Dear Rafi, amv'sh
A beautiful letter from you! Thank you for writing and for your previous letter with recommendations of contacts. Thank you so much for mentioning it again.
My purpose was not to greater the divide between religious and non religious. It wasn't merely to vent. I don't usually resort to such language.
The purpose of writing so harshly is because I am hoping that the negative press would reach the parties in the gov't of Israel who are openly defying Torah and G-d's law to fight the settlers.
It was also to educate those on the left, religious and not religious, who actually agree with the gov't's approach, to see that the tactics have just gone too far. The vulgar language somehow shocks them into seeing that we too can fight back when pushed.
It's also important to the naive supporters on the right to understand what tactics the gov't are willing to take if left unchecked. Many on the right are still naive thinking that the gov't would not stoop so low as to use that which is most precious to them. They must be prepared for what awaits them G-d forbid and prepare accordingly.
The publication has been in my heart and in my mind. I'm afraid not much more. I spoke with someone in my neighborhood who wants to help but only with material that was non confrontational, Diplomacy as he put it. I understand and agree with his points up to a point. The points you mention below have strong validity.
I decided to focus on source material that is primarily references from Tanach, Rishonim, Achronim, Lubavitch Rebbe, modern day Rabbanim such as Rabbi Algaze etc and modern day history such as Balfour Declaration, Conference of Remo which gives us the sources for our entitlement of our Land from the Torah and International Law.
So I spent an entire night trying to download indesign from Adobe and was not successful. Perhaps my computer does not have enough memory. Then I spent the next few nights catching up on sleep.
I feel that we need a combination of "Diplomacy" non negative media imbued with the spirit of Calev ben Yefuneh and Yehoshua bin Nun, as well as different material that will expose the Jewish leadership for following the footsteps of the Spies of the desert and steer them in the direction towards Eretz Yisroel. The purpose of the negative material would be so that it acts like a vaccination. A little bit of Lashon Hara to prevent the greater sin of Lashon Hara of the Spies. (Lashon Hara is permitted when it is in order to prevent future harm to others)
I also was thinking that If I can show in some other publication, that there is no one group that has a monopoly on the Torah (the secular Zionists have a love of Eretz Yisroel and the Chareidim have a love of different Mitzvoth in the Torah) this will ultimately unite us.
What is unique about my approach is that there is practically no group that I have not been critical of. If I were to write about myself, trust me, I would find plenty of negative things to write about as well.
What will unite Am Yisroel is that we are all human and have our weaknesses. We also have our strengths. I have been quite harsh against the right including Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah, OU, Young Israel, Aish Hatorah, Manhigut Yehudit, the Hebron Fund and the Hebron community and even the leaders and communities of Gush Katif. (and I see them all by far as much more worthy than myself). Each and every group has been upset with me each for their own reason. I am hoping that when they see I attack everyone equally, that they will see that indeed they are in excellent company and hopefully will somehow forgive me.
G-d expects from us almost the impossible. We must put our complete faith and trust in Him alone and on each other and disregard where our present source of income, our bread and butter is coming from. It is nothing short of revolutionary.
I am afraid that an economic collapse will trigger just that but it could be prevented if we are proactive in joining together to assert our entitlement for Eretz Yisroel and our yearning for Torah and Mitzvoth especially in Eretz Yisroel.
We get the Jewish Voice from NY. Publisher David Ben Hooren. Editor in Chief Avi Ben Mordechai. It had a very positive cover page article/interview with Feiglin .
I thought that this was the Voices that you suggested. But when I went back to your email I realized that it was a totally different Voices.
On a superficial glance the Voices, editor Sharon Katz is very upbeat but too naive. (btw I just subscribed). Too upbeat. For example, they celebrate Israel's 60 year anniversary. To me that's like celebrating the anniversary of a spouse that wishes to commit homicide and suicide.
Paul Eidelberg in his last email seemed to hit the nail on the head (I just emailed it to you and posted it). The origin of the State of Israel has a flaw (secular Zionism) that is now turning into a crack.
The Torah has been the basis for the modern day Republic and democracy too has roots in Torah. Yet if one dares to suggest that Torah should be the basis of the government of Eretz Yisroel one is labeled radical, messianic and extremist.
We are in a war that we did not choose. It is a religious War. The time has come to recognize our religion and that is why I put an emphasis on calling upon the Moetzet Gedolei Hatorah to stop hiding behind their silence.
Our job is to introduce Torah, Torah Shebichtav and a Sanhedrin, the Torah Shebaal Peh into a philosophical and intellectual discussion for a working and operational government in Eretz Yisroel. Discussions on Halacha and Torah Shebaal Peh are necessary and of course welcome as long as one recognizes that there is room for differences of opinion when it comes to Halacha. Ideally there would be a Sanhedrin that would be assigned to determine the law of the Land but allows for Hillels and Shamais who love and respect each other. (no religious coercion on items such as wearing pants or separate seating concerts)
Our belief in Hashem, and the Torah is our common denominator. Torah is relevant. Torah is politically correct. Only Torah can unite all people and all nations and this is not a naive statement. It is EMES and it requires intellectual honesty in the reading the words and interpreting the words of our Torah. .
When we unite in our desire to keep the Torah and the Mitzvoth the Nations of the world will say "Am Chacham Venavon"!
Sincerely, Robin
Dear Robin,
I know the overall situation is grim and that things that are done by the authorities are often more than infuriating. So it's natural to give vent to our feelings, and the electronic mail is a great way of letting lose against those we deem to be harming the Jewish people.
And even if you absolutely correct in every statement you make, (or was it someone else who wrote this mail) and even if all the facts that are mentioned are absolutely as they were without any hyperbole, the question is: who is getting your mails and what do they accomplish?
I would guess that most of the recipients of your mails are people who fully support the settlers in Judea and Samaria, as I do. And many probably send these mails to their contacts, who are probably mostly of a similar disposition. I would guess that very few of the people who are indifferent to the situation of the Jews of "Yesha" or even antagonistic to them, receive your mails.
So what does this mail do for Israel and the Jewish people? I think it must stoke more anger on the part of people who get them. Resentment, frustration, a feeling of betrayal, abandonment, a wish to retaliate and more really negative feelings … towards other Jews.
Israel is badly split along a number of fault lines. Religiously – among the various religious groups themselves and vis a vis the hilonim; politically – even within parties; ashkenazim and sephardim – although gratifyingly this split is less pronounced than before; rich/poor; left wing against right wing against center; retaliate strongly and to hell with what the consequences will be vis a vis caution; etc etc.
And more than ever before we need unity and understanding among ourselves. We need to foster mutual respect and morale. We need to encourage meaningful debate dafka with people with whom we are in disagreement. Meanwhile the disunity in the nation is getting worse and worse and we will not survive like this.
I'm not saying that you shouldn't relate to what's happening to the Jews of Yesha and Israel's lack lustre performance against our would-be destroyers. But please consider the effect of your words. Do they heal, strengthen, inform accurately; do they generate understanding from the other side and to the other side? Do they strengthen Israel and the Jewish people? If your words do all these things that's great. But they might actually contribute further to the disunity and weakening of our nation. And I would imagine that that's not what you want.
By the way, have you progressed with your idea of a publication? Did you get my mail with a few leads which I sent you a few weeks ago? I spent quite a lot of time trying to contact old leads and talking to people. It would be nice to know that you got my e-mail.
Yours,
Rafi----
No comments:
Post a Comment