The National Union has received two ringing rabbinical endorsements over the past two days – from Rabbis Mordechai Eliyahu and David Abuhatzeira. Rabbi Eliyahu, a former Rishon LeTzion (Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel), wrote on Monday: “I would like to bless Yaakov Katz (Ketzaleh), that he should rise ever upward and succeed in all his endeavors, especially in all his efforts to disseminate Torah, bring Jews closer to Torah, and to settle the Land of Israel… I rely on Ketzaleh that he will be able to sanctify G-d’s Name in public as he has done until now and will represent the religious public in the Knesset in the correct way.” Rabbi Eliyahu referred to the dozens of Jewish communities, yeshivot and Torah core groups that Ketzaleh helped build throughout the Land, as well as the Arutz-7 internet/radio/TV network that he was instrumental in building from scratch. Rabbi Abuhatzeirah’s endorsement was received on Tuesday during a tour of northern Israel by Ketzaleh and the #2 candidate on the National Union list, MK Uri Ariel. The Kabbalist rabbi, a grandson of the Baba Sali, met with them in his office in the northern coast city of Nahariya. He said he hopes their party “receives many Knesset seats," and also blessed the two and their families personally. Ketzaleh, who was drafted to head the party after an unsuccessful attempt to unify the National Union and the National Religious Party, said, “It was worth it to become the head of this party just to receive this blessing from Rabbi Abuhatzeira.” Ariel was also visibly moved, and said, “Even a yekke [straight-laced Jew] like me gets so excited from the rabbi’s blessing. It was truly a great privilege.”