schlesinger reportedly left the gathering and returned home.

Following that incident, Degel HaTorah officials dispatched representatives to the rosh yeshiva’s residence to personally apologize for what had occurred. The representatives reportedly assured him that such an incident would not happen again.

However, associates of the rosh yeshiva say the failure to invite him to Thursday evening’s gathering has renewed their concerns and deepened their frustration.

One of the rosh yeshiva’s close talmidim expressed the frustration felt by many at Kol Torah.

“I know that for quite some time, the rosh yeshiva has been very surprised by the way he has been treated,” the bochur told Emess. “But now it has reached a new low, where they simply do not invite him. This is a serious display of disrespect toward someone who is today the oldest member of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah.”

According to once source, one of Rav Schlesinger’s close talmidim approached him Thursday morning and asked whether he intended to attend the election gathering that evening.

The rosh yeshiva reportedly replied that he had neither heard about the gathering nor been informed that it was taking place.

A separate report by Chareidim Yerushalayim indicated that Rav Schlesinger’s son, Rav Shlomo Schlesinger, who also serves as a rosh yeshiva at Kol Torah, had not received an invitation.

The gathering was scheduled to take place at the Succas Dovid hall in Yerushalayim, with the participation of community leaders, shul gabbaim, political activists, and party representatives.

Associates of the rosh yeshiva also alleged that senior Degel HaTorah representatives had recently visited other members of the Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah to discuss election preparations but had not made a comparable visit to Rav Schlesinger.

The controversy has also revived discussion of the recent removal of longtime Knesset member Uri Maklev from Degel HaTorah’s electoral slate. Maklev has maintained a close relationship with Rav Schlesinger for many years and has regularly consulted him on communal and political matters.

Some talmidim have suggested that the strained relationship between the rosh yeshiva’s household and party officials may be connected to the dispute surrounding Maklev’s removal. However, no evidence has emerged establishing a connection between that disagreement and the failure to invite Rav Schlesinger.

The tension has reportedly begun affecting attitudes toward the upcoming elections among some of the yeshiva’s talmidim.

Similar sentiments were reported among some alumni of the yeshiva, although the extent of the dissatisfaction and whether it will translate into actual voting decisions remain unclear.

The latest dispute comes as Degel HaTorah prepares for another significant gathering, with its Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah expected to convene in Bnei Brak on Motzoei Shabbos for the first time in approximately four years.

According to the additional report, those close to Rav Schlesinger were also unaware of an invitation having been extended to him or his son for that meeting.

{Matzav.com}