JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Rabbi Dov Landau, the leading rabbinic authority of the Lithuanian Haredi community, has issued a blistering warning against the newly established Hatzibur Haharedi party, declaring that he will fight its supporters with all his strength and accusing them of causing serious harm to charedi Judaism.

In a handwritten letter revealed by the L’Chatchila news website, Rabbi Landau condemned the party’s activities in unusually harsh terms, comparing its supporters’ actions to some of the gravest prohibitions in Jewish law. The letter was reportedly sent to Rabbi Yossi Ben Arza, a rabbi who supports the new political movement, after he visited Rabbi Landau’s home and discussed the party with his son.

“My son told me what you said, which is great foolishness, if not great wickedness,” Rabbi Landau wrote. “And I will fight against you with all the strength I have and do not have, because you are causing great harm to charedi Judaism.”

Emphasizing the severity of his opposition, Rabbi Landau compared the party’s activities to eating forbidden food on Yom Kippur or consuming chametz on the first night of Pesach. “I wrote this comparison to emphasize the seriousness of the matter,” he explained, concluding with an emphatic appeal: “Retract your position, retract it, and do not cause harm.” Despite the warning,Rabbi Ben Arza has reportedly refused to withdraw his support for the party.

Sources familiar with the exchange told L’Chatchila that Rabbi Ben Arza, the author of the Yosef Da’at series on Shas and a teacher at the Mishmar HaTorah charedi hesder yeshiva, had raised questions about political representation for charedi soldiers and working families. He reportedly asked who would address their needs but received no satisfactory answers.

The confrontation comes amid growing tensions ahead of Israel’s 26th Knesset elections. Hatzibur Haharedi, headed by Motty Leitner, deputy mayor of Beit Shemesh, is seeking to challenge the longstanding political dominance of United Torah Judaism and Shas. The party presents itself as an alternative for working Haredim and communities that its leaders believe have been inadequately represented by the established parties.

Its platform supports military service for charedi men who are not engaged in full-time Torah study, while opposing arrests and punitive sanctions against draft evaders. It also advocates greater opportunities for employment, education and economic integration.

The initiative has encountered fierce resistance from the traditional charedi leadership, which fears that a competing party could divide the Haredi vote and undermine rabbinic authority.

At a United Torah Judaism election gathering in Ashdod this week, Rabbi Landau urged voters to support the established party and warned against backing new political lists without the endorsement of senior rabbinic leaders. He nevertheless emphasized that working charedim remain an integral part of the Torah community.

According to a separate report by Hayom, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently met with Leitner and urged him to withdraw from the election race amid concerns over a potential split in the Haredi vote. Leitner reportedly did not rule out withdrawing but made no commitment to abandon his campaign. Ynet later reported that Leitner has publicly rejected calls to withdraw, declaring that his party would remain in the race despite pressure from Netanyahu and the established charedi parties.