Vayoel Moshe

Vayoel Moshe (Hebrew: ויואל משה‎‎) is a Hebrew book written by Rabbi Joel Teitelbaum, leader of the Satmar Hasidic movement, in 1961. It made his case that Judaism is against Zionism.

The name of the book is a statement in the bible that also notates his name and his grandfather's name—Joel and Moshe respectively. However, he had other reasons for this naming as well. The source for the title is Exodus 2:21, "And Moses agreed to stay...an alien in a foreign land."

This book is considered one of utmost importance by Satmar Hasidim and many Haredim who follow the Satmar doctrine regarding Zionism. Satmar Hasidism has many institutions, buildings and neighborhoods named after it.

It is primarily a book of Halacha, Jewish law. However, it draws on Rabbinic Jewish philosophy as well.

Although it did not originate with him, before World War II most Hasidic rabbis, as well as some other prominent Orthodox rabbis opposed Zionism. While others had written about the issue in other publications - Torah commentaries and books of Halacha - Rabbi Teitelbaum was the first to write a book specifically about this subject.

The book consists of three parts:

1. Maamar Shalosh Shevuos (Treatise about the Three Oaths), which is also the main part of the book, is a classical Judaic sources and citations book sourced and interpreted by Teitelbaum on everything about those Three Oaths.

This teaching is originally based on the Talmud in tractate Ketubot 111a, which discusses a passage from the Song of Songs in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible) in which God made the Israelites promise "to wait for Him before arousing his love" as "King Solomon in Song of Songs thrice adjured the daughters of Jerusalem not to arouse or bestir the love until it is ready." The Talmud explains that we are bound by three strong oaths mentioned in Ketubot 111a - 1. that the Jewish people are not allowed to ascend to Eretz Yisrael by force; 2. that the Jewish people are not allowed to rebel against the nations of the world; 3. that the Jewish people may not by their sins delay the coming of Moshiach, the Jewish messiah.

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