Rav Richter on Netanyahu's Speech

 24 Tammuz 5784

Netanyahu's Speech To Congress; Superb Or Disastrous?

 

Rabbi Meir Kahane, ztz"l, Hy"d...

While he was in prison, Joseph failed in his trust in G-d when he asked the chief steward to save him.  As our sages said (Shemot Rabbah 7:1), “Joseph really only deserved ten years in prison...yet because he asked the chief steward, 'Remember that I was with you...Say something about me to Pharaoh' (Gen. 40:14), two years were added.”

A Jew who seeks help from a non-Jew out of despair and fear, lest G-d not help him, commits a grave sin.  Had Joseph approached the steward with a demand because the steward owed him a favor, that would not have been considered a sin.  Yet by petitioning him with a request, indicating that we need a favor from a non-Jew, he profaned G-d's name, showing that he did not trust in G-d but only in flesh and blood.  From here we derive a major principle regarding aid from a non-Jew: If the non-Jew gives it as part of mutual aid, or payment for what he owes the Jew, that is allowed.  If, however, we approach a non-Jew or a country with a request, like a pauper standing at the door, there is no more severe Chilul HaShem and lack of trust in G-d than this.  It is an unatonable sin for a Jew to despair.  It constitutes national denial of G-d for Israel to turn to human strength, to non-Jewish allies, and to lean on them while scorning G-d's ability to help.

On the national level, this means : [...] whoever relies on the non-Jew and his aid, and fears that without such aid the Jews and their land will be unable to survive, has been caught by lack of complete trust in G-d, bordering on denial of His existence.  The individual Jew and the Jewish people as a whole will not be forgiven if they abandon their faith in G-d, the Supreme, Omnipotent King Who rules over the world and over the nations. He alone is our salvation.  Even totally righteous, G-d fearing people fall prey to the terrible sin of lack of trust in G-d.  As our sages said (Sotah 48b), “What is meant by 'Who has despised [baz] the day of small things?' (Zechariah 4:10)?  What causes the future heavenly reward of the righteous to be squandered [yitbazbez]?  Their smallness in not believing in G-d.”  Had our sages not said this, we would not dare to put this thought to words.