28 Adar I 5771
Someone sent me an article. I read it. I appreciate the thought behind it, but I cannot agree with its conclusions. It's typical of most articles about Israel these days. It's politically based. Israel is in dire straits and the "only solution" is, of course, a political one. So many Chicken Littles running around in circles screaming that the sky is falling---Israel is falling!
We walk around all day looking at the ground. Look up! See the big picture from Heaven's perspective! Everything is a message! Heaven is screaming at us and we walk around like the blind and the deaf, looking at the ground.
Why are the nations intent on "delegitimizing" Israel? Very, very simple. If Israel thinks it can be a nation just like all the others, separate and apart from Torat Yisrael, then its existence has no legitimacy in the eyes of Heaven and the nations just reflect that reality. Why do the nations blame us for all the world's ills? Very simple. Because they are our fault. Everything in the world happens, for ill or for good, because of us and for our sakes. So say chazal.
We replaced Hashem with non-gods and He placed upon us the threat of being replaced by a non-people---the so-called Palestinians. Read my lips: There are no political solutions to spiritual problems. There is only one solution and you've heard it so many times that it has lost all meaning. Your ears are numb to its truth---teshuvah, teshuvah, TESHUVAH!
The "settlers" have declared war on the Israeli police. Yesterday, they held a "Day of Rage," blocking intersections and burning tires in protest of police brutality against them in their ongoing opposition to government building policies in Judea and Samaria. Don't you get it? Hashem does not want more "settlements" if they are just going to be carbon copies of the ones that already exist! Why expand this illegitimate Jewish project in the Middle East if it's not going to fulfill the purpose for which it was created?
We've lost sight of our real reason for being here---to build a Torah-based society functioning according to the Creator's instructions, thereby sanctifying Hashem's Name before the entire world. What's going on in the world at large is a reflection of what is going on in Israeli society and right now it can be summed up in one word---chaos! It's not just Israel, but the whole world depends on us getting our act together. Think about it.
Shabbat shalom and chodesh tov~
I agree that we all have to do Teshuva, and that Avodat Hashem is the purpose of our lives. However, I strongly disagree with your understanding that the international and also internal forces against the settlements is a sign that Hashem doesn't want them. Many of the settlements, maybe even most, are filled with Torah-observant people, whose lives are a true Kiddush Hashem. They're filled with Yeshivot, Talmudei Torah, chessed, and ahavat Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael. Not every obstacle that Hashem puts in our way is because He doesn't want us to do that particular act. Sometimes, it's in order to overcome the obstacles and make it better and more of a Kiddush Hashem. Shabbat Shalom, Chanie
ReplyDeleteChanie--Thank you for commenting and giving me another chance to make my position clear. This is comparable to when the prophet told Am Yisrael not to bring any more korbanot to the Beit Hamikdash because they were not acceptable to Hashem. Did Hashem really not want our korbanot? Or rather, did He want them, but He wanted them to be brought in an acceptable manner?
ReplyDeleteOf course, Hashem wants us to settle the Land of Israel, without restraint! BUT!! If we are going to continue to bring the Arab enemy in to build them; to bring tuma-laden Asians in to work in them; to welcome missionary "friends" to visit them; and to continue to support the godless "democratic" regime that funds them, then Hashem is not interested.
The main point of this post is to emphasize that Hashem has a plan and a purpose for us being here. If we do not get with the plan and fulfill our purpose, then there is no longer any reason to continue.
It's well and good that we agree that teshuvah is needed, but the most important question here is ...FOR WHAT!?
Havat Gilad is not your usual settlement.
ReplyDeleteIt was purchased from the Arab owner years ago.
This stronghold is a thorn in the anti-Torah government's side, because the residents hold to the halakhic acquisition of the Land over whether they have permission from the gov't.
This stronghold is even very close, if not within, the gov't's own "security fence." It is much closer that many "State-loyalist" towns who are "behaving" the way the gov't wants.
These people are dangerous to the government, as they hold HaShem and His Torah in higher authority than Israeli law.
The gov't is desperately trying to break these kinds of Jews.
I believe that your other points are correct.