4 Kislev 5785
* "Klipah - Literally husk or shell in English, the klipah refers to any spiritual blockage preventing us from spiritual growth or transformation."
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We have to begin having a serious talk about "Religious Zionism." This is a klipah that has to be discarded before we can be ready to receive Mashiach, now more than ever as the time grows short.
HKB"H arranged it so that this was the group my family landed in when we came to Eretz Yisrael and converted (again) to Judaism. It wasn't long, however, before I began having questions similar to what occurred soon after I became an adult in the church. Something was off.
Without getting into the entire back story, we had some experience with Conservative Jews and what first put me off of them was their constant harping against "The Orthodox." We were determined to have a kosher conversion so that brought us to the rabbanut which led to being put in touch with some Modern Orthodox people, who subscribed, of course, to a Zionistic ethos. Early on, I was a bit shocked by their constant criticism of "The Chareidim." But, the enemies of the Torah, the secular "chilonim" were given a free pass. They were "tinokot shenishbu" - like babies kidnapped at birth - and not accountable for their actions. This was all very confusing.
Time passed, raising a family, making a living, learning when and where possible, I felt more of a kinship with and an emotional attachment to chareidi Jewry, even though I was looking in from the outside. My worldview, firmly rooted in the teachings of Tanach, was more and more challenged by the ideas I was exposed to in the dati leumi (national religious) world.
As I've mentioned here before, I knew nothing of Zionism or even Israeli history before I came to Eretz Yisrael and only began to be educated about it after settling here. I came for HKB"H, not the land, although I appreciate the land as a gift from Him - a home for Us. It would not have mattered to me who was ruling over it, although ideally that would be a Jewish king.
Skipping forward to the present, I believe, based both on experience and learning, that the Chareidim are closest to having it right while National Religious Zionism is a klipah* that needs to be discarded. It's one of those unholy mixtures like Hellenism and Judeo-Chr*stianity, which also explains their across-the-board love for and attachment to Evangelical Chr*stians.
With God's help, this is what I'll be writing about in the near term.
To be continued, iy"H...
There is a perush on TB Sanhedrin 97a that says when the "truth is absent" נעדר it is actually hidden away in pockets (עדר = goat shed). Either the same source or another says that it is up to us to go at and search for it, the truth. One reason for ahduth (unity) is to join together the pieces of the truth. All communities have some, but not all. Unfortunately, the dangers of adhuth include attaching ourselves to people an concepts counter to Torah, get confused and pulled away from the correct path.
ReplyDeleteThat being said, the sources for Zionism is the Torah, an not Herzl or Ben-Gurion or even Jabotinsky.
The mamlakhtim, those who have confused Torah and State, are simply the latest who have hijacked the term, just like the Labor Zionists did in 1930s Nazi Germany.
The sugyah above also mentions the "bearers of the truth being shunned. To mean it is clear that the rabbis telling their students to refuse orders to expel Jews from their homes and lands, those preventing Christians from entering their towns, and those supporting their followers' need to defend themselves are being shunned. OTOH, the fringe (and emphasize they are only the fringe) of Neturei Karta are also shunned. But if they bear any truth, such as having faith in Mashi'ah, then it is only that.
I think any difference between us hinges here: "...the sources for Zionism is the Torah, ..."
DeleteChange that from "Zionism" to just "Zion" and I'll agree with you.
Also, make note please that I am not even talking about Zionism but strictly about "Religious" Zionism - an unkosher mixture, IMO. If you already have Zion, there is no need for "Zionism."
And let's face it. In these days, Zionism is understood primarily as secular Zionism and nobody is thinking about the Torah. Sticking "religious" in front of it does not change its basic character, IMO.
I'd be interested to know if you have any ideas about how religious zionism has improved over anything zionism brought initially.
Thanks, as always.
I think that our argument may be a semantic one. I get your point about "Zion," but do we really have Zion? The Erev Rav is doing whatever it can so that we don't have Zion. I guess to be clear, I see the true Religious Zionist as simply someone, say from a hill near Yitzhar, who observes the entire Torah to the best of his ability, and residing in the Land, conquering whatever we can, and building it up is simply part of the Torah.
