bs"d
Dear Hadas, amv"sh
Thank you so much for helping us to bring this to the attention of Rav Eliashiv and Rav Efrati. It seems to me that Rav Eliashiv has influence of over hundred thousand Jews. I know that in America, Agudath Yisroel of America and the Chofetz Chaim Foundation will not act unless they are under the directive of the Gedoilim in Eretz Yisroel such as Rav Eliashiv and Rav Shteinman. In America and in Israel there has been Silence as to our Biblical Inheritance. When asked to make a statement protesting Bush's Roadmap which involves a 2 State Solution, the answer the Rabbanim in America has been that "We follow the lead from the Rabbanim in Eretz Yisroel and that our hands are paralyzed" (a direct quote from Reb Chaim Dovid Zwiebel, spokesperson of Agudath Yisroel of America) or "We do not make political statements".
Eretz Yisroel's boundaries are delineated in Parshat Masei . That is straightforward and a given. The Torah repeatedly states that Hashem promises Eretz Yisroel to the seed of Avraham Yitzchok and Yaakov. That too is straightforward and a given. However, the Gedoilim have not taken these two givens one step forward to proclaim that a 2 State Solution is contrary to Torah since if it is an inheritance exclusively to Am Yisroel it means that it can not be negotiated. The public has been brainwashed to believe that making such a statement is political when in fact it is Daas Torah. Rav Eliashiv has chosen to be Silent and not protest Bush's roadmap plan. Why hasn't Rav Eliashiv spoken up in favor of the Torah Roadmap? I believe if Am Yisroel would give Rav Eliashiv reason to believe that we desire Eretz Yisroel and yearn to keep the Mitzvoth that are dependant on the Land, there is a good chance that he and the other Gedoilim Batorah would speak up. Hasn't Rav Eliashiv endorsed and is behind the "Beis Medrash LeToras Eretz Yisroel" in Har Nof under the leadership of his close secretary and confidant Rav Efrati? Isn't learning Torah for the sake of keeping Torah? How can we keep the Mitzvoth Teluyot Baaretz if we give our Land away to the Goyim?
The formation of a Non Jewish State within the boundaries of Yehudah and Shomron is a Chillul Hashem. If there was truly the yearning and desire to keep Mitzvoth Teluyot Baaretz than Am Yisroel would simply say that the Land belongs to Hashem as it says in Parshas Yisro Perek 19 Pasuk 5 "Ki Li Kol Haaretz". We must first proclaim to the world that G-d is the Master of the entire world. Hashem chose Am Yisroel to be a treasured Nation from all the Nations in order to be a Kingdom of Priests (Mamlechet Kohanim) and a H-ly Nation (VeGoy Kadosh). In the previous phrase in the Pasuk it describes the prerequisite for Am Yisroel to be on this special status "VeAta Im Shamoa Tishmeuh BeKoli Ushmartem Es Brisi". For Am Yisroel to achieve their purpose and Wordly Mission, they must listen to Hashem's voice and keep the Covenant. What is the Bris, the Covenant? It says in Pesukei D'zimra (Hodu LaHashem Kiru Vishmo" which comes from Divrei Hayamim I Perek 16, "Zichru LeOlam (forever) Briso, Davar Tziva LeEleph Dor, asher Karas Es Avraham, Ushvuoso LeYitzchok, Vayaamideha LeChok, LeYisroel Bris Olam, Lemor, Lecha Etain Eretz Canaan, Chevel Nachalaschem..."
The reason we have this special status of being an Am Segula is not because we are racists. We have certain obligations that only we, Am Yisroel, can fulfill. These are the Mitzvoth that are in the Torah. These are the Mitzvoth that are read at Hakhel. These are Mitzvoth that are dependant on the Land. Only we have the potential can bring the Kedusha and no other Peaceful Democratic State has the knowledge, the potential or the inclination. Only Am Yisroel is the violinist, Torah is the notes and Eretz Yisroel is the violin that will create beautiful music for the entire world to enjoy. When we listen to Hashem's voice and keep the Mitzvoth then the entire world is blessed.
There is an emphasis in the Chareidi world on not speaking Lashon Hara. Is it coincidence that the Disengagement happened on Tisha Baav and the 10th day of Av, the yahrzeit of the Chait HaMiraglim and of the Churban Beit Hamikdash. The root cause of Lashon Hara happened on this day in the desert and this event caused Bechiya Ledorot. The Miraglim were the Gedoilim of their generation. They discouraged the people from entering Eretz Yisroel. They preferred the spirituality of the desert.
