Question:
My father recently asked me who I plan on voting for in the upcoming US elections.
When I told him Donald Trump, he got very angry with me and tried arguing with me and said I forbid you from voting for him. He said better you shouldnt vote at all.
I do not share my father’s liberal views and I consider Trump’s Values in sync with the values of Yiddishkeit.
I live in a Democratic state which will not go to Trump anyways, and the askonim beg everyone to vote because the yiddens voices are heard thru voting, even if it doesnt have an influence on the election outcome.
Am I mechuyav to listen to my father, or since my vote wont effect who the winner is anyways, I could keep my right to cast my ballot as I please?
Answer:
Hello,
Regarding this you do not have to listen to what your father tells you, and you can vote for Trump (if the Rabbonim say to vote specifically for him). However, you must make sure that your father doesn’t find out that who you voted for. There are two reasons for this. The reason is, because if the Rabbonim hold that it will be beneficial for the Jewish community that feel that it is a mitzva to vote for a specific candidate, then your father’s commanding you not to, would be similar to telling you not to do a mitzva, to which you do not have to obey. As you write, if the Jews in general will benefit from voting even for a person who will lose that state, but it will affect how he relates to them in a lot of ways. Additionally, this is an issue that doesn’t affect your father’s well-being in any way.
Best wishes