DeleteThose waving a Religious Zionist flag are necessarily Religious Zionists. Some are Erev Rav, some are misguided, and most are just pawns.
Years ago, a mutual acquaintance of ours (you might remember him) suggested I give up on the term Zionism, and just say Torah-observant. I'm too stubborn to allow the fakes to lie and to misrepresent Zionism, which I believe to mean that the Land of Zion belongs to the People of Israel.
Allegations of Christian influence surface as World Zionist Congress election heats up
ReplyDeleteEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian @manniefabian
ReplyDeleteThe IDF says it has established a first-ever Air Force technicians unit for members of the ultra-Orthodox community, allowing them to maintain their religious lifestyle while serving in the military.
Just so long as they are not learning Torah!
HaGaon HaRav Yosef: “Tear Up Draft Orders & Flush Them Down The Toilet”
I grew up in the typical American modern orthodox Mizrachi world. Like everyone else in this group we were raised with Medinat Yisrael, IDF, Yom Haatzmaut, the whole shebang. In college after moving away, I started becoming frum again and after college I went to a Charedi Yeshiva and met my wife. We got married and were for a while in the Charedi world, and then when we made Aliyah we were part of the Dati leumi world for a while. Before, but ultimately it was the scamdemic that opened our eyes to the problems. Seeing the Dati Leumi being the first to run to implement the government tyranny, Rabbis who justified kicking bochurim out who refused to get jabs. On our Yishuv many in the Dati Leumi community (which happen to be Anglos) were making Shechiyanius when they got the jab and had absolutely no problem kicking those out of shuls who didn't follow the tyranny. Baruch Hashem my wife and I ultimately found the beautiful world of Breslov.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who was born and grew up Dati Leumi, and then slowly became Chareidi (for millions of smaller and larger - ever amounting reasons), I would be interested in hearing the continuation of your story.
ReplyDeleteYehudiYerushalmi
.ל.ל
ReplyDeleteYour comment was not entirely true so I declined to publish it.
Rabbi Shalom Ber Schneersohn, Lubavitcher Rebbe (1860-1920)
ReplyDeleteWhoever twists the meaning of the Torah and finds proofs to Zionism from the Torah, and especially from the Hidden Torah, is like one who places an idol in the Temple. G-d will not forgive him. May G-d in His great mercy remove this accursed doctrine from among the Jewish people, and inspire their hearts to repent to Him in truth.
Those who assist these Zionists will pay on the Day of Judgment, for they are abetting those who cause the masses to sin. Therefore, whoever is for G-d and His Torah will not join the evildoers and will not cling to them. On the contrary, he will oppose them as much as possible. And until it is G-d’s will to redeem us, we must accept the yoke of exile to atone for our sins. (Ohr Layesharim, p. 59)
Yisroel Tzion
Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, the Lubavitcher Rebbe (1880-1950)
ReplyDeleteThe straight-thinking Jew looks on in astonishment, thinking: what do these rebels against G-d and His Torah have to do with the Land of Israel? (Mishmeres Chomoseinu 20 Shvat 5716)
I hereby join with the honored rabbis who oppose and protest against Mizrachi and the like. They do not walk in the spirit of the Torah. I wish to convey in writing that the Jewish people should separate themselves from this terrible desecration. Let the defiled leave the face of the Holy Land! (Om Ani Chomah, 5709 ch. 4 p. 400)
Yisroel Tzion
Yisroel Tzion, there is not room to include everything you sent, so I chose to include the shorter versions. Please keep in mind the amount of space available for a COMMENT and save the rest for the book you are writing. ;-)
DeleteAlso, for everyone, try not to get off on Zionism in general and focus on the issue of the mixture of Zionism and Torah which presents as "religious" Zionism and whether such a mixture is kosher or not. Thanks!
Agree 100% with Tomer Devorah. Also, with Esser Agaroth but it is
ReplyDeletetrue that we should not use the word 'zionism' because when we
add on the 'ism's' whether it is Judaism, zionism, it waters down
the 'true' meaning of 'Tzion and Torah'. I believe that all these movements were so shrewdly innovated by the likes of the Erev
Rav. We learn that the Amaleikim were very good imposters that
when needed, they could pose (actors) and would be able to wiggle their way in. We see so much of this today (i.e., the Erev Rav together with outsiders),
etc.)