We were told by those that are close to the inner circle of Rav Eliashiv that if a Mishlachat of Chashuva Rabbanim from America come and ask Rav Eliashiv to make a public Statement, then that will be Mashpia. Shmuel Koenig then spoke to Rav Matisyahoo Salomon and Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky. Rav Matisyahoo Salomon told him that he's too busy and Rav Shmuel Kamenetsky said that he is not interested in making a public statement or going to Eretz Yisroel to persuade Rav Eliashiv to make a statement. Shmuel did not ask Rav Shmuel Berenbaum since he was told that he wasn't feeling well. I personally spoke to Rebbetzin Kamenetsky. She said that all the Jews know that Eretz Yisroel is our Biblical Inheritance and there is no need to make a Statement and that we don't need to explain it to the Goyim. Anyway she said it wouldn't make a difference if we did make a public Statement. Rebbetzin Kamenetsky said her husband made up his mind and didn't believe he was interested in changing his position. She said we need only to focus on Learning Torah and doing Chesed. It would be chutzpa for her husband to tell Rav Eliashiv what to say. I asked what's the point of learning Torah if it's not for the sake of keeping Torah. How can we keep the Mitzvoth Teluyot Baaretz if we give away the Land. How can we keep Tefillin w/o a hand. How can there be light w/o a candle? As for Chesed, isn't the most basic form of chesed is to prevent others from reaching a state of poverty? If the 2 State Solution is implemented, over 100,000 productive, self supporting, tax paying people will be made into social welfare cases just like the people from Gush Katif. Will you wait for that to happen and then speak about chesed? I spoke to the Noveminsker Rebbe, Rav Perlow. He said that this is a very serious matter and that his position is not to make a public statement and then he hung up the telephone, end of discussion.
How about the Mishpatim. 10,000 people had their property stolen from them. The people of Gush Katif had their property completely destroyed and their means of Parnassa taken away from them. They still have to pay the mortgage on the property because they have personal liability. The government of Israel together with the Israel Defense Forces destroyed the property of their brothers and took away their Parnassa! As a result, children of these G-d Fearing families have been driven to drugs and other dependencies. What is the point of learning the halachos of Property ownership and be Silent to these ongoing horrible acts of Gezel?
The emotional pain and turmoil is just too painful to bear for many of these G-d Fearing Jews. Living with poverty is perhaps doable. Knowing that what was rightfully yours was stolen from you, knowing that Eretz Yisroel rightfully belongs to Am Yisroel and yet the spiritual Rabbinic leaders are quiet and allowed unprotected teenagers get beaten up for what is Torah and Emes and there is no justice whatsoever, is unbearable.
What positive force would be the result of Rav Eliashiv publicly stating the Torah Roadmap and Daas Torah. This would validate the struggle of the people of Gush Katif and would bring balm to their souls. Hundreds of thousands of Jews are looking for direction. It is still not too late to say we made a mistake. The Disengagement was a very serious mistake and the government of Israel did an evil thing. That would directly influence UTJ members as well as the hundreds of thousand of Jews that live in America. If UTJ would join with the Religious Zionists to vote for Torah this would be a revolution. The flaw of the government establishment 50 years ago was that it rejected Torah. They chose Zionism and rejected Torah. But being silent about our claim to Eretz Yisroel is practically speaking also rejecting Torah. Because the Torah is One. One can not pick and choose which Mitzvoth to keep. While our hand is still healthy we have an obligation to put on Tefillin. When we have access to the Land then we still are capable of keeping Mitzvoth Teluyot Baaretz. And if we argue we can still keep it in Bnei Brak, then we can argue back that's fine for those whose Nachala is in Bnei Brak. But if my Nachala is in the Nachala of Yehuda then it's not helpful to me.
This rejection of Torah at the very establishment of the State of Israel, is now a crack rather than just a flaw. The time has come for a Torah revolution. Hashem is the Master of the World. We must quote the 1st Rashi in Beraishis as does the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Let us focus on the Mitzvoth read at Hakhel from Devarim and pray that blessings reach the world. Silence and Humility on the part of the Gedoilim in this point of time is misplaced. The dangers surrounding us are too all encompassing. There is no other option but to put our trust in Hashem for His deliverance. We must do our part and not be afraid to speak for Torah and for the Emes.
As I am writing this letter the government of Israel is building a fence. They have fooled the public that the fence is for security reasons. Actually this fence is according to knowledgeable sources, the new border of Israel and Palestine. This past Friday, Hamas and the PA have joined forces and have worked out an agreement with the help of the Saudi's. On February 19 there is a meeting scheduled with Abbas, Olmert and Condeleeza Rice to discuss a Palestinian State.
We dare not be silent to this Chillul Hashem. There are 100,000,000 believing Christians that are against Bush's Roadmap and their leaders quote from the Bible. Yet they will not be more Jewish than the Jews. It is up to Am Yisroel to take a public stand as to our Biblical Inheritance. Agudath Yisroel of America recently made a statement regarding Jonathan Pollard. The Lines at the White House are flooded Baruch Hashem. If Rav Eliashiv would give his go-ahead we would have in a day, hundreds of thousands of phone calls to the White House regarding our Biblical Inheritance. This would definitely influence the President of the United States from promoting his "roadmap to peace".
NOTE: I based the 100,000,000 figure on a speech by Richard Hellman a Christian of CIPAC http://www.cipaconline.org/ who spoke at the AFSI National Conference Sunday December 3rd 2006 and at the Rally May 23rd 2006 In Washington DC. He said that 100 million of believing Christians support the Bible Roadmap rather than Bush's Roadmap and he quotes extensively from the Bible This is my recollection of what he said. You can verify what he said exactly from him directly.
Amalek is out to destroy us at this very moment. As Mordechai tells Queen Esther "Im Hacharesh Tacharishi ...." Now is not the time to be silent.
Sincerely, Robin Ticker
Please also look at an article about Shemittah posted in 2004 in Arutz7. It's still as relevant as it was when it was posted.
