United Torah Judaism chairman MK Yaakov Asher has come under criticism after agreeing to participate in an Israeli television program that begins broadcasting before the conclusion of Shabbos, raising questions about the propriety of a senior chareidi politician cooperating with a production that operates on Shabbos.

The controversy comes just five days before Israel’s Knesset elections, with the program scheduled to air this coming Motzoei Shabbos, October 24, on Channel 12.

According to a report by Channel 14, Asher is expected to appear on the popular political interview program Meet the Press, which begins broadcasting at 6 p.m. Shabbos ends in Tel Aviv at 6:36 p.m., meaning the program will already have been on the air for 36 minutes before the conclusion of Shabbos.

Although Asher’s interview is reportedly being recorded on Friday and will not be broadcast until after Shabbos, his decision to participate has nevertheless generated controversy over whether a representative of a chareidi party should lend legitimacy to a television production that operates during Shabbos.

The issue has taken on additional significance because of a report that Rav Dov Landau, Rosh Yeshivas Slabodka, had not authorized Asher’s participation.

Channel 14 reported that an inquiry made at Rav Landau’s home established that no approval had been given for the interview. However, the report did not include a detailed halachic ruling from Rav Landau concerning the particular circumstances.

According to the report, individuals close to Asher and associates of Rav Landau explained that the interview would be recorded before Shabbos, with the segment featuring Asher scheduled to air only after Shabbos had ended.

That distinction, however, has not resolved the broader controversy.

Critics argue that the issue extends beyond whether Asher himself will engage in any activity prohibited on Shabbos. They question whether the chairman of United Torah Judaism should participate in a television program whose production and broadcasting begin while Shabbos is still in effect.

The matter is particularly sensitive given United Torah Judaism’s longstanding identification with the protection of Shabbos observance in Israel. The party has repeatedly made opposition to public Shabbos desecration a central element of its political agenda.

Channel 14 also sought a response from Asher’s representatives regarding his decision to appear on the program.

Their response was brief: “He also comes to be interviewed on Channel 14.”

The reply did not directly address the criticism concerning the program’s Shabbos broadcast schedule.

The controversy has emerged at a politically sensitive moment, as United Torah Judaism is intensifying its campaign to mobilize chareidi voters ahead of Tuesday’s elections.

With the party seeking to present itself as a defender of Torah values and religious observance, the decision by its chairman to participate in a program that begins before Shabbos ends has prompted questions about the message being conveyed to the broader public.

At the same time, the available information does not indicate that Asher intends to personally violate Shabbos. The interview was expected to be recorded on Friday, and the portion featuring him is scheduled to air after Shabbos.

The dispute therefore centers on the appropriateness of cooperating with a television program that operates on Shabbos, rather than an allegation that Asher himself will participate in a live Shabbos broadcast.