Tzion
During difficult times of confusion and stress I think, we get hung up too much on labels, imho. After 50 or so years of trying to return as a chozer b'teshuva, I still find that the writings of Rabbi Kahaneזצ"ל , הי"ד, articulate the truth of the authentic Jewish Idea with all its complexity. He transcends all the labels. Each group or sect within the Torah world sees its own view as the exclusive truth. That may not be a bad thing, but I think Rav Kahane was the most uniquely original thinker within the Jewish world as a whole. Whatever his flaws and failures were, I suspect he's the closest to G-d's truth we are likely to see for a while. Just my opinion.
ReplyDeleteIMO zionism has no meaning today. Biden said he is a Zionist. Really? I also don't use the labels haredi and chiloni. If we examine the roots of these words, we'll see that not many people have yirat Shamayim nor are many empty. I prefer shomer mitzvot and not shomer mitzvot yet. I do recognize that we are also plagued by the erev rav. Most assumptions about which group a Jew falls into are based on clothing. Today HaRav Kook, the 1st chief Rabbi would be called Haredi even though he is one of the icons of the "religious "zionist" kehillah.
ReplyDeleteLike I have stated previously, many have hijacked, distorted, and outright lied about what Zionism is: Labor Zionists, Christians, and certainly U. S. Politician waving the fake-Zionist flag to get Jews to vote for them, many of whom do not know what Zionism even means themselves. That being said, you make some good points, points which I myself have alluded to.
DeleteI wish I had the time and patience to write here the meaning of "Zion" based upon my Rebbe's shiurim...Hagaon HaGadol Rav Moshe Shapira ZT'L.
ReplyDeleteWith the proper understanding of the word Zion,....the entire concept of True Torah adherence (Chareidi , if you will) is best understood. And the distinction between Chareidi and everything else becomes completely clear.
Hayim
Neither the haredi world not the dati leumi are monolithic blocks. Thus, it is completely incorrect to say that across the board the DL embrace evangelists. It is primarily some DL rabbis and askanim, mainly Americans. For most DL I know, the issue is barely on their radar if at all, and I know those who completely oppose them. In the meantime, DL soldiers are being killed disproportionately to their numbers, al kidush Hashem, to protect us all, many leaving behind widows and orphans.
ReplyDeleteI suggest reading Em Habanim Smeichah by Rav Teichtal HYD, regarding his learned and sourced views on EY and the haredi world. and the geula.
HItoreri
You would be right about the Jews connecting with Evangelicals. The mamlakhtim (diehard State loyalists such as R' Aviner) used to be counted on to oppose Christian involvement. Not so clear any more.
DeleteAny because of the English speakers controlling the information which gets to Hebrew speakers' ears, more and more Hebrew speakers including rabbis are jumping on the bandwagon, not having done their homework.
It used to be that Hebrew speakers were just having the wool pulled over them, like in Itamar when 40 Hebrew speakers told guest speaker Mina Fenton that they had no clue any Christians were walking around their town. Now it's totally out of hand in the Shomron.
As far as quiddsh HaShem, is it Qiddush HaShem for kippah wearing soldiers to go to their deaths willingly, at the hands of the Erev Rav? So many soldiers' lives could have been saved, if Israel had not been more concerned about enemy "civilians" and "what the goyim would say." Maybe they die al qiddush HaShem, since these soldiers were being misled by "rabbis" who, to varying degrees, confuse Torah with State Law, the Land of Israel with the State of Israel, and Am Yisrael with Israeli citizens. I think these "rabbis" are in for a big wake up call.
Hard to say what is the rabbis' fault, the elementary schools' fault, their parents' fault when it comes to their Torah education.
In 2005, it was suggested that the soldiers who threw Jews out of their homes in Gaza were hayav. I asked how a brainwashed by rabbis, 18 year old could be held culpable for his sins. This is an ongoing mahloqeth